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Is Thomas Driesen Gone? - he popped in on p16, and back out on p26
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            12
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 "a block on transfers that managers wanted" is a bit of a weird stick to try and beat someone with when that was literally his job.Airman Brown said:
 Perhaps they were, but he was Charlton’s player, wasn’t he? If Peeters in 2014 or Luzon in 2015 had wanted him you’d have thought they might have given him a first-team chance.ThomasD said:
 Peeters and Luzon chose not to or Ujpest - a club from the same owner -where pulling really hard to get their best player back?Airman Brown said:
 Because Peeters and Luzon chose not to keep him in the squad or someone else decided not to give them the opportunity? Either way they had him in pre-season. I watched him play. You can’t put it all on Riga, who was gone in early summer 2014.ThomasD said:
 What are you talking about he was loaned back to Ujpest and then transferred to Videoton.Airman Brown said:Logic Nego was on Charlton’s book under four different managers over 20 months. Riga was in charge for about two months of that time. It’s hard to see how a falling out with Riga - which may well have happened - prevented Powell, Peeters and Luzon playing him a second time. 
 I don’t think there is much doubt about your role - you were a block on transfers that managers wanted. They might have played nicely with you in order to manage Duchatelet but you were always part of the madness, alongside the ludicrous Katrien. You still are. Now run along.
 It was a process. You don't let managers sign "their players" that's an inefficient way to operate. When you change manager you'd then have to spend time and money getting the next manager "their players" in. That's not how smart are clubs are run in the modern day.
 Michael Edwards at Liverpool could be described as "a block on transfers that managers wanted" if you want to frame that sort of role that way.
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 Alan Curbishley signed "his players." So did Powell before RD and his band of loonies showed up.BenHaimandBikey said:
 "a block on transfers that managers wanted" is a bit of a weird stick to try and beat someone with when that was literally his job.Airman Brown said:
 Perhaps they were, but he was Charlton’s player, wasn’t he? If Peeters in 2014 or Luzon in 2015 had wanted him you’d have thought they might have given him a first-team chance.ThomasD said:
 Peeters and Luzon chose not to or Ujpest - a club from the same owner -where pulling really hard to get their best player back?Airman Brown said:
 Because Peeters and Luzon chose not to keep him in the squad or someone else decided not to give them the opportunity? Either way they had him in pre-season. I watched him play. You can’t put it all on Riga, who was gone in early summer 2014.ThomasD said:
 What are you talking about he was loaned back to Ujpest and then transferred to Videoton.Airman Brown said:Logic Nego was on Charlton’s book under four different managers over 20 months. Riga was in charge for about two months of that time. It’s hard to see how a falling out with Riga - which may well have happened - prevented Powell, Peeters and Luzon playing him a second time. 
 I don’t think there is much doubt about your role - you were a block on transfers that managers wanted. They might have played nicely with you in order to manage Duchatelet but you were always part of the madness, alongside the ludicrous Katrien. You still are. Now run along.
 It was a process. You don't let managers sign "their players" that's an inefficient way to operate. When you change manager you'd then have to spend time and money getting the next manager "their players" in. That's not how smart are clubs are run in the modern day.
 Michael Edwards at Liverpool could be described as "a block on transfers that managers wanted" if you want to frame that sort of role that way.6
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 Ujpest wanted Loic back, Loic wanted to go back to Ujpest. It's as simple as that. Then he had a great season with Ujpest and Videoton (Victor Orban's super rich club) wanted him and he wanted to go to Videoton..rikofold said:
 You're kind of making his point there - 4 managers ran the rule over him and none stood up to keep him. I recognise his career's improved, good luck to him, but Nego is an example of a number of players foisted upon Powell without his agreement, weakening the squad.ThomasD said:
 Peeters and Luzon chose not to or Ujpest - a club from the same owner -where pulling really hard to get their best player back?Airman Brown said:
 Because Peeters and Luzon chose not to keep him in the squad or someone else decided not to give them the opportunity? Either way they had him in pre-season. I watched him play. You can’t put it all on Riga, who was gone in early summer 2014.ThomasD said:
 What are you talking about he was loaned back to Ujpest and then transferred to Videoton.Airman Brown said:Logic Nego was on Charlton’s book under four different managers over 20 months. Riga was in charge for about two months of that time. It’s hard to see how a falling out with Riga - which may well have happened - prevented Powell, Peeters and Luzon playing him a second time. 
