Qpr

[Seafront Plodder]

So I reckon Andy'll be handing his season ticket back now QPR will be able to bankroll themselves into the premiership.

[El Gordo]

I must admit I was a little taken aback to be directed towards the Sun newspaper today, and in particular the headline: "QPR are the richest club in the world"

The article goes on:

[INDENT]CHELSEA fans will be choking on their cappuccinos today when they discover they are no longer the country’s richest club. :RFLMAO:

In fact, they are not even the wealthiest in West London any more. :RFLMAO:

That honour now goes to unfashionable neighbours Queens Park Rangers after Lakshmi Mittal — the fifth most minted man on the planet — bought a 20 per cent stakeholding. :RFLMAO:

And with the Rangers board already boasting F1 tycoons Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, it means the Championship’s bottom club have a fortune of more than £22BILLION — even bigger than Real Madrid. :RFLMAO:

Indian steel magnate Mittal topped last year’s Sunday Times Rich List with a near £20bn fortune — almost double that of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. :RFLMAO:

F1 supremo Ecclestone is worth £2.5bn, while Renault chief Briatore has a cool £60m. :RFLMAO:

The three wealthy directors have pledged to splash the cash to turn Rangers into the game’s next big force. :RFLMAO:

And boss Luigi de Canio will be given an open chequebook to strengthen his squad during next month’s transfer window. :RFLMAO:

Mittal will be represented on the board by son-in-law Amit Bhatia. He said: “The family is excited about becoming involved with QPR. As a family, we love sport and particularly enjoy English football. “Alongside Bernie and Flavio, we hope we can improve the club’s performance, with the ultimate ambition of a Premier League place.” :RFLMAO:

Rangers were on the brink of going back into administration before Ecclestone and Briatore bought the club for £14m in September. Paul Finney, of the Independent R’s supporters group, said: “Santa must be wearing blue and white hoops. “It’s been a crazy season and now it looks set to be even more surreal.” [/INDENT]
So there we have it. Richer than Real Madrid.

I don't have a season ticket this year. I've had 10 years of gloom as a ST holder, and decided to cheer myself up by not renewing this time. One has the feeling that the good times may be about to roll once again down at HQ.

I'm beginning to sense a half-season ticket urge.....

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/spo...607682.ece

[suzieq]

I want to wish everyone a very Happy New Year! I hope 2008 is one where some (if not all) of your dreams come true and life is good to you. And I pray for peace around the world - someday it will actually happen.

I started off on a good foot - ran 8 km with about 1500 other people New Year's Eve (early evening). It was a lovely evening too at only -9 with hardly any wind. Doesn't get much better!

Hopefully see some of you in 2008. Although it won't be at Almeria as I am (I hope) about to start a new job and won't be able to take time off quite so soon. I'll be thinking about you all though!

Suzie

[Antonio247]

I also wish you all the best for this new year. Best of luck with your new job, Suzie.

Congratulations on your last race in the last year.

It´s a pity you won´t be able to come to Almería this year. We´ll have you in our minds.


FELIZ 2008 HAPPY 2008


Saludos desde Almería

[El Gordo]

Thanks for the message, Suzie. Glad to hear that you've got a new job sorted out. A good way to start a new year.

Hope you have a good 2008 -- see you in Almeria 09.

[Sweder]

Can't wait for the ultimate clash of the multi-millionaire London titans - 'the two richest clubs in football' -this afternoon, a perfect end to the seasonal abligurition. Hopefully we'll get an eye-witness match report, tales of an inglorious end to Chelski's hold on the FA Cup eagerly anticipated.

Come on you R's!

[El Gordo]

Can't wait for the ultimate clash of the multi-millionaire London titans - 'the two richest clubs in football' -this afternoon, a perfect end to the seasonal abligurition. Hopefully we'll get an eye-witness match report, tales of an inglorious end to Chelski's hold on the FA Cup eagerly anticipated.

Come on you R's!

I was at the last 2 games but couldn't get hold of a ticket for this one, unfortunately.

[Sweder]

Cor strike a light guv'nor . . . that Kevin Keegan's only gone and taken a job back at Newcastle inee?
If I 'ad a pand f'r ev'ry Geordie that's called for Sir Kev to return . . .
(That's enough crap cockney cabbie Sweder).

The Silver Fox famously took Newcastle back to the top flight in 1993 and came horribly close to winning the league title in the 1995-96 season. The Magpies led the MU Rowdies by 12 points before finishing as runners up, the greatest last-minute sporting collapse since (insert Devon Lock/ That Woman on the Snowboard/ Sweder in the MGS Ireland Tour of 2007 here).

I wish him and the Geordie Nation well. Looks like Shearer is keeping his one-armed salute to himself for the time being.

[Seafront Plodder]

I'd love it if he does well. Love it.

[El Gordo]

A shock, and a gamble. Inspired? Or desperate?

From where I stand, it seems like a genuflection towards the demon sentiment. Rarely a good thing. The likelihood is that it will all end in failure, trashing a number of reputations, and memories, in the process.

Bah! To be honest, I've got rather bored with that football club.

[Sweder]

Let's hope they remember to laminate their match programs from now on.
To catch the tears of joy, obviously.

[Sweder]

[SIZE="4"]Spuuuurs . . . are on their way to Wem-bley![/SIZE]*

What a match tonight! I rarely feel happy for 'other' fans but those Spurs supporters will be dancing, high on a heady mix of unbridled joy and incredible relief, long into the night. They've won nothing yet but I doubt they care at all.

Good on Arsene Wenger for sticking with with his Carling Cup side. They were brutally outclassed by the Tottenham first XI tonight; Spurs clearly wanted it more and were prepared to shed blood for it. I'm hoping the Tottenham team now go on some kind of Ferdinandesque 48 hour bender before hitch-hiking throughout Friday night, reaching the Devilbowl just in time for a good old-fashioned FA Cup drubbing. Watching Ramos remain the colour and texture of Aberdonian granite amidst tonight's wildly jubilant scenes I feel this is unlikely.

Judging by the alarming number of BBC broadcasters claiming allegiance to White Hart lane we might expect a series of upbeat morning newscasts in spite of the crashing avalanche of share prices beamed live from the floor of the Stock Exchange. Watch out for the occasional oddity in the sports bulletins, such as

Pat Rice, Frank Stapleton, Tony Adams, Charlie George, Clive Anderson, Tom Watt, Alan Davis, Rory McGrath can you hear me? Rory McGrath can you hear me? Your (young) boys took one hell of a beating!

[SIZE="1"]*Lyrics and Cockerney stylee courtesy of Chaz N Dave[/SIZE]

[stillwaddler]

Arson Fire must be a little worried, hope it puts them off their stride for the Premiership battle, it's such a pretty trophy and I just love seeing it at Old Trafford :-)

Best of luck to everyone for Almeria, I'l be thinking of you all.

Andy, there appears to be some rather "interesting" messages in the General Running category :-)

[El Gordo]

Andy, there appears to be some rather "interesting" messages in the General Running category :-)

Thanks. I missed that one. somehow. Spam-swatting is a daily sport (no pun intended).