The Football.....

[Pale Rider]

When Howard Wilkinson was manager of Sunderland AFC he instructed the ballboys to return the ball quickly.

Each ballboy appeared to have a spare ball so he could sling that one on if the match ball had gone into the stands.

This led to several incidents of two balls on the pitch at once, and on one occasion, three.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I'm sure this was suggested for the Man Utd v Chelsea final, played in Luzhni. Can't remember why it didn't happen, though I do think that fans are rarely a primary consideration for the authorities.

The fans are a bloody nuisance as far as the authorities are concerned. They'd much prefer to play the games behind closed doors (Apart from the corporate crowd and the rent a face politicians) and cop a bit more TV money.

 

[cisamcgu]

Anyone else get irritated by the incessant whistling from the Liverpool supporters on Tuesday every time Barcelona got the ball, and the same thing yesterday with Ajax fans in the second half when Spurs had the ball ? I'm all for supporting your team, but deriding the opposition seems poor form really. I am sure it goes on in pretty much every game, but I think either the microphones were better placed or European games are worse...

Just a tiny rant

 

[yello]

I'm all for supporting your team, but deriding the opposition seems poor form really.

Blimey, you ought watch French rugby! Partisan? Cripes, it's open warfare!

No, I'm not a fan of it myself either, I do think it's 'not on'. But then I guess I'm a bit of a snowflake!

 

[StuAff]

Anyone else get irritated by the incessant whistling from the Liverpool supporters on Tuesday every time Barcelona got the ball, and the same thing yesterday with Ajax fans in the second half when Spurs had the ball ? I'm all for supporting your team, but deriding the opposition seems poor form really. I am sure it goes on in pretty much every game, but I think either the microphones were better placed or European games are worse...

Just a tiny rant

I think you're being a little optimistic there. Though it's possible to combine wit and abuse....According to Henry Winter in The Times, when they were 2-0 up, the Ajax fans were singing 'You're **** and you know you are', "in Engish so crisp you could almost feel the apostrophe". OTOH, Messi was given a standing ovation from Real Betis fans when he chipped the third goal of his hat-trick earlier this year.

 

[PaulB]

I'm a bit annoyed at our ticket allocation for the final. I've had an email from the club this morning informing me I've got to go via the ballot for the two tickets I assumed were guaranteed but due to only receiving something like 16,000 to satisfy our auto-cup scheme holding of something like twice that, it's unfair on the actual match-going fans some of whom will be denied the chance to see their team in the big one. I have other sources so will be ok but when the corporates and WOATs get priority, it's a kick in the teeth for the genuine fans. At Istanbul for instance we were sat next to an oriental suit/tie-wearing father and son duo who clearly didn't know what was going on had dressed up for their first sporting event. There were loads like that around us while thousands of our genuine match-going fans were denied seeing that amazing game.

 

[StuAff]

I'm a bit annoyed at our ticket allocation for the final. I've had an email from the club this morning informing me I've got to go via the ballot for the two tickets I assumed were guaranteed but due to only receiving something like 16,000 to satisfy our auto-cup scheme holding of something like twice that, it's unfair on the actual match-going fans some of whom will be denied the chance to see their team in the big one. I have other sources so will be ok but when the corporates and WOATs get priority, it's a kick in the teeth for the genuine fans. At Istanbul for instance we were sat next to an oriental suit/tie-wearing father and son duo who clearly didn't know what was going on had dressed up for their first sporting event. There were loads like that around us while thousands of our genuine match-going fans were denied seeing that amazing game.

Sadly, same for pretty much every final, in every competition...

 

[PaulB]

Sadly, same for pretty much every final, in every competition...

No it's not. League cup final is pretty much all who want to go can. FA cup belongs to the football association so that is perhaps justifiable but it's not on for the European cup final (it is to us!) It wasn't this tight last year that's for sure.

 

[StuAff]

No it's not. League cup final is pretty much all who want to go can. FA cup belongs to the football association so that is perhaps justifiable but it's not on for the European cup final (it is to us!) It wasn't this tight last year that's for sure.

Fair enough....

 

[Dayvo]

That was unbelievable!

Twists and turns, upperhand and lowerhand: never seen a game like that ever, I don't think, and I've followed Spurs for 50+ years. I'm out of breath.

Ajax next (which they should win), but Liverpool or Barcelona await).

COYS!

Hang on. Ajax have just dumped out Real and Juve, but Spuds should knock them over. Lol.

Right, as I was saying...

A great game, to watch even if you're a neutral.

Guts and character got Spurs through and hopefully they'll carry it to the final in three weeks time with a new-found confidence. I don't want to see the vultures from the big clubs come in and deplete the Ajax team: they could go far. When Ajax are strong, so is the national team.

My mates in Amsterdam said Spurs were the better team and they had no (real) qualms about the result. Out of interest, @DP, what did the Dutch (Amsterdam) papers say about the game/result?

 

[ianrauk]

Right then.
Liverpool for the CL
Man City for the PL

Cant be doing with @Dayvo mob winning anything

 

[pjd57]

Champions League ? final between 2 teams who were last champions when it was in black and white .

 

[Dave7]

I have other sources so will be ok.

Paul, you know how I always "like" your posts and when possible I double "like" them. And you know how often I have said to other members "you know what, that PaulB is the nicest guy on Cycle Chat".
Well I have recently fallen on bad times, I mean really really bad times.
I would desperately love to go to the final. Just one of your tickets would do.
BTW, I am wiiling to accept an economy flight.

 

[StuAff]

Champions League ? final between 2 teams who were last champions when it was in black and white .

Yes, it should still be the European Cup, and the Europa League should still be the UEFA Cup. Because they're not leagues....even the Americans get that right.
Anyway, Celtic won the Cup in black and white, if I recall

 

[Dave7]

Right then.
Liverpool for the CL
Man City for the PL

Cant be doing with @Dayvo mob winning anything

No no no no no. I have my massive £2.00 bet on Lpool winning both.