Douglas Higginbottom

[carl_feedthegoat]

I used to enjoy reading DH's training ground reports, back in the day, seems like an age ago now.

All the best DH.

Ditto. It was good to read of the goings-on in training. I recall driving back from work one day and hearing Doug on Talkshite (a station I rarely tuned into at the time and never do at all nowadays). It was the day of the bust-up between Balotelli and Mancini and the presenters of the phone-in programme were hyping the incident up. Doug did his best to put them straight on what had actually happened but the presenters were having none of it - they couldn't believe that someone had been able to get a good view of the events by climbing up a stepladder!

Besides giving useful info on our youngsters through his regular attendance at academy games, Doug was also a welcome antidote to some of the knee-jerking that often predominates in match threads. In the end, I think it was the fall-out from some of the reactions to his more considered comments that led him to move on. Evidently, not everyone misses his contributions (!) though I certaily feel the forum lost a valuable contributor when he left.

Yes, he was driven away

Only soft wankers are ‘driven away’ .
Hard core stay and fight their corner

[john@staustell]

I used to enjoy reading DH's training ground reports, back in the day, seems like an age ago now.

All the best DH.

Ditto. It was good to read of the goings-on in training. I recall driving back from work one day and hearing Doug on Talkshite (a station I rarely tuned into at the time and never do at all nowadays). It was the day of the bust-up between Balotelli and Mancini and the presenters of the phone-in programme were hyping the incident up. Doug did his best to put them straight on what had actually happened but the presenters were having none of it - they couldn't believe that someone had been able to get a good view of the events by climbing up a stepladder!

Besides giving useful info on our youngsters through his regular attendance at academy games, Doug was also a welcome antidote to some of the knee-jerking that often predominates in match threads. In the end, I think it was the fall-out from some of the reactions to his more considered comments that led him to move on. Evidently, not everyone misses his contributions (!) though I certaily feel the forum lost a valuable contributor when he left.

Yes, he was driven away

Only soft wankers are ‘driven away’ .
Hard core stay and fight their corner

Maybe he just wanted more thoughtful debate?

[carl_feedthegoat]

I used to enjoy reading DH's training ground reports, back in the day, seems like an age ago now.

All the best DH.

Ditto. It was good to read of the goings-on in training. I recall driving back from work one day and hearing Doug on Talkshite (a station I rarely tuned into at the time and never do at all nowadays). It was the day of the bust-up between Balotelli and Mancini and the presenters of the phone-in programme were hyping the incident up. Doug did his best to put them straight on what had actually happened but the presenters were having none of it - they couldn't believe that someone had been able to get a good view of the events by climbing up a stepladder!

Besides giving useful info on our youngsters through his regular attendance at academy games, Doug was also a welcome antidote to some of the knee-jerking that often predominates in match threads. In the end, I think it was the fall-out from some of the reactions to his more considered comments that led him to move on. Evidently, not everyone misses his contributions (!) though I certaily feel the forum lost a valuable contributor when he left.

Yes, he was driven away

Only soft wankers are ‘driven away’ .
Hard core stay and fight their corner

Maybe he just wanted more thoughtful debate?

On BM ?

[Mase]

I’ve just read his last ten posts. Mostly EDS stuff that no one replied to him on, mixed in with a couple of digs about how shit it is on here

[johnny crossan]

This is a disturbing discussion and the malicious & baseless innuendo it contains is completely out of order. I used to chat to Doug for hours at Carrington, mostly about cricket & some of his appalling umpiring decisions for Brooklands CC when I played against them. A sound chap and his departure from our forum is regrettable if he felt he was under unjustified attack. I think it's more likely the move of training from Carrington and no pass at the Etihad were factors allied with a general lack of interest in the EDS on here. He last posted on BM two years ago btw,

[Dimples]

Doug's posts were good. Thoughtful, reflective, balanced, fair and above all knowledgeable.
In addition he added information about the EDS and training. He is obviously a passionate Man City fan.

Any forum is poorer when a poster of the calibre of Doug leaves.

[Mase]

This is a disturbing discussion and the malicious & baseless innuendo it contains is completely out of order. I used to chat to Doug for hours at Carrington, mostly about cricket & some of his appalling umpiring decisions for Brooklands CC when I played against them. A sound chap and his departure from our forum is regrettable if he felt he was under unjustified attack. I think it's more likely the move of training from Carrington and no pass at the Etihad were factors allied with a general lack of interest in the EDS on here.

What? If you had a 14 year old kid would you be happy to let them go meet a random person off an Internet forum? It’s fuckin weird!

[Mase]

Doug's posts were good. Thoughtful, reflective, balanced, fair and above all knowledgeable.
In addition he added information about the EDS and training. He is obviously a passionate Man City fan.

Any forum is poorer when a poster of the calibre of Doug leaves.

You should have engaged in conversation with him then when he was here. Barely any responded to him, which probably “forced” him off here.

