Hej! And a big Arne stylee Christmas greeting to all you crazy FC Berry fans. As you may have seen our Consortium has finally given up with Giggland and moved our attention to the Magic Roundabout in Swindon. FC United Berry seems in, how you say, well hands these days and will not be needing our expert input

Our last move will be to send Dmitri round to FA Headquarters to have a word with that nice Mister Brian Bollock. Oh, and of course we are putting Secret Agent Anders Prest up for Manager at Rochfail. That could be a masterstroke

My mole Woodpecker is sending me his final exclusive team sheet for this Saturday's game against FC Poolswinners

Fetlock
Wedlock
Headlock
Shedlock
Adednigo
Ineligible
Illegible
Unintelligible
Bish
Bosch
Wallop


Casper
Ballsup
Gill
Neville
Scapegoat


For Arne, Abram and Del there are new challenges ahead. For FC United Berry the future is bright. As you crazy fans say, Upwards and Onwards!

Greetings all you crazy FC Berry fans, and a special big Arne stylee hej! to Berryrules from the messageboard. That boy will go far!

Reading through some recent stories on the FC Berry website I am coming across goal machine Matthew Tipton telling us to Lump on at Ladbrokes for him to be FC Berry’s top scorer this season. Now as a self made mega-mogul old Arne knows a sure thing when he sees one. So yesterday I am depositing a tanker load of kroner on our boy at 66/1. Watch those goals pour out of him!!!

I’m noticing that despite last week’s great performance the crowd is being pitifully small. So I’m wondering how this can be improved. And its occurring to me that FC Berry play at the same time as everybody else, which means we have no Unique Selling Point. So Arne is having this brilliant idea! Let’s play our next game on a Sunday afternoon instead of a Saturday. I’m sending my man Lee Burrow into the Manager’s office to have a word with the fellow Kasper

Lee Burrow is telling me that the fantastic performance last Saturday is being due to the brilliant young midfield who the rest of the team are nick-naming The Four Tops. What that’s got to do with this week’s team against FC Peter Burrow, I don’t know

Detroit
Boyes
Levi
Stubbs
Duke
Fakir
Lawrence
Payton
Renaldo
Obi
Benson

Goering
Loco
Downing
Agger
Pilko

Now I’ve heard of Agger and Downing but who is this Pilko? Is it the fellow who graces the FC Berry message board with his wonderful opinions? And another thing, when will some people on the message board begin to accept that reaching the age of puberty does not automatically grant you the Wisdom of Solomon? As you British like to say, Bah humbugger!!

Hej long suffering fans of FC Berry!

My how you say dressing room molar Lee Burrow is still faxing me team news but up until now I have been too depressed to post them. But I am hearing good reports about the match on Tuesday and perhaps things are now looking up for FC Berry

Lee has written “Tossers!” against half of tomorrow’s team against FC Grimsdale. I see Mister Casper is back in goal. If FC Berry have got a goal keeping emergency, why doesn’t he sign a keeper on loan?


Casper
Dee
Friend
Lee
Ghost
Felix
Catt
Rupert
Behr
Basha
Bishop

Hamm
Shank
Scour
Tower
Power

Come on FC Berry players and fans! Get a grip on yourselves and start pulling together!! Put a spurt on!!! Together we can make a splash in this division!!!!

Howdy y'all, darn fine to be back. Germany was a blast, yes sirree, all those fine ladies in lederhosen, fair got muh blood a boilin'!

But enough of this hog rasslin', down tuh business. Dmitri has been sent to Poland to infiltrate a number of pesky organisations we believe to be in need of some serious PR and staff training. He reports that operation "TonyD" is proceeding well. Our chief misinformation man has also worked well at Gigg Lane, we managed to draw a "Vail" over anti-team chanting in the stands. Hot damn, we can't allow that kinda nonsense to go on.

Anna has also been despatched to a secret location. We believe - and Jimmy backs this up - that she does all her best work when going Down Under. Hot mamma!

Abram and I met with some other serious money men at the World Cup and we are just days away from announcing a "high profile world class" manager who we believe will be perfect for the Gigg Lane hotseat when we take over. It fair boils muh blood to say we can't reveal more right now, but this pesky varmint has more bite about him than a nest of rattlers!

Top of our immediate agenda will be to sort out that PA system they have in place. Abram was at Gigg with some Sunderland folks and he reported that none of them could hear the team announcement and didn't even know who was playing! Tan muh hide, that's a darn shoddy state of affairs. Dmitri was sent to talk to some national press reporters to try and proliferate the media with details of the state of the ground - Abram told me he wouldn't even shackle one of his rams for fear it might disappear!

Have no fear, the Consortium are on the case! Holla if ya hear me.

Ta daaaa! We're back! How exciting is this? The Consortium have been having some real jollies in Germany; we all met up for the World Cup, which was sooo exciting, and us girlies all got together to form the Consortium Consorts, Underlings, Partners and Sweethearts (C-CUPS). There was me; Wim's wife, the lovely Eejsta Bonus and her two year old daughter Chreejstmas; Rusty and Heepa Uldiron; and the very very beautiful Irina Romanovich.

Anyway, tee hee, the C-CUPS invaded many German hotspots where we were sooo popular because of our ties to our rich friends and our enormous collection of balloons! We even bumped into Victoria and Cheryl.

Since we got back to England, things have been just moving so fast; my Daddy always said that the best plans should be laid out over the summer, and he was right. Mind you, he also said that if all the girls attending a summer ball were laid end to end he wouldn't be at all surprised (but I don't understand that, what does that mean?). Anyway, tee hee, our plans are coming together nicely! Del and Abram have been calling in favours from their associates and it looks like, finally, we'll be able to make some serious bids and put in motion our big plans this year!

Wim and William have been working hard with a secret squad of recruits, and they'll be able to tell you more about how that's all going. And of course Arne, our curious little Norwegian colleague, is busy being Arne. He'll no doubt be along soon too.

Keep an eye on this space, the Consortium is back! Tee hee! Waaaay and I'm done!

I am hearing stories that instead of losing matches, FC Berry are now busy losing fans. I didn't think they had that many to start with

Lee Burrow is sending me this team sheet for Saturdays game against FC Grimm Brothers. He says Kris Kasper is hoping for a fairy tale result

Kasper
Biggs
Tropp
Boards
Hutt
Down
Friday
Back
Sabbath
Laffin
Stock

Faithful
Fanz
Barrick
Berry
Boss

Like, gosh! Weeeeeee! Back today from a super tour of Europe promoting my new calendar, and I walked back into a really big crisis! There are two messages on my desk marked "URGENT - PRESS RELEASE". I haven't been able to, like, find a button marked RELEASE so instead I'm copying them out here! Hee hee!

Consortium Press release March 13th - 11.14am

The Consortium has decided to close this website with immediate effect, following slurs against the manager-in-waiting William Christopher. An unnamed source has emailed the Consortium suggesting that Mr Christopher does not have the respect of the players earmarked by the Consortium and so he has thrown his toys out of the pram and pulled the plug (our Blogger hosting partners actually pulled the plug). We regret that following a heated debate among all members of the Consortium, there was a unanimous vote of 4-3 to close the site down immediately.

It should be noted that the Stetson wearing Mr Starbuck was fully behind keeping the site open.



