Hearing rumours that Olivier Bernard has bought Durham City.
Not sure what financial backing he has or can bring, but hopefully he will bring an upturn in their fortunes.

(19 Dec 2013, 3:40 pm)andreos1 wrote Hearing rumours that Olivier Bernard has bought Durham City.
Not sure what financial backing he has or can bring, but hopefully he will bring an upturn in their fortunes.

What kind of progress can they make, 2 promotions and they are back in the position they were in a few years ago, no chance of moving upwards, The Conference most likely wont give in anytime soon, so Bernard has 2 options, be happy where he is or rip the 3G pitch and go for it...

I have said many times through this thread I want to see North East non-League teams progressing through the pyramid, however Durham does it under Bernard, I hope and wish him and Durham City all the best in the future...

He spoke of Durham being a feeder club, Olivier Bernard will have some decent contacts in the game, I am sure with his knowledge and contacts he will be able to achieve that somehow

Sunderland bettered Carlisle, Newcastle and the Smogs out...

Can Sunderland do a Boro, get to 2 Cup Finals and get relegated in the same season...The Posh or Kidderminster in the next round at home should see them through to the 5th round

Bit late, but the bubble is burst.

Joint NUFC and SAFC statement: http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20140107/...70_3608446

Newcastle United and Sunderland AFC are surprised and disappointed with the statement issued yesterday by Northumbria Police in which the force claims that the police cannot direct changes to kick-off times for the clubs' fixtures, referring in particular to the derby games.
Over a number of years both clubs have made repeated representations to Northumbria Police to try and reach agreement over kick-off times to enable a traditional 3pm kick-off, or later, to enable broadcasters to give the game consideration in the majority of their time slots for live coverage.
Police forces up and down the country have been able to police high-profile derby matches for years, including most recently the first Welsh derby in the Premier League, Cardiff v Swansea, on Sunday 3rd November at 4pm, Arsenal v Tottenham at 5.15pm on Saturday 4th January, and Manchester City v Manchester United on Sunday 22nd September at 4pm.
In recent years, Northumbria Police have rejected every request made by the clubs for later kick-off slots, including Saturday 5.30pm, Sunday 4pm and Monday 8pm.

Both clubs have evidence in the form of considerable written correspondence between Northumbria Police, the Premier League and the clubs, which contradicts their statement of yesterday.
Indeed that correspondence has stated that Northumbria Police would not be prepared to police the evening fixtures requested previously, as well as their confirmation to the Premier League in writing in January 2013 that the force would not support derby matches with kick-off times later than 1.30pm.
For Northumbria Police therefore to issue a statement stating that they do not direct changes to kick-off times is quite frankly false and absurd - and conflicts with the respectful and responsible manner in which both Newcastle United and Sunderland AFC have engaged with the police over many years with regard to the derby fixture.
In light of Northumbria Police's latest statement, Newcastle United and Sunderland AFC will now inform the Premier League that all future fixtures between the two clubs will be available for kick-off times to suit the clubs, the League and their broadcast partners, if applicable, and will expect Northumbria Police to police these games, especially given the considerable costs both clubs incur for such special police services.
After considering the police position, Sunderland AFC will be withdrawing the terms and conditions of ticket sales, which previously stated that all supporters must attend the game on official transport. The arrangements to provide complimentary buses and supporters branch transport will remain in place and Sunderland AFC advises fans that this is the safest method of travel to St James' Park.

Meanwhile at Northumbria Police...



Thoughts? Seems that Northumbria Police's attempts for more and more power over the derby match have majorly left them with egg on their faces.

Well Man City in the final they just won 6-0 at west ham

Who will they get?

(08 Jan 2014, 10:09 pm)Michael wrote Well Man City in the final they just won 6-0 at west ham

Who will they get?

Man Utd I'd assume. Different story if Sunderland won 2-0, but they're going to have a hard game at Old Trafford. Only the league cup but undoubtedly the biggest game so far in David Moyes Man Utd career.

(08 Jan 2014, 9:31 pm)aureolin wrote Bit late, but the bubble is burst.

Joint NUFC and SAFC statement: http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20140107/...70_3608446


Meanwhile at Northumbria Police...



Thoughts? Seems that Northumbria Police's attempts for more and more power over the derby match have majorly left them with egg on their faces.

The Polis acultually hold the trump card here, they can turn round and refuse to police that game if they wanted to, no polis, no derby...So the Polis can just squeeze the testicles of the clubs and make them submit, saying they have no input on kick off times is a bare faced lie as it normally needs Police approval...