 Your courage in standing up for yourself on here is admirable, and I'm sure the truth is somewhere in the middle - even eye witnesses have different aspects. Thing is, if Gallen thinks you so invaluable, if you were such an effective team, wouldn't he be recommending you to Sandgaard for at least a conversation? With every respect, I suspect you were managed by them.
 Our recruitment since Duchatelet sold the club has been mixed, for sure. But we've had an untimely salary cap, a transfer embargo, and just one summer to try to rebuild a squad hugely lacking in every area, and weighed down by contractual commitments elsewhere.
 How can they manage me and dislike me at the same time for saying no to there suggestions? I think they were happy to see me go so they could do what they wanted.
 But I also think right now they are like: ow shit this is harder then i thought. Now they are signing players that I would probably had blocked.
 But it's not relevant, I already signed at another club weeks before the take over. I chose for certanty. Steve and Lee can confirm that.0
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 Difference there is that the manager and various scouts and coaches that Liverpool employ have track records of success, as does Edwards. The Roland network largely seemed to be a group of chancers with a bit of money behind themBenHaimandBikey said:
 "a block on transfers that managers wanted" is a bit of a weird stick to try and beat someone with when that was literally his job.Airman Brown said:
 Perhaps they were, but he was Charlton’s player, wasn’t he? If Peeters in 2014 or Luzon in 2015 had wanted him you’d have thought they might have given him a first-team chance.ThomasD said:
 Peeters and Luzon chose not to or Ujpest - a club from the same owner -where pulling really hard to get their best player back?Airman Brown said:
 Because Peeters and Luzon chose not to keep him in the squad or someone else decided not to give them the opportunity? Either way they had him in pre-season. I watched him play. You can’t put it all on Riga, who was gone in early summer 2014.ThomasD said:
 What are you talking about he was loaned back to Ujpest and then transferred to Videoton.Airman Brown said:Logic Nego was on Charlton’s book under four different managers over 20 months. Riga was in charge for about two months of that time. It’s hard to see how a falling out with Riga - which may well have happened - prevented Powell, Peeters and Luzon playing him a second time. 
 I don’t think there is much doubt about your role - you were a block on transfers that managers wanted. They might have played nicely with you in order to manage Duchatelet but you were always part of the madness, alongside the ludicrous Katrien. You still are. Now run along.
 It was a process. You don't let managers sign "their players" that's an inefficient way to operate. When you change manager you'd then have to spend time and money getting the next manager "their players" in. That's not how smart are clubs are run in the modern day.
 Michael Edwards at Liverpool could be described as "a block on transfers that managers wanted" if you want to frame that sort of role that way.1
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 Exactly. All the people from all the clubs I know now work like this.BenHaimandBikey said:
 "a block on transfers that managers wanted" is a bit of a weird stick to try and beat someone with when that was literally his job.Airman Brown said:
 Perhaps they were, but he was Charlton’s player, wasn’t he? If Peeters in 2014 or Luzon in 2015 had wanted him you’d have thought they might have given him a first-team chance.ThomasD said:
 Peeters and Luzon chose not to or Ujpest - a club from the same owner -where pulling really hard to get their best player back?Airman Brown said:
 Because Peeters and Luzon chose not to keep him in the squad or someone else decided not to give them the opportunity? Either way they had him in pre-season. I watched him play. You can’t put it all on Riga, who was gone in early summer 2014.ThomasD said:
 What are you talking about he was loaned back to Ujpest and then transferred to Videoton.Airman Brown said:Logic Nego was on Charlton’s book under four different managers over 20 months. Riga was in charge for about two months of that time. It’s hard to see how a falling out with Riga - which may well have happened - prevented Powell, Peeters and Luzon playing him a second time. 