Consortium Press release March 13th - 2.44pm

The Consortium is delighted to announce that the Consortium website has been reopened with immediate effect. Following an extraordinary general meeting, in which no members were physically able to attend (although everyone did send a proxy with a thick sheaf of notes), the Stetson wearing Mr Starbuck has hauled ranks and put the metaphorical plug back in. The actual plug was put back in by our Blogger hosting partners.

We would like to stress that at this time, any dissension among the Consortium supporters may result in further action, which may or may not include the creation of new pseudonyms to randomly abuse you with.

I’m still trying to find out how FC Berry performed on Tuesday night against FC Stop Pork. These days Lee Burrow isn’t much good at telling me about previous games but at least he is still sending me team sheets, such as this one for tomorrow’s trip to FC Rex Ham, which apparently is named in honour of your great English actor Sir Rex Harrison, and in particular his performance in My Fair Lady (1964 Dir. George Cukor)

Dane
Brill
Butt
Berry
Nott
Goode
Barry
Murphy
White
Fanz
Carp

Luke
Sharpe
Casper
Orr
Berrydown

Hey there folks, just back from a grand ole vacation down at the grand ole opry with Prince Andrew, the GODOY. Now if thuh's one thing that gets muh gander up more thun a rattler in muh woodpile, it's the sight of an inappropriate choice of headgear. Muh colleagues Wim and Anna have bin sending messages about thuh Mills fella and his wearin' of a stetson.

Now those that know Del, know muh main motto in life with regard to the wearin' of the stetson is as follows:

Texan - stetson
Non-Texan - that's vexin'

This fellow Lee Burrow is an oddball, and no mistake. He sent Arne a completely different team sheet to the one I received, which was entitled "This Bury line-up is smokin' hot".

Sweeten
Sower
Sorss
BBM
BBQ
Taco
Bell
Haller
Peno
Chili
Dipp

Subs:
Flayme
Grylle
Woppa
Eggstra
Mayo

What does it all mean? Holla if ya hear muh!

I am just hearing that FC Berry played a big game against Derby on Tuesday night. I am asking Lee Burrow how we got on, but he is not saying. Instead he is telling me this team for the game tomorrow at home against FC Max. Apparently the weather forecast is for sub zero temperatures. Lee Burrow says that confidence is good and that our new strike pairing are red hot

Dane
Starr
Butt
Daley
Diver
Thomas
Youngs
Dunne
Goode
Feccan
Freisian

Berry
Bench
Needes
Long
Johns

Our Consortium is hearing that some individual is making life difficult for our FC Berry pal Mister Millsbomb. So far Dmitri hasn’t been able to discern the identity of this fellow but rest assured he shall be incurring our roth before long

Lee Burrow is sending me this team for tomorrow’s game against FC Shrose Berry. He says all of the subs were featured in last Sunday’s paper

Petersson
Alansson
Barry-Murphy
Barry-White
Barry-Pier
Barry-Island
Barry-Cryer
Barry-Townby
Steely-Dan
Barry-Roth
Proxy

Cake
Spigot
Flatiron
Mates
Godson

Dmitri is spending some time in your town this week. He is telling me whilst staying in a hotel he is meeting some Scottish fellow who is badmouthing FC Berry. I don’t suppose we’ll be hearing from Mister Jock Palindrome again

Who is this Oystershaker fellow who has become a self-appointed commentator on our Consortium? I think maybe he should understand that Dmitri has an occasional second career as a Wedding Planner. His particular speciality is to turn up unannounced and make things happen that take the happy couple by surprise, and the guests, and the venue management for that matter

Lee Burrow is sending me this team sheet for tomorrow’s game which is apparently against a team from South Belfast called FC Barnetts Park

Bigg
Bro
Winner
Chantelle
Preston
Guild
Lily
Pink
Gorman
McGough
McGear


Anyinsah
Anyoutsah
Anymoresah
Anyleftsah
Anythingfortheweekendsah

We are having a bit of a security lapse last week when that scary fellow they call Joe Ninety is catching Lee Burrow faxing me the team sheet. We have been sending Dmitri round to advise him as regards a career move

Lee started telling me some convoluted story about problems with the pitch drainage, but I am, how you say, losing the patients and telling him to give me the message in a nutcase when he gives me the team for tomorrow night’s game in the Turkish Riveria. He hasn’t done it, but just sent me the names. Maybe he’ll tell me next week

Here’s the team. I like the sound of this fellow Fiasco in defence

Team against FC Hellsbells

Cheetham
Hill
Hess
Ian
Fiasco
Michael
Curtis
Fields
Flood
Knight
DeFries

Mills
Try
Biggs
Steel
Pearson

Lee Burrow is telling me things about the boy Casper that really make me wonder if he has, how you say, lost the plotter. First, he has apparently written to all members of the 110 club and asked them to donate money to the Church of England. Come on FC Berry, this is madness. Hasn’t God got enough money? Instead of hedging your bets for the afterlife how about getting the fans to donate money towards the development of Berry’s youngsters? Like starting some kind of a training centre for local talent? How difficult can that be?

And if that was not crazy enough I am learning that Casper is intending to put himself in goal! I suppose he is working on the principle that he can’t be any worse than that last buffoon, the man with the Teflon gloves. Surely there must be some young goalkeeper from a local Premiership club who could join FC Berry on loan. Does nobody think of these things? Really, the sooner our Consortium takes over, the better!!

Lee Burrow is sending me this teamsheet for the game on Saturday against Rovers Bristle. He says there is no news yet on this palindrome fellow he mentioned last week. But he says the 2 strikers are Men in the Know

CC
Palin
Drome
Deed
Navan
Otto
Kyryk
Poop
Hannah
Damien
Dad

Faithfull
Fitt
Tryer
Lee
Unsworth

Arne my Norvegian friend! You are in the Costa Sol and not calling round to my yacht in Puerto Banus? Last time I checked down below the twins are still here and would be pleased to give you the service!

Sorry but I think Dmitri is cause of Rob O not being around in his Berry bar. As you know, Dmitri has big thing over kneecaps and this man is always walking round with shorts...

My absence is due to investigation into my gas pipelines. I have diverted the gas from former Soviet territories to make money in EU with high prices but was found out when another man in shorts digs hole in Gigg Lane pitch to expose my pipes! Mr Mills, I have shown Dmitri your picture...

On player front. We had private party for George Galloway in Monaco last night and hired David Bowie to entertain us. He was dressed as Alladin Sane from my favourite album. George said he was dead spit for Rula Lenska! Dmitri persuaded him to write new words to "Starman" for Berry new signing and here it is!


JARMAN

Didn’t know what day it was the ball came low oh oh
I leaned back and I flexed my toe oh oh
Left back was givin' me some ball control, "Score a goal", he said.
Then the loud crowd did seem to fay ay ade
Came back like a slow voice on a wave of phay ay ase
That weren’t no miskick that was a hazy cosmic goal

There’s a Jarman we would like to buy
He’d like to come and play for us
But the money we can't find.
There’s a Jarman we would like to buy,
He's told us not to save up
Cause he knows it’s not worthwhile
He told me:
The Club would only lose it
They not allowed to use it
Let's do the Bas Savage boogie!

I am in Malaga last weekend looking at a team in which I have a small interest. Obviously I can’t reveal the name of my team, suffice it to say that Celta Vigo made it look easy. Bluddy rubbish unnamed team! Tapia OUT!!!!

