Nottingham Forest banter 9

20 Jul 2026 15:58:10
Rip Kevin Keegan, thoughts go to his family, friends and supporters who saw him play around the world.

20 Jul 2026 16:24:08
A very sad occasion. Watched him play a few times. Always gave 100% and scored some cracking goals, very quick and athletic. RIP.

20 Jul 2026 16:42:54
Rip "King Kev".
???

20 Jul 2026 17:30:57
RIP Kev. ?

20 Jul 2026 21:56:27
"Jesus Saves!" But Keegan scores from the rebound!

20 Jul 2026 22:18:30
One of the greats for me, and played the game as we all like, as a player and a manager.

21 Jul 2026 16:12:22
My favourite Kevin Keegan story, as related in John McGovern's excellent autobiography "From Bo'ness to the Bernabeu".

Madrid, May 1980, European Cup Final, Forest v Hamburg.
Both teams line up in the tunnel.
Forest players were instructed that no one speaks to any Hamburg player, nor even looks at their star player, Kevin Keegan.
Except for Larry Lloyd, who says "Look Kevin, we were mates at Liverpool, and I want to warn you about Kenny Burns. He's a bit pumped up and he's coming after you."
KK looks across, and Kenny has removed his dentures and is snarling at him, chewing his gums and staring right through him.


The game starts, Robbo scores for us, and Kenny clatters KK from behind as he makes a few choice remarks about his perm. Booked.
After a few more tussles, KK plays much deeper as a midfielder.
We win, and KK has little effect on the game, apart from a shot which Shilts saves.
KK is frustrated and tussles with a linesman, but, glamour boy as he is, escapes punishment.

20 Jul 2026 15:47:00
RIP Kev, really sad news.

20 Jul 2026 13:50:23
On a point you raised DTP, how do you coach against the likes of Argentina…
Well, mate, keeping good discipline like Spain did helps a great deal (Not even a yellow against 6 yellows and a Red (which should have been 2 Reds at least)).
But I’d recommend a return of “Code 99” as per Willie John McBride against a brutal South Africa in 1974 (and others). Just thump the opponent nearest to you as the ref can’t send the whole team off without massive repercussions. He only had to do it once in that series (apart from a warning fracas in a warm up match). With Springbok thuggery removed the Lions were able to win every one of their match but one, a draw using the talents of great players like Gareth Edwards, Billy Beaumont, JPR Williams, etc.


For those of you who say it can’t work in football, it can. I brought it in as captain of my University team in the Cardiganshire League in the late 1970’s. We only had to use it once, against Carmarthen Town in my second year. There was all sorts of disciplinary meetings and a warning but word got out, if our opponents (and bear in mind we were virtually all English, so every game was Wales v England) and we were allowed to play successful football.

20 Jul 2026 21:34:49
The answer is simple, Stokey.
Sit back for the first 15 mins and make them play, then hit them on the break, they love teams attacking them.
Rugby is a different sport, and one I dislike, no comparison at all.

21 Jul 2026 09:00:07
If it was that simple, DTP, I'm sure professional coaches at this level would have worked it out, mate. I thought you were anti low block defending anyway?
I'd rather try something that I've seen actually work in practice than a theory.


Obviously, football and rugby are different sports, but have the same principles: 2 teams, physical contact, and scope for some skulduggery, not, for example, like tennis or netball.

21 Jul 2026 14:05:27
Well, if we had tried that in the Central Midlands League against some of the teams from the Notts Coalfields, I reckon the bus home wouldn't have been necessary, unless it was to collect us from the QMC.

21 Jul 2026 15:12:05
I was young and daft Oakham instead of being old and daft like I am now mate.
The thing was that a lot of working class lads like myself were getting to University due to the availability of Labour Party grants, changing education from the preserve of the rich. I think the Welsh were taken aback by our aggression and ( not to put too fine a point on it) violence if provoked. A far cry from the posh boys who they'd faced before.
As I said, we only had to do it once and word got round that we weren't going to put up with what had gone before.

I remember 3 things from that fracas in Carmarthen
After a period of 20 minutes of Welsh skulduggery ( and I had spoken to the ref about it) the crunch came when our goalkeeper ( who'd been on Arsenals books)caught a cross then had his head banged deliberately against a goal post.

