So, we've got the Brentford, at home, today, for the prestigious Supporters Direct Trust Cup (a cup which actually does have my name on it).

And where is PG? Off watching the fucking CRICKET!

Woohoo! Silverware!

Was the result a fair reflection of the game?

Kaizer Chiefs 1 Man Utd 1

A boring game at Newlands rugby stadium. GNev started, and looked quite good, but gave away the penalty that gave Chiefs the lead. Eagles equalised with a deflected header after a great ball in from Tevez.

Next week United take on Orlando Pirates in Durban.

Schalke 1 - Rangers 0. Schalke looked quite good and Rangers didn't. Gonna be a long season ahead without Ferguson.
Was surprised by Schalkes sponsor, did that go down OK with the locals?

who won the cup tonton?

Brentford, 2-1.

Fulham 3 Celtic 1

Only bothered with this one to have a nice drink by the river with some old Tim friends I hadn't seen for a bit. Deserved win for Fulham, who looked compact and purposeful and scored three fine goals, including a surprisingly sharp volley from Bobby Zamora. Celtic were thoroughly pedestrian and very weak in midfield.

QUOTE:
Celtic were thoroughly pedestrian and very weak in midfield.

bodes well for thursday then

The match programme yesterday at AFCW had a report of our first PSF, a seemingly dull as ditchwater 0-0 draw with Croydon Athletic. The second sentence said 'the length of the grass prevented us getting our passing game going'. The season is not even a paragraph old, and we're making excuses.

West Ham 3 Columbus 1, Dean Ashton got the first.

Apparently there were enough drunken stupid people on both sides starting fights that the Columbus police sent over their helicopter.

There was also a banner unveiled that said ICF undefeated for 30 years. Except I don't think it got the desired reaction, because the stadium security/Columbus police had no idea what the hell that meant.

Cardiff City 1 Celtic 0

(Algarve Challenge Cup, played at the Stadio Algarve, Portugal)

9/11 of what is as close to a full-strength side as we can muster at the moment beating a patchy Celtic team (including Hinkel, Balde, O'Dea, Brown, Hartley, Donati, Samaras. McManus, McDonald and JVoH on as subs).

A peculiar final game in a tournament composed of two double-headers also featuring Guimares and Middlesborough which was watched by about 1500 people in a 30,000 capacity stadium and run like a village fete (albeit with heavy security and random breathalyser tests on entry). Cardiff's two victories bringing them their first European silverware I can recall.

Celtic look liked far better players with great individual movement but betray the signs of not playing together regularly and beaten by a side who generally know each other better and a great team goal.

Wierd night, particularly as I am on a family holiday twenty minutes away booked months before the tournament was announced and sloped off for a few hours.

Is this the pre-cursor to "a 9/11 of a team" being used as a description next season, Harri?

Anyway, I phone the Tranmere ticket office to ask about tickets for the Bolton thriller next Tuesday and ask if it is likely to be sold out to be told in a dour Birkenhead accent "There is more chance of aliens landing than it being a sell-out"

Great sales technique.

Have Bolton not signed anyone even slightly interesting?

Not since 1905, no.

Hamburg v Manchester City live on Channel 5 tommorrow afternoon.

See, there is something to live for.

19 Jul. Stafford 0-3 Shrewsbury

22 Jul. Shrewsbury 2-2 WBA

25 Jul. Shrewsbury 2-0 Blackpool

Optimism in overdrive at the PornStar Stadium.

Good news, Nick. Have the shrews signed anyone interesting other than Holt?