Later in the weekend I am looking at potential property development in the bustling resort of Arroyo de Miel, when I come across a busy little bar called the Anytime. This turns out to be a pleasant oasis from the usual Little Britain mentality with a multi cultural clientele and a young friendly Scandinavian staff. But my interest is immediately raised by the realisation that this place is a shrine to FC Berry, the little team that has so captured my heart. Pride of place goes to a shirt, framed and mounted on the wall, which apparently was once worn by a FC Berry legend called Theboy Forrest. There is no sign of the owner but my enquiries reveal that he is a shadowy figure known as “The Boss” or sometimes referred to as “Rob O” I am sending Dmitri over next month to make a few background enquiries, if you get my meanings

My mole Lee Burrow is giving me this team for Saturdays game against FC Cobblers. I am hearing that young Gasper is interested in signing an exciting player called Pallindrum. More news next week hopefully

Flapper
Trapper
Yorkie
Barr
Yogi
Behr
Bubu
Gelly
Stone
Park
Pikanik

Wellcome
Nathan
Jarman
Young
Tyke

My Consortium colleague Abram Romanovic is a resourceful fellow. Years ago when he was just a young, how you say, up-and-going mogul he signed a deal with the Kremlin to buy the sack-cloth mailbags produced by prisoners in the Gulags. In return for paying these insurgent lowlife a rouble a day and all the weevil infested black bread they could eat, he formed a company to export their wares around the world for a variety of uses

My suspicions are being raised last week when I am hearing about the drainage problems at Giggland. We are sending Dmitri in overnight with a shovel to dig for evidence, and sure enough, there is the Hessian cloth clearly marked with the logo of Abram Romanovic Surplus Export. What are the chances being of that, we are laughing to ourselves!

Lee Burrow is sending me the team sheet for tomorrows team against FC Bus Town. He said one of the subs is a real nutter

Newman
Oldham
Hayter
Rand
Terry
Hicks
New
Handel
Bingo
Bango
Bongo

Robert
Carlyle
Hamish
Macbeth
Begbie

Well darn it all! I'm just back from a l'il vacation with my sweet Marie down in Amarillo (bless huh, she always waits for me) and she was telling me about a l'il situayyyyshun that's arisen down there. Apparently there's been a dispute between a local strip bar and a prominent public resident, Jonias Newbsome. The latter's a keen public servant, but it transpires that in recent times old Jonias has bin stealin' away from office to visit this here place for what appears to be more than just viewin' the shows!

Marie tells me that Jonias has "scored" 4 times in just 7 visits down there since the start of 2005, which seems a damn high ratio to me, even if someone of his reputation and manliness may well have figured in scorin' a whole helluva lot more than that!

Anyhoo, to cut a story short, such has bin the outrage that this aforementioned club has been shut down and the proprietors banned from ever hostin' again. Marie also tells me a funny thing's happened though. A new bar has been opened in the main town, which purports to cater for all types. There's high stakes gamin' for the local rich gals, there's a salsa and rhythm band to keep thuh folks entertained and the insiders also believe thuh to be a back room area where the old shady dealin' can continue.

So next time yer down Amarillo way, check out this BiongoBangoBongo place - like the original it's clearly cheap and nasty, and full of heretical folks. Yes sirree bob, ain't that the truth!

I am still thinking up the smart new ideas for FC Berry to raise some cash. I hear that both of my ideas from last week have been taken up already! I have the new initiative which the club would do well to take up. It’s simple, yet brilliant, and it goes like this…….

Form an elite club of supporters. Limit it to a round number, say a hundred, then sneak in a few more when nobody's looking. Hold a meeting, give them all a free sausage roll and a pint, then ask them for regular money. Come on FC Berry, it doesn’t take a genius to come up with stuff like this!

Lee Burrow is sending me the team names for Saturday’s game at Giggland which apparently is against FC Turkey Twizzlers. What has happened to Mr Short who has been goalkeeper for the last few weeks?

Lee says young Mister Casper is, how you say, welding the big rod. He should take Arne’s advice and wear leather gauntlets, overalls and a big mask

Biggar
Dedmen
Walken
Charles
Kennedy
Gordon
Chisholm
Graham
Souness
Michael
McCarthy


Last
Chance
Forssom
Senior
Player

Hot DAMN! Anna has sent us her Calendar for 2006, which is to be released in the near future. She's hotter than a grizzly chasin' a pesky varmint down a panhandle road, yes sirree! It should be illegal but thank heavens to betsy it ain't.

Arne ol' son, you got Del here thinkin'. Carly Simon huh? Well along similar lines, it's a li'l known fact that her compatriot Carole King lives in a ranch not far from the ole Starbuck property. She has recently opened a Spanish diner in town too. Damn fine. So anytime you're headin' down Texas way, why not stop in at Carole King's Tapas Tree grillhouse. Yes sirree bob!

Happy New Year to all FC Berry fans!

I am having the think over Christmas as to how FC Berry can make some extra cash. I’ve come up with 2 very good ideas

Firstly, the pitch is only used once a fortnight. Why not rent it out to some local community team! There must be some bunch of subterranean league suckers who’ll pay big money to play pub football at Giggland. Get your marketing people on the casings Mister Millsy!

And secondly, sell that boy Walesby to a higher league club. If anybody offers more than a hundred grand, bite their handles off, as you crazy Brits like to say. That should keep the fans quiet for a while

Lee Burrow is sending me this team sheet for the big match on Saturday against FC Carly Simon, who apparently now lives near Scotland. I used to like her. Didn’t she marry someone famous? And what was her big hit, you know the one where she’s having a dig at one of the early 70s Laurel Canyon mob??

Short
Graham
Nash
Carroll
King
Jackson
Brown
James
Taylor
Carr
Lee

Simon
Urso
Veyne
Warren
Beattie

I am making the most fantastic discovery about FC Berry this week. Apparently the big man who owns the ground has appointed himself as Assistant Manager so he can keep an eye on team affairs. How brilliant is that? I mean, I thought I was smart with my moles, Woodpecker in the squad and Thatcher in the boardroom, but to put yourself into the dugout, that is awesome! Respect to the man they call IM!

Talking of Woodpecker he is telling me this week that since the Millsyman has moved in, he wants me to change his codename because he is worried about a securocrat outing. I am thinking this is maybe the team’s Christmas jolly to Blackpool, but apparently it is something altogether more sinister. Anyway, from now on I will be calling him by an innocuous, typical Lower Division footballer’s name. I’ve decided to call him Lee Burrow

By the way, what ever happened to the young Italian-Irish fellow Paolo Shaughnessy who played for FC Berry when our Consortium first embarked on our long journey to take over the club? I’m sure he will be a big hit wherever he goes

Lee is sending me this team sheet for Boxing Day’s game against FC Grimupnorth. He’s written at the bottom this strange message; “Carol, can you smell fish?”

Little
Towner
Bethlehem
Swanson
Royle
Davids
Sittee
Decker
Hallsworth
Bowser
Holly


Falalalala
Lua-Lua
Merrey
Christmas
Allbury-Ffoulkes

The average age for media managers in the Consortium is, like, 19. Nnnnnn nineteen. How brilliant is that? Wheeeeeeeeeeeey.

