FA Cup 3rd Round throws up potential family clash for Ashley Young

We must be #14, I think

Arsenal vs Man Utd

Man City vs Salford is a cracker. Leeds vs Harrogate too. Betty's will be jam-packed.

Whilst it’s Man City v Salford. Two contrasting draws for the Manc clubs.

Is 2025 our year?

Pop in to the cathedral (it's next to Poundland) and pay your respects to the mermaid Mary Queen of Scots; Katherine of Aragon is next to her.

Hopefully a new manager and owners in place by the time we play this game.

Is it Barry Fry?

As for us? No comment.

I'm tempted to convert to being a believer so I can pray for our boys. Should I be a left-kicker?

Others have favourable ones as well.

Them, Chelsea, Tottenham, Newcastle.

Another eye catching one is the clash of the clarets, Villa v West Ham.

Why don't you announce your conversion for this week and pray like feck that we beat the shite or should it be that they don't beat us? You could renounce your faith on Sunday, an appropriate day and get back to your Richard Dawkins books. Dyche got lost in the first paragraph.

Paddy's Wigwam looks better from the inside after a few jars.

Happy to be corrected though. Wasn't she called the Mermaid as some sort of insult around her sexual prowess?

Mermaids were put up all over Edinburgh after Darnley kicked the bucket next to a hare - Darnley's family coat of arms.

She was a bit of a slapper.

King James and Letters of Homoerotic Desire is a good read, by the way.

He deserves a statue Brian.

Headline in May.

There are no easy games when you're playing shite, so let's get back to these very educational history lessons.

I knew Mike Power well who taught there and a fella called Andy Davies, big Man Utd fan from Salford.

Can't remember any of those names though the Renaissance modules were mainly around Italian politics particularly Machiavelli. Interested in the Tudors later on.

There was a fella at Warwick, Humphrey Butters, huge fella, massive, funny as feck, whose life work was editing the letters of Lorenzo the Magnificent.

History lessons always make me think of that old Roger Waters classic, Perfect Sense, Nigel (what a tune - what an album) although I never agreed with that line about it being for fools, because I believe it's the only thing we can learn from!

Was Dave one of those cosmic psychedelic magic mushroom trippers Tony? Fair bit of your music is hippy trippy late-60s/70s.

Mind you, Love Forever Changes is one of the best albums ever. Mick Head idolises Arthur Lee and he and the scouse lads were Arthur's backing band on his last UK tour.

Thoroughly enjoyed the course and should have gone on to at least do a Masters but didn't unfortunately, regret it now.

There was an instance in cricket of a father and son playing in the same Glamorgan team – Miandad, in the 80s.

Open University?

Great institution (Labour's Jenny Lee initiated?), great students (mature students a joy to work with).

Tyler recently made his debut, coming on as sub in an EFL game. Released by Arsenal.

I've retired now so plenty of time on my hands I guess.

Thanks for the info. Peter. It's on then. Midfielder, I think.

I played for a year or so in the same team as my lad. Wonderful experience.

Clifton is a great location and the docks developments are class.

Do it man. You would love it.

Roger Waters to Dylan, Joan Armatrading to Gabriel, one of my favourite bands when I was growing up was Barclay James Harvest, and I still watch their free concert besides the Brandenburg Gate, from time to time.

The Brandenberg Gate always reminds me of the time I was talking to one of my mates who was in the British army. He was telling me he was there when the wall came down, off-duty and tripping his head off.

History moves very quickly, I wonder what's in store for everyone or more specifically Everton, next?

Moved south to Chartley in '85 where she was arrested in the next year - Babbington Plot - and taken to Fotheringay Castle and you're right, Lizzy dithered over the death warrant driving the privy council nuts.

Great post that Tony.

No Pink Floyd, ELP, Neil Young?

Everton secure a home tie etc

How did we 'secure' that then :)

Floyd, obviously Paul, although I always preferred Roger Waters, and specifically Radio Kaos, and yes, Neil Young, definitely goes without saying.

I don’t particularly like flying, but when I take a longer flight, it’s sometimes paradise listening to all the old classics, with beer on tap, and I fell in love with Old Man, the last time I took a long flight.

I did read Diarmaid MacCulloch's Thomas Cromwell biography which is terrific, though not usually my thing. Diarmaid and Hilary Mantel became really good mates.

I'll take any win at the moment… 😂

“In the stand, the home crowd scatters, for the turnstiles”.

I'm dreading that happening in the next two games.

It's great actually, the current series centres on the last few years of Cromwell's life.

Mark Rylance plays Cromwell who is excellent as is Damien Lewis as Henry 8.

It all went downhill after Cromwell lost his head NS and was never replaced. But he was a right old bastard. Knifing Anne-B in the back after she brought him to the court; doing nothing when More was burning heretics; shafting the pilgrims - and a hopeless social reformer to boot. But Geoffrey was in love with him with his Tudor revolution in government and all that. The bastard also began parish registers (or surveillance, some thought) and joined us up with the Taffs.

