Laurence

I have a very unpopular view on Rangers. I definitely feel it is time they were back in business big time. The great city of Glasgow needs two big rival teams, Scotland needs Rangers, finances need Rangers. I feel enough is enough. All the silly infighting should cease and things should get back to - need I say it " Normal". I really feel that it is time to get Rangers back into the top division. One way or another. Managers have been mentioned, who is good enough to take this once great monolith in footballing terms by the scruff of the neck. I don't think Terry is half way there and I believe he would be a total failure. I have in mind a Harry Rednap, Tony Pullis , Neil Warnock, or such like a man who would not take any old buck. So if Rangers have any sense at all forget the old stagers like Terry and get a real hard guy.

I think the days of Swansea being a poor side are well gone. I feel they are a good bet on their day to beat most teams in Europe on their own ground, The Welsh outfit are I consider a top outfit these days.

To Alex MacLeod At the moment I have some very rare old bibles , I can't move on When I was in my Sussex book shop I did have a couple of contacts and I managed to sell to sell them on I appreciate your interest but I really am not at this time able to take any more. Next time I go down to Brighton I will try to locate my previous contacts; if successful I will come back to you. The bibles people are interested in are ones with brass hinges and clamps, usually early protestant, around the turn of the 17th 18th century, ( or earlier ). Very early common prayer books before Queen Victoria I can sell to the same source, but as I said, I have lost contact with the people I knew some time back.

I love the song a paradox in the Pirates of Penzance. Maybe it will rain on Saturday so the games will be a mud heap and the family won't go , I then go to the match,

I have to decide It is my birthday on the 1st of August - Very biblical - three score years and ten My family will be here for the duration My son will be here from Berlin with his lady friend Do I go to the match on Saturday - I won't be popular Or do I go with the family to the Newtonmoortown Highland games, where my son in law is competing in the Haggis eating competition. What a problem ? Looks like I will have to miss the game.

Preston Docks. Just like Wigan Pier . Actually Canal based both of them. When they were shifting cotton in the Haydays before the trains "Britain's bread hangs on Lancashire's thread". Horrible racist fans in any event. Came to Gigg Lane once and caused havoc . Don't like them . Another bad lot are based in Hull. You could say Millwall has no docks but apparently they came from the Isle of Dogs whatever that is.

I only mentioned it because of my wife , very young then saw the travelling fans on a train going down to the match But I take your point without reservation I believe the first ever so called "riot" was at Gigg Lane Bury , lol When Bolton Wanderers 3000 fans invaded the pitch. A Lancashire Cup final in the 19th century. Bury F C where heavily reprimanded by the LFA and fined , I believe also the ground was closed for some time. Source History of Bolton Wanderers F. C I think a long time ago I read it.

The bowlers in my team were panicking before my innings that we didn't have enough runs to defend. Because our last wicket stand upped the total to over 70, and it was a good bowling surface , they knew they had a chance to win the game. TI am a qualified umpire I actually went to umpire the game, but because Lancashire F.B. were a man short, I was asked to play, and another umpire was found from the Blackpool club. Otherwise I was too old to play. I was a Station Officer and all the other players were Fireman rank, a bit embarrassing to be hugged by one of my own men. The sad thing about my memory of this match that the lad at the other end sadly died a few days after the game from a heart attack. He had not reached his 36th birthday He was a Retained Sub Officer like me making up the numbers., You wonder Laurence why people like me have a go at you from time to time well that highlighted statement is one of the reasons. Here you are involved in a team sport with other team players and yet you still see yourself as a Station Officer and them as lower ranks. That us and then mentality and superior / subordinate attitude is exactly what has destroyed this once great Britian. As for cricket as a spectator sport......give me 220:20 any day You have no idea - The Fire Service is a command situation. The officer is not a manager but a commander his orders are to be followed to the letter without question It's not about being popular, that would make mistakes more likely. If your house is on fire and your family are trapped it is down to the men following orders. To make sure nothing is left to chance. The Fire Service is not a debating society it is about doing what you are told, and doing it promptly and quickly. Think your missing my point Laurence. First of you make the statement that I have no idea without knowing anything about me. To put you in the picture I was a retained fireman in Fort William many years ago. I was a fireman / emergency response operative at the Grangemouth petrochemical complex and I was a Fire Team Leader offshore in the North Sea. We done all the training that the fire service do plus some very specialist training due to the nature of our industry. Oh! and we put out some fires too. But to get back to the point Laurence. There is protocol to follow on duty but that should not be a consideration when participating in a team sport outside of work.

