StantonRam

Ever since 2008 we've basically alternated between seasons when we were near the top/playoffs (Mac/Lampard) and seasons when we've been near the bottom and in a relegation scrap (Clough/Rooney).
During the latter type of season we fretted and lost sleep imagining that to be cast into the netherworld of League 1 would be the very worst thing that could ever happen.
Well now it has.  And we're still breathing.
We could have settled for being an average Championship side with occasional forays into the top league.  Instead we fell for someone who dreamed big, spent big, pushed the envelope, and ultimately crashed and burned.
It's now clear that although the EFL mishandled many things we are now where the actions of our previous owner mean we deserve to be.
In Scotland, Rangers had to fight their way back from their League 2 for similar transgressions.  It could be far worse.
SO, let's focus on what we have that most teams in League 1 don't.
30,000 or so loyal fans, PL quality stadium & infrastructure, a history including winning the top league twice, an Academy producing PL standard players (e.g. Hughes/Hendrick/Plange/Ebosele etc), a high profile manager who has the loyalty of everyone, new ownership, and presumably a wage/transfer budget that will be competitive in League 1.  Most League 1 teams would love to be us.
Factor in also the 'bounce back' factor (Bournemouth for example) and what we hopefully have ahead of us is a revival similar to the Cox/Smith years.  Bring it on!

Ever since 2008 we've basically alternated between seasons when we were near the top/playoffs (Mac/Lampard) and seasons when we've been near the bottom and in a relegation scrap (Clough/Rooney).
During the latter type of season we fretted and lost sleep imagining that to be cast into the netherworld of League 1 would be the very worst thing that could ever happen.
Well now it has.  And we're still breathing.
We could have settled for being an average Championship side with occasional forays into the top league.  Instead we fell for someone who dreamed big, spent big, pushed the envelope, and ultimately crashed and burned.
It's now clear that although the EFL mishandled many things we are now where the actions of our previous owner mean we deserve to be.
In Scotland, Rangers had to fight their way back from their League 2 for similar transgressions.  It could be far worse.
SO, let's focus on what we have that most teams in League 1 don't.
30,000 or so loyal fans, PL quality stadium & infrastructure, a history including winning the top league twice, an Academy producing PL standard players (e.g. Hughes/Hendrick/Plange/Ebosele etc), a high profile manager who has the loyalty of everyone, new ownership, and presumably a wage/transfer budget that will be competitive in League 1.  Most League 1 teams would love to be us.
Factor in also the 'bounce back' factor (Bournemouth for example) and what we hopefully have ahead of us is a revival similar to the Cox/Smith years.  Bring it on!

Ever since 2008 we've basically alternated between seasons when we were near the top/playoffs (Mac/Lampard) and seasons when we've been near the bottom and in a relegation scrap (Clough/Rooney).
During the latter type of season we fretted and lost sleep imagining that to be cast into the netherworld of League 1 would be the very worst thing that could ever happen.
Well now it has.  And we're still breathing.
We could have settled for being an average Championship side with occasional forays into the top league.  Instead we fell for someone who dreamed big, spent big, pushed the envelope, and ultimately crashed and burned.
It's now clear that although the EFL mishandled many things we are now where the actions of our previous owner mean we deserve to be.
In Scotland, Rangers had to fight their way back from their League 2 for similar transgressions.  It could be far worse.
SO, let's focus on what we have that most teams in League 1 don't.
30,000 or so loyal fans, PL quality stadium & infrastructure, a history including winning the top league twice, an Academy producing PL standard players (e.g. Hughes/Hendrick/Plange/Ebosele etc), a high profile manager who has the loyalty of everyone, new ownership, and presumably a wage/transfer budget that will be competitive in League 1.  Most League 1 teams would love to be us.
Factor in also the 'bounce back' factor (Bournemouth for example) and what we hopefully have ahead of us is a revival similar to the Cox/Smith years.  Bring it on!

