SSD

Me and my partner had a good conversation about the past year and how it has affected us differently. It has been really difficult on many relationships and COVID has made us both more resilient to deal with all kinds of rubbish being thrown from every direction.

My career went down the toilet as soon as it was evident COVID was here to stay, I was absolutely devastated. I finally found a job I was really interested in, good people supporting me at work as well. I've always found jobs to be very tedious after awhile because I want to learn new things so this was an ideal fit. Thankfully I found something else fairly quickly but it has been a grind, getting moved to different shifts every couple of months hasn't been great for my health. Paying the bills was the most important thing on my mind. My partner's university course has been awful. Students getting a rough deal because the miscommunication and lack of support, COVID being every excuse for very simple questions. Adapting to change is tough but we've got through it. 

It's good to see some normality resuming. You take for granted seeing family and going out for a drink in a local. I'm happy to forget about the last 12 months now and look forward. Vaccine all booked too. 

Regardless of the outcome, the EFL have lost any credibility to govern the league and if anything, our case has brought out the need to completely rebuild the hierarchy in charge of our division.

When the EFL originally lost the case against Mel and DCFC, the honorable thing to do by the EFL would have been to accept that loopholes in the rules were exposed and used to our advantage, however that is not down to the club being in the wrong. The accounts were signed off. They have taken zero responsibility for their part in this mess and have taken all steps to cover their failings. I am a critic of how Mel has ran the football club however I will back him against these muppets.

If the EFL had questioned our practices at the time, the club would have needed to accept the consequences for breaking rules. This was authorised by the league. If I was at work and I signed off somebody's documentation, I would be the one responsible for any repercussions if there were problems. 

Not fit for purpose.

Them coloured lights people have at the back of their TV. Makes the room look like an establishment our Wayne would visit on his evenings off.

No wonder I couldn't find any grassfeed in BM today.

Spotted of one the lads trying out the new away kit

I'm ready to set up camp in here now where it's safe. Got a takeaway planned and booze on standby Can't deal with the drama. 

I respect any person investing as much money into the club as Mel Morris. He is a good man, a family man and he has always given it his best. My main concern has always been the lack of leadership behinds the scenes to run the club with stability. No matter how much you invest or the integrity of the individual, you have to make sure the club doesn't run into financial problems and as much as it is sad to say, Mel has driven the club into a difficult financial hole.  There's nothing personal about that. It's the fact of the matter. 

If he had a better team of people around him running the club, I don't think we'd have been in this much of a mess. He is a very successful investor, it hasn't been a successful tenure as the chairman. Regardless of managerial appointments, player recruitment, the books must be balanced. And the club clearly are having problems. Even without COVID the club would still be in alot of trouble. I don't care if you're a local or foreign, manage the finances of the club well. Has he does this? No.

Give the Man Utd protesters credit, it's a long journey from Surrey.

It's all about knowing your audience. It goes back to the old saying, if you don't like it then don't watch it. The options are out there on all kinds of media, you're never stuck for choice.

Did he say 150 million to spend? Was the currency Ugandan dollars?

Just had Chilwell on toast again. But but he's not good enough for Derby....

Someone's going to take a training session one day and realise Jozwiaks main strength is taking players on.

Kamil looking a threat for Poland agajn, well I never. Absolute tripe that we can't get the best of this guy.

Majority of family have gone for round one of vaccines which is a big relief.

Went into the office at work for the first time in nearly a year yesterday. It was great to finally meet some colleagues, even if it was a little awkward with the face masks and the social distancing. Our boss asked us how we felt about going forward with our work environment, do we want to work from home, work in the office or do a hybrid. Bar two people, everyone wants to have the flexibility of office work and working from home.

We've agreed initially on at least working the office once a week, from August onwards, to interact as a team and share ideas because the downside of WFH is a lack of trying to suggest improvements. People have been content to just crack on with their job which is fair enough. Having the human interaction is still really important to me.

I am backing hybrid working all the way. My mental health has been better working from home. Less stress with the commute, less intimidation from bosses, not having to listen to the office politics BS is bliss. I still want the option to go into the office but there is no need for me to be there 5 days a week. Everything for me is designed to work online so I can work from any location if I wanted. I am fortunate in that regard because many businesses were struggling to ensure every member of staff could work from home.

If the business you work for is built to work from any location, they should be offering a hybrid solution. Less people off sick, more productivity as a team. Yes, one or two have been taking the mick, however they would do that anyway regardless of where they were working. The Nationwide staff survey said 7% of staff just want to work in the office. 93% want to either WFH or have the hybrid option. A big statement in my view. People have had enough of the typical working day. It makes them unhappy. Why Sunak is drumming people to go back to the office full time is a mystery (wait, his family own alot of commercial buildings). 

