Upsetter

And you’ve got all that from: (a) referring to the calling for a ban/boycott [of Anthony Taylor as ‘Scouserish”, clearly implying that I am not in favour of the suggested petition. (b) a not exactly strict-form hauku which you surely don’t think needs to be taken too seriously? (c) a chart nicked from another Chelsea site, presented not as evidence of anything, but as a suggestion for discussion. Methinks you need to lighten up a bit

Roker Park 1975 was indeed, well lively. First game of the season, we had thousands up there. I’ll always think of it as the day that (H)Ickey made his name, or at least, his initial claim to fame. At the end of the game, he was standing on a crash barrier, holding a brollie, urging on the “troops” - we’re Chelsea, f**k these northern bastards - that kind of thing. Another memory of that day, is sometime later on, queuing up, waiting to be let in to the train station. In a garden were two beautiful white dogs with curly tails, Samoyeds I think.

Re the table, like I said - make of it what you will. Found elsewhere, I thought it would make for interesting debate. So thank you for your input. Where I would take issue with you is with your final point: “I’m thankful that Anthony Taylor isn’t black” The colour of Anthony Taylor’s skin is entirely irrelevant. And to suggest that “it would descend to even worse” if he were black is a huge slur on the members of this forum.

Yep, placed my order earlier today. This year’s badge is definitely one of the best.

Fancy this?

I’m truly shocked, I didn’t even know he was ill - a legend among legends, and a massive influence, leaving behind a truly incredible musical legacy. Going way back, this is possibly the first Upsetters tune I heard, definitely the first one I bought. Proper skinhead reggae: Not forgetting my adopted theme tune:

Agreed. Calling for a ban/boycott is incredibly Scousish. Let’s just say that: Anthony Taylor does not like us and the feeling Is mutual* Make of this what what you will: *Haiku of the day

On the rights or wrongs of Taylor’s carve-up, before the powers that be/wannabe stuck their collective little fingers where they were neither wanted nor needed, if memory serves me well, the handball rule was quite straightforward: Hand to ball - handball Ball to hand - no handball In other words, deliberate or non-deliberate. Anything else, is in my ever so ‘umble, unnecessarily complex/f**king around with the rules for the sake of it. If the rules do indeed state, or can be interpreted to mean that a patently accidental handball is worthy of a red card and/or penalty, then it’s a sh*te rule.

Reece James. aka the f**k you Anthony Taylor vote.

Chris Sutton Former Premier League striker* on BBC Radio 5 Live “To the letter of the law, it's a penalty and a red card. The referee went over to the monitor and got it right - Reece James deliberately kept the ball out of the net.” If Chris f**king Sutton agrees with the decision, then you know it’s bollocks. f**k ‘em all. *Chris Sutton a Striker? Funniest thing I’ve heard all day.

At long long last, Tottenham have their very own claim to fame!

