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Irvine appointment closer for Albion
Monday 29th June 2009, 10:45AM BST.
Albion target Alan Irvine is returning from holiday ready to put the seal on a switch to the Hawthorns within the next 48 hours.
One of the new manager’s first tasks will be to ratify a £2million deal to sign 22-year-old Swindon striker Simon Cox.
The Preston manager will be at the centre of talks between Albion chairman Jeremy Peace and his Deepdale counterpart Derek Shaw, over agreeing a compensation package to enable Irvine to succeed Tony Mowbray.
Peace is bargaining for a series target-related payments which could earn Preston £1million – beginning with a £500,000 down payment – while the Lancashire club are seeking a one-hit, seven-figure cheque.
But, when the dust has settled on the wrangling, there is now little doubt that Albion’s players will return to training this week to find Irvine – two weeks short of his 51st birthday – as the man to take them into the new Championship campaign.
The Glasgow-born former Everton coach has built up an admirable reputation in 18 months at Deepdale, in which he has not only halted a decline but returned Preston to play-off challenging status, while developing a progressive footballing style which appeals to his employers-in-waiting.
Preston are braced for the formal approach today now that their coveted boss has returned to work with Shaw, repeating his reluctance to see Irvine go while conceding he can do little to stop him.
Shaw said: “Nothing has changed over the weekend.
“As everybody is aware, though, Alan has it written into his contract that if there was interest from elsewhere then he could speak to that club. That is how it is.”
While Albion have been pursuing their successor to Mowbray, they have continued talks with Swindon over one of their former manager’s intended recruits.
The club has now agreed a deal with the League One outfit and are waiting for the managerial appointment to give the final green light to the deal.
This would see Cox come to the Hawthorns later this week for talks on personal terms and a medical.
Championship new-boys Leicester were also interested but have now dropped out of the race.
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To be honest I dont really know much about Irvine’s reign at Preston, but he if he has the same passion as David Moyes then he must be decent. Only time will tell
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Below is an interesting post by a PNE fan on a forum. Style of Play? – looks like a poor man’s Megson from this. It’s not face masks you’ll be needing next season, it’s neck brases…read on
Personally I think Irvine is a great manager who has done a fantastic job for us. He got us from bottom of the championship and almost relegation certains to almost a premier league team in just over a year with very limited resources. However I’m not sure if he could cope with the pressure at a club like yours were the expectations maybe to high. I think our club suits him down to the ground and I really think it would benefit him if he manages to get us promoted rather than you. (Anybody could do that to a yo-yo team.) I personally hate his style of football but he always seems to grind the results. Hoofball was used alot last season and personally I will be glad to get rid of that if he goes. Someone like Matteo may bring some excitment to Deepdale and if Irvine is bought for £1m plus I reckon it will be a good deal for both parties. His tactical awarness is shocking as he makes some stupid decsions like playing sedgwick when injured or making wrong substitions. Or in his case not making enough subs as he usually only makes 1-2 subs a game when we need to go for it sometimes. He put me on the edge of my seat all the time last season and so did the team as it was all very panicy. But beside that he is a fantastic manager who manages to find results and bring the best out of players. He also made some fantastic signings for very cheap. So I’m sure with your money he’ll be finding bargains that will end up quality players. All the best to him if he stays or goes. I’m used to quality managers leaving us anyway. Just like I’m used to play off defeats. Just like a old record being repeated every year is PNE. No changes whatsoever. Makes me wonder if we’ll ever make the prem.
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IF these two deals – Irvine and Cox – are confirmed, I will be a very happy Baggie. Onwards and upwards…
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GB (2) That comment you quoted is wide of the mark. I am a PNE season ticket holder living in stafford and can tell you Irvines style is not disimilar to Mowbrays. Less flamboyant (only due to his limited palying staff) but much more defensively sound. Baggies fans are in for a footballing treat, and a few clean sheets too. Great man manager.
Sorry to lose him and good luck.
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4 – I appreciate that and I hope you’re right.
If we can couple the passing with some organisation at the back (what a novel idea) we should be going straight back up.
What are your thoughts on St Ledger? Worth the money?
