Friday Fulham Stuff - 23/10/20...

[Fulham 442]

Premier League predictions: Lawro v legendary Style Council drummer Steve White

Manchester United have bounced back from their 6-1 home defeat by Tottenham with impressive wins over Newcastle and Paris St-Germain, but can they continue their good form against Chelsea on Saturday?

"United have had a good week, just when questions were starting to be asked about Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's future as manager," said BBC football expert Mark Lawrenson.

"Ole has been under pressure but he was proven right to play Harry Maguire against Newcastle. Then, against PSG, he had to change things at the back when Maguire was ruled out and he got that one right too.

"But what United need on Saturday is another good performance, because it still feels like they are too inconsistent at the moment. No-one is quite sure what to expect."

Lawro is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.

This weekend, he is up against legendary Style Council drummer Steve White.

The band's greatest hits anthology 'Long Hot Summers: The Story of The Style Council' is out at the end of this month.

White, who has also played with Paul Weller, Oasis, Ocean Colour Scene and The Who among many other bands, is a lifelong Charlton fan.

"I had no choice in the matter," White told BBC Sport. "My first Charlton game was against Bolton in 1971. I went to The Valley with my dad and my grandad, and I was never allowed to go anywhere else.

"There have been plenty of ups and downs since then. It just seems to be that we have had our unfair share of people coming in to run the club in the past and making promises that they can never keep.

"Hopefully we have got a more stable future, because we have got a fantastic ground and a fantastic fanbase - we are a fantastic club and we should not be in League One."

It is 13 years since Charlton were last in the top flight but White still watches a lot of Premier League football. His wife is Mancunian actress and TV presenter Sally Lindsay and their twin sons are Manchester City fans.

"They come to The Valley with me but they are City fans, without a shadow of a doubt!" White said.

"What has happened to City, and also clubs like Leeds and Southampton, shows how you can recover if you fall down the divisions.

"But what you really need are the right people in charge. It might sound odd coming from a Charlton fan, but what Steve Parish has done at Crystal Palace is fantastic.

"There are good people running lots of clubs, but what has happened to us in recent years shows how there needs to be more stringent checks on people that are potentially investing in football clubs, before they take control.

"All this talk of a closed shop at the elite level of football is wrong as well. It gets boring otherwise.

"And also, what I don't like and what you are beginning to start to see is the elevation of clubs into global brands, where the fans don't actually matter anymore.

"For me, having been a Charlton fan all my life, it is about the experience on the day as much as how well the team is doing. We all want to go to play-off finals again, we all want to be back in the Premier League too, but I go with my dad, who is nearly 80, and I have been going with him for nearly 50 years.

"My eldest son and my twin boys go too and we meet people down there. I kind of have an afternoon off from music and watch the Reds. Maybe I'm a bit naive or old school but that is what football is all about for me - that experience, and the fans and the banter.

"Even now, my two 10-year-olds are playing for a team and I am involved in the refereeing - I really enjoy it.

"Obviously, with the coronavirus pandemic we have not been allowed to watch Charlton, but watching kids' football, I have been getting that same feeling of just the passion and the fun. That's what I think it is all about really."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Fulham v Crystal Palace (15:00 BST)
Fulham have got a point on the board after their draw with Sheffield United last week, but it is hard to make a case for them getting anything from this one.

The Cottagers will probably have more of the ball but I don't see them breaking Palace down, or keeping the Eagles out at the other end.

Lawro's prediction: 0-2

Steve's prediction: It's great to see Ademola Lookman back in the Premier League with Fulham. He possibly left us a little early [he left Charlton for Everton in 2017 when he was 19] because he could have done with another season at The Valley before he moved up. He scored on his debut for Everton against City and that was meant to be the start of big things for him but he has had to take a few sideways steps. It's really good to see him playing well again. Palace are wobbling a bit but I still don't see Fulham winning this one though. 0-2



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54604140

Although obviously disappointed with Steve White's prediction for tomorrow I do agree with his views regarding his take on the football situation at large.  I'm glad that my boys are both Fulham fans too, despite their father coming from Manchester and supporting United!