The Chaplain

Please be in your seats by 11 if you can, we're expecting a good gate. Turnstiles doors open from 10am.

Bump

I think the funeral will be 11.30am July 11th Oldham parish church. Keep checking in for confirmation.

... erm

Well I think I was there, but I can remember very little. Why, pray tell, was it memorable?

Mark Allott was certainly there in the main stand - not far from Ritchie.

Ritchie's MOM (gmr)

Entonox ? (that's "gas and air")

Anyone seen him in Tesco?

I have always had a soft spot for the Old Amplefordians Football Club, who play at Chiswick

I could not go

Yes I would be shocked too. "Fourth-tier Oldham Athletic" ? Shocking! By the way I think the URL needs a www in order to work.

Well done Ackey. Sterling work as usual.

Perhaps just the headlines. We could have some post-match in-depth analysis (yawn of the night?) later on.

Oh yes please. Full details too.

How wonderfully tolerant of you! However, it wasn't me who quoted the Bible. Several others have done and I just picked up on it. I wonder why they did?

I trust you can back up that astonishing claim.

It's interesting that this quote from Jesus, speaking in John's gospel, has come up several times on this thread. The story (in John chapter 8) is of the religious people who were trying to trap Jesus into permitting them to carry out capital punishment against Roman law. They were asking if they could stone a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. In other words this woman was just a pawn in their attempt to catch out Jesus. In the case before us here there is a woman also who has not been very prominent in our discussions. According to law she is the victim here. She might also be portrayed as a pawn. But surely any rehabilitation of an offender has to give at least equal if not more consideration to the victim herself. What would we be saying to her and to other vulnerable women if we were to give this person "a second chance"? I do not express a public opinion. But I simply point you to the Scripture.

I can't find that on the Change.org petition. Is that the one you are looking at? It begins by saying: "Ched Evans is a convicted rapist." Later on it says the opposite of what you suggest: "We do believe he has the right to work. We believe that it does not have to be in a role where he influences views about sexual violence"

Yes of course. Always. In private, of course. I don't think as club chaplain that I can make my personal feelings known in this forum. And the press have had a "no comment" from me so far today. But feel free to guess about what I think!

If you're interested the petition against signing him on Change.org has just passed 10,000 votes. The one in favour of signing him is creeping up towards 10 votes. This is at 1740.

That's not Rochdale is it? Very good though.

Great quote during the shoot out. After the first couple of penalties, lady in the main stand: "Do they swap goalies?"