Football

[Cross City]

I wouldn't go as far as @PsychoMouse in saying most are from outside the city but IME they are in the minority. Having lived in various areas of the city they definitely seem to be outnumbered by blues fans, that was even the case when I used to live in Erdington which you'd think considering it's proximity to the ground would be solid Villa territory.

I was being hyperbolic but within the city boundaries there are definitely more Blues than Villa. New Street and Moor Street are packed after their games with people going back to Stafford, Worcester or wherever else.

Quite a lot of Baggies over Bearwood way too understandably.

 

[adrock1976]

Being as I am originally from the West Midlands, I can remember the biggest moment in Villa's history when they won the European Cup in 1982 against all the odds against Bayern Munich.

Villa won the European Cup by having done it the proper way i.e. by having won the top flight division the previous season. Contrast that to a few years ago when the finalists were Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur with neither side having won any silverware at all the previous season, and should not have been participants in the now present day Champions Cup/League.

Looking slightly eastwards to the East Midlands Region, Nottingham Forest have done better than Villa in the European Cup, as Forest have won it twice the number of times Villa have done so (1979 and 1980) when Brian Clough was the manager. Again, it was done the proper way when Forest won the top flight division in 1978.

 

[Iskra]

You are the one trying to claim City are a big club and don’t deserve to be criticised for their complete transformation by dirty money. You’re the one pointing to their ancient historical record, not me. I was making the point that City were a small also-ran outfit when they were purchased.

Your top scorer the year before the money came was Elano with 8 goals in the league, finished mid-table, as you did the previous couple of years.

I will cease supporting Liverpool if Qataris or cheats of a similar ilk ever purchase the club. I’ve already got quite bored of top lever football because all the chat is about money anyway.

I thought you supported MK Dons? Where have I got that from?

 

[AlterEgo]

I thought you supported MK Dons? Where have I got that from?

I do, they’re my (formerly) local team. No chance of ever having a season ticket at Liverpool.

As the years have gone on I’ve felt more and more distant from top flight football. Much happier taking in games in the EFL, or locally to me there’s Ebbsfleet, Welling and even Thamesmead.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Hyde United have only lost two of the sixteen away league games this season in the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League. A pity that they have lost a higher number of the home league games, otherwise instead of being in second place in the league, they would really be giving runaway leaders South Shields a run for their money.

One consolation is that Radcliffe who have had a recent very good run and drawn close to Hyde having games in hand suffered a surprising 0-2 home defeat tonight to Atherton Collieries.

 

[Jimini]

My (now not so little) team from SW6 have just knocked Leeds out of the FA Cup. Two absolute crackers scored as well

 

[AlterEgo]

My (now not so little) team from SW6 have just knocked Leeds out of the FA Cup. Two absolute crackers scored as well

0.19 xG as well apparently!

 

[Cross City]

Hyde United have only lost two of the sixteen away league games this season in the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League. A pity that they have lost a higher number of the home league games, otherwise instead of being in second place in the league, they would really be giving runaway leaders South Shields a run for their money.

One consolation is that Radcliffe who have had a recent very good run and drawn close to Hyde having games in hand suffered a surprising 0-2 home defeat tonight to Atherton Collieries.

South Shields used to always win that division but refuse promotion because they didn't want the increased travel costs of playing in a nationwide league.

No idea if that's still the case but Hyde might end up promoted if that is the case (and they still only allow the league winners to be promoted automatically?).

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

South Shields used to always win that division but refuse promotion because they didn't want the increased travel costs of playing in a nationwide league.

No idea if that's still the case but Hyde might end up promoted if that is the case (and they still only allow the league winners to be promoted automatically?).

Is that the reason why Scarborough were promoted instead to the higher league at the end of last season?.

 

[Cross City]

Is that the reason why Scarborough were promoted instead to the higher league at the end of last season?.

Looks like South Shields lost in the playoffs last year. Buxton won the league and Scarborough the playoffs.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

South Shields used to always win that division but refuse promotion because they didn't want the increased travel costs of playing in a nationwide league.

Really? If you mean the Northern League (up in the North East), South Shields only ever won that once, in season 2016-17, and immediately moved up to the (higher tiered) Northern Premier League Division One, which they also won, in season 2017-18.

