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Butterflies?
All in a good cause Dan.
Will we see any highlights on Football Focus?

Geoff Thomas

Actually, I thought, the 5 or so mins I watched, David James was very entertaining and far from rude. I think what football shows miss at the moment is the comradarie that there is in the changing rooms. Lineker and Shearer are as dull as dish water with their pre-rehearsed jokes on MOTD, puts me off watching it. The craic between James, Dixon and Neville was more like what you would see on a Saturday morning and a welcome change from the norm!

Playing football against Richard Ashcroft - what a Lucky Man you are!

Bonehead

That's a great cause Dan well done for taking part, and kudos to Big Man Hartson for raising awareness of this nasty disease - he's a legend. Luckily he has a good support network in place and has kept going throughout. Make sure you find out what John Hartson's biccie of choice is - he looks like a no-nonsense chocolate digestive man to me!
Hope the game goes well and you don't get nobbled by Bobby Savage. You have plenty of opportunity to give him some stick as not only did we beat Wales last night (just) but he's taking part in Celebrity Come Dancing this year. His pink shirt and cheesy grin in his promo photo on the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ website made me laugh. Speaking of pink shirts, David James' kit for Portsmouth was always loud wasn't it? He's a character that one.
I didn't catch the episode in question but I'd rather FF guests be interesting than spout off the usual cliches. Along those lines, would love to have either Neil Warnock or Ian Holloway on again as you can count on plenty of opinions and fireworks.

All this user's posts have been removed.Why?

And if you like painful goal celebrations, this one is a cracker:



I think you're in good company Dan! What on earth possesses his teammate to just slide in on him like that is beyond me....

Hi Dan, Long-shot suggestion for a show: Prof Stephen Mumford at the University of Nottingham. Massive football fan with stacks of work in the philosophy of sport.



Keep up the good work!

JellyWobble - surely he would be a Gingernut man?

I've always been a fan of David James, not really for his goalkeeping skills (though he's by no means rubbish) but more for his presence and insightfulness. He's always impressed me in interviews or in punditry with his eloquence, thoughtfulness, dry wit and occasionally cynicism. I'm by no means implying that most footballers are stupid, but James is a breath of fresh air in not being ashamed of demonstrating his intelligence. To be honest though, in an industry full of "y'knows", "likes" and "at the end of the days", even pausing to think before answering a question and using grammar correctly is enough to set you apart.

I agree I think Jamo will be a good Manager and a better pundit than Shearer. Phil Neville is also FAR better than his Bro'

#5~ I agree, Lee Dixon is really good and is always on the ball and correct in what he says.

Dan - Suggestions for Guest Pundits - Tony Adams PLEEASE!!

Wasn`t it Tony Adams and Steve Morrow of Arsenal who had a bad celebration together?...didn`t someone`s arm get broken or something?

Good luck for the match Dan. Hope you score a corker. Just shoot form anywhere...go for a Van Basten type strike, or a Jimmy Floyd Cashinbank bar rattler, or a Maradonna/Messi mazing run. Failing that a in off the shin mis-hit would be good enough too.

Mick Mills

DAN GOOD BLOG & GOOD INTERVIEW WITH PN & DJ.
WHEN YOU ASKED ABOUT BEST PLAYER EVER SEEN I WAS WILLIGN DJ TO SAY"GARY NEVILLE." THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HUMOUR BIG TIME.
WILL WE OVER SEAS GET TO SEE ANYT OF THE PRIDE PARK MATCH? CAN YOU GET THAT ON THE FORUM?
BY THE WAY WHAT KIND OF BISCUIT MAN ARE YOU?
==
dAME eDNA eVERIDGE

Hi Dan

Will this game be on TV? It should be, great cause.

Be interested to see what sort of footballer you are? I'm imagining a sort of Bambi on ice Djimi Traore kind of player, perhaps a clumsier version of Peter
Crouch?

Good luck with the nut-meg on Savage, I imagine you will need it!

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

I always think current footballers are better pundits, as they actually know more about todays game, rather than say someone who hasn't played in 20 years!!! But FF was very entertaining with James and Neville both trying to get one over the other. Would be interesting to hear from a younger footballer though, might give some more insight into what the current game is like.

Brilliant, absolutely loved this. James and Neville are hilarious and fascinating in equal measures. I love how spikey James is. I think he'd clash with older pundits like Lawro or Hansen but against young Phil, it works a treat.

good luck against the welsh. it would be brilliant to get the gret Sir Bobby Charlton on ff

Cracking read. Good to see Hartson is doing well and doing some great work for charity.