Ever since 2008 we've basically alternated between seasons when we were near the top/playoffs (Mac/Lampard) and seasons when we've been near the bottom and in a relegation scrap (Clough/Rooney).
During the latter type of season we fretted and lost sleep imagining that to be cast into the netherworld of League 1 would be the very worst thing that could ever happen.
Well now it has.  And we're still breathing.
We could have settled for being an average Championship side with occasional forays into the top league.  Instead we fell for someone who dreamed big, spent big, pushed the envelope, and ultimately crashed and burned.
It's now clear that although the EFL mishandled many things we are now where the actions of our previous owner mean we deserve to be.
In Scotland, Rangers had to fight their way back from their League 2 for similar transgressions.  It could be far worse.
SO, let's focus on what we have that most teams in League 1 don't.
30,000 or so loyal fans, PL quality stadium & infrastructure, a history including winning the top league twice, an Academy producing PL standard players (e.g. Hughes/Hendrick/Plange/Ebosele etc), a high profile manager who has the loyalty of everyone, new ownership, and presumably a wage/transfer budget that will be competitive in League 1.  Most League 1 teams would love to be us.
Factor in also the 'bounce back' factor (Bournemouth for example) and what we hopefully have ahead of us is a revival similar to the Cox/Smith years.  Bring it on!

Fantastic display and result last night!  Probably too late but maybe not...???
I know I bang on about this a lot, but we simply wouldn't even be in with even this remaining (slim) chance if not for the amazing work of the Academy providing a lifeline of skilful, energetic and committed young players.  Every time someone leaves and we fear the worst, along comes another Academy player to step up and take their opportunity with relish.  Long may it continue!
This is going to be absolutely crucial next season with spending still restricted due to much lower TV income, FFP etc.  CK isn't going to spend big until we are in the Championship playoffs, especially in view of recent experience.
I think next season we can expect a similar blend of bargain signings of experienced journeymen willing to drop a league to play for Wazza, together with more Academy talent.  On the evidence of this season it might well work!
COYR!!!

Fantastic display and result last night!  Probably too late but maybe not...???
I know I bang on about this a lot, but we simply wouldn't even be in with even this remaining (slim) chance if not for the amazing work of the Academy providing a lifeline of skilful, energetic and committed young players.  Every time someone leaves and we fear the worst, along comes another Academy player to step up and take their opportunity with relish.  Long may it continue!
This is going to be absolutely crucial next season with spending still restricted due to much lower TV income, FFP etc.  CK isn't going to spend big until we are in the Championship playoffs, especially in view of recent experience.
I think next season we can expect a similar blend of bargain signings of experienced journeymen willing to drop a league to play for Wazza, together with more Academy talent.  On the evidence of this season it might well work!
COYR!!!

Fantastic display and result last night!  Probably too late but maybe not...???
I know I bang on about this a lot, but we simply wouldn't even be in with even this remaining (slim) chance if not for the amazing work of the Academy providing a lifeline of skilful, energetic and committed young players.  Every time someone leaves and we fear the worst, along comes another Academy player to step up and take their opportunity with relish.  Long may it continue!
This is going to be absolutely crucial next season with spending still restricted due to much lower TV income, FFP etc.  CK isn't going to spend big until we are in the Championship playoffs, especially in view of recent experience.
I think next season we can expect a similar blend of bargain signings of experienced journeymen willing to drop a league to play for Wazza, together with more Academy talent.  On the evidence of this season it might well work!
COYR!!!

Fantastic display and result last night!  Probably too late but maybe not...???
I know I bang on about this a lot, but we simply wouldn't even be in with even this remaining (slim) chance if not for the amazing work of the Academy providing a lifeline of skilful, energetic and committed young players.  Every time someone leaves and we fear the worst, along comes another Academy player to step up and take their opportunity with relish.  Long may it continue!
This is going to be absolutely crucial next season with spending still restricted due to much lower TV income, FFP etc.  CK isn't going to spend big until we are in the Championship playoffs, especially in view of recent experience.
I think next season we can expect a similar blend of bargain signings of experienced journeymen willing to drop a league to play for Wazza, together with more Academy talent.  On the evidence of this season it might well work!
COYR!!!

Fantastic display and result last night!  Probably too late but maybe not...???
I know I bang on about this a lot, but we simply wouldn't even be in with even this remaining (slim) chance if not for the amazing work of the Academy providing a lifeline of skilful, energetic and committed young players.  Every time someone leaves and we fear the worst, along comes another Academy player to step up and take their opportunity with relish.  Long may it continue!
This is going to be absolutely crucial next season with spending still restricted due to much lower TV income, FFP etc.  CK isn't going to spend big until we are in the Championship playoffs, especially in view of recent experience.
I think next season we can expect a similar blend of bargain signings of experienced journeymen willing to drop a league to play for Wazza, together with more Academy talent.  On the evidence of this season it might well work!
COYR!!!