 I don’t think there is much doubt about your role - you were a block on transfers that managers wanted. They might have played nicely with you in order to manage Duchatelet but you were always part of the madness, alongside the ludicrous Katrien. You still are. Now run along.
 It was a process. You don't let managers sign "their players" that's an inefficient way to operate. When you change manager you'd then have to spend time and money getting the next manager "their players" in. That's not how smart are clubs are run in the modern day.
 Michael Edwards at Liverpool could be described as "a block on transfers that managers wanted" if you want to frame that sort of role that way.0
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 Dowie also bought his own players. So did Pards.Chunes said:
 Alan Curbishley signed "his players." So did Powell before RD and his band of loonies showed up.BenHaimandBikey said:
 "a block on transfers that managers wanted" is a bit of a weird stick to try and beat someone with when that was literally his job.Airman Brown said:
 Perhaps they were, but he was Charlton’s player, wasn’t he? If Peeters in 2014 or Luzon in 2015 had wanted him you’d have thought they might have given him a first-team chance.ThomasD said:
 Peeters and Luzon chose not to or Ujpest - a club from the same owner -where pulling really hard to get their best player back?Airman Brown said:
 Because Peeters and Luzon chose not to keep him in the squad or someone else decided not to give them the opportunity? Either way they had him in pre-season. I watched him play. You can’t put it all on Riga, who was gone in early summer 2014.ThomasD said:
 What are you talking about he was loaned back to Ujpest and then transferred to Videoton.Airman Brown said:Logic Nego was on Charlton’s book under four different managers over 20 months. Riga was in charge for about two months of that time. It’s hard to see how a falling out with Riga - which may well have happened - prevented Powell, Peeters and Luzon playing him a second time. 
 I don’t think there is much doubt about your role - you were a block on transfers that managers wanted. They might have played nicely with you in order to manage Duchatelet but you were always part of the madness, alongside the ludicrous Katrien. You still are. Now run along.
 It was a process. You don't let managers sign "their players" that's an inefficient way to operate. When you change manager you'd then have to spend time and money getting the next manager "their players" in. That's not how smart are clubs are run in the modern day.
 Michael Edwards at Liverpool could be described as "a block on transfers that managers wanted" if you want to frame that sort of role that way.
 Good teams don't operate like that anymore.
 7
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            Thanks for confirming that yet again RD took over a club and decided the mangers role was not to decide who to sign as he had done previously when given a proper budget, instead a load of scouts with no knowledge of the club or league would decide on the players we would purchase and KM would decide on how much we should pay for each of these players.2
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 Indeed, but it goes back to credibility. And the right structure. Of course Tommy will say he made mostly good calls, but his claim to expertise rested on Duchatelet, whose published correspondence with Powell about players and football was childishly naive, who sold Kermorgant, sacked Powell, and who appointed Katrien Meire, with no relevant experience, as chief executive. She was, rightly, a laughing stock. He appointed a stream of managers who failed and signed a large number of unsuitable players. It seem unlikely TD was the exception to the rule, but of course he will argue otherwise.BenHaimandBikey said:
 "a block on transfers that managers wanted" is a bit of a weird stick to try and beat someone with when that was literally his job.Airman Brown said:
 Perhaps they were, but he was Charlton’s player, wasn’t he? If Peeters in 2014 or Luzon in 2015 had wanted him you’d have thought they might have given him a first-team chance.ThomasD said:
 Peeters and Luzon chose not to or Ujpest - a club from the same owner -where pulling really hard to get their best player back?Airman Brown said:
 Because Peeters and Luzon chose not to keep him in the squad or someone else decided not to give them the opportunity? Either way they had him in pre-season. I watched him play. You can’t put it all on Riga, who was gone in early summer 2014.ThomasD said:
 What are you talking about he was loaned back to Ujpest and then transferred to Videoton.Airman Brown said:Logic Nego was on Charlton’s book under four different managers over 20 months. Riga was in charge for about two months of that time. It’s hard to see how a falling out with Riga - which may well have happened - prevented Powell, Peeters and Luzon playing him a second time. 
