en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2888071 Comments by Irons_Man http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2014/05/priti-patel-mp-this-is-the-most-successful-euro-sceptic-government-since-thatchers-so-vote-conservative-on-thursday.html#IDComment832484267 How can Priti Patel call this government "Eurosceptic" when it will be campaigning for an "in" vote in any (semi-mythical) future referendum? Angela Merkel has stated, categorically, that there will no renegotiation of terms. So Cameron is asking people to vote Conservative for renegotiations that won't happen, before a referendum that is as likely as snow in Hell. Meanwhile, in Newham, East London, Dave's new carey-sharey Conservatives have been handing out sectarian leaflets promising the Earth to local Muslims (for example, putting Islamic sensibilities first when considering future planning applications) in return for their votes. So much for Sajid Javid's empty words at the weekend. Mon, 19 May 2014 15:11:56 +0000 http://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2014/05/priti-patel-mp-this-is-the-most-successful-euro-sceptic-government-since-thatchers-so-vote-conservative-on-thursday.html#IDComment832484267 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/22/match-thread-west-ham-v-sunderland/#IDComment154971186 Automatic promotion slot? I admire your optimism If they play like they've been playing, West Ham will lucky to beat Doncaster Rovers. Sun, 22 May 2011 17:27:41 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/22/match-thread-west-ham-v-sunderland/#IDComment154971186 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/16/should-tony-carr-be-our-next-manager/#IDComment152601228 No, it would be the wrong move. Tony Carr is the best developer of youth talent in the country. It'd be foolish indeed to take him away from that role and put him in the West Ham hotseat. You need someone experienced, with the strength of character to stand up to Gollivan and Brady, but also someone with a cool head who won't be wound up by them. I'm afraid that completely rules out Paulo Di Canio. Mon, 16 May 2011 11:53:03 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/16/should-tony-carr-be-our-next-manager/#IDComment152601228 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/15/grant-is-finally-sacked-four-months-too-late/#IDComment152420334 My favourite football book of recent years is The Damned United - the story of how Cloughie and Peter Taylor took over and rebuilt Derby County, and won the league, and then did the same with Notts Forest, and went even further (we'll ignore the Leeds fiasco). They were a team - Cloughie the motivator, Taylor the supreme scout. Taylor was a genius spotter - he found discarded ex-internationals and overlooked youngsters, teamed them up with the rough diamonds already at the clubs (including a certain Martin O'Neill at Forest) and then Cloughie forged them into invincibles. Wouldn't it be bloody brilliant if we could get a managerial team as good as that at Upton Park? I suppose we can all dream, but I'd love it to come true next season. Sun, 15 May 2011 20:41:18 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/15/grant-is-finally-sacked-four-months-too-late/#IDComment152420334 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/15/avram-grant-if-you-have-any-sense-of-shame/#IDComment152394877 You gotta have a strong personality as captain - Upson just weren't up to it. There's gonna be a lot of people heading for the door, and a lot of youngsters left behind. They're gonna need good leadership, on the field and off. Need an experienced head. It might be better to bring in someone from outside. I'd give my last Rolo to see a 26-year-old Billy Bonds or Dave Mackay type come to West Ham. Sun, 15 May 2011 18:47:37 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/15/avram-grant-if-you-have-any-sense-of-shame/#IDComment152394877 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/15/avram-grant-if-you-have-any-sense-of-shame/#IDComment152392032 Tony Gale just on Sky Sports News talking a lot of sense. Says some of the stories about the running of the club that he's been hearing have been appalling: training ground bustups, players walking away when dropped, board sticking their oar when its not wanted. Total nightmare. Sun, 15 May 2011 18:34:46 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/15/avram-grant-if-you-have-any-sense-of-shame/#IDComment152392032 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/15/avram-grant-if-you-have-any-sense-of-shame/#IDComment152384589 David Sullivan would sell his granny if he saw a bob in it. Don't forget that this is a man who, after his former girlfriend Mary Millington killed herself, made an exploitation movie of her life story. Nice fella. Sun, 15 May 2011 18:00:41 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/15/avram-grant-if-you-have-any-sense-of-shame/#IDComment152384589 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/15/avram-grant-if-you-have-any-sense-of-shame/#IDComment152376955 What a predictable end to a farcical season. If you had to put your money on anybody missing a last-minutes sitter to save West Ham, you'd have put it on Carlton Cole. Good riddance to him, Upson, and most of all AVRAM GRANT. Sun, 15 May 2011 17:24:19 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/15/avram-grant-if-you-have-any-sense-of-shame/#IDComment152376955 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/14/and-what-if-we-survive/#IDComment152075967 I think West Ham need help from a higher power...so: From: Irons_Man To: benedictxvi@vatican.va. Date: 14/5/2011 15.22.17 GMT Daylight Time Subject: Please Say A Prayer For West Ham United Bcc: ArchBish@lambethpalace.co.uk; Dalai.Lama@Lama.com; Your Holiness Please can you say a prayer for West Ham United to stay in the Premiership, and be delivered from the fiery depths of Championship damnation. I know that the players do not deserveth salvation, and that many of them in fact deserveth crucifixion - no offence intended. But the fans, good and faithful people all, have done nothing to warrant such an unholy fate. Indeed, they have prayed religiously every weekend, and [some] have abstained from cursing and blasphemy, even though the manager doth much provoketh them. But all to no avail. I am sure that if you were to put in a good word with the Lord, He will see to it that West Ham will be spared. I know that it is asking for a miracle, but miracles do happen (it says so in the Bible). Please do whatever you can. Your most humble servant, Irons_Man Sat, 14 May 2011 14:52:38 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/14/and-what-if-we-survive/#IDComment152075967 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/14/and-what-if-we-survive/#IDComment152069367 Just looked at the table - we've only LOST one more game than Stoke, yet they're 8th and in the FA Cup Final, while we're heading for Doncaster Rovers away. I hate Stoke, not only for the one-trick-pony team that they are, but cos i spent a year living in the craphole. But I think it shows the difference in commitment between the two sides. They never stop battling, and they've got 13 wins and 7 draws. A lot of our players don't even know the meaning of the word, and we've got 7 wins and 12 draws. Too depressed to even think about next season. I wish we'd kept Matty Etherington. Sat, 14 May 2011 14:13:34 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/14/and-what-if-we-survive/#IDComment152069367 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/07/vote-player-performances-v-blackburn-2/#IDComment149901544 Well, that's it then. Almost certain prospect of going down. Sick as hell for a wasted season, but there is still one thing that cheers me. That's the fact that I got to see Scott Parker play his heart out for this club. His effort and his never-say-die spirit really have earned him a place among the West Ham immortals: the likes of Bobby Moore, Bonzo, Sir Trev, Julian Dicks - the real claret and blue warrior legends. He has been the one bright star in a truly crap season. He gave the team, and the fans, inspiration and hope, but now it seems that all hope has gone, and all his efforts have been in vain. What a bloody shame. I only wish him the best for the rest of his career, wherever it may take him. Sun, 8 May 2011 01:03:24 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/07/vote-player-performances-v-blackburn-2/#IDComment149901544 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/07/match-thread-west-ham-v-blackburn/#IDComment149822811 I think we all secretly knew the answer to that one. Unbelievable. Sat, 7 May 2011 18:37:32 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/07/match-thread-west-ham-v-blackburn/#IDComment149822811 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/07/match-thread-west-ham-v-blackburn/#IDComment149783317 YESSSS... I'm about half a mile from the Boleyn, and you can hear them roaring that goal. COYI!!!!!!!!!! Sat, 7 May 2011 15:38:20 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/07/match-thread-west-ham-v-blackburn/#IDComment149783317 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/07/match-thread-west-ham-v-blackburn/#IDComment149778721 Sloppy, so bloody sloppy. Why are they so relaxed? They should be fighting for their lives. Sat, 7 May 2011 15:12:54 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/07/match-thread-west-ham-v-blackburn/#IDComment149778721 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/07/match-thread-west-ham-v-blackburn/#IDComment149774873 Nice timing on the whistle, ref, just as we're making a cross into a crowded goal area. Time for one of Avram's famously inspirational half-time team talks. Wanna bet he says the word "positive" at least once? Sat, 7 May 2011 14:51:56 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/07/match-thread-west-ham-v-blackburn/#IDComment149774873 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/07/match-thread-west-ham-v-blackburn/#IDComment149773713 Oooohhh.... Robinson had to make a save. That'll annoy him - he'd just got to a good bit in the book he was reading Sat, 7 May 2011 14:45:46 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/07/match-thread-west-ham-v-blackburn/#IDComment149773713 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/07/match-thread-west-ham-v-blackburn/#IDComment149770000 Cole must have size 4 feet - he topples over nearly every bloody challenge. Sat, 7 May 2011 14:25:33 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/07/match-thread-west-ham-v-blackburn/#IDComment149770000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/07/match-thread-west-ham-v-blackburn/#IDComment149761992 Well, this is it: biggest game of the season. All or nothing, sh*t or bust. I want a big performance from Hitlerburger today ( why can't any commentator get his name right? ), Boa to get stuck in, and a couple of goals from Demba Ba, at least. Who am I kidding? I'd take 1-0 with a goal in the 94th minute. COYI!!!!!!! PS: Gabbidon over Tomkins??? Surely not? Surely? Surely? Sat, 7 May 2011 13:48:01 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/05/07/match-thread-west-ham-v-blackburn/#IDComment149761992 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/04/16/deluded/#IDComment143660066 You took a sabbatical in 85-86? Ouch - I'd still be kicking myself. All of us Hammers above 40 will be used to this seasonal drama by now, and - barring the 2006 Cup Final - the younger fans will have known little else. So chin up. It ain't over till it's over. Keep fighting until the fight is done (I'm running out of movie cliches here...) There's a lot of crappy teams around us: look at Blackburn's run of results, and I can't see a win for Blackpool in any of their last five games. It's perm three from five, possibly six, for the drop. We've just gotta keep believing. Sun, 17 Apr 2011 14:57:31 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/04/16/deluded/#IDComment143660066 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/04/09/match-thread-bolton-v-west-ham/#IDComment141268677 Who for - Cole, Ba or Piquionne? No disrespect meant., but you could slot Bobby Moore's urn in at centre-back and it'd stop more goals than this bloody shower. Sat, 9 Apr 2011 15:21:14 +0000 http://www.westhamtillidie.com/2011/04/09/match-thread-bolton-v-west-ham/#IDComment141268677