Nigel Howle

What are you looking to do?

I would push the boat out for Edwards. The reason why France attack with flare is because Edwards built the strongest defence, if that makes sense?

I guess there's still a tendency to think an English Director of Rugby should get it. Or you could do what the French do where Edwards seems almost as powerful as the DoR?

Or maybe the current Prem top dog who is also a Springbok?

Yep. I guess the most fashionable now is Phil Dowson at Northampton. But, do you go there, or for a proven international Coach/Manager? There are, of course, Englishmen, Farrell and Edwards, if the thinking is you need an English big name.

I know I don't have many Rugby Union contacts on here but, if Borthwick loses his job, who is the next cab off the rank?
Or is it a more institutional problem, with the English international approach being extremely conservative? That's a tad odd given the Prem is generally 'you score, we score'

I saw them in a field near Altrincham last summer and they were excellent. The songs still sounded great and they have added a few nostalgic stories into the mix.

Do you remember that Squeeze did those 3d sleeves on the early singles? Problem was they mucked up your stack of singles.

Remembering 33 fans who were crushed to death and 400 injured at Bolton Wanderers’ Burnden Park stadium when a barrier and a wall collapsed during an FA Cup game against Stoke City on this day 1946. Worst British football stadium disaster until Ibrox in 1971.

I genuinely don't understand why Badenoch and co are backing Trump's illegal war. Here's the latest polling on Trump.

"The Sweeney's doing ninety 'cause they've got the word to go
They get a gang of villains in a shed up at Heathrow"

Songs of my youth.

I met a pottery worker from Normacot who refused to work at Steelite in Middleport. Apparently it is a long way away!

Assuming you mean Vale fans, I would say that's the norm. But there are bound to be some who have moved for jobs. Hilariously though, I have met people who say going from Burslem to Longton for work is too far to travel 😂

Having said that there's a lot of Stoke fans in the northern areas of the city, and Castle, so the Vale enclave is quite small - a hole in a donut?

But Vale previously played in Hanley, so the proposed ground would have been between that older ground and Vale Park.

I assume the proposed Festival Park ground was actually Vale territory?

Yes, on the right hand side as the TV camera was looking at it.

There's also the 'pump track' at Newchapel and one next to Crewe Park.

I think speedway was there before moving to Chesterton. Speedway was big in the 1970s and 80s, wasn't it? All about getting to the first corner in the lead.

Also speedway?

I think the plan was for the land that is now Burslem Cricket Club.

Who remembers the idea to build a new stadium for Stoke and Vale on what is now Festival Park. Unsure why, but Vale fans were far more outspoken against it than Stoke supporters. I think I wrote a couple of stories in my early days as a Sentinel reporter.

Why the f**k do sports commentators feel compelled to apologise when players swear? 🫢😁

It looks like they'll be celebrating in the Valleys (of the Potteries) tonight #FACup
Sunderland woeful.

Do they do the Ant and Dec thing, where one is always on the left and the other on the right? That might help.

I do like Port Vale's simple Spursy looking kit.

Is it bad I don't recognise either of them? I'm very good at not knowing actors' names. I recognise Jack Nicholson and Robert De Niro but that's about it.

Perhaps more a cost of living/low wage thing here in the Potteries.

What a dismal first half performance from Sunderland but well done to PVFC, so far #FACup

More empty seats than I thought there would be at Vale Park.