Football Focus

[Emerson Crane]

Can't argue with the spurs result last night, but the referee made some strange decisions, but don't they always? Some you win some you lose, which is exactly why I could never understand the furore over Thierry Henrys handball (whoops, this a bit like "Whatever you do don't mention the war" to some folks)

[Jah Lush]

That's a red rag to a bull, especially to someone of Irish descent (I'm not). What Thierry did was blatant cheating. How the hell he got away with it is anyone's guess. It's a pity because it spoilt what was a pretty much unblemished record. Up until then he'd always seemed a fair player and a good sportsman.

[Emerson Crane]

I don't think they can argue too much about the incident. The Irish had a blatant gift of a penalty in the previous match which allowed them to go on to the next round. I don't recall too many people arguing the case against that. You can't have one rule for you and one rule for everyone else. We all get dodgy decisions for and against. Some would argue spurs should have only had 9 nine men on the pitch given Huddlestones blatant arm in the face of an opponent, but hey, its over and done. The Henry thing and the reluctance in some quarters to let it go does make me smile, especially as Dunn said he would have done exactly the same had the roles been reversed.

[Mick Mac]

There's bit of a difference between a dubious penalty and throwing the ball into the net.

One is a mistake made by the referee but acting in good faith.

The other is a player deliberately acting in very bad faith.

Don't mention the war.

[Emerson Crane]

For me there is no difference, and the fact that an Irish player says he would do the same, that says it all.

[Mick Mac]

The debate has been done to death, so we should leave it there, for my sanity.

[Keef]

On a talk show after '86, Gary Lineker said he'd have done what Maradona did, and yet he English still go on about it 24 years later. The Irish will be bitter about Henry for decades to come!

[Narnia]

A bit like a turkey last Christmas.

[Jah Lush]

Keef Wrote:

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> On a talk show after '86, Gary Lineker said he'd

> have done what Maradona did, and yet the English

> still go on about it 24 years later. The Irish

> will be bitter about Henry for decades to come!

That's all very well saying such guff after the event by my view of it and what Damien Duff said is that they would have done it if they thought they could have got away with it but because they didn't think they could get away with such behaviour they wouldn't have done. Ummmm....does that make sense?

Lineker was never even booked during his career. Anyway, as Mac said we have done this subject to death at the time it happened so I suppose we should all move on. Sorry I brought it up again.

[Narnia]

Fact is Ireland are fairly crap at football at the moment and it didn't really matter that we missed out on the WC. The 'superior' French showed how crap our qualifying group must have been.

[Mick Mac]

How very dare you Declan!

[Narnia]

Why don't you answer the question I asked you earlier Mick?

[Mick Mac]

eh because i dont know the answer declan.

[????]

More importantly, who are you actually supporting in the Premiership this season Mick?

[Mick Mac]

I have money on city.

[red devil]

Thank you God!..

[HAL9000]

I guess 5005 just doesn't cut it - damn!

[Keef]

Will Spurs become an east end club?

At least it would be a hell of a lot easier to get to Jah! Forest Hill to Canada Water, Jubilee straight to Stratford. About half hour! :)-D

[kpc]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> I have money on city.

That's very magnanimous of you. Or it would be except I think you mean Man City. :))

[????]

Keef Wrote:

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> Will Spurs become an east end club?

>

> At least it would be a hell of a lot easier to get

> to Jah! Forest Hill to Canada Water, Jubilee

> straight to Stratford. About half hour! :)-D

That's our Manor

[Emerson Crane]

Wigan 1 v Wolverhampton 2

Birmingham 1 v Everton, 1

Stoke 2 v Blackburn, 0

Sunderland 0 v Man Utd 2

Tottenham 1 v Aston Villa 1

West Brom 1 v Bolton 1

West Ham 2 v Fulham 1

Man City 3 v Newcastle 0

Liverpool 2 v Blackpool 0

Chelsea 2 v Arsenal 0 (can't see the Arsenal getting a result, not with the defensive fraility we have at the moment)

[Jah Lush]

Wigan 1 Wolverhampton 2

Birmingham 2 Everton 1

Stoke 2 Blackburn 1

Sunderland 0 Man Utd 2

Tottenham 2 Aston Villa 1

West Brom 2 Bolton 2

West Ham 2 Fulham 2

Man City 1 Newcastle 2

Liverpool 3 Blackpool 1

Chelsea 3 Arsenal 1

[Jah Lush]

Keef Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Will Spurs become an east end club?

