[Archived] Premier League Happenings

[Joar]

I think the only relegated club with a chance of bouncing straight back is Reading. There will be too much unrest and upheaval at QPR and Wigan.

I would tend to agree with you on this. QPR will surely be completely dismantled and the few players staying on act like petulant dicontented kids, bringing further unrest in an allready chaotic club.

Wigan will lose some very important players I would guess (McCarthy, Watson, McManaman), but they might be able to keep quite a few. The problem is if they lose Martínez, and most likely a new manager wil play a different system than 5-3-2/3-4-3, which means a slow start adapting to a new system, and bedding players into new roles.

Reading has got Adkins, and I don't think too many players are attractive to Prem teams. Non-regular starters like Le Fondre could step up and be massive in the Championship.

But in the end I think this league is too unpredictable to even guess at who goes up next season. Could be anyone from Bolton to Wednesday, hell, wouldn't even be surprised if Barnsley got in the playoffs

[K-Hod]

Why don't you like Wigan?

They are just about the only reason to bother with the Premier League this season.

Next season, there will be no reason to watch it. Not with any local pride, anyway.

Their gloating fans when they relegated us last season- you reap what you sow.

[thenodrog]

Their gloating fans when they relegated us last season- you reap what you sow.

Our lot would have been the same no doubt.

[K-Hod]

Our lot would have been the same no doubt.

Don't think we'd have been arrogant enough to sing 'you'll never play us again' to be fair.

For what it's worth, I have quite a lot of time for Dave Whelan, especially given his emotional reaction to our relegation afted the same game.

[arbitro]

Our lot would have been the same no doubt.

I can't speak for everybody but if Wigan had been in our situation last season with awful owners who were directly responsible for relegation they would have had my sympathy. Their gloating after the game walking up Bolton Road really got to me. I thought of their arrogance last night and wondered how they felt.

[cn174]

Wigan relegated, aww such a shame!

[Batman.]

Our lot would have been the same no doubt.

Without a doubt. I'm sure the Darwen End Headbangers would even have managed to get us embroiled in a racist/ homophobic row whilst they were at it.

[Clitherover]

Rafa still getting stick even though Chelsea have won a European Cup.

Wouldn't you just love it if Mourinho came in and not only won nothing but finished outside the Champions League places next season, they do say never go back.

[Guest Norbert]

Chelsea fans are spoilt brats. They were nothing more than a moderately well known London team who won the odd FA Cup before Abramovich bought them, and now they swagger about thinking they're some huge European superclub up there with Real Madrid, Man Utd, et al. in terms of history and status. Since Russian ownership, they have been very successful in becoming a big club, but over the span of their entire history? Not really.

Just checked, and before the 2004-5 season, they had won 1 league title, 3 FA Cups and 2 league cups. Even our record was better than that.

[47er]

Before Abramovich bought them, Chelsea had never beaten us in the Premier League on their own ground.Not sure about Ewood but we could always look forward to a visit to the Bridge.

[Amo]

Before Abramovich bought them, Chelsea had never beaten us in the Premier League on their own ground.Not sure about Ewood but we could always look forward to a visit to the Bridge.

I distinctly recall losing 4-3 there in 98/99.

[bellamy11]

I distinctly recall losing 4-3 there in 98/99.

That was at Ewood.

[47er]

I should add that we haven't won at the Bridge since he took over!

[Amo]

That was at Ewood.

So it was. For some reason I always think it was Stamford Bridge.

Highlights for anyone who cares:

<3 Perez

[M-K]

<3 Perez

That emoticon looks like a pair of testicles.

B*llocks Perez.

[Batman.]

What a player Chris Sutton was.

[danger19_80]

From Jamie Carragher's autobography:

When my leg was broken in an horrific tackle by Lucas Neill in September 2003, my mates were ready to hunt him down if I gave the go-ahead.

A few weeks later I received a phone call. "You won't believe this, Jay. We're in the Trafford Centre and Lucas Neill is walking straight towards us. What do you reckon?"

Did I really want Neill to take a crack? "There's only one problem," added the voice. "Little Davey Thommo is with him."

That was that. I could hardly let one of my best mates, David Thompson, now a Blackburn player, become a witness to an assault. Besides he'd have recognised the attackers. The impromptu mission was aborted and I sent a text to Thommo telling him Neill should give him a hug of thanks.

As word got back to Blackburn about the near miss, or should that be hit, their coach Terry Darracott, a Scouser, appealed to one of my friends to call the boys off. I agreed.

Classy guy...

[DE.]

Just an average day for a scouser tbh.

[ben_the_beast]

So it was. For some reason I always think it was Stamford Bridge.

Highlights for anyone who cares:

<3 Perez

As I was youngish at the time of that game I was curious to see if my memory of Perez being sent of for being knocked out by Le Saux was right.

Absolutely. One of the most ridiculous sendings off I've ever seen. He was some player

[thenodrog]

Just an average day for a scouser tbh.

Dunno who 'Jay's' mates were but I've a feeling Neil would be no pushover. Besides that bit in his book is a load of sensationalised rubbish designed to appeal to the scally intellect. That tackle was completely fair. He needs to consume more dairy products imo.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Did we break three Liverpool players legs in the past decade or so? I remember Carragher and Cisse but I swear there was another one?

[roverthemoon]

Jason McAteer

[Guest Norbert]

I have a bag of Jolly Ranchers riding on the Spurs/Arsenal tussle. I'll be backing Arsenal so my friend at work will not only see his Spurs on ITV 4 again, but will have to buy me those sweets.

[K-Hod]

It's embarassing that finishing 4th is an achievement an an aim imo. 'Champions' League my @rse.

[gumboots]

Did we break three Liverpool players legs in the past decade or so? I remember Carragher and Cisse but I swear there was another one?

Didn't one of them do his own leg turning in front of the Blackburn end?