11 Mar 2020 15:32:40
This is an absolutely true story. I was chatting to a postman yesterday and I noticed he was wearing a wooly Aston Villa. I offered him my commiserations on his team's crushing defeat to Leicester the previous evening upon which he gloomy said he was designed to relegation. To cheer him up I said that surely there were 3 worst team's than Villa in the Premiership but he then proceeded to list their next 6 or 7 fixtures all of which were very very tough. Not wanting to finish the conversation on this pessimistic note (and clutching at straws admittedly) I said the season might be abandoned because of Corona virus. With no word of a lie his face brightened up and he said he hadn't thought of that! As he went cheerfully on his way I thought that is the true nature of passion for a football team that he would countenance the deaths of thousands so that his club could have an extra season in the Premiership. Didn't know whether to laugh or cry but part of me understood!
11 Mar 2020 16:41:29
Football passion is a strong undividing loyalty to each and every fan. Like you say do you laugh or cry it would be interesting to know how many fans would feel the same as your postman if their team was in Villas position. On another note just read all games to go ahead as scheduled as per Government protocol interesting to see if it will be behind closed doors.
11 Mar 2020 17:18:23
A quote by the late Bill Shankly springs to mind.
11 Mar 2020 17:40:55
Red sgetty as I said further down the board the most ridiculous quote in sports history,
11 Mar 2020 18:00:02
Never understimate the value and meaning of football to many millions of blokes in this country.
As I recall during the First World War at one point both sides downed tools and had a footie game in no man's land. The Generals had a tough time getting the men back to slaughtering each other again.
11 Mar 2020 18:09:12
"Even if there was a hand, it was the hand of God" - Maradona. A little bit ridiculous you must admit.
11 Mar 2020 19:02:11
Shanklys quote was ludicrous,
11 Mar 2020 19:11:53
Not quite as ridiculous as football being more important than life and death,
{Ed001's Note - it was a joke. He said many times how he regretted saying it as people took it seriously. Not his fault people are morons and can't understand a joke.}
11 Mar 2020 19:29:31
Sorry ed really don't appreciate being called a moron, his quote has been re hashed many times as an example of his single mindedness and passion for the game, if it was a joke he should have clarified it at the time,
{Ed001's Note - then I am sorry you lack the required intelligence to understand it was a joke and the fact that a few idiots in the media keep repeating it for that purpose just shows what idiots they are.
Why should he clarify it for morons? When he told Adidas his foot size was 28 when they were making him a golden boot, did he need to explain that was a joke? Or many other quotes he made which were tongue-in-cheek, did he need to explain them all for the hard of thinking? It is a sad world that people only want to believe what suits their purposes.}
11 Mar 2020 20:27:18
The genius that was Brian Clough was misinterpreted many times when putting out his wittisisms. When people seek clarification it says a lot about their general outlook on life. Humour is necessary but offence is destructive.
11 Mar 2020 21:09:48
You need to know your audience with your humour if you do not want to cause offence.
11 Mar 2020 22:45:22
ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘cambridge, its fine margins as one of ex managers said.
Edd you are correct by the way and many famous people have said things tongue in cheek, but that was all it was, not a true reflection of their thoughts in general.
Theres a tweet going around about les Dennis and he's actually joined in as he's sees the funny side of it all, might even get him back to fame, dancincing on ice?
Think when you have a new virus out there that is affecting the whole world and spreads very easily you have to take it seriously.
12 Mar 2020 00:26:00
Quality thread, I did try to wind up a couple of Liverpool mates saying that this season will be scrapped due to Corona and will start a fresh again next season.
I'll go easy on them tomorrow as Adrian had a shocker late on, fair play Athletico as I thought Liverpool had won it.
12 Mar 2020 07:28:01
Shankly ‘s comment was a joke, I’m no Liverpool fan but Shankly was a truly great man and manager who loved football and particularly ordinary supporters, unlike some managers. The story of him telling his players to move so that the team bus could pick up a couple of fans hitch hiking because they were the most important people in the club tells you all you need to know.