The Official Football (Soccer) Thread

[bez]

haha fuck off Newcastle, good riddens.

Everton 5th again, are we going to start calling it the big 5 instead of the big four from now on?

Burnley up, straight down next season.

Boring Boro gone.

Liverpool won fuck all.

Everton cup final next week.

All in all, a good season.

[Paul]

^^^^^^^^ Congratulations, Everton are becoming a force


DUBLIN -- Militant Protestant supporters of a Scottish football team beat to death a Roman Catholic man in the latest sign of how sports rivalries inspire sectarian bloodshed in Northern Ireland, police and politicians said Monday.

Witnesses said more than 20 Protestant supporters of Glasgow Rangers, many of them wearing the team's blue-and-white jerseys and scarves, drove into a Catholic district of the town of Coleraine after Rangers clinched the Scottish Premier League championship Sunday.

Billy Leonard, a former policeman and politician from the Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein, said several carloads of anti-Catholic extremists came armed with clubs "and literally attacked the first person they came across."

Kevin McDaid, 49, was fatally beaten while his wife, Evelyn, and a 46-year-old Catholic neighbour, Damien Fleming, were both injured. Fleming was reported in critical condition.

Police said they arrested six men on suspicion of involvement in the attack on McDaid.

A Presbyterian minister in the town, the Rev. Alan Johnston, said Rangers supporters were drinking heavily while watching Sunday's Rangers victory at pubs in central Coleraine and then drove across a bridge to the Catholic area, Somerset Drive.

A Catholic politician in the town, John Dallat, accused an outlawed Protestant paramilitary group, the Ulster Defence Association, of responsibility.

Rangers enjoys support exclusively from the British Protestant side of the community in Northern Ireland, while arch-rival Glasgow Celtic draws support only from the Irish Catholics.

Those sectarian allegiances fuel street fighting, and occasionally worse, in both Glasgow and across Northern Ireland, particularly when the two teams play each other or when the annual league championship -- typically won by one of the two -- is determined. Celtic, league champions the previous three years, finished second Sunday.

Police in forensic suits erected a tent Monday to preserve evidence at the spot where McDaid died. Nearby, someone had tied a green-and-white Celtic scarf to a pole, and teenagers wearing Celtic clothing huddled on street corners drinking from beer cans and shouting anti-Protestant slogans.

The officer leading the murder investigation, Detective Chief Inspector Frankie Taylor, appealed to the Catholic minority in the town not to retaliate.

Taylor said the dead man had four children, did volunteer youth work in the town, and had been encouraging local Catholics to co-operate with Northern Ireland's traditionally Protestant police. He described McDaid as "a man who would do anything for anybody."

In Northern Ireland, where Catholics and Protestants attend separate school systems, sports divide rather than unite the population. Protestants back rugby, Catholics their homegrown Gaelic football and hurling.

Both sides like football -- but rarely root for the same teams. In international competitions, Catholics back the Republic of Ireland football team, Protestants the Northern Ireland squad. Many Belfast pubs refuse to admit customers if they are wearing football jerseys or scarves, particularly the rival Glasgow colours, because of the likelihood it will spark a fight.



Disgusting



My brother who is a celtic fan was leaving park head on sunday heading back to his bus with other celtic fans where they confronted by two men wearing rangers strips and masks, 1 had a baseball bat and another had a samarui(spelling) sword and they tried to attack as many people as they could, guy with the sword put it through a guy on my brothers bus face


Is that how they celebrate winning the league?? Scum of the highest order

[Mac 10 †]

Is that how they celebrate winning the league?? Scum of the highest order

You sound like you're surprised.

Came back to my local boozer and guys from the nearest hun pub had come up and attempted to leather anyone they could.

3 other deaths in Glasgow as well on Sunday night.

Same old story, win lose or draw.

R.I.P. Kevin McDaid, R.I.P. Kieran Crawford, R.I.P. Jamie Bain, R.I.P. Robert Currie.

[TheDeli]

Is that how they celebrate winning the league?? Scum of the highest order

You sound like you're surprised.

Came back to my local boozer and guys from the nearest hun pub had come up and attempted to leather anyone they could.

3 other deaths in Glasgow as well on Sunday night.

Same old story, win lose or draw.

R.I.P. Kevin McDaid, R.I.P. Kieran Crawford, R.I.P. Jamie Bain, R.I.P. Robert Currie.

What about the celtic fans trying to attack Hearts fans at Parkhead on Sunday?

From the BBC Website "Police investigating the murder of a 22-year-old man in the east end of Glasgow at the weekend have renewed their appeal for information.

Kieran Crawford died after being seriously injured in a fight in Forge Street in the Germiston area at about 1710 BST on Sunday.

A 28-year-old man who was hurt in the same disturbance remains in hospital.

Detectives were examining CCTV footage and appealed for anyone who may have seen the incident to get in tough.

