Jap Stam retires

Jip Jaap Stam retires
http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/european/article3109925.ece
I am not sure where i would rate him my all time list of United central defenders, Buchan and McGrath would top it, but during that treble season he was the equal of them. I will never forget the 3-3 draw with Barcelona at Old Trafford that season.
He didn't get off to the greatest of starts in a red shirt for United when we were easily beaten by Arsenal in the charity shield. Then in the first encounter with them in the league we were comfortably beaten again, with both Stam and Schmeical having poor games. We had heard great things about Stam but we hadn't seen it for ourselves yet. Then in that fabulous game of football with Barca we had twice held the lead, but now Barca had pegged it back to 3-3 with Nicky Butt sent off giving away a penalty, meaning we now had to survive for the rest of the game with ten men. And with Rivaldo having one of the best if not the best games i have ever seen from an opposition player at old trafford that was no easy task. That for me was the moment when we saw the real Jap Stam, as he saw to it almost single handedly at times that we came out of that game with at least the point. And from that moment on he never looked back, performing majestically at the back and becoming a real fans favourite. The jip jaap song has got to be one of the best united player songs ever, and it will always remind me of that night in the nou camp. It's a pity it had to end as it did for him, i never believed it was because injuries had affected his game at the time. Although i do believe he never again reached the standards he had set that season again.

A piece about the rivalry between milan and turin.
http://football.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-7037160,00.html
I know we have got fans all over the place, but thats like us having a united fan club in scouseland, it's never going to happen is it.


More about the house of Saud
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2202156,00.html
This is a proper liberal position, free speech is free speech.
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/inayat_bunglawala/2007/10/if_you_are_easily_offended.html

the state of the union
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2202036,00.html

more on the pros and cons of immigration
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2202162,00.html

tax
http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2202020,00.html