The bowlers in my team were panicking before my innings that we didn't have enough runs to defend. Because our last wicket stand upped the total to over 70, and it was a good bowling surface , they knew they had a chance to win the game. TI am a qualified umpire I actually went to umpire the game, but because Lancashire F.B. were a man short, I was asked to play, and another umpire was found from the Blackpool club. Otherwise I was too old to play. I was a Station Officer and all the other players were Fireman rank, a bit embarrassing to be hugged by one of my own men. The sad thing about my memory of this match that the lad at the other end sadly died a few days after the game from a heart attack. He had not reached his 36th birthday He was a Retained Sub Officer like me making up the numbers., You wonder Laurence why people like me have a go at you from time to time well that highlighted statement is one of the reasons. Here you are involved in a team sport with other team players and yet you still see yourself as a Station Officer and them as lower ranks. That us and then mentality and superior / subordinate attitude is exactly what has destroyed this once great Britian. As for cricket as a spectator sport......give me 220:20 any day

Some years ago I saw Celtic away at Burnley in An Anglo Scottish cup match. I witnessed massive drinking before the match to , I saw one Celtic fan trying to examine the huge genitals of a stallion police horse. I mention this just to elaborate how drunk they were. Chants of "we are the popes army", and other pointless remarks abounded around Turf Moor long before the game started. Burnley were not totally lily white , as they retorted with chants of "Rangers". . The riot was quite exceptional as the link below elaborates. I couldn't get the link to work but if you copy it into your browser there's a chance it will The railings mentioned were iron and some where thrown like javelins I was reminded of the riot at Wembley when Scottish fans rioted and wrecked the goalposts amongst other things. That day before the game my wife caught a train at Preston and travelled in a coach full of Scottish supporters from Glasgow, she told me they behaved towards her with perfect manners, but they drank cans of beer the whole way down to London. I think she was rather worried, and glad to get there safe and sound. Don't get me wrong I am not picking on Scottish fans I have seen Liverpool and Preston fans behaving just has badly. I think it is something to do with living close to dockyards.# www.geocities.ws/Colosseum/Track/6698/memo/celtic.html

Maybe he thought I had one , as he checked my clothing I would be so lucky ?

Some talk of Charlton Only visited the Valley once when I lived in London, it is in a very remote area of South London, takes about half an hour on the train if you get on at London Bridge station. When I got there I was searched from top to toe by a very large black man steward, they had been told that a fan had a gun. The Valley at one time had the biggest embankment in the country, It when the ground was remodelled and the team played at Upton Park. The ground is now a very fine stadium. I have always had a lot of time for Charlton, it is in a hard working community in a very unfashionable part of town, so to speak, It was a great history, once went from the 3rd Div South to the old first Div, in two seasons , at the time an unheard feat. I hope all the travelling fans, and those Scottish fans, exiled in London, enjoy their day. It will be a tough task to get a result especially if Athletic play something like their first team. Makes a change from playing, lets face it, Highland league teams, who are not the best of a challenge.