Mr Crawford's murder was one of three committed in the Strathclyde Police force area over the weekend.

Police have said they were not linked to the end of season football matches involving the Old Firm.
Relevant information

Det Insp John Kennedy, who is leading the Forge Street investigation said: "Forensic examination of the area has been completed and the cordons lifted.

"We are currently examining CCTV footage taken from the general area in an effort to identify those involved."

He added: "I would also ask motorists or pedestrians who were in the area of Forge Street on Sunday evening and may have seen or heard anything that could be relevant to come forward.

"Any piece of information may prove relevant to our investigation."

Police have now named a 17-year-old youth who died after an incident in Drakemire Drive, Castlemilk, Glasgow, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

He was Jaime Bain from the Castlemilk area.

Later Robert Currie, 20, died following a disturbance in Dumbarton at about 1455 BST.

A 22-year-old man has been arrested in connection with his death. "

Both sets of fans have idiots in their support not just us.  You lot aren't angels, don't try and act like you's are.

Also sectarian trouble in Ulster, this is not just due to 2 football clubs.  RIP and condolences to the family of the person murdered. 

[Furor Teutonicus]

haha fuck off Newcastle, good riddens.

Everton 5th again, are we going to start calling it the big 5 instead of the big four from now on?

Burnley up, straight down next season.

Boring Boro gone.

Liverpool won fuck all.

Everton cup final next week.

All in all, a good season.

Everton is really impressing...considering the fact they played the first half of the season without a striker, and now with the loss of Arteta....they played a sensational season
I'm also surprised to see that our ex-player Steven Pienaar plays  an important role there.

Liverpool played a really convincing season too, they def. deserved a title this year. Gerrard is the worlds best player on his position at the mo.

[bez]

haha fuck off Newcastle, good riddens.

Everton 5th again, are we going to start calling it the big 5 instead of the big four from now on?

Burnley up, straight down next season.

Boring Boro gone.

Liverpool won fuck all.

Everton cup final next week.

All in all, a good season.

Everton is really impressing...considering the fact they played the first half of the season without a striker, and now with the loss of Arteta....they played a sensational season
I'm also surprised to see that our ex-player Steven Pienaar plays  an important role there.

Liverpool played a really convincing season too, they def. deserved a title this year. Gerrard is the worlds best player on his position at the mo.

Pienaar is a fantastic playe. How any team let him go for a minimal price baffles me. We played without Cahill at the start of the season, Arteta, Yakubu, Anichebe - for the second half of the season. We have done amazingly well.

[Mac 10 †]

Police have said they were not linked to the end of season football matches involving the Old Firm.

Oh the police said that? Must be a coinsidence then eh?

[TheDeli]

Police have said they were not linked to the end of season football matches involving the Old Firm.

Oh the police said that? Must be a coinsidence then eh?

One of them occurred before the games were played.

Ok, so what you think the police, that like to link football with a rise in crimes and arrests are now playing it down?  Its was murders, not something that tends to get played down.
 

[Mac 10 †]

Police have said they were not linked to the end of season football matches involving the Old Firm.

Oh the police said that? Must be a coinsidence then eh?

One of them occurred before the games were played.

Ok, so what you think the police, that like to link football with a rise in crimes and arrests are now playing it down?  Its was murders, not something that tends to get played down.
 

Clutch at straws much? Pathetically obvious statement.

So what is the valid time period for a murder to be "connected"? 5 mins before kick-off and after the final whistle?

[TheDeli]

Police have said they were not linked to the end of season football matches involving the Old Firm.

Oh the police said that? Must be a coinsidence then eh?

One of them occurred before the games were played.

Ok, so what you think the police, that like to link football with a rise in crimes and arrests are now playing it down?  Its was murders, not something that tends to get played down.
 

Clutch at straws much? Pathetically obvious statement.

So what is the valid time period for a murder to be "connected"? 5 mins before kick-off and after the final whistle?

Not clutching at straws, by stating that I was showing that it was not after the game.

So are murders connected to a game?  When is a valid time for a crime not be connected to a game of football?

The police have stated that these are not connected to the football that took place at the weekend.  This may change, I couldn't say.

IMO it seems like trying to associate the murders with us winning the title is rather shallow.

On another note, see that Strachan left and that most celtic fans are very happy at this, wonder what the reason could be there    Perhaps due to not being 'celtic minded' 

[Mac 10 †]

Police have said they were not linked to the end of season football matches involving the Old Firm.

Oh the police said that? Must be a coinsidence then eh?

One of them occurred before the games were played.

Ok, so what you think the police, that like to link football with a rise in crimes and arrests are now playing it down?  Its was murders, not something that tends to get played down.
 

Clutch at straws much? Pathetically obvious statement.

So what is the valid time period for a murder to be "connected"? 5 mins before kick-off and after the final whistle?

Not clutching at straws, by stating that I was showing that it was not after the game.

