The Rolling Football Thread: Season 2025/26 - thread 2

[DuncinToffee]

Previous thread

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/sports/5383976-the-rolling-football-thread-season-202526?page=40&reply=147893728

Def yes to Boxing Day!!!

You can bring us all with you.

I admit I loathe Feyenoord because of Van Persie and that is all I have to say on that 🐍

Bergkamp is my favourite Dutch player and he has never played for teams I have supported.

Gosh tho, Bergkamp. Football God.

I am considering boxing day footy. There is, afaik, no public transport and it is a little over an hour each way by foot (wouldn't have a clue where to park, Sheffield hates cars). I probably (hopefully) won't have a problem getting a ticket closer to the day.

I was just reading about how badly travelling Newcastle fans were treated in Marseille. It sparked memories of the 2022 CL final where the French police treated Liverpool fans (including disabled fans and children) so appallingly and then the authorities (and UEFA) tried to lie about it. The added salt in the wound is that it's Marseille fans who are known for thuggishness and ultra behaviour, not Newcastle fans - but it's just standard for continental authorities to treat all English fans like a single bloc of 1980s beered up hooligans. Makes me really angry.

some of the travelling fans get appalling treatment. We played one of the Istanbul teams in the champions league (to be clear this is Gladbach not the mighty Wednesday) and one of the fan groups took our traditional banner which shows a bishop/saint with a shepherd's crook and a cross. It was confiscated after much argy bargy, and loads of fans beaten and locked in Jail for a day or two.

It puts me off travelling, tbh.

The club have raised a formal complaint. Fully expect it to go nowhere. Fans were kettled into the stadium almost 4 hours pre kick off, with no admission to away fans being granted unless through such means. They were then left in the stadium for over two hours post match, many stood in ankle deep toilet water after toilets became blocked and flooded. Reports say French police were heavy handed and hitting out with batons despite no provocation from fans.

All sounds a bit shit. The advice from the club pre game was don’t travel alone, don’t wear club colours, don’t out yourself as an away fan in any way until you’re in the ground or on your own head be it.

@Brefugee and @JasonTindallsTan Absolutely disgusting accounts - it's as though because it's "only" football fans, it's okay to treat them like animals.

ETA: I'm glad Newcastle have made an official complaint. I understand why you're not expecting it to go anywhere, but you never know - Liverpool didn't give up re the 2022 CL final debacle and, although it took 3 years, got an apology from the French Minister of Justice for how the fans were treated and wrongfully blamed for what happened. Lawsuits are also ongoing against UEFA, who unsuccessfully tried to have them thrown out.

That sounds awful. I’m surprised as I don’t remember anything like that bad being reported when Brighton played them- it wasn’t the friendliest place and there were some issues (and lots of warnings from the club beforehand) but nothing as widespread as that from what I remember

Well, the he might have apologised, but it makes no difference otherwise the NC fans would not have been treated like that.

I really think that it is Isak that unsettled them. They were doing great with Ekiteke until Isak was fit again and Slot started playing him and then it all went to pot.

True. I'm thinking more of the long term impact if the French authorities, UEFA etc have to admit they have got it wrong again if more clubs formally complain. You're probably right, sadly, that it still won't change anything, but it's a moral victory for the fans who were wrongly blamed. It will also be interesting to see if the official admission will help in the ongoing lawsuit that 800 or so Liverpool fans have brought against UEFA. But yes, given how generally useless UEFA are, the spreading of moral outrage by publicising the unacceptable shit that happens is probably as far as it will go. ☹️

if UEFA had any balls they would ban those clubs having home matches and make them play only away legs.

But. Meh.

The hidden post is about Everton unveiling a Gary Speed memorial bench

Wow what a goal for Bournemouth!

is there a reason it is hidden? or is it because it accurately describes how he died?

I can't believe it is so long already

How lovely that it is a talking bench - what a great tribute.

Worst peformance of the season so far with a rare off day for Pickford, you are welcome Jason

Cheers, we really needed that. Woltemade’s goal especially was a stunner.

KDH was better

Fulham!!!!!

Not as embarrassing as last weekend but certainly not great. Newcastle away will be interesting 😬

Gillingham were away to Shrewsbury yesterday, went in 3-1 down at HT ended 3-3 so the point felt like a win. Hopefully they can start turning these draws into wins as sitting just outside the play-offs now.

Glad to see the Gills manager Gareth Ainsworth back to good health.

First game back in the dug out for him (last 2 he has directed from the stands). It is good to have him back, he is a positive and influential person/manager and Gills are lucky to have him 💙

this popped up on the Chat thread about things nobody needs even if they are on sale. And i thought, hang on a mo, i'm sure there is SOMEONE out there who would like a Duncan Ferguson draft excluder!

Duncan Ferguson Draught Excluder Cushion: Everton FC Gift, Football Novelty Pillow - Etsy