Why’s crickets still going ahead but not football? – politicalbetting.com

Third like Charles III.

FPT;

ping said:

Charles’s “kind” comments about Harry and Meghan need to be seen in the context of Harry’s book deal. The firm are terrified about it’s contents.

Thanks to events, they’ve got H&M pinned down. This is their one and only opportunity.

I’d love to be a fly on the wall!

If Charles was smart, he’d recognise that Liz’s disastrous “no half-in-half-out” policy was a major factor contributing to the current situation.

The fact that organisations have responded in diverse ways suggests that the press critics are going to have a hard time finding targets. Even if O'B is right, it is still the case that he is a dull, dogmatic moralising, sanctimonious, holier than thou, narrow minded broadcaster who makes millions rush for the off switch.

I was at a black tie dinner last night with a mix of young and old. They asked us all to sing God Save the King at the end and it was the most cringiest thing I’ve ever witnessed.

Bit of an incendiary header, Mike.

Organisations thinking for themselves! Whatever next?

This is what Buckingham Palace has announced:

There is no obligation to cancel or postpone events and sporting fixtures, or close entertainment venues during the National Mourning period. This is at the discretion of individual organisations. As a mark of respect, organisations might wish to consider cancelling or postponing events or closing venues on the day of the State Funeral. They are under no obligation to do so and this is entirely at the discretion of individual organisations.

If sporting fixtures or events are planned for the day of the State Funeral, organisations may want to adjust the event timings so they do not clash with the timings of the funeral service and associated processions. As a mark of respect, and in keeping with the tone of National Mourning, organisers may wish to hold a period of silence and/or play the National Anthem at the start of events or sporting fixtures, and players may wish to wear black armbands.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-demise-of-her-majesty-queen-elizabeth-ii-national-mourning-guidance/the-demise-of-her-majesty-queen-elizabeth-ii-national-mourning-guidance#major-events-entertainment-and-sports

Because different organisations take different decisions sometimes. That's what happens with judgement calls, people make different judgements. Not sure why that causes such apoplexy.

Gallowgate said:

I was at a black tie dinner last night with a mix of young and old. They asked us all to sing God Save the King at the end and it was the most cringiest thing I’ve ever witnessed.

Ever seen an office cajoled into singing someone happy birthday in front of others?

algarkirk said:

The fact that organisations have responded in diverse ways suggests that the press critics are going to have a hard time finding targets. Even if O'B is right, it is still the case that he is a dull, dogmatic moralising, sanctimonious, holier than thou, narrow minded broadcaster who makes millions rush for the off switch.

I didn’t realise his audience was anywhere near so large.
He apparently still makes a living out of it, though.

SouthamObserver said:

I am delighted that the FA has postponed Tottenham's encounter with Haaland. It's what the Queen would have wanted.

I don't agree with suspending the football - which is, in any event, probably the most mawkish game out there - but I think that's different from cancelling or dialling down a programme of national events and commemorations of constitutional significance covered by the national broadcaster.

My experience, both at work, home, locally and with my friends, is that this is on virtually everyone's minds, with one or naysayers, and most are feeling some level of sombreness and emotion over it. Some will mourn more personally than others, and it's hit me hard, but we are all thinking about it.

Time and time again I read about the monarchy that no-one's interested and no-one cares (we had it most recently over the Platinum Jubilee) and it's always the same people: they're basically projecting sentiments about themselves, not others.

Nigelb said:

algarkirk said:

The fact that organisations have responded in diverse ways suggests that the press critics are going to have a hard time finding targets. Even if O'B is right, it is still the case that he is a dull, dogmatic moralising, sanctimonious, holier than thou, narrow minded broadcaster who makes millions rush for the off switch.

I didn’t realise his audience was anywhere near so large.
He apparently still makes a living out of it, though.

I never have to hit the off button because I never listen. I have listened in the past but soon got fed up with his odious attitude. He must be a hell of a ortson yo live with

Nigelb said:

algarkirk said:

The fact that organisations have responded in diverse ways suggests that the press critics are going to have a hard time finding targets. Even if O'B is right, it is still the case that he is a dull, dogmatic moralising, sanctimonious, holier than thou, narrow minded broadcaster who makes millions rush for the off switch.

I didn’t realise his audience was anywhere near so large.
He apparently still makes a living out of it, though.

OK. Amend 'millions' to 'about 5'.

