Football

Scottish football was much more a force to be reckoned with back then compared to today. Hardly a backwater.

I think it's a bit much for Everton to claim they in particular had their entire future trashed by it.

Based on a man in a pub claiming this, not Everton claiming it. I'm certainly not claiming it. It didn't help of course.

Talk about deluded.

Its true. We have at least one deluded fan. Well done for meeting him.

Good job Liverpool don't have any deluded fans.

Scottish football was much more a force to be reckoned with back then compared to today. Hardly a backwater

Was about to say the same. In the mid to late 80s Scottish teams were doing very well in Europe, I think both Dundee Utd and Aberdeen reached finals then, with the latter winning the Cup Winners Cup (I think?) when Alex Ferguson was in charge. The decline in Scottish football has been relatively recent.

The voice of reason amongst nonsense. You have at least 2 deluded fans though :)

I agree with the belief that Everton would have had a good shout at winning the European cup or at least a good long run, Liverpool, villa, forest had won it in the last decade, and the way English clubs played at that time, to a certain extent disconcerted their European opposition. It's not beyond the realms of fantasy to believe that Everton could have added the European cup to their trophy room.

Obviously hindsight is 20/20 and fans of a certain age will always bear a grudge because of the possibility of glory that was denied them. Pretty much the high water mark for them and no fan wants a great team of their own to be denied the chance to challenge for the big cup..

Belief.

BELIEF.
an acceptance that something exists or is true, especially one without proof.
"his belief in extraterrestrial life"
2.
trust, faith, or confidence in (someone or something).

Lord Ferg in "knocking off perch" v.1.0

Question for the Dad's on here:

Should your kids support your team or should they be encouraged to support their local team?

Aimed at moi?

.

Either is acceptable so long as they actually go to the odd game.

Aimed at all of those engaging in the current thought experiment "would Everton have conquered the world?".

Teh Rulez.
I had this exact conversation with Jack the other day. He's 4 now and is starting to show an interest in football so I went to buy him one of those small balls from JD Sport.
I was trying to chose between an Arsenal or Liverpool one according to Teh Rulez so I opted for the Arsenal one on account that their supporters have only suffered about 10 years of misery whereas it's been about 25 for us. Also, there is the odd chance I can take him to a game if he supports the Arsenal. Nor will he have to endure the plastic accusations.
I got home and gave it to him.
"Are Arsenal good daddy?"
"Um no not really"
"Who do you support?"
"Liverpool"
"Are they good?"
"Sometimes"
"Who are good?"
"That's not the point, you have a choice between Arsenal or Liverpool"
"What about Manchester United, I like them"
"What?!!!"
"Yes I heard them on the radio, I like them"
"Nooooooo"
I'm doing some cognitive therapy on his at the moment

I think we all understand the parameters involved in arguing about what might or might not have happened 30 years ago, even mikec's new best friend, once he's sweated out the disappointment and Kronenbourg of last night, might see it as a claim too far.

I agree that there probably were a few who decamped north of the border for European glory and all the fish suppers you can eat, and I am overstating the paucity of Scottish football, but I stand by the claim that it was a class below the English game throughout the European ban.

Also, interesting that old red nose was mentioned as wasn't it slap bang in the middle of the ban that he made the move south away from the possibility of European competition?

tl;dr We said local team.

Wife (Chelsea) - no chance
Me (Cambridge Utd) - couldn't do that to her - rarely get to go to games anyway (maybe one a season if that) - So fan, much plastic

Local teams (in order from closest to further away): Fulham (we can see the floodlights from our flat and, on a good day, hear the crowd), Chelsea, QPR, AFC Wimbledon.

AFC will be a bit closer (probably 2nd closest) when/if they move into their new ground back near Plough Lane, but decision already made by then.

We let her[1] choose and she chose Fulham (ok, with a little nudging) as we're more likely to go see them (tickets are easy to get, cheaper than Prem and the standard isn't that bad) and they're the most child friendly[2]. Several family friends are season ticket holders too.

Chelsea coaches come into her school a few times a week for before school club and some PE lessons (I believe Chelsea and Fulham divvy up the local schools between them to avoid treading on each others toes).

1. She's a bit of a tomboy; loves football, cricket and rugby. Can happily watch any sport on telly (I caught her watching snooker the other day after flicking past all of the usual cartoon channels). But still likes her ballet, playing with dolls, dressing up, etc.
   
2. She'll still hear a bit of bad language (no point pretending you can shield her from all of it, she'll probably hear loads from the older kids at school), but not someone shouting "CUNT CUNT CUNT" throughout the entire game.
   

'Arry at 25/1?

Pisti had better start knocking up one of his special cocktails.

What Goodison needs is a nice, level headed lunatic like Paolo Di Canio. Just think of what the fans will make of him when he approaches them in the stadium when it all goes wonky.

Your team with a bit of part-time support of a local lower league team.

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/liverpool-fans-swell-to-eight-times-their-normal-size-20160421108195

What Goodison needs is a nice, level headed lunatic like Paolo Di Canio.

I think Bielsa is a bit of a lunatic isn't he?

Although I heard Van Gaal was equally looney and haven't seen much comedy lunacy from him. He's a bit odd in interviews, but thats it.

Allardici.

Pisti would have a coronary if BFS was made the manager.

BFS still has a job to do at Sunderland.

#nextseason

He's still got a job to do this season...

We had a family tradition with my ex-family on Boxing Day seeing a local match. Christmas invariably was spent in Banbury, so a day out of the house was always something to look forward to. For twenty years visiting either Swindon, Northants, Oxford, Cheltenham, Wycombe Wanderers, MK Dons.

My father-in-law supported Oldham Athlectic his whole life and went to the odd game.
I haven't been to the Emirates for three seasons, as a Gooner this is not unusual.

But one Boxing day i think it was 1997 or 98 we went to see Brentford Town vs Southend Utd (Neville Southall was on loan at Utd) we ate alot of pies and there was one kid in full chelsea kit with his dad in the ground with us.

I've never taken my kids to footie, but I did take missus with her kids to see Colombia vs USA at Craven Cottage a couple of years ago..

/csb