 I don’t think there is much doubt about your role - you were a block on transfers that managers wanted. They might have played nicely with you in order to manage Duchatelet but you were always part of the madness, alongside the ludicrous Katrien. You still are. Now run along.
 It was a process. You don't let managers sign "their players" that's an inefficient way to operate. When you change manager you'd then have to spend time and money getting the next manager "their players" in. That's not how smart are clubs are run in the modern day.
 Michael Edwards at Liverpool could be described as "a block on transfers that managers wanted" if you want to frame that sort of role that way.11
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 Sure. We know you would have blocked Dobson as he is L2 standard and only runs and tackles. You have told us enough. Thanks.ThomasD said:
 Ujpest wanted Loic back, Loic wanted to go back to Ujpest. It's as simple as that. Then he had a great season with Ujpest and Videoton (Victor Orban's super rich club) wanted him and he wanted to go to Videoton..rikofold said:
 You're kind of making his point there - 4 managers ran the rule over him and none stood up to keep him. I recognise his career's improved, good luck to him, but Nego is an example of a number of players foisted upon Powell without his agreement, weakening the squad.ThomasD said:
 Peeters and Luzon chose not to or Ujpest - a club from the same owner -where pulling really hard to get their best player back?Airman Brown said:
 Because Peeters and Luzon chose not to keep him in the squad or someone else decided not to give them the opportunity? Either way they had him in pre-season. I watched him play. You can’t put it all on Riga, who was gone in early summer 2014.ThomasD said:
 What are you talking about he was loaned back to Ujpest and then transferred to Videoton.Airman Brown said:Logic Nego was on Charlton’s book under four different managers over 20 months. Riga was in charge for about two months of that time. It’s hard to see how a falling out with Riga - which may well have happened - prevented Powell, Peeters and Luzon playing him a second time. 
 Your courage in standing up for yourself on here is admirable, and I'm sure the truth is somewhere in the middle - even eye witnesses have different aspects. Thing is, if Gallen thinks you so invaluable, if you were such an effective team, wouldn't he be recommending you to Sandgaard for at least a conversation? With every respect, I suspect you were managed by them.
 Our recruitment since Duchatelet sold the club has been mixed, for sure. But we've had an untimely salary cap, a transfer embargo, and just one summer to try to rebuild a squad hugely lacking in every area, and weighed down by contractual commitments elsewhere.
 How can they manage me and dislike me at the same time for saying no to there suggestions? I think they were happy to see me go so they could do what they wanted.
 But I also think right now they are like: ow shit this is harder then i thought. Now they are signing players that I would probably had blocked.
 But it's not relevant, I already signed at another club weeks before the take over. I chose for certanty. Steve and Lee can confirm that.3
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 Good teams don't have unqualified people making those decisions.BenHaimandBikey said:
 Dowie also bought his own players. So did Pards.Chunes said:
 Alan Curbishley signed "his players." So did Powell before RD and his band of loonies showed up.BenHaimandBikey said:
 "a block on transfers that managers wanted" is a bit of a weird stick to try and beat someone with when that was literally his job.Airman Brown said:
 Perhaps they were, but he was Charlton’s player, wasn’t he? If Peeters in 2014 or Luzon in 2015 had wanted him you’d have thought they might have given him a first-team chance.ThomasD said:
 Peeters and Luzon chose not to or Ujpest - a club from the same owner -where pulling really hard to get their best player back?Airman Brown said:
 Because Peeters and Luzon chose not to keep him in the squad or someone else decided not to give them the opportunity? Either way they had him in pre-season. I watched him play. You can’t put it all on Riga, who was gone in early summer 2014.ThomasD said:
 What are you talking about he was loaned back to Ujpest and then transferred to Videoton.Airman Brown said:Logic Nego was on Charlton’s book under four different managers over 20 months. Riga was in charge for about two months of that time. It’s hard to see how a falling out with Riga - which may well have happened - prevented Powell, Peeters and Luzon playing him a second time. 
