but I gotta comment on a couple of things I've read today. Firstly I read that England "Legend" Paul Gasgoine has revealed the desperate hurt he feels over the sorry plight of the national side. This from a man who was caught scoffing fat-boys kebabs and swilling ale with celebrities when he should have been keeping fit, diciplined and in trainging with England. Ya can not possibly look at PG as one of England's greats. He's cocked himself up and now relies on "what could have been" memories from two-bob journalists and bleary-eyed office football managers up and down the country.

Another snippet was a little article on the back pages of The Sun with Coley missing his kick. Caption reads something like "The moment Andy Cole became a laughing stock across the world" or some tripe like that!! Only a Man United player could generate such overreaction. Any other player="He missed his kick". United player="He totally missed the easiest chance ever in the world, and instantly became the most useless footballer since time began..."

The words 'only human' spring to mind

I don't let it get to me in the way many NUFC fans felt personally hurt by anti WGB comments in the press. As a regular follower of The Shirts I know what Andy Cole brings to Yewnited in the form of goals and lay-ons ( I refuse to use the Americanology "assists"). Being levelled a Big Game Choker holds no weight with us..especially when we remember some of the goals he's scored in Eupope...BIG GAMES indeed.

Now....while I ignore these comments aimed at dissing players of my club, I suppose I must also ignore comments praising players from my club. This occurred today when one journo. praised P. Neville for the courage and pride shown playing for England this week in the face of puplic outrage. The same journalist who praised P. Neville a lot more than I've noted here then went on to remark about the way that Macca and Owen when warming up were pissing around like school kids while waving to family and friends in the crowd.....showing a remarkable amount of "I don't care" attitude. Maybe this was noticed by Sgt Wilko??? Still...who takes any notice of newspapers :-)

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2000

Answers

LR

Why bother raising these issues? Feeling insecure now that the focus has shifted to one of your lads? Haemmorhoids playing up? Bored?

I think that now that WGB has gone there'll be many more caustic comments flying around.

How long d'ya think it'll be before England win their first match since WGB's retirement?

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2000

Not at all...the focus is always on one Yewnited player or another anyway. I raised those points to show how NOT bothered I am about the press...using the Andy Cole put down and the P. Neville praise as examples. Bored I s'pose.

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2000

Has it got to the stage when WGB is an accepted acronym for Wor Al. I doubt it, Andy Cole is a decent player but will never be an Alan Shearer, because he plays for TWBFC people will listen to him but he will continue to look daft if he disses a great player like Shearer without getting on the score sheet for England. And how did he miss that easiest chance in the world? (c;

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2000

LR,

Paul Gascgoine? Undoubtedly, the most talented English player of his generation. Wasted much of his god-given gifts because he couldn't handle the fame, attention, and particularly the wealth. Direct parallel to the most gifted player of the previous generation - George Best, who I seem to recall played for your lot.

So, B/S tabloid criticism is fine and dandy if it's directed at Alan Shearer, but not if it's directed at Andy Cole? They are as wrong to slag of AC in this vicious way as they were with AS - but they reckon it sells newspapers. Tossers!

I'm not sure what you're fishing for with regard to PN. Public attacks on the guy are as despicable as they were on Becks after the WC. I for one would certainly agree with the press praise for him - he has indeed just got on with playing, with must require a certain amount of courage. I happen to believe he should not be selected to play for England, but that's definitely not his fault, and to pillory the guy the way he has been is an absolute national disgrace.
Sadly, that's the sort of sad, miserable, vicious society we live in - and this all provides another example of why we should all be striving to change it for the better.

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2000

So what do you wipe your arse with?

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2000

Smiler...to be honest I'd rather P. Nev didn't play for England...or Andy Cole or Bex or Scholes or Wesley, or Oh Teddy Teddy or the other Brother Grim.

P.Neville has said as much as you actually....he plays because he's picked. I don't think P. Neville for one minute thinks he's a world class defender....if yer picked yer not about to say..."hang on..I'm shit me"

The George Best analogy is fine. He's another one who ruined himself and is always pocking his nose in but George retired from football himself. Gazza is still in football and still wanting to play for England..and he's still a fat bastard. George Best has also been heralded as the best player in the world ever...by Pele. Contentious I know but if not the best ever certainly in the top 3 or 5. I don't think Gazza comes close to Best. It's ok being the bets of yer generation but how much have we got out of him? How much did NUFC get out of him , or Spurs for that matter? He didn't shine for Lazio either and I can't remember singing his praises after every England game he played.

BTW...how many Titles home or European does PG have?...

PING!!

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2000

Be careful with the medals thing, nobody will ever achieve the medal tally that Phil Neal did, and none of us would class him in the Top 100 right backs we'd ever seen

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2000

George retired from football himself.

Not strictly true........he retired from football cos he couldn't remember where the ground was. BTW...how many Titles home or European does PG have?...

yooooo hooooo Mine's bigger than yours!!!!!!!!!!....... As far as Andy Cole is concerned.......the miss was the kind of thing you would expect to see on Hackney Marshes on Sunday monring.....not on an International football field....that said, he was the only player on the pitch who looked as if he wanted to score!

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2000