Sorry for the lack of messages lately, but you know how busy we girlies are! There's also been a bit of a problem with the media centre, which crashed unexpectedly. Normally I have no problem when things go down for days but on this occasion it was very vexing. I phoned daddy to complain, but even he couldn't help. I've been helping Abram and Dmitri with their media image, we've been out buying lovely new winter gear for the Consortium Christmas photoshoot (they're wearing traditional Russian gear under their fur coats, I'm wearing ... well, you'll just have to wait and see!).

Arne has sent me a lovely picture of a Norwegian moose with the words "Maybe this is reminding you of your fans in Grimeland, no?". Tee hee, he is such a funny man!

My cunning plan for my new boardroom mole Thatcher is going well. I decided to mis-spell her title, and thus her email address. This means that no-one will be able to contact her with trivial fan business and divert her from her real task. Is brilliant, yes?

Along with my Consortium colleagues Del and Abram, I am pleased that oil shares have greatly increased in price, since that mysterious refinery fire last week. I believe Dmitri is getting a bigger than normal Xmas bonus this year

Talking about being on fire, I am expecting the big things this Saturday at home against FC Wickerman after last week’s impressive away win. Woodpecker says this week’s team like a laugh, and have reason to celebrate. And he said the subs have some fancy footwork between them

Little
Britton
Ashley
Jensen
Christopher
Langham
Paulo
Grady
Comedia
Ward
Winner


Jackson
Gough
Ball
Victor
Darren

I’m am becoming intrigued by this boy Gasper who is in charge of FC Berry, and am wondering if he is the right sort of fellow to be Manager when our Consortium finally takes over the club. So I am hatching this cunning plan, which is to send in one of my top UK agents on a fact-finding mission. The clever bit is that I am planning to send my man in the guise of an up and coming journalist, doing a piece for some obscure lifestyle magazine. You know the sort of thing “Have you heard any good pictures lately” or “What is David Beckham really like?” or “Lloyd Cole knew my father” interspersed with a few leading questions

But blow me down vicar, no sooner am I thinking this plan up, when I am hearing that someone has already done it! Well, what are the chances being of that?

So instead I am reverting to Plan B which is put one of our top lady agents into the FC Berry corridors of power. Obviously I can’t reveal her real name, to risk , how you say, blowing off under her covers. But I expect regular reports from my new mole, who I shall call Thatcher

Woodpecker is sending me the team for Saturdays game in the Orient. He says young Gaspers squad mean big business

Tiny
Rowland
Richard
Branson
James
Goldsmith
Rupert
Murdoch
John
Harvey
Jones

Kerry
Packer
William
Randolph
Hearst

I am hearing from my eye-spy man Woodpecker that Mister Gaspers is still having trouble getting a number two. We are having stuff here in Norway that can solve that problem. I shall send a bottle over shortly

On a similar note what is taking him so long appointing an assistant I am wondering. There must be fellows coming free every week as the crazy English League managerial merrygoround continues. What about the fellow Colin Henders who is being dismissed recently at FC Blackpools? We must be able to get him surely. I’m sure he’s every bit as good as the next man. Step on it FC Berry!!

Woodpecker is sending me the team line-up against FC Barnet Haircuts. He said young Gasper is taking a modern novel approach this week. He also said the, how you say, dug up where the substitutes sit is becoming a bit of a crowded house


Welshman
Scott
Fitzgerald
Grayte
Gatsby
John
Steinbeck
Kannery
Rowe
Mark
Twayne

Huckleberry
Finn
Brothers
Timon
Neill

Hej all you crazy FC Berry fans!

I am trying to read some of the stuff on the FC Berry message board, but I am in despair. You know that with me coming from Norway my English is, how you say, not the biggest, but really, what is that all about? My advice to the posters in question would be to purchase a Dictionary, available from all good booqueshops. That way you won’t come across as being as thique as 2 short planques

You’ve probably wondered what is happening to our Consortium colleague Abram, who is being unusually quiet recently. The last I heard he is in quarantine in his yacht after Irina’s talking parrot has developed Bird Flu

Woodpecker is faxing me the team for Saturday's match against FC Chelt and Hams. He has written “Spud’s back” at the top of the list, whatever that’s supposed to mean


Short
Order
Cook
King
Edwards
Jersey
Royle
Murphy
Grattan
Duchesse
Jackett


Kleek
Leader
Woolley
Hatton
Mittens

Sure! Anna is telling me that our email box has been overflowing with messages recently. Someone has contacted Wim! Anna says that a Mr Wooly Mittons wants to know how I started to devise my tactical plans. So hej folks, let me tell you a little story.

A long time ago, before even the Consortium was created, I was the coach at a junior college team in my home town of Knee, a tiny village on the polders. We were not too good, kind of like a Rochdale of the college divisions, yes? Never too good, never too bad, going nowhere. So I began to spend many a long hour reading the works of the great masterminds like Rommel, the Chinese Dim Sum and the greatest of them all, Magnus Magnusson. Oh sure, you may think that Magnus is only a minor TV celebrity but let me tell you, when he starts something, he finishes it too. Sure! And Wim is all about the finishing.

So after many weeks learning the craft - I think during this time I also started to shmoke, but my memory of that is a little bit hazy - I went to the head coach, a great man named Metgod, and told him that the key to victory over any opposition was quite simple. In fact it could all be summed up in one word. Knowledge. Information. Data.

And that, Mr Mittons, was when I devised my first tactical masterplan! It was called the Wim Bonus Certain Level of Inspired Control through Knowledge. It was a sure fire winner, hej! You may have heard of it in fact, I have been told that its name is being, how you say, band-aided about now in certain circles!

It was named in honour of my home town. Perhaps you will be able to keep an ear to the ground for it, yes? It's name? Ah yes ...

Knee CLICK.

Thanks to my how you say “mole in the hole” here is an exclusive peek at tonight’s team against FC Jayne Mansfield. She was one of my favourite actresses, a big girl in her day, although they say she lost her head towards the end

Woodpecker tells me things are looking a bit bleak in the FC Berry house. He also said the midfield quartet will be laying down the law, but the front 2 aren’t expecting a result anytime soon. And he said that the subs bench is starting to look more secure

Smallweed
Snagsby
Jellyby
Skimpole
Krook
Clamb
Kenge
Tulkinghorn
Guppy
J Arndyce
V J Arndyce


Dedlock
Wedlock
Shedlock
Fivelever
Mortice

I am hearing that although young Mr Gasper’s teams are playing the attractive passing football, they are a bit how you say soft in the central. I am remembering some of the hardman players who have graced the English football teams in the past. People like Ron “Hatchet” Harris, and Rory “Billy” Bremner and of course the great Vinnie “Lost stockings and barrels” Jones. Now I am thinking that FC Berry would benefit from having one, or better still 2 hardman players who would beef things up on the field and in the dressing room. So listen up FC Berry fans, Arne has had the most brilliant idea! We should sign those 2 brothers from the BBC show Easting Enders which is being very popular here in Norway, you know, Phil and Bruv Mitchell! They would make the rest of the hardmen in our division look like girls!!

