Cod Eye

We had a bit of a resurgence in Fanzines in recent years. We had 2 or 3 back in their hayday, South Ridings Fanzine was always the best/funniest, but in recent years we had the brilliant West Stand Bogs, which also made the amazingly emotional documentary "Daydream Believers" about the promotion to the Premier League(and raised thousands upon thousands for charities in the process), but it stopped when certain players and officials from the club complained about how it was "bullying" them. From the ashes of that, rose "Ey Up, and Down", which is a fine read too...

They have to try something. Have we ever had a worse top 3(or even a worse batting line up in general)? 

2 hours ago, Tamura said:

The club I'm involved with played a cup final at the weekend against Hoylandswaine, which may be a small village outside Barnsley with an estimated population of less than 1,000 people, but thanks to a sugar daddy bankrolling the cricket club they tend to put out an All-Star XI (compared to the average village cricket team). Their captain is Arron Lilley who currently plays first-class cricket for Leicestershire, and also in the team are Shakeel Ansar (played T20s for Pakistan), Muhammad Azharullah (played first-class for Northants), and the slightly lesser known Chris Holliday, who was praised as well as criticised for smashing 316 not out in a 30 over match. After a glorious day's cricket with momentum swings both ways, we prevailed. Match review and photos here, if anyone is interested.

I'm so glad you won that. The stuck up cunts up Hoylandswaine make my stomach turn...

FFS. The dickheads ruin everything...

1 hour ago, SuperBacon said:

Can't believe there are still people (who don't understand football) who think Son is overrated. 

Wonderful player. I've said for years he's world class, but his low profile off the pitch(in this country, I know he's god-like in his home country) means he doesn't get lumped with the usual suspects when talk gets around to teams like City needing a world class forward. Long may it continue.

12 hours ago, PowerButchi said:

Also, how times change. It was 10 years ago today we fans raised 100k in 24 hours to save Wrexham from liquidation. 

Enjoy it! Makes those days of worry almost seem worth it...

2 hours ago, METAL ON METAL said:

31,000+ fans today, staggering support for our 4th season in League One. All in all, I’m just so happy to finally get back to a football game after 500+ days. Anticipating my arteries clogging any second now via ungodly amounts of processed cheese on my pre match burger van double cheeseburger.

Hopefully it's not just a first match jump in attendance. Saying that, some of the Lancashire clubs had atrocious crowds compared to usual... 

Barca are one of those clubs with zero excuse for being in a financial mess. Legitimately one of 3 or 4 biggest, well supported clubs on the planet, a merchandising machine with a worldwide fanbase to lap it up, and play in a league where the vast majority of the TV money goes to them and Real Madrid. They should be able to operate on a break even basis(at worse) and still be up there in the league every year, and into the latter stages of the Champion's League. 

I know I say it everytime a club goes into financial meltdown, but it's going to take one of the huge names of European football to go under to sort the game's finances out. Can't see it being Barca, but we're getting closer that scenario every year...

1 hour ago, tiger_rick said:

That sort of number would make them one of the best run clubs in the Championship!

You're not wrong. I think there are only 3 or 4 clubs under 100%, never mind 80%...

1 hour ago, air_raid said:

I’ve had people try and con me into thinking that number 9 was always the main striker and 10 the “second striker” or link up man but I simply don’t agree. Lineker wore 10 for Spurs and England, Michael Owen wore 10. Rooney only wore 9 for England because Owen was 10 and as soon as Owen stopped getting picked, Rooney wore 10 as often the only striker on the team.

Traditionally, the No.9 was always the main striker over here, and I think it was the fact that the No10 shirt was "moved" back into midfield if, god forbid, someone didn't play 4,4 fucking 2. Obviously there are exceptions(Linekar, as you say), though. I'd also say it's something to do with the mystical way other countries view the number 10. 

It's all for nothing now anyway, what with squad numbers. 

14 hours ago, Dazzer said:

I really hate football positions being referred to by a number, especially as numbers are interchangeable depending on where you are.  In Brazil 6 is a left back, in the UK it was always a centre back and in Europe it was a more defensive midfielder (which I would always have as 4).  It also meant more before squad numbers became a thing and needs to fuck off.  Mason Mount is an attacking midfielder not a "number 10".

The only position I'll accept this sort of behaviour for is in goalkeeper.

The only real time I've ever heard numbers used over position names, is No.9 an No.10. No.9 because it is the traditional number for your main striker(and was everywhere as far as I know), and No.10 being more of a non-British thing where it was assigned to the most talented, creative attacking midfielder/deeper playing forward(although it was also assigned to the sweeper/libero when said player was the playmaker).

In almost 35 years of watching the game though, I don't think I've heard other positions called a number(other than the 'keeper). Certainly never heard anyone describe a left-back as a "number 3", as in one of your examples. Not saying it's never happened, but it's not something I can recollect...

4 minutes ago, Nick James said:

Out of all of the releases over the last two years, I'm sure there has only been Matt Cardona that nobody wanted in AEW, absolute madness how every release gets the 'AEW should sign them' treatment. Now, if AEW were to sign Jay Lethal alongside Flair, now THAT I would have time for. 

How long before Flair is bleading a gusher with his arse hanging out?

I think part of the problem is that a lot of those released recently are actually decent(and have shown it either in WWE/the indies), so people can see how they would be good for AEW. Obviously there are exceptions, but the likes of Rusev/Miro and Black are a mile away from the no=hopers they always used to let go in these firing sprees. 

As for Flair, he doesn't need to be under contract to anyone. I'm sure he will do well financially by just working on a pay-per-appearance basis as and when he is needed(and I can't imagine he does bad from merch sales, royalties, etc). 

