James Lawton = c u n _

[calvoboy]

I thought it was him but this article seemed so out of character I assumed I'd got it wrong and it was in fact the other Lawton - Matt Lawton - that I had in mind as being the good journalist with a soft-spot for us.

Definitely James Lawton. I can't find his Hillsborough articles without subscribing to websites, but here's his piece after Athens which gives an idea of his feelings:

"There has been much legitimate criticism of ticketless Liverpool fans flooding the environs of the stadium in Athens. This is not to dismiss claims of kack-handed Uefa organisation and excessive behaviour by the police, but it did need to be said. The right to watch a football match, even one involving Liverpool, has to be balanced against the need for safety.

However, on such occasions an insidious suggestion is often forthcoming. It is that one of the prime causes of the Hillsbrough tragedy was the number of Liverpool fans who went there without a ticket.

It is a disgraceful perversion of the truth. For anyone who was there, and able to observe, close up the fatal descent into chaos, there is no debate about the true nature of the problem. It was incompetent policing and stewarding at one one end of a ground which at the time was lacking an official safety certificate.

It is a disgrace of English life that so many innocent lives were lost, and that those who were responsible escaped without any requirement to make decent atonement...."

[MattB]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MusyO7J2inM

Funny and depressing at the same time. Quite a trick that

[Craig_H]

Surely winning it is the only real success especially to clubs who spend like Man U and Chels?

We've come third in two of Rafa's PL seasons and he gets criticised for our league form. By your definition has he not been very successful?

By that logic, only ten clubs per decade can say they've been successful in the CL.

[Shaggy]

There's absolutely no way United would deem reaching the semi finals a success. Ask the Mancs up here if they think it's a success.

It's a failure.

I'm with BFG here.

[Reece]

There's absolutely no way United would deem reaching the semi finals a success. Ask the Mancs up here if they think it's a success.

It's a failure.

I'm with BFG here.

Ask Fergie.

DJS really does spout it sometimes

[Joe King]

Ask Fergie.

DJS really does spout it sometimes

Fergie is a cunt

[Reece]

Fergie is a cunt

I never said otherwise.

[Joe King]

I never said otherwise.

I know, I just felt I should let out my feelings toward him.

[Reece]

I know, I just felt I should let out my feelings toward him.

Well you go girl

[Joe King]

Well you go girl

I don't know if anyone sees this image when someone says the above

[chadrtc]

United got to the semi finals last season, didnt they?

Chelsea have been to three semi finals too.

Is reaching the final your only definition of being successful in the CL?

By that reasoning finishing 3rd in the Premiership two years running should be considered successfull.

You can't have it both ways mate!

[Craig_H]

By that reasoning finishing 3rd in the Premiership two years running should be considered successfull.

You can't have it both ways mate!

Not really, unless the Premiership has become the world's most prestigious club competition.

[chadrtc]

If it's the world most prestigious club competition, surely it would make sense to hang on to a manager who has a first class record in it?

[Parm]

I cant even bear to read the rest of it, just pointless.

[BFG]

By that logic, only ten clubs per decade can say they've been successful in the CL.

Quite right.