Stan

Edgbaston is probably the best cricket crowd. Can't remember what order the tests are in but if there's anything riding on that specific test and the day you go on, it'll be a great atmosphere mixed with tension as the game twists and turns. Whenever I've been to Edgbaston I can't fault it - never been let down when it comes to the day experience. Most cricket crowds are welcoming though. Lords is posh in general so you're unlikely to have any trouble there. I've been to Old Trafford, The Oval and Trent Bridge too for all formats of the game and even when it's been a bit controversial in the game, there's never been any incident or animosity that I've witnessed or experienced in the crowd. No matter how pissed up I or any fan gets . Everyone is there for the cricket and a good time usually. I've stayed over at a hotel (I think it was a Gem Hotel) in Manchester when going to Old Trafford. About 10-15 min taxi drive away and its a decent hotel and out of the city centre. As for Edgbaston, I've only ever stayed in Birmingham Travelodge so if you're not wanting a city stay I can't help you there! With the London venues I've always been able to get a train back home - Bedford is approx 40mins-1hr on train from St Pancras. Closer places, but still outside of London going north, are St Albans, Luton, Flitwick. London is so easy to travel in/out of in all directions and easy to navigate so either The Oval/Lord's is a decent location for cricket and for a stay outside of Central London. As for Headingley, one venue that eludes me! My dad has been a couple of times and loved it.

Great to see Haller played

It's a disgrace we've become so amateurish and uncompetitive off the field as well as on it. It's partly on Rodgers, but partly on the senior hierarchy above him that have got us to this point.

Melbourne Victory vs Melbourne City to be replayed in April. Suspended 10-point deduction for Victory for 3 seasons.

VID-20230110-WA0001.mp4

Clint Eastwood says he still has the same poncho he wore in the spaghetti westerns (The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, etc) and it has never been washed in 54 years and it's still sitting in a glass case in his house. Just an interesting fact I learned recently

I heard last night up to 1500 already arrested. Sad sights to see irrespective of how many though.

Hamlin discharged from hospital. Great news and that's some recovery!

What a night! Seahawks had to win and hope Lions beat Packers to qualify for the playoffs. But in doing so, it meant the Lions were eliminated. Lions were watching Seahawks game at Packers, so they must have known the result before they started. Packers had to win to qualify. Lions end up beating them! Seahawks vs Rams had a lot of drama in it towards the end.

When I hit an 80s playlist on Spotify some of the songs are still so good. The standards are ridiculous from back then to now.

Hamlin is making 'remarkable improvement' in his recovery apparently. Good to hear.

Is this some kind of dig at the British public?

2 & 5 as well for the same reasons @nudge mentioned. 5 is probably the most useful.

In a defence that was already struggling, losing your leader in that defence is sure to be a big loss. Konate/Matip CB partnership to come for the foreseeable then?

Yeah it's quite devastating and very sad when you think of his future after this. The good thing being he's young and could have better recovery time and care... I inadvertently saw a clip of it and it's horrible to watch. Sympathise with the players and coaches too that were close up to it and when he was getting treatment on the pitch.

Especially considering how insulting he was to them during COVID. Did they freeze his account at all?

Great to know the current PM has his priorities straight! Don't worry about fixing the economy or the NHS which is literally at breaking point.

Didn't see that one coming

Some obscene fees here. Man Utd and Chelsea the ones mainly responsible. I think Van Dijk is the biggest success here, given trophies won and the level of status/reputation he now has compared to when he joined.

Interesting you say this because some fire Starmer as a Tory-lite individual. I'm not sure what's cowardly about him, mind. I've said this before but I'd rather have boring and effective as opposed to eccentric and ineffective. The fact Labour have made considerable gains in several constituencies is a) because Tories are such a shit show and b) Starmer actually poses as a sensible, diplomatic, calm choice for a leader. When you consider what the Tories have to offer, he's an able alternative. The only problem is that Labour in the past have done so much damage that they lost a lot of core voters (hence the red wall breaking down in the North East). I agreed with some of the Corbyn policies which funnily enough some Tory ministers want to bring in (4-day week was discussed last year, free broadband for vulnerable people) but he is given such bad press (which the Tories run) that people chose to believe those smears as opposed to think for themselves and see what the parties have to offer. People point to Starmer or Labour for ruining this country. Sorry, but the Tories have 'governed' for 12 years and its not up to Labour to bring the solutions to the problems. The problem the Tories have is they create more problems not only for themselves but for the country. Point the finger at the ones in charge, not the ones that can't make any changes and that aren't in power. Fine to say we got stuck with the shit we got, but I pray to God that come the next GE, anyone - be it on the fence, core Labour, Tory or any other voter - sees how badly the Tories run the country and have done for 12 years so far. They've run it into the ground and destroyed the economy in the process. Some might blame COVID but the problems were there long before. We might be fucked now, but we'll be fucked on a grander scale if Tories stay in power.

Exactly. I think they'd bag more voters than they'd lose it they stuck to their guns and aimed to rejoin.

Sad to wake up to news about Damar Hamlin Collapsed on the field and had to receive CPR, in hospital and has a pulse but not breathing on his own. Hope he pulls through.