52 minutes ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

Sky via Peacock

Are we getting Peackock over here then, or are we just getting the original content via a Sky Atlantic-esque channel?

13 minutes ago, Lorne Malvo said:

Was he good bell to bell? Outside of the first Rumble match with Bryan and a few mental multi-man matches with the Shield lads, I always found him to be utterly boring in the ring. 

Well, I thought he was really good, anyway. Each to their own, I suppose...

He'd be a no-brainer for AEW to sign, once he get's himself in a better place mentally. He's creative, most of the time was good bell to bell, and was technically decent on the microphone(although the content it's self was questionable, but we don't know who was responsible foe the content).

10 hours ago, PowerButchi said:

More boring Wrexham stuff. 

 

Apparently, according to the landlord of the Turf on the site, Tiktok are paying 400,000 quid to put a sign displaying their name the entire size of the currently unused Kop. Along with our electric advertising hoardings (the old ones from White Hart Lane, I believe), that's some more dollar coming in. 

Has there been some sort of broadcasting deal done to show their matches in the 'States? If not, I don't see where Tiktok are seeing the value in that, unless it's just to burn some money. Unless everyone who goes through the turnstyles are different each week, they are only going to get what, 13-14,000 people seeing it in the flesh, and the broadcasting deal with BT(is it still with BT?), won't have game changing viewers, I wouldn't have thought?

I suppose there is the documentary which would put a decent number of eyes on it. 

By the way, I apologise if I sound like I'm always trying to knock down what is obviously a very exciting time for you and other Wrexham fans who have had a wank time over the years. I'm not, but I have a real fear/worry when clubs lower down the league suddenly start to operate on a much bigger basis thanks to foreign ownership. I'm having the same issues with my own club/owners, and we are not even spending any more than we did before. Without that long running connection, I'm constantly waiting for them to call it a day if they don't get any success and walk away, leaving the club and supporters with the clean up...

I think I may stump up the money for the Roddy Piper/They Live one they are putting out. Really like that!

1 hour ago, Rossman said:

As for Phil Parkinson himself, no-one here listens to the Undr The Cosh Podcast, where they interview all the ex-pro's? His name is mud on there. Their stories make him sound like an absolute bell-end.

This is my favourite story about him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC4x4Xr8lg8 - skip to 45:40 - ex Derby striker Steven Davies, talks about Parkinson's tactic tricks at Bradford. The phone trick, I've heard him do with other players as well.

 

 

I've heard about Parkinson being a coward and a pushover before.Also heard a very similar story that Davies tells on the podcast about him fucking about and changing tactics up on a whim because he didn't want to tell a player he wasn't playing, and it went on to cause a big rift between two players who were best friends before.

1 minute ago, Keith Houchen said:

I see Joey Barton got nicked for wife beating. He is such a piece of shit. 

He needs totally kicking out of the game. For someone to have already been inside, have a court case in progress for assaulting and knocking out the teeth of an opposing manager(allegedly), and not wife beating(allegedly) to still be in a position to earn a good living in a sport like football is taking the piss. Whatever happened to bringing the game into disrepute?

1 hour ago, PowerButchi said:

I'm more than happy to buy the league. He's on a three year deal too. We must be paying him at least 5 grand a week, surely. Especially as championship teams were looking at him. 

Barnsley were looking at him at one point last season. 

I'd worry about them paying the sort of wages that it will have taken to get the lad. It might be ok this season, but once in the league there is limit to how much of the clubs turnover they can spend on wages, with League 2 clubs only being able to spend 55% on wages. Even if the ground is full week week in, week out, it won't leave a lot of room to build a squad.

Maybe they have managed to pull in some eye watering level sponsorship deals, though...

1 hour ago, Keith Houchen said:

That’s a real shitter and I’m sure it’s not exactly a priority, but have you cancelled your reservation?  
 

Can you watch it together over zoom or something?

Yep. And by the sound of it the table was snapped up before I'd even put the phone down. At least it won't go to waste!

I'm devastated! As a group, my mates and I have watched all but 1 match together this tournament. Sometimes we have got together in one of our gardens, other in the pub. We were buzzing on Thursday morning when we managed to secure a table in out favourite local for Sunday, and were planning on getting in there at 2pm for an all day sesh, and hopefully celebration at the end of the night.

That is, until yesterday evening when 2 of the lads tested positive for COVID. We were upset for them, but they were happy to isolate and the rest of us were going to still do the pub on Sunday. Until 3 more also tested positive. It's left just me and a mate not infected, and he is now panicking as his Dad is being treated for cancer, so is isolating anyway. 

So now it looks like were all having to lock ourselves away, an I'm watching to game on my own. We are all double jabbed too, which feels like time and money well spent!

Watching Ian Wright and  Emma Hayes' spontaneous and legitimate celebrations was great, especially after the cringy, for the camera's benefit celebrations of Linekar, Shearer and Ferdinand on the BBC against Germany. 

It still has not sunk in that England have made it to a tournament final. I was out with 10 of my closest mates for the match, and when the whistle went, none of us knew what to do. We just all stood there with massive cheesy grins, trying to formulate words. It was a really surreal feeling...

At Oakwell, the Reds enter to the theme from the TV show, Hitman and Her. Aka, Timerider - Cacoon:

Honestly no idea who introduced it to the club, or why. 

13 hours ago, PowerButchi said:

Parkinson announced. A couple of million pound sponsorships announced. Les Reed as director of football. 

 

It's happening. I look forward to being hated by everyone for buying success like I've done for other teams for years. 

Just waiting to announce Will Grigg or dare I say it... Bale. 

Never been the biggest fan of Parkinson, but I know he has the ability to get players on his side and behind his ideas. At the very least, he will be able to get you back into the league...