nidnoyham

I think another Allan, Martin Allen, may be the next manager for the Hammers, he aint doin a bad job at Brentford, sold our goalie to Harry at Southampton. There is a West Ham Mafia and no mistake.

They are two totally different games, with the same name. I just prefer our version. I can't even see ,who has the ball in your game. When I do see it, play stops again ! No doubt strategy, has a larger part to play in your game. With so many players to choose from, it seems to make it too complex for a Limey to follow. l

Our Football, ( the real one) does not allow any off-ball contact, by players on opposite sides, so running full speed at each other is not part of the game. The fact you are on the pitch for pretty well 90+ minutes, would make it impossible to go full speed all the time. There is more emphasis on field positioning, by both attack and defence. Players, are either Defenders, Midfield or Strikers. They are expected to be in the right place when needed, but it is not unusual for them to swap from one to the other during the game. Defendrs are usually taller than attackers, so when a Free Kick or any advantage around the oppositions goal is given, the taller defenders will come up field to attack the goal, being able to get higher than others, they can score by heading the ball into goal. Despite all this flexibility, they are still paid too much money, for what they do. I watch a Lower Division club. The football played is less skillful than the top boys, but when we win, it feels just as good.

Thanks KJ, O.K, there are 11 players on the field, but how many are available to play ? In our Football, we have about 6 players as sub's, but only 3 allowed on in the 90 mins of play. You seem to have at least 3 teams at each game on each side.

The irony is, I know more verses of Flower of Scotland than God Save the Queen. iT was my mates song, at family gatherings in Scotland.

Well Chaps, I told myself I will watch this game, but after 15 minutes, I could not take anymore. I was counting the seconds of play, it was mostly 7-11 seconds action, then 30-40 seconds of stoppage. How many men are there in a team ? Who counts them on and off the field ? It seemed as if the whole side is replaced after a shortwhile, they just wander on and off. Watching our football, must make you feel out of breath after 30 minutes of end to end stuff. I liked the flyover and all the razamataz. But sorry, it doesn't do it for me. It seems a long winded process to get a result. A bit like elections I suppose. I hope you all enjoyed it anyway.

I should be at LHR now, checking in for the TG917. But my dog sitter, is too busy to look after Herbert, so here I am. A Grumpy Old Man. Think I'll be grumpy about the schools nowadays- Yep that will do. My garden backs onto the school I went to 43 years ago. Much has changed, I'm not just talking about the Air-raid Shelters being taken away and replaced with tennis courts- Tennis ! We never played tennis at school, that was for posh people. Football and cricket were the two sports for us. In my day the school was Boys and Girls, now it's mixed, a great mistake. My son argues that if it wasn't mixed all the boys would be queer. It's as well he wasn't around to say that 43 years ago. In those days, it was illegal to be a Homosexual, now it's illegal to critisize one. Being Gay,meant you were care free and happy. We had an all male staff, most of whom had seen National Service and Combat in WWII. This gave them a sense of discipline, no one was addressed by anything, but their second name, now the opposite is the norm. Teachers now want to be your freind, but as my Dad always said " Familiarity, breeds contempt " As well meaning as it is, if we had a young female teacher calling us by our first names, the lesson would have to be bloody interesting for us to learn anything. We took it for granted that men and women were different- they still are, but you musn't say so. Race, was the whole of Humanity together, now its everyone divided. I had no idea, that I was of a different race, from the two Scotsmen living either side of me, on our Council Estate, their kids looked, spoke like me and were just as daft. In later years we all went off to Wembley to support England. All that time they were "Foreign" We had the Ultimate Deterrent too - the cane, I got it for talking in class, sodding about, forgeting my homework and throwing snowballs at the Prefects at lunch time- see, its still in my mind 40 years later... crime and punisment. There were assemblies every day too. A few hymns, prayer and the Head telling us that the latest craze of spitting in the playground, must stop. Conkers are only allowed in the playground, not in class. Once you had all been told, there was no excuse for doing either.. School dinners were horrible, but nutritious. Now it's Burgers and chips or Chicken Dippers. They were sometimes the only decent meal a kid had then, probably is now I expect. We all wore grey trousers with dark blue jumper. Most of us lived in them, now they all wear Trainers and Tracksuits after school,but are about a quarter of the fitness we were. We had to walk and cycle everywhere, now it's Mums Taxi. I feel better now, it could be worse, West Ham could have lost to Cardiff. Bad enough about the Rugby. That's another thing- How come England is the only country in the U.K that sing the National Anthem ? Scotland- Flower of Scotland, Ireland- Danny Boy and I don't know what the Welsh sing ' cos its in Welsh. Why can't we have Jerusalem or Land of Hope and Glory- even Swing Low Sweet Chariot? See, the English arn't allowed to be patriotic, I reckon we have too many Scots in the Government. How many English in their Assemblies ? NNH-Grumpy Old Man.