Casino_Royale said:

Why are republicans so angry?

We have been very reverential and polite at the passing of HMQ. Although the BBC coverage is becoming tiresome now.

squareroot2 said:

Nigelb said:

algarkirk said:

The fact that organisations have responded in diverse ways suggests that the press critics are going to have a hard time finding targets. Even if O'B is right, it is still the case that he is a dull, dogmatic moralising, sanctimonious, holier than thou, narrow minded broadcaster who makes millions rush for the off switch.

I didn’t realise his audience was anywhere near so large.
He apparently still makes a living out of it, though.

I never have to hit the off button because I never listen. I have listened in the past but soon got fed up with his odious attitude. He must be a hell of a ortson yo live with

I only know who the guy is because people keep posting about him here.
Usually his opponents, which is why I was a bit surprised by the header.

rottenborough said:

Dr Mike Martin 🔶
@ThreshedThought
·
12m
Reports are coming in that Kupyansk has fallen, and also, just now, early reports that Izyum has been abandoned with Russian troops fleeing.

Also talk the Ukrainians have broken through at Lysychansk and Lyman.

If Izium has fallen, that sounds like mass surrender - hard to imagine how the Russians could have pulled their forces out so quickly with all the escape routes blocked. Certainly a mass capture of equipment.

Re Kherson, no need to do anything - Russians are hemmed in by the Dnipro, the routes in are under Ukrainian fire control,, there are no bridges etc - you can let them run out of supplies and then surrender.

Carnyx said:

El_Capitano said:

Third like Charles III.

Depends which you mean. Fourth like the current one.

I sometimes ponder whether, in the unlikely event he had managed to win (he presumably would have needed France to come in more aggressively, which wouldn’t have endeared him to the population), those would have been the circumstances in which there was a revolution, probably focused on England. Everything one reads about him suggests he had his ancestors’ views on parliamentary democracy. Had that happened so early in the life of the Union, it presumably would have fallen.

Casino_Royale said:

Why are republicans so angry?

Seems like they really believed that the accession of Charles to the throne would instantly lead to a boost for the Republican cause and they are now upset and confused to find that they actually will have to argue their case. And they have no idea how to do that.

They'd placed all their hopes for a Republic onto the personal unpopularity of King Charles III.

The Accession Council is shortly to meet on telly to proclaim the new king. I wonder who they will choose.

Mexicanpete said:

Casino_Royale said:

Why are republicans so angry?

We have been very reverential and polite at the passing of HMQ. Although the BBC coverage is becoming tiresome now.

It perfectly fine to be annoyed with the repetitive media coverage. Best solution is to turn it off and take a break. Football would have been tricky if everyone wore black.

Looks like Lyman has fallen to Ukraine

https://twitter.com/WarMonitor3/status/1568515691900190726

TheKitchenCabinet said:

rottenborough said:

Dr Mike Martin 🔶
@ThreshedThought
·
12m
Reports are coming in that Kupyansk has fallen, and also, just now, early reports that Izyum has been abandoned with Russian troops fleeing.

Also talk the Ukrainians have broken through at Lysychansk and Lyman.

If Izium has fallen, that sounds like mass surrender - hard to imagine how the Russians could have pulled their forces out so quickly with all the escape routes blocked. Certainly a mass capture of equipment.

Re Kherson, no need to do anything - Russians are hemmed in by the Dnipro, the routes in are under Ukrainian fire control,, there are no bridges etc - you can let them run out of supplies and then surrender.

Also: THE FALL OF IZIUM is brilliantly Homeric

DecrepiterJohnL said:

The Accession Council is shortly to meet on telly to proclaim the new king. I wonder who they will choose.

Could be a major plot twist. I’m certainly keeping my phone line free.

Nigelb said:

The headquarters of a Russian group urging Ukrainian citizens to ditch Kyiv and join Moscow has been blown up in Russian-controlled Melitopol.
https://twitter.com/tempkenalt/status/1568388768612192257

Hahahah. Sorry

But Ahahahaha

Leon said:

TheKitchenCabinet said:

rottenborough said:

Dr Mike Martin 🔶
@ThreshedThought
·
12m
Reports are coming in that Kupyansk has fallen, and also, just now, early reports that Izyum has been abandoned with Russian troops fleeing.

Also talk the Ukrainians have broken through at Lysychansk and Lyman.

