Football

I'd like see Wigan escape again, given the way they try to play the game.  If they can get max points  from their home games against Swansea and Villa I think they will survive.  My money would then be on Norwich to take the plunge, getting a draw against West Brom and losing their final game against Man City. Many is the season that someone seemingly safe hits a bad run and gets sucked in at the death. I reckon your lot will be ok.

MDS  

I think the NFC title game will be between the Seahawks and the 49ers.

Thanks for a positive outlook for us MDS,just hope your right,but have to say i would not like to bet money on it.

I am sorry for you being a pompey fan to drop so far so fast must be gut wrenching. Have to ask your profile says london,but you support a team on the south coast.

Mista H

Yes, Mista H, have lived in south London for 20-odd years now but I was born in Pompey. As you say, it's been gut wrenching last few years but with the fans in charge now my son and I are more optimistic about next season.  Funny how we're all more pessimistic about the prospects of our own clubs compared to how neutrals see things, save for Newcastle fans who I've found are hopelessly beguiled into believing the Magpies are better than they are!

MDS 

More importantly, will Arsenal stay in the top 4?

I predict Fergie will retire soon...

Tomorrow would be nice.

and maybe take the other Scottish manager with him.

Mista h

PS thank you Wigan for last nite.

So its an everton manager for man u!

Not impossible - but if so I hope that Sir Alex still has a mentoring role.

I think they'd be better off going for Dean Saunders.

He's available and could start straight away.

Why did he boot Berbatov(sorry Princess) out? he has been one of our best players most of the season ?

Mista h

Manchester United shares fell in New York amid concerns over the impact Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement will have.

The news was announced while US markets were closed. When trading began the club's shares fell as much as 4.5%.

Who would buy shares in any football club?

Especially one where the aged prophet may soon retire? As Sir Alex now has.

Indeed where is the profit in football, apart from for the players in their salaries!

I imagine that the job of manager of ManU may be as much of poison chalice as being Generalmusikdirector of the Vienna State Opera, where new incumbents are always unfavourably compared to the giants of the past by audience and press alike. Almost as cruel as fox-hunting really.

Farmer

Not a MU supporter but have to recognise his achievements and congratulate him on turning MU an international British brand!

Football is big business and every business needs a head figure. Any "business" which can amass a 100 million supporters in one single country, China, deserves some kind of accolade. It's business!

Well done and enjoy your "retirement"!

KR

Tony

Dont think any Man U supporters actually live in manchester,most live in Surrey and go to a game about once every 20 years.

Mista h

Yep. When my lot played Man U at Wembley in the Charity Shield a few years back, after the game there seemed to more Man U fans travelling south than north. And those travelling south took a fair bit of stick about it from the pompey fans. Got the impression they were well-used to the ribbing, though.

MDS

Berba is a great player - on his day. I loved his style but he would not have played much this season after the RVP signing.

He hadn't really been happy since being left out of the CL Final against Barca a couple of years ago - it was the right time to say goodbye and all the best.

I'm pretty sure that it was the Community Shield by then but that's not relevant.

It is complicated - we have had increased mobility over a long period of time. United have a fairly large stadium to try to fill although the demand has been consistent for quite some time now.

Arguably though it is not increasing at sufficient rates to make United decide to increase the current capacity.

United fans travel from far and wide - not just Surrey. There is a different dynamic though for mid-week games and weekend games.

Liverpool fans travel too - from further as I understand it. My best friend is a Liverpool fan but he is a lightweight and only goes to see them at Wembley (so has seen them fairly recently but not that often).

Newcastle fans apparently also travel on average further to watch their team than United fans. OK they might all be from Newcastle and travelling "home" - and Newcastle is further north so that could have an effect on the statistics - but as I see it they are a well supported club with a large number of passionate fans who will make sacrifices to travel long distances to watch their team.

United are (currently) the Premier League’s best-supported club (most in numbers and undisputedly in quality of course) - and there was a survey a couple of years ago that indicated that they are the third best supported team in London - but that is all good as far as I am concerned.

As the team's support has increased and the attendances at Old Trafford have grown over the recent years the overall proportion of United fans attending games who live locally will almost inevitably have decreased* but all the research shows that United still have more fans in Manchester than Citeh do - (and Citeh of course continue to have Stuart Hall to apologise for).

Chris

* although if Ryan Giggs had never ever worn a condom I might have to reconsider that proposition

Yes, you're right, Chris. Community Shield it was.  Lost to your lot on pens after a 0-0 during which David James lead a charmed life. Nice day out though, and the banter between the two sets of fans was friendly.

I take your point about the size of the Man U fan-base. I know quite a few who are avid followers.  A couple are actually native to Manchester so it's particularly sweet to tease them about this issue  MDS 

Just watching the Cup final.......lots of empty seats !!!....whats that all about.

Mista H

Over priced tickets,Late kick off and the FA have pandered to the TV networks to much that no body cares any more.

The FA cup used to be a celebration at the end of the season not any more.

Who remembers the old days when every one looked forward to cup final day even if your team didn't make the final.

Don't think the Wigan fans will care about any of that just now.  Very well done to them. Lovely to see. This will live in the memory of Wigan fans for ever.

MDS 

Wigan never seem to be able to fill seats, even in their own stadium...

A lot of it probably had something to do with the FA's craven and disgraceful decision to move to a late kick-off, to please ITV and the other broadcasters; this meant that the majority of fans travelling down from the North-West wouldn't have been able to get the last train home - meanig they've have to shell out even more cash for a hotel.

Many probably thought, sensibly enough, that it wasn't worth it.

Well Mista, your worries are over. For this season, at least.

MDS

just got back from the game. 1 point from the last 24. Chairman mo does not carry passengers and if we dont get a result at Swansea next Sunday i think Mista Jol will be booted out the door with a P45 stuffed up his backside.

Have to say the Liverpool lot today were total and utter nutters. just before kick off red flares all over the pitch and in the stand,lound bangs. one cameraman had a flare land in his bag which set the thing on fire,dont know if he had any expensive cameras in it,but if he did they were finished.

I dread to think what it must be like when this lot play Everton or Man U,xtra security has to be a must

Mista H