British football gossip

Well the season long ban is as well as jail time.

I have watched a few Man City games this season and he always looks like he could snap at any moment.

Well it has ruined any aspirations he may have had of continuing his England career I suppose

I will be interested to see what happens in this case. US sports have been far too lax with this issue and have only now started handing down significant playing bans for those inolved in criminal conduct. In the case of the NFL, the players union has actually been urging stiffer penalties. Hopefully it is a trend that will continue.

I got a hunch Keano will pick up Barton at a rock-bottom price. He's crafty like that, and after working under Ferguson for so many seasons, I'll wager he can turn the boy round. Barton is a class midfielder... with Collymore Syndrome.

Can't be many managers who would fancy taking him in the summer apart from maybe Keano at Sunderland?

GMTA bluedave.

Thinking about this, there are some similarities to Barton and Keano, especially the will to win. Both are hard nuts. And why is Barton so bad this season? Because he's totally frustrated by the team (and I use the word advisedly) around him. Doesn't say much for Stuart Pearce's management, sadly. I'd say the odds on Barton going to Sunderland are shortening, and I believe that Keano can focus Joey's frustration and aggression into an England midfielder. Quinn should go with the quality of Barton at a low, low price.

Agreed with the above, only other possibility would be to cross the city to Utd but why would Taggart want to take the risk?

TBH i'm just heartbroken by the lad, he has all the talent to reach the highest level of the game but his yob mentality lets him down time and time again.

He could have been one of the all time greats to wear the blue shirt.

No matter how screwed up a guy is, some team will always take him on as long as he's a class athlete. That's when the leagues or associations need to decide at which point they must step in to "protect" the overall image of the sport.

Where are people watching the Derby today anyway, do we have a general meeting point like Murphys maybe?

( For those that don't know, a derby is a game between rivals from the same city or region and today's Man City v Man Utd game is one of the biggest. )

Normally, that explanation isn't needed, but today is an exception.

I've read that Bartons cousin was killed in Iraq this week. Perhaps there was a personal reason behind his actions?

Yes. He is a brainless thug. So if that is the excuse this time then what about the others? At least this was a fight with a grown man instead of a 15 year old Everton supporter. And what drove him to stub a cigar out in a teammate's eye?

Sorry. No excuse at all. The man deserves to be thrown out of the game for a while

But if you throw Barton out for being a thug, then you've set a precedent, which should only really be set at UEFA level. There are plenty thugs in the game all over Europe, and always have been. There are plenty of English Premiership players constantly being reported in the press having tussles outside nightclubs, etc. Take your Bellamy as an example.

What I like about Barton is what I liked about Keano. They are both driven to win. Is it any wonder Barton snapped when most of his team mates are total muppets? He's been saying it for a while too... because I've been reading it. City's problem isn't Barton anymore. I'm convinced he's gone, and probably, logically, to Sunderland, where the squad mentality that Keano is developing will suit young Joey. City's big problem will be in holding on to Richards and Distin.

Oh, believe me. I was one of those who was totally against employing that idiot. He will hopefully be kicked out at the end of the season.


Ah right. So putting someone in hospital is OK as the team were not performing anyway? Fair comment.

There are scraps, punch ups in most clubs. It is the highly competitive nature of the game nowadays. You have fringe players fighting tooth and nail to get a look in and you are bound to get a few bust ups. But usually they are pretty minor scraps that are sorted out without any fuss. However, just looking at three of the incidents Barton has been involved in suggests he has more problems than most. Don't think Keano ever committed the kind of "crimes" Barton has did he?

Nope Keano did it on the field instead and finished AlfInge Haarlands career.

That is also true BD. However, in some peoples' eyes that translates as "commitment to the cause"...

That was a disgusting challenge and Keane should have seen criminal charges for that, seeing as he did admit doing it deliberately. Though corect me if I'm wrong, wasnt Haalands career ended because of an injury to his other leg and not the leg that Keane tried to break?

Can't agree there. At a certain point, the Premiership has to realize that they have to act against this sort of idiocy rather than waiting for UEFA to be their ethical compass. If the Premiership wants to continue to be the standard bearer for club football, they need to step up and take a stand.

No, you misunderstand JJ. What I mean is, that you have to apply punishments evenly. So, if any other player commits the same offence, that it applies evenly. Barton isn't the only player to go off the rails from time to time. I recall my time in motor racing. If a driver recieved a road ban, then the same ban length would apply to his/her racing license.

