PHILINFRANCE

Very similar to my daughter. Unfortunately, there was no organised football in her school, so she had to join an ‘unofficial’ school team with one training/coaching session a week and irregular Saturday morning games against boys teams. Even though there was usually a two, or sometimes even three, year age difference between the two teams - 12/13 year old boys against my daughter’s team of 15 and 16 year olds - it was painfully obvious that the boys had been playing for years, whereas my daughter’s team had only a few months’ experience. Nevertheless, all the girls enjoyed it, which is the main thing, and it was quite enlightening to see the respect given by the respective teams: a foul would often result in an apology and, rather than ‘playing to the referee’s whistle’, the players, especially the girls, would frequently leave the ball to ensure their opponent was OK.

My argument was not about the quality of women's football, rather the derogatory comments being made about it. A lot of people devote a lot of time and expense in supporting women's football, and I am sure they recognise that it is inferior to men's football. Nevertheless, I fail to see why somebody would want to post to criticise it: if you don't like it, that is fine, but don't knock those who do.

I suspect that, were you to be the only one in fancy dress, you might look just a little bit out of place ?.

My post was intended to respond to/refute @Wanderingred's post, wherein he suggested that: 1. Shariah Law is utterly barbaric. Undoubtedly strict, unduly harsh even, but, in so far as it concerns KSA, surprisingly sparsely applied. 2. This (KSA) is a country where raped women are public ally (sic) stoned to death for adultery. In so far as it concerns KSA, surprisingly sparsely applied. 3. Homosexuals and petty thieves have body parts amputated. In so far as it concerns KSA, surprisingly sparsely applied. 4. Religious police patrol the streets, forcing people into mosques during prayer time and dishing out corporal punishment to any violators of their laws. Ha, many years ago (20,30?), the religious Police (Mutawa) would 'encourage' muslims to cease shopping etc. during prayer time, Salah (or Salat), but I think 'corporal punishment' is a slight exaggeration - more like a gentle slap with their stick. 5. In Saudi, shariah law dictates every aspect of their life and stepping out of line has brutal repercussions. Nonsense! Abhorrent, and I agree entirely. I am not sure whether or not you were agreeing with me, but, for the record, I was most certainly not suggesting that modern day KSA is on a par with Iraq, Syria etc., on the contrary. Interestingly, however, when I was working in that part of the world, many years ago it must be said, Baghdad was an amazing place (I visited once only) and Damascus was considered a must visit city on the way back to Europe - sadly, I never got the chance.

I can’t figure out when this was filmed: surely not this evening after the Saudi investment announcement.

Wow! ? I can only assume you have never been to KSA. I can assure you that it is absolutely nothing like you state, and I am sure there are plenty on this forum who will confirm this is so. Perhaps you are getting confused with Iraq or, more likely, Syria under the recent ISIS regime.

Not pompous at all; I merely found it ironic that, in the seven words you used to accuse a fellow poster of being stupid, one of the words was grammatically incorrect and another was a spelling mistake ?. You state that you have no interest in women’s football, and that is fine: you are not the only one and, for what it is worth, when next I come back to Bristol I can assure you that I shall not be visiting Failand to watch Bristol City Ladies. But that is not the point; neither will I be posting on this forum or, indeed, anywhere else to denigrate women’s football. There are a lot of people who enjoy women’s football, some, perhaps most as you suggest, friends and relatives, but why would you seek to post to try and put it down? My youngest daughter played football for many years and, frankly, the standard was quite atrocious - despite my occasional coaching ?. Nevertheless, as a devoted father, I drove her to each midweek training session and Saturday morning match and, of course, cheered and encouraged her and her teammates incessantly. There are several posters on this forum who enjoy watching and supporting City’s women’s team: leave them to it without feeling you need to criticise the (undoubtedly) inferior standard. On a related subject, you have also questioned why it might be considered good news to have a female team officiating England’s forthcoming match. In these days of equality, do you not think it might be helpful to all parties involved to assist and encourage female referees to improve their standards?

Apart from being medieval, the Saudi system is (or, certainly,was) an extremely male dominated hierarchy. I worked there for many years and, amongst the many stories I could relate, two spring to mind: 1. Compensation for, inter alia, deaths as a result of a motor accident is (was) pre-quantified. On the highest scale were males and camels, whilst one scale lower were women! 2. I once took a photograph of a small pick-up truck, the ubiquitous Toyota Hilux, being driven in the height of summer. The (male) driver and his sons were seated in the (presumably air-conditioned) driving compartment whilst his wife, dressed in the customary black hijab and abaya, was sitting unprotected in the back. Accompanied by a camel!

