Carlton Palmer. Holy shit. It's been years but still, Holy Shit. That entire era was arguably the most baffling in the history of Leeds United.

Speaking of which, I'm mildly worried about the pre-season rumblings at Elland Road. So far we managed to somehow keep hold of Anthony Elding (truly, truly the worst player I have ever seen in a Leeds shirt, including the club mascot) and find ourselves associated with every geriatric striker who has somehow escaped retirement and a pension. We're also letting Seb Carole go on trial at another club despite the fact that we still have a whole host of shite on the books in need of a culling. He's not great or even consistent but when he's on the pitch, we actually look to have a bit of width occasionally. Like we didn't at Wembley with our four central midfielders.

Please find a couple of strikers, Macca. Uncle Ken must have some bunce stashed in his mattress somewhere. Splurge on a decent centre forward and save yourself some money in the long run. Look up a division or two and throw some cash down on someone who likes playing in front of a decent size crowd.

In a move that can be at best described as insensitive, Harry Kewell has signed for Galatasaray.

I'm not looking forward to the inevitable interviews when Kewell declares how much he is looking forward to playing in the 'unique atmosphere at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium'. Thankfully much of the anti-Turkish sentiment around Leeds following the murders has ebbed away, but feelings still run high where Galatasaray are concerned; especially given the, um, peculiar way the court cases have been handled in the years since.

Worst of all, I doubt the news of a former-Leeds favourite, who was there and played in those games, will have done much for the mood this morning of the families of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight.

(edited to include a link to this picture of Kewell's last visit to Galatasaray, surrounded by riot police and looking completely terrified.)

More happily, skip to 1:50 to watch the European Champions do a conga-line through Sebastian Schweinsteiger's post-match interview. Well played, lads.

daniel robert chapman wrote:

chairman_hall wrote:Newcastle's first signing of the summer:

Jonas "Spiderman" Gutierrez

I had occasion this evening to watch this Peter Beardsley video on YouTube (it was an anitdote to having to see this): fuck me, it's weird sometimes to think of how good he really was. I think around 1992/3, he got so close to signing to Leeds that I saw a mock-up of him wearing a Leeds kit. If only. I guess we needed to sign Carlton 'fucking' Palmer instead.

So good.

The best player I have ever seen play in a Newcastle shirt. Andy Cole may have been the player to score the most goals for the club in one season, but he would have only scored a fraction of them if Super Pedro wasn't laying them on a plate for him.

daniel robert chapman wrote:I would like to congratulate Heart of Midlothian FC on their new kit.

Admittedly this strip may well have fucked back off to Lithuania by Christmas like things about Hearts tend to do, but I'd enjoy this tasteful and simple number were I a Hearts fan.

I can only hope that Macron treat Leeds' kit ("it's white") in the same way Umbro have treated Hearts' ("it's maroon"). I'm not optimistic.

FYP

I'm going to buy this strip today. It's a shame that the away kit is pretty horrible though.



A return to the classic pinstripe of the 89-90 season would have been nice.



I had that strip, but mine had the Thorn Security logo on it.

In other Hearts-related news, we still don't have a manager. I'm finding it pretty impossible to be optimistic about the new season.

I'm also going to Tannadice at the end of the month to see Dundee Utd vs. Barcelona, and looking forward to it very much.

daniel robert chapman wrote:More happily, skip to 1:50 to watch the European Champions do a conga-line through Sebastian Schweinsteiger's post-match interview. Well played, lads.

The full version, including the Spanish player's return trip singing 'Viva Espana'. Again, well played, lads.

daniel robert chapman wrote:

daniel robert chapman wrote:More happily, skip to 1:50 to watch the European Champions do a conga-line through Sebastian Schweinsteiger's post-match interview. Well played, lads.

The full version, including the Spanish player's return trip singing 'Viva Espana'. Again, well played, lads.

Perhaps it was a reaction to the German players who handled the Cup on the way to their losers' medals.

tommydski wrote:Please find a couple of strikers, Macca. Uncle Ken must have some bunce stashed in his mattress somewhere. Splurge on a decent centre forward and save yourself some money in the long run. Look up a division or two and throw some cash down on someone who likes playing in front of a decent size crowd.

Signed: that striker from Bristol City that wouldn't sign in January has realised his mistake.

From what I can gather, Elding won't leave because he realises that he will never play for a club this size again*, and is prepared to stay and take a chance of somehow getting some games (and scoring). He's like the new Ian Moore. As a result, because McAllister sees that we should only have one forward that isn't ever going to get in the team, Leon Constantine has left for Northampton, where he seems to be giving lots of interviews about how great Leeds are. Cheers lads.

*this isn't usual Leeds fans' bluster, it's what he's said himself

Oh, and Harry Kewell 'penned' an open letter to Leeds fans explaining that it's his career and he'll do what the fuck he wants; but that he hopes by choosing 19 as his squad number at Galatasary - the number he first wore at Leeds - it will "help the healing process of the tragedy". Sigh. Just fuck off, Harry.

Fuck off is right.

That whole Turkish debacle was pretty much the beginning of the end. We're still suffering the consequences to this day. I hope he can live with himself and his blood money.