simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 18hI guess our PM weighing in, and Etihad Airways (wholly owned by gov of Abu Dhabi) threatening to sue shows exactly why anything that looks anywhere near state backed ownership should be nowhere near football. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 30/09/2026So, my other thought having read the PL report on #mcfc - The table that shows each years supposed sponsorship values, and the amounts actually covered by the sponsors, which by the end was £140m vs £11m. What happened in the next year? 100
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 29/09/2026For me the punishment must - 1. Reflect the magnitude of the offence relative to Everton and Forest. 2. Compensate those who lost out to the cheating in the past. 3. Undo the long term advantage City gained from the foundations the cheating built. 4. Punish the execs responsible. 1/3 100
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 13/09/2026Fair to say that was a masterclass from the officials. Two examples of ‘minor violent conduct’. One gets a red, the other gets nothing. Then they can’t implement their own offside rule. What a mess modern football is. 001
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 16/08/2026I know there is no chance this will happen as it’s in the ‘turkeys voting for Christmas’ category, but how about a progressive tax on political donations? (First 10k untaxed, 10k-100k 30%, 100k - 1m 60%, 1m+ 90%?). 010
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 14/08/2026That’s on anyone who felt like they were entitled to comment. You didn’t have to. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 14/08/2026Whah whah whah - Nigel Farage 2026. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 12/08/2026Never ceases to amaze me how quickly the ‘invisible hand’ free market true believers fold into ‘well it’s all pointless then isn’t it’ in the face of a 1% tax increase. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 04/08/2026I’m sympathetic to the suffering of victims relatives, but a parade of them saying the punishment isn’t enough is both understandable from their point of view but unhelpful in the broader context. If you lose someone you love to a violent crime, no punishment is enough I imagine. Less of this, and 100
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 19/07/2026The Argies are going to win this on pens aren’t they? 010
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 15/07/2026Fortune favours the brave. Always failing with the handbrake on. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 10/07/2026I guess it’s fair to say we can consign anything Farage said about the importance of a sovereign parliament to the bin. 001
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 07/07/2026How does a Reform voting opera singer warm up? Me me me me me! 061
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 06/07/2026Little bit saddened the remaining UEFA teams aren’t discussing an immediate boycott unless the Balogun decision isn’t put back as it should be. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 06/07/2026The big problem with the Balogun decision is FIFA are asking Belgium (and the rest of us) to go through the game believing the FIFA appointed officials will be impartial. The instant they make a judgement call in favour of the US, things will get ugly. Terrible moment for football. 031
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 29/06/2026A PM not based in No10 is going to ‘look’ very different. You can’t argue the average voter doesn’t want ‘different’, but I’ll tell you who won’t like that kind of different. Journalists. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 26/06/2026France think they are so smart with all these world class players on their bench, but England have gone one better still and have left world class players at home.static.klipy.comRoll Safe: Goodnight OkkurrALT: Roll Safe: Goodnight Okkurr 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 26/06/2026Reflecting on the Brexit referendum. I think, if we gave the British people a vote on getting rid of parliament, yes or no, and we’ll figure out what comes next if you vote yes, there is a reasonable chance ‘yes’ would win. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 12/06/2026“All they want to be is Irish” just about sums up the quality of the analysis here. Holy crap on a cracker. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 12/06/2026This Healey / Defence thing is the ultimate in fiddling while Rome burns. There is no universe where the UK can spend enough to keep itself safe. Our defence is a geopolitical problem, not an economic one. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 11/06/2026Someone made a few quid on 3 reds on ADI predict market I imagine. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 10/06/2026A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a … leader who is clear eyed and unafraid of creeping facism. Depressed this morning, but you CANNOT appeal to these people’s better natures. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 05/05/2026You saw ‘the invincibles’. Now meet ‘the dislikables’. 010
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 04/05/2026FPL towers counts minutes played like Trump does percentages. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 01/05/2026Uncontroversial opinion: If the federations vote Infantino back in as head of #fifa, every football fan on the planet needs to end both their local federation and FIFA. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 22/04/2026Don’t imagine you’ll find a journalist keen on focussing on this aspect of the story, but the civil service leaking vetting results as a warning shot against political appointments taking the plumb jobs off civil servants seems to be the story behind the story. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 11/04/2026The Artemis II mission has been great to watch, but it just reminds me how relatively little we’ve achieved in the grand scheme of being a space-going civilisation - 110
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 24/03/2026Mainly sad that Legends get old tonight. Accepting of the fact it’s time for the salary and the circus around his selection to move on. The second point will soon be forgotten, the first point never will. Wish we could have prime #salah for ever more. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 21/03/2026Errrrmmm, weren’t Welbeck’s legs in a completely different position on the freeze frame from the graphic used to show he was inside? 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 18/03/2026And by the way, no one will convince me that our biggest issue this season is anything other than Father Time catching up with Salah. Massive drop off from last season’s star man. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 18/03/2026This stand in ref looks like the last bit of advice he got before he went out was ‘don’t be swayed by the home crowd’. 001
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 03/03/2026It’s probably handy for trump that Starmer isn’t Churchill. Churchill knew a fascist when he saw one. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 03/03/2026Think the obvious retort would be “and we’re not dealing with George W, let alone Obama or Roosevelt”. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 26/01/2026Facebook has just hit me with the ‘Pay is £3.99 a month or let us have a free run at tracking you. For websites that do the same, that’s my ‘Ok, I’ll go elsewhere’ trigger. Think it might have to be the same for Facebook (and I’m guessing all of their related Apps and my VR headset). 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 24/01/2026Have to say, if that’s a foul by Soucek on the Keeper, it’s also a foul by the defender who shoves Soucek into the Keeper surely? 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 15/01/2026He looked at his party leader, and said he couldn’t see any white faces. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 09/01/2026I started 2026 wondering if we’d make it to the end of the year. Beginning to wonder if we’ll make it to the end of January the way things are going. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 06/01/2026West Ham have been proper stitched up there. Never a pen. Accidental coming together in chaos. What is the keeper meant to do? 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 06/01/2026Not because it’s ‘right’, but for what it’s worth my approach to Greenland if I was in Starmer’s shoes would be suggesting to Denmark to start planning a referendum with options to a) stay with Denmark, b) go US c) do a 50-year US lease or d) go it alone. To use AV and to take their time over it. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 03/01/2026It really is long past time where countries need to pull out of the upcoming football World Cup. 020
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 20/12/2025It’s easy to be a better defender than Trent if you can make tackles getting the man before the ball and it not be a foul. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 10/12/2025Any of the Brexit era sovereignty wonks come out against the US Security Strategy’s attitude to the UK / Europe? 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 26/11/2025Think the fans need to take a share of the blame for this. The bad karma from the way Trent was treated has poisoned the well. 020
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 26/11/2025I’d be subbing van dijk after yellow card. Angry challenge, awful and unprofessional example from a captain. 000
simonlangton.bsky.social @simonlangton.bsky.social · 25/11/2025On juries…. If you’ve ever been part of one, they lose a bit of their seemingly magical legitimacy. What’s so significant about 12. Why not 7? Or 17? The jury spends a lot of time at the beck and call of the judge. I don’t think they are the rate limiters. 000
