Stretford Ender

Agree 100%. Shaw is a liability, Dan James is not good enough, and may never be. AWB is a traditional full-back, not a wing back. We're all right up front with Greenwood, who is a bit special, Rashford, and Martial but way too narrow.

Bit of a bold statement to make and, of course, over the top. I bet the pundit didn't even see Lampard at his best. I did and he was up there alongside Robson, Wilkins, Keane, and Viera in terms of his ability to both lead and dictate play. His dad wasn't a bad player either back in the day. I can't see the Glazers paying Dortmund's price for Sancho, even though we are desperate for a player like him. There was talk of us selling Pogba but his sleazy agent reckons he's staying. Most infuriating player I've seen play for us in a long time.

Me too. Rumour was that Real and Barca were sniffing around but Van Der Sar steered him our way but I've no idea where we'll play him.

Might have a punt on Chelsea for the league. You could do with a top-ranked central defender (as could we) but if your new signings bed-in quickly, Chelsea will be a hard team to beat.

I watched that game at my (then) girlfriend's house. Her dad, who was a City fan, supported Leeds that night because they were the English club. I went with Bayern, not wanting Leeds to win anything and at the end of the game, her old man was livid and spitting blood. I beat a hasty retreat but it was an amusing experience. My first away game at Leeds was in September 1969. We were crammed into the cowshed but a good number were in other parts of the ground. Game ended 2-2. Leeds fan were barracking Best who responded by making a mug out of Reaney and then scoring twice, one of which had the Leeds defenders - Jack Charlton in particular - screaming at Gary Sprake.

I don't blame him for not doing business with Spurs. Fergie said that dealing with Levy was worse than his hip replacement. The signing of Berbatov back in the day almost drove Fergie to the funny farm.

Harry Maguire might be available. Or Lindelof. Buy him and we'll throw in Lingard as a sweetener.

I'd like to think so but I wouldn't be surprised if Ole came out and said he was happy with what he has. We talk a good game when it comes to transfers and the gutter press will link us with dozens of players, but I can't see us spending much. Bruno and slugger Maguire, the terror of the Greek plod, still have to be paid for and we haven't sold anyone.

If you were a trout, you'd be supper. 😉

You've got me all wrong. I like Frank Lampard and I want him to do well but in the goldfish bowl that is the EPL, and Chelsea's record with managers, he'll be under a magnifying glass. As for the 'biggest club in the world' cobblers, I don't buy into marketing hype.

You're doing some smart business. We're told that teams can't sign 5-6 quality players in a window but it looks like you're proving that to be a myth. Huge expectations of Frank Lampard next season then.

I think he'll stay at Barca but if he did come to England, City is the logical destination given the number of ex-Barca people there. Won't matter because even Messi won't get them the CL.

Better still, buy Harry Maguire. He should have sobered up by September. I don't care if he never plays in a red shirt again.

Don't know if this has already been posted but I found this footage of the semi-final against Watford at White Hart Lane. The pitch looks like Blackpool beach there's so much sand on it.

Rumour is that you're interested in Sergio Romero. I like him. He's never let us down and at times, I'd have preferred him to DeGea who may well be on his way home to Spain.

I know people with the scars to prove you did.

Watched 'A Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji' which is superb. Not really an action film at all until the last 10 minutes when all hell breaks loose. This weekend I've got Yojimbo and Sanjuro lined up for my Toshiro Mifune fix. Tried to get the other half interested in jidageki films but after watching the first Lone Wolf and Cub, she decided against watching any more.

I remember them being popular in the 70s too. A fellow student used to work part-time for Murphy and he used to go everywhere in his donkey jacket with the company name in stencil on the back. Don't know if anyone remembers their infamous green transits that used to tear round London back then. On Friday, every pub in Kilburn had two or three parked outside. Denim dungarees looked weird on blokes but some girls could carry them off well. The disco merchants would wear them but not so much down the Kings Road except for maybe the squaddies on a weekend. Oxford bags were popular with tank-tops and penny round collars too.

Went to my first home game as a lad in 1963. First full season of home games was 64/65 and that included an away game with my dad at Ewood Park. Started going away with mates 1968/69 season. Funny, because we had a couple of black lads that came with us and never saw much antagonism towards them except from the coppers. One stopped going because he signed on as a schoolboy with Oldham and he played every Saturday.

Packed on like sardines too. Always a fun day out though the coach could be fun as well. Never paid to get a window seat in case somebody lobbed a half brick at you, which happened to me at Forest. I used to avoid the train going to Birmingham though as there were always packs of them waiting at New Street for the special to pull in. Blackpool away was always a good time and half of them missed the train going back because they were legless and passed out on the beach.

It's nice to read about the humble beginnings of big clubs. It really was the working man's game but there was also the Corinthian spirit that proponents of the oval ball game said would never transcend the class barrier - and there are those even today who hold that view.

Then too. When we signed Ian Storey-Moore from Forest, there was a big to-do with Cloughie and Derby who claimed he was a Derby player and they paraded him on the pitch at the Baseball Ground. Anyway, we went there in the league and Storey-Moore was barracked by the home fans. He score and stuck two fingers up at them and, as I recall, got into trouble with the league for incitement. Osgood was always good for a laugh. We were singing something about Chelsea one time and he stood there conducting the Stretford End like an orchestra.

Don't know if this has been posted but here's the highlights from the game at Maine Road in October, 1966. Chelsea won 4-1 but watch Osgood's reaction to the barracking he got from the Kippax Street (or it may have been to Malcolm Allison).

Looks very military. Football training combined with commando selection.

Might conceivably get turned over by another baldie when ZZ rocks up. I have a feeling Real will be going through.