Sky and the Premier League should turn round next season, call the polices bluff and schedule one of the Derby Games for Skys Monday Night Football and Sky should make it known thats the plan, see what the Police have to say about it...That is of course if Sunderlane stay up

(08 Jan 2014, 10:19 pm)aureolin wrote Man Utd I'd assume. Different story if Sunderland won 2-0, but they're going to have a hard game at Old Trafford. Only the league cup but undoubtedly the biggest game so far in David Moyes Man Utd career.

All Sunderland need to do is park the bus for 90 minutes, as long as they dont get beat 1-0, a 1-1 draw will be enough and a 2-1 Man Yoo win will take the game to extra time, I do see Utd going through though, Rooney and RVP should be back, so can see Moyes going all out for the W

(08 Jan 2014, 10:29 pm)fozzovmurton wrote The Polis acultually hold the trump card here, they can turn round and refuse to police that game if they wanted to, no polis, no derby...So the Polis can just squeeze the testicles of the clubs and make them submit, saying they have no input on kick off times is a bare faced lie as it normally needs Police approval...

Sky and the Premier League should turn round next season, call the polices bluff and schedule one of the Derby Games for Skys Monday Night Football and Sky should make it known thats the plan, see what the Police have to say about it...That is of course if Sunderlane stay up



All Sunderland need to do is park the bus for 90 minutes, as long as they dont get beat 1-0, a 1-1 draw will be enough and a 2-1 Man Yoo win will take the game to extra time, I do see Utd going through though, Rooney and RVP should be back, so can see Moyes going all out for the W

I don't think they hold the trump card at all. Both clubs have cooperated out of good will, but are not obliged to change kick off times to suit. Northumbria Police can't refuse to police it, as it'd still go ahead anyway, unless a court order was issued.

Parking the bus is a non starter when you have an average team at best. Say what you will about Man Utd this season, but they still have 4 quality strikers.

(08 Jan 2014, 11:16 pm)aureolin wrote I don't think they hold the trump card at all. Both clubs have cooperated out of good will, but are not obliged to change kick off times to suit. Northumbria Police can't refuse to police it, as it'd still go ahead anyway, unless a court order was issued.

Parking the bus is a non starter when you have an average team at best. Say what you will about Man Utd this season, but they still have 4 quality strikers.

Not trying to pick a fight or argue, but your telling me, Police absolutely have to co-operate with clubs requests, and cannot effectively place a boycott on policing derby games, it happened in the past where police have threatened to pull out of policing matches, not Northumbria though, think it may have been Lancashire Police in dispute with Wigan or Bolton and that may have been down to money, I cant quite remember...

I am sure if Northumbria Police wanted to be stubborn, they coule take the issue up with a court, citing say, concerns for public safety, whether anybody would buy that though is a different matter.

As for Man Utd, on paper, they have one of the best squads on paper, whether Sunderland park the bus or not in 2 weeks is irrelevant, they can go into the game with some expectation, and Sunderland have always played ok down there in recent years...I am still convinced of an all Manc final, but it is the cup, anything can happen, if Boro can beat Arsenal over 2 legs(2004) or Bradford can beat Villa(last year) then Sunderlands very average team has every chance of bettering Man Utd


*Edit: Just to add to this, the Police issue will probably be irrelevant come May, with next seasons big games being with Middlesbrough and Leeds Utd

In other footballing news

Former Aston Villa, West Ham and German International Thomas Hitzlsperger has become the highest profile person in football to come out and admit he is gay...

Got to say, fair play to the man, Homosexuality and Homophobia is footballs last big taboo, I hope Hitzlspergers admission can go on and inspire more players to come out, because in this day and age, nobody should have to live a lie and pretend to be something there not

(08 Jan 2014, 11:51 pm)fozzovmurton wrote In other footballing news

Former Aston Villa, West Ham and German International Thomas Hitzlsperger has become the highest profile person in football to come out and admit he is gay...

Got to say, fair play to the man, Homosexuality and Homophobia is footballs last big taboo, I hope Hitzlspergers admission can go on and inspire more players to come out, because in this day and age, nobody should have to live a lie and pretend to be something there not

Speaking of which, Sam Allardyce must surely be on thin ice after his West Ham team have conceded 11 goals and scoring none in their last two games.

(09 Jan 2014, 9:54 am)andreos1 wrote Speaking of which, Sam Allardyce must surely be on thin ice after his West Ham team have conceded 11 goals and scoring none in their last two games.

Yep, he has to be, I dont care that news reports that says his bosses are noted for sticking by there managers, but 11 conceded in 2 games and just under half coming in a smashing by a Championship Club, it is a concern, I now dont think Sunderlands shoulders will stay so strong for much longer and Wet Sham will soon replace them at the bottom of the pile.

