We're going to be runners up again. :-(

[Peter]

He's articulate and intelligent, bit like Odin but speaking in his first language. Well bought up lad so he's polite. Also perhaps the biggest England star playing in the country with a WC coming up so do you want to be the ref that pushes him over the limit?

I'll be honest - I wanted Gabby cos we only win doubles with a CH 6 as skipper. But he's be more likely to lamp the ref so it makes much more sense to have a polite, well bought up young chap like Odin or B.

I want a captain who will help charm the refs. Rice is the best option. Refs like him.

Sorry to say it but refs are going to have an issue with the other candidates. They are either not English or, and I hate to say this, not white.

Look at these referees. Look how they act. Look how they speak to people around them.

Give them a white, English working class lad who knows his place and they will treat him ok. Anything else and they are just itching to go after you.

The other issue with Saka is he is viewed as a cheat. We all know that is total and utter *******s. But crowds give it every week. Of course it influences referees It cant not.

I'm not labelling all refs as xenophobic and racist. But they are a bit.

[redgunamo]

I want a captain who will help charm the refs. Rice is the best option. Refs like him.

Sorry to say it but refs are going to have an issue with the other candidates. They are either not English or, and I hate to say this, not white.

Look at these referees. Look how they act. Look how they speak to people around them.

Give them a white, English working class lad who knows his place and they will treat him ok. Anything else and they are just itching to go after you.

The other issue with Saka is he is viewed as a cheat. We all know that is total and utter *******s. But crowds give it every week. Of course it influences referees It cant not.

I'm not labelling all refs as xenophobic and racist. But they are a bit.

Trouble is, they're both from London. Premier League-winning captains tend to be northern and or foreign (you may have noticed that white, working-class Englishmen are not exactly a popular or protected species just now, especially "Cockneys").

In fact, despite producing so many players, London has returned only three Premier League winning captains (Tim Sherwood, TA6 and JT?). Probably not a real surprise as practically all of our officials hail from the North, specifically the North-West. THAT'S the real, age-old, shatterproof divide in English football.

Aside from that, Rice is only a better choice than Saka insofar as Saka's position makes him presumptively dishonest, from an official's point of view. There's never really been an honest winger; they're always on the floor pleading for fouls and free-kicks and being captain just makes them worse as then they're not just doing it for themselves, they are also responsible for what's best for their team.

If it's an issue, your leading centre back is your best choice for skipper, regardless of "any other factors"

[Peter]

Trouble is, they're both from London. Premier League-winning captains tend to be northern and or foreign (you may have noticed that white, working-class Englishmen are not exactly a popular or protected species just now, especially "Cockneys").

In fact, despite producing so many players, London has returned only three Premier League winning captains (Tim Sherwood, TA6 and JT?). Probably not a real surprise as practically all of our officials hail from the North, specifically the North-West. THAT'S the real, age-old, shatterproof divide in English football.

Aside from that, Rice is only a better choice than Saka insofar as Saka's position makes him presumptively dishonest, from an official's point of view. There's never really been an honest winger; they're always on the floor pleading for fouls and free-kicks and being captain just makes them worse as then they're not just doing it for themselves, they are also responsible for what's best for their team.

If it's an issue, your leading centre back is your best choice for skipper, regardless of "any other factors"

Are you suggesting we sign a northerner?

Gabriel is a born trouble maker and refs do not like him one bit. You cant have him as captain.

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

I want a captain who will help charm the refs. Rice is the best option. Refs like him.

Sorry to say it but refs are going to have an issue with the other candidates. They are either not English or, and I hate to say this, not white.

Look at these referees. Look how they act. Look how they speak to people around them.

Give them a white, English working class lad who knows his place and they will treat him ok. Anything else and they are just itching to go after you.

The other issue with Saka is he is viewed as a cheat. We all know that is total and utter *******s. But crowds give it every week. Of course it influences referees It cant not.

I'm not labelling all refs as xenophobic and racist. But they are a bit.

Middle class snobbery - a man after my own heart.

Btw, surprised given our shared history BAs that we didn't bring up the work of the nation's finest historians when discussing which side of the civil war we'd be on.

As Sellar and Yeatman said in their seminal work*, the Cavaliers were Wrong but Wromantic while the Roundheads were Right but Repulsive. The finest historians these isles have produced. {And they don't pretend the Hossbach Memorandum didn't exist simply because it would completely undermine their book's thesis, unlike certain celebrated historians. }

*1066 And All That

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

Are you suggesting we sign a northerner?

Gabriel is a born trouble maker and refs do not like him one bit. You cant have him as captain.

He hasn't got banged up for drink driving like TA or armed robbery like Peter Storey.

I'm with Redg - if in doubt give it to the big no.6. Frank, Big Tone etc. Big DM {like PV4 or Dec} should be 2nd choice.

I had hoped that B's education and eloquence, combined with his cheeky smile and England star boy status might have counted for something. But you both reckon he's the wrong colour or from the wrong part of the country.

I was wondering if the Odin as skipper thing was that he could get AHA tickets for the refs' mums. Wasn't a girl in the '80s that didn't fancy him when he went all comic book in the video.

[redgunamo]

Are you suggesting we sign a northerner?

Gabriel is a born trouble maker and refs do not like him one bit. You cant have him as captain.

As I say, it's no issue for us as we already have a very suitable captain.

[Peter]

As I say, it's no issue for us as we already have a very suitable captain.

Then why do refs still hate us?

[Peter]

He hasn't got banged up for drink driving like TA or armed robbery like Peter Storey.

I'm with Redg - if in doubt give it to the big no.6. Frank, Big Tone etc. Big DM {like PV4 or Dec} should be 2nd choice.

I had hoped that B's education and eloquence, combined with his cheeky smile and England star boy status might have counted for something. But you both reckon he's the wrong colour or from the wrong part of the country.

I was wondering if the Odin as skipper thing was that he could get AHA tickets for the refs' mums. Wasn't a girl in the '80s that didn't fancy him when he went all comic book in the video.

Game is different now. Often refs will only talk to the captain. You need to put forward someone they respect. We only have one player they respect.

[Peter]

Middle class snobbery - a man after my own heart.

Btw, surprised given our shared history BAs that we didn't bring up the work of the nation's finest historians when discussing which side of the civil war we'd be on.

As Sellar and Yeatman said in their seminal work*, the Cavaliers were Wrong but Wromantic while the Roundheads were Right but Repulsive. The finest historians these isles have produced. {And they don't pretend the Hossbach Memorandum didn't exist simply because it would completely undermine their book's thesis, unlike certain celebrated historians. }

*1066 And All That

Don't start with that ****

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

Don't start with that ****

Name me a finer C20th work of history that 1066 and all that, P. Go on. I should go back to it as I reckon there are loads of jokes I missed aged c.10 and 20. Reading after A-levels when I'd read it ten was eye-opening, so there must be loads more joke I get now.

It should be compulsory reading at school before you have any actual lessons. Though I guess you'll be gutted when you find out William wasn't actually an orange.