Woodpecker tells me this week’s team has a backward look to it

Short
Storey
Long
Cutter
Balletto
Spandau
Tickband
Roman
New
Boyes
Kemp

Bound
Mussell
Barricades
Tudor
Gold

We have put our Consortium colleague Jimmy Fazakerly (or is it Fazzakerly? I’m never sure, neither is he for that matter) on the inside of this exciting new regime at FC Berry. Jimmy is a world class fitness coach, even if he says so himself. Naturally he is working under how you say, the presumed name

Once again my man on the insides, Woody Woodpecker is giving me a sneak preview of Mr Gasper’s team for tomorrows game against FC Not Counting. He says this week’s team all have a roving brief

Cushie
Holliday
Jobs
Craig
Doyle
Flicker
Snicker
Allen
Whicker
Michael
Palin

Nicholas
Knowles
Simon
Calders
Moulton

Arne, yer li'l Norwegian rascal, I've just bin sorting out an amalgamation of two of my franchises here in Texas. A mini-consortium if you will. I've joined my up and comin' Galveston Banderos with the mighty San Antonio Spurs to form the San Antonio Banderos.

Perhaps those l'il minor league outfits you deal with could do the same - FC Berry and FC Halle Facts would make a damn fine FC Halle Berry. Now that would be an eyeful like a varmint in a voletrap and no mistake. Holla if ya hear me!

Arne is not so happy this week. I am hearing from my local literary agent that a couple of fellows on the FC Berry message boards are casting the apersives on our Consortium, and in particular on the exclusive team information that I am providing each week. My man tells me one of these 2 fellows is called something like Terry Hick, and his friend who agrees with him all the time is called Older Matey. However Arne is not going to lose the sleeps over this. My informant tells me they are probably the same person, which explains why they appear to be sharing one brain cell between them

I am hearing good things about the boy Gaspers. Perhaps it is time FC Berry give him the job for the full time, eh?

I am also hearing from my dressing room badger that FC Berry are playing in a Mickey Mouse competition against some non-league club on Tuesday night. Well I can give young Gaspers some advice here; don’t risk any first team players in this Disney competition! Play reserve and youth team players; give some of the youth players a squad number if you have to. I am fully confident that FC Berry’s second string players will be able to beat the likes of FC Halle Facts without, as you say, damaging sweat

Woodpecker is giving me exclusive details of tomorrow’s team against Manchester City. He said that Mr Gaspers has brought in some new players, but the whole team are a bunch of sweeties

Midget
Jemm
Murray
Myntte
Penney
Chew
Black
Jack
Flicker
Snicker
Smartie

Wein
Gumm
Sher
Burt
Fountain

Surrre! Wim is thinking all this crazy talk about integrated systems is reminding him of the how you say, shmokin tactical system I developed straight out of the Dutch National Tactical Academy way back in the summer of 69. It was my first real system, bought by PSV for five guilders and a dime!

I recall it well, even though much of my memory is addled by all this hash haze here in shmoky van Hooijdonk arcade in Amshterdam's redlight district - it is all hazy fantazy as I think my good friend Jimmy would say. I called it the Wim Bonus Attacking Striking System utilising Wingers for Prime Effectiveness (or Wim Bonus, ASSWIPE for short). I'm telling you, no-one could manage that integrated system though, it was like a pig in a pancake, and I think the PSV board even banned the use of ASSWIPE after a short time!

On that note, my friends, I must go - it is my sister Eejsta's birthday and I need to pick her up a little something. Surre!

Keep it real and live it large! Arne, you tell the truth my man. Speaking of integrated systems, I was reading yesterday that BT have developed an MP3 player that fits inside a silicon breast implant. Apparently it will be made available in the next 15 years.

That's nothing. My enhanced cycle shorts not only host a wide set of tools, I've bin known to tuck ma hiphop jive beatbox down there, willy nilly! Of course, some gaffers have said it gets in the way of sliding tackles, and impairs my passing ability, but I'll tell you what, I've made a good few passes at the ladies round here with a little James Brown beating out from my box, oh yes!

Mind you, it didn't seem to work as well when I turned on a bit of Puff Daddy. Schizzlemanizzle!

Hej all you crazy fans of FC Berry!

Our man Roberto is having to, as you say, pull off from the FC Berry Management race as he has gone down with catarrh. But not to worry, I am beginning to think this young fellow Casperwicz is, how you say, made of the right material. Which part of Poland is he from, I am wondering?

I am hearing he has introduced a fitness coach, something that might have helped during Mister Barrowsby’s reign. But I am thinking that FC Berry needs an more integrated approach to these new systems and I am getting Woodpecker to suggest that the boy Casperwicz appoints an Integrated Systems Manager. I shall, how you say, be keeping the eyeball out for a suitable candidate for this prestigious position. Knowing my luck, he’ll probably have just accepted a similar position somewhere else!!

As ever, as a public service to you loyal FC Berry fans I am getting my man Woodpecker to give me a sneak preview of the team for tomorrows game against FC Darlings Town

Blocker
Shocker
Davey
Jones
Locker
Daley
Whaley
Bailey
Bridges
Cross
Rivers

More
Mellany
Warbell
Brand
Newquay

Anna is telling me that the inside poop at Giggland is that our man Roberto will be “about or thereabout” as you groovy English people say. He and our tactician Wim Bonus will be the dream team for FC Berry, or my name is not Arne Lori Fulle Uldiron

Woodpecker is telling me this team for tomorrow night’s game at FC Diamond Rush Town. I have heard of the Gold Rush, but this is a new one on me. He said something about Mr Gaspers getting an ‘ed ache, trying to pick an original man sized team

Welsh
Legend
Mann
Michael
Jones
Clive
John
Derrick
Leonard
Terry
Williams

Mellany
Oldie
Goodby
Newby
Tuesday

Like, oh my goddd! I've been posted out to Lancaster, which is up North, like Norway. Dmitri has been helping me settle in up here, he's like soooo friendly, although he did take a couple of young lads who were looking at me funny in the bar for a long walk round by the duckpond. Come to think of it, I haven't seen them since.

While we await news of Wim's managerial appointment (apparently he is on a short list, which is quite funny because he is only 1.6 metres tall!), we're looking for press cuttings and news about the Consortium so I can compile a colour coded dossier for us!

Why not drop us a line and let me know what you think of the Consortium!
theconsortium@hotmail.co.uk

Tee hee! Thank you also to lots of lovely people who have been sending in Jaffa cakes for me!

Weeeey and I'm done!

Woodpecker is telling me about big things happening at Giggland this week, with the departure of Mister Barrowsby, and the temporary promotion of this young Gasping fellow

But more interestingly our Consortium are spotting the story about this boy Parrish, and are appalled to see he is a Bolton supporter. Dmitri is, how you say, heat-footing straight to Giggland where he is having a word in this boy’s right ear. Dmitri is planting a picture of the offending ear in the local newspaper, as a warning to any other FC Berry players who do not support their own team

Dmitri is also at the game on Tuesday night keeping close to this other fellow from Bolton, Peter Farlow and has sat beside him in the stand to, how you say, put the frightenings on him. I expect him to withdraw his ill-advised application before long. My Consortium colleague Pete Zaparla has identified our preferred managerial candidate and Dmitri has hand-delivered our man’s application. Obviously Arne is not one to name any names at this stage, except to say Forza FC Berry!

Woodpecker tells me that the boy Gasping has his own ideas about team formation and selection. Apparently this is the squad for Saturday’s game against FC Lincombe

Boyo
Parrish
Preest
Woody
Guthrie
Hardy
Annual
Cannon
Ball
Littlan
Large


Sedge
Wedge
Meetantu
Veg
Pudding

Hot damn! I've been sent two emails this morning which have got me all fired up! The first is the type of imbecilic outburst that typifies the way our Consortium is perceived!