If Izium has fallen, that sounds like mass surrender - hard to imagine how the Russians could have pulled their forces out so quickly with all the escape routes blocked. Certainly a mass capture of equipment.

Re Kherson, no need to do anything - Russians are hemmed in by the Dnipro, the routes in are under Ukrainian fire control,, there are no bridges etc - you can let them run out of supplies and then surrender.

Also: THE FALL OF IZIUM is brilliantly Homeric

Indeed. Now where is that Hector bloke....

CarlottaVance said:

Organisations thinking for themselves! Whatever next?

This is what Buckingham Palace has announced:

There is no obligation to cancel or postpone events and sporting fixtures, or close entertainment venues during the National Mourning period. This is at the discretion of individual organisations. As a mark of respect, organisations might wish to consider cancelling or postponing events or closing venues on the day of the State Funeral. They are under no obligation to do so and this is entirely at the discretion of individual organisations.

If sporting fixtures or events are planned for the day of the State Funeral, organisations may want to adjust the event timings so they do not clash with the timings of the funeral service and associated processions. As a mark of respect, and in keeping with the tone of National Mourning, organisers may wish to hold a period of silence and/or play the National Anthem at the start of events or sporting fixtures, and players may wish to wear black armbands.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-demise-of-her-majesty-queen-elizabeth-ii-national-mourning-guidance/the-demise-of-her-majesty-queen-elizabeth-ii-national-mourning-guidance#major-events-entertainment-and-sports

100% wrong.

Buckingham Palace has announced the death of the Queen.

What you have linked to and are quoting is the cabinet office's pronouncement on it from the gov.uk website.

biggles said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

The Accession Council is shortly to meet on telly to proclaim the new king. I wonder who they will choose.

Could be a major plot twist. I’m certainly keeping my phone line free.

They all said Rishi would take over from Boris so the unexpected can happen.

Sean_F said:

ping said:

FPT;

ping said:

Charles’s “kind” comments about Harry and Meghan need to be seen in the context of Harry’s book deal. The firm are terrified about it’s contents.

Thanks to events, they’ve got H&M pinned down. This is their one and only opportunity.

I’d love to be a fly on the wall!

If Charles was smart, he’d recognise that Liz’s disastrous “no half-in-half-out” policy was a major factor contributing to the current situation.

Meghan and Harry's standing among the British people is not quite as bad as Prince Andrew's, but it's a long way below everyone else in the royal family. I don't think they are any sort of threat, however much insight they provide into the problems faced by titled multi-millionaires.

If the stories about Charles’ ideas for slimed down monarchy are correct, then a lot more people are going to be fully “out”.

Sean_F said:

ping said:

FPT;

ping said:

Charles’s “kind” comments about Harry and Meghan need to be seen in the context of Harry’s book deal. The firm are terrified about it’s contents.

Thanks to events, they’ve got H&M pinned down. This is their one and only opportunity.

I’d love to be a fly on the wall!

If Charles was smart, he’d recognise that Liz’s disastrous “no half-in-half-out” policy was a major factor contributing to the current situation.

Meghan and Harry's standing among the British people is not quite as bad as Prince Andrew's, but it's a long way below everyone else in the royal family. I don't think they are any sort of threat, however much insight they provide into the problems faced by titled multi-millionaires.

I am far less worried about them than I was 2 years ago, when I think they did real political damage - particularly in the Carribean and amongst younger non-white Britons here.

But, they've shot their bolt now.

If Russia flees Ukraine entirely can Putin survive? There is nothing he can sell as a victory in that. They might even lose Crimea. And for this 60,000 Russians died???

Is Mike Pence counting the votes of the accession council? Hope we avoid a late entry for Donald Trump or ‘King of the World’ Boris.

TOPPING said:

CarlottaVance said:

Organisations thinking for themselves! Whatever next?

This is what Buckingham Palace has announced:

There is no obligation to cancel or postpone events and sporting fixtures, or close entertainment venues during the National Mourning period. This is at the discretion of individual organisations. As a mark of respect, organisations might wish to consider cancelling or postponing events or closing venues on the day of the State Funeral. They are under no obligation to do so and this is entirely at the discretion of individual organisations.

If sporting fixtures or events are planned for the day of the State Funeral, organisations may want to adjust the event timings so they do not clash with the timings of the funeral service and associated processions. As a mark of respect, and in keeping with the tone of National Mourning, organisers may wish to hold a period of silence and/or play the National Anthem at the start of events or sporting fixtures, and players may wish to wear black armbands.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-demise-of-her-majesty-queen-elizabeth-ii-national-mourning-guidance/the-demise-of-her-majesty-queen-elizabeth-ii-national-mourning-guidance#major-events-entertainment-and-sports

100% wrong.

