Voll Blau

Anderson to Budinger at 11.01am. Yikes.

He should make mincemeat of Div 2 batters, especially with so much of the season taking part scandalously early. Got to rate his commitment to wanting to play.

Even this could be turned into a league in some way. Double round robin but points only given for overall series results to help nations for whom hosting longer series isn't commercially viable - say you give 7 for a series win, 3 each for a drawn series and a point for the losing side if the margin of victory was one game (2-1 or 3-2). Agree with the @Tommy Fresh World Cup idea, using County Championship style bonus points as deciders in the event of draws. You'd probably always have to hold it here for it to be remotely commercially viable though. I don't even think the two division idea is terrible, but we all know it'll be executed poorly as a stich-up between the Greedy Three, the fixture list will become boring and, eventually, fans will start voting with their feet when theyre being asked to shell out daft money to watch the same tourists every other year.

Yeah, think I'll be back in tomorrow barring any further rain but I'll be on alert for that sound coming through! Happened to my boss this morning.

What's the state around Barrow now? Google Maps telling me the road is passable around the Soar Bridge which I cant believe for a second.

Like I say, I made it in. Better luck tomorrow.

That's just not true, I'm afraid. UEFA fine and ban fans from across the continent all the time for various things - pyro, scrapping, tifos they find inappropriate etc - as do national associations, governments and police. And football-related deaths occur abroad too, although I think you do have a point about how such large scale disasters affected our psyche. Even on the same island though, another nation affected by comparable stadium disasters in the past (Scotland) now has a thriving Ultras scene. English mentality alone is to blame for why we're in the state we're in, as uncomfortable as that is for many to read.

All true, but fan repression exists in other countries too and supporters abroad manage to overcome it. We've just never even tried.

Doesn't explain why it's not a problem in any other country. English people are the problem, nothing else.

Fvck knows how I've managed to make it into Barrow today. Not rating my chances of getting out later.

Fulham away there were prats putting Trump stickers up all over the UFS boat, including on fellow fans' flags. Just fvck off, who do these dickheads think they are?

He scored more fifties than anyone in the world in first-class cricket in 2024. Nice to know that still counts for something in the eyes of some selectors.

Well, that would be my definition of a "rugby town" too - somewhere rugby is a better followed sport than football.

Honestly, if I had a quid... Maybe I've just always mixed in the wrong circles my whole life, but I could count on one hand the number of people I know from back home who'd identify as Tigers vs the dozens I know who'd identify as City. The disjointed history of the club itself and the out-of-town ground (granted, not too bad for the Southern Estate but awfully located for everyone else) are much bigger factors.

Never been to a segregated game at Harborough. Intrigued as to how it works with only one way in and out of the ground. 2-1 at the moment.

Woodies was always a standard post-match pint if we ever played cricket anywhere round there 10-15 years ago. Teammates consistently rated it the best pub in the county for birdwatching.

Highest attendance ever for a Test in Australia too.

Yep. Never an issue for Euro mobs at Anfield. Oh come on. If you can't enjoy football in those moments, then you really are wasting your Boxing Day travelling all that way.

Three Boxing Day Tests on around the world. Always a treat.

Mini snooker table was a belter.

Probably considered blasphemy on this thread but... Mount Gay XO is as enjoyable a neat drop as any spirit out there.

North Riding US IPA at the Winckley Street Ale House in Preston yesterday, but couldn't convince my missus to make her debut in The Black Horse. Criminal she's never been to one of Britain's finest architectural gems despite it being on her doorstep her whole life. Now on a De Ranke Père Noel after having a Hofbräu Winterzwickl. Can't beat a seasonal Beers of Europe order.

It's all excuses. People just can't admit they don't want to open their gobs. It's weird.

Oh, that's our excuse now? It's actually aimed at the fans in the away end who've never played professional football themselves. Worra great wind-up.

Definitely want to take our daughter to Germany for them when she's old enough. Some of the ones in Alsace look absolutely excellent too.