When was the last time we had a squad this poor?

[thebish]

and when young men go out on the piss in Ibiza - there are usually photos-a-plenty of them being pissed, vomiting in gutters, shagging lamp-posts, tipping beer over their heads, raising shot-glasses and baring their arses...

maybe not great publicity to BE out in the sun in Ibiza - but they're professional sportsmen (not simply ordinary teenage bloke-holidaymakers), and I still don't see any real reason to make the leap to declaring that the squad is out on the piss...

I doubt even Mummy or Pru would add "in Ibiza" to "they are young men" and conclude "the squad was out on the piss" - but, fair play for trying!!

[Andy Waller]

I think, (and I'm sure that Pru and Mummy will back me up on this) that on a balance of probabilities (and lets be honest they didn't commit murder, so we don't need to go uber pedantic with beyond reasonable doubt) its safe to assume that young men go to Ibiza overwhelmingly to go out on the piss.

They are young men.

They were in Ibiza.

And lets be honest, without needing to pick apart the exactitudes of exactly how pissed off people are with it, it is at best bad PR and a little crass.

And the photo was in a bar.

I just think these lot are poor and they're being paid a hell of a lot more than the players from those eras to be so poor.

[Andy Waller]

and when young men go out on the piss in Ibiza - there are usually photos-a-plenty of them being pissed, vomiting in gutters, shagging lamp-posts, tipping beer over their heads, raising shot-glasses and baring their arses...

maybe not great publicity to BE out in the sun in Ibiza - but they're professional sportsmen (not simply ordinary teenage bloke-holidaymakers), and I still don't see any real reason to make the leap to declaring that the squad is out on the piss...

I doubt even Mummy or Pru would add "in Ibiza" to "they are young men" and conclude "the squad was out on the piss" - but, fair play for trying!!

"It hardly ever rains in Ibiza, but this summer you can guarantee at least 4 days of white & pink rain when the legendary champagne spray parties arrive on the Island for some more exuberant & decadent fun. These luxurious parties originated from the 60's in the south of France & since then have been hosted throughout the world in all the major party destinations from Cannes to Vegas, Marbella, Monaco and as of 2011 the White Isle! Come and join us for what will be the most sought after party of the summer the Ibiza Spray! "

That's the bar that he was at's description of night that Spearing was there, I'm sure when he attended a "Champagne Spray Party" he didn't touch a drop...

[thebish]

I just think these lot are poor and they're being paid a hell of a lot more than the players from those eras to be so poor.

me too - no disagreement there!

[PC1978]

Didn't they guy in the photograph jump to Spearing's defence by saying "he wasn't as drunk as he looked"???

That would indicate at least some level of drinking. Anyway, judgement from me is reserved until we see the levels of performance in the squad following the international break. You would hope that they would want to work a little harder to put right wrongs of the start of the season during the break.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I'd liken this lot to the side Phil Neal had in his last year as they limped towards the end of the season with nowt to play for.

I see the comparison with Neal's last season, HG, but only in that it was an underachieving squad. It included many decent players, most of whom were reinvigorated the following season by Rioch: Walker, Tony Philliskirk, Tony Kelly, Mark Patterson, Alan Stubbs, Jason McAteer, plus poor old Julian Darby whom Neal insisted on fielding through a run of form so terrible that some on the Paddock took home-made "11" substitute boards... Even players we might not remember as golden, like Scott Green, Mark Seagraves, Phil Brown and David Burke, looked much better under the new boss.

For me though Mr Barnet (and maybe it was through rose tinted NHS children's specs) is that at least those players above gave a toss. You could say they were crap and you'd probably be right, but you could never fault their application.
One of the main problems with us now, is that the whole club is so far detached from the fans that it just make things worse. You might have found Tony Kelly in Maccys the day after a game but on the p**s in Ibiza, the day after another loss is rubbing our noses in it. I can cope with a player not being good enough, but (like Beckford Vs Birmingham last season) when a player is clearly not trying and sulking, it does grate a bit.

