There are 10 weeks between the end of last season and the first pre season game, today marks 5 weeks exactly half way

David Sullivan might have behaved badly? I'm shocked, absolutely shocked!

You learn something every day [Link]

[Link] Big news coming out of West Ham

I'm not a saddo by the way, in knowing what I paid for various things years ago, but my brief has asked me to supply her with evidence of expenditure in connection with my injury and I saw that on a statement earlier today.

A4E, I was in hospital at the time, made the £19.90 for the TV really worth it having the WC on everyday. That Saudi - Argentina match saw me win have fat fingers on a bet and instead of a modest fiver, it turned into a £52 pound wager instead.

Sandy - not to mention Argentina losing to Saudi Arabia in the 2022 World Cup…

*so MANY, not so few!!

Watching a bit of this [Link] and there are so few AFC Wimbledon players as well as JJ on the Charlton staff…

Surely 1962 in Chile was worse, due to a massive earthquake some of the venues were unusually the games had to be rescheduled and the matches themselves were marred by violence especially the battle of Santiago between Chile and Italy

Silk - when Cameroon beat Argentina in Italia 90, I think it was one of the funniest moments in world football.

Great summation of North American sport, nick!

Certainly looking forwards to the games kicking off and hoping that VAR keeps it’s head down for the whole tournament.

I am not going to let the corporate stuff spoil my love of the World Cup. I have decided to ignore all that shit - life is too short to care about that, Back to the football and hopefully seeing some shocks like when Cameroon beat Argentina. More fun that finding stuff to moan about.

Totally agree Trigger, but it’s been many years since the World Cup was primarily a sporting event and just like Oasis gigs and FA cup final tickets, resale is now accepted as the norm. If it was about the contest, I don’t think that the tournament would be hosted by a country where soccerball is very low on their list of favourite sports, behind rounders netball and a chess game where the players wear suits of armour and crash helmets.

It was the reference to “passionate fans” that riled me. Maybe those passionate fans would have preferred to have paid face value for their ticket to watch their country at the World Cup.

Leddy- 3rd placed team options?

Shittest World Cup ever? No surprise really - I see corrupt FIFA have done a u-turn on people taking water into grounds, but they must take a plastic unopened full bottle, so no empty refillable sturdy plastic or metal bottles that can be filled inside the stadium - you couldn’t make it up!!

I guess it depends how you look at it Trigger. I’m sure some people in the UK would be delighted if their local authority were as business savvy as the Toronto City Corporation. The World Cup is a business venture with the sports aspect in second place, so I guess it’s all fair game and especially a win for the locals who have no interest in Soccerball

What does the number 495 have to do with the World Cup 2026?

[Link] Ugly reading

sadly attended the funeral of Brian Chaplin yesterday. Brian was just shy of his 77th birthday. The Chaplin family were involved with the Supporters club and also ran the tea bar next to the South Stand, which was supporter club HQ after Noades took away their bar under the main stand and turned it into Nelsons. Ken Chaplin introduced me to the art of fundraising from supporters. My first involvement was Sponsor a Goal.

RK - It was a World Cup qualifyier and was based on the 2025 Nations League standings. Europe was split with Spain #1 and England #6 in rank.

England ladies getting trounced

Bert, question as you are knowledgeable about women's game, why are England & Spain in same qualifying group when, iirc, they are the teams that contested the Euros too year's ago?