eddielewis

You do realise that a lot of 'peak' train fares are priced to actively discourage us great unwashed to use them?
I also take issue with the term 'politically motivated strikes'. I'd say not having a pay rise in 3 or 4 years with inflation at 10%+ (and more for food) has f*** all to do with politics. The TOC's (under the guise of the Ministry of Transport, but say it quietly) is also trying to change the drivers T&C's such that they can change their shift start/end time by +/- SIX hours at short notice (I believe its current +/- three hours).
For balance, I've no connection whatsoever to the rail industry, any union or a political party, I'd just like to see a more even society, where the boss doesn't earn the bog cleaners entire wage by lunchtime on 2nd January.

Although fans views are much needed on all matters relating to their experience on a matchday I'm not quite sure this survey will lead to anything but merely a box ticking exercise by the DFT/RDG. Surely the rail industry knows that a lot of the same viewpoints that will be expressed on this survey are not solely defined by just football fans but by regular commuters, day trippers, concert/event goers and the concerns will be primarily cost, capacity, timetable, rail experience. Even if there were 2000 survey responses asking for more special trains there will be a cat in hells chance it will come to fruition. 
The rail strikes recently have really showed as a country how very little we know of the structure of our railways other than our own rider experience. Like many of our public services it is totally demoralised and on it's knees due to corporate greed, outsourcing, political ball kicking/inexperience and in general a total lack of long term planning. 
Specifically for attending football matches via train we are million miles away from the likes of Germany who usually include local matchday travel with your ticket or Switzerland where football clubs actually have dedicated supporter rolling stock. 
 

Life is politics.

Update after tonight's fixtures still second by goal difference. 

Although fans views are much needed on all matters relating to their experience on a matchday I'm not quite sure this survey will lead to anything but merely a box ticking exercise by the DFT/RDG. Surely the rail industry knows that a lot of the same viewpoints that will be expressed on this survey are not solely defined by just football fans but by regular commuters, day trippers, concert/event goers and the concerns will be primarily cost, capacity, timetable, rail experience. Even if there were 2000 survey responses asking for more special trains there will be a cat in hells chance it will come to fruition. 
The rail strikes recently have really showed as a country how very little we know of the structure of our railways other than our own rider experience. Like many of our public services it is totally demoralised and on it's knees due to corporate greed, outsourcing, political ball kicking/inexperience and in general a total lack of long term planning. 
Specifically for attending football matches via train we are million miles away from the likes of Germany who usually include local matchday travel with your ticket or Switzerland where football clubs actually have dedicated supporter rolling stock. 
 

Although fans views are much needed on all matters relating to their experience on a matchday I'm not quite sure this survey will lead to anything but merely a box ticking exercise by the DFT/RDG. Surely the rail industry knows that a lot of the same viewpoints that will be expressed on this survey are not solely defined by just football fans but by regular commuters, day trippers, concert/event goers and the concerns will be primarily cost, capacity, timetable, rail experience. Even if there were 2000 survey responses asking for more special trains there will be a cat in hells chance it will come to fruition. 
The rail strikes recently have really showed as a country how very little we know of the structure of our railways other than our own rider experience. Like many of our public services it is totally demoralised and on it's knees due to corporate greed, outsourcing, political ball kicking/inexperience and in general a total lack of long term planning. 
Specifically for attending football matches via train we are million miles away from the likes of Germany who usually include local matchday travel with your ticket or Switzerland where football clubs actually have dedicated supporter rolling stock. 
 

Although fans views are much needed on all matters relating to their experience on a matchday I'm not quite sure this survey will lead to anything but merely a box ticking exercise by the DFT/RDG. Surely the rail industry knows that a lot of the same viewpoints that will be expressed on this survey are not solely defined by just football fans but by regular commuters, day trippers, concert/event goers and the concerns will be primarily cost, capacity, timetable, rail experience. Even if there were 2000 survey responses asking for more special trains there will be a cat in hells chance it will come to fruition. 
The rail strikes recently have really showed as a country how very little we know of the structure of our railways other than our own rider experience. Like many of our public services it is totally demoralised and on it's knees due to corporate greed, outsourcing, political ball kicking/inexperience and in general a total lack of long term planning. 
Specifically for attending football matches via train we are million miles away from the likes of Germany who usually include local matchday travel with your ticket or Switzerland where football clubs actually have dedicated supporter rolling stock. 
 

My Catfish ate the cucumber slice before the carrot chunk so we will play a flat back 4 with a diamond midfield. Blob is never wrong!

So relieved we've got Gayle signed up - Saturday was all the evidence needed to prove this side will struggle without a conventional forward option. Irrespective of lack of match sharpness, he has to start at Barnsley to stretch the pitch or we're going to struggle to get out of our half - if he can give us 60 mins, they will likely have tired enough by then for us to be able to escape the press.
Am not particularly concerned about his spell at Stoke - that club is a graveyard for decent managers & players and given the sheer squad size they have, must be difficult to get consistency in selection & therefore performance. Looking at the highlights reel from last few months he still has plenty of attributes that I believe will make him a success here - quick feet, great decision making, vision/awareness of other players in the final 3rd and a decent finish. Being a stocky type with a low centre of gravity, I'd also like to think he could hold the ball up reasonably well & am looking forward to seeing how he links up with Mendez-Laing & Barkhuizen. Warne will no doubt want him pressing like Collins but that might be a couple of games down the track once he is up to match fitness.

He's still not signed?

He's still not signed?

He's still not signed?

He's still not signed?

He's still not signed?

He's still not signed?

He's still not signed?

I wonder why we wouldn't invite Connor Wickham to train with us? Out of all the free agent strikers, he's got the most potential - still only 30. Obviously he might not be interested, but it looks like a good an opportunity for him to get fit and for us to potentially have cover for Collins. 
His injury record is terrible so we'd monitor that, but if he looked like he could contribute without damaging morale, then there wouldn’t be to much at risk with a deal until the end of the season.
 
 

Hopefully that goal has given Warne food for thought. Warne acknowledged that his attacking set up didn't work after the game so maybe we see him more involved. I'd like to see him playing on the top of a diamond behind NML and Barks and encourage his ability to shoot.

Can we just settle for this now and save everyone, on all sides, a lot of stress and heartache 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🐏🐏🐏😂

Updated predicted table after yesterday's results. We stay the same however Bolton's draw has knocked them down by 7 points.

Updated predicted table after yesterday's results. We stay the same however Bolton's draw has knocked them down by 7 points.

Updated predicted table after yesterday's results. We stay the same however Bolton's draw has knocked them down by 7 points.

Should get this chant going at pride park 🤣
 

Elder has had a poor game today. Poor with his positioning, always late with overlaps and most frustratingly poor with his passing especially for how much ball time wing backs have in Warnes system.