Dear "Mr Starbuck", It has come to our attention that this Consortium which you purport to represent is in no way a geniune reality, and we have prima facie evidence that you are in fact the figment of someone's imagination. You appear merely to be a bunch of (admittedly well thought out) national stereotypes and caricatures of well-known footballing names. We challenge you to prove us otherwise!

Yours dubiously, Mr S Shagger, Swansea and Mr Linnacre, Broadcasting House.

Lemme tell you folks something, old Del here is runnin' hotter than a Chevrolet engine in a heatwave. The las' time I got so steamed was when folks down in my neck o' the woods thought ma l'il cousin Bobby was a-dead and it turned out he was merely takin' a darn long shower. Yes sirree!

Dmitri's presence at Gigg Lane on Tuesday should have proved the doubters that we are in fact the real deal, and it's only a matter of time before our man Wim takes hold of the tactical reins and we assume control of Bury.

On that very note, the second message was from Arne ...

Hello, Texas persons!

A Wim away! A Wim away! The lion is sleeping tonight.

Arne.

p.s. I cannot believe what I am hearing from Woodpecker! He tells me that this weekend Bury's new forward line will be Tiptoe and a not-so-smart man who is also Smart! How can this be? I would prefer to see us sign a goalscorer from local City of Manchester, Mr Makin and pair him with this former Liverpool player, the fan favourite Jon Newby Lurve. I am sure the Bury fans will truly enjoy Makin - Lurve on the Gigg Lane turf!

p.p.s. you will not believe this but I was in England recently and it cost almost 15 pounds for me and my wife Loda to eat a bag of fish and chips! No wonder people are, how you say, living beneath their averages.

Del would also like it made official that the Consortium has invested heavily in a young Chinese talent from the minor leagues and we're hoping he'll be picked up in the major league draft in January. For now we have located Hee Ton Park to a fringe outpost just South of Bury. Holla if ya hear me in Pilsworth!

Arne is not a happy rabbit this week. I am hearing that last weeks performance was no improvement despite Mister Barrowsby and his faithful assistant Rob Mathews getting a draw. This means 6 points in 9 games. Surely its time the so-called board of FC Berry did something about this and put the poor man out of his misery. Instead of, as you say, kitty footing about for 10 games why don’t they make a decision now before its too late?

These are desperate times, my fellow FC Berry fans, and call for strong measurements. If my consortium was in charge we’d have paid the current management off on the Monday morning after 9 games, put somebody from the youth team in temporary charge, and have done with it

This downward spiral cannot continue! I want to see some action soon! As you crazy English say, bah handbags!!

No team from Woodpecker this week. He sounded a bit upset over the phone, mumbled something about a crisp Gasper, which according to my book of UK slang means smoking a quick cigarette. And he said something about David’s blue cannon. What the modesty blazes is going on???? And who is this Carlo Palmieri fellow who keeps leaving messages with my office? Between him and this Ivan Atkinson fellow I'm not getting a minute's piece

Like, lol lol lol! Silly me!

I accidentally sent Wim's application to the in-trays at every League 2 club! tee hee, lol! Still, our ultimate aim will be to take over the entire football world, so we might as well start somewhere!

Hippos are sooooo cute xx lol

Sure! So this Barrow has been laid off and now the Consortium is ready to fill the gap. We are, how do you say, shmoking a poke in a hoke. I have filed the manager's application under the pseudoname Sam Mack, and soon we will be unveiled at the club - sure!

Rumours have reached the Hot Hash Club here in shmoky Amsterdam that another candidate for the job is Paris Hilton! Imagine if the lads wanted some "Gaffer tape" - that's something I'd like to see! Of course we can see many such kinds of tape right here in Amsterdam, for sure, sometimes in a window on the street!

Of course, something the Consortium need to say is that for many months now we have been increasing our stake in the video market! Sure! Abram sent Dmitri to acquire a major holding in High Flyers Video Distribution, and - can I let you into a little secret, my hash-lovin fun chums? - it's the very company that has put together Paris Hilton's interview tape! For sure! We think that although she is great on the job, she is maybe not so great for the job. I am sensing a little joke for you there, hey Bury fans?

Of course in football a week is a very long time and I have decided to revise my BARROW tactical plan, sure! Now I have devised a new shmokin' tactical outlet. I am codenaming it, the how you say, Creative Artistry Striker Potential for Earning Results. We are hoping that Bury will take on CASPER for the short term, as you say!

OK I must go and meet Arne and Del to discuss our next move, Amsterdam style. Remember, all the players will soon know what it means to have Wim Bonus in their heads!

Here in Norway we are enjoying watching this fellow Freddie Flintlock who has been on the satellite television. Apparently he has become the English national hero by single-handedly beating a bunch of ugly Australians in a drinking competition that lasted 5 days. This is the kind of effort we could do with seeing at FC Berry

Woodpecker has given me this team for tomorrow’s game at Giggland, against someone who he described as bostin’. According to my dictionary of UK slang, this a Black Country expression meaning very good. Lets hope they’re not as good as the Mighty Shakers, eh? Woodpecker says that Mr Barrowsby’s new defence are pretty tough. He also said the rest of the team and the bench have formed some sort of Five o’Clock club. Is this where they go straight to the pub after the game without having a shower, and proceed to get completely Freddied? This smells of no good

Cummin
Avago
Iffya
Thinkya
Hardy
Nuff
Walley
Whyton
Ollie
Beak
Muriel


Youngs
Fred
Barkers
Bert
Weedons

Hello Lanky boys and gurls - especially to the new Anna krins who looks like one of the twins that I find so flexible. I wouldn't mind showing her my collection of football clubs. I am getting the sickness of reading the comments on the Berry football messageboard about the manager. I sent Dmitri to examine Mr Barrose kneecaps at the beginning of the season so I hope things will only get better - only in your Dreems!

Dmitri had some troubling information for me. He recognised one of the players from the rear in the club corridor playing table tennis. Big shoulders, bull neck, arms looking like he is carrying vodka barrels, it was former Russian Shotputter Davina Flickovic - how does she get to play for Berry?

Now to money. I paid 3million roubles to persuade Malcolm Glazer (He is girl too) to send his United team to play when Berry is not playing at stadium. This is good business as we can get Dmitri to persuade the Giggses and the Roonees to stay and play for Berry - simple and good investment.

I have done digging on Directors and found one who runs show. He is Dark Satanic Mills who runs olde people homes - perfect for running club yes?! His kneecaps is being scrutinised as I dictate this to twins. I wonder if Anna would like me to dictate to her?????

Like, oh godddd! Wowee, the flight was so totally awesome, sooooo coool! So we went up in Abram's plane, a big white one, it was soooo lovely, you know? I always wanted to be a high flyer! The same colour as my teeth! Daddy was there, and all the media came, and we promoted the Consortium and I had my photo taken lots and lots, which made me very happy! It was like Britney in the video, i wore a little blue outfit and everything! Dmitri asked me to join the Mile High Club, which he said needed me to go to the toilet cubicle with him. No way, I said, doesn't he know that girly girls only share toilets with other girly girls? So I asked him to give me some forms anyway, I'll join up when I get some free time!