Long but worthwhile read, from the Athletic: Dancing, double sessions and the Backstreet Boys - how Tuchel got Chelsea ready for the season. Chelseas start to the season couldnt have gone much better. Played two, won two and a first trophy the UEFA Super Cup already in the cabinet. It is already a positive indication of the work coach Thomas Tuchel put in during pre-season, his first as Chelsea coach having taken over in January this year. Tuchel had obviously proved himself as a top manager to his players, let alone the outside world, by taking Chelsea to a Champions League triumph in May. But those weeks leading up to the start of the 2021-22 campaign has provided even more insight into how the 47-year-old likes to operate. As he has pointed out in press conferences, it hasnt been easy. Chelseas vast contingent of returning loan players, fringe talent and academy prospects meant he has been having to organise up to 42 players at one time or another. But speaking to club insiders and people close to the situation, a picture emerges of a man who is relishing the job. This is not an individual who is basking in the glow of beating Manchester City in Porto. As one source tells The Athletic: "He has treated pre-season like an open canvas. He was telling the boys, Look, dont think because we won the Champions League, thats it. There are players who he has looked at, who perhaps he isnt seen much of, with fresh eyes. That has been noticeable for someone like Trevoh Chalobah. "He went into it telling people, This is your chance to shine. He has been saying this in front of the group. He was letting them know. He doesnt like people to feel comfortable. Hes going to make your life a living hell if you think youre just going to come back from your break and play in the first team. "One of his messages to players is he wants to see them work harder, drive harder. He has said it openly in some of the press conferences, like his comments about Ruben Loftus-Cheek after the Arsenal friendly (said he wants the midfielder to keep on going 150 per cent because 100 per cent is not enough). But he says it to their faces as well. No-one can be comfortable, he wants to see more and more." Clearly for a lot of those involved while internationals were on holiday following their exploits at the European Championship, or the Copa America in Thiago Silvas case, there was little chance of forcing their way into the senior squad. Big money transfer disappointments of yesteryear like Danny Drinkwater, Ross Barkley and Tiemoue Bakayoko, who cost £90 million between them, havent been given a squad number and told to organise moves elsewhere. Having so many players facing inevitable disappointment could have led to a toxic atmosphere in the camp. Far from it. Footage from Chelseas camp in Ireland showed the kind of spirit Tuchel generated. In one training drill between two teams, he said the losing side would have to perform a Backstreet Boys song in front of everyone before dinner. "This wasnt the only thing hes done to keep things fun," another insider added. "Theres been more singing and dancing, basketball competitions. Everyone is buzzing. Players feel like theyve benefitted from the first opportunity to work on things over a concerted period. They didnt have that last season because it was fixture after fixture when he arrived. They have got to work under him, go away with him. Players have got to see even more that he is cool, a nice guy." Undoubtedly you will always find someone who have feelings of angst or resentment. That is normal, especially when youre not being given enough minutes or being picked in what you think is your best position. But there does seem to be a lot of respect for the man in charge regardless. With such a large squad at his disposal and at different levels physically, he has had no choice but to split them up into three or four groups. The former Paris Saint-Germain manager has leaned heavily on his fitness coaches to draw up a programme to suit each section. He is thought to be very happy with the contribution theyve made. Understandably there will have been a temptation to bring all the internationals, the ones who made up the majority of the first team, back into the fold as soon as possible. But Tuchel made a point of pulling individuals to one side, explaining that he would be careful with them and not look to rush them back. As its turned out, some were clearly too important to ignore like Jorginho and Mason Mount, who were involved in the European Championship final on July 11 and yet started Chelseas 3-0 win over Crystal Palace having come on as substitutes in the Super Cup final three days before. Keeping harmony in the camp appears to have been one of his main goals. "He has just been really chilled out," a source reveals. "He had to go to Ireland with a group where the majority knew they wouldnt be playing for him. But he kept a really positive vibe, you would see his arm around players offering words of encouragement. "Tuchel is very meticulous in his planning, but it was not regimented. It was not a set group and the rest havent felt included. People would come in and out. He took double sessions but you would see one group working on something in the morning and then hed change it up in the afternoon. He has kept everyone on their toes. It is a contrast to some previous managers who just concentrated on their trusted lieutenants and didnt interact so much with the others. "He was also involved in every element of the session and did a lot of one-on-one stuff. He was very vocal with specific players giving them instructions and would occasionally stop training, put an arm around someone and tell them whats what." Tuchels positive mood is infectious but it helps that he is in such a happy place himself. Signing a contract extension until 2024 in June has provided a bit more stability, well as much as one can get when being in the dugout at Chelsea. Significantly, he is no longer living in a hotel and has moved into a house with his wife and two children. They had to remain behind in France when Tuchel took the Chelsea job. As he said last week: "Work is work and family is family but of course now that I have found a house I dont live in a hotel anymore, it makes life much more enjoyable." When Tuchel was appointed, much was made about how he had had altercations with all his former employers at Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and PSG before he left. Given Chelseas track record of hiring and firing managers, it didnt exactly sound like a marriage made in heaven. But so far so good and not just because Tuchel has won two bits of silverware. For example, the transfer market. Chelsea have only just completed their first significant signing of the summer with the £97.5 million acquisition of forward Romelu Lukaku. It has taken a long time for the club to get their man, so much so the Belgian has missed pre-season and the opening matches. It has been noted how some coaches in the past would have caused a tense atmosphere during the close season over the lack of early business. But Tuchel, who insisted on his arrival that he had learned from mistakes made in the past and had changed his ways, has stayed true to his word. Communication with director Marina Granovskaia and Petr Cech, Chelseas technical and performance advisor, has remained relaxed throughout. Tuchel was hoping all along to get two or three players to improve the side but was said to be fairly relaxed if it didnt happen. He is obviously pleased the Lukaku deal came good though. Such is Tuchels demeanour around the place, one source describes it as "like hes been around for years rather than six months". Tuchel is also content delighted that he is left to his own devices when taking training sessions. This is in stark contrast to his experiences at PSG and Dortmund. It is understood he already regards Chelsea as the best club he has ever been employed at. He and his staff have enjoyed having a kickabout with some of the non-football staff. One always feels wary when writing about managers enjoying their life at Chelsea this much because it is a club where things can change very quickly like the wind. The Champions League success has raised expectations, not just among the fans but the hierarchy too, even more so following the investment in Lukaku. Tuchel has been doing his utmost to keep appraisal of the situation under control. He accepts they are title contenders, which is why he has been talking about Chelsea being "the hunters". Yet he regards winning the Champions League as very much ahead of schedule and is wary that the majority of this group werent involved in the clubs last Premier League triumph in 2017. What many fans want to know is if he has been trying some alternative formations. Sources have confirmed he has looked at four at the back as well as his favoured three-man defence system. It is understood attacking players have been tried out in various roles. This is why youve seen Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi at wing-back as well as further up the field. Predominantly stamina seems to be the priority. "Tuchel worked on fitness big time," one source explains to The Athletic. "There has been a lot of running, looking at number stats. Ultimately, to play the way he wants to play, you have to be super fit. You have to go up and down that pitch. Forward press, side to side, its a demanding shape no matter what position you have. For example, he asked one of the players to be more aggressive in his play, more ambitious, play with more spark and he got a reaction. "Training has been more intense than what they were used to under him last season. The intensity was frightening. Double sessions every day for two weeks." It is a measure of Chelseas complicated preparations that Tuchel arranged a friendly behind closed doors against National League side Weymouth FC on Sunday to give people like Thiago Silva and Hudson-Odoi a run-out. Tuchel doesnt expect his men to be fully up to speed until after the next international break. They cant afford a slow start to the campaign as they have tough fixtures against Arsenal and Liverpool before that interlude, then Aston Villa, Tottenham and Manchester City after it. But the Chelseas manager couldnt have done much more in the circumstances to put them on the right path.

Q: Santa Claus, the tooth fairy, an intelligent Liverpool fan, and an old drunk are walking down the street together when simultaneously they each spot a £50 note. So who gets the £50? A: The old drunk, of course; the other three are mythical creatures.

The reggae legend’s version of a Glasgow pub singer’s favourite:

Reputedly the song that inspired Ben E King to write stand by me. With Johnnie Taylor on lead vocals:

Following on from the Laurel Aitken clip above, which includes the line “I remember Greenaway”, the Grey Wolf (aka Garrison) clip below closes with an image of the man himself:

Andy Waterworth

Yup. Damn, I thought you were talking about me for a minute.

And there was me saying I don’t give a monkeys about the Champions League. f**k me I’m full of sh*t!