Buckingham Palace has announced the death of the Queen.

What you have linked to and are quoting is the cabinet office's pronouncement on it from the gov.uk website.

Gloriously missing the point, and a distinction without a difference, unless the Cabinet Office is not part of His Majesty’s Government?

DecrepiterJohnL said:

The Accession Council is shortly to meet on telly to proclaim the new king. I wonder who they will choose.

This reminds me of comments about who the Electoral College will vote for as US President.

Sandpit said:

TheKitchenCabinet said:

rottenborough said:

Dr Mike Martin 🔶
@ThreshedThought
·
12m
Reports are coming in that Kupyansk has fallen, and also, just now, early reports that Izyum has been abandoned with Russian troops fleeing.

Also talk the Ukrainians have broken through at Lysychansk and Lyman.

If Izium has fallen, that sounds like mass surrender - hard to imagine how the Russians could have pulled their forces out so quickly with all the escape routes blocked. Certainly a mass capture of equipment.

Re Kherson, no need to do anything - Russians are hemmed in by the Dnipro, the routes in are under Ukrainian fire control,, there are no bridges etc - you can let them run out of supplies and then surrender.

Yep, they sent a pile of reinforcements to Kherson, and left the lines around Kupyansk and Izyum barely defended, such that the defenders were able to take a huge area with little effort. Can’t help but laugh out loud at the totally obsolete 1950s artillery captured, proof if it were needed that the enemy is unable to field any more modern weapons on the battlefield.

Bonus points, that all the enemy troops in Kherson are now stuck there, they’ll be slowly starved out in the coming days and weeks as they have only the river to resupply them.

A great few days for Ukraine, the best news of a sad week. 🇺🇦

They should build a dirty great POW camp at Zaporizhzhia for the thousands of Russian soldiers who are inevitably caught up in this and make sure the world knows it’s there.

Might make the Russians think twice about anything bad happening there.

Mexicanpete said:

Casino_Royale said:

Why are republicans so angry?

We have been very reverential and polite at the passing of HMQ. Although the BBC coverage is becoming tiresome now.

There’s another nine days of it to come, with numerous events every day.

Most people haven’t experienced a full national mourning before, this is what it is.

Nexflix, Amazon Prime and Youtube are all still working, for those who wish to avoid it.

CarlottaVance said:

TOPPING said:

CarlottaVance said:

Organisations thinking for themselves! Whatever next?

This is what Buckingham Palace has announced:

There is no obligation to cancel or postpone events and sporting fixtures, or close entertainment venues during the National Mourning period. This is at the discretion of individual organisations. As a mark of respect, organisations might wish to consider cancelling or postponing events or closing venues on the day of the State Funeral. They are under no obligation to do so and this is entirely at the discretion of individual organisations.

If sporting fixtures or events are planned for the day of the State Funeral, organisations may want to adjust the event timings so they do not clash with the timings of the funeral service and associated processions. As a mark of respect, and in keeping with the tone of National Mourning, organisers may wish to hold a period of silence and/or play the National Anthem at the start of events or sporting fixtures, and players may wish to wear black armbands.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-demise-of-her-majesty-queen-elizabeth-ii-national-mourning-guidance/the-demise-of-her-majesty-queen-elizabeth-ii-national-mourning-guidance#major-events-entertainment-and-sports

100% wrong.

Buckingham Palace has announced the death of the Queen.

What you have linked to and are quoting is the cabinet office's pronouncement on it from the gov.uk website.

Gloriously missing the point, and a distinction without a difference, unless the Cabinet Office is not part of His Majesty’s Government?

You are conflating the Royal Family with the Government and that is not a productive road to go down. As Charles III would be the first to note.

Carnyx said:

biggles said:

Carnyx said:

El_Capitano said:

Third like Charles III.

Depends which you mean. Fourth like the current one.

I sometimes ponder whether, in the unlikely event he had managed to win (he presumably would have needed France to come in more aggressively, which wouldn’t have endeared him to the population), those would have been the circumstances in which there was a revolution, probably focused on England. Everything one reads about him suggests he had his ancestors’ views on parliamentary democracy. Had that happened so early in the life of the Union, it presumably would have fallen.