No idea if that's still the case but Hyde might end up promoted if that is the case (and they still only allow the league winners to be promoted automatically?).

Absolutely no doubt that South Shields will take promotion and step up to the National League North should they win, as looks likely, the Northern Premier League this season. Hyde United will need to win the end-of-season play offs if they are to also step up with them.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Looks like South Shields lost in the playoffs last year. Buxton won the league and Scarborough the playoffs.

Thanks for that clarification. Buxton have done well in the last few years, gaining promotion twice.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Thanks for that clarification. Buxton have done well in the last few years, gaining promotion twice.

Erm, no. They've just been Northern Premier League champions in season 2021-22, and that's been it, as regards promotion, for the Bucks, for at least the last 15 years.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Erm, no. They've just been Northern Premier League champions in season 2021-22, and that's been it, as regards promotion, for the Bucks, for at least the last 15 years.

When you reach my age of 77, "a few years" covers "a multitude of sins"...

In the 2021/22 season when Buxton were promoted, they won at home 3-0 against Hyde in November 2021 and away at Hyde 2-1 in January 2022.

 

[DarloRich]

South Shields used to always win that division but refuse promotion because they didn't want the increased travel costs of playing in a nationwide league.

Shields are coined up. They are DESPERATE for promotion

Is that the reason why Scarborough were promoted instead to the higher league at the end of last season?.

Scarborough won the league didn't they? Shields lost in the playoffs

Absolutely no doubt that South Shields will take promotion and step up to the National League North should they win, as looks likely, the Northern Premier League this season.

Agree 100% - they are another coined up club looking to buy thier way up the league. Like Spendymoor they may have ducked promotion in the past to stay in the home in time for tea leagues but they wont in the future!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Shields are coined up. They are DESPERATE for promotion

What have been matches like in historical past times between Darlington and South Shields? Strangely enough, Hyde met Darlington in an FA Cup qualifying round this season AND WON 1-0 and in the league, Hyde travelled away to South Shields last November in a league match AND WON 1-0 . Return fixture at Hyde on 18th March.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Scarborough won the league didn't they? Shields lost in the playoffs

Buxton were season 2021-22 Northern Premier League champions. Scarborough Athletic were promoted via the play offs, beating Matlock and then Warrington Town, 2-1 in both games. Had finished third in the regular season.

 

[DarloRich]

What have been matches like in historical past times between Darlington and South Shields?

I dont think we have played them for some time

Buxton were season 2021-22 Northern Premier League champions. Scarborough Athletic were promoted via the play offs, beating Matlock and then Warrington Town, 2-1 in both games. Had finished third in the regular season.

Thanks - had it the wrong way round

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Shields are coined up. They are DESPERATE for promotion

Just been looking the Northern Premier League news thread and it appears that South Shields, in conjunction with the University of Sunderland, have set up an international football academy, starting this coming September, that will develop playing and coaching skills whilst offering attendance in degree courses to be studied at the university.

 

[AlterEgo]

Being as I am originally from the West Midlands, I can remember the biggest moment in Villa's history when they won the European Cup in 1982 against all the odds against Bayern Munich.

Villa won the European Cup by having done it the proper way i.e. by having won the top flight division the previous season. Contrast that to a few years ago when the finalists were Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur with neither side having won any silverware at all the previous season, and should not have been participants in the now present day Champions Cup/League.

Looking slightly eastwards to the East Midlands Region, Nottingham Forest have done better than Villa in the European Cup, as Forest have won it twice the number of times Villa have done so (1979 and 1980) when Brian Clough was the manager. Again, it was done the proper way when Forest won the top flight division in 1978.

Not "the proper way" again when talking about the European Cup...

https://www.railforums.co.uk/search/3245694/?q=proper+way+european&c[users]=adrock1976&o=relevance

We need another mention of how Rangers collapsed and reformed too, for good measure.

 

[dangie]

A good idea or not? VAR is ruining football, will this be another one?

A suggestion that football becomes a 60-minute sport, with the clock stopping every time the ball is out of play.

Is football timekeeping set to change forever?

With the Qatar World Cup featuring more time added on at the end of matches, could 'Fergie time' become more important than ever?

