It's been a long time coming it seems, but with Chelsea being associated with every player from evry league in ervey country, they havn't been out of the papers.

Thanks to Ivan Moneybags, we've had some fantastic transfer deals (and at least Jody Morris has gone !! ). Don't expect us to win the title, but we should hopefully do slightly better than last year.

And you got to feel sorry for West Ham #snigger#, guaranteed to get promotion straight back up with the players they have and sell 15 of them!!! Thanks Glen Roeder for the bargains of Messrs Cole and Johnson

Still speculation over Jimmy Fllloyd Hasselbaink tho. If he ans Eider can have a season like 2 yrs back rather than last season, then we'll be rocketing up there

#crosses fingers and waits for next week#

*cries*

I'm pretending that football doesn't exist for this season. My team was relegated and they seem to have sold off most of their decent players in the last week or so. Think i'll hiberate till its all over!

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by Incandenza
A week today, the season kicks off properly

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Erm, excuse me, but the most popular football league in Britain actually kicks off today!

And about time too. Season of glory in the offing for Northampton Town. Up the Cobblers!

I'm going to go to the bookie to bet on Ruud to break the 50 goals barrier this season if anyone can do it he can.
#The reds keep marching on# another treble in the offing I think

Really looking forward to seeing how ewll Saints do in Europe this season and hope that it doesn't act as too much of a distraction in the league. We don't want a relegation battle after such a great season last year.

Oh, and can't wait to see how poorly Pompey do so I can look all smug at work on Monday mornings!

If anyone's going to win the league we are

Nah I'll be happy if we stay up

As far as relegation goes (for I've been thinking more about that end of the table I will admit) all the promoted clubs are in real danger, but I'd also say Fulham, Bolton (again), possibly Charlton if they repeat their form of the 2nd half of last season, and maybe even Leeds

I predict...

Man Utd to struggle in midfield with Veron and Becks gone and no Ronaldhinho to fill the hole...

Arsenal to win the league comfortably

Chelsea to self destruct spectacularly

Leeds to get relegated (woo hoo)

Houllier to get the sack as another attempt to bore his way to the title fails.

Well, my three months' respite from following the fortunes of Tranmere Rovers are over...but at least we kicked butt yesterday. I don't honestly think we've got any players anybody's heard of now- Stuart Barlow having gone to Stockport-but we've cut the wage bill and only bought where the players on offer are better than the ones we've got.

If Leeds go down, I'll be so happy (working in Leeds and having fond memories of Peter Reid from the Tranmere-Sunderland cup tie of a year or two ago.

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by Incandenza
So, are you excited?

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Uh, NO!

I have many more things to worry about. Most... Oh, 100% DONT inculde sports!

why not dedicate the time you spend watching some useless sport (i mean, what good does it to do to anyone) and do something helpful to mankind or the enviroment, which is SO much more rewarding.

Try it.

But i guess that would mean getting of your sofa's and doing something other than parking to watch grown men play a game.

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by Cat
Uh, NO!

I have many more things to worry about. Most... Oh, 100% DONT inculde sports!

why not dedicate the time you spend watching some useless sport (i mean, what good does it to do to anyone) and do something helpful to mankind or the enviroment, which is SO much more rewarding.

Try it.

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Right after the footie's finished love!

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But i guess that would mean getting of your sofa's and doing something other than parking to watch grown men play a game.

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As opposed to the entirely more productive pratice of sitting on your sofa and watching grown thesps play vampires and slayers.

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by Byron
(quotes)
Right after the footie's finished love!
(quotes)
As opposed to the entirely more productive pratice of sitting on your sofa and watching grown thesps play vampires and slayers.

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As Byron says, how is watching a sport any different than watching the television? It's a bit of escapism and, for 90 minutes, makes you forget some of the hassles in your life and can make you feel happy (or sad, depending on the result) for a while.

And, Cat, why are so you angry about things all the time? Chill out a bit Just because you don't like sport is no reason to spit venom at those who do. I mean, who are you to judge what people do with their spare time as useless.