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David Jones was interviewed on BBC Breakfast about his book and was asked about the rumours of a move, West Brom wasn’t mentioned. His answer was that a move was on the cards… to a new stadium, however he did not state anything about whether he would or wouldn’t move to us. As I said we weren’t even mentioned.
Just like Mowbray, he hasn’t said he wouldn’t move, but did say that there was work to be done at Cardiff.
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You can only judge a manager on his achievements with the resources that he has at his disposal, what he has done at PNE, will surely be magnified at WBA, bigger club, bigger fan base, more money, more experience of top flight football.
However, there is more pressure and more expectation, but if he can cope with that and the Braggie fans give him time to settle in, you just may have the answer to your prayers. If you get him, good luck, I’m sure he will do well.
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Lets hope this goes through. Can’t wait for balanced football with a nice strong defence. St. Ledger was described as ‘a different class’ by Youl Mawene. Although its just a game, he’s been top notch on Football Manager for 2 years and they have one of the most accurate and complex scouting networks in the world – I’m definately up for this appointment.
P.S. Thank god DJ is staying put in Leekland!!
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sean st ledger would be a great buy
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Looks like a one horse race. I hope he don’t fall at thr last? Or is he riding in the St Ledger at Doncaster ha ha?
I do hope this guy has a bit of charisma and can get the best out of the players. The manager is limited with the players he can buy to create a good squad. Lets hope he can do the business with us.
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Preston have accepted £1,000,000 payment.Looks like he is on is way to this seasons champions.Gb didnt Preston win 3-1 at the wolves last season.Onwards and upwards in style THE ALBION WAY.
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If it’s Irvine I will be happy, I noticed all of a sudden in the press DAVID O LEARY was hopeful of a immediate return to management, had he put in for the Albion Job? I now hope Irvine can get Marek Cech to stay and get rid of Paul Robinson as he wants away from the Albion. First things first, Irvine has not put pen to paper yet. Feel sorry for Preston though a genuine footballing side. they and WBA were the founder members of the football league.
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Well pleased if this comwes off… Preston play some good football but are limited by resourses – from what I can see we are getting a manager who loves good football but understands that you EARN the right to play it.
I’m not gonna have a go at TM – but this appointment could be a progressive step towards establishing the club at the highest level – and he has real prem experience with Everton.
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I’m all in favour of the compensation for AI being linked to success on the field as it will hopefully drive him on. I appreciate it won’t be for him personally but if the man has any integrity he’ll want to prove it to all. I’ve just looked on a site and his managerial stats are, 84 games 36 Won~ 31 Lost & 17 Draws…hold onto your hats it could get bumpy!! Having said all that you have to start somewhere & he has played at the highest level, helped Moyes at Everton, coached at Newcastle so he is used to being around some of the ‘big names’ in football. Lets give him a chance, get behind him and the team and see what happens, I’d sooner have a man with us than someone looking to use us as a stepping stone…well at least for the next two seasons anyway!!
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Looks like JP has done his homework again and come up with a man who has experience and a pedigree. Whenever I watched Preston last season they did’nt appear to be kick and rush merchants and I believe they beat both Birmingham and Wolves away from home. It was probably only their limited squad that stopped them getting promotion. I think the key issue is that we have to stop Mowbray from enticing our best players away from the club and a manager who has experience at the top level and is a highly regarded coach stands a better chance of doing this. In fact in many ways he is better qualified than Mowbray who would not have got the Celtic job if he had’nt played for them.
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If we get him we need to give him the type of reception that Mowbray had on the last game of the season.
15. I agree we have to stop Mowbray from cherry picking our established players, unless it is Luke Moore
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5. St Ledger is a good centre half but Iwelumo absolutely turned him inside out when we played them.
Where are the Peace haters now? Funny, it was all his fault a week ago.
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11..yes preston did win at the molineux but on the other hand wolves scored 4 at preston.
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Walked up Westbrom today in me lunch hour it’s nice to see so many wearing baggies tops, just shows what great fans we have.
Sir Terry love you to boing boing.
