claimed in an interviw that he knew of a team where the Chaiman faxed HIS team sheet to the Manager who then HAD to play that team

now we have all seen some dodgy starting XI's for Pools this season...................could it be?

I wonder if that team began with a C and had a chairman who was a bit of a Master.

Although knowing the chuddymeister, he probably pulled that remark out of his arse.

Wouldn't suprise me if more than one did it. Look at Hearts chairman for a start, Souness at Newcastle clearly didn't chose his signings so maybe Sheppard picked the team too?
Isn't there a club in the conference thats team gets picked by 'fans' votes online?

Souness may have been crap and may not have chosen his signings and may have chilled out a lot over the last few years but I certainly couldnt imagine him being told which eleven to pick; no way.
Would very much like to know which team it was that had the chairman picking though.

Yeah, coz clearly, everything ferguson says is the gospel truth! No mind games going on there ahead of the final week of the season and the Champions League final, both of which heavily involves his team and a team with a C at the start of their name.



I HATE Manchester United. Everything is wrong with them from their badgering of referees (both players and management) to them being called United as if they are the only ones who have United as part of their name.

...and Gary Neville is the most despicable skip rat of all time.

His comments after the Chelsea game last week really showed the mans true colours.

A great leader, manager, and winner but a nasty piece of work.

I used to be indifferent to Man Utd until they pulled out of the FA Cup that season so they could play in that 'World Trophy' or whatever it was called, where I think they lost to a side from Mexico that no-one can remember. Since then I love to see them lose.

That single act showed a complete lack of respect for a superb competition, just for a couple of extra bob. And its not like they were short of a few quid to start with. Money-grabbing, tradition-disrespecting, arrogant tossers. They should never have been allowed to play in the FA Cup again.

I really hope the 'big 4' go into a Euro Superleague, it would make the English game far more interesting. They should take Celtic and Rangers with them too.

i'm picking up, from the tone in your reply, that your not that fond of Man U, or maybe i'm mistaken

What he said, I hope it burns down, falls down, and sinks in't swamp.

and then explodes

he's a damned bounder, simple as

I'd have made them play in the FA Cup the following season and if they'd made the final, tell them they were being replaced by a play off between the losing sem finalists!

I had an argument with a bloke the other night about this scenario.

Sir Matt Busby became manager of Coventry City way back when.
He created his "Busby Babes" team at Highfield Road, and eventually they won the European Cup after the Munich air disaster. George Best played for them, and eventually they were managed by Alex Ferguson etc etc.
Now, this bloke was actually trying to tell me that, despite Coventry and Man Utd's histories being completely reversed, everyone who is a Manure fan today would still be so given that scenario.
Nowt to do with alignment and attatchment towards glory football.


Altogether now.............................


MMMWWWWUUUHHHHAAAAHHHHHHHHAAAAAA

but isnt it that same success that made Man U the biggest supported club in the land?

How about Pools 10 year of 'success'? it changed our average crowds from 1800 all the way up to 5000.

isnt the majority of that 'glory support'?

For Pools to progress as a club, we need a bigger fan base, to get that fan base we need to be playing attractive football. We need to attract those 'glory supporters' and hope they become full time Hartlepool United supporters.

Which ever way you look at it success brings more fans, which is the main reason we can afford better players in a better league. Beating Swansea 7-1 a few year ago and playing some outstanding football brought loads of 'glory supoprters' through our gates.

Wheres the problem?

When our glory supporters start coming from Manchester, we'll be able to make a fairer comparison.

point taken

The problem is ..... I don't equate Wilson with 'attractive' football.....high workrate football, 'effective' football confusing football by all meana, but never attractive.

agreed

"Confusing football" - now there's an original notion. It could become the next BIG THING!

I love you

Now I know I'm at best part time an' all that but during the second half last Saturday when I saw Monkhouse ghosting down the wing, cutting inside and crossing, when there were six or seven corners in a row, several shots on goal, some great defending, guts being spilled by both sides, looking at what was going on fiveyards in front of me and thinking Jesus Christ how do they do that, it looked pretty bloody attractive to me.

Shhh!!!!! Don't go spouting reality on here, you'll pop the myth.

Anyway something scary for youse, staying with the Manchester United thing. There's an airline here called Air Asia who are a sponsor of Manchester United and they're about the equivalent of Ryanair only fly to warmer places and actually land in the cities that they say they're going to. On their aisle trolleys, you can have tea, coffee, instant noodles, Pringles, Man Utd baseball caps, Man Utd T-Shirts, Man Utd mugs, pens, mouse mats, etc etc etc. And remember you're a captive in the sky. I read somewhere that the worldwide Manchester United Supporters Club signed up it's ten millionth member last year.

I would love it. love it.. etc etc............

The same Monkhouse who spent an awful lot of time warming the bench when he could have been gracing the pitch.

There's much more where that came from. I sky plus Match of the Day when they get beat. Am I sick or what? I loathe them, their supporters and Andy Gray for being a closet fan.

A bloke goes into the doctors and says... "Doctor. Everytime I masturbate, I can't help singing Glory Glory Man Utd" The doctor replies..."don't worry Sir, lots of W*nkers sing that"

To be fair though it meant Darlington became the first club to lose TWICE in the same season of the FA Cup.

I think the FA need to have a long hard look at themselves sometimes, in particular that tournament. What's to stop them doing it again or going on a tour of the middle east instead of playing in the FA cup?

I wonder why they didn't ban them from that competition for 5 years? If it was Pools, it would have been a permanent ban.