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[AlterEgo]

Everything that moves the elite game away from the grassroots level is a bad thing. You won’t be having stopclocks in the Sunday League. The beauty of football is in wide participation and the empathy we can feel with players who are, after all, playing the same game to the same rules.

I oppose VAR in principle on the same basis.

 

[SuspectUsual]

It’s well intentioned but a terrible idea as @AlterEgo says.

The better solution would be to keep to 90 minutes and then at elite level have a secondary clock on the big screen, operated by a fifth official, which accumulates time for stoppages over and above normal throw in / goal kick / corner type stuff during the game. At the end of the half this is then started and ticks down to zero.

Complete transparency for everyone.

The only slight downside is that sooner or later someone will score just as the clock ticks down to zero. (This is also an issue with the proposal on the BBC website). Perhaps the fix for this is to amend the law so the game ends at the next stoppage that isn’t a foul, like in rugby union.

 

[Cross City]

A good idea or not? VAR is ruining football, will this be another one?

A suggestion that football becomes a 60-minute sport, with the clock stopping every time the ball is out of play.

Is football timekeeping set to change forever?

With the Qatar World Cup featuring more time added on at the end of matches, could 'Fergie time' become more important than ever?

www.bbc.co.uk

I'd be in favour if it well thought out and implemented well (unlikely). Stops timewasting immediately, and the average time a ball is in play in a 90 minute match is less than 1 hour so we'd be getting more football.

 

[dangie]

Personally I think everything should go back to the referee & linesmen. Plus the banning of television multi angle replays. They cause more problems than any ‘incorrect’ decision.

I’d also ban Shearer & Co from aftermatch dissection of the match officials. I’d love to see Shearer try to referee a Premier League game. Maybe then he wouldn’t be so quick with his criticism’s.

 

[Edsmith]

Personally I think everything should go back to the referee & linesmen. Plus the banning of television multi angle replays. They cause more problems than any ‘incorrect’ decision.

I’d also ban Shearer & Co from aftermatch dissection of the match officials. I’d love to see Shearer try to referee a Premier League game. Maybe then he wouldn’t be so quick with his criticism’s.

Are you serious? And would you prefer to watch it in black and white? VAR isn't the problem, officials who aren't up to the job are.

 

[DarloRich]

VAR is ruining football at the top level. I said it would..........................

(And if you think refs in the PL are bad come and try national league north. You PL guys don't have a clue!)

I’d also ban Shearer & Co from aftermatch dissection of the match officials. I’d love to see Shearer try to referee a Premier League game. Maybe then he wouldn’t be so quick with his criticism’s.

I wouldn't - I would ask the refs to make a statement after the game about any controversial incidents. Let them explain why they made a decision. That would be more educational.

Not "the proper way" again when talking about the European Cup...

The European Cup and The Champions League are different competitions. There is an argument over which is better or perhaps more "pure" but that is about it. Personally, I like the fact that Real Madrid could be knocked out in the first round by FC Kraplackistan but we all know that is unacceptable to those with the power to make decisions and thier rights holders these days!

 

[SuspectUsual]

VAR is ruining football at the top level. I said it would

No, I don’t think it is. The *application* of VAR is ruining top level football. Rugby Union uses their version of VAR and gets it pretty much spot on.

As I think I’ve said before, VAR suffers from a lack of transparency (solution - like rugby let fans hear the conversation between ref and VAR) and a conflict of interest whereby this week’s ref can be next week’s VAR and vice versa (solution - a set of independent VARs)

 

[dangie]

I wouldn't - I would ask the refs to make a statement after the game about any controversial incidents. Let them explain why they made a decision. That would be more educational.!

What would the referee say? ‘I gave offside because I (or the linesman) thought it offside’. What other explanation could he give?

The way football is going, with constant criticism of match officials, in coming years football will be in trouble because no one in their right mind would want to do it.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Personally I think everything should go back to the referee & linesmen. Plus the banning of television multi angle replays. They cause more problems than any ‘incorrect’ decision.

Really? Why? Because VAR is only correcting 90% of bad on field decisions we should revert to 0% rather than try to get closer to 100%?

What else? Players in hob-nailed boots, pitches that are mudbaths in winter, kit made of wool, goalies without gloves but with compulsory flat caps?