Dan - Make sure you call megs, otherwise it really doesnt count!

It is very hard to find too many footballers who don't speak in the same generic way, ditto for quite a few of the managers (especially outside of the Premier League). The problem across all sports though is that when you do get people who are happier to express their opinions, you often get complaints at how outspoken they are - like Mark Cavendish for example, in cycling, or Daley Thompson back in the 1980's.

It'll never happen, but it would be interesting to get Arsene Wenger in your studio.

Chuckie Egg

#15 Andy Connor got referred to the moderators! Wonder why? Were you writing your normal stuff Andy and the thought police just decided enough is enough, or was it something more heinous this time!!

Dan, many years ago a bean pole reporter for ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ North West or ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Manchester got right up Sir AF's nose and he went on a self imposed exile from ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ tv (aka spat dummy). Recently this exile came to an end, with accompanying fanfares, bells & whistles. How about getting Sir AF on FF WITH Arsene as Mr. Morecambe suggests (#20)
I still want to know what kind of biscuit man you are!!! I bet it is chocolate covered malted milks!!
Chuckie Cheese

"I went for a double high five with Danny from McFly" - Haha David Brent would be proud of that comment.

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As someone who couldn't stand him whilst he was at Man Utd, I really respect Phil Neville in how he's reinvented himself at Everton - shame he'll probably not get recognition for him (and I'm sure some Everton fans who see week-in, week-out will say he's only good because of the likes of Arteta etc.). Shame that it's kinda not worked internationally for him but still playing Premier League football at his age is canny when you look at Paul Konchesky and Kevin Nolan.....

Hi Dan,

I think David James came across very relaxed on FF - at one stage you had to cut in to remind him you were on a footie prog. Maybe it's indicitive of his style of play which has often been criticised for producing momentary lapses in concentration? His banter with Phil N. may well explain England's former reluctance of playing out from the back ;)
I love the arguements/debate footie sometimes causes - Garth Crooks is a legend at them on Score. I'd hate for it to become too chummy chummy.

Whilst getting ex-pros and celebs to play in mega stadia in charity matches is all well and good, wouldn't it be a better idea to auction off some 'starting places' to Jo Public? I'd imagine many would pay a king's ransom to step out at places like Wembley, Old Trafford or even Pride Park.

Jo Public

More of the same from these type of 'likely lads' please. What sort of stuck in the mud could've complained about DJ's behaviour? He was brilliant, wish I could say the same for when he was at Villa Park though, just joking David! Phil Neville presents himself very well and will probably go on to become a top coach too.

Looking forward to watching Dan the proud man in an England shirt taking on the Welsh legends tonight, all for a good cause, well done (as may John Hartson's men be)!

Guaranteed more than a few laughs if you get Ian Holloway on FF, arguably the funniest if not the most popular man in football. Check out some of his quotes:

Is there any chance of an online edition of football focus like last season? As I am sure me and half the population work on Saturdays so miss out!

4. At 14:30 7th Sep 2011, jellywobble wrote:
Speaking of pink shirts, David James' kit for Portsmouth was always loud wasn't it?

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I believe this was his choice due to his involvement with the Wessex Cancer Trust charity. I'm pretty sure that's right.

Oh Eldridge will be hurt, his first ever mention and it is removed.

Zebras take everything to heart!

Dan do me a favour

Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance.

#21 Blaenorynyclwyd, I don't offend, I just talk, at least I think so.

I've said worse!

Oh what a lonely zebra

Andrew Gold

21.
At 10:39 8th Sep 2011, blaenorynyclwyd wrote:
Dan, many years ago a bean pole reporter for ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ North West or ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Manchester got right up Sir AF's nose and he went on a self imposed exile from ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ tv (aka spat dummy). Recently this exile came to an end, with accompanying fanfares, bells & whistles. How about getting Sir AF on FF WITH Arsene as Mr. Morecambe suggests (#20)

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If you want to see something like that:

I interviewed David James once whilst he was at Portsmouth. He was visiting a hospice for sick children on his day off and I found him to be a very funny, easy going chap.

His humour was very familiar and mocking (in a good-natured way) rather than the stand-offishness I had experienced with other footballers I'd previously spoken to and it was a pleasure spend a few hours in his company.

#24.

Not convinced PH has reinvented himself. Just a decent bloke full-stop.

Have to agree about the interview, it was witty and honest at the same time. DJ was especially good coming over as funny intelligent, this happens rarely with football interviews.