st alex

Puncheon stood out for me as our worst midielder in the past couple of games, although I'll give him the benifit of the doubt and assume its because he's not had a full pre season, although even last season he seem to be a bit hit and miss. As for Hammond, I rarely notice the central midfielders, but didn't think he was particularly bad yesterday, I think everyone is probably in agreemant that we need another central midfielder and at least one quick winger and a striker.

Yes after a couple of good season's he's remembered he's a non-league player

It's a bit like saying Manchester's a **** club. Since its a city and not a club. Limassol has two main teams, AEL and Appollon, so it depends on which team he's being linked with. I think the Cypiot League's very decent considering the county has less that a million people in it, and is certainly on the up. Bear in mind that two differnent teams from their league have played in the champions league in the past two season, (APOEL & Anorthosis) so it would seem that its quite an open league as well. If he joins Appollon then he'll link up with former saints and Poland team mate Kamil Kosowski.

Sky TV's a luxury, the cost of that would probably cover a season ticket anyway. I think the Bristish Armed Forces are the best in the world, do a great job and are great PROFFESIONALS, I am greatful for what they do, but believe that Armed Forces personnel do the job they do with a degree of humility, and don't need to be hero worshiped. http://www.armyjobs.mod.uk/benefits/pay/Pages/Soldier.aspx It looks to me like there are decent enough wages associated with MoD as well as allowances for those actually seeing service. Therefore I don't really think it is fair to ask for hand outs, I'd rather see any free tickets go to a more worthwhile causes like young cancer victims.

In theory students, children & the elderly are generalised as not having as much money as the working population. Students don't actually get discounts at St Mary's. In theory generally armed forces personel should have very few expenses and a higher disposable income that most of the working population.

Why anybody buys the Sun is beyond me, Andrex is much better.

Why? What's going on at Derby?

Everyone had a moustache in those days, but the first guy in the banner is Charles Miller.

wow, was the enrire match played at that exhausting pace? I know its only a pre season, but surely they could break a sweat?

I know Tyson's a pretty 'big' name inleague football, ie most people have heard of him. But is his reputation really justified? For striker his goal ratio is pretty rubbish, he's spent the 4 season's at forest and scored 31 goals, which is more or less what lambert got last seaon alone. 31 in 148 games is almost 1 in 5, which isn't great for what I thought was meant to be a goal scorer, I may be wrong, maybe he's more in the support stiker role.

just had a little look at the article, hadn't realised the kit was black, looked grey on my monitor.

meh, would have liked a yellow and blue one. hard to make a bad kit since there's no sponsor to fit on it. agree that it looks a bit like a training kit, overall not bad, but i'm not too bothered.

Maybe a sharp price increase in parking around the stadium is some sort of ploy to deliberately put people off driving around the stadium area on match days, prehaps in an effort to minamise matchday traffic and encourage people to walk or use public transport?

All looks good, but from a supporter's perspective, too short notice. Think Man City are leading the way in how to organise a pre season tour, on their quite lovely website. http://www.mcfc.co.uk/News/American-Pre-season-tour

I've heard the Gerrard rumour from a couple of people the past two days, it seems to be picking up momentum, and is so outragous it sounds as if it might actually have some truth to it.

England might not have the best squad of players in the world cup, I'll bet they are comfortably the highest payed.

12th July

Seriously? They ruin the atmosphere, sounds like there's a pair of flys stuck in the back of the tv. Very annoying sound, and just provides a constant drone to matches. I was hoping a World Cup in Africa would lead to carnival like atmosphere with great singing and people dancing in the stands. But these vuvuzelas have ruined the atmosphere at the matches. And before anyone says, 'but its there culture', how long have these plastic trumpets really been around? It's much more the African culture to sing and dance.

Looks like the shirt channon & paine are wearing in the banner. http://www.londonsaints.com/moxie/moxiepix/b1_953.jpg

Prices seem fairly reasonable, think they're as high as could be for this league without a backlash from fans. £3 booking charge is fairly high, especially for online purchases. I hadn't realised that under 8s get free entry in any part of the ground. I'm all for the 'next generation of fans' but it should be restricted to the family enclosure and should have a small charge i.e. £2/£3 - its not as if kids under 8 are actually paying themselves. I was sat next to kid during a match towards the end of last season who was about 6/7 yrs old and he spent the entire match stood up in front of his dad, facing the back and playing on an iphone, he also ate 3 bananas, which i feel was a bit exessive. anyway at this age i don't think they can really apriciate the match experience, remember other kids crying and complaining about the noise. (always in kingsland north), it also means you have to watch your language, which is difficult with the standard of refereeing in this division.

It's something I would have liked to do, but it seems weird to pay to do it, it then effectively just becomes an extended holiday where you get to go and look at disadvantaged people, who probably get new tourists visiting them every few weeks. Because of the cost involved in volunteering now, it seems to be a huge industry targeted just at the young upper middle class (usually graduates, who've just spent 3/4 yrs studying a specialist degree, yet don't know what job they want). TEFL (teaching english as a foreign language) seems to make a bit more sense, in that you usually take a course first, and then get paid to teach in other countries, that way you're actually contributing something that locals can't do themselves. Anyway the whole gap year/volunteering thing appeals to me, with the exception that 1. I can nowhere near afford it, and 2. it seems to be the fashion at the moment and as such the people doing it with you could easily be the annoying sort who are struggling to fit their hair straightners, crocs, ray-bans, tanning oil, hair gel, and daddy's credit card (and thats just the 'men') into their oversized impractical wheely suitcases.

I know I confuse them with Rusden & Diamonds.

£2,000 from Dubai? I checked a month or two back and flight from the UK with South African Airways were £500-£800 each way. It comfortably prices me out, when you add airport transfers in and the cost of a couple random match tickets still available. Even if I ended up staying with locals it would cost too much. Out of interest from those that are going, what sort of places are you staying in? Hotels/hostels/host families/cruise ships/tents?

Anyone see South Today's two parter this week? Where they sent in an undercover reporter and filmed a student selling the stuff round sussex uni. They made such a deal over exposing him, poor guy has no doubt been kicked out of uni and and is facing charges now. Not like he was pressuring anyone into buying/taking the stuff. Possibly entrapment and completely goes against the bbc's policy of delivering impartcial news, the sort of thing i'd expect from the daily mail. btw, the only party that does promote a sensible properly thought out drugs policy, instead of brushing it under the carpet is the greens. http://policy.greenparty.org.uk/policypointers/ppdrugs.pdf

perfect that it should come on the same day that uefa annouce they will restrict how much clubs can spend on players, with wealthy owners in theory only allowed to invest their own money in club infrastructure. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8709871.stm