Red-Robbo

It certainly is murky. But the fact that Moshiri isn't Russian and doesn't live there may not protect him - or Everton. Moshiri derives all of his wealth, and is a direct employee of, Usmanov. Although he's sometimes referred to as his "business partner", he is in fact the CEO of his holding company and is effectively his "front man" while Usmanov sails about in his super-yacht. Or he used to, before the German's seized it. Usmanov is sanctioned as he's a key Putin ally and almost as dodgy as Abramovitch. He served 6 years for fraud and theft in the 80s, but was pardoned in the 90s by the corrupt Uzbek president after money from drug trafficking sources changed hands. See Craig Murray on his background. Being the CEO of a sanctioned company suggests you derive your wealth from said company and should surely be in consideration for sanctioning yourself. Either way, it doesn't look like Everton are going to receive any more funding either directly (via sponsorship) or indirectly (via Moshiri) from USM.

Possibly, but unlike Abramovitch I think much of his fortune comes as a trader in derivatives. As such, London was his natural base and I'm not even sure he owns property in Russia. I'd love to see that cheating club brought to account, but I don't think it'll happen.

I suggested that on the other Chelski thread, but subsequently read that Demin is a full UK citizen and is apolitical, so - sadly - it seems unlikely.

Perhaps Wes's dad can get back to us when his son plays in the top tier of a successful European league. Wes seems to be doing quite well, as I would have predicted he should, but in the third tier of the English game.

Won't happen. Bath City have far too much integrity.

Currently sourcing the world's smallest violin just for the Chelsea fans....

Maybe Demin at Bournemouth? He's the majority owner now. Be interesting for our division.

They got a points deduction because they cheated, allowing them to buy and retain better players than would otherwise be the case. Had they not cheated, they would have got no deduction but would also be less competitive, and therefore may well be sitting in the relegation zone anyway.

He should never have been allowed to take ownership of a UK football club. Definitely not a "fit and proper" person. In 1990, he had a market stall in Moscow selling Russian dolls, in 1992 he went to prison for a year for stealing state assets, by 1995 he is a billionaire in charge of the entire Russian denationalised aluminium industry and its second largest oil company. At no point would he and Berezovsky have had the assets to buy the refineries, mines, resources that they "acquired". In his rise are murdered aluminium and oil workers, murdered commodity brokers and murdered journalists who investigated the racket. He's perhaps the biggest crook to ever own an English club, and considering Maxwell, Oyston and some of the other previous owners, I don't make that statement lightly.

Er, they did win the FA Cup and the Uefa Cup winner's Cup in 1970. I'll concede that Arsenal were more successful from the mid-70s to mid-90s, but Chelsea were a force in the late 60s/early 70s. My observations are that Chelsea have more fans in London, but Arsenal have more across the UK and overseas.

I think that was an evidence-free posting on here, but if true I wonder how many of them are playing in any country's top flight? He must have a great agent if he's that bad.

12 in 50 according to the stats I looked up, but I suppose it depends on how they play him. I don't read Flemish well enough to know how fans see him, but I did notice he started their last game, so their manager must rate him to some degree. Mechelen are 6th in their top tier and given the decent state of Belgian football I'd warrant they could give City a tough game.

I actually don't think there are too many "wasters" on the field. You get the feeling "wasters" would be Pearson's #1 hate and be sidelined quite sharpish (as indeed at least one has). The reasons for our failure this season are a lot more complex than just players not trying.

This is it. May well be more of a failure to develop the guy rather than failure of recruitment. Now playing at Mechelen in the Belgian prem. Not a bad side at all and still only 25.

If most people thought that then they weren't seeing what I was. Not only the hardest-working member of the squad, but consistently asked to drop too deep to utilise his goal-scoring threat. I'm not the only one who thought that. I fear sometimes Alex Scott is likewise asked to play too far back the field to make the most of his threat on goal.

Historically, it often is. The other thing is, the bottom 4 (not just 3 if Reading are still in the mire) will start fighting for their lives the nearer we get to season's end. Faced with the prospect of earning a lot less money, underperforming players tend to wake up and start doubling their efforts. At any rate, I don't think it's a given that we'll beat Peterborough.

Well, I live 20 miles away from Yeovil (thank God!!) and we do have a few YTFC fans in our village. More City than Yeovil though. Even a few deluded Gasheads here - who of course never go to games and also support PL clubs.

I think it was because they couldn't have family down for the wedding in January, so they held a celebration ceremony now.

'Spose it depends on how damning the footage/phone evidence/medical report is. The lawyer on here has said how such prosecutions rarely go ahead without the co-operation of the alleged victim, but he/she will also tell you that the CPS will not take a case to court unless they have a "reasonable prospect of conviction". In practice, this is usually taken to mean that cases have a more than 50% chance of success in the case officer's opinion.

We play our worst against shit teams. Proved that on the weekend.

Let's imagine how unlikely a trio of wealthy white businessmen are to INSIST players make an anti-racism gesture - and how more likely a multi-racial group of young men (some of whom will have experienced or know those who have experienced racism) are to request that they do it.

Plus body cam footage from an officer who attended the scene apparently.

Well they may not have worked out, but at least we had Tin Plavotic....

More snortsmen than sportsmen, I expect....