Upsetter

Violent by Christ. I see I touched a nerve. Regarding intellectual capacity, I have no need or desire to defend myself. Fact is I do not accept the validity of what you present as your point of view, which appears to consist solely of griping and moaning about the team, the performance, the club, without even the merest hint of positivity. I find the way that you, and people like yourself (brakeit to name but one), choose to support the club, extremely strange, and is a major factor in why I generally don't bother posting nowadays, especially in the match day threads. There is quite simply, just too much crap to wade through.

Seriously. What the f**k are you on about? Every time I glance at the match thread, there you are with another negative comment. Oh and since this "we can't get out"bollocks of yours, we've scored another two. People keep slagging off the teams, but in all honesty there is something deeply wrong with whatever faction of our fanbase you purport to represent. Can I suggest change of username? Bad Brain perhaps (I'd post the Ramones song of the same name if I could be bothered), or maybe the equally accurate "Unbelievably Miserable Git.".

My favourite Scouser does it again!

It's easy to lose a year or three when you're as old as me! Take 2: f**k off Liverpool FC All you've got is isstory You ain't won the league this century While we keep making history!

f**k off Liverpool FC All you've got is isstory You ain't won the league since 93 And we keep making history!

Brentford Not exactly a second team, more of a soft spot, purely because they were the closest league team to where I used to live. I'd like to see them do well, but in truth it goes as far as checking their results. I only ever went to Griffin Park once, and that was to watch us play in a pre-season friendly. Many moons ago, I don't remember a thing about the game, but I did have a rather pleasant encounter with a female Brentford fan.

Alex Scott And I don't care if she is Arsenal!

Seriously, who the f**k do you think you are? Everyone, and I mean everyone, is entitled to their own opinion, no matter how ignorant, uneducated, ill informed, outrageous or idiosyncratic. But you? According to yourself, you and you alone on this entire site have an in depth insight into the inner workings of the club, you alone know what's really going on behind the scenes. You constantly mock and deride anyone who takes the time to disagree with your consistently single track point of view, your endless slagging off of the board, and of anyone who dares criticise Antonio Conte's tenure as manager of Chelsea FC. Halfway through June, with the World Cup in its infancy, you're still rattling on, still mocking those who don't share this opinion of yours. Not only this, but you've already written off next season as an abject failure. "It'll be fun [fun?] to say I told you so", is the persistent theme of your each and every post, along with an endless denigration of the board, Marina in particular, because you KNOW that she and she alone is responsible for each and every problem that you or anyone else cares to mention. I'm not going to waste my time getting involved in a Conte v Board of Directors argument, I am simply going to request that you give it a rest. Do us all (and yourself) a favour, and find something else to write about, hopefully with just a little hint of positivity.

Lovely touch from George McEachran after last night's FA Youth Cup Final:

Nice version, but I still prefer Jimmy Cliff's original. Here's another one by the Cimarons:

Harlesden's finest:

Now on TalkSport, JT pays his tribute to Ray Wilkins. Incidentally, it was my mother's birthday yesterday, my late father's birthday was on March 1st, which is of course the day that Ossie died.

Devastatingly sad news, for his family and friends especially, but also for the extended Chelsea family. We truly have lost one of our own, another link with what many older fans will always think of as "our" Chelsea. Ray was the same age as me, lived next door to my uncle way back when. Not that I knew him well, more of a friend of a friend, same goes for his brothers. You'd often see Ray on the Underground on a Saturday morning on his way to the match. At the time he was already a first team regular, our youngest ever Captain, and a full England international - somehow I can't imagine meeting any of the current crop of players under similar circumstances. Not a dig at the modern game, just an indication of how much things have changed. Described as a footballing nomad, no matter where he went, no matter who he played for, at heart Ray Wilkins was Chelsea through and through. RIP Ray Wilkins 1956-2018

