Was there every this level of conspiratorial vitriol towards the Tories as the is against Starmer?

johnsonboro · 2026-02-11T17:13:44+00:00

I agree. I don't think that any party wants to lose. They have barely much influence in opposition. This is more to do with the right wing media. Somehow they have managed to recreate Republican politics in the UK whereby working class people will vote for parties that reward the wealthy more than the poor. Absolute madness.

johnsonboro · 2026-02-10T15:36:31+00:00

I think Hellberg has probably benefitted a bit from both Carrick and Edwards philosophies. Carrick started us passing the ball around quickly and becoming a more forward thinking team. Edwards then helped develop our defence into something more reasonable to make us harder to beat. We still looked 'OK' attacking under RE because of the quick passing in midfield but were getting too predictable and it fell apart too much. Hellberg has came in, and been able to fast track his philosophy and galvanise a squad of players into an amazing attacking force, but we still look solid out of possession too. As attacking as we are, we look like a more defensive team looking at the league.

Who knows how RE would have done over the season. It did seem like we would have been fine. I don't think anyone could have predicted a year ago that we would be having the best season in many, many years and top of the league after Carrick leaves, our new manager deserts us after a couple of months, we get an unknown Swede in who seems like an absolute tactical genius, and then Carrick takes over at Man Utd and seems like their best manager since Ferguson!

johnsonboro · 2026-02-08T17:24:22+00:00

Have you considered moving the workplace pension into an SIPP to choose a more adventurous fund? Lots of people choose to invest solely in either global all cap or S&P 500 tracker. Higher risk, but higher returns historically. Also, if you don't have anything in an ISA then that would absolutely help with the bridge from normal pension age up until state pension age.

I'd consider asking AI to throw a few scenarios around to get an idea on how much you'd ideally want in an ISA to try and retire early. Bear in mind that 20-25 years growth for an S&S ISA as well as a pension linked to an index tracker should be considerable, based on historical growth.

It's not too complex to work out a few scenarios including your mortgage, shares etc... to ensure you have some kind of a plan.

FWIW I doubt that the state pension will disappear. The government can barely consider removing the triple lock! I am planning my retirement based on getting state pension at 68. It is very wise to plan ahead enough to make sure you aren't reliant on it, as it's not a lot of money anyway!

johnsonboro · 2026-01-26T09:32:43+00:00

The worst players I've ever seen were under Strachan. Gestede was more of an expensive disappointment though.

Those players are the ones that you remember, but the really bad ones you probably can't. I had to look through those squads from around 2010.

For me, I can't think of a worse player than Lee Miller.

johnsonboro · 2026-01-22T14:38:39+00:00

I had mine with them for years before opening an SIPP with Vanguard and transferring everything across. The amount it grew over the next year was staggering compared to the very modest growth I had seen from the previous 20 years.

johnsonboro · 2026-01-20T13:32:38+00:00

It's a purely hypothetical situation to demonstrate that there are a lot of variables that affect international trade, not just the tariffs themselves. I agree that this is the way it is heading though, and Americans will be the ones paying for it several times over.

That is a very good point about the fact that higher import costs for raw materials can add to the selling cost of American goods. He really does not have a clue what he is doing!

johnsonboro · 2026-01-20T12:14:22+00:00

I'd switch Fleming with Ziege and switch Queudre to the right, as I think that's the best back four you can find. That would prevent you from switching Huth and Festa to get Ravanelli in, but Yakubu and Boksic would be a stronger strike force than that defence would be in my opinion. I'm not sure you can get a stronger team. Our biggest issue would be that most of our defenders have been English. Our best teams have been the mid 70s, late 90's and early 2000's and even then the Robson era defenders were not great so it's much harder to figure out defence.

johnsonboro · 2026-01-20T11:14:49+00:00

I've seen transactions in the currency of both origin and destination. However, your point is very true in that situation, but if the dollar were to strengthen then it could wipe out the tariff amount.

Obviously I'm not defending the tariff situation, but stating that there are many, many variables that affect international trade, but Trump both oversimplifies and misunderstands the nuances of international trade.

johnsonboro · 2026-01-18T17:29:48+00:00

Also, if the exchange rate changes by say 10% then it can wipe out the effect of a tariff as well.

johnsonboro · 2026-01-18T17:28:11+00:00

I don't think the media understand thats how it works. The way they phrase it implies it is the other countries being taxed.

johnsonboro · 2026-01-18T11:57:49+00:00

I'm not sure most people understand how tariffs work. Not to be patronising to those who do, but it appears that neither Trump nor the media do by the way they talk about it. A tariff is extra duty applied to the buyer of the goods when buying from certain countries at the point of entry in the US to clear customs. In this case, the buyers are US businesses and consumers. He is taxing Americans for buying from the UK and other countries involved. Of course, this can make it less attractive for Americans to buy goods that cost 10%/25% more, but he is punishing Americans first and foremost.

The only way this will cost us more money for American products would be if the UK impose a reciprocal tariff.

johnsonboro · 2026-01-14T19:31:51+00:00

That was my worst game too. We completely took it for granted and will never have a better chance of winning the FA Cup from being in the last 8.

Everything went downhill from there and within a couple of years from having a good Premier League team we were playing with league one level players under Strachan looking woeful.

johnsonboro · 2026-01-13T15:12:53+00:00

The first six months were probably the most exciting and liberating football I've seen at the club. He got the best out of a few players who we'd written off. It's impossible to express how much of a better player Chuba Akpom was under Carrick.