Take some deep breaths and chill

(Edited by Whistler 11/08/2003 08:55)

Arrrgghhh to football.......

That means TV schedules disrupted due to important matches etc etc etc.....

On another note though Mmmmmmmm men in shorts

Hmmm, I wonder what's in store for my precious Newcastle... Champion's League football this season and the perenniel quest for silverware that never happens for us. We now have Lee Bowyer in our squad, though i reserve judgement on him.

Hopefully a top three result again for us.


And talking of Sunderland, my brother tells me that if they lose the next four games they will be the worst side in the history of football,ever!. *Not Saying A Word*

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by Jola
On another note though Mmmmmmmm men in shorts

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I see your Mmmmmmmm and raise you a *drool*

I just noticed this thread & just thought I'd a few comments...

Football went away?
Where did it go?
Why did it come back?

To be honest, football doesn't exist in our house, so that particular season tends to pass me by

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by Cat
(quotes)

Uh, NO!

I have many more things to worry about. Most... Oh, 100% DONT inculde sports!

why not dedicate the time you spend watching some useless sport (i mean, what good does it to do to anyone) and do something helpful to mankind or the enviroment, which is SO much more rewarding.

Try it.

But i guess that would mean getting of your sofa's and doing something other than parking to watch grown men play a game.

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Why don't you find something positive to post about?

Its nice to have you back after a prolonged absense, but if you're so concerned about people wasting time watching the footie, why are you wasting time reading about it? The thread subject is very clear from the title

I don't mean to have a go at you, but its becoming tiresome.
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On a more on-topic point, I'm with T and the men in shorts *humunuh humunuh humunuh*

I'm keen to see Rangers again. I missed the Community Shield too, but wasn;t too bothered about that. Oh, and let's see what the Toon Army can do this season

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by Cat
Uh, NO!

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Uh, ok.

I find interesting the idea that sport is useless and does no good for anyone.

Were it purely an exercise in entertainment, that would put it on a level equivalent to other spectator activities such as theatre, television, opera, cinema and live music.

Muhammad Ali boxing, the interplay of Jordan and Pippen, an Agassi return or a Beckham free kick have aesthetic qualities to be admired.

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do something helpful to mankind or the enviroment, which is SO much more rewarding.

Try it.

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I can only aspire to your selfless altruism and must humbly admit that sometimes I do things just because I enjoy them.

That said, I dispute that sport is useless as anything beyond spectacle. At a spectator level, sport can promote community and camaraderie, is an activity that crosses social and racial barriers, aids communication and teaches fairness and the reality of emotional disappointment.

Indeed, the French philosopher Albert Camus said ‘All that I know most surely about morals and obligations I owe to football.’

Sport promotes values of fair play, physical fitness, discipline, character and mental toughness.

It manifests across cultures throughout history suggesting that, like art, it is at a profound level tied to a sense of what makes us human.

Professional sport provides a spectacle which encourages many of those watching to engage in exercise boosting their general level of fitness which has benefits to society.

As an industry, it provides jobs for hundreds of thousands of people in the UK alone.

The World Cup is the most watched sporting event in the world, an occasion that crosses barriers of race and culture and demonstrates the similarities that bind us as a species. The five rings of the Olympic symbol equate to friendship, fair play, honour, peace and glory.

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But i guess that would mean getting of your sofa's and doing something other than parking to watch grown men play a game.

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If only I could be a well-rounded person with interests outside sportÂ… oh well, if anyone wants me IÂ’ll be on the settee with a tinny.

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by Incandenza

Indeed, the French philosopher Albert Camus said ?All that I know most surely about morals and obligations I owe to football.?

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Excellent.
My other half HATES football, but studies philosophy.
Now I have some ammunition to use against him.

And can I just say that my team, the Jambos, Jam Tarts, H.E.A.R.T.S., Heart of Midlothian, Hearts! started the season well with a 2 - 0 win over Aberdeen.
(and Celtic drew nill nill to Dunfermline!)