Thanks for the Wolf Hall tips. A mate who teaches Tudor stuff at Oxford loves the books. Sounds like I might have to read them. Maybe it will take my mind off Everton.

Growing up in Crosby I was one of the cool kids who hated anything hippy and that included in our rough lumping together, Led Zep (still hate), Steely Dan (look at 'em), Mike Oldfield, Genesis, Status Quo, Wishbone fecking Ash, Supertramp, ELP, those bastards Pink Floyd, Barclay James Harvest, Focus uggghhhhhh

Turning to happier subjects … Wolf Hall has been great viewing.

Oh Grace, just take me in my arms,
and let this moment linger,
they'll take me out at dawn and I will die.

And the Germans killed the Jews,
and the Jews killed the Arabs,
and the Arabs killed the hostages,
and that is the news,
is it any wonder that the monkeys confused.

The world is full of crazy, horrible bastard megalomaniacs, but I'm not sure there would be many wars if the people who make the decisions had to go on the front line and fight. Goodnight!

“There ain't nothing like a friend, who can tell you you're just pissin' in the wind”.

Paul, get the Mantel trilogy for xmas. Stunning. As is the TV adaptation.

It never happened and then, a few weeks later, I read Jamie Carragher's saying, "Evertonians might respect Sean Dyche, but they will never love him."

Then I thought it's no use me going in now because he will just think I'm repeating what the man on sky television said!

If I had gone in and given him that advice, I'm not sure how he would have taken it, but it's too late now and he now looks like another Everton manager who has been beaten.

Definitely goodnight now, dreaming of goals, and not being thrown to the wolves!

Could be wrong, Nigel, but I think that they might quite like it if we are in the Bottom 3 on 1 January. Ruthless mate, utterly ruthless he was. Live and die by the axe.

Peter. I quite like the B-side to Save Your Kisses For Me by Brotherhood of Man: 'Get the fuck out of our club'.

Celtic is my second team, Tony. The Bhoys lads and lasses have a complex relationship with Mr Stewart. Some of that early Faces stuff still sounds so great – You Can Make Me Dance is fab.

In any event, most Premier League teams will start the early rounds with weak starting eleven, much like the Mickey Mouse Cup.

At the moment, I think Everton would struggle against the Ladies team (Dinnerladies that is).

All joking apart, the priority has to be staying away from the Bottom 3 and this next game is so important going into the tough Christmas games.

"Jamie Carragher's saying, Evertonians might respect Sean Dyche, but they will never love him".

And any respect there was has now gone, Tony. What a sorry state we're in.

For some reason, I think we can go far this season (with new manager). If we manage to get lucky with the draw, who knows.

With you on the last two points though.

Our Houston, Dallas and Austin fan-clubs will also boom. Mind you, I just want us to beat Wolves and Peterborough.

A 3-1 lead, Wolves getting it back to 3-2 and the clock ticking down very slowly, followed by 6 minutes stoppage time to put us through the mill.

I dunno why but think the Wolves game will have goals in it.

Sounds like a magician.

I've been saying for a few weeks this takeover is far from done, something about it doesn't seem right. I don't understand why TFG wouldn't just tell Moshiri to sack Dyche, why would you watch your new club sink more and more into the brown stuff?

Maybe the 777 Partners loan is more complicated than we first thought, maybe he just thinks it's too big a job turning us back around.

Morning lads, I'm struggling with the thought process also, particularly from Moshiri's perspective. I get that he doesn't want to chuck more money at it but he clearly wants out and there must be a contingency plan in place to protect the deal if there is any danger of us going down, and there is now.

I think if we lose against Wolves then something will happen, as we potentially could end up in the Bottom 3 going into the derby. I don't want to sound overly pessimistic but this situation is very real. They have got to be talking to each other about all this surely. Moshiri loses this deal then his investment is in real trouble.

As Paul F says above though I bet the Yanks will love all the 'Phoenix from the Flames' narrative, the great saviours and all that, I also do think they have their own replacement lined up – just don't leave this one too late, Yanks! It's time to put some pressure on and show you are the real deal.

The Peterborough player must be close to retirement, so he might not get another chance. :)

Speaking of the 80s, FA Cup still matters to me. Can't recall ever being more disappointed after a match than the 85 final and losing to 10-man Utd.

These home draws are a fantastic opportunity for me and my lads to get up to the city and Goodison and get seats together. Can't wait! But with Liverpool also at home, when will we find out our kick-off date and time?

31 years without a trophy then, lol.

I love this competition and I want us to take it seriously. I will never ever want us to not try to win any competition, even if it is highly unlikely.

There is no need to exaggerate Ray Jacques 89: it will be 30, not 31 years since we last won a trophy… if we do not win the 2025 FA Cup.

Paul Hewitt 83: I don't understand why TFG wouldn't just tell Moshiri to sack Dyche, why would you watch your new club sink more and more into the brown stuff?

Give me a proper reason why they would and why Moshiri would do so if asked? Do you think that TFG would fork out for compensation? TFG have absolutely no problem with us being in the bottom three on say January 1 (see above discussion).