Red-Robbo

As I have pointed out, crude oil was more expensive in 2008. The reason for record pump prices is NOT primarily the Ukrainian invasion. I don't think anyone is surprised that the cost of defeating Covid (with a mere 175,000 excess deaths) is an economic squeeze. However, having a government that allows profiteering contributes considerably towards this squeeze. I refer you to the G20 predicted growth graph I posted in the politics section.

That is a minuscule part of the government budget, although one that must break your heart as it's stopping Putin takeover a country that do not want him. The £1.3bn in military aid has been given. By comparison, the government was scammed out of £11.8bn in business support loans during Covid - because it was too stupid and lazy to write watertight rules and proper oversight into the process - and this money has just been written off.

Yet wholesale prices were higher in 2008, and prices at the pump were 35p-40p cheaper.

Well all I can say is I'm never tempted! (And yes, for many years now, I've not worn any colours to home games. When I relax the rule, we almost always get hammered. Irrational I know, but we all have our idiosyncrasies)

People who wear replica kits to the ground and around town. I abandoned the former for superstitious reasons after I wore one throughout the season of John Ward/Benny Lennartsson and saw a relegation, and I've never been one for the latter. In general, they look better on trim, athletically built people, which - regrettably - I no longer am.

Even worse than last year's. Loathe the pointless collar, while the goalie kit looks like George at Asda trying to do "rave". Mind you, I'm not its target audience. I haven't bought a replica shirt since the Sanderson Computer Recruitment days. If you like it, you like it, but it's not for me.

Only 2% of cars on UK roads are electric or hybrid. Retailers lose money because oil companies have been stiffing them as much as they've been stiffing the public. The profit margins are minute, the cash required upfront to fill the storage tanks is ever more astronomical, supply issues mean you may be dry for days through no fault of your own and you only need a few drive-offs to wipe out a week's profit. Of course, the money isn't made from petrol retailing, but from the shops and increasingly the franchise opportunities within that space. That's why you get forecourt empires like this: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/billionaire-issa-brothers-considering-multi-22780410

Faked at The Mem. Perfect venue. No atmosphere whatsoever.

I reckon this man, angry about losing his job in Devon, may be the culprit:

I was sad to see him leave here. If he'd stayed a bit longer maybe he would have felt less homesick under all the Scots that came with McInnes (and maybe his presence would've spared us from relegation!)

They are effectively worthless - he owns 97% of the club - but I don't think you can "cancel" shares legitimately purchased.

I probably went to some games in the late 60s, but as I was such a little nipper I can't remember them. I've got a shit memory for games and look on in wonder at people who can remember matches, incidents and even the weather from 50+ years ago. I can remember being at the game Cashley scored and (non-City) I remember being at the Sunderland v Leeds FA Cup final, both 1973 I think, but I must've been at dozens of games before then but time has erased them from my mind.

Worked the last couple of days. New big contract is with Australians. They aren't having any of this Platty Jooby nonsense.

He can buy my 0.001% holding for a cool million ?

They were arguably better than England in the 70s. But that's 50 years ago. Dicksy created a top-flight team here using a strong pool of Scottish players; when McInnes tried to do the same 10 years ago, the quality gap was stark.

Feel I'm missing out by never having visited Spain's northern coast. ? Will put that right this year, hopefully. ?

Exactly, and people think it all began in the 70s!

It's the way with all sport, from heavyweight boxers to tennis players. Average height of elite athletes increasing. I wish you all the best with your treatment, SR. I hope you come out the other side unscathed and never have to face the sort of prognosis poor Andy has been given.

Fantastic stuff. When you have a reliable back line, it encourages the midfield to be more creative and attack-minded.

I think City (and Swindon) are proof that when you fall, it takes a hell of a long time to get back up that ladder if you don't do it in your first one or two seasons.

It'll be Field Of Screams: If you build it, they still won't f-ing well come...

Certainly is yet more evidence that football hooliganism isn't - and never was - "the English disease". I'd say it was invented in Scotland, refined in Italy and is now in its apogee in Argentina, Eastern Europe and parts of Africa. France looks like it's got a shout to be involved though!

Er, two FA Cups, old First Division runner-up in the mid 60s. They've spent more of their life as a club in the top flight than out of it. I'm not a big fan of the living-in-the-past Forest fans, but Nottingham is a big enough city to deserve at least one club in the Premier League. As is Bristol of course.

Retrospective cards for diving. Each professional game would automatically be retrospectively viewed by a qualified official with the ability to pause the camera shots and zoom in. If you dive in the penalty area it's an automatic red. This would be a routine part of the game, rather than the exception when a club complains loud enough.