THE STORY OF THE POPPY The inspiration behind the poppy as a symbol of Remembrance. In the spring of 1915, shortly after losing a friend in Ypres, a Canadian doctor, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae was inspired by the sight of poppies growing in battle-scarred fields to write a now famous poem called 'In Flanders Fields'. After the First World War, the poppy was adopted as a symbol of Remembrance. HISTORY OF THE POPPY During the First World War (1914–1918) much of the fighting took place in Western Europe. Previously beautiful countryside was blasted, bombed and fought over, again and again. The landscape swiftly turned to fields of mud: bleak and barren scenes where little or nothing could grow. Bright red Flanders poppies (Papaver rhoeas) however, were delicate but resilient flowers and grew in their thousands, flourishing even in the middle of chaos and destruction. In early May 1915, shortly after losing a friend in Ypres, a Canadian doctor, Lt Col John McCrae was inspired by the sight of poppies to write a now famous poem called 'In Flanders Fields'. McCrae’s poem inspired an American academic, Moina Michael, to make and sell red silk poppies which were brought to England by a French woman, Anna Guérin. The (Royal) British Legion, formed in 1921, ordered 9 million of these poppies and sold them on 11 November that year. The poppies sold out almost immediately and that first ever 'Poppy Appeal' raised over £106,000; a considerable amount of money at the time. This was used to help WW1 veterans with employment and housing. The following year, Major George Howson set up the Poppy Factory to employ disabled ex-Servicemen. Today, the factory and the Legion's warehouse in Aylesford produces millions of poppies each year. The demand for poppies in England was so high that few were reaching Scotland. Earl Haig's wife established the 'Lady Haig Poppy Factory' in Edinburgh in 1926 to produce poppies exclusively for Scotland. Over 5 million Scottish poppies (which have four petals and no leaf unlike poppies in the rest of the UK) are still made by hand by disabled ex-Servicemen at Lady Haig's Poppy Factory each year and distributed by our sister charity Poppyscotland. THE POEM IN FLANDERS FIELDS In Flanders' fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place: and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders' fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe; To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high, If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders' Fields. The poppy is A symbol of Remembrance and hope Worn by millions of people Red because of the natural colour of field poppies The poppy is NOT - A symbol of death or a sign of support for war - A reflection of politics or religion - Red to reflect the colour of blood - Wearing a poppy is a personal choice and reflects individual and personal memories. It is not compulsory but is greatly appreciated by those it helps – our beneficiaries: those currently serving in our Armed Forces, veterans, and their families and dependants.

Promise?

Genuine question. Surely he can't have been playing anywhere near as badly for Monaco last season. He must have had something to persuade the club to splash out for him? Looking at last summer's other two major signings, despite the recent dip in form, I feel that Morata has the potential to be a world class striker, while Rudiger is at the very least a solid defender, who undoubtedly offers something to the side. Bakayoko on the other hand, far from showing signs of settling in, has regressed, bypassing any settling in period, last night's performance being a 30 minute disaster of epic proportions. So with a little benefit of the doubt, assuming that there is an at least competent player in there somewhere, struggling in vain to get out, is it possible that Conte's training methods and/or treatment of Bakayoko have led to this latest low point? Bakayoko himself must know that he's been poor at best for most of the season, and so he might even be wondering why he continues to keep a place in the starting lineup. On a more general note, last night's game - or more accurately the last two games, need to be the low point of the season. From here on the only way is up. It has to be, otherwise I think we can all say so long Antonio.

Here's how a loan deal makes sense to me. Firstly, it's fairly apparent that Conte doesn't rate him, so with Morata fit (and sometimes even not), gametime will be limited. If he does turn out to be a regular starter at Dortmund, then it should do him a world of good, and all being well, he'll come back a better player. Just look what a spell in the Bundeslega did for Andreas Christensen. By the same token, Conte not rating the player takes the pressure off Morata. As long as he's fit/not suspended, he's a pretty much nailed on starter. Furthermore, loaning Batman frees up a place for Giraud, who has a wealth of Premiership experience, should make an effective impact sub at the very least, and I dare say, could well put pressure on Morata, who as a further added bonus, might well learn something of playing as a Premiership striker from Giraud. Having said all that, I'd be very much against selling Batshuayi outright.

My ever so good self. At 61 years of age, arthritic and asthmatic with a dodgy knee, I'd be every bit as capable of laying on a treatment table, or even sitting on the substitute's bench as would Wor Andy. Besides which, I haven't got a daft ponytail or a Geordie accent. Come on Chelsea, what are you waiting for!

I've always thought of "Millwall with money" as more of a compliment than an insult.

Chelsea's youngest ever full international, played 30 minutes for Wales last night.

Chris Sutton ruined his Chelsea and England career by being sh*te.