That was the final straw .
Secondly, I had a spot of extended scrapping with the guy who'd done it which ended with him saying " Ok I've had enough. I've got a wife and 3 kids "
Thirdly, we had a brilliant little bearded winger who was on Stoke City books called, oddly enough, John Robertson ( who I'm still in touch with and lives on the Isle of Man). A gentle bloke who I saw being chased around by a big ( and surprised) Welsh fullback. John told me afterwards he'd been getting on alright with his opponent but thought he'd better show team solidarity by thumping him. He'd never hit anyone in his life and apologised to him afterwards ????
Happy days

20 Jul 2026 13:36:23
Make no mistake comrades, Spain’s victory was very important. Had Argentina won, it would have been the triumph of anti football, emulated by kids of the following generations to come all over the world, the triumph of thuggery over skill. To be honest, they haven’t come on since 1966 and in fact have added to the “Animals” tag. It works for them and they are coached and instructed to behave in the way they do. Over the 120 plus minutes and a final flurry of violence after the whistle. It’s an even greater shame because they have immensely talented players and they don’t need to do it.


If it’s any consolation, they behave like that against most teams on a footing with them rankings wise.
Congratulations to Spain
A triumph of light over dark, the rapier over the bludgeon, Ali over Foreman, Edward Thomas over William McGonagall, Van Gogh over Banksy, the Age of Enlightenment over the Dark Ages, The Goldberg Variations over Agadoo, of Attlee over Stalin, of Roosevelt over Trump, of democracy over tyranny, of Sir Robert Peel over Valentkiy Beria, of The Audacity of Hope over Mein Kampf….
Viva Espania ?? ????????.

20 Jul 2026 14:46:00
Dare I say it
The triumph of Falklands over Malvinas?
??

20 Jul 2026 17:24:13
¡Viva la revolución!

20 Jul 2026 19:17:58
Gerry over Tom!
???
?‍⬛️?

20 Jul 2026 20:35:33
I've got a cat, Rogie, and I can tell you that is going too far except in cartoon world. ??

20 Jul 2026 22:41:42
I've got two cats to keep out the Gerrys, watch out, big ears. ??

21 Jul 2026 12:17:52
Very good DTP …... ????

19 Jul 2026 22:37:31
What a horrible spectacle of a game, just infuriates me how England didn't win it. Was that Maddona or Maradona on at half time. Bore fest for the world of football.

19 Jul 2026 23:06:46
I thought it was 'Mad Donna' from down the local. ?

19 Jul 2026 23:16:42
Argentina need a real hefty fine from FIFA.
See if it happens?
Man City need sorting out now before the season starts.

19 Jul 2026 23:30:01
Two targets on the stage at one time? ??

19 Jul 2026 23:30:05
For all of Spain's pass, pass, pass game plan, a good old-fashioned cross, a knock back, and bam, a World Cup-winning goal! Football is a simple game, too much overthinking a lot of the time.

19 Jul 2026 23:37:20
Too many subs, MV, these days for the overthinkers.

20 Jul 2026 06:45:00
What about Trump???
All about him!!
At least Infantino finally fid something right, and moved him away.

20 Jul 2026 21:40:08
Yes, Rogie, quite pathetic how he tried to stay on stage during Spain's triumph.

19 Jul 2026 21:11:09
Good grief - only in America. What happened to the half time oranges?

Penalties written all over this game so far.

19 Jul 2026 21:47:40
Yep, Lego.
Awful game and stupid halftime sing along.
Thought I was back in Disney.

19 Jul 2026 21:42:23
Argies are the ultimate anti-football side. Burnley on steroids. Disrupt, disrupt, disrupt. Spain at least are giving it ago. ?

19 Jul 2026 22:29:12
And surprise, surprise, Spain have a perfectly good goal ruled out. Utter b*******. ?

19 Jul 2026 22:21:39
I'm amazed Trump is still awake. Let's wait for the boos.

19 Jul 2026 22:52:27
Get in Spain, game over.
Was Messi playing?

19 Jul 2026 23:04:39
Football finally wins out. Poetic that it's a 'Simeone' who skied their best chance at the end. ?

19 Jul 2026 23:13:13
Coaches need to learn how to play Argentina.

19 Jul 2026 23:18:23
Yeah, wear body armour. ? ?

19 Jul 2026 23:24:01
As Sir Alf called them back in 66, animals.

19 Jul 2026 23:08:10
What a bunch of petulant t—ts argentina are, thank f*** spain won

20 Jul 2026 14:52:55
Hey Lego,
Looking at Trump's colour he's had all the oranges mate .??

20 Jul 2026 15:47:04
Welcome back, Lego! Look forward to our catch up in September, mate. ?

20 Jul 2026 17:38:19
I'm looking forward to it too, Stokey. The former Sergeants are on tour again!

I have to say, though, hoping that I'm not hurting your feelings - I won't be wearing my hearing aids over that weekend.