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As a Black Country based PNE fan I’m gutted to see Irvine go; as Post 2 says, he’s performed miracles at Deepdale to get a squad of so little quality into the play-offs through sheer organisation. Some of our players – especially the aforementioned Sedgwick (truly dire) – are league 1 at best. Yet AI has moulded them into a hard-to-beat outfit and managed to grind out results. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, I’d say he’s had to adapt a style of play to suit the duffers that we’ve got and I hope that given better players he will be able to produce better football. We’ve got jon Parkin up front, so what does that tell you about the tactics? Our only quality players are Wallace and St Ledger and I predict at least one of them will follow him to the Hawthorns. We want £2m compensation tho Jeremy – not for taking Irvine, but for selling us Darren Carter..!
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Is it the case that the Scots can buy English League players at any time and not only during ‘The Window’? I would like our new man, whoever it may be, to settle in before we get rid of any. Suppose the new man put the right sort of batteries in Moore. We might have a striker. The story says we want to sign Cox, so where did St.Ledger come into it?
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19 jodie,not half as much as i love you xxxxxx
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21 – I mentioned St Ledger as we’ve been linked with him over the close season, and now it’s looking more and more likely that Irvine will be the new boss, would he want to bring a trusted player (and from what we can tell, PNE’s star player) with him?
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19 jodie,i was over west brom dinner time,was you that gorgeous blonde wearing a tight white bouse blue jeanz and knee high black boots,aye boing boing WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW
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17LW, ILAWUMOO cudent turn a paper bag inside out,aye boing boing down befire the christmas cards
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St Ledger has already turned down a move to the Premiership with Burnley
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17: thought St Ledger was a forward not CH
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21) Albion and Everton have had St Ledger on the radar for a while.
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17: you’re right St Ledger is a defender. MInd you you would know that after spending more seasons than us in the Championship lol.
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Jodie its nice to be loved aye boing boing im in love im in love im in love with a wonderful girl
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26 the reason he turned burnley down was because there the only team with an outside chance of finishing below the wolfs aye boing boing jodie
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24 I’m a baggie I have class, I think you were describing a dingle, plus its far to hot for knee high boots. you were right about the blonde hair though boing boing.
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Let’s hope the search is over at long last and we can look forward to the new season. All I hope is that JP backs his choice this time and backs the manager financially so there will be no falling short with the squad and no falling out with the manager!
20. I think you should get 2mill for taking Carter as well LOL.
Come on you Baggies.
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24 terry I’m a baggie not a dingle I have class,
plus it’s far to hot for knee high boots.
You were right about the blonde hair though
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Laughingwolf – you deservedly won at Deepdale, but AI clearly learned the lesson; how did the return fixure go? St ledger made amends when we destroyed your lot at Molineux. See you next season, btw ;-)
PS: If the baggies need a striker PLEEEEASE take Neil Mellor.
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swindon chairman has accepted a bid of 2.5m from us for striker simon cox..will sign 1st july…..GET IN THERE,ANOTHER PROMISING GEM..LOVELY JUBBLY..
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34,i heard ya the fust time,aye boing boing xxxx
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Wolves supporter here so you are probably not interested in my opinion at all BUT I really don’t think this is a good appointment. I am basing this on limited knowledge of the guy in fairness but he bought Parkin and also Eliott. To me that says enough about him. Champions League by Christmas!!! He He !
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He might want to bring St. Ledger with him, but we rate him like Cardiff rate Johnson. He’d cost about £4m. And likely he’d want to go to the Premiership.
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once again we have gone for the bargin bottom of the list..
out of all the managers mentioned, Irvine has to be the worst out the lot..
Was only lucky to get Preston in the play offs due to Cardiffs one point in last 4 games…
we are a laughing stock again while Peace piles up the cash..
PEACE OUT!!!
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Hi Tezza – think that was me – them boots was chaffin when I got home.
Were you the Geoge Cloony look alike in shorts and a vest following me around ??
