Stewie's Corner - The Off-Topic Chat Thread

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R.I.P. Ray Wilkins

 

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Graham Carey of Plymouth Argyle displays their new home strip for the 2018/19 season.......

 

What naughty Pompey fan has done this ?

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SHE wanted to spruce up her garden – but thanks to Alan Titchmarsh and Portsmouth Football Club, Betty now has something very special indeed.
Fundraiser, performer and lifelong Pompey fan Betty Richards, from Fareham, featured on ITV’s Love Your Garden on Tuesday night.

http://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/947658846?-11209:804

 

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A great interview with Michael Appleton!

The first three or four weeks at Portsmouth were brilliant. I absolutely loved it. And then, overnight, the carpet was ripped from beneath us.
There were big problems with the owner’s other businesses and, as a result, the club went into administration.
In my first meeting with the administrators, they sat me down and said: “Just so you know Michael, tomorrow morning you’ll be sacking four members of your staff.”
I told them that wasn’t an option. If they went, I did too.
“What would keep them in a job for the next six months?”
If the players could take an extra 5 or 10 per cent off their wages (they were already being hit with a 20 per cent reduction), we could make it work.
The next morning, I got all the players and staff together in the dressing room. I pointed to each person whose job was under threat and asked the players: how important is this person? And this one?
“For the sake of an extra 5 per cent, you can keep them in a job for the next six months.”
I left the room, giving them five minutes to think about it.
About 30 seconds later, the captain Liam Lawrence opened the door: “Not a problem, boss. If we have to take an extra 10, 15 per cent, it’s not an issue.”

In the space of four weeks, I had to reduce the budget from about £13m to as close to £3m as possible. That meant selling my seven best players and replacing them with ones who were earning between 10 and 20 per cent of what the players leaving earned: kids from West Brom, Manchester United, City, Liverpool.
It was almost like an Under-23 team.
Then there were the days I’d turn up at the training ground and the kitman would tell me we can’t train: “We’ve got no balls.”
“Of course we’ve got balls.”
“They’re in the container. The problem is that the people who own the container have changed the locks because we’ve not paid them.”
We were also struggling to pay for players’ meals, so I got them to bring their own food in to training every day. Then there were the injuries: we couldn’t afford to pay for scans. I lost count of the times I sat in press conferences with journalists asking me: “How’s so and so?”
I’m afraid I can’t really tell you.
Even though we got deducted 10 points for entering into administration, we made it to the penultimate game of the season before we got relegated. Those 10 points had done us. Without that, we would have stayed up.

During those 12 months at Portsmouth, I was more like a chief executive than a football manager.
It started to feel like Groundhog Day. During my last six weeks there as manager, I’d turn up for training every day, then drive from the training ground to Fratton Park and have a meeting with either potential owners or the administrators. Every single day.

 

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R.I.P Barry Chuckle (73) of the Chuckle Brothers who has passed away - "To Me, To You"

 

R.I.P. Burt Reynolds, who has died at the age of 82.

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According to reports in a few newspapers, Luton Town are assisting Bedfordshire Police with their enquiries following allegations of racist abuse by their fans during their recent league game with Accrington Stanley.

One wonders whether their self-righteous and staunch born again Christian manager Nathan Jones will now condemn his own fans for their "alleged" actions ?!

Doubt it will happen, which will just go to prove how two faced he really is !!

 

Wigan Athletic boss Paul Cook an early front runner for Republic of Ireland vacancy.

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IEC could already be facing the first headache of their ownership of Wigan Athletic with Paul Cook having been installed as one of the frontrunners for the Republic of Ireland managerial vacancy.

Martin O’Neill left his post as Republic boss on Wednesday morning after a wretched recent run of results, and Cook being mentioned as a possible successor will be a worry for Latics fans.

It’s only a matter of days since new Latics executive chairman Darren Royle admitted IEC bosses had been worried about Cook being poached by a Premier League club, such was his standing on the game.

And they may have to underline exactly how much they value their manager if the FAI make a move in his direction.

Cook has strong Irish links, having taken his first significant steps in management at Sligo Rovers during a hugely-successful five-season stint between 2007 and 2012.

He guided the League of Ireland Premier Division club into European competition, as well as winning one League Cup and two FAI Cups, before returning to England to take over at Accrington Stanley, with whom he’d finished his playing career.