Don't know - arguably they made a big mnistake turning back at Derby, as there was so little left to protect London. The Hanoverian dynasty was also alien from the locals' point of view.

But there was also the option of ignoring England and remaining in Scotland - declaring the Treaty of Union null and void (which it was of course from his dynastic point of view).

Of course, as you say, it could have ended up with revolutions in both Scotland and/or England, albeit for somewhat different reasons (as indeed happened with his great-grandfather Charles 1, who triggered both).

Fair point on the Hanoverians. It’s that interesting window where we were the country being pushed around and played by other European empires, but no one likes to talk about it.

Australia’s travel industry says it is bracing for an “influx” of Australians deciding to travel to London to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.

Guardian Australia understands the very few remaining Qantas seats from Australian capital cities to London have been quickly booked since the news of the Queen’s death, while Peter Hosper, the commercial director of Travel Authority Group, said the group was preparing for more inquiries on Monday.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/sep/10/australian-travel-industry-braces-for-influx-as-royalists-plan-to-attend-queen-elizabeths-funeral

CarlottaVance said:

Australia’s travel industry says it is bracing for an “influx” of Australians deciding to travel to London to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.

Guardian Australia understands the very few remaining Qantas seats from Australian capital cities to London have been quickly booked since the news of the Queen’s death, while Peter Hosper, the commercial director of Travel Authority Group, said the group was preparing for more inquiries on Monday.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/sep/10/australian-travel-industry-braces-for-influx-as-royalists-plan-to-attend-queen-elizabeths-funeral

To be fair, there's been fuck all availability on Qantas for months.

Leon said:

Are Bitter Remoaners turning into Wanky Republicans?

I was kinda joking when I suggested this a couple of days ago. Sad to see it coming true. It’s a helpless cul de sac of impotent rage

I'm not a republican so 3 out of 4 isn't bad.

Casino_Royale said:

Sean_F said:

ping said:

FPT;

ping said:

Charles’s “kind” comments about Harry and Meghan need to be seen in the context of Harry’s book deal. The firm are terrified about it’s contents.

Thanks to events, they’ve got H&M pinned down. This is their one and only opportunity.

I’d love to be a fly on the wall!

If Charles was smart, he’d recognise that Liz’s disastrous “no half-in-half-out” policy was a major factor contributing to the current situation.

Meghan and Harry's standing among the British people is not quite as bad as Prince Andrew's, but it's a long way below everyone else in the royal family. I don't think they are any sort of threat, however much insight they provide into the problems faced by titled multi-millionaires.

I am far less worried about them than I was 2 years ago, when I think they did real political damage - particularly in the Carribean and amongst younger non-white Britons here.

But, they've shot their bolt now.

Hmm. Arguably Harry identified the right question (what does the Spare Heir do once they're not needed any more?) and had a better answer than his uncles (get the hell out of Dodge and do something else with the rest of his life).

Which is not the answer that the tabloids wanted. And some of the fuckups on the way have been blown up into great evil as a result.

Leon said:

Nigelb said:

The headquarters of a Russian group urging Ukrainian citizens to ditch Kyiv and join Moscow has been blown up in Russian-controlled Melitopol.
https://twitter.com/tempkenalt/status/1568388768612192257

Hahahah. Sorry

But Ahahahaha

Fuck me, it’s like Unity Mitford woke up from her self inflicted brain damage towards the end of 1942 and started bellowing ‘Gawdbless Winny and Comrade Stalin!’

Casino_Royale said:

SouthamObserver said:

I am delighted that the FA has postponed Tottenham's encounter with Haaland. It's what the Queen would have wanted.

I don't agree with suspending the football - which is, in any event, probably the most mawkish game out there - but I think that's different from cancelling or dialling down a programme of national events and commemorations of constitutional significance covered by the national broadcaster.

My experience, both at work, home, locally and with my friends, is that this is on virtually everyone's minds, with one or naysayers, and most are feeling some level of sombreness and emotion over it. Some will mourn more personally than others, and it's hit me hard, but we are all thinking about it.

Time and time again I read about the monarchy that no-one's interested and no-one cares (we had it most recently over the Platinum Jubilee) and it's always the same people: they're basically projecting sentiments about themselves, not others.