So, this isn't about Crystal Palace and Del Boy isn't playing either

Well Tarzan might be interested !

So, this isn't about Crystal Palace then ?

Don't ask, relish your ignorance. How I envy you.

Two incidents in the Man. U./ Exeter cup game, wich I enjoyed tremendously. Rinaldo, being nutmegged by the Exeter defender and the crowd chanting " There's only one Arsen Wenger " when Fergie came off the bench for an on pitch incident. I think it was a good experience for those Primadonas to change in a small cold dressing room. Might make them grateful for their position in their game. Last time they were there Bobby Charlton and Bestie were playing.

When my son comes home from work he scans our computer for viruses. he tells me that the FLB sight gets an average of 3 every visit. Just thought I'd mention it

SKY' My postman, is a great bloke, his name is Nathan and he pops a card, from him, through my door every Christmas. I think he likes people who take the time to say hello, when we see each other. No it isn't here yet. I expect it to be delivered by a bloke in a dark suit, sunglasses, with a camera hidden in his buttonhole. History, I'm surrounded by it, Hampton court, Windsor Castle, Runnymede, are all just a bike ride from here. The thing is, they were in existance, before your Gaff was even heard of. I remember Ronny Regan- bless him, taking a horse ride with the Queen at Windsor. A Jumbo Jet was taking off from Heathrow as they posed for the cameras. Ron looked up as it went overhead. I can immagine him thinking " Why build a castle, so close to an airport ?" Hey, this is as nice as I get.

Yaaaaaaahhhhhhhwnnn Never mind about all that history stuff ! Tommorow, was to be my departure day to Pattaya and the back problem pesists. It's a pain in the arse ! Well nearlly Good job I was only going to stand-by and didn't buy a ticket.

JAULS If her boyfreind has paid for her ticket and gone through the aggro of obtaining a visa for her. I don't think he will be too pleased with her doing a house swap. If I were him, I would be on to the Embassy bloody quick. He is her sponsor, so she would be breaking the rules and probably never get a visa again.

stewie Scroll back a few months and you will find this covered quite comprehensively. The relationship posts hold the most. 2 of the biggies are length of contact together and reason for travel. Any paperwork you send must be recent, three months old will not do. Good Luck NNH

800 Passengers= 1200 peices of baggage, about 34 containers to unload, about 7 of those little electric tugs, pulling 4 each. Hmmm.. could be best to have just carry on bags.

Dunno why, but my son bought me the book for Christmas. I will insist he reads it after me, to get an insight into how I view the world from my 37 year advantage.

Chinese New Year ? Noisey, but nice !

ferocious For gawd sake don't go Muff Diving after a Vindaloo, not unless your room is near the pool !

I remember him co- presenting last years Glastonbury Festival, with a young West Indian girl. A Rap group had just done their thing and after, the cameras switched back to the presenters. " Wasn't that just great ? " enthused the young lady. John gave her a sideways look, paused and said, in his own inimatable way " Not my cup of tea really " It made me chuckle

Well, you ought to be !!

Climax Bar is not bad, their " Free as a bird!" is a pretty good rendition. I am appalled at how little people seem to apreciate the performers by clapping. I can not play a note of music, so allways applaude those who can. There used to be a bar called the Sea Fox, near FLB that had a fair group, but like so many others has since closed - shame.

I think the man has lost the plot. He began hs career as a Working Class Comic, and was very popular in U.K. My Scots freinds told me years ago, he was no longer as popular in Scotland since his envolvment with Royalty etc, changed his immage and lifestyle. I wouldn't cross the road to see him now.-Prick !