Save the environment, look after your mental health, don't let these corporate bullies force you back in a grotty office full time.

I still think summer holidays abroad will be fine towards the back end of the summer. Anyone going in June might be disappointed due to the shameless of the vaccination program in the EU. I think the beach resorts will be okay though, particularly the ones where alot of British people visit. 

I've seen the experts and their articles about not going abroad. There are always risks involved everytime you visit a foreign country. I've had ear infections due to dodgy swimming pools, food poisoning whilst visiting a sea side restaurant. It hasn't put me off going away, these things happen. This talk about bringing new variants to these shores, it will happen anyway even in the next two/three years. As long as the most vulnerable have been vaccinated, we can't keep living in some invincible shielded bubble. 

Due to my circumstances, I can only go away in the kids holidays. To hire a static caravan for a week in Devon is costing £1200 in August. It's the same price as going aborad to Majorca and the kids holiday camps are looking booked up too. 

Last summer I think the covid rate was very low? We're going to be even safer this year. If every adult has been vaccinated, I cant see why people can't start to travel. As I've mentioned, you can't stop new variants coming in and out the country, we will be living with this virus for years. As long as the right people have been jabbed, we've minimised the risk the best we can. 

Back to his best last night. I think what hasn't helped Sibley is after that amazing form he showed last season, teams man marked him out the game quickly. Biggest attacking threat on the field on his day. He just needs to learn to be smarter. Cant fault the lad's talent or enthusiasm to play for the club. His discipline has let him down and caused the team to lose games unfortunately. Stupid tackles leading to goals, unnecessary bookings. Reminds me of the manager as a teenager. He'll learn.

He's still 19 years old, he'll eventually be our best player and long term match winner with more coaching and mentoring. His finishing is absolutely fantastic.

All them millions of vaccines which could go to the poorer countries. I despair with our European neighbours. No evidence whatsoever that this causes blood clots. The only clots I see are them politicians who want to make everyone's life more miserable.

Scaremongering sadly. Got more chance of dying in the car driving home after having a vaccine. 40 people with blood clots out of millions of vaccines? 

Madness.

If you dish out humour to people, expect them to give you it back. That's what I was taught. 

If the club doesn't have the financial resources to recruit players without selling, I would like to see Sibley and Knight as a midfield pairing next season. We've been screaming out for goals from midfield and them pair I believe could be very successful. Yes they need to work on their discipline however they are young men who want to get involved and get stuck in. Wasn't Rooney a little card happy in his younger years? Shinnie can play in that midfield three too for extra solidity. I think the balance especially playing at home would be ideal. 

Rooney's being harsh because I think he knows Sibley has the ability to be a Premier League player and wants to see consistent performances. Most players now need to be cuddled because they can't take a little criticism every now and then. I think Sibley is one of them rare players who wants a kick up the arse because he's got fire in the system. I hope once we're mathematically safe, we can look at using Sibley in midfield more because he needs more game time.

I've booked a holiday abroad beginning of September. Took advantage of a good deal from Jet2. Done everything through them, covid travel insurance, can move the booking if required. 

The government keeping saying it's too early to book holidays abroad, yet they don't want to keep bailing out the travel industry. You can't have it both ways. My thought was with booking Majorca is the majority of the holiday makers on the island are British and by the time I go, many of the tourists will have had a vaccine. I've already had covid too so the chances of me catching it again after having a vaccine will be incredibly small.

I don't see what the issue is with going abroad if you've been vaccinated. As long as you follow the guidance of the country's covid rules, I think you'll be fine.

Need some advice about my next door neighbour. I've tried talking to them without any success, they're some of the rudest people I've come across.  Their lack of respect and courtesy is really awful. In normal times I wouldn't be bothered, people are allowed to have fun and play their music at a weekend. I wouldn't be stuck in the house all the time and neither would they. It's frustrating for everyone. I can't get my head around why they would blast music out to the early hours though when everybody is stuck at home. If the social distancing wasnt in place, I'd ask the neighbour next to them if they have any issues with this. It's driving me nuts. A lack of understanding for everyone else who had to adhere to these rules too.

I hate confrontation at the best of times, I've tried my best to keep the peace. They're a right nightmare though.

Barnsley got the sprinklers out before the game tonight, them pee taking buggers! ?

5 minutes ago, Gaspode said:

The oracle that is Rob Dorsett has now confirmed we are likely to get him on loan - thank goodness we have his inside knowledge to keep us informed....

Did he say "good man" and "thanks mate" as well? ?