A propos prats - unless you are referring to the act (verb) of hitting somebody on the backside, the noun that suggests somebody is stupid is prat, i.e. it only has one letter T. Still on the subject of prats, you might to look up the difference between your and you're. It occurs to me that, as you seem to consider women (footballers) as somehow insignificant, inferior even, you might try and find a nice (female) teacher to help you with your English.

Each to their own, but I only recall the burger ?.

I saw that. No need to moderate the written thread, unless it becomes slanderous....

A wonderful goal, but why the Spanish commentary?

Whenever I have had a G&T in Spain, I have always chosen Larios as it seemed very similar to Gordon's - even a similar label - and, obviously, far cheaper. I was in Valencia a few weeks ago and the barman suggested I try Wint. I was sceptical, but tried it and was impressed - served as you say, although I declined the fruit.

I don't know about Gloucester Road, but I remember having a burger from Schwartz Bros. in Bath a few years ago: it sticks in my mind because I was surprised at the Germanic name of the restaurant - I assume they must be connected as it would surely be a huge coincidence if not. A propos coincidences; I also had the blue cheese version, with loads of red onion. I also remember it being expensive - almost £10 for a (very nice, to be fair) burger and chips.

Not any longer - it’s been called off!

Please enlighten me. What is a ‘dockers half’? As you were told off for serving one, I assume it is the old trick of passing an almost finished pint glass to the ‘naive’ barman/maid and asking for a half, safe in the knowledge your glass would be filled with two thirds of a pint, but you would only pay for a half. The trick disappeared when metered beers were introduced, but I should be interested to learn the meaning of the phrase.

I thought I was doing well (compared to Paris prices) when I sat down on a terrace outside a nice bar in the old town and paid €2.50 for a 25cl glass of Amstel!

I have no idea, but perhaps 1982 when they beat Bayern Munich to win what was then the European Cup? I seem to recall City were going through a rather sticky period at the time.

Don’t worry. I didn’t know that Tony and Anthony Rougier weren’t the same person.

I was going to suggest exactly the same; Bill Dodgin and Bill Dodgin junior - Rovers vs Fulham?

Hmmm. Apart from the fact that Ellis Short sold Sunderland a few years ago and, in any event, the match is being played at Fratton Park - Portsmouth's home ground - this is a pretty insightful post. Ah, I see I am not the only one to have noticed some 'inaccuracies' in this post....

I have just come back from a week in Valencia, so can relate to your comment about the place being empty. It was extremely relaxing walking around with very few tourists, not only in the old City, but also in the 'cultural' hotspots of Oceanographic and the Arts and Science complex - it was the only day that was overcast with sporadic showers, so ended up a day well spent. I first tasted Cruzcampo in Malaga a few years ago, but could only find it offered in bottles, similar to Estrella this time in Valencia. I far prefer to try a (local) draught beer when visiting foreign climes, and was pleasantly surprised to discover a new one (for me), Alhambra; somewhat surprisingly, I can't recall seeing this on offer when I visited Granada. A propos draught beers, I couln't help but notice that the well known 'local' beer, Amstel, was frequently offered whenever I requested a draught beer - una cerveza de barril, as I am sure you well know. Now, I am familiar with Amstel from my time in Belgium and, latterly, in France, and I have always considered it a slightly wishy-washy beer, almost best to be avoided, so I was astonished when I finally succumbed and accepted one as the only choice one sunny afternoon; it was quite malty and, to be fair, was very enjoyable, so, of course, I had another and, perhaps, even a third: further enquiries established that it is actually brewed in Valencia and has been since the 1950s! One final point/question. When you state that prices (in Sevilla) have fallen through the floor, do you mean just food and drink or prices in general, i.e. property, hotel accommodation, clothing etc?

What a coincidence. Out of interest @Red-Robbo, did you know that the King William was a Sam Smith pub, or did you read the Bristol Live article?

Is that Lloyds, as in the bank, or Lloyd’s, with an apostrophe, indicating its history as a coffee shop frequented by insurance underwriters/brokers and ship/cargo owners?