Been looking at the numbers.
It's now all about the IFs.
IF we can win 4 out of 6 games but get nothing from the other 2 then we will have 28 + 12 = 40 points.
IF Reading only win 2 out of 7 games and lose the other 5 then they will have 34 + 6 = 40 points.
IF Baaaaaarnsley only win 3 out of 7 and lose the rest then they will have 29 + 9 = 38 points.
IF all the above happens then we stay up on GD, probably needing to win and for Reading to lose on the very last day.
The final IF is therefore this.
IF Reading win 3 from 7 then we need to win 5 from 6.  IF they win 4 from 7 then nothing but 6 wins from 6 will keep us up.  IF they win 5 from 7 we are down whatever we do.
The signs from yesterday are that Wayne and the team know how to tactically adjust to get in front and then stay there.  Whether that will be enough now depends to a great extent on what Reading do.
Last season we were down and then were saved by Marlon Pack of Cardiff with 10 or so minutes remaining.
I suspect that on May 7th we will be in a similar situation, needing to win and for Reading to lose to stay up.
It ain't over yet!!!

Been looking at the numbers.
It's now all about the IFs.
IF we can win 4 out of 6 games but get nothing from the other 2 then we will have 28 + 12 = 40 points.
IF Reading only win 2 out of 7 games and lose the other 5 then they will have 34 + 6 = 40 points.
IF Baaaaaarnsley only win 3 out of 7 and lose the rest then they will have 29 + 9 = 38 points.
IF all the above happens then we stay up on GD, probably needing to win and for Reading to lose on the very last day.
The final IF is therefore this.
IF Reading win 3 from 7 then we need to win 5 from 6.  IF they win 4 from 7 then nothing but 6 wins from 6 will keep us up.  IF they win 5 from 7 we are down whatever we do.
The signs from yesterday are that Wayne and the team know how to tactically adjust to get in front and then stay there.  Whether that will be enough now depends to a great extent on what Reading do.
Last season we were down and then were saved by Marlon Pack of Cardiff with 10 or so minutes remaining.
I suspect that on May 7th we will be in a similar situation, needing to win and for Reading to lose to stay up.
It ain't over yet!!!

Been looking at the numbers.
It's now all about the IFs.
IF we can win 4 out of 6 games but get nothing from the other 2 then we will have 28 + 12 = 40 points.
IF Reading only win 2 out of 7 games and lose the other 5 then they will have 34 + 6 = 40 points.
IF Baaaaaarnsley only win 3 out of 7 and lose the rest then they will have 29 + 9 = 38 points.
IF all the above happens then we stay up on GD, probably needing to win and for Reading to lose on the very last day.
The final IF is therefore this.
IF Reading win 3 from 7 then we need to win 5 from 6.  IF they win 4 from 7 then nothing but 6 wins from 6 will keep us up.  IF they win 5 from 7 we are down whatever we do.
The signs from yesterday are that Wayne and the team know how to tactically adjust to get in front and then stay there.  Whether that will be enough now depends to a great extent on what Reading do.
Last season we were down and then were saved by Marlon Pack of Cardiff with 10 or so minutes remaining.
I suspect that on May 7th we will be in a similar situation, needing to win and for Reading to lose to stay up.
It ain't over yet!!!

Point of information - A Bridge Too Far was Arnhem in autumn 1944, Remagen was on the Rhine in March 1945.
I called it a month ago wanting to be wrong.  Unfortunately I wasn't.
In the end we just didn't have enough in the tank to get the results we needed, and Reading on present form are more or less there.
Fight on until it's mathematically finished, then after that give "the kids" some playing time ready for next season.  They'll need it.  46 League 1 games, Carabao Cup, FA Cup 1st round, could be 50-60 games altogether with a couple of cup runs.  Playing the likes of Fleetwood rather than the likes of Sheff Utd.
The only way is up!

This illustrates the extent of the problem.  The issue is not my alleged "affection" or "emotion": this is just a standard tactic to discredit a contrary position by implying that the other person is emotional and therefore irrational.  As for "play decent", well it's the lack of decency that's the issue, and unfortunately if you don't condemn the actions of the invaders, whatever their reasons, then you are complicit whether you like it or not.
In 1939 various people such as Orwell and Mosley were forced by the outbreak of war to stop carping from the sidelines and CHOOSE A SIDE.  When such acts of inhumanity are perpetrated, sadly we are now in the same position.  You can argue the nuances of international diplomacy and geopolitics all you like.  You can point out aspects of the history that support Russia, and I agree that these do exist.  In the end however, the response is so wildly disproportionate and murderous that, unless you condemn it, you are de facto supporting it.
Once again, it's not Russia or its people that are the problem, it's their government.  Russian soldiers, lied to and sent to die by their own government, are victims too, and their deaths are every bit as tragic and unfair as anyone else's.  However, they are combatants and they are armed, unlike Ukrainian civilians hiding in a basement.  Let's be absolutely clear.  War crimes are being committed by Russia, and all we can hope for is that eventually someone will ultimately be brought to justice for this wanton butchery of innocent people.  So, once again - if you do not condemn outright these acts of barbarity, then you are de facto supporting them.  That is the reality of your position as you have set it out, unless you are able to clarify it somehow and convince me otherwise.