 I don’t think there is much doubt about your role - you were a block on transfers that managers wanted. They might have played nicely with you in order to manage Duchatelet but you were always part of the madness, alongside the ludicrous Katrien. You still are. Now run along.
 It was a process. You don't let managers sign "their players" that's an inefficient way to operate. When you change manager you'd then have to spend time and money getting the next manager "their players" in. That's not how smart are clubs are run in the modern day.
 Michael Edwards at Liverpool could be described as "a block on transfers that managers wanted" if you want to frame that sort of role that way.
 Good teams don't operate like that anymore.
 Unfortunately for us, we still don't.0
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            #rattled
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 Right - so neither Peeters nor Luzon wanted him, because if they had Nego would have been in their teams and not available to Ujpest. Right?ThomasD said:
 Ujpest wanted Loic back, Loic wanted to go back to Ujpest. It's as simple as that. Then he had a great season with Ujpest and Videoton (Victor Orban's super rich club) wanted him and he wanted to go to Videoton..rikofold said:
 You're kind of making his point there - 4 managers ran the rule over him and none stood up to keep him. I recognise his career's improved, good luck to him, but Nego is an example of a number of players foisted upon Powell without his agreement, weakening the squad.ThomasD said:
 Peeters and Luzon chose not to or Ujpest - a club from the same owner -where pulling really hard to get their best player back?Airman Brown said:
 Because Peeters and Luzon chose not to keep him in the squad or someone else decided not to give them the opportunity? Either way they had him in pre-season. I watched him play. You can’t put it all on Riga, who was gone in early summer 2014.ThomasD said:
 What are you talking about he was loaned back to Ujpest and then transferred to Videoton.Airman Brown said:Logic Nego was on Charlton’s book under four different managers over 20 months. Riga was in charge for about two months of that time. It’s hard to see how a falling out with Riga - which may well have happened - prevented Powell, Peeters and Luzon playing him a second time. 
 Your courage in standing up for yourself on here is admirable, and I'm sure the truth is somewhere in the middle - even eye witnesses have different aspects. Thing is, if Gallen thinks you so invaluable, if you were such an effective team, wouldn't he be recommending you to Sandgaard for at least a conversation? With every respect, I suspect you were managed by them.
 Our recruitment since Duchatelet sold the club has been mixed, for sure. But we've had an untimely salary cap, a transfer embargo, and just one summer to try to rebuild a squad hugely lacking in every area, and weighed down by contractual commitments elsewhere.
 How can they manage me and dislike me at the same time for saying no to there suggestions? I think they were happy to see me go so they could do what they wanted.
 But I also think right now they are like: ow shit this is harder then i thought. Now they are signing players that I would probably had blocked.
 But it's not relevant, I already signed at another club weeks before the take over. I chose for certanty. Steve and Lee can confirm that.
 Gallen arrived in 2017, and there was a marked improvement in recruitment from that time. I guess he replaced the scouting team and you were the check.
 That full list of nos would be interesting, but it's a well worn tactic to present a list of options with only one remotely acceptable. What makes you think Gallen and Bowyer didn't present to you players they knew you'd say no to so they could get the ones they wanted? That's what I mean by managed you.
 Were there any players you told them they must take?
