Look at post 515, and almost every other post he makes. I have no problem with people who don't share my opinions, but there are too many on here who simply resort to abuse if they disagree. Funny thing is they get upset if someone does the same to them.
I have no argument with you jayc89, my point (if you had looked at merchantmans previous post 515) is that he never responds to anyone without calling them a "muppet" etc. Like most people on here I get irritated by that. Next time you are in a pub try sneering at someone who is drinking lager and calling him a muppet because you prefer bitter, and see where that gets you.
Never bought this rag, however Mr Kidds's words ring very true and it's becoming a real-life dramatic irony which seems certain to end in tears.
It's also occured to me and perhaps others that Mr Tan is attempting to change the identity of Cardiff City into that of 'The Welsh Club' by means of stealth. When you see them play in Welsh red (also a power colour in Asia adding extra kudos), the dragon adorning their shirts and the Millenium Stadium in full rancour, it is visibly striking. You have to mentally remind yourself that this isn't Wales playing in the Premier League. This must rile Swansea even more.
Bit off topic here Bob, but all of the talk of lost money for AA and the club drew me to The Lostprophets (Profits - ) and sins of their lead singer Ian Watkins. The thing is I quite like some of their stuff, just as the young'uns do and I wondered just how much everyone involved will laugh at a baby-rape joke after reading the trial summary. It would also be simple to have some sympathy for the other band members, but the police were making warning noises four years ago (much to their shame as well). Not wanting to stir up old arguments as it's water under the bridge emoticon-0150-hands ), which is why I haven't started a new thread; but it is things like this that puts me where I am in my stance against any form of child-abuse trivialisation - I don't know if it changes your outlook? I hope folk don't use this to create a huge argument - if it starts then I hope the mods delete it, but I do think it is worth a bit of an airing. For anyone not aware, the good and the bad of it all: This is a particularly apt video and song when he looked like a 'decent kid'; perhaps the drugs made him careless and did many a favour. [video=youtube;8ZzgN7efCoE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=8ZzgN7efCoE#t=0[/video] " Ian Watkins, singer of Welsh rock band Lostprophets, has pleaded guilty to a series of "depraved" child sex offences including attempted rape of a baby. He had previously "furiously denied" the allegations. The 36-year-old from Pontypridd and two women had been due to stand trial at Cardiff Crown Court. Watkins pleaded guilty to attempted rape and sexual assault of a child under 13 but not guilty to rape. This was accepted by the prosecution. Sentencing will take place on 18 December. Prosecuting barrister Chris Clee QC told the court: "Ian Watkins was the lead singer in a successful band called the Lostprophets. "He accepts he was a determined and committed *****phile." Watkins also admitted three counts of sexual assault involving children and six involving taking, making or possessing indecent images of children and one of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act on an animal. The evidence against the defendant came from computers, laptops and mobile phones. One laptop seized from Watkins's home was password protected with an obscenity relating to sexual activity with children, which was uncovered when it was sent to GCHQ to be cracked. The court heard that he filmed and kept the episodes of abuse - which took place in various hotels in London and south Wales - which were recovered by police. Some of the evidence was too extreme and distressing to report.Catrin Evans from the Crown Prosecution Service and Chief Inspector Peter Doyle from South Wales Police Referring to two women standing alongside Watkins in the dock, Mr Clee said: "Both women sexually abused their own children and made them available to Watkins for him to abuse." The court was told how the abuse of the children by all parties was also evident in text messages. Watkins sent a text to one of the women saying: "If you belong to me, so does your baby." In an exchange involving the other woman, she sent Watkins a message along with an image of her child to the effect that her child needed to know she was not loved. Watkins also planned to "teach" the babies how to take drugs, the hearing was told. Mr Clee said drugs played "a significant part in his offending against children". Who are Lostprophets? Lostprophets, an alternative rock band from Pontypridd in the south Wales valleys, formed in 1997. The band was founded by lead singer Ian Watkins, bassist Mike Lewis, drummer Mike Chiplin and guitarist Lee Gaze. They released five albums, and their biggest hits included Last Train Home and Rooftops. The band sold about 3.5 million albums worldwide. Their music received heavy airplay on mainstream radio stations and they were a staple festival act at the likes of Reading and Leeds, but they struggled to be taken seriously in the rock fraternity as their music became increasingly pop-orientated. The band announced they were splitting up in October, ten months after Watkins was charged. Former south Wales music journalist Gavin Allen says: "They achieved real success, but their career - and back catalogue - will now be so tainted that it is hard to see any radio stations playing their music again. "Their legacy has just vanished." Police found meth, cocaine and GHB during their searches. Mr Clee told the court drugs were a "regular theme" in his dealings with the two other defendants. Claiming his innocence, Watkins had told police during interviews he was being stalked by "a crazed fan" and other people had access to his computers. He claimed he was the "victim of a malicious campaign". The court heard in Oct 2006, Watkins met up in a hotel with a 16-year-old girl from Boston, who he had met during during a Lostprophets concert. She dressed in a schoolgirl's outfit and he filmed their encounter. In Oct 2008 he filmed himself having sex with another 16-year-old girl, who was also a Lostprophets fan. Exploited status One of the two women charged alongside Watkins, Woman A, admitted the attempted rape of a baby after denying rape and two charges of sexual assault as well as taking and distributing an indecent photograph of a child. Woman B pleaded guilty to conspiring to rape a child, three sexual assault charges and four charges of taking, possessing or distributing indecent images. After hearing legal argument from barristers, Mr Justice Royce called the jury into court and told them: "There will not be a trial in this case. The defendants have all pleaded guilty to nearly all the charges against them. The prosecution does not seek a trial in these circumstances. "You have been saved from having to watch extremely graphic and distressing material." Mr Clee told the judge there had been an argument regarding what some key video evidence showed. "From the footage, there is an argument as to whether the full offence (of rape) is made out," he told judge Mr Justice Royce. "If it is made out, it is minimal. There is so little difference between the full attempt and the attempt as to make no difference." Watkins used his fame to abuse young children, police said Sally O'Neill, defending Watkins, said the singer was under the care of a psychiatrist. Speaking outside the court, Det Ch Insp Peter Doyle from South Wales Police said: "This investigation has uncovered the most shocking and harrowing child abuse evidence I have ever seen. "There is no doubt in my mind that Ian Watkins exploited his celebrity status in order to abuse young children. "Today's outcome ensures the three people responsible have been brought to justice." "Two very young children have been removed from this abuse and given a future that would otherwise have been denied them. "The investigation has been extremely complex and challenging with key information and evidence being identified from witnesses worldwide." He added that today's guilty pleas did not mark the end of the investigation and the force would work "tirelessly" to identify other victims or witnesses. Lostprophets guitarist Lee Gaze expressed his relief on Twitter that the case had been concluded, writing: "That was over quick.... Thanks for the kind words. At least there is closure now."
