Spugsy

Hi all,

I'm a 34 year old geordie moving to duabi any day now (visa should be through next week),

I just wondered where people watch the english premiership games (especially Newcastle)?

Also are there any football teams around? 11 a side or 5 a side, or even places where people meet up and have a kick about?

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Spugsy

Madam Medusa

hi spugsy, loads of bars here show premiership games, and they are all (yes, unfortunately, all!) on tv as well...

there are loads of footie teams around...my hubbie played but is injured so i'll get some contact details for you...

MM, xx

The Dean

Why are you moving to Dubai, Spugsy?

There's a vacant job at St James's Park for you - you certainly couldn't do any worse than any of the recent crop of so-called managers.

To answer your question - not sure of the playing side (as Mrs Medusa says, Mr Medusa will help on that one), but, yes, all games are on - and I do mean ALL. Showtime took over the coverage from ART this season and they even suspend programmes on other Showtime channels to show the Sat afternoon games simultaneously.

Good Fellas is still a favourite haunt in downtown Bur Dubai, and you'll get (mostly) a whole slew of fans from all clubs in there, with a veritable collection of shirts on display. Intelligent football banter between rival fans without a hint of unpleasantness - just as it should be........

........ unlike in Fibber Magee's, which has been taken over as basically a Chelsea pub. When they played Man Utd on one occasion last season, Man Utd fans decided to try and make it THEIR bar for the duration of the match.

You can guess the rest. Avoid Fibber's - the only bar in Dubai where I have EVER felt uneasy - and I'm not a little boy........

Also - the new hotels near the new Burj are trying hard to attract a sports-watching crowd.

Plenty of places around though - but not aware of any Toon-dominated bars - you'll find them, if that's what you want.

Of course you'll understand that, when rugby is on, footy rightly takes second place - and I'm not joking. There is a much more active expat rugby scene than football scene out here, both from the playing and the watching points of view.

lionheart

In order to watch the relegation battles that the Toon Army will soon get involved in, try the Players Lounge at Chelsea Hotel, where each table has its own TV screen to select the match of your choice. The biggest screens are reserved for Man City and other classy clubs...by the way, they were stupid sacking Big Sam as they won't find a better manager anytime soon.

NorthernLad

Typical reaction from football club owners - short-sighted view.

Whilst I detest the Mags, they should have stuck with Big Sam (although signing Barton was madness).

It's the players who should take the responsibility for their predicament.

I can't see any manager worth his salt taking on job, it's a poisoned chalice.

nottmbantam

Totally agree - though I couldn't give two sh!ts about the Premiership - Newcastle are about one of the worst culprits in terms of the managers merry go round and the amount of money they have spent in recent years is scandalous.

I did ask about the availability of Prem football for when I move out to Riyadh, but I've cancelled my Sky Sports package here cos I don't watch the Premiership these days.

I am a football fan through and through, but these days, its like watching set of overpaid prima donna's. Its just not cricket.

Inselaffen

Man Utd supporters tend to go to Double Deckers.

Vermin I mean Liverpool supporters spend their dole cheques in the Underground and I think the Alamo is a haunt of a few toffees.

Spugsy

yeah any info on playing would be appreciated, thanks
x

Spugsy

I'm moving to Dubai as England is getting stupidly expensive to live in, my mortgage is killingme, in dubai I can earn good money, get a much better job, its always sunny and only 7 hours from Newcastle.

Aye its a strange decision that, I would have thought get to the end of the season and see, but thats football, and always something stupid going on at the Toon.

I did watch the england game at the irish village when I was over a months ago, that was ok.

Rugby? oh man, thats bad news....

ta for the info though mate.

Madam Medusa

omg, have you reseached the cost of living here though...??!!!

(will pm you asap with footie tema details, btw...)

MM, xx

The Dean

By the way, Spugsy - the lovely Blue Cat will no doubt spot your post and be here shortly.

She is (sort of) a kindred spirit of yours - she's a Sanddancer.........

Blue Cat

yup I spotted it ! another Geordie! bless your heart Spugsy

The Dean

Mackems, Sandrakers, Smogs....... you lot have a world all of your own.......

.......... so I assume you've seen this:

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/...fc/rivalry.htm

It's my main source of information about your part of the world - although it fails to mention that some of the houses up there now have INSIDE toilets and electricity...........

Blue Cat

Sandrakers - aint got a clue! Mackems - hate them apart from Northernlad and the odd other one. Smoggies - Little Jimmy

The Dean

Sandrakers? Read the link then...........

Term sometimes used in Middlesbrough to describe people who live in Redcar. Derived from the practice of the collection of coal debris off the beaches carried out not just in Redcar, but also along the Durham coast. This coal was then sold on to householders and other domestic suppliers. The source of this debris was the dumping of coal slurry onto the beaches of County Durham, which was then washed down the coast as far as Teesside. The term itself is very local to the Teesside area. Away from Teesside, the proximity of Redcar to Middlesbrough means that the name 'Smog' will also be applied to this area.