Dear esteemed colleagues
I beg you, do not be fooled by Kremlin propaganda about supposed "far right nationalists".  They exist, as they do everywhere, but they are a tiny minority and receive very few votes in elections.  And having said that, would we accept our whole country being bombed by a foreign power on the grounds that they wanted to liquidate the Burnley branch of the BNP?  I think not.
Ukraine is a 30 year old imperfect democracy.  It has no more corruption than Russia does, but unlike Russia, where the Mafia run the government, it has been trying to do something about it.  It took the Italian government a century to finally get on top of the Mafia.
Don't be fooled by Kremlin apologists PLEASE.  Have the Ukraine government made mistakes in recent years?  Yes.  Could they have played a cleverer game vis a vis Putin?  Undoubtedly.  However, be under no illusions, the historical parallels are uncanny:
October 1938 - Hitler gets the Sudetenland and the west colludes in the betrayal of the Czechs: 2014 - Putin illegally annexes Crimea and sends his thugs into the Donbas and the west colludes in the betrayal of the Ukrainians
March 1939 - Hitler takes the rest of Czechoslovakia: 2022 - Putin invades Ukraine
late 1939 - Russia invades Finland and gets it's arse kicked by the outnumbered Finns: 2022 Russian invades Ukraine and gets it's arse kicked by the outnumbered Ukrainians
In the interests of full disclosure - I have been to Ukraine many times, I have friends there, I have sent money there, and I have offered accommodation to fleeing Ukrainians if they need it.  I'm not saying what anyone else should do, it's none of my business.  But facts are facts!
Zelinsky - he is their Churchill, he could have b******d off but he didn't, and he knows that if the Russians find him they will kill him.  Who on here would have the balls to do that?  Only if you would do the same for your country should you pass judgement.
And please, do not swallow Putin's lies and look away on the basis of "but what about?" type stuff.  The time for all that has passed.  This is an illegal invasion of a European democracy, and if we allow Putin to triumph then who will be next - Poland?  The Hitler playbook would suggest that this might well be the case, as Putin's ambitions to reconstruct the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact are very well documented in the public domain.
Thanks for reading this far if you have.
 

Dear esteemed colleagues
I beg you, do not be fooled by Kremlin propaganda about supposed "far right nationalists".  They exist, as they do everywhere, but they are a tiny minority and receive very few votes in elections.  And having said that, would we accept our whole country being bombed by a foreign power on the grounds that they wanted to liquidate the Burnley branch of the BNP?  I think not.
Ukraine is a 30 year old imperfect democracy.  It has no more corruption than Russia does, but unlike Russia, where the Mafia run the government, it has been trying to do something about it.  It took the Italian government a century to finally get on top of the Mafia.
Don't be fooled by Kremlin apologists PLEASE.  Have the Ukraine government made mistakes in recent years?  Yes.  Could they have played a cleverer game vis a vis Putin?  Undoubtedly.  However, be under no illusions, the historical parallels are uncanny:
October 1938 - Hitler gets the Sudetenland and the west colludes in the betrayal of the Czechs: 2014 - Putin illegally annexes Crimea and sends his thugs into the Donbas and the west colludes in the betrayal of the Ukrainians
March 1939 - Hitler takes the rest of Czechoslovakia: 2022 - Putin invades Ukraine
late 1939 - Russia invades Finland and gets it's arse kicked by the outnumbered Finns: 2022 Russian invades Ukraine and gets it's arse kicked by the outnumbered Ukrainians
In the interests of full disclosure - I have been to Ukraine many times, I have friends there, I have sent money there, and I have offered accommodation to fleeing Ukrainians if they need it.  I'm not saying what anyone else should do, it's none of my business.  But facts are facts!
Zelinsky - he is their Churchill, he could have b******d off but he didn't, and he knows that if the Russians find him they will kill him.  Who on here would have the balls to do that?  Only if you would do the same for your country should you pass judgement.
And please, do not swallow Putin's lies and look away on the basis of "but what about?" type stuff.  The time for all that has passed.  This is an illegal invasion of a European democracy, and if we allow Putin to triumph then who will be next - Poland?  The Hitler playbook would suggest that this might well be the case, as Putin's ambitions to reconstruct the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact are very well documented in the public domain.
Thanks for reading this far if you have.
 