Roeder gone, Allardyce In?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/t...ted/6630751.stm

The guys in our Newcastle warehouse were already saying last week that there was a press conference planned for May 14th to announce big Sam, maybe they will bring it forward now!
Sorry bd, but given a choice, I would also choose the Toon, although I could be wrong...

Bloody awful!

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!

Says The Arse.

Can't open that at work but i presume it's Ball's 'tackle' on the Portuguese shite?

He should have been sent off and hopefully he will be banned for a good few matches!

I have no idea what is going on at City but as a so called disciplinarian Pearce is clearly failing to get the message across!

'Tackle' you call it, bluedave? The FA has to take Ball out for that. Cantona got a straight red for a lesser stamp a few (maybe donkey's) years ago. Ball seemed to go out of his way to spike the studs into Ronaldo's stomach. I can't see Pearce being there come August, mate.

A can't see Pearce being anywhere come August.

The FA are already in the case, for Ball and Brown of Fulham's alleged headbutt on Alonso!


So that will be an automatic 3 match ban for Ball for Violent Conduct!...At least!

What do Chelsea fans do after winning The Champion's League Trophy?

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Switch off the Playstation.

So if anyone wants to join me, I'll be in the Arc on Sunday 13th at 6.30pm. Its Oldham v Blackpool in the 1st leg of the play off semi-finals. Hopefully it will be 3rd time lucky for Latics as our two previous attempts at the play offs has failed at this stage. Blackpool will be firm favourites to go up, their form this season has been outstanding, had they had not started poorly, they would surely be in the automatic spots.

Charlton just went down. Feel sorry for Pardew.

I have to say that I do not. The Premiere League was obviously a step too far for the man. He needs to gain a bit of experience in the lower leagues before taking on the best again.

oh, this is just BS...who took the time to delete that? I mean, it is a footy gossip thread and there was absolutely nothing offensive of libelous about it.

What on earth are you going on about? Delete what?

Wha...?

A tad unfair, methinks. Pardew was doing fantastically at West Ham until some behind the scenes dodgy dealings screwed him and the team spirit seemed to implode. So he says, "Enough of this crap" and walks over to Charlton in December when they were in a right mess already. Then Darren Bent gets injured. Given the same scenario, I can't see your Benny Tez doing any better.

Manchester City will sell Joey Barton for £5.5m, according to the player's agent Willie McKay
Moyes or Keano? I'm betting the latter, and at £5.5m you'd have to take him. I reckon Keano can sort the boy's head out. Can't say the same for Moyes.

I think it's scandalous - if the boy receives a criminal conviction for violent conduct (and it sounds like he should), he should never play professional football again - these people are role models and we can do without violent little cuntbags like him. I hope Keano kicks his fucking head in and then sacks him...and then we can ban Keano too.

Oh! And Jimbo, me old fruit. I'll wager Vlad The Berbatov is Old Trafford bound. The boy's talents are wasted at Spurs.

The relegation battle will be interesting on the final day.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/e...ble/default.stm

Sheff Utd v Wigan
Man Utd v West Ham

Any one of Wigan/West Ham/ Sheff Utd can go down.

Fuck off.

I reckon Saha will look good with a cock on his chest.

Well Saha has done ok playing for a cunt.

Are you then saying he'd make the perfect Spurs player?

I reckon Richards to The Swamp ( which gives some dosh to the Ice Station Zebra mob to finance another run at a promotion challenge ) and Saha to the bluecamp in a part exchange deal.

The money from Richards would be very welcome indeed, aparrantly the scousers have been watching our right back for a while and Chelski are keeping tabs on Tony Philliskirks kid who is coming through the ranks at the minute.

So if Wigan win, they will stay up and Sheff Utd will have to rely on West Ham losing at Man U, should West Ham get a point, then they stay up. Cant say it looks good for Wigan, though Jewell did pull of a great escape with Bradford on the last day of the season once.

No doubt either Sheff U or Wigan will start up court proceeding contesting the punishment given to West Ham. Can say they have much of a case though?

Err??

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/t...ian/6636757.stm

As far as i am aware, up to the West Ham decision, teams have always had points deducted for fielding ineligible players.

What lay behind the West Ham decision - One possible theory

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/mi...west_ham_d.html

Well looking at this link, it's not an issue with the players registration, so they could play, its just a question of the actual purchase.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/e...rem/6638575.stm