Cook was as low as 12/1 with some bookmakers, with Mick McCarthy the intriguing early odds-on favourite to return to the job he left in 2002 after six eventful years in charge.

The 59-year-old famously had a run-in at the 2002 World Cup finals with Roy Keane, who had been assisting outgoing boss O’Neill, but who has also vacated his position.

Stephen Kenny, currently in charge of Dundalk, was also at the front of the list, with former England managers Sam Allardyce and Sven-Goran Eriksson and ex-Latics boss Steve Bruce in and around Cook.

The FAI say they will “meet promptly to discuss the process of recruiting a new manager”.

 

Ex-Portsmouth captain Sol Campbell named Macclesfield Town manager......

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.......and they won 1-0 at Exeter in his first match in charge, despite being bottom of the second division !!

 

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Former Portsmouth boss Tony Adams lands Rugby Football League president role

Tony Adams is to become the Rugby Football League’s president in 2019. The former Pompey boss, who’s linked to the game’s welfare programmes through his charity Sporting Chance, will succeed Andy Burnham next summer.

Adams spoke of his pride after landing the role. And the ex-Arsenal and England skipper sees it as a way to help raise the profile of mental health issues in the game. He said: ‘It will be an honour to become the next president of the RFL. ‘I am passionate about working with everyone in the sport to raise the profile of mental health, wellness and resilience, for players and for everyone in Rugby League. ‘I'd like to play my part in championing this brilliant sport on the national stage.’ Sporting Chance has helped more than 400 players since it was founded in 2000.

Brian Barwick, the RFL chairman, added: ‘Tony Adams is known and respected throughout sport and beyond, not only for his outstanding playing career with Arsenal, but more recently for his pioneering work with Sporting Chance. ‘The charity has helped more than 400 rugby league players since the RFL entered into an official partnership with Sporting Chance in 2011, and Tony himself delivered seminars at Wigan and Hull earlier this year. ‘The game has recognised the importance of mental health, for players and everyone else involved, and Tony’s election is another significant step in that regard.’

 

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RIP Mike Barnard

Pompey are mourning the death of Mike Barnard, who has passed away at the age of 85.

Born in Portsmouth, the talented all-round sportsman played first class cricket for Hampshire, as well as making 123 appearances for the Blues.

He made his debut in a 1-1 home draw with Tottenham in December 1953 and helped the club finish third in the top-flight the following season.

One of Mike’s finest performances in a Pompey shirt came in a Fratton clash with Arsenal, when he scored in a 5-4 victory at Fratton Park.

A right-handed batsman and brilliant slip fielder, he would turn out for Hampshire over the summer and made a total of six centuries.

Barnard left the Blues in 1959 to focus on his cricketing career – winning the County Championship two years later – but still appeared for non-league Chelmsford.

Later working as a coach and commentator for BBC Radio Solent, he also organised reunions of former Pompey and Hampshire players.

The thoughts of everyone at Portsmouth Football Club are with Mike’s family and friends at this sad time.

 

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England's 1966 World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks has died aged 81.

Regarded as one of the game's greatest in his position, Banks was named Fifa goalkeeper of the year six times and earned 73 caps for England.

He is perhaps best known for his wonder save from Pele during the 1970 World Cup against Brazil.

Born in Sheffield, he won the League Cup with Stoke and Leicester, before retiring in 1973.

"It is with great sadness that we announce that Gordon passed away peacefully overnight," his family said.

"We are devastated to lose him but we have so many happy memories and could not have been more proud of him."

 

Pompey Mourn Bobby Doyle R.I.P.

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Pompey are mourning the death of Bobby Doyle, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 65.

He will best be remembered as a key part of the side that memorably secured the Division Three title in 1982/83.

The Scottish midfielder missed just two matches that term as the Blues returned to English football’s second tier for the first time in seven years.

Having previously appeared for Barnsley, Peterborough and Blackpool, Doyle arrived at Fratton for a fee of £75,000 in December 1980.

Originally appearing out wide, he won over the Fratton faithful after being moved to a central position.

He anchored the midfield as Bobby Campbell’s side swept all before them to finish top of the third division, allowing the more creative players like Neil Webb to shine.

Doyle made a total of 188 appearances during his time with Pompey and scored 18 goals, but was sold to Hull at the start of the 1985/86 campaign and retired a couple of years later.

The thoughts of everyone at Portsmouth Football Club are with Bobby’s family and friends at this sad time.