I see your point AW but that alienation between fans and players has been going on since the abolition of the maximum wage. Probably lessened somewhat when we were third-tier without any bumper contracts - Tony Kelly probably couldn't afford to fly to Ibiza on a weekend whim, and nor could most Bolton fans - but the idea that players are overpaid and underbothered has been around for a while (Len Cantello!)

Raises an interesting point though. Zico, McGinlay and the rest visibly necking pints in a Bolton boozer is deemed OK because we have largely happy memories of those times. I don't think I'm libelling to say that Diouf was often spotted in and around what in Franky Worthy's (also boozy) era would have called discotheques. Had we been top of the league when that Spearing pic appeared it would probably be chuckled off as #ladz #bantz.

The main perceived problem is not that players have social (media) lives, but that they aren't currently doing very well in their professional lives.

[Worthy4England]

Didn't they guy in the photograph jump to Spearing's defence by saying "he wasn't as drunk as he looked"???

That would indicate at least some level of drinking. Anyway, judgement from me is reserved until we see the levels of performance in the squad following the international break. You would hope that they would want to work a little harder to put right wrongs of the start of the season during the break.

He did - this seems to have been overlooked by His Bishopliness...

[thebish]

Didn't they guy in the photograph jump to Spearing's defence by saying "he wasn't as drunk as he looked"???

That would indicate at least some level of drinking. Anyway, judgement from me is reserved until we see the levels of performance in the squad following the international break. You would hope that they would want to work a little harder to put right wrongs of the start of the season during the break.

He did - this seems to have been overlooked by His Bishopliness...

not at all!! not really being very drunk at all doesn't (in my book) equate to "going out on the piss"!! Of course - having a glass of wine and some peanuts might be SOME people's definition of being out on the piss - but not mine!

[Worthy4England]

Didn't they guy in the photograph jump to Spearing's defence by saying "he wasn't as drunk as he looked"???

That would indicate at least some level of drinking. Anyway, judgement from me is reserved until we see the levels of performance in the squad following the international break. You would hope that they would want to work a little harder to put right wrongs of the start of the season during the break.

He did - this seems to have been overlooked by His Bishopliness...

not at all!! not really being very drunk at all doesn't (in my book) equate to "going out on the piss"!! Of course - having a glass of wine and some peanuts might be SOME people's definition of being out on the piss - but not mine!

It could, but his mate said..

“Needless to say the photo does not do him any favours but he was not as drunk as he appears in the picture." “Everyone is entitled to a good party every once in a while. Cut the bloke some slack.”

Which suggests 1) he was drunk - aka in most folks books, "pi$$ed" - but not as pi$$ed as the photo made him look" and 2) It was a party - both fundamental elements in "on the pi$$". Oh and it was clearly "out" as you can see the sky.

So frankly you can stick your definition where the hell you want to.

[thebish]

So frankly you can stick your definition where the hell you want to.

charmed, I'm sure!

[TonyDomingos]

I see the club has posted a series of photos of the first team in training, with a starring role for our Jay. Presumably, all those who got themselves in a bit of a state about last week's photo will be mightily relieved to see him back in action.
http://mobile.bwfc.co.uk/news/article/i ... 03939.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Worthy4England]

I see the club has posted a series of photos of the first team in training, with a starring role for our Jay. Presumably, all those who got themselves in a bit of a state about last week's photo will be mightily relieved to see him back in action.
http://mobile.bwfc.co.uk/news/article/i ... 03939.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Are there any of Beckford, kissing the Club badge?

[twilight]

I see the club has posted a series of photos of the first team in training, with a starring role for our Jay. Presumably, all those who got themselves in a bit of a state about last week's photo will be mightily relieved to see him back in action.
http://mobile.bwfc.co.uk/news/article/i ... 03939.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Are there any of Beckford, kissing the Club badge?

Which badge???