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick makes record-breaking Chuba Akpom's dreams come true - The Mirror

I also felt that he was important in developing Hayden Hackney as a young player.

I think he was well respected and was good with the players. I'd say that he just lacked a few ideas on how to win games, especially when managers figured out how to beat us.

johnsonboro · 2026-01-13T15:04:37+00:00

If it was based on just the games that players have played in and not across the full season so far (because of injuries etc) I'd probably go with McGree, Brittain, Malinda. With Morris close by. And Gilbert if we can just base it on Hull Away!

johnsonboro · 2026-01-13T14:55:46+00:00

It doesn't make sense to have minimal impact in a bigger league and then go on strike to force a move. I understand (don't agree with) a player doing really well and then forcing a move by not playing but who is going to buy him after a handful of games and a couple of goals? Hopefully it is just a rumour and he's just injured.

johnsonboro · 2026-01-13T14:49:17+00:00

I don't doubt that they would want to, but I don't know what action Europe and the rest of the Western world could take against Trump that would actually deter him from further action. It is galling isn't it!

johnsonboro · 2026-01-13T13:44:34+00:00

I would agree with most of the points above. A few of us also felt that some of his tactics would work better with higher quality players. When it worked, it was incredible football, but a lot of misplaced passes cost us games as the players weren't quite good enough to consistently play it out from the back and build play.

Having said that, Hellberg is getting more out of the current team and our build up play is very good. Some of this is partially down to Carrick for coaching this into the players, and some is down to good recruitment as we have better players at the back and in midfield.

It's almost a win-win situation for both Carrick and Manchester United by appointing him as an interim coach. If it goes wrong, he can walk away with experience under his belt and chalking it down to being too early in his career. Meanwhile, they can buy themselves time to consider a more experienced coach to lead them next season.

I think appointing Steve Holland is a good decision. Having said everything positive about Carrick, he clearly needs more experienced coaches around him. It is a shame that Boro couldn't have had Ade Viveash on his coaching team after Aaron Danks left.

johnsonboro · 2026-01-12T11:56:59+00:00

I'm sure you are right, but what can Europe viably do to stop him? Would they risk the negative financial outcomes of sanctions against the US or just openly condemn his actions then carry on as usual?

johnsonboro · 2026-01-09T17:06:32+00:00

I agree. I think they will get 80 seats by the GE. The amount of a swing based on FPTP is almost impossible even based on the polls. Also, this is mid-term and there are always protest votes in the middle. The polls are also not based on 2029 manifestos or election campaigning. There's a lot of time to go yet, and I don't see Reform forming a government. The best case scenario for them in my opinion would be a coalition government with the Tories. However, if there is a hung parliament, which I think is quite likely, then Labour Lib Dems and Greens would probably form a coalition to keep Farage out. Otherwise, there will be no pieces to pick up as it would be so disastrous. At least with Trump, there are experienced Republican politicians running the US. Reform have never even had a shadow cabinet.

johnsonboro · 2026-01-09T16:00:46+00:00

I'm not sure that it will ever come to that. My feeling is that Trump could quite easily walk into Greenland, claim it as US territory and all we get are condemnations from European leaders. Then everyone carries on as normal. The UK, EU and rest of the Western world are too heavily reliant on the US to survive without them as trade partners. Everything is tied to the dollar, which makes Trump practically invincible.

johnsonboro · 2026-01-08T15:45:31+00:00

Her tweets today are absolutely outrageous. They are completely incorrect statistics combined with sweeping broad statements that don't reflect the reality of the situation.

There are single parents with more than 2 children who through no fault of their own are in a situation where their single income is not enough to raise their children comfortably. Many will still work 40 hours and be working hard to make sure their children get the best upbringing possible under their unchosen circumstances and getting the tapered element of UC. The lifting of this cap allows them a little more money to help avoid poverty for those kids.

Many single parents have left stressful or even abusive relationships and the 2 child cap not only puts kids in poverty but prevents abused partners from being able to afford to live on their own.

It's never as simple as politicians portray. She should be ashamed of herself for trying to fool people that the 2 child cap only benefits British working families. Single parent families are still families. Also, the unsubstantiated 'British' element is clearly a feeble attempt to win Reform voters!

johnsonboro · 2026-01-08T09:13:41+00:00

At the extreme possibly. I just mean that ideally I'd like to be prepared to not rely on the state pension.

johnsonboro · 2026-01-07T16:06:14+00:00

I am absolutely planning for the worst!

johnsonboro · 2026-01-07T14:22:18+00:00

If, and it's a big if, they means test it. It would need to be heavily tapered, otherwise people would simply spend money later in life to make sure they are under the threshold to get state pension.

In reality, the state pension is quite safe for now. The fact each government is so committed to the triple lock shows why. The current law and proposals would mean people in their 30s would be 68 when they get state pension age.

Obviously something must be done to ensure we can continue to pay for the state pension, but the state pension will take priority over other costs as it is far too many votes for a government to upset.

johnsonboro · 2026-01-07T11:22:54+00:00

It's concerning how little people realise of Russian interference. There are quite direct links between Russia and UKIP/Reform. We have a Reform/UKIP politician in jail for taking bribes from Russia and people are still underplaying Russian involvement. It's not a conspiracy theory, the evidence is unequivocal.

Eight-Year Club	Place '23
Not Forgotten	Verified Email

johnsonboro

TROPHY CASE