Toxteth O'Grady

Aye, there is that mind.

That's just teased me over the edge. 25 quid win on every betting site available.

There we are, it's all grand.

I really, really don't like feeling this confident that we are going to beat these cunts easily. Somebody please reassure me.

It's like Twiggy trying to have a proper discussion with Faith Brown and giving her advice on bra's and how shit it is having tits.

Skybet are paying 7 places on the National, whether they will shave the odds badly is another story.

It always amuses me when people do their best of, take for instance and as an example Snooker and place Alex Higgins and Jimmy White near or at the top of their ratings. You ask the question, rightly, why would you put Jimmy White, with all his no world titles in the top 10 of all time? And the answer usually is twofold....1) he was a real entertainer, took risks and played the game in the ;right way' and 2) he was a drunk and a coke head imagine how good he wudda been if he wasn't off his head most of the time? Lets turn that around. 1) he was a real entertainer and took risks because he was pissed and coked up and 2) he was only that good because being off his head actually suited his psyche and improved his performance, let's ask the different and more difficult question....what if there had been more stringent drug testing back in the day and he had to play sober like EVERYONE ELSE, how shit to average would he have been? Same as Alex Higgins. OK, they were a massive draw and 'real characters', but they were drug cheats in that they needed stimulants to be at that level. Had they been forced to play clean, just like everyone else around them, how average would they have been withiout drink and drugs? Same as Tyson. "Ah yeah, but for most of his career he was an alcoholic and full of drugs, just imagine what he could've been without them?" Erm...NO. Why do you think he fought Tubbs and Douglas in Tokyo at the height of his career? 1) because nobody was interested in the fights and more importantly 2) he was properly out of shape and would've failed drugs tests anywhere in America or UK where a licence to fight is much more stringent. Tyson COULD have made more of his career had he been clean, but, like Alex Higgins, he was a draw and a loose cannon because he needed those stimulants in his life and because of his personality. Both Higgins and White were better players and bigger draws BECAUSE of their recklessness which came from drug abuse, had there been proper testing in those days, they wouldn't have played half as much or been half as good. Tyson needed stimulants inside and outside the ring because of his personality, without them he might have lasted half the time but only been half as good. Ultimately, the only factors that count are longevity and pots on the sideboard and from a moral and integrity point of view, wearing the crown with dignity, whether that be World Heavyweight Champion, or World Snooker Champion.

Has to be said that ITV coverage has been brilliant this week and it's grand that Snooker is still on normal TV. The coberage and commentary has been excellent, I love listening to Alan McManus, he's absolutely top drawer, as is Ken Doherty. I can't wait for the Crucible to come round, should be fantastic this time round. While I love Snooker, I like watching brilliant Snooker even more, which is why I prefer the longer format game. I'd like to see Roberston win another World Title, simply because he's been the outsanding player this season.

Tough to argue with that list Comrade, pretty much how I would rank them. The 'so and so wouldn't have won x. y and z if so and so was playing' is just a generalation thing though, had Davis been born 5 years before, Reardon wouldn;t have won so much, Hendry for Davis, O'Sullivan and Higgins for Hendy etc... What is true is that we have a total golden age of Snooker now, where veterans like Ronnie, Higgins and Williams are playing brilliant snooker and Robertson is now at the very top of his game. IF Robertson were to win a couple of Crucible titles, then he could leapfrog at least one above him in the table, but untiol he does, 6th is about as high as he reaches.

What a final, one of the greastest I've ever seen

What a final, fantastic snooker, no matter who your favourite player is, this is brilliant entertainment. @Bjornebye win or lose, where does this season's achievements place Robertson? For me, he needs to win another world title or two to be considered for the top 6 of all time.

One of the great finals this. It's been a brilliant tournament all week, have to say I like the longer format games for entertainment and quality, the best of 7 or 9 frames all week and then a longer final isn't for me. I know why they do it, but it's why I love the Crucible and the fortnight, you can settle in and so can the players.

Some final this mind. A chin against a punch. While Higgins is my favourite player of all time, I don't mind Robertson, he's class on and off the table. Two absolute greats going head to head is compulsive viewing. This is Snooker at it's absolute best.

Absolutely top drawer this from John Higgins. Giving the player of the season a proper mauling so far.

The festival starts on Thursday 7 April, a week today, with the Grand National on Saturday 9th. Same as the Cheltenham thread, if you have any fancies, Horses you have been tracking or any info, post it here.

The two things I've discovered these last days is that if you bet on the Cheltenham festival you win enough to keep you in abject poverty and if you drink the best part of a bottle of Sadler's Peaky Blinder Irish Whiskey, it makes your face and all your teeth go numb.

Cheers Shep for starting the thread, I've reached the big 50 with only minor mishaps along the way and I'm grateful for that and even more so for all the best wishes contained within.

All the best Comrade, hope you had a good one.

Thriller is it? "You is a bunch of 'Omosexuals"

Group of Death this one. Two Tribes and Sabotage for me.

Fuckin' Red Shite winning trophies at Wembley and making it all about them.

87 minutes on the clock... "Eh Pickford, let one in you short armed cunt"

Happy Birthday SR, all the best, hope you've had a good one

happy Birthday mate, all the best

Happy Birthday Lee, all the best mate.