Del

I managed to drop my Dapol Pug and broke the chimney off, so I need a replacement.

Does anyone make an exact replacement (pref.metal) or one that might be suitable?

Would Dapol have spares, maybe from the old Airfix kit?

I'm sure that before kick-off the BBC were reporting that a senior board member had denied the 'Grant to be sacked' story. The Guardian certainly were, in fact it's still on their website.

Of all the names that are in the hat, I would prefer Hughton, followed by Hodgson or Jol. I really wouldn't be keen on O'Neill, and if they go for Allardyce, it'll be the last time they'll see me at the Boleyn.

As for Grant, I think he's been shamefully treated. Not by the board, because he has a contract and if they want him to stay then they need do nothing. However, the way he has been hounded by the press and media is horrible. Yet through it all he has kept his dignity and not moaned or whinged.

For what it's worth, I still think the way out of trouble for West Ham is Grant + money. We're two wins off mid-table, in a leading position in a Cup semi-final and still in another Cup competition.

He's got seventeen squad players injured, his major summer signing (and midfield linchpin) hasn't played a minute after being injured on international duty, he's been on the end of some awful refereeing decisions which would have probably got him those two wins.

How about a railway with a big retaining wall behind with a road and shops/houses on top of the wall, oh and a bridge at a strange angle that gives access to a fiddle yard behind!

 

David

Apart from the bridge, this is exactly what my local station has. I suppose all clichés have a basis in reality.

Chris Hughton has been sacked by Newcastle United.

Absolutely ridiculous decision, a young manager has got you through a huge upheaval with no money, stabilised them in the PL, has a win percentage of over 55% and you sack him.

Mike Ashley, you are an idiot.

What's interesting to me is that the Dutch/Belgian bid got four votes in R1 but only two in R2. Which suggests (to me) that two votes went to them in R1 simply to shaft England.

Yeah, B Team...the same B Team that's won the thing for the last two years And a B Team with an average of 175 first-team appearances.

Hammers with six changes from Saturday, no Parker, no Noble, a midfielder (Spector) who's not been in the first team since August, a starting eleven with two goals between them so far this season (before Tues) and a back four of three centre-halves and a right-winger. And an average of 174 first-team appearances.

9/2? Should have gone for the 4-0 (200-1) and Spector first scorer (50-1). Although I've heard a story of a guy who got 550-1 for 4-0 and Cole last scorer. Got drunk and put a score on it

No mention of the Hammers demolition of Man. Utd on Tuesday?

WHU Statement

 

Sums up my feelings about WHU's owners - how utterly short and disgraceful.

 

Zola's worked damn hard for that club and team, and deserved better than this by far.

They can't say much at the moment because Zola is taking advice from the League Manager's Association:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/8675429.stm

However, as I said up there, it's still the wrong decision.

I'm disappointed by the decision to sack Zola but I'm not surprised.

I never wanted the Davids in charge, and the feeling ona number of WHU message boards is that as part of the deal when they bought in to the club, they had to keep Zola on this season.

Who will come in? Not McLaren, he's gone to Wolfsburg, so I would like to see Martin Jol take over.

Hi George, you can see Minories here:

http://www.carendt.us/scrapbook/page85b/index.html

Still shaking my head and wondering just how the Hammers managed to lose to Burnley...

Only 13 games left and things are starting to look a bit shaky at Upton Park, once again the Irons may need to rely on other teams dropping points.

We were unlucky yesterday, but also Burnley have been *very* good at home so far this season.

I'm not panicking *just* yet. They've done some decent business in the window, no-one out being more important than who's come in, but at least two of the new strikers look hungry and Carlton's back too.

I'll reserve judgement until the end of this month. Home to Brum & Hull are both eminently winnable, and we have been known to give ManU a bloody nose at OT before now...

If you thought West Ham v Millwall was a bit naughty, Saints v Pompey will make it look like Dominoes Night down at the Legion.

I don't think Zola will be pushed (although he might jump), only because I can't think of anyone who'd be daft enough to try and take the job on just now!

Three points for the Irons makes for a very Happy Christmas Now to repeat the trick against Spurs on Monday

When Nottingham Forest won the European Cup, they had won the League the season before. It didn't happen out of nowhere. Clough built a wonderful team - and, shock horror, he spent money (first Million pound footballer in Trevor Francis) to do it.

Forest didn't buy Francis until they had won the League and League Cup in 1978. He was ineligible for the 1979 European Cup campaign until the semis.

This link gives the bulk of a letter sent by the PL to all member clubs:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-455348/Premier-League-letter-states-case-clubs-Tevez-affair.html

"At no point were West Ham United charged with playing an ineligible player - both (Carlos) Tevez and (Javier) Mascherano were registered on August 31. All the required documentation was received by the Premier League and the usual confirmations received and sent. Registration is definitive as to the status of the player. At no time has Mr Tevez's registration been revoked or terminated and at all times he has been eligible to play for West Ham."

1. Tevez has been properly registered to play for West Ham United since 31 August 2006. The Board, under our Rules, is charged with the authority to determine this.

2. He continues to be registered with West Ham United.

3. This is a case without precedent and certainly cannot be compared with Clubs who have played unregistered players or players ineligible through suspension.

Tevez was *never* ineligible. The argument was that Kia Joorabchian could, if he wished, withdraw Tevez from West Ham at any time and this constituted third-party influence. West Ham told the PL that this agreement was now withdrawn, when in fact it wasn't. That was whythey got fined ??5.5m, for basically lying to the PL & the FA.

But when Sheffield United sold Steve Kabba to Watford and then told them as part of the deal that he wouldn't be allowed to play against United, that apparently wasn't third-party influence...

Consistency in football?

Look at Manuel Almunia, he does qualify for England.

Almunia qualifies under residence rules, having never been capped for any other country. The goalposts keep moving for international players, to the point where there's now a player for Scotland, who isn't Scottish, has no Scottish parents or grandparents but has lived there since he was five.

Just wanted to add in here my thoughts about the retirement of Dean Ashton.

Obviously, as a Hammers fan, I'm gutted especially for the fella himself but also for West Ham and England. I really think that if he'd got a good run, he would have been England's first-choice centre-forward and would have been fantastic up front with Rooney.

I've heard worse.

There is a story of a lad playing Sunday League, who only had one arm. He was in his own penalty area, when the ball hit the cuff of his empty sleeve. The ref gave a penalty, on the basis that it would have been handball,if he'd had an arm!.

And it was a short-sleeved shirt!

Just heard that the wigan players have refunded the away supporters out of their own wages - I think thats to be applauded, frankly - would any other football team do so after a result like that?

I bet they wouldn't if had been at home. Refund for 20,000-odd?

Most of the local programme was washed out today - but WHAT a performance from Peacehaven in the FA Vase!

Excellent! I know Peacehaven well, having lived there for about four years and playing amateur football on the pitch behind theirs.

Used to watch them often.

European Super League? Bring it on.

The sooner all these clubs ###### off to some antiseptic, hermetically-sealed, no relegation no promotion, satellite TV only never-never land, the happier I'd be.

Hurrah!

With the Cl.15, that's two of my favourite locos available RTR