20 Jul 2026 18:28:03
That's unfortunate, mate. I have prepared a few notes on the progress of the archaeological excavations at Ephesus, particularly the ancient harbour.
I'll just have to shout, I guess. ?????

20 Jul 2026 19:15:14
On second thoughts, Stokey, I may be washing my hair instead and unable to attend.

20 Jul 2026 20:28:47
Oh dear! ???

19 Jul 2026 19:13:36
¡Vamos, España! Manda a Messi y a sus perros a casa llorando. ?

19 Jul 2026 19:48:47
And the pantomime begins, looking forward to seeing Sesame Street at half-time, I'm interested to see which characters Trump and Infantino will be playing. ?

19 Jul 2026 21:20:45
Yes! Rooney finally says something right!
"Wayne, what did you think of the half-time show?"... "It was cr?p." ?

19 Jul 2026 22:23:16
We did what Spain have failed to do, score.
Only Tommy knows why he decided to screw it up.
Like I said from the start of the World Cup, Argentina know what it takes to win it, horrible to watch but they don't care what anyone thinks of them.

19 Jul 2026 22:30:09
Horrible isn't the word. ? Dodgy ref now helping them. ?

19 Jul 2026 12:59:49
McDonnell looked good V County but we aren't half going to miss Eliot Anderson in the Prem.

19 Jul 2026 20:27:01
Anderson, we will miss him, definitely. But there's no way you could turn down 116 million. Unless you're a rich club like Man City.

19 Jul 2026 00:02:18
This would have been a great final. If the final is better that this I'll cancel my flights to Spain and camp out in a tent next to Jay's pad!

19 Jul 2026 01:43:54
A nothing game, cyclist with nothing at stake.

19 Jul 2026 08:29:40
That game would of never been like that if it was a final. Lol we'd of started with 10 in defence. Didn't see the game or the lowlights. Thank God it's over, soaps back on at normal times, more interesting. Let's get on with proper football. Uredddssss Uredddssss.

19 Jul 2026 08:41:18
The game had zero meaning for anyone. Mbappe was smiling when France were 2 down in 20 mins. I turned off. A game that ends with 10 goals between two sides in the top 4 in the world is a joke. We should be in the final today, and it's clearly TT's fault, not the players.

19 Jul 2026 11:48:00
There was nothing on it, like a friendly, but it was still a good game of football regardless, with some quality finishes from both sides. Why bother to put it down, neg boys!

19 Jul 2026 12:38:10
Did you not see the Argentina game leading up to us playing in a losers final. What is there to be positive about. ? ?‍♂️ ?‍♂️

19 Jul 2026 12:55:45
TT has admitted he got it wrong v Argentina, but to beat a good French team he brought subs on at the right time to win the match, showing he has learned from his "error". The lads looked keen, talented, and very professional. My guess is that this game will remain in the mind longer than what could be a tense and negative final.

Unless, of course, a couple of Argentinians get sent off. Their tactics remain abysmal, and we all know Anderson should have stayed marking Messi.

19 Jul 2026 15:23:38
As you know, Messi went into a wide position? Surely, Anderson was not expected to follow unless asked to, as he would be completely out of position. Maybe TT should have brought on O'Reilly to man mark him. Also, why was the Argentine player who deliberately elbowed Anderson in the back of the neck not even given a card, never mind being sent off?

19 Jul 2026 18:10:59
Were you not entertained? ... ?

19 Jul 2026 19:17:25
In the words of Maximus Decimus Meridius. ?

19 Jul 2026 19:25:03
Good spot, RRH! ??

18 Jul 2026 23:41:29
Spence looks good going forwards but not convinced he's a world class defender.

19 Jul 2026 00:35:06
I disagree, Retty. I think over the last couple of games Spence has been awesome. Yes, we all know he is good going forwards. However, look at the tackles he has made. I'd have him back at Forest in an instant.

19 Jul 2026 01:04:42
He would fit in an OG system perfectly.

19 Jul 2026 08:48:17
So would I.
Absolutely.

19 Jul 2026 10:59:59
He's been brilliant, finally fulfilling that potential we all saw when he was with us. ?

19 Jul 2026 20:18:46
Spense plays when he wants to. Done nothing at Spurs. I wouldn't invest good money in him.