Silvio Dante

Slightly inaccurate I think. In my understanding, the bucket collection at Forests game was to raise money to pay the staff at Notts who hadn’t been paid for two months due to one of many shyster owners in English football these days. This wasn’t to save the club, it was to stop likely low paid staff going to food banks and letting them stay in homes. So, in that circumstance (which, tbf, is likely to arise under Wally), and for those people, yes, I probably would. Sorry...

Another T20 launching in Ireland, Holland and Scotland - see Pete Trego is off for a stint in Rotterdam https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27222261/eoin-morgan-represent-dublin-franchise-inaugural-euro-t20-slam

It does feel fairly poor that over the last 30 years or so (bar a couple of seasons in league one), Saints have been a bigger club, at a higher level than us, relatively local and we haven’t formed links. Seems like we could have used them and vice versa - unless there is some bad feeling over their local satellite academy? Not suggesting a feeder club, just when you see what we’re doing with Newport’s, Walsall’s, Torquay’s now when we were lower we didn’t seek similar localish links. To tie back to the topic, clearly LJ/BCFC and Darrell Clark have a decent relationship from Clarke’s attendance at games and us sending Pring/Holden to Walsall. Just proves what a bunch of ****s they were to enact the “no transfers” policy after Matty Taylor when LJ clearly wouldn’t have minded giving players to Clarke as a coach

David Howells on loan in about 2000 has just pinged into my mind. Because he just seemed to have so much time on the ball at our level despite seeming bang average in the top division

Dryden? Dani Rodriguez?

I’m sure the club did this a couple of years ago - men’s game kicked off first followed by women’s game. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39681629

Looks like the blue few may be on the move again from the headline and location...

Don’t worry...they’re looking in the normal place for a replacement...

Gasfest ???

Now this is the story all about how My life got flipped, turned upside down And I'd like to take a minute just sit or kneel I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Horfield In west Jordan town born and raised In the watch shop where I spent most of my days Chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool And all watching Tom Nicholls hitting row Q When a couple of guys, they were up to no good Started making trouble in da fional turd I got in one little fight with a horse and my mom got scared And said "You're moving with Nick Higgs and the Tramp in Horfield” I whistled for a dog and when it came near The Collar said "Darrell” and it **ssed Fanta clear I bought a TV and thought it would fit on a tent spine But I thought nah, forget it, these things take time I pulled up to a slum about seven and a bit And I yelled to the cabby "Yo, homes This ain’t Stamford Bridge” Looked at my kingdom I was finally sealed To sit on my throne as the prince of Horfield

Fact is, notwithstanding rights, wrongs or wherefores, @bodin has now provided us with peak gas small time syndrome: ”You know that manager who was a legend for us - we think he might be good enough to be your assistant manager” No words.

In short, yes. If you believe WAQ (stop sniggering) his budget was competitive. So he had opportunity to compete. He didn’t. He rode the crest of a motivational wave to go up from the conference (on pens) and L2 (in the 93rd min of the last game). When he got to a level that wasn’t enough, even with the budget (if you believe WAQ), he failed. I don’t recall any of your fans proclaiming Clarke as a great tactician - they loved him because he galvanised the fan base - nothing wrong with that, but when that wasn’t enough, he wasn’t good enough. As for vs Holden - DH took charge on a temporary basis (with all that entails) after LJ left for Barnsley and was in role for c3 months, reverting to assistant afterwards. Not sure how that’s comparable to 18 months in charge at L1 level with full control, but I’m sure you can enlighten us

Tbf, Clarke clearly has *something*. Looking at it on an unbiased point, he was sold a pup (which he probably enjoyed) by Ward but motivated the r*vers enough to then get two successive promotions, in addition to his Salisbury success. Undoubtedly struggled in league one though, maybe in part due to lack of funds. What I see in him is an ‘old school’ motivator manager. I don’t recall the g*s waxing lyrical about the football under him and when he got to a level where “us against the world” wasn’t enough and he needed tactical acumen, he crapped out. So, @bodin, ignoring the Dean Holden piece (assistant coaches need different skill sets from head coaches), what makes you possibly think a top six championship side would want a man who shouts a lot but has no tactical skills? (And w*nks off dogs. Just for the record). I disagree that if he did come here the blue few would melt down. They’d love it, bask in the reflected success and claim “we couldn’t have done it without DC”. Which shows where they are. So, in summary - Good non league and L2 manager - Good motivator - Tactically lacking - Inept at higher levels - Tosses off Spaniels. Its a no from me