[Wonderwall]

Saw Doug a few times. His lads were Townley regulars and played football for the MCF.net 5-a-side team.

Doug used to go to the EDS games a lot and also the women's games. Very knowledgeable on both and met up with Steven McInerney a few times there and probably gave him a lot of knowledge to help him on his way to doing his social media stuff

He is a regular on Twitter.

[carl_feedthegoat]

This is a disturbing discussion and the malicious & baseless innuendo it contains is completely out of order. I used to chat to Doug for hours at Carrington, mostly about cricket & some of his appalling umpiring decisions for Brooklands CC when I played against them. A sound chap and his departure from our forum is regrettable if he felt he was under unjustified attack. I think it's more likely the move of training from Carrington and no pass at the Etihad were factors allied with a general lack of interest in the EDS on here. He last posted on BM two years ago btw,

Fans on here will be devastated the day I’m no longer here.

[Blueboylewis]

He posts on BM now apparently.

yep, took his ladder, bag of sweets and cheeky smile to bm where the crowd is much younger than on here

Didn’t he meet up with a 14 year old off here?

Wowzers

Some kid called Lewis if I remember correctly.

Now now but spot on Mase - had a good run with DH watching training sessions. His knowledge base for football is there and the passion he has for the football club is evident. He also coached within a cricket club that I was a part of. Lost contact and not sure where he is up to now.

Myself on the other hand, I still enjoy reviewing this forum and the ‘banter’ alongside it. Hope your all well and getting geared up for the new season - huge ambitions this season

[johnny crossan]

This is a disturbing discussion and the malicious & baseless innuendo it contains is completely out of order. I used to chat to Doug for hours at Carrington, mostly about cricket & some of his appalling umpiring decisions for Brooklands CC when I played against them. A sound chap and his departure from our forum is regrettable if he felt he was under unjustified attack. I think it's more likely the move of training from Carrington and no pass at the Etihad were factors allied with a general lack of interest in the EDS on here. He last posted on BM two years ago btw,

Fans on here will be devastated the day I’m no longer here.

all you can ever hope is that you don't sit near one of them!

You are probably responsible for some folk developing suicidal tendencies after having sat next to a boring cunt like you.

hahaha the stereotype that is Carl. Happy Christmas Carl

[City64]

Doug is alive and well on social media and full on with the worlds top football club Manchester City . This site unfortunately for one reason or another took a disturbing decline last winter, maybe before that ??? Not to dwell on that the site has become more harmonious and now enjoys what Manchester City Football Club has achieved in world football breaking records left right and center playing unbelievable football we humble people could only dream about just over a decade ago . Enjoy what we have this is a once in a lifetime experience millions upon millions of football fans will never experience.

[Dameerto]

Some kid called Lewis if I remember correctly.

Now now but spot on Mase - had a good run with DH watching training sessions. His knowledge base for football is there and the passion he has for the football club is evident. He also coached within a cricket club that I was a part of. Lost contact and not sure where he is up to now.

Myself on the other hand, I still enjoy reviewing this forum and the ‘banter’ alongside it. Hope your all well and getting geared up for the new season - huge ambitions this season

Most of us on here knew he was just being generous and sharing his interest in City with one of the younger generation of fans. Not very appropriate to be hinting at anything else in my opinion.

[Original Dub]

I have to say, I met Doug and thought he was a gentleman.

So much so, when there was a city pre season friendly in Dublin, I was to meet again for a drink but I fucked up the train times and didn't get to.

Hope he's doing well

[john68]

I always got on well with Doug and met him quite a number of time, often at EDS and youth games that he attended with his missus.
Any innuendo against his character is bang out of order and the worst kind of shite that social media seems to thrive on.

[john68]

I always got on well with Doug and met him quite a number of time, often at EDS and youth games that he attended with his missus.
Any innuendo against his character is bang out of order and the worst kind of shite that social media seems to thrive on.

[johnny crossan]

I always got on well with Doug and met him quite a number of time, often at EDS and youth games that he attended with his missus.
Any innuendo against his character is bang out of order and the worst kind of shite that social media seems to thrive on.

It's sad to read it on here John

[Dimples]

I always got on well with Doug and met him quite a number of time, often at EDS and youth games that he attended with his missus.
Any innuendo against his character is bang out of order and the worst kind of shite that social media seems to thrive on.

It's sad to read it on here John

Any wonder people leave.
Hinting at wrong doing with a minor is bang out of order.
It is so dangerous (even in jest).

Go to the top of the mountain and release the feathers from the bag, you can never get them back.

[Mase]

No one is hinting at anything, if you’re thinking the worst then that says you realise it was wrong. What has been stated is fact.

Meeting a random kid off the internet is disturbing to say the least. And again, if it was your kid you wouldn’t be happy about a grown man meeting them. It’s weird whatever the reasons were.

Sorry that facts have hurt some of you.