Dear esteemed colleagues
I beg you, do not be fooled by Kremlin propaganda about supposed "far right nationalists".  They exist, as they do everywhere, but they are a tiny minority and receive very few votes in elections.  And having said that, would we accept our whole country being bombed by a foreign power on the grounds that they wanted to liquidate the Burnley branch of the BNP?  I think not.
Ukraine is a 30 year old imperfect democracy.  It has no more corruption than Russia does, but unlike Russia, where the Mafia run the government, it has been trying to do something about it.  It took the Italian government a century to finally get on top of the Mafia.
Don't be fooled by Kremlin apologists PLEASE.  Have the Ukraine government made mistakes in recent years?  Yes.  Could they have played a cleverer game vis a vis Putin?  Undoubtedly.  However, be under no illusions, the historical parallels are uncanny:
October 1938 - Hitler gets the Sudetenland and the west colludes in the betrayal of the Czechs: 2014 - Putin illegally annexes Crimea and sends his thugs into the Donbas and the west colludes in the betrayal of the Ukrainians
March 1939 - Hitler takes the rest of Czechoslovakia: 2022 - Putin invades Ukraine
late 1939 - Russia invades Finland and gets it's arse kicked by the outnumbered Finns: 2022 Russian invades Ukraine and gets it's arse kicked by the outnumbered Ukrainians
In the interests of full disclosure - I have been to Ukraine many times, I have friends there, I have sent money there, and I have offered accommodation to fleeing Ukrainians if they need it.  I'm not saying what anyone else should do, it's none of my business.  But facts are facts!
Zelinsky - he is their Churchill, he could have b******d off but he didn't, and he knows that if the Russians find him they will kill him.  Who on here would have the balls to do that?  Only if you would do the same for your country should you pass judgement.
And please, do not swallow Putin's lies and look away on the basis of "but what about?" type stuff.  The time for all that has passed.  This is an illegal invasion of a European democracy, and if we allow Putin to triumph then who will be next - Poland?  The Hitler playbook would suggest that this might well be the case, as Putin's ambitions to reconstruct the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact are very well documented in the public domain.
Thanks for reading this far if you have.
 

Dear esteemed colleagues
I beg you, do not be fooled by Kremlin propaganda about supposed "far right nationalists".  They exist, as they do everywhere, but they are a tiny minority and receive very few votes in elections.  And having said that, would we accept our whole country being bombed by a foreign power on the grounds that they wanted to liquidate the Burnley branch of the BNP?  I think not.
Ukraine is a 30 year old imperfect democracy.  It has no more corruption than Russia does, but unlike Russia, where the Mafia run the government, it has been trying to do something about it.  It took the Italian government a century to finally get on top of the Mafia.
Don't be fooled by Kremlin apologists PLEASE.  Have the Ukraine government made mistakes in recent years?  Yes.  Could they have played a cleverer game vis a vis Putin?  Undoubtedly.  However, be under no illusions, the historical parallels are uncanny:
October 1938 - Hitler gets the Sudetenland and the west colludes in the betrayal of the Czechs: 2014 - Putin illegally annexes Crimea and sends his thugs into the Donbas and the west colludes in the betrayal of the Ukrainians
March 1939 - Hitler takes the rest of Czechoslovakia: 2022 - Putin invades Ukraine
late 1939 - Russia invades Finland and gets it's arse kicked by the outnumbered Finns: 2022 Russian invades Ukraine and gets it's arse kicked by the outnumbered Ukrainians
In the interests of full disclosure - I have been to Ukraine many times, I have friends there, I have sent money there, and I have offered accommodation to fleeing Ukrainians if they need it.  I'm not saying what anyone else should do, it's none of my business.  But facts are facts!
Zelinsky - he is their Churchill, he could have b******d off but he didn't, and he knows that if the Russians find him they will kill him.  Who on here would have the balls to do that?  Only if you would do the same for your country should you pass judgement.
And please, do not swallow Putin's lies and look away on the basis of "but what about?" type stuff.  The time for all that has passed.  This is an illegal invasion of a European democracy, and if we allow Putin to triumph then who will be next - Poland?  The Hitler playbook would suggest that this might well be the case, as Putin's ambitions to reconstruct the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact are very well documented in the public domain.
Thanks for reading this far if you have.
 

