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In terms of entertainment value it should be knock out competition all the way, but this format essentially gives the biggest clubs the opportunity to overcome an unexpected loss and still finish half going into the knock out stages. The brilliance of European football is seeing sides like Celtic, Ajax, PSV, Benfica, Porto, Lyon put up real fights and going on to win silverware as well as the richer clubs. These changes will just continue to strengthen the monopoly, centralising the best talents to a small number of clubs, ensuring those clubs receive more money. BTEC Super League and it needs scrapping.

The introduction of the group stages to the UEFA Cup was the downfall of it. At the very least, having a different format to the Champions League made it something to watch. Having a knockout competition from the off was one of the best parts of it, and didn't just make it a lesser version. Bring that back and then we can start having some serious changes that people, outside of boardrooms, would like to see.

I’ve had hangovers that lasted longer than the ESL, and I think that’s beautiful

It baffles me the media and ex players ranting at, and accusing the FANS (who aren't there at matches, remember) of the mess Bruce has made. They do this for no other club, but side with the fans of other clubs for less reason. Man U/Liverpool/Arsenal/Spuds etc (you know the teams with inflated egos and a genuflecting supporting press and media who have just urinated all over the game) fans doing the same against "underachieving" managers are told "You're right ! Sack that manager ! Doesn't matter where you are in the league and past glories !" You could record one ex player or one ex manager slagging off Newcastle fans then have any of them standing there with the recording playing and them mouthing the words to the recording. They all say the same bilge - and most often they have not seen the game. I can honestly say I have never seen bias so extreme against one clubs fans. Listen to rival fans and you get a more accurate picture. Apart from those who let the media do their thinking for them (Villa fans a good example) the overwhelming opinion is how bad this club is to watch. Excrutiating. The players we have they should not be this bad. And media even defend ASHLEY but when it looked like Saudis may take over the PANIC when Ashley announced he'd maybe buy another club was hilarious to see. The same people shrieking at Newcastle fans, it's all their fault (How ???) and Ashley was wonderful....suddenly were scared he may take over their club. Ipswich fans were horrified and voluble on the subject when they were mentioned as a possible destination. OK him doing what he does at Newcastle, but not with their clubs

With my new: Avatar Signature Club crest next to all the shit I post (if you're on a PC, I don't think it shows up on mobile)* I am fairly certain that my rebranding is fully complete. I am now a European Super Dr. Gonzo *unless Tranmere gets added, then I'm changing it to that.

Last night's observation: Sirius, Canis Major, and a few neat objects around it. Started out with Sirius: very easy to find and unmistakeable, as no other star in the night sky is so bright and twinkles that much! Easily observed with a naked eye as well, but looks much more epic through the binos... Pretty much like a disco ball in space; think it twinkled in a handful of colours during my time of observation. Light refraction in the atmosphere is pretty cool... Not my image, but thought this was a great time lapse of Sirius "changing colour" throughout the night: What is particularly interesting, is that like Spica, Sirius is actually a binary star - sadly, Sirius B is too small and too faint to be observed even through a decent telescope, as it drowns in Sirius A brightness, so it's completely impossible through the binos. Anyway, moving on... Just south of Sirius (about half of the binoculars' field of view), there's a bright open cluster M41, also observable with a naked eye, but then all I can see unaided is a hazy blur Through the binos, it looks much better though; I think I could count nearly two dozen of stars scattered there in one spot, but as it's close to the horizon, the whole view suffers a bit from light pollution. Still, a pretty cool sight nonetheless, and a great and easy deep-sky target. Moving down from here, there's another three stars in the Canis Major that form a triangle and are in the hind legs of the dog, if you take the shape and the name of the constellation into account - Wezen in the middle, and then Aludra on the left and Alhadra on the right. All three are bright enough, and while not particularly interesting, it serves as a good guiding point to the two Collinder clusters just south of it - Cr140 and Cr132. Both observable, and Cr132 brightest stars form a quadrangle, while Cr140 stars form in a Y-shape of sorts. There are also a few other clusters around Sirius that I will try to observe tonight, if the conditions allow...

As much as I don't particularly like AEW, good lord at least they move their angles forward in a generally reasonably coherent manner. WWE Seems to focus on about 4 people and the rest just mill about.

@Rab pleeeeaasse - for @Happy Blue & @Panna King... and also me

Honestly, from the outside looking in... it seems like a lot of people in the media just like shitting on Newcastle fans, for whatever reason. I feel like it's been like that for a long time, even before Ashley - because even while Ashley is buddy buddy with a lot in the media (for business reasons or otherwise, but probably business reasons), I felt like the media & TalkSport listening types were pretty quick to give Newcastle fans shit for being "entitled" because they wanted their club to show some ambition and push on in the late 2000s instead of just stagnate. TalkSport's for morons anyways though, so fuck em.

A better solution to banning for @Mpache

First of all, you have to get your virginity back. I'm kidding.

Blasts around Israeli nuclear facility in Dinoma. More inflamed ME