Apart from grabbing what passes for food at Piccadilly Station, Ringway or OT, the last time I ate in Manchester was at the most unspeakably disgusting chippy off Stevenson Square when I was a student. I had previously been very impressed by the Chinese in Manc land even back in the early '70s and have obviously missed out on the culinary developments since.

The pansey Newcastle defence is the ideal next opponent for the "restored resurgent" MGP to carry on building his game/confidence. He has been steadily improving this year but the fact an OK performance against Notlob is seen as showing signs of a second coming only underlines how far his game had fallen apart. Lets give all the positive support he needs.... (and a big hug from Jan)

I think den is right.

There were over 40 Premiership players there when I last counted. I think the moniker fits you!

More often than not after an AESF rant, I find myself laughing.

Looks like Bryan Robson will be going in the most predictable sacking of the fizzy pop this season.

Worth remembering I was split between wanting Dowie and Hughes when the Rovers appointment was being made. Doesn't bear thinking about what would have happened had Dowie got the nod.... When I saw the PNE result, I immediately thought curtains for Dowie. Sad that Tim Flowers got the chop as well.

Has our wunderkind been selected for Norway? Cannot find their game anywhere on the net. Up date- yes he has been picked and he's hit the side netting.

Essien, Drogba, Kallou and Obi are all Chelsea players- the first two arguably the best they have. If I were like Mourinho and on gardening leave, there would be nowhere else but the ANC I'd be this January/February. Manucho, the Angolan Man U have signed looks a frightening prospect if you think about him playing alongside the likes of Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo.

Carlisle United presumably had a say in it. What was Garner's contract position?

Bonkers in America

Really pleased Zura has signed his contract committing himself to Rovers to 2011.

The twist in this one is it was reported widely he was offered £50K at Liverpool. There was a lot written that Neill was going for £70K at West Ham when it turned out he was going for £55k and a verbal of £70K which it seems is going to be dishonoured. So he swapped Champions League football for £5k a week on his basic. No doubt Liverpool players also get bonuses that West Ham players cannot possibly get because they don't play the games so he might not even be financially better off at West Ham.

Unless Turkish TV has a standard tape they play for games from Ewood Park, it was all boom boom boom gerrintoem. Or am I missing the irony?

Sorry about the web site but this is one of my all time favourite goals. Sparky against Spain.

The Independent Man U supporters have used the Freedom of Information Act to look at Government reaction to the proposed Glazer takeover of Man U. It appears there was considerable concern and amendment of legislation which would have enabled a referal of the bid for Monopolies Commission review contemplated. However, an assurance by the Glazers they wouldn't raise prices headed that off....

WHam's £20m losses means no pay rise for Lucas. The article isn't exactly oozing with sympathy.

Good luck to the lad in Ghana captaining South Africa.

Barton remanded in custody to 16 January.

Heard the drummer again last night but he seemed to be more discriminating about when he banged which was good. On TV the crowd noise came over very clearly- don't know what it was like in the stadium. BBC on ground atmospheres

You are correct that he had not taken up the offer of a new contract. But rules for under 24 year old players on Bosmans means that compensation has to be paid if a contract has been offered. Yes Rovers did sell whilst within the old contract period and have pulled in around £1m for Jay with the promotion bonus being paid.

Quite agree. But he was on the books, local, wanted to stay and it was an almost risk free roll of the dice to renew the contract. Its not working in the sense that we are not gaining but Rovers are unlikely to lose. Gally was good at Stoke bad at PNE. Derbs was not deemed good enough at Plymouth and scored a goal a game at Wrexham.

Rovers will be recovering a good proportion of his wages from Stoke last season and Preston this season. Let's say £250K isn't recovered, what would you think his transfer value would be even after his less than inspired appearance in a PNE outfit which is clearly falling apart? He has a full cap for Scotland remember and I'd be astonished if there wouldn't be a bunch of CCC clubs interested if he were offered at around £400K with Rovers paying the player £150K of that to adjust his wage down to CCC levels. Gallagher is showing a worst case outcome (other than a long term injury) in being useless at PNE but from a financial perspective it looks a cash neutral decision to have extended his contract. Had he done as well as at Stoke or even improved during his spell at PNE, we would have been either quids in or got a very decent squad player.

I am a Liberal in the European sense but I always understood American libertarians to be opposed to Government interference with the individual's unfettered right to chose. I believe Ron Paul is opposed to the Federal Reserve and also the FDA's ability to proscribe any drugs or treatment's before they are medically proven unambiguously bad. With regards to majority positions, if you frame the question as to whether 60,000 people should be incarcerated in British jails primarilly because they are junkies, you will find I am in a significant majority in saying no they shouldn't be.

Hughes has already told the Lancashire Telegraph that none of the triallists so far have impressed.