21 Jul 2026 21:54:49
Rant time from Legolas. As Mrs L has been catching up with Eastenders for over an hour, it's given me the chance to read all the various reports about the World Cup, FIFA and Trump's influence from around the world.
The last hour of reading and my watching past games has just reaffirmed my thoughts that our great game has been hijacked from us - the paying supporters. Money in football has led to greed, which in turn has led to corruption and to, ultimately, paying supporters being treated as mugs. Ticket prices at the World Cup and even the ticket price of attending a game at Forest (let alone buying a home shirt) has become out of reach for many true football fans.
Even my mates who support Bristol City are complaining about how 'corporate' and boring Ashton Gate has become. You can double that feeling in the Premiership.
The fact is that our loyalty as supporters is being exploited financially by those who, frankly, don't give a s*** about football. Owners, Managers and sometimes even Players are exploiting the loyalty and goodwill of us supporters.
Personally, I hate the way our great sport of football has nosedived into what it is now.
Sorry Reds. Rant over.
21 Jul 2026 23:09:35
I've actually posted about the same.
22 Jul 2026 00:48:12
Spot on, Lego and Bowie, for your previous posts. I've been looking at tickets this season, and honestly I'd consider myself priced out. It's actually cheaper looking at away games up north than a visit to Wfcg. In the same vein, forget visiting an away side south of Yorkshire. Once you price in petrol/crazy train fares, an overnight stay, food, and a few pints, let alone tickets, a long weekend in Spain or Portugal is far more feasible.
Don't get me wrong, I'll be at a few games, but nowhere near the level of the past. Sadly I've even considered getting a season pass at Hartlepool just to get my live football fix, but then I started thinking clearly. 🤣 🌳
22 Jul 2026 14:54:46
Bowie, Lego and RRH, all good posts and entirely true, my friends.
The only ray of light potentially for the future is our new PM. AB knows his football, season ticket holder at Everton, Hillsboro campaigner. More pertinently, more left wing than Sir Kier and much more keen to redistribute the obscene wealth of the Premiership to lower leagues and level things up regarding the dire experience of the fans atm.
He has spoken about what the Prem fear most, a more involved and positive supervision by the football regulator to the benefit of the many and not the few.
Hope so anyway. He could start by giving the Prem a bit of a hurry up regarding the, frankly, embarrassing situation regarding Manchester City.
Watch this space.
22 Jul 2026 18:17:54
Also, in nearly a decade as Mayor of Manchester Lego, you will be encouraged to know he was big on trying to sort out the homeless and has stated he will make it a priority as PM.
22 Jul 2026 18:21:41
More left wing?
Banned from driving cus he can't look right at roundabouts 😂😂😂😂
22 Jul 2026 18:43:57
Feels like we're just going around in circles. I don't do good on merry go rounds, hand us a sick bag. 🌳
22 Jul 2026 18:49:57
Yes left ones now without a clue who pays for it
Hang on, taxes going up 😂😂😂
22 Jul 2026 21:58:46
Thanks for the comment, Stokey. It's strange that you mention this now as I'm seriously toying with the idea of going out (possibly alongside the Salvation Army) to distribute food and other essentials to the homeless during the night. I still have contacts in the Army, who seem keen to help me with this, with regards to 'signed-off' food rations, bivvies and clothing.
Watch this space!
22 Jul 2026 19:30:14
Problem is stokey he never sorted it
Its ok to say you'll sort it, but words are cheap unless you deliver and he didn't on homelessness in manchester
He will plunge the country into recession as a labour leader blast from the past
Untried and untested making promises that are impossible to deliver
Labour knives are already approaching his back and quite frankly i have no sympathy
22 Jul 2026 20:27:55
Don't mind taxes going up as long as it's for good causes mate. I assume you've never used the NHS for example on principle. 🤔
22 Jul 2026 22:48:27
Comrades gives you away as a lefty stokey.
Wait till the collapse happens and see if you don't mind paying more taxes.
Seen it all before government building council houses and nationalising failed business
Burnham got a magic wand on that one?
You pay more tax pal, i'm not in.
23 Jul 2026 11:25:15
DTP you are entirely wrong on nearly all counts mate .by the way, I had to laugh about your last line " You pay more tax mate, I'm not in"😂.Do you have some sort of offshore account and a stable of retained tax lawyers? We all pay tax and with the Government having a 170 seat majority you (and me) will have comply or go to prison whether you disagree with tax policy or not.