>

> At least it would be a hell of a lot easier to get

> to Jah! Forest Hill to Canada Water, Jubilee

> straight to Stratford. About half hour! :)-D

True, and I know it's a pain in the arse to get to but I'd prefer us to stay at White Hart Lane. It's our home. And as Quids has rightly pointed out it's in West Ham territory.

Haringary Council has approved our plans and now all it needs is for Boris Johnson to agree to them. Hopefully we'll stay right where we are, in our own manor.

[Emerson Crane]

This fella has a very high opinion of himself

An international footballer was court offside today after a judge told him he was not famous enough to be exempt ? from JURY SERVICE.

Angry Carl Fletcher ? captain of League One side Plymouth Argyle ? was first called up to sit on a jury in June.

Midfielder Carl, 30, a former Welsh international, was on holiday with his wife and three children at the time and was granted a deferment.

But when he was re-listed for duty he told the court he was not available because of work commitments.

Carl was then told to attend Plymouth Crown Court to show ?good cause? why he should not be a juror on a trial.

He explained that he could not sit on the jury next week because of a scheduled away match at Cheltenham Town on Tuesday.

But Judge Francis Gilbert QC said the match was ?not a valid excuse? and that Fletcher was less famous than other previous jury members.

Fletcher then said he was a well know face around Plymouth in Devon ? before storming out of the courtroom.

Judge Francis told him: ?Jury service is an important public duty everyone has to do, including judges, however well-known they are.

?Captaining Plymouth Argyle is not sufficient reason for not doing jury service. Employers are required to give you time off for jury service as a matter of law.

?So far, what you?ve said is not sufficient. You will have to come next Monday unless you make a proper application.

?Lots of well-known people, some more famous than you, have been required to sit on juries.?

Fletcher appeared in court on Wednesday to argue the case that he was too well known, adding: ?I don?t want anything to come back on me for sitting on a jury.?

The heated exchange began when Fletcher, wearing a grey sweatshirt and dark blue jeans, strode into the witness box clutching a letter from one of the Argyle directors.

He told the judge he had planned to travel with the team next Monday to Cheltenham Town to prepare for Tuesday evening?s Johnstone?s Paint Trophy match.

But Judge Gilbert told him he should have written to the court saying when he would not be available ? but Fletcher replied he had not been able to plan his work commitments.

Judge Gilbert told him he could travel on the day of the game, and if required for a trial that day would still have time to drive or be driven to the match for the 7.45pm kick-off after court closed around 4pm.

The Judge also added that potential jurors had to serve within 12 months of being called unless excused.

He said Fletcher would be one of 12 jurors, and if he felt threatened ?in any way? he should report it to the police.

Judge Gilbert explained the only two reasons for exclusion from jury service were previous convictions or ?mental disorder?, asking if either applied to him.

The midfielder replied: ?You?ll have to ask my wife on that one.?

Carl then unsuccessfully demanded the judge?s name and stormed out of the court, adding: ?I am glad I have to pay my taxes to do jury service.?

Fletcher, a former Wales international started his career at Bournemouth before moving to West Ham United in 2004.

He also played for Watford, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest before signing for Plymouth Argyle last year.

A spokesman for Plymouth Argyle refused to comment.

INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You couldn't make it up.

[????]

oh dear.....it's going to be a long hard season for the Reds