I honestly cannot stand Big Sam, hated him at Bolton, even more at Newcastle and just as much at Wet Sham, his brand of hoofball is wholly unattractive

(09 Jan 2014, 10:27 am)fozzovmurton wrote Yep, he has to be, I dont care that news reports that says his bosses are noted for sticking by there managers, but 11 conceded in 2 games and just under half coming in a smashing by a Championship Club, it is a concern, I now dont think Sunderlands shoulders will stay so strong for much longer and Wet Sham will soon replace them at the bottom of the pile.

I honestly cannot stand Big Sam, hated him at Bolton, even more at Newcastle and just as much at Wet Sham, his brand of hoofball is wholly unattractive

Although aware of him at Bolton, my first proper taste of him came when he arrived at SJP.
He got off to a cracking start, but quickly lost the players - never more evident than the game at home against Liverpool in the late November.

I hadn't seen anything like the venom from the crowd towards a manager, not even in the dark days of Ardiles, Dalglish, Gullit or Souness!
There was a poisonous atmosphere that afternoon.

(09 Jan 2014, 10:36 am)andreos1 wrote Although aware of him at Bolton, my first proper taste of him came when he arrived at SJP.
He got off to a cracking start, but quickly lost the players - never more evident than the game at home against Liverpool in the late November.

I hadn't seen anything like the venom from the crowd towards a manager, not even in the dark days of Ardiles, Dalglish, Gullit or Souness!
There was a poisonous atmosphere that afternoon.

If I remember rightly, wasn't he on a rocky road the moment he entered SJP, Fat Mike had not yet bought the club and Big Sam was not who the Fat Man wanted?

I remember the days of Ardiles, Dalglish, Gullit, I must admit I have enjoyed watching Newcastle over the years, they can play some attractive football, I quite liked Dalglish, met him after a game at SJP in 1999, he was lovely and funny, I was talking to him and he said to me in a broad Glasweigian accent 'slow down son, I cant understand whag your saying' to which I replied 'Fucking hell Kenny, your a one to talk, I need a translator' which creased him up...

Anyway Gullit was a joke, dropping Shearer and Ferguson that night against Sunderland, he was asking for the sack with that tactic, whicb if it paid off for him would have probably seen Alan Shearer out the door.

Newcastle today are playing some good football, I dont really think much of Pards, but he has put a good team together and there a good side for now

(09 Jan 2014, 10:47 am)fozzovmurton wrote If I remember rightly, wasn't he on a rocky road the moment he entered SJP, Fat Mike had not yet bought the club and Big Sam was not who the Fat Man wanted?

I remember the days of Ardiles, Dalglish, Gullit, I must admit I have enjoyed watching Newcastle over the years, they can play some attractive football, I quite liked Dalglish, met him after a game at SJP in 1999, he was lovely and funny, I was talking to him and he said to me in a broad Glasweigian accent 'slow down son, I cant understand whag your saying' to which I replied 'Fucking hell Kenny, your a one to talk, I need a translator' which creased him up...

Anyway Gullit was a joke, dropping Shearer and Ferguson that night against Sunderland, he was asking for the sack with that tactic, whicb if it paid off for him would have probably seen Alan Shearer out the door.

Newcastle today are playing some good football, I dont really think much of Pards, but he has put a good team together and there a good side for now

Aye, it was Fat Freddie who appointed him prior to the takeover.

If I remember correctly, the start under Big Sam was one of, if not the best start to a Premiership season in the clubs history.

What does everyone think of a World Cup in the winter?

NO, it should of being thought about before they gave the world cup to Qatar - I for one no one goes, its gonna mix up all our leagues and the African cup of nations is in 2023 anyway.

(09 Jan 2014, 6:28 pm)Michael wrote What does everyone think of a World Cup in the winter?

NO, it should of being thought about before they gave the world cup to Qatar - I for one no one goes, its gonna mix up all our leagues and the African cup of nations is in 2023 anyway.

Pathetic. What happens to the Premier League?

(09 Jan 2014, 7:24 pm)aureolin wrote Pathetic. What happens to the Premier League?

Would have to be changed i would think or have a 2 month break in the middle, don't think the teams would allow their players to go their.

(09 Jan 2014, 7:28 pm)Michael wrote Would have to be changed i would think or have a 2 month break in the middle, don't think the teams would allow their players to go their.

Teams will have no choice about sending there players...FIFA will just slap a worldwide on every single player who didnt show for the tournament for the duration of it!!!!!

(09 Jan 2014, 7:31 pm)fozzovmurton wrote Teams will have no choice about sending there players...FIFA will just slap a worldwide on every single player who didnt show for the tournament for the duration of it!!!!!

Only one reason they chose Qatar for the world cup and that's money.

They don't care

All hypothetical, but I wonder which teams are fighting it out in the Premier League by then and how many of those will contain players who are English?

Will player power rule even more then, than it does now?

