# English Football, End of Season 2007-2008 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 3, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909 "2008-05-03T17:38:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/121 "2008-05-14T13:34:53Z")
This evening the hallowed ground of Eastlands, City of Manchester Stadium, is to be sullied by hordes of hairy kneed Scots and Bolsheviks contesting the UEFA Cup Final. Is nothing sacred anymore? ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/122 "2008-05-14T13:37:02Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] This evening the hallowed ground of Eastlands, City of Manchester Stadium, is to be sullied by hordes of hairy kneed Scots and Bolsheviks contesting the UEFA Cup Final. Is nothing sacred anymore? [/QUOTE] The queue started at J6 of the M61 accordign to people in my office. That’s a long queue! Where are they all going to park? ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/123 "2008-05-14T15:39:43Z")
[QUOTE=One And Only Wanderers] The queue started at J6 of the M61 accordign to people in my office. That’s a long queue! Where are they all going to park? [/QUOTE] I was in Altrincham town centre earlier today and there were bloody massed hordes of be-kilted Scots all armed to the teeth with sausage butties from Ye Olde English Sausage Butty Shoppe. There were also a goodly number intent on getting totally shitfaced at The Bricklayers before staggering onto buses/trams to take them to Piccadilly and thence to the match. They will not be allowed in the ground if pissed, I foresee trouble ---
**Author:** ![MJinks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@MJinks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MJinks)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/124 "2008-05-14T17:04:36Z")
Out of curiosity, why is the game being played in the City Of Manchester Stadium and not Old Trafford, considering it has the capacity for 30k more fans (according to Wikipedia)? I can enjoy this game as a neutral, because I don’t give a shit about either team. Judging by past performances though; maybe ‘enjoy’ is a might hopeful… Heh. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/125 "2008-05-14T21:20:00Z")
Damn it. The 'Gers lose. I blame the Pope, myself. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/126 "2008-05-14T21:48:05Z")
[QUOTE=MJinks] Out of curiosity, why is the game being played in the City Of Manchester Stadium and not Old Trafford, considering it has the capacity for 30k more fans (according to Wikipedia)? I can enjoy this game as a neutral, because I don’t give a shit about either team. Judging by past performances though; maybe ‘enjoy’ is a might hopeful… Heh. [/QUOTE] For some reason, they prefer the UEFA cup final to be played in a stadium that holds around 50000, and the European cup final to be played in a bigger one. Old Trafford holds about 76000 and had the European cup final a few years ago. I’m surprised there are any Rangers fans in kilts, since they seem to have such an aversion to the Scottish flag. Even Celtic seemed to have more saltires at their UEFA cup final. ---
**Author:** ![CatInASuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3be4f8/32.png) [@CatInASuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatInASuit)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/127 "2008-05-16T12:49:37Z")
**chowder** , here is something to cheer you up. Looks like Man City will be in Europe next season through the Fair Play Award. Now all you have to do is find a manager. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/128 "2008-05-16T15:31:06Z")
We already have a manager my old cock sparrer. IMO I think Sven will still be in charge next season, leastways I hope he is. In the words of the immortal Malcolm Allison “We’ll terrify Europe” ---
**Author:** ![MJinks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@MJinks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MJinks)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/129 "2008-05-16T16:37:22Z")
I’m a bit pissed off with the media coverage and aftermath of the ‘riots’. Why the hell should this harm England’s attempts to host future tournaments? Also, the Man U homecoming parade has been cancelled. Why (Apart from the inevitable jokes that they’ll be parading in the wrong part of the country)? They were SCOTTISH football fans for fuck sake. We’ve worked, are working, really fucking hard to get rid of (read:minimize) hooliganism from our game and now we have to take responsibility for away fans too? I could understand if people were condemning the policing of the event but they’re not. The organisation was possibly poor, what with the screen breaking and all, but any backup plan would have failed just as miserably because, by all accounts, the fans were completely shit-faced thanks to cynical supermarkets (and low inhibitions). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/130 "2008-05-16T20:31:54Z")
[QUOTE=MJinks] I’m a bit pissed off with the media coverage and aftermath of the ‘riots’. Why the hell should this harm England’s attempts to host future tournaments? [/QUOTE] I’m not aware of many people other than Gordon Brown, once, suggesting that it would. Brown’s on tilt just now so I wouldn’t read much significance into what he said. He’s worried to a pathological extent about how English people perceive him and I think he felt that this case of Scottish people causing injury and damage in England would reflect badly on him personally. He probably thought he needed to be seen to condemn the Rangers fans and say something supportive of England. His judgement is so badly affected by said worries that he perhaps didn’t realise that his comments were illogical in a number of ways. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2008, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/131 "2008-05-17T14:49:55Z")