Dear esteemed colleagues
I beg you, do not be fooled by Kremlin propaganda about supposed "far right nationalists".  They exist, as they do everywhere, but they are a tiny minority and receive very few votes in elections.  And having said that, would we accept our whole country being bombed by a foreign power on the grounds that they wanted to liquidate the Burnley branch of the BNP?  I think not.
Ukraine is a 30 year old imperfect democracy.  It has no more corruption than Russia does, but unlike Russia, where the Mafia run the government, it has been trying to do something about it.  It took the Italian government a century to finally get on top of the Mafia.
Don't be fooled by Kremlin apologists PLEASE.  Have the Ukraine government made mistakes in recent years?  Yes.  Could they have played a cleverer game vis a vis Putin?  Undoubtedly.  However, be under no illusions, the historical parallels are uncanny:
October 1938 - Hitler gets the Sudetenland and the west colludes in the betrayal of the Czechs: 2014 - Putin illegally annexes Crimea and sends his thugs into the Donbas and the west colludes in the betrayal of the Ukrainians
March 1939 - Hitler takes the rest of Czechoslovakia: 2022 - Putin invades Ukraine
late 1939 - Russia invades Finland and gets it's arse kicked by the outnumbered Finns: 2022 Russian invades Ukraine and gets it's arse kicked by the outnumbered Ukrainians
In the interests of full disclosure - I have been to Ukraine many times, I have friends there, I have sent money there, and I have offered accommodation to fleeing Ukrainians if they need it.  I'm not saying what anyone else should do, it's none of my business.  But facts are facts!
Zelinsky - he is their Churchill, he could have b******d off but he didn't, and he knows that if the Russians find him they will kill him.  Who on here would have the balls to do that?  Only if you would do the same for your country should you pass judgement.
And please, do not swallow Putin's lies and look away on the basis of "but what about?" type stuff.  The time for all that has passed.  This is an illegal invasion of a European democracy, and if we allow Putin to triumph then who will be next - Poland?  The Hitler playbook would suggest that this might well be the case, as Putin's ambitions to reconstruct the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact are very well documented in the public domain.
Thanks for reading this far if you have.
 

Dear esteemed colleagues
I beg you, do not be fooled by Kremlin propaganda about supposed "far right nationalists".  They exist, as they do everywhere, but they are a tiny minority and receive very few votes in elections.  And having said that, would we accept our whole country being bombed by a foreign power on the grounds that they wanted to liquidate the Burnley branch of the BNP?  I think not.
Ukraine is a 30 year old imperfect democracy.  It has no more corruption than Russia does, but unlike Russia, where the Mafia run the government, it has been trying to do something about it.  It took the Italian government a century to finally get on top of the Mafia.
Don't be fooled by Kremlin apologists PLEASE.  Have the Ukraine government made mistakes in recent years?  Yes.  Could they have played a cleverer game vis a vis Putin?  Undoubtedly.  However, be under no illusions, the historical parallels are uncanny:
October 1938 - Hitler gets the Sudetenland and the west colludes in the betrayal of the Czechs: 2014 - Putin illegally annexes Crimea and sends his thugs into the Donbas and the west colludes in the betrayal of the Ukrainians
March 1939 - Hitler takes the rest of Czechoslovakia: 2022 - Putin invades Ukraine
late 1939 - Russia invades Finland and gets it's arse kicked by the outnumbered Finns: 2022 Russian invades Ukraine and gets it's arse kicked by the outnumbered Ukrainians
In the interests of full disclosure - I have been to Ukraine many times, I have friends there, I have sent money there, and I have offered accommodation to fleeing Ukrainians if they need it.  I'm not saying what anyone else should do, it's none of my business.  But facts are facts!
Zelinsky - he is their Churchill, he could have b******d off but he didn't, and he knows that if the Russians find him they will kill him.  Who on here would have the balls to do that?  Only if you would do the same for your country should you pass judgement.
And please, do not swallow Putin's lies and look away on the basis of "but what about?" type stuff.  The time for all that has passed.  This is an illegal invasion of a European democracy, and if we allow Putin to triumph then who will be next - Poland?  The Hitler playbook would suggest that this might well be the case, as Putin's ambitions to reconstruct the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact are very well documented in the public domain.
Thanks for reading this far if you have.
 

