Morning all, today starts with a mild *boilk* but it's not my fault. It's all the fault of The Man from East Lower who has left his comfortable surrounds and is in Dublin instead and insisted that I drink beer with him.

"No," I said, "I am an abstemious man who rarely partakes of the demon drink, especially around this most holy of times.

When Mike Ashley honored the 120-year heritage of St James' Park by changing its name to the Sports Direct Arena in February this year, a number of Magpies fans were angered by the sportswear-selling antics of their club owner.

Supporter Michal Atkinson was so angry that he spray-painted "St James" on the wall where the stadium's famous moniker was once emblazoned.

By Chris Wright

To commemorate his jinky goal against Flamengo winning the 2011 Puskas Award for Goal of the Year recently, 19-year old Neymar has been immortalised with an exhibition in the Santos club museum a display which includes this rather handsome/hideously ugly <delete as applicable> tin statue of the Brazilian urchin himself, complete with a razor-sharp mohawk which is presumably fabricated from old Fanta cans.

There's much to be discussed about this couple venturing around today town, but we're a bit stuck on where to start.

Is it with the leopard-on-leopard style statement that Alex and her bump are making? The plausibility of the LFC captain picking a wedgie whilst walking? Or should we turn our attention to issues which have a direct impact on ourselves, such as when will those who hoarded all those Four Loko cans finally bust open their stash and share with us?

Dejected Neymar, next stop Serie A maybe??? Nothing to do for Julio Cesar Lucio up a good fight as captain but after 120 minutes plus penalties Brazil comes up short losing 3-nil on penalties Poacher Pato "NO GOL, psych!" nice finish Paraguay and nice cans forget about ultimate Paraguay fan Larissa Riquelme, blow that Vuvuzela Mr Brazil troll .

A Message To You...... Amid a blaze of glory this week - two cans of Watneys Red Barrel and a bag of Twiglets - European Football Weekends launched its very own forum. Before all of this excitement, we had a fairly vibrant discussion board on the EFW Facebook page. But with the necessary upgrading of that group a few weeks back - their decision, not ours - we lost the option of somewhere to

In the latest edition of "Scott likes to hear himself talk," I appeared on the New York Red Bulls podcast "Talking Bull." TB is part of the recently created North American Soccer Network's (NASN) podcast line up. The show is hosted by The Vipers Nest's Matt Conroy and co-hosted by SB Nation's own Ben Schneider (of Red Bulls blog Once A Metro and SBN Soccer).