Burnham was massively successful in Manchester regarding the homeless. I won't bore you with stats but have a quick read of a BBC article from yesterday by Ewan Gawne. A good summary of AB's efforts which he will extend to the whole of England and Wales.
I notice you conveniently ignore the 14 years of Tory Government which preceded the 2 years of Labour. A lot to put right after that shambles and a lot of unearned wealth to redistribute.
As for nationalisation, take a look at the water, steel and railways. Thatcher handed over Water to private companies with no debt and a fully functional structure, accountable to the State. Now, Water companies are massively in debt ( I'm talking billions here take a look at Thames) and pump millions of tons of sewage into our rivers and seas. But don't worry, the wealthy dividend holders and the bosses are still making loadsamoney!
Dont get me started on Railways. The tax payers subsidy goes straight into the shareholders bank accounts and the trains don't run on time and are expensive and unreliable. Oh and the state picks up the bill for track maintenance and infrastructure.
Steel in Wales and other places will be nationalised because Labour has recognised that the Chinese are in control of the stuff we build tanks and warships from.
I also notice you swerve my question about the NHS, an enduring Labour success despite its underfunding and waiting times. I presume that on match days you go to games using tax payer funded roads and perhaps have a pint or two ( DTP) where the contents of your glass are controlled and inspected by a Public Analyst, tax payer funded to prevent it containing ingredients which could kill you. If your beautiful garden catches fire, ( God forbid) the superbly equipped, trained and tax payer funded fire brigade will put it out. If you wish to stand on a soap box and espouse your views, the Police, security services and military will defend your right to do so without a British Putin throwing you into a gulag. All tax payer funded.
Dont get too hung up on the " comrades" bit. I use it habitually as a friendly figure of speech. My sympathies are unashamedly socialist but I generally appalled by the entire current political classes of all parties. For example Starmer was hopelessly out of his depth and has wasted 2 years of opportunity to really change things. Loads of own goals and weakness.
If you get a couple of hours read Stuart MacConies brilliant " The Nanny State Made Me" . assuming that the tax payer funded Education system taught you to read.
I am the product of my working class background ( Dad a welder at Raleigh, Mum a cleaning lady, from Radford and the Meadows respectively) but I think, for all its problems, socialism is the way forward.
23 Jul 2026 12:43:54
Good work, Lego. The Sally Army is one of the charities we regularly contribute to. Saw a lot of good stuff they were doing at first hand with the Police in Nottingham. If you get past their proselytising, they do get stuck in and get their hands dirty, mate...
23 Jul 2026 12:23:21
That was a Party political broadcast on behalf of the Labour Party
Now we return you back to football 😂😂🙄🙄
23 Jul 2026 13:11:23
You been up all night working on that?
Take a look around manchester and see if there are no rough sleeplers?
There, s plenty pal
I"ll use my vote to get them out next election
Like i said before to easy 😂
23 Jul 2026 13:34:15
Up all night or not, at least he has the decency to try and answer your questions/digs. Now, your turn to be decent and answer his questions. 😁🌳
23 Jul 2026 13:38:03
I have winter.
Short and to the point.
23 Jul 2026 13:43:54
Nope I don't think you have. Read again. 🌳
23 Jul 2026 13:41:55
And for the record i'm neither left or right. Ambidextrous or Anarchist, which ever label fits me best on that day😉🌳
23 Jul 2026 13:44:43
If you can actually bother to read my post (and the BBC article )DTP you would see that I didn't say he'd completely eradicated rough sleepers ( that would be impossible in any major cities) but been " massively successful " ie improved the situation drastically as per the stats.
NHS swerved yet again and 14 years of Tory mismanagement.
Anyway, don't let me confuse you with the facts once your mind is made up eh? Same old same old DTP.
I'll just let you carry on living in darkest ignorance.
By the way, I don't know when ( if ever) you've been to Manchester. It's only 30 miles from me and we go often. I don't see what you ( purport) to see regarding rough sleepers.
As for the " all night" comment it took me 10 minutes to read the BbC article and 15 to knock out the post. I'm obviously not as slow as you mate .
23 Jul 2026 14:04:28
Burnham failed to deliver.
I'm from council estate but have no allegiance to socialism.
The NHS is as successful as it can be, but the problem with it is that its can't cope with the population explosion in this country, never had a problem with it.
I've seen labour go down this road before it's old hat and won't work.
There you go, no need to write an essay.