You've brought it inside the ground though, which is what I was referring to. It's a crap decision imo. Keep it outside & leave the protests at the turnstiles.
CTWD has done nothing while the game was on, other than singing songs with 'City' in them and that will continue to be the case. The tug of war with the banner was nothing to do with CTWD, it was the action of some disgruntled individuals, something that is likely to increase the more heavy-handed our owner becomes and that is unfortunate.
To be fair to Olm, and CTWD, both of whom I disagree with over this issue, they have been mature in their protests, and it is fair to say they have done all in their power not to disrupt the team, given their committed stance on this issue. They should be applauded for that. If AA can exhibit the same mature attiditude it is still possible that an amicable settlement can be reached. unfortunately, if the ranters and ravers have their way, and the two sides become entrenched, I can see no good outcome for the club. Lets hope common sense prevails on both sides.
Was the CTWD banner not also paraded down the East stand? The only difference being the stewards decided to take action for the 2nd banner?
Nobody listens to you outside the ground. You need to be seen. It didn't effect the players as we were average before that and ****e afterwards v Palace. CTID has always been a City song. The yes camp are deluded to think it's solely attached to this campaign. Players in Italy and Turkey (just examples) don't stop when their fans let off bombs, flares, drop mopeds from tops of stands, so I doubt 5 minutes of singing a song will have any effect.
The CTWD banner was paraded ahead of the game, with the permission of the club, it did nothing to interfere with what happened on the pitch.
2 things; firstly, if as you say "nobody listens to you outside the ground" then maybe that should tell you something about how others view this issue........if people don't want to engage then that is their choice. Merely shouting louder & longer isn't going to change anyone's view point. Secondly, you say it didn't affect the players, as if that's a definitive fact. There's no way you can know that, nor define it, but there's a well worn path that provides with plenty of evidence of boardroom squabbles affecting on field performance. I remember Steve Gerrard admitting it a few seasons back at Liverpool for example. I've seen at my own club protests at the ground, marches etc, but they never brought them pas the turnstiles. By bringing in banners (whether authorised or not) then this campaign has crossed that boundary & you're in grave danger of blowing your own toes off imo.
It's hard to argue with you, Tobes, since most of the problems at Everton are questioned and then sorted out between fans groups and your chairman. There was more interest in the campaign during 5 minute rendition of CTID, on Saturday during the whole Tug of War with the stewards, than there was at any of the marches outside the ground.
That's my point though mate - they're not! Our fans groups have protested on a number of issues in recent years - with the proposed ground move & the campaign for Kenwright to sell (which is still ongoing) being the most significant. The club & the fans groups have had very frosty discourse & there's little love lost. However, not once, have the campaigns come inside the ground. The closest they came was a march at the start of last season, which preceded the match.
All I see is that we are struggling to score goals at the moment, and without that ability it will be very difficult to win games and pick up points. This fact is neither the fault of Assem Allam or any of the campaign groups actions, inside or outside of the ground, however one thing is for certain, the longer our struggle continues to acquire points, the more each side will be blamed. It's a real shame that AA didn't wait until the close season to voice his idea for a name change but perhaps he doesn't/didn't have the finance to wait that long, who knows. What I do know is that none of what is currently going on is conducive to maintaining our place at footballs top table, in fact it is highly likely to have the opposite effect. Amongst all this we have the 'no' protagonists stating that 'he started it' much like a 10 year old would say to a teacher at school after having a spat with one of his peers. Is that really the answer to all of this bollocks? For me it is blatantly, and sadly obvious, that neither side are willing to back down, or reach a compromise to compromise, if you see what I mean. In fact BOTH sides appear to be digging their heels further in as each day passes, and I'm yet to see any evidence that either party can find anything like a resolution to the issue, or is even willing to look for one. On one hand we seem to have an owner that is saying I'm changing the name whether you like it or not, on the other we appear to have a group of people who are saying no you're not, and we will fight it, whether or not it has a detrimental effect on our league standing and financial status, oh and in between we have all of the pathetic keyboard warriors who do nothing but add fuel to the fire. At the moment I am truly at a loss as to what the answer is, a couple of things that I do know is that usually pride comes before a fall, and that all of this **** is bound to have a destructive effect on our season.