Sooo, anyway, I've been compiling dossiers on all my Consortium colleagues for the media, and I've colour coded them up properly, sooooo like red is for Arne, because that is the colour of the flag of Norway, which is somewhere North, like North Carolina. Jimmy Fazackerly has a black folder, because he is from Blackburn, tee hee! I've given a lovely lush green to Pete Zaparla, it's like my favourite colour, I paint all my nails this colour and they're like fabulous! Buck says it looks like I pick my nose a lot, but he's sooo gross. I think I'm gonna ditch him. Like, this Daddy's girl doesn't need some rude boy hanging on to her coat-tails.

Like, the media sooo love me! We've made it into Cosmo!



My email group is getting bigger now, and I asked the other guys in the Consortium to send me some info for their dossiers. Sooo here's what I've got together to tell the press!

Arne Uldiron
He's lovely, but his English is a little funny! His sisters, wife, cousins and nieces all work for his companies. He doesn't know anything about football, but he has many contacts and is very rich! Sigh!

Del Starbuck
He's a big man in Texas! Hollers a lot, loves to eat, loves a bit of sauce (tee hee). He doesn't know anything about football, but he has many contacts and is very rich! Aaaah!

Pete Zaparla
Former chairman of a former Premiership team. He doesn't know anything about football, but he has many contacts and is very rich! Mmmm!

Abram Romanovich
He employs many men who do his dealings for him, has a very glamorous wife and is influential in Russia! He doesn't know anything about football, but he has many contacts and is very, very, very rich!

Wim Bonus
TOTAL genius. Doesn't make any sense at all because of the hash! He knows everything there is about football, but doesn't know anything about anything else because his brain has been eroded! Used to be rich but spent it all in Amsterdam, which he says is in Europe, which is like up North, like North Carolina!

William Christopher
I don't know much about William, but he emailed me a photo of his lycra shorts and he's like, wowee! Hot flushes here! He's soooo manly!

Jimmy Fazakerly
A real sweetie pie, with an adorable English accent! Sooo sweet! Knows lots about football and the scouts!

Arne has been telling me that blogging is "not big or clever", but I am loving it! I write some pages myself and they're sooo great! They're awesome for putting on lots of lovely pictures too, tee hee. Next week I will be setting up a new media promotion. Like, I have already signed up to promote footwear and boots and you can see me in a new fishing boots promotion: Anna Kins - Dark Waders!

Anna is researching this y3kbourd.com and is showing me this website called Bigbloggyholme or some such nonsense. What is this blogging thing? Arne is not getting it. What kind of sad and stupid people would write a blog page? But Anna is telling me it is like, soooo funny, for sure! I am putting her straight and no mistakings. My Consortium colleagues and I did not get where we are today by being funny

And who is this Tottenham White fellow who is insulting our Consortium? What is he doing on an FC Berry message bourd anyway? We are sending Dmitri to North London to make a few enquiries amongst the White Hart Lane faithful. We'll see if we can give this fellow something to laugh about, eh?

Woodpecker has given me this team for tomorrow’s crunch game at Norse Hampden Park. Apparently Mr Barrowsby thinks this fellow Martin Smith is by far the greatest footballer ever seen. I can’t say I’ve ever heard of him

Tiny
Whiny
Shiny
Softy
Hardy
Walley
Whyton
Pussycat
Willum
Tiptoe
Pussyfoot

Fitboy
Fatboy
Dootsy
Bootsy
Snudge

Yo Mamma, has Jimmy done a job or what?! That gal is hotter than a spitroast sizzlin' on a BBQ at Cousin Amelia's House o'Ribs, yes sirree. Now folks, thuh time has come to publicly demonstrate our actions at a higher level, and when ah say higher, ah do mean HIGHER. I've commandeered Abram's jet and next week our media manager will be taking to the skies to promote the Consortium.

Tha's right, make no mistake. Just one week from today, we will reveal to the waiting press, the hottest thing to come from the US since my special sizzlin' sauce, Anna Kins, Sky Walker. Hot DAMN.

You go, girl, tickle ma toes.

PS: You got mail in your inbox. Direct action, y'hear? Dmitri is watching.

Now let muh get another thing straight. Some folks over there at that darn Y3K site have been suggestin' that this Consortium is somehow not thuh real deal. Let muh tell you somethin' for nothin', that's a load of ole horsecrap! You ask for my sweet Maria, who's waitin' for me in Amarillo, and just ask her if Del ain't a real man.

In other matters of soccerball, we have confirmed our interest in Nigerian superstar soccerballer Odebayo an' offered him a fat corntrack, an' he has promised - an' when ah say promised, ah do mean promised - t'come on board jest as soon as thuh transfer window opens again. This hyar group is payin a top dollar whack fo' these outplayers, make no mistake.

Hey Bury supporters. Sure, I almost lost it back over in Amsertdam for a few days but the hash-filled air gave me a chance to do a lot of thinking lately about, how you say it, on pitch matters things and was chatting to my friend's Dennis and Ruud, for sure. They reckon I should implement the Bury's Alamo Rearguard Reactionary Offensive Weapon (or BARROW for short).

I have personally selected Jimmy Petruzzinelloiannibaresi as our new fitness/tictacs coach. He will start work on the youngsters and eventually help the manager work out the best formation using BARROW for the players to use. My calculations are that by May of next year we will have worked out how to get a system that the players are happy and comfortable with. We should really make a move up the table at that point, for sure.

Like the rest of his Consortium colleagues, Arne is very happy to welcome our new media spokesperson Anna Kins onto the payroll. She is a pretty young thing who could, how you say, make a happy man very old

Of course my 2 daughters Rusty and Heapa are getting upset as they thought they were assured high-profile jobs in the Consortium’s media lounge, but I am telling them not to be too dismayed. I will soon be appointing them as joint front women for my new campaign against nepotism which I hear has been creeping its insidious way into some corners of Uldiron Family Entreprises Global Inc

I am starting to tell Anna to get her face about a bit, perhaps by infiltrating some of the web sites devoted to FC Berry. And I am asking her to look into this strange language that they speak on this y3kbourd.com. Particularly I am intrigued as to what is norks, and have asked Anna to find out, and keep me abreast of the situation

But as I am issuing these instructions I am sensing young Anna is upset about something, and am encouraging her to tell her new Uncle Arne all about it. She is telling me that she has met someone at the Gym who is being nasty to her. I am telling her to worry no further! We will send Dmitri over to carry out some late-night maintenance to one of the multi-gyms, if you get my driftwood. So before long this other gymlady will have difficulty sitting on her hands, although the good news is she won’t have to spend any more money on gloves

This is one of the great things about being Movers and Shakers. We can make problems go away. Talking of which, I see many of the FC Berry fans are trying to make their particular problem go away, but it seems that Mr Barrowsby and his assistant Rob Matthews are not for going. I shall be watching this situation very carefully

The Consortium is about to be expanded. Following lengthy discussions and meetings at Del's ranch, we appointed our scout Jimmy Fazakerly to source us a female figurehead who could head up our public and media face. We had three basic requirements: a desire to be photographed, a passion for football and (importantly) the ability to refrain from sitting on her hands. This is a keep it real, live it large position, you know what I'm saying, no idleers or time wasters please, schizzlemanizzle.

We believe that Jimmy has unearthed the perfect candidate, and she will announce herself soon.

Hot damn! That there Tipton is a fine acquisition, momma. A good soccerballer by all accounts, and he makes the best damn ice tea this side o' Cousin Besses'. Yes, sirree. Holla out there for ya, Wim ma buddy, good to see ya over there in l'il ole Amsterdam. Higher than a Texas mockingbird in a serious updraft, no mistake!