Will England even qualify?

(09 Jan 2014, 7:31 pm)fozzovmurton wrote Teams will have no choice about sending there players...FIFA will just slap a worldwide on every single player who didnt show for the tournament for the duration of it!!!!!

F*** the system. Get every International team to call a wildcat strike, and stick the middle finger up at FIFA. Premier League is the greatest league in the world, and there's few who'd disagree that the xmas period is the most exciting to watch.

(09 Jan 2014, 6:28 pm)Michael wrote What does everyone think of a World Cup in the winter?

NO, it should of being thought about before they gave the world cup to Qatar - I for one no one goes, its gonna mix up all our leagues and the African cup of nations is in 2023 anyway.

Why would it mix up the African Cup of Nations in 2023, if anything, the World Cup will be in early 2022 Jan/Feb or Feb/Mar I reckon

(09 Jan 2014, 7:43 pm)fozzovmurton wrote Why would it mix up the African Cup of Nations in 2023, if anything, the World Cup will be in early 2022 Jan/Feb or Feb/Mar I reckon

If its late Nov/Dec 2022 - ACON is planned for January 2023

(09 Jan 2014, 7:40 pm)aureolin wrote F*** the system. Get every International team to call a wildcat strike, and stick the middle finger up at FIFA. Premier League is the greatest league in the world, and there's few who'd disagree that the xmas period is the most exciting to watch.

Here Here, we do have the best league in the world...And I believe that bastard Blatter should be reined in, FIFA should stand for Fucking Inbred Fucked-Up Arseholes...But there would be no support for what would essentially would be an FA led boycott, everybody hates us for starters

(09 Jan 2014, 7:58 pm)Michael wrote If its late Nov/Dec 2022 - ACON is planned for January 2023

That is why the World Cup would more than likely be in early 2022 rather than the end of the year...

My opinion, it can be done, scrap pre season by a few weeks, start that season a few weeks earlier, have a mid season 6 week break and finish that season in June, again scrap pre season by a few weeks the next season...

For the record, that is not what should happen, Qatar should never have got the bid in the first place, but where is most of the worlds oil, a few brown envelopes and a few barrels of the black stuff and hey presto, you got yourself a world cup...We should have got 2018 and Australia or the USA should have got 2022...But when your corrupt and bent as a 9 bob note these things can be bought!!!!!

Something from Michael back in August

(17 Aug 2013, 10:51 am)Michael wrote It's back!!!

My end of the table predictions...
Manchester City
Chelsea
Manchester United
Arsenal
Everton
Liverpool
Tottenham Hotspur
Swansea City
Fulham
West Ham United
Sunderland
Southampton
Aston Villa
Cardiff City
West Bromwich Albion
Newcastle United
Norwich City
Stoke City
Hull City
Crystal Palace

Surprise team of the season.. Swansea yet again
Top scorer - RVP
Most Yellow cards - Stoke city
Most Red - Stoke City
Manger of the season - Michael Laudrup

Looking like your table is not turning out as you predicted :-p
Couple of predictions from me

Surprise of the season...so far: Hull and Arsenal imo
Top Scorer...Luis Suarez
Most Yellows and Reds Combined: Sunderland
Manager of the Season: Brendan Rodgers
Biggest Joke: David Moyes

(11 Jan 2014, 7:40 am)fozzovmurton wrote Something from Michael back in August


Looking like your table is not turning out as you predicted :-p
Couple of predictions from me

Surprise of the season...so far: Hull and Arsenal imo
Top Scorer...Luis Suarez
Most Yellows and Reds Combined: Sunderland
Manager of the Season: Brendan Rodgers
Biggest Joke: Sunderland

(11 Jan 2014, 7:40 am)fozzovmurton wrote Something from Michael back in August


Looking like your table is not turning out as you predicted :-p
Couple of predictions from me

Surprise of the season...so far: Hull and Arsenal imo
Top Scorer...Luis Suarez
Most Yellows and Reds Combined: Sunderland
Manager of the Season: Brendan Rodgers
Biggest Joke: David Moyes

It's not is it!, that's football for you!

My predictions as of today:-

Top 4
Man City
Arsenal
Chelsea
Liverpool

Bottom 3
Sunderland
Cardiff
West Ham

League Cup: Man City
FA Cup: Arsenal

(11 Jan 2014, 8:55 am)fozzovmurton wrote My predictions as of today:-

Top 4
Man City
Arsenal
Chelsea
Liverpool

Bottom 3
Sunderland
Cardiff
West Ham

League Cup: Man City
FA Cup: Arsenal

Mine are similar:

Top 4 -
Man City
Arsenal
Chelsea
Tottenham

Bottom 3 -
Crystal Palace
Sunderland
Fulham