Dear esteemed colleagues
I beg you, do not be fooled by Kremlin propaganda about supposed "far right nationalists".  They exist, as they do everywhere, but they are a tiny minority and receive very few votes in elections.  And having said that, would we accept our whole country being bombed by a foreign power on the grounds that they wanted to liquidate the Burnley branch of the BNP?  I think not.
Ukraine is a 30 year old imperfect democracy.  It has no more corruption than Russia does, but unlike Russia, where the Mafia run the government, it has been trying to do something about it.  It took the Italian government a century to finally get on top of the Mafia.
Don't be fooled by Kremlin apologists PLEASE.  Have the Ukraine government made mistakes in recent years?  Yes.  Could they have played a cleverer game vis a vis Putin?  Undoubtedly.  However, be under no illusions, the historical parallels are uncanny:
October 1938 - Hitler gets the Sudetenland and the west colludes in the betrayal of the Czechs: 2014 - Putin illegally annexes Crimea and sends his thugs into the Donbas and the west colludes in the betrayal of the Ukrainians
March 1939 - Hitler takes the rest of Czechoslovakia: 2022 - Putin invades Ukraine
late 1939 - Russia invades Finland and gets it's arse kicked by the outnumbered Finns: 2022 Russian invades Ukraine and gets it's arse kicked by the outnumbered Ukrainians
In the interests of full disclosure - I have been to Ukraine many times, I have friends there, I have sent money there, and I have offered accommodation to fleeing Ukrainians if they need it.  I'm not saying what anyone else should do, it's none of my business.  But facts are facts!
Zelinsky - he is their Churchill, he could have b******d off but he didn't, and he knows that if the Russians find him they will kill him.  Who on here would have the balls to do that?  Only if you would do the same for your country should you pass judgement.
And please, do not swallow Putin's lies and look away on the basis of "but what about?" type stuff.  The time for all that has passed.  This is an illegal invasion of a European democracy, and if we allow Putin to triumph then who will be next - Poland?  The Hitler playbook would suggest that this might well be the case, as Putin's ambitions to reconstruct the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact are very well documented in the public domain.
Thanks for reading this far if you have.
 

hi all
I hope to heck that I'm wrong.
I'm still in favour of giving it a good go and scrapping to the last.
I'm still in favour of attacking all opposition in search of 3 points even if that means we sometimes lose.  There is no alternative.
However, much as my heart wants this miracle to come true, sadly after Wednesday and yesterday my head says otherwise.
BUT I HOPE I'M WRONG.
12 games to go, 8 points adrift.
Points available = 36.
On present form and following their new signings (we have signed, erm, no one), Reading are capable of adding 20 points from 36 available to their existing 29, making 49.
That would leave us needing to add 28 points from 36 available to our current 21, also making 49, but we have GD advantage and will probably retain this, but probably with a slimmer margin. 
If this is how it pans out then even an average of 2 points per game (no defeats, 6 wins, 6 draws) WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH, 24 points not 28.  On present form I just don't see it.
However, 24 points WOULD be enough if Reading were to mess up and only get say 16 points from 36.
SO - it's a 2 horse race for 21st place.  The fewer points Reading get, the longer we can hold out some hope, especially if we can resume a good run and get a few more wins.
I don't believe that Baaaaaaarnsley or Posh can catch Reading, although either of them could still finish above US if things go badly.
As for us, we lack firepower up front, simple as that, in every other department we are at least a mid table side.
One more time, I HOPE I'M WRONG, but sorry guys I think we're down.  We just can't lose this many games at this stage and hope to stay up.  Even a point or two this week would have given me hope.  Very sad day indeed.  As they say in the medical dramas on TV, "I'm calling it".
Go ahead, shoot the messenger if you like, but until these last 2 results I still believed.  I no longer do, but I wish that I did. 
The performances are not the issue, getting the thing in the back of the opposition net clearly IS.  Reading now have 4 proven strikers/goal scorers on their books, we have, erm......
So, we go down fighting proudly till the last, there is at least some dignity in that.
And then, under new ownership, the revival will begin.
And with that new ownership I do hope we can keep hold of at least some of the young players who show such promise and commitment week in week out.  We will need them for the comeback.
The comeback starts here!
 