Sure! Del and Jimmy have tracked me down here at the Hazy World of Hash cafe in Amsterdam for a, how you say it, wagging of the chin about the tactics. After the success of my TOTAL-2 coaching regime, I'm working on the latest masterplans of the tactics for my Consortium buddies. We are all having an Amsterdam of a good time!

Allow me to present to you, the Wim Bonus GOLDMEDAL (Sure! That's the GOal-rich Lazy Diagonal Midfield Excursion Diversionary ALliance tactical) plan, in which we create a diversion by allowing midfielders to invade the opposition penalty area while all the time the strikers have shielded the ball behind them on the left wing! Genius! Like a pig in a poke! If played right, you can have 8 of your players in the box at once, a kind of 808 State, if you know what I like!

So, Jimmy is telling me about this Barrow and how he plays the game in a long ball way? Isn't that "veird", you know what I mean? This is kind of my thing, the tactical nous, so I am saying to you, when we take over we will not be playing this way! Sure! We will play a toit defence, very very toit, with toit midfield pressing hard and strikers who can fire the ball into the goal, for sure! 4-4-2, a toit diamond, sure!

Now we must return and fire up a shmoke, so I will catch you later, Bury fun boys!

A bong and a blintz, very very coooool, yes!

Hej to all you die harding fans of FC Berry!

Last week we are sending Dmitri over to Mandersfield to, how you say, have the chatter with the strange fellow Palmer, which resulted in Matthew Tiptoe suddenly becoming available to join FC Berry

But my Consortium colleagues and I are disappointed to hear that the performances are still poor. Perhaps Mr Barrowsby no longer has the master plan?

However Woodpecker is telling me that there is good spirit amongst the players. He says there are some dreadful puns doing the rounds in the first X1 and also a sort of fellowship has developed amongst the substitutes

Woodpecker is also telling me that the fans are revolting. But I am knowing this already from the photographs on this website called The Mighty Shakers. What a title! Is the good English irony, yes?

I am assured by Woodpecker that this is the team against FC Karl Island on Friday night. I have never heard of this place, but I believe it has some connection with Mr Anders Prest who used to pace up and down outside the same Giggland dugout that Mr Barrowsby now sits inside

Titch
Micken
Beaky
Dozy
Dave. D
Hardy
Boysan
Nancy
Drew
Tiptoe
Two-lips


Goodfellow
Oddfellow
Longfellow
Youngfellow
Oldfellow

My Consortium colleagues and I are hearing many the bad things about performances on and off the field at FC Berry. Perhaps Mister Barrowsby is no longer cutting the mustards as you crazy English guys like to say. Also we are having the second thoughts about our appointment of Rob Matthews as coach, especially as I am hearing that some people are saying he was not such the greats player in his days with this famous old club

However, all is not lost, fellow FC Berry fans. I am hearing good news about the return to Giggland of that talented Canadian playmaker Tony Duckfield. Apparently he has been away in Poland fronting a company in the music business. Or was it maybe the Male Escort business? We are sending Dmitri over to see if we can get a piece of the action

Woodpecker is giving me this team for tomorrow’s game against Rex Ham. I told him to tell Mister Barrowsby that we will be expecting an improvement

Smallguy
Fallguy
Tallguy
Patrick
Fitz
William
Flipflop
Espadrille
Clog
Newbs
Pubes


Soapy
Ropey
Dopey
Gafferson
Child

Hej fellow FC Berry fans!

Old Arne is not pleased. Thanks to Woodpecker, my man in the dug-out, I am hearing about this fellow Flipflop who is writing a page in the programme where he gets cheap laughings by making rude and stupid comments about his fellow professionals. My Consortium colleagues and I did not get where we are today by making derogatory or comical comments about FC Berry players. Once our takeover is complete I will be showing the Giggland dressing room door to this talentless buffoon

On a happier note it seems the man we sent in to help out Mr Barrowsby is showing the early results. Well done Mr Rob Matthews! I believe he was a player for FC Berry in the last century, and nearly scored some memorable goals

Woodpecker assures me this is the team for Saturday’s game at Wickerman

Squat
Thrust
Tarquin
F’tang
Olay
Biscuitbarrel
Hunkyboy
Chunkyboy
Monkeyboy
Oldie
Newby

Soapy
Smarts
Stings
Hertz
Avis

Whut in the name of tarnation is goin' on over there in l'il ole England? The Consortium is all fired up to take control quicker than a gator huntin' down a groundhog, and yet what do we see? There's dissension in the ranks, accountants posting on that darn Y3K board, pitbulls and cabin men shouting the odds and some cotton pickin' varmint named shakerforever who needs a darn big bull whippin' 'cross his hide. In mah day, if I'd shown the same kinda foul tongue that boy exhibits, mah poppa, god bless his soul, woulda caned mah hide blacker than a bear in a tarpit, ya hear?

But never mind that, I'm a-here today to tell you all about our latest plans for the club, and these are our plans, let no heretic tell you diff'rent. First of all, we're gonna relocate the Shakers to Atlanta GA, hot damn. There's a hardcore of fans here who need top quality soccerball, yes sirree bob. Then we're gonna build them the Enorm-O-dome, kinda like a stadium y'all have over there in England, but bigger. The players will fly over first class on Romanovich Airlines, top quality Swedish masseuses on hand courtesy of good old Arne Uldiron. Pre-match meals of rare steak from mah ranch, topped with Starbuck's finest hogswine. Hot Damn!

Our source among the coaches, William Christopher, has sent through ideas about foreign imports, we're payin top dollar for some quality players like that feller Odebayo from Nigeria and the Bengal Tiger, yes sirree bob. And we're takin' advantage of a new training tip sourced from the Net. Badger Power is the way ahead, mah friends, sure as the wooly's mittens are supa, and the hannah Hotpants are smokin', y'hear? Hot Damn!

Expect more news from the Consortium just as soon as we've finalised our business models and painted that Cabin, y'hear?

Greetings Lanky persons!

I have been away so much with the investigations that I missed my beloved friends in the Consortium and watching for the results of our new club. We are so pleased to have raised the money to buy the ground and hope that the lovely hospitable and supportive Bury crowds will be pleased when they learn we have secured the club for now and forever Bury.

This is reminding me. This Forever Bury. What is it? Is it like the young Pilots we had in Communist times? I have asked Dmitri to check out the Polish Connection - this Mr Duckrace - he could be a plant by my old friend Walensa.

Big row with Irina now. She is obsessed with being Victoria Beckham of Berry and wants me to find a nice young David Beckham lookalike in the team she can be seen out with on the town in the high spots of Berry. I have been told that "Flickers" is the man with best pectorals and shaves all his body hair off.

She is mental. I think it is all the diuretics she takes for thinness.

Good result against the Gay Boys from the meadow. How long do you think it will be before we are in Premiership? I want me and Irina to go to Stamford Bridge to gloat over Roman and his skinny wife!

Dosveedanya tovarichamee

I am reading the FC Berry message board. What the Bolton Wanderers is going on? Apparently the Directors have all resigned and the Board now consists of 3 chimps called Ian and a Polish duck called Tony. This is too much!

My new mole Woodpecker is telling me that all the players are, how you say, in the doggi