Upsetter

Disappointing result for Linfield last night, drawing 0-0 at home to Crusaders. Still it does extend the unbeaten run to nine games, consisting of seven wins and two draws. Not too shabby! Big problem was the early season form, which crashed following Linfield’s oh so close attempt to become the first Northern Irish team to reach the group stages of any European competition, so that by the time of last week’s 2-0 win away at Ballymena, Linfield had played 31 games against Ballymena’s 19!

There’s an image here on the BBC Football page, underneath the heading “Fifa World Cup build-up” - sorry I can’t get the image imported so follow the link - that reminds me of nothing more than David Bowie’s Ever Encircling Skeletal Family bowing down at the feet of the Great Golden God of Greed. Supposed to be microphones, check it out. Evil looking things.

I knew Hickey from way back, well before the days of Hickey’s coach. I remember asking, “Who are these Headhunters I keep reading about?” “Oh that’s just Hickey’s mob”, was the reply. I never actually went on his coach, largely because at the time I was heavily involved with A Certain Girl. But I do have my memories, like the time saved my life up Elland Road, when I wandered off to the tea-bar at half time, ran into a mob of around 20 Leeds. Fortunately for me, Hickey and a few of his mates weren’t far behind, and the Leeds fans soon scattered. Then there was Sunderland away, of course. But that’s another story. Birth of a legend!

No I can’t think of any Jam songs I dislike. I particularly like the following, but prefer the version on Extras, surely the best CD’s worth of B-Sides and assorted oddments ever made!

Update: from Paul Hickmott, Organiser My family and Stephen (Hicky) would like to thank everyone for the amazing amount of donations that you have all sent him. It has given him a massive boost. He has had his first course of chemotherapy and it went well. We think he may need six in total but the Thai doctor seems very hopeful if will be successful so fingers crossed he will beat this I will update you all when I know more and once again we cannot thank you all enough. Regards Sam Come on Hickey!

To hell with this atrocity of a competition. For the next month or whatever, I’ll be watching Linfield. Come on the Belfast Blues!

Good grief. Sorry I can’t buy that for a single minute. Congrats on your two sweet young kids, I’m sure they’re well worth all the attention you can give them. It’s what’s known as being a father, or mother, doesn’t matter either way. It’s also known as being too busy to devote much time to the Shed End. I’ve seen many such posts, but never once have the authors of these felt forced to demand the closure of their account. Nope, it’s always been along the lines of “due to circumstances beyond my control, I won’t be able to spend much time here in the foreseeable future” I have my own such circumstances, but I’m damned if I’m going to post them here for entire world to see.

You weren’t far wrong, in fact I’m sure I’ve had the Return of Django along record label as my profile pic at some stage.

Oi oi, be fair, I even offered the fellah my condolences, and sincere ones at that! As for my username, it’s of musical origin, as in Upsetter by Lee Perry & The Upsetters. Decent enough, going on classic tune - and it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Stephen “Hickey” Hickmott has cancer, needs funds for chemo. From GoFundMe: Paul Hickmott is organising this fundraiser. Hello everyone I am Sam Hickmott, Hicky’s brother. I am sure you all have heard that Stephen is not very well with cancer. He is in Thailand and due to have chemotherapy on Monday and maybe it will take 4-5 sessions. The cost is £4,000+ for each session and he needs some financial help. He has some funds but he will also need to have a lot of aftercare. He has been a good friend & enemy to many and has helped many of us over the years. Lets try and raise some funds to give him a much needed boost. Anything will help no matter how small. Many thanks for your understanding. Regards Sam GoFundMe link HERE https://www.gofundme.com/f/stephen-hicky-hickmott?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer

Sindre was never banned though. Reading between the lines, this is what happened: Following a fairly mild pisstake - when I asked him if he was expecting Tuchel’s baby, or if he was just a bit of a tart, Sindre lost it completely, demanding for me to be banned. Then when this demand of his was refused, he insisted that his own account should be closed. Shame really, but it does answer my question: Sindre is a right tart.

That’s what’s known as the thank f**k he (Slippy G) has gone effect

Reece James for me. Outstanding ball retention, tackling, ball winning etc

Vintage or not, I don’t know (or care). How can you not love this?

Toney’s been included in the England squad for the Nations League, waste of time though that is, it’s a crying shame he’s not in the Chelsea squad. Just what we could do with, in my ever so ‘umble.

Sorry to be so intrusive in your time of grief. You’re obviously suffering from the loss of TT. But really, I have to ask - are you expecting Tuchel’s baby? Or are you just a bit of a tart. Condolences either way

I honestly don’t know. If we can’t poach someone like Potter, then - and I have to admit I don’t follow the European leagues at all - there’s surely got to be someone out there, someone who is at least willing to take a risk, someone capable of stopping the rot, turning things around.

Disagree. These are not 1/10 players, not “bums”, these are for the most part talented, experienced players, who are collectively massively underperforming. This often happens when the manager loses the dressing room, which I would hazard (no pun) a guess is what’s going on here. Tuchel appears to be scrambling for someone to blame, “we’re not doing this”, “we’re not doing that”, rather than accept that it’s his own management style, the limitation of his coaching ability, that week after week, produces turgid, ineffectual performances, that he seems wholly unable, or even willing to address. I’d love to be wrong, but I can’t see the situation improving at all while Tuchel’s running the show.

I’ve always thought that a good manager adapts his system to suit the players he has available. In other words, he plays to their strengths. What a good manager doesn’t do is persistently attempt to mould his players to fit his preferred system, banging square pegs into round holes, playing his players out of position, and what ultimately amounts to playing to their weaknesses, and then puts the blames squarely (but not fairly) on the players. Taxi for Tuchel s’il vous plait.

So is anybody thinking about changing the way they voted yet? I’m not.