Finally (it’s late) When your open bus tour Attracts a crowd of four Thats the Rovers

When your fan base is dense And your grounds made of tents Thats the Rovers When you’re driven to Wembley By Alan from Nailsea You’re the Rovers

Damn - I’m late to this...! When you steal all your grounds And your ex boss **nks Hounds Thats the Rovers When your owners no dosh But he has a nice watch Thats the Rovers

On a related note (it may be an urban myth) but it’s my understanding that in the BBC Radio commentary of the Tinnion>Liverpool game Alan Green commented on the lines of... ”Bristol Rovers of course played here in the FA Cup a couple of seasons ago. What was it they were singing...Come On Eileen?” Even their anthem is forgettable dirge.

@Robbored - FYI (Old ones are the best...)

The great thing about this game is that as a chance for Sunderland to reach Wembley whatever the result it’ll feature prominently on season 2 of “Sunderland til I die” on Netflix and the gas will be shown worldwide as the tinpot outfit they are. Now imagine SAFC get 3 or 4 up in the second half. Forever in posterity, from Kansas to Kuala Luampa the gas fans will be seen crying. Warms the cockles.

I can think of at least one member of the Rentaghost household who wouldn’t be happy with the gas coming to visit... (and it’s not the one that looks like Gary Penrice)

I think Dave means Nantes suing Cardiff for breach of contract if they don’t make the payment

There are a few angles here now about legality and morality. - Irrespective of what the insurance was/wasn’t, Cardiff bought Sala and agreed the fee. They owe Nantes the money come what may, unless Nantes agree to write some/all off. Cardiff wouldn’t have been relying on insurance to pay the fee so have to pay - However, it’s undoubtedly morally wrong for Nantes to start making legal threats (if that is the case), when ES hasn’t even been confirmed as dead yet and with the plane rescue ongoing. That’s terrible form. - Again, though, we don’t know what obligations Nantes have to meet which they have scheduled from the fee. They may well need the money and are being leaned on by other people. This would have been better served and everyone better off had this particular aspect not been played in the media. But legally, I’d say Cardiff have to meet the obligation and should probably do so and sort the insurance out later. On the subject of insurance, I am very unconvinced that this will pay out - and I’m sure the insurers will resist. If the pilot didn’t have the appropriate licence or the plane wasn’t licenced for passengers (as mooted), any insurance firm will look to use it as a get out - again, not morally right, but I see this being majorly fought. What I think will be the ultimate outcome here is Cardiff having to pay the full fee and ES’s contractual obligations, with no insurance paid out and then seeking civil recourse against the agent/aviation company. Bottom line remains though there is a family at the end of this (well two families) who have lost a loved one and looking after them should be both clubs primary concern at the moment as opposed to fighting this out in the media at this point

Oh indeed - there is no way I would expect the agent to check the plane. It’s more a matter of legality. If he’s the representative who has to ensure the player is delivered and is found to have tried to do that via a sub standard means legally he would be at fault. Not saying morally right, but legally, he’d be gone after. Either way, I think I’ve said enough about legality and the liability here and the important thing is Sala so I’ll call a halt to that aspect of it here

Agree. I think the question here, and the one that’s been bugging me since yesterday, is that if you wouldn’t fly a £30m Renoir/Van Gogh etc on that plane in those conditions (as nobody would), why would you fly a £30m (when wages included) asset? (Or, indeed, anyone). This is why I see this going a (protracted) negligence route - as long as they look after the family while that’s being sorted, that’s the important thing

Spud - answered to the best of my knowledge above. Inherently, he’s Cardiffs player and would be insured against “loss”, which would cover both the clubs losses and wages to the family over the contract course. However, for that insurance to be valid, no “negligence” on the players (or on the players representatives part) to cause the loss can have occurred. My gut feel - there is a case that the representing agent has been negligent by proxy (as the aircraft may not have been appropriate for the “asset” and conditions). Therefore Cardiff’s insurers may not pay and they may have to pursue the agent (if the report that it’s his aircraft is correct) to obtain compensation akin to the insured level. None of this removes this being a tragedy, but as you say, never a good time to ask or answer