hi all
I hope to heck that I'm wrong.
I'm still in favour of giving it a good go and scrapping to the last.
I'm still in favour of attacking all opposition in search of 3 points even if that means we sometimes lose.  There is no alternative.
However, much as my heart wants this miracle to come true, sadly after Wednesday and yesterday my head says otherwise.
BUT I HOPE I'M WRONG.
12 games to go, 8 points adrift.
Points available = 36.
On present form and following their new signings (we have signed, erm, no one), Reading are capable of adding 20 points from 36 available to their existing 29, making 49.
That would leave us needing to add 28 points from 36 available to our current 21, also making 49, but we have GD advantage and will probably retain this, but probably with a slimmer margin. 
If this is how it pans out then even an average of 2 points per game (no defeats, 6 wins, 6 draws) WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH, 24 points not 28.  On present form I just don't see it.
However, 24 points WOULD be enough if Reading were to mess up and only get say 16 points from 36.
SO - it's a 2 horse race for 21st place.  The fewer points Reading get, the longer we can hold out some hope, especially if we can resume a good run and get a few more wins.
I don't believe that Baaaaaaarnsley or Posh can catch Reading, although either of them could still finish above US if things go badly.
As for us, we lack firepower up front, simple as that, in every other department we are at least a mid table side.
One more time, I HOPE I'M WRONG, but sorry guys I think we're down.  We just can't lose this many games at this stage and hope to stay up.  Even a point or two this week would have given me hope.  Very sad day indeed.  As they say in the medical dramas on TV, "I'm calling it".
Go ahead, shoot the messenger if you like, but until these last 2 results I still believed.  I no longer do, but I wish that I did. 
The performances are not the issue, getting the thing in the back of the opposition net clearly IS.  Reading now have 4 proven strikers/goal scorers on their books, we have, erm......
So, we go down fighting proudly till the last, there is at least some dignity in that.
And then, under new ownership, the revival will begin.
And with that new ownership I do hope we can keep hold of at least some of the young players who show such promise and commitment week in week out.  We will need them for the comeback.
The comeback starts here!
 

I tried to explain the uniqueness of DCFC to a non football friend a few weeks ago and eventually defined us as " a soap opera with some football on the side".  When you factor in the gypsy curse, the coffee cup goal, the seemingly endless parade of criminal/corrupt/incompetent owners, the whole "Damned United" saga etc etc it does seem that way.  Maybe therefore DCFC is a microcosm of the tragicomedy of human existence, at least that's probably what a philosopher would say.
I seem to remember several years ago posting an analogy between the symbolism of the Ram as an animal and the mindset of DCFC fans in terms of the Ram as a symbol of defiance, strength, pugnaciousness etc, it's probably in the archive somewhere.
The uniqueness of the county is a product of its unique geography and history.  My house is built from stone quarried a mile down the road.  The 19th and 20th century world was shaped by technology that started right here.  The hills are green all year round except when it snows.  The sheer rugged beauty of this place finds a reflection in the inner toughness and resilience of the people, of which the Ram is an appropriate symbol.
Therefore, no one who knows the county and its people will be at all surprised by our absolute refusal to be cowed by "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune".  It's called Pride Park for a reason.
"Pride and ferocity are virtues as well as love" - Robinson Jeffers (American 20th century poet)
Good stuff this espresso!

I tried to explain the uniqueness of DCFC to a non football friend a few weeks ago and eventually defined us as " a soap opera with some football on the side".  When you factor in the gypsy curse, the coffee cup goal, the seemingly endless parade of criminal/corrupt/incompetent owners, the whole "Damned United" saga etc etc it does seem that way.  Maybe therefore DCFC is a microcosm of the tragicomedy of human existence, at least that's probably what a philosopher would say.
I seem to remember several years ago posting an analogy between the symbolism of the Ram as an animal and the mindset of DCFC fans in terms of the Ram as a symbol of defiance, strength, pugnaciousness etc, it's probably in the archive somewhere.
The uniqueness of the county is a product of its unique geography and history.  My house is built from stone quarried a mile down the road.  The 19th and 20th century world was shaped by technology that started right here.  The hills are green all year round except when it snows.  The sheer rugged beauty of this place finds a reflection in the inner toughness and resilience of the people, of which the Ram is an appropriate symbol.
Therefore, no one who knows the county and its people will be at all surprised by our absolute refusal to be cowed by "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune".  It's called Pride Park for a reason.
"Pride and ferocity are virtues as well as love" - Robinson Jeffers (American 20th century poet)
Good stuff this espresso!