 You'd have blocked Dobson. Out of interest, who else wouldn't you have taken in the current squad?3
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 Bowyer and Gallen said at the time he had no involvement in identifying players just a veto. Recruitment has been poor recently but the last promotion squad was put together with the connections Gallen and Bowyer had and the U23 squad supplying us with players like Aribo.ken_shabby said:I've seen a few people out there making favourable comparisons between Charlton under Duchatalet, and the current set up, and you have to admit the evidence is that the quality of signings has dropped. The email above was at the point early in Duchatalets reign where he wanted to control everything, with some disatrous results, but as he lost interest, Dreisen was still supposedly advising on signings and we had some good ones (as well as bad). The season we went down with Bowyer, we had the lowest budget in the Championship, Covis and a horrible injury list to contend with. The injuries are still here but our budget seems to be top ten (just guessing) while overall our squad is bang average, with a memorable lack of creativity. I don't know if this is completely down to Dreisen, but lets at least admit the possibility that the guy we all wrote off as a keyboard geek did oversee some good transfers.2
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            @ThomasD
 Thanks for coming on here and explaining your perspective.
 What was the situation regarding Thuram?
 He clearly wasn't suited to the English League and we had Ben Alnwick and Ben Hamer at the time who were both competent Championship keepers plus a young Nick Pope who was sent on loan iirc.
 He was the poster boy for much of the negativity regarding the network.
 I accept that data analysis is now mainstream in the game. Brentford' s success has been built on this and Ironically a network with a Danish club.
 Why didn't this work well for us?
 7
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            Most exciting new member of CL since RonnieMoore joined32
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            Quite enjoy how the thread-title now applies to the thread6
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            Thanks for posting your thoughts Thomas, interesting to read17
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            I won’t rest until I get to the bottom of which mod okayed this account!!!28
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            Thomas, forgetting about all the history with us etc Charlton are currently a mid table L1 club that are underperforming.Given your experience of working in the game over the last 6 or 7 years, I’d be genuinely interested what would your strategy be if you for this summer were tasked at a similar club with delivering a squad for next season to at a minimum be Top 6?8
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            This kid continues to laugh at our demise and other Charlton fans on Twitter and now people are interested in his bollocks?Na you’re alright.31
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 All joking aside, I’m actually uncomfortable with it.LoOkOuT said:I won’t rest until I get to the bottom of which mod okayed this account!!!
 In fact there’s quite a bit I’m uncomfortable with on here lately.2
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            ‘Next week catch Katriene Meire at Bromley Addicks as she reveals all about her time in SE7’27
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 I don’t often agree with you but on this I’m with you 100%ValleyGary said:This kid continues to laugh at our demise and other Charlton fans on Twitter and now people are interested in his bollocks?Na you’re alright.2
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 Thank you. Feel like I'm going mad. Guy has been trolling us for years.ValleyGary said:This kid continues to laugh at our demise and other Charlton fans on Twitter and now people are interested in his bollocks?Na you’re alright.16
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 I get the impression that he wasn’t finding players per se. He was just rating those suggested to him.AFKABartram said:Thomas, forgetting about all the history with us etc Charlton are currently a mid table L1 club that are underperforming.Given your experience of working in the game over the last 6 or 7 years, I’d be genuinely interested what would your strategy be if you for this summer were tasked at a similar club with delivering a squad for next season to at a minimum be Top 6?I’m not sure he’d know where to look as he won’t have club/agent contacts like managers and experienced scouts tend to.0
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            No better then Farnell puffing himself up on twitter earlier this week.
 these rats of the past coming out when results look poor, and some fans jumping on them as honest brokers, is actually quiet sad9
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            Unless I have missed a post - there is no proof, as yet, that this is him posting …..
 Happy to be corrected1
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 Down cabbles, it’s only a joke. Let it go.ValleyGary said:‘Next week catch Katriene Meire at Bromley Addicks as she reveals all about her time in SE7’6


