I just got back after watching Rochdale v Darlington in the 2nd leg of the Div 2 play offs semi-final. What a great game it was. Rochdale went 3-1 down on aggregate but clawed it back to 3-3 which meant the match went into ET. No result after ET so it was penalties which Rochdale won 5-4, Lee, the Dales goalie saving Darlingtons 5th pen. So it’s orf to jolly old Wembley for me for the final, assuming my sprog can get his grubby little fingers on a spare ticket ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/132 "2008-05-25T15:09:57Z")
**Oldham Athletic** Finished 8th in League One. A late run towards the playoffs wasn’t enough to overcome poor early season form and Leeds’ strong finish. We suffered horrendously from injuries throughout the season - playing a couple of youth team strikers for the last few games - and never really replaced departed creative midfielders Richard Wellens or Neil Kilkenny. Highlights were the wins over Everton and Leeds, promising performances from Lewis Alessandra and from Neal Eardley in an unfamiliar midfield role, and the triumphant return of the much-maligned Mark Allott. Next season may be a good one; we’ve shed some dead weight, should have Lee Hughes and Craig Davies back from injury, and signed a couple of very promising players (Greg Fleming from Gretna and Kieran Lee from Manchester United). A few more signings to follow, apparently. **Farnborough FC** Not entirely surprisingly the new club’s first season after liquidation finished well. Champions of the British Gas Business League South Western Division, still on a high and a bit of a big fish in a small pond (with the dislike from other teams that inevitably follows). Looking strong for next season too - our new manager has cherry-picked his best former players to head down the M3 to Farnborough (although they’d played for us before anyway, heading to Basingstoke after FTFC’s liquidation). Ex-league players Chris Tardif, David Woozley and Marcus Richardson will form the team’s spine, with some top non-league talent in Steve Laidler, Rob Saunders, Darren Wheeler, Leigh Rumbold and Nic Ciardini. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/133 "2008-05-25T17:56:36Z")
The rags won the Champions League:( Manchester City finished 9th in Premier and we still don’t know if Sven is going to be our gaffer next season. We did win the FA Youth cup however. Grant gets fired from Chelski. Leeds lose the Div 1 play off final :0 I can’t get a ticket to go watch Rochdale. All in all a very unsatisfying season ---
**Author:** ![CatInASuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3be4f8/32.png) [@CatInASuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatInASuit)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2008, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/134 "2008-05-25T18:01:38Z")
Don’t worry, the latest rumour going round is that Grant will end up at Man City in time for next season. Could be interesting. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2008, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/135 "2008-05-26T16:36:46Z")
Just to cap it all, Rochdale lost to Stockport…2-3. Fuckety fuck fuck ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/136 "2008-06-02T14:22:16Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] IMO I think Sven will still be in charge next season, leastways I hope he is. Well I was wrong,Sven has been turfed out today. ☹ This after guiding Man City to 9th in the premier league and a place in the UEFA Cup next season. It appears that Mark Hughes of Blackburn is the hot favourite to take over the reins at Eastlands ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/137 "2008-06-02T14:25:39Z")
Big, big chance for Hughes if it is him. With the financial base and support that City have, I see no reason why thy can’t be challenging for the 4th Champions League spot in the next 5 years. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/138 "2008-06-02T15:38:37Z")
[QUOTE=One And Only Wanderers] Big, big chance for Hughes if it is him. With the financial base and support that City have, I see no reason why thy can’t be challenging for the 4th Champions League spot in the next 5 years. [/QUOTE] Aye there’s the rub. Finances!! Anyway, being a lifelong City fan I’m used to all the fucking and farting about, there’s no sodding end to it at all. What’s the expression? “Typical City” More like typical bollocks all over again ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/139 "2008-06-02T17:32:12Z")
[QUOTE=One And Only Wanderers] Big, big chance for Hughes if it is him. With the financial base and support that City have, I see no reason why thy can’t be challenging for the 4th Champions League spot in the next 5 years. [/QUOTE] Replace the word “Hughes” with “Sven” and you’ve got what everyone was saying last season. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909/140 "2008-06-04T18:17:21Z")
Hughes appointed City manager. Woe is me [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-football-end-of-season-2007-2008/447909.md?page=8)