23 Jul 2026 14:55:57
Well, we will leave it at that. If you won't read the facts DTP as per the article I've referred you to then your opinion that Burnham failed to deliver is demonstrably wrong, but there you go mate.
23 Jul 2026 20:32:04
Read the article again ot states that homelessness in manchester has risen year on year since 2021
FACT
23 Jul 2026 21:00:44
Read it again, this time carefully mate. It has risen but from a much lower base due to AB's efforts. Despite austerity by Tories and Labour, rising cost of living, fuel shortages and expense due to the Iran War and lack of social housing, all conducive to increased levels of homelessness everywhere.
The homeless charities are effusive in their praise of AB.
But at least you took the trouble to read it and for that you deserve credit my friend.
Personally, I think legalising drugs and more in house care for the mentally ill, as well as support for veterans would be steps forward.
23 Jul 2026 21:43:19
Read it again there are reasons it lowered initially stokey like it dud elsewhere due to a programme nationwide
But you don't wamt to digest that as it doesn't fit your agenda
You have stated you visit manchester as your not far away and you don't see amy rouhh sleepers? Correct?
Well you must have a white stick then as it states there are approx 55 rough sleepers in the city centre alone and in greater mabchester nearly 400 hundred
I rest my case
23 Jul 2026 21:55:08
Usual spelling mistakes are there for you. 😁😂
23 Jul 2026 22:08:24
When it comes to legalising drugs, there are enough smack heads around without encouraging more.
Very dangerous road to gp down.
23 Jul 2026 22:47:48
GPs on drugs? I hope not, that would put a whole new angle on our mental health chats. 🤣
23 Jul 2026 22:58:34
Well spotted winter 😁😂
I think we should ban people owning more than one house so as to allow more people on the property ladder?
23 Jul 2026 23:32:36
Agreed, want to relocate? I've got one for sale. 😁🌳
24 Jul 2026 07:29:54
Nah, already living in Gods County, mate. 😁😂
24 Jul 2026 08:12:50
Don't rest your case too early, DTP. If you read it properly, you will see that he got rough sleepers down from 268, plus he cleared Tent City in Manchester City Centre and sorted out emergency accommodation.
I was in Manchester last week, and didn't see any rough sleepers at all. Perhaps it was either too hot to sleep, or you need to go to Spec Savers, mate. When did you last go to Manchester? Was it in Matt Busby's days?
Again, you conveniently forget Greater Manchester's social housing building programme and the various charities AB is involved in, including one where he is founder and patron off his own back.
As he realistically says, "I think we will never entirely solve the problem of homelessness but we can improve it massively."
24 Jul 2026 09:16:26
Look DTP don't worry about it mate. You just enjoy your garden, pay your taxes and leave the homeless to be sorted out by AB and volunteers like Lego. Just keep your fingers crossed that you don't hit hard times. It's happened to some good, hard working people through no fault of their own.
24 Jul 2026 09:35:31
You never admit your wrong stokey
You changed your statement now
I already watched the tv programme on the bbc before commenting pal
So there you go, in a nutshell, burngam tried, but it couldn, t be classed as a real success
You jyst waffle on and put what suits your agenda
I do enjoy the garden, even better since i finished building my summer house complete with bar 😁🥂😂
24 Jul 2026 12:52:06
I'd be the first to admit when I'm wrong DTP mate but I never am
Enjoy your garden and bar mate, you've probably worked hard for it and deserve it.
Typical right wing, I'm alright Jack eh?
24 Jul 2026 16:23:46
Too right, worked hard and still do, Stokey, as I enjoy staying fit and enjoy creating kitchens, bathrooms, and any sort of joinery.
Never catch me sat still unless I've got a pint in my hand, having a laugh with mates.
Keeps you young, pal.
Ps, I help plenty of folk out who can't afford my wages.
24 Jul 2026 17:21:04
Well, that's very commendable, DTP.
Seems we do have a lot in common, pints with friends and family-wise. Except I can sit still.
Seems I may have misjudged you and got hold of the wrong end of the stick.
As far as your work is concerned, just remember Big Bill Haywood's famous comment: "Nothing's too good for the working class". 👍👍
24 Jul 2026 17:56:37
As a footnote, respect to you for building your own business DTP. One of my brothers built his own tree surgery business and my brother in law built a car spraying company from scratch so I’ve seen how hard it is.
Neither of them can sit still either.
I’m more like Ronald Reagan’s idea these days, ie "hard work never killed anyone... but why take the chance?" 😂😂👍👍