[Worthy4England]

I see the club has posted a series of photos of the first team in training, with a starring role for our Jay. Presumably, all those who got themselves in a bit of a state about last week's photo will be mightily relieved to see him back in action.
http://mobile.bwfc.co.uk/news/article/i ... 03939.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Are there any of Beckford, kissing the Club badge?

Which badge???

I'd rather hope it looked fuzzy in the picture, thereby eliciting screams and drama of "it's not our badge"...I've asked a mate and he reckons it's Clydebank's.

[LeverEnd]

I see the club has posted a series of photos of the first team in training, with a starring role for our Jay. Presumably, all those who got themselves in a bit of a state about last week's photo will be mightily relieved to see him back in action.
http://mobile.bwfc.co.uk/news/article/i ... 03939.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Are there any of Beckford, kissing the Club badge?

Which badge???

Dougie's rusty sheriff's badge.

[EverSoYouri]

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:

The main perceived problem is not that players have social (media) lives, but that they aren't currently doing very well in their professional lives.

True enough, but ain't that one of the rules in any walk of life - When business is not going well don't get caught by the paying customer looking like you don't give a toss?

[LeverEnd]

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:

The main perceived problem is not that players have social (media) lives, but that they aren't currently doing very well in their professional lives.

True enough, but ain't that one of the rules in any walk of life - When business is not going well don't get caught by the paying customer looking like you don't give a toss?

Well it's not like a bank clerk openly having a brew when there is a massive queue. He was officially on holiday, rightly or wrongly. He'll be OK anyway, folk will prefer booing Beckford.

[EverSoYouri]

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:

The main perceived problem is not that players have social (media) lives, but that they aren't currently doing very well in their professional lives.

True enough, but ain't that one of the rules in any walk of life - When business is not going well don't get caught by the paying customer looking like you don't give a toss?

Well it's not like a bank clerk openly having a brew when there is a massive queue. He was officially on holiday, rightly or wrongly. He'll be OK anyway, folk will prefer booing Beckford.

Suspect you're right on this...if there is a queue to be heckled at the Macron, Spearing is still somewhere towards the back of it. (Personally, don't like booing our own, anyway. Seems counter-productive. Can't see how booing a player motivates him - or his team mates - to play better.)

[LeverEnd]

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:

The main perceived problem is not that players have social (media) lives, but that they aren't currently doing very well in their professional lives.

True enough, but ain't that one of the rules in any walk of life - When business is not going well don't get caught by the paying customer looking like you don't give a toss?

Well it's not like a bank clerk openly having a brew when there is a massive queue. He was officially on holiday, rightly or wrongly. He'll be OK anyway, folk will prefer booing Beckford.

Suspect you're right on this...if there is a queue to be heckled at the Macron, Spearing is still somewhere towards the back of it. (Personally, don't like booing our own, anyway. Seems counter-productive. Can't see how booing a player motivates him - or his team mates - to play better.)

Quite, but unfortunately many disagree. Depends what it is though, for example Odemwingie took the piss out of West Brom a couple of years ago, I'd back anyone who gave him grief on his next appearance, but just to make a point. Anything longer is counterproductive like you say.
Final whistle is a different matter, fans have every right to have a go then if the performance has been unacceptable. It would have to be a lack of effort for me though and I don't see that from our lot, just a lack of competence.

[Andy Waller]

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:

The main perceived problem is not that players have social (media) lives, but that they aren't currently doing very well in their professional lives.

True enough, but ain't that one of the rules in any walk of life - When business is not going well don't get caught by the paying customer looking like you don't give a toss?

Well it's not like a bank clerk openly having a brew when there is a massive queue. He was officially on holiday, rightly or wrongly. He'll be OK anyway, folk will prefer booing Beckford.

Suspect you're right on this...if there is a queue to be heckled at the Macron, Spearing is still somewhere towards the back of it. (Personally, don't like booing our own, anyway. Seems counter-productive. Can't see how booing a player motivates him - or his team mates - to play better.)

Your main problem here is that you're assuming intelligence in the crowd.