Yep, I don't need the 24-hour rolling coverage, but it's constantly on my mind and I make sure I watch the important stuff. Our head of state is changing for the first time in 70 years. It's a very big deal. It's important it is getting the coverage it is because it matters a hell of a lot. And it matters even more given what the succession means symbolically. That old link to WW2 and the Empire that the Queen provided so magnificently has gone. That will inevitably lead to change. What that will look like I do not know, but it will be fascinating to find out. The Charles kiss yesterday was, I thought, a huge moment. It just would not even have crossed anyone's mind to do it to the Queen.

FrankBooth said:

Leon said:

If Russia flees Ukraine entirely can Putin survive? There is nothing he can sell as a victory in that. They might even lose Crimea. And for this 60,000 Russians died???

Well compared to the million excess deaths from covid I suppose this would be somewhat minor. I take your point though. Military defeats are existential for any leader.

Especially leaders wedded to the idea of “national greatness via military power”

Whatever is happening in Ukraine, it does not look like martial Russian greatness

Leon said:

If Russia flees Ukraine entirely can Putin survive? There is nothing he can sell as a victory in that. They might even lose Crimea. And for this 60,000 Russians died???

The worry has to be that his only option would be to seek to present it as a NATO offensive.

Theuniondivvie said:

Leon said:

Nigelb said:

The headquarters of a Russian group urging Ukrainian citizens to ditch Kyiv and join Moscow has been blown up in Russian-controlled Melitopol.
https://twitter.com/tempkenalt/status/1568388768612192257

Hahahah. Sorry

But Ahahahaha

Fuck me, it’s like Unity Mitford woke up from her self inflicted brain damage towards the end of 1942 and started bellowing ‘Gawdbless Winny and Comrade Stalin!’

Except that I’ve been virulently anti Putin and pro Ukraine since the beginning of this vile war. As you know, so you are trolling?

But I can dig up my remarks if you like. It might be fun

I suspect your remarks will be more “ambiguous”

On topic for once. Just sent off this email to my MP:

Dear Mr Lord,

I am writing to you regarding the postponement of football matches this weekend (10 to 11 September). I appreciate that this isn't the most important matter (though, I'd argue, neither is the death of a ninety-six-year-old - and I say that as a supporter of the monarchy), so I won't be offended if you don't have time to respond.

I know (or thought I knew!) that a lot of planning went into preparing for the change of monarch. I had always expected that football would cease from the announcement of the death until after the funeral. However, I was expecting all other major (note that even non-league football has been postponed - it doesn't matter to the Premier League clubs, but those clubs lower down the pyramid are losing real money because of this) sporting and cultural events would be stopping too. I was shocked to learn on Friday 9 September that the government had not mandated this and instead left it up to individual organisations.

It irritates me greatly that rugby, cricket and golf are continuing this weekend, whilst I am unable to watch my team play football.

I'm sure the government would say that it was up to the football authorities to decide. However, football is subject to much greater scrutiny than other sports and cultural events. The government is (or, at least, was) looking at setting up a football regulator (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-takes-next-steps-towards-delivering-major-reform-of-football-in-england). The football authorities worry about how things would look in a way that other sports do not.

If the government wasn't going to mandate the shutdown of "fun" things until after the funeral, they should have encouraged events to carry on. If the government wants to help football fans, they can start by apologising for not ensuring that football went ahead this weekend.

I'm also concerned for next weekend. The reaction to the postponements this weekend has not been good. But next weekend, I fear that some matches will have to be postponed due to police resourcing issues. From time to time that kind of thing happens anyway (see the postponement of Brighton v Crystal Palace due to rail strikes, for example), but it won't go down well a week after games were unnecessarily postponed.

As I said at the start, there are far bigger things going on at the moment. However, this was something that the government could have prepared for. This was something the government could have sorted out, but when it came to it, they didn't.

Thank you for your time.

Leon said:

rcs1000 said:

On the subject of Ukraine, my personal view is that the one thing the Russians cannot afford is for thousands - or tens of thousands - of their troops to be captured.

Dead. Injured. These can be hidden, at least in the short term.

But captured troops in Ukraine is a massive problem. Because those troops can speak. And their mothers will agitate for their return.

If there are mass captures, then I think Putin's days are numbered.

You’ve been suggesting a possible Russian collapse for a couple of weeks. You made me sit up and read, and realise you could be right. So: chapeau

To blow my own martial trumpet, I posted this on 17th August:

"Putin's invasion is a military disaster that will be studied for decades."