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Experience is what the Baggies needed and i think they have got the right man.Jodiebaggie needs the same Terry have you the experience?aye aye
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I dont know much about Irvine but for the most part I hear that his style is 2 hoof it. Thats not what we need or want 2 see. Yes he turned Preston around from relegation candidates 2 play-off challengers but look at Preston over the last 7, 8 years or so, they always seem 2 reach play-offs. Irvine is not the first 2 do this. Its nothing new! They must have been in the play-offs more times than any other team over the last few years. And 2 be fair 2 them at least have had a crack at the premiership already by now.
I am going 2 look up on PNE fans thoughts, cuz I want 2 continue seeing a passing, attacking style of play the Albion way! I want 2 be entertained not go back 2 Robson/Megson era. Seems like this is what would happen. It would be nice 2 hear that we are at least considering other managers, and that JP is making hunderd percent sure by looking into all candidates. Cant help but feel has gone for cheapest option. Irvine is not my first choice, & I dont think he is a lot of peoples but then what does that matter ay??
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40- Piles up what cash? Why not read the accounts and see where the cash has gone before coming out with stuff like that?
Did you pick Mowbray or Megson when they were appointed?
38- Whatever you think of those players, they might’ve served a purpose in his side at the time (Elliott probably faired better without thousands of people booing him too). Ultimately he took a relegation-threatened side to the play-offs, lets give the bloke a chance!!
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we are in battle with Middlesboro to sign Shefki Kuqi
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37 sorry sent it in error
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i hope it is irvine we may get more 1-0 wins than 5-4 wins although mowbray was exiting he got us nowhere and if we want a top class defender what about jay demerit from watford he looks great and a few more experienced pros with a mix of the youth already at the club may do well and Robinson out and cech IN
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albionsbestfan
How do you know Irvine was bottom of the list?
The bloke hasnt even signed with us yet and your`e
already getting on his back,Iam sure Jeremy Peace
has found us yet another quality manager.
Also Gary Megson,Bryan Robson,and Tony Mowbray
have put Westbromwich Albion back on the map
so how can we be a laughing stock,
3 promotions
fa cup semi
play off places
great escape
brand new halfords lane stand
THE LIST IS ENDLESS!!
Get behind Jeremy Peace and start living in
the real world.
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And RICHARD CHAPLOW
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33 where do u live in dorset,fancy going halves on traveling up for home games? jurys out on irvine but so was megson and babboon face unknowns,can we get a charity on our shirts at least it will be better than nowt
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Number 40 albionsbestfan, You are wide of the mark, although not officially our manager yet Irvine has amassed a number of years solid experience working alongside David Moyes at Everton as the Assitant coach. Had Irvine been in charge in the premier last season we would of done better than TM. Because TM has had no grounding in the premier league, Irvine has from his time at Everton. secondly he knows the championship and what it will take to get the Albion back up there.
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HATS OFF TO SIR TERRY WHATS YA SECRET MATE HA HA,…well the transformation of the baggies continues,i feel we now will have someone who will take us up and establish us as force in the prem,cox will be a crackin buy,reminds me of when we first got andy hunt cox will do ok,the last few peices of the jigsaw looks to be coming together,lets get the season started
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I didn’t want Alan Irvin, however, from what some Preston fans have said on here, it seems that they are gutted he’s going.
I think though we wait until it’s been announced before counting our chickens.
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A very very good manager. Ithink the best you could of hoped for. He plays the game in a good way and has Moyes as his mentor.
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44 Warren , 48 Valero and 51 Chesire.
The ridiculously self named Albionsbestfan is a DINGLE, c`mon guys read his posts, they always end with the same put down “laughing stock”
Even Albions worst fan (if that makes sense) wouldn`t continuously pedal the same dross.