So are murders connected to a game?  When is a valid time for a crime not be connected to a game of football?

The police have stated that these are not connected to the football that took place at the weekend.  This may change, I couldn't say.

IMO it seems like trying to associate the murders with us winning the title is rather shallow.

On another note, see that Strachan left and that most celtic fans are very happy at this, wonder what the reason could be there    Perhaps due to not being 'celtic minded' 

Shallowness is going back and forth about someone who was kicked to death for the crime of being a Catholic. His wife was also beaten up as was a pregnant woman who tried to stop it from happening. I can't bring myself to argue about it anymore to be honest. I'd rather spend my time saying a prayer for his widow and fatherless kids.

So to move on to your point about football - you are only as good as your last game. If you knew half as much as you like to think you do you would know that Strachan had not been doing a good enough job. Nothing to do with the fact he isn't Celtic Minded, although admittedly for some people that may be an additional perk of his depature.

[TheDeli]

Police have said they were not linked to the end of season football matches involving the Old Firm.

Oh the police said that? Must be a coinsidence then eh?

One of them occurred before the games were played.

Ok, so what you think the police, that like to link football with a rise in crimes and arrests are now playing it down?  Its was murders, not something that tends to get played down.
 

Clutch at straws much? Pathetically obvious statement.

So what is the valid time period for a murder to be "connected"? 5 mins before kick-off and after the final whistle?

Not clutching at straws, by stating that I was showing that it was not after the game.

So are murders connected to a game?  When is a valid time for a crime not be connected to a game of football?

The police have stated that these are not connected to the football that took place at the weekend.  This may change, I couldn't say.

IMO it seems like trying to associate the murders with us winning the title is rather shallow.

On another note, see that Strachan left and that most celtic fans are very happy at this, wonder what the reason could be there    Perhaps due to not being 'celtic minded' 

Shallowness is going back and forth about someone who was kicked to death for the crime of being a Catholic. His wife was also beaten up as was a pregnant woman who tried to stop it from happening. I can't bring myself to argue about it anymore to be honest. I'd rather spend my time saying a prayer for his widow and fatherless kids.

So to move on to your point about football - you are only as good as your last game. If you knew half as much as you like to think you do you would know that Strachan had not been doing a good enough job. Nothing to do with the fact he isn't Celtic Minded, although admittedly for some people that may be an additional perk of his depature.

I am not being shallow, it seemed like you were trying to point score and use what happened over the weekend to have yet another go at Rangers and Rangers fans. 

But yes, it would be better to talk about the football, after all it is a football post.

Strachan won 3 titles out of the last 4 and even this was not enough and he was disliked for the majority of his tenure.  A common fault from the 'faithful' celtic fans is that he wasn't celtic minded enough.

Shall be interesting to see who becomes the next unfortunate manager at the san giro.  Wonder if the Roy Aitken rumours are true  well at least he's celtic minded 

[StreetsAllSalute]

and they say the scots hate the english...you'd have to drag them off each other before you'd notice   

[Mac 10 †]

I am not being shallow, it seemed like you were trying to point score and use what happened over the weekend to have yet another go at Rangers and Rangers fans. 

But yes, it would be better to talk about the football, after all it is a football post.

Strachan won 3 titles out of the last 4 and even this was not enough and he was disliked for the majority of his tenure.  A common fault from the 'faithful' celtic fans is that he wasn't celtic minded enough.

Shall be interesting to see who becomes the next unfortunate manager at the san giro.  Wonder if the Roy Aitken rumours are true  well at least he's celtic minded 

That's the difference between Celtic fans and Rangers fans. 3 leagues out of 4 years isn't good enough for Celtic.

We don't just look at stats. We need performance. Admittedly some people demand perfection and want to be like Barcelona in terms of performance as well as results but only a minority of Celtic fans would be unhappy at the appointment of a manager purely because he isn't Celtic Minded.

I can guarentee you as I said before I'm sure you aren't aware of what was being produced by the team and that is why the Strachan lost the Celtic fans.

We should have had the league won by February. We threw it away like Rangers did last year.

[Elano]

haha fuck off Newcastle, good riddens.

Everton 5th again, are we going to start calling it the big 5 instead of the big four from now on?

Burnley up, straight down next season.

Boring Boro gone.

Liverpool won fuck all.

Everton cup final next week.

All in all, a good season.

Everton is really impressing...considering the fact they played the first half of the season without a striker, and now with the loss of Arteta....they played a sensational season
I'm also surprised to see that our ex-player Steven Pienaar plays  an important role there.

Liverpool played a really convincing season too, they def. deserved a title this year. Gerrard is the worlds best player on his position at the mo.

Pienaar is a fantastic playe. How any team let him go for a minimal price baffles me. We played without Cahill at the start of the season, Arteta, Yakubu, Anichebe - for the second half of the season. We have done amazingly well.

Pienaar is very talented but i'm not sure about him on a big team.....