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We have to learn to keep 11 men on the pitch We have to learn not to go gung ho when we are leading The defeat against Dundee United towards the end last season highlighted our ability . or lack of it, to hang onto a lead. Parking the bus is not against the rules. A good season must be finishing above County, It would be devastating for our fans if ICT don't

I recently found a football programme in a box of books I bought. Scotland v Bulgaria it was a warm up friendly before the Scotland team's campaign in the FIFA world cup in the Argentine, Dated February 22nd 1978 Hampden Park Glasgow I don't really deal in football programmes so if anybody would like it I can leave it for them in the supporter's bar , or anywhere else for that matter before the St. Mirren game. Free and gratis. First come first served. Laurence

Caley 100 said.- Didny understand the last paragraph, but it sounded like you had a great time -good on ya,

I have only been to Lords once, It is a terrific place, You could say a citadel , I have been to Wembley and Old Trafford but really nothing can compare with Lords cricket ground. Sorry Charles because I didn't state it was just my opinion. Role on Thursday as another 5 days start in Earnest. Myself I would bring back the Irishman Morgan and drop Bairstow, who seems out of his comfort zone at test level, Morgan is a class act and should be in the team.

Was she exempt from the shirt swapping at full time?

It's the finality of cricket that I used to love. I was not a good player, but there are few moments in sport when you are sitting with your old pads buckled up waiting to go out to bat. Suddenly the guy before you is out, the adrenalin rushes, you pick up your bat and start the long walk to the crease. You might get a little clap from the few people present or a remark , but you are aware of the pressure of the moment and the expectations of your team mates. you realism on a glorious high. You take your guard, the ops know you are nervous they crowd round you, You are aware of the score , yOU KNOW WHAT IS NEEDED, A GREAT BIG HULK OF A FAST BOWLER COMES IN ON A LONG RUN, YOU JUST GET INTO LINE AND YOU HOPE LIKE HELL YOU WILL GET YOUR BAT DOWN IN TIME, THE BALL CATCHES THE EDGE AND SOARS THROUGH THE SLIPS FOR FOUR. WHISPERS OF LUCKLY BARSTEWARD eminate all around. You survive to fight another day You have one chance and one chance only to show your mates you can do it. I played in one game for the Lancashire County fire Service against the West Midlands at Blackpool, I was batting at No 11. I went in at 38 for 9 , at the other end was No 10. . The West Midlands fast bowlers kept steaming in at me , I got through on a wish and a prayer, we got to seventy odd when the lad at the other end holed out. On returning to my team mates our fast bowler came over and gave me the biggest of hugs. He told me I had given him a target he knew he could get them out for and he did. .

It's only the slams men play 5 sets I see no reason why women should not get equal pay I am sure the women could/would play 5 sets if asked

With Henry http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf0iy6cgRE4 What a fantastic test match - world record knock by a no 11 World's greatest game at it's best

Problem was it was all too much for Keith , he should get some of his mates to help him

If anybody has some old books to sell contact me and I will give you a price, or my wife will to be more precise. I don't want encyclopedia's or modern fiction. If the authors name is bigger than the title. phone 01479 831086 Large collections no problem in fact preferred sellbooks@aol.com

Just seen Shinnie's goal on sky it was a good one too, he came on after half time with a bunch of other back up players.

Alex you are always having a pop at me again - Have you nothing better to do? Find someone else to sound off against with your puerile views You are not telling me Steve Harper is not better than anything we have in the goalkeeping dept. at the club or in the e SPl for that matter other than Celtic who have a worldie in goal When players get to a certain age they are looking for a coaching role, a bit of experience will help him in his future development. I don't know if he has his badges. Saying we can't afford Harper I agree, that is why I said get him to do some coaching, and I said " coaching" not just goalkeeping, *we sure need a good coach, our set pieces are all over the place, our throw ins are rubbish", I thought that could be an incentive. Go and have a pop at someone else for a change. You talk to me like I'm dumb or something. I have been around a long time. I was a Senior Fire Service Officer for a very long time. I ran a whole Time Fire Station for years. I don't need preaching at. I know wages are a big thing in a football club, I wasn't born yesterday. End of rant