jimsmallman

I went to Dortmund a few years back. As I was planning a trip with friends, I emailed their corporate people and said I was planning this big once in a lifetime trip and they helped us get tickets at face value. Genuinely very helpful club, which was also my experience of going to Hertha (and Ajax too).

Always loved that lad. Him scoring with his first touch on his debut is a fantastic memory. 39 is no age. RIP.

What a wonderful player. Will always be one of my favourites, not just for the obvious stuff but because he seemed to be such an excellent human being. I wonder if one of the reasons that he's giving up the game relatively early is his home situation; I think he split with his Mrs a while back (she's not mentioned in any of his goodbye posts) and he seems incredibly committed to his daughters. Just reinforcing again what a smashing bloke he is. I'd love the club to give him a job doing something down the line. Specialist crossing coach sounds good to me...

Thanks mate! (Also thanks to @Iran who posted earlier) For anyone else in the USA, paramount plus does the free trial for a week thing so you can sign up for the game tonight and then cancel later on (hopefully not out of rage, but we’ll see)

If anyone in the USA can figure out a way to watch this, let me know. I’m sure ESPN plus had the carabao games as well as the fa cup last year but there’s nothing listed for tomorrow. I used to do a bit of work for Tranmere years ago but I would still like our reserves to soundly trounce them before the usual misery begins again at the weekend. Tom Cannon hat trick incoming 😂

Dreading this game but I’m working while it’s on and we have a pretty good record of winning matches while I check this forum every thirty seconds. I’d take a draw. Especially as I work with Americans who for some reason “support” Spurs. (I shudder whenever anyone says they “support” a team when they just like them) Maybe they’ll unveil a new signing on the pitch that we’re not expecting before the game, like they did Pontus Kamark (I think) back in the day. (They won’t) I can see a Wilf screamer in this game for some reason. But equally, I’ve not been well.

From a tax point of view, I’ve lived and worked in the USA for three years in October. I nearly had to move home last year and my accountant told me that if I did that before November of THIS year then I’d have to pay U.K. tax on all my earnings in the USA above the 19% tax rate that we pay in Florida. I still don’t fully understand it. The whole thing made my head hurt. But also I don’t earn anywhere near enough what Zaha does so come on mate, take a bit of a financial hit and come to our car crash of a club 😂

Whilst it was great that this was shown on ESPN+ out here, I would still like to somehow get those 90 minutes of my life back. I miss when we used to play trialists in preseason games in a pre-internet world and we all had to figure out who the hell they were. Like Darius Adamczuk at Notts County, I think. And some Italian lad who looked like Jesus at... I want to say Northampton? That was something to distract from the boredom. All we had here was a very pleasant looking hill.

Obligatory he ends up being great in EAFC24 comment. Also being 46, the thought of us getting a lad called Asprilla is both exciting and nostalgic. Although hopefully he's a bit less mad than Faustino.

Buying one if I don’t win one. What a brilliant thing this is.

I had to work during the game, and was running around with rehearsals and stuff. Checked the score and it was 1-0. Then couldn’t look at my phone for what felt like an eternity and it was 4-0. Delighted for Fatawu, and indeed the whole side. Also delighted that we got to batter Russell Martin twice in a season. I am now going to watch the game in full on ESPN+ and read all of your comments on the matchday thread as I go, with joy in my heart. Just gutted the Preston game is on Monday so won’t be able to see it again. As always, you lot will talk me through it later on.

Had a tear in my eye watching Hamza after the final whistle. Everyone rightly patting him on the back. There was some passion there today, for sure.

Had to miss the first 25 of the second half as I was in a meeting. We are absolutely the most infuriating team of all time. That might be hyperbole but I’m past caring

My job has taken me to Philadelphia this weekend for WrestleMania. The hotel that WWE employees have been put in is on Filbert Street, which I will take as a good omen for the game that I will furtively be checking on tomorrow when I’m supposed to be working. See picture. Surely other people have lost their minds seeing different Filbert Streets around the globe?

I believe he’s available during his appeal process.