Something Merse said, something the manager said and something someone might or might not have said

The club paid money to Birmingham City 'to bring to an end all disputes'. That was the news yesterday. No new player signing. No new ground sponsorship deal. We had to pay The Clowns money, because we did nothing wrong and acted completely above board.

I'm starting to think that all I have to do is turn up at Bodymoor with my boots and I'll start to get paid or threaten legal action, for something completely made up and I'll get paid. We did nothing wrong. We acted completely above board. Why pay them money?

Okay, maybe I've taken this as far as I can because we probably did do something wrong. We probably were a bit underhand and well, that is going to come as a bit of a shock to some. I say shock, because some are so proud because we do things the right way, well, we haven't this time and we don't always. We just seem to whore ourselves out when we do.

Birmingham City and Aston Villa can confirm that agreement has been reached between the parties ending the legal disputes surrounding Alex McLeish's departure.

Stewart Downing

So, I know I'm not getting involved in all the summer speculation, but why, now that the manager has now told us that Stewart Downing isn't going nowhere, is it all still about Stewart Downing?

I know the speculation is all focused on Liverpool preparing a new bid, but if the manager says he isn't for sale, why are Liverpool, or more to the point, why are the papers continuing to spread these stories. That really isn't a question, but it is a bit annoying - the manager has said he isn't for sale.

A month and a day

So, not much news at the moment, but speculation on a player that isn't for sale and the season starts in a month tomorrow. We are in need of something - mostly a keeper and seeing as the squad is mostly all back for pre-season training, it is sort of needed right about now ... or tomorrow.

So that is it for today, but I was reading this from Paul Merson last night and I think he has it just about right. Now, to finish the decking.