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For those calling out for experience Hans Backe, Svens No2 at Mexico was interviewed for job, I know its not the Premiership, but he won four Danish titles as manager of FC Copenhagen and Aalborg, plus Champion League experience so must have something going for him. However he was informed Thursday not getting the job, so there are other candidates out there, and only when they have all been interviewed, sifted and selected we will know who was cheapest option lol
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34 morning jodie my love,thats what i thought as well,i thought look of the state of her walking about in this weather looking like that no dress sence and no class i thought i bet jodie dont walk about like that,i ask ya who wears boots in this weather,(happybaggie apparently)aye boing boing xxxxxxx
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41,hi happy that was me mate,i thought it was you then i thought nahhhhhhhhhh happy wouldent walk down west brom high street with a greggs cheese n onion pasty in one hand a fag in the other,aye boing boing oh you are awful but i like you
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42pip, terrys the name lurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrve is the game,aye boing boing mwahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
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Don’t know if I can come out to play today lads
bank really busy, wanted to finish earlier so i could get my polly (cat) a new collar from the baggies shop but boss man said no (he’s a dingle armchair)if it’s dry i may go to the Astle centre in me lunch hour. sir terry that was defo not me i’m a lady
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60 Lady Jodie, i know it wasent you,i was in baggiz shop yesterday wish id have known id have fetched polly a collar for you,im sure its going to be dry so enjoy your lunch break,say hi to polly for me aye boing boing meowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
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Jodie, bin yow a Barclay’s wench? I gorra know who’s spendin’ me munney when Ah bay lookin’. It’s DOGS wot ‘ave collars, not pussies. Yow cor walk a cat on a lead. They’m contrary, like wenches. Ah mean, if yow put the missus and yer dog in the boot of yer car, which un ud be glad to see yer when yow opened it?
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JUST FOUND OUT IT COULD BE DEMETAO FROM M.K. DONS
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62 my cat wears a baggies collar with a little bell on it stops her catching birds.
I’m not a Barclay’s wench i’m one of the others ?.
To answer your question i think it would be the dog.boing boing you crack me up.
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CYRIL CYRIL,of course pussies have collars so they can hang a little bell on so the dickie birds can hear them coming so they fly away,aye boing boing i tort i tor a putty cat
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HELLO. HELLO. HELLO!!!
LANCASHIRE EVENING POST are saying that the Albion board are taking their time because they are checking out………….Alan Curbishley!!!
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cyril if your worried about your money i,ll look after it for ya,i think it would be the dog too if he was stuck in the boot with my ex missus aye boing boing woof woof
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63) yep straight race with Di Matteo slight favorite apparently after impressing at interviews. Two questions, what was the odds on that, and how much have the board bet on him lol
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64,jodie as polly got one of those little baggie coats as well,aye boing boing purrrrrrrrrrrrrr
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TEZZA – couildn’t have been me then – I had a chicken pastie but it was in me pocket…. thats why I was walking funny.
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was Curbs even interviewed, apparently Brian Laws was????
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morning tez mate.i see they started work on the pub,hope its ready for us to have afew sherbutts start a season…….news flash…fullam have offered us 2m for greening….peace will screw um for at least 4m…
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I have heard its De matteo
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NEW MANAGER TO BE ANNOUNCED TODAY,,100%…….16/1 HE WAS AT THE BOOKIES..I LUMPED ON.GET IN THERE….FANCY IBIZA TEZ MATE…..
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hi worcester thats good i never checked when i went over yesterday,im sure it will be ready for the start of our championship winning season,aye boing boing beers brown get it down
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74,yes i do but only if i can take jodie,aye boing boing i,ll get my marracus out
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70 happy,i bet you was walking even funnier after youd eaten a chicken pie from greggs,aye boing boing cluck cluck
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It says on the preston official website he’s staying with them.
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Alan Irvine would be a fantasic manager for us if we can get him and I think he is first choice. JP knows his stuff and will know Irvine has credentials. He was the right had man on Merseyside with David Moyes but he had a mass of experience with Newcastle working with Kenny Dalglish, Ruud Gullit and Sir Bobby Robson. Peter Beardsley referred to Irvine as a sensational coach and was magnificient when he managed the Newscastle Academy. He has come a long way since Newscastle, Everton and Preston. His skills and dedication are just what Albion need to put us back into the Premier and stay up.
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BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!!!!
PNE announce that Irvine is staying there, and NOT coming to the Albion!!
See PNE’s official site for all the quotes etc
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So I guess the trip to Ibiza is off then.
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81…weston super mud it is then..MAMMA MIA did anyone lump on di matteo,was a good price..loads a money…….
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76 popping out to get me a bikini lunch time then.
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