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Taylor Fritz celebrates after defeating Alexander Zverev. Alamy Stock Photo

Fritz roars back to end Zverev's Wimbledon hopes, Djokovic blasts fans' 'disrespect'

Earlier, former champion Elena Rybakina defeated an injury-hit Anna Kalinskaya.

LAST UPDATE | 8 Jul 2024

TAYLOR FRITZ MOUNTED a stirring comeback from two sets down to dump fourth seed Alexander Zverev out of Wimbledon on Monday, winning their fourth-round match 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.

Confronted with Zverevโ€™s relentless serve, American 13th seed Fritz looked to be heading home but broke the German on the way to winning the third set.

It was the first time the former world number two had been broken in the entire tournament.

Fritz, who won the Eastbourne International on grass last month, edged the fourth set on a tie-break.

Hitting freely, the American broke again in the fourth game of the decider when Zverev, who looked like he had no answer to his opponentโ€™s power, went long with a forehand.

Fritz powered through his service game to lead 5-2 and although Zverev clung on, Fritz sealed the match in style.

โ€œIt was amazing to do that on Centre Court, two sets down in front of this crowd. Itโ€™s a dream,โ€ he said.

โ€œThe thing was I still felt I was playing really well for being down two sets. I was just thinking it sucked to be playing this well and to lose in straights.

โ€œSo letโ€™s take the third, I took it one at a time. I had that belief. It was just a couple of points here and there.โ€

The American, who hit a total of 69 winners against 23 unforced errors, will face Italian 25th seed Lorenzo Musetti in the quarter-finals.

Fritz spread his arms wide and roared as he celebrated his epic fightback in a match lasting nearly three-and-a-half hours.

It is his second appearance in the Wimbledon quarter-finals after he lost a five-set thriller to Rafael Nadal in 2022.

Defeat for Zverev means the German, who reached the semi-finals at the 2024 Australian Open and was runner-up at Roland Garros last month, has still never reached the last eight at Wimbledon.

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic accused Wimbledon fans of โ€œdisrespectโ€ in a withering on-court tirade after reaching a 60th Grand Slam quarter-final and 15th at the All England Club.

World number two Djokovic, the seven-time champion at Wimbledon and chasing a record-setting 25th major, defeated 15th-ranked Holger Rune 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

Djokovic then launched a bitter outburst at a section of Centre Court fans who constantly chanted โ€œRuneโ€ throughout the match, echoing the shouts of โ€œRootโ€, popularised by cricket fans in the country in support of former England cricket skipper Joe Root.

โ€œTo all the fans that have had respect and stayed here tonight, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I appreciate it,โ€ said an angry Djokovic.

โ€œAnd to all those people that have chosen to disrespect the player โ€” in this case me โ€” have a goooooooood night,โ€ he added, mocking his tormentors. 

When told by the TV interviewer that some fans were shouting โ€œRuneโ€ rather than booing, Djokovic hit back.

โ€œThey were. They were. I am not accepting it. No no no. I know they were cheering for Rune but thatโ€™s an excuse to also boo,โ€ he said.

โ€œListen, I have been on the tour for more than 20 years. I know all the tricks. I focus on the respectful people that pay for the ticket, and love tennis and appreciate the players.

โ€œI have played in much more hostile environments, trust me -โ€“ you guys canโ€™t touch me.โ€

The 37-year-old Serb, still sporting a knee support on his right leg after undergoing surgery last month, set the tone for Mondayโ€™s fourth-round tie when Rune failed to win a single point in the opening three games.

He saved a break point in the 10th game of the second set before carving out another key break in the first game of the third.

Djokovic goes on to face Australian ninth seed Alex de Minaur for a place in the semi-finals.

Earlier, former champion Elena Rybakina defeated an injury-hit Anna Kalinskaya to reach her third successive Wimbledon quarter-final.

World number four Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon winner from Kazakhstan, took the first set against the 18th-ranked Russian 6-3 on Centre Court.

Kalinskaya required a medical time-out at 3-4 down to treat what appeared to be neck and wrist injuries.

Rybakina then won the next five games before Kalinskaya called it quits.

Moscow-born Rybakina has now joined Margaret Court, Maria Sharapova, Evonne Goolagong, Chris Evert and Billie Jean King by winning 18 of her first 20 matches at Wimbledon.

She will take on either Elina Svitolina, the 21st seed from Ulkraine, or Wang Xinyu of China for a place in the semi-finals.

Former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko beat Iga Swiatekโ€™s conqueror Yulia Putintseva 6-2, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals.

Tha 27-year-old Latvian, whose only Grand Slam title came at the French Open in 2017, broke her Kazakh opponent five times in the match, hitting 29 winners against 26 unforced errors.

The 13th seed, a semi-finalist at Wimbledon in 2018, next faces either US 11th seed Danielle Collins or Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic.

Russian-born Putintseva, ranked 35, beat world number one Swiatek in the last 32 on Saturday.

โ€“ ยฉ AFP 2024 

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    Mute Keith Ryan
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    Nov 26th 2013, 12:39 PM

    Are they for realโ€ฆ He scored possibly the best header you will see at Wembley for a long time AGAINST England a few months ago!!!! Idiots

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    Mute YourAuldLady
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    Nov 26th 2013, 12:39 PM

    Our English brethren are a bit thick it seems.
    Good on Shane for pulling the pi(s out of them,

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    Mute David Fitzmaurice
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    Nov 26th 2013, 1:24 PM

    Paul sling your hook. What a t#sser. What started off as a lighted hearted piece has turned into a bile laden rant. If you have nothing constructive to say Shane Long is coming into a bit of form and fair play to him. Did well with West Brom last year and is showing signs that he has that bit of drive needed if he is given the chance, a chance that sadly was never afforded to him by Trap and his cohorts with Mr Liam Brady included. Hopefully he can continue to score some goals as it will be of immense benefit to the Irish set up.

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    Mute Null
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    Nov 26th 2013, 4:02 PM

    The best way is to flat out ignore these people, so no replies and no thumbs down or up. No reaction and theyโ€™ll go away. I wish everyone would learn that.

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    Mute Katie Murphy
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    Nov 26th 2013, 1:19 PM

    And to think there was a time when these guys practically took over the worldโ€ฆ.scaryโ€ฆ.

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    Mute Andrew Deegan
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    Nov 26th 2013, 1:58 PM

    Ehโ€ฆ.. I think the vast majority of them were on a wind up. No doubt 1 or 2 were serious but a lot of fishing involved i suspect

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    Mute YourAuldLady
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    Nov 26th 2013, 2:09 PM

    Ah Paul got caught out, we know he is Irish, though he proclaims he is from Chelski and English.
    Paul is Mitch, Steo, John, the same troll from Finglas who supports a league of IReland team and Liverpool.

    Lads just donโ€™t answer her, spends her time trolling on all the soccer topics with no knowledge and no discussion. As has been proved by her posts above.

    BLANK THE TROLL.

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    Mute Spoddgy
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    Nov 26th 2013, 8:25 PM

    How does he remember all them passwords? Gotta be a commitment or the gobsheens accounts will be easy hacked.

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    Mute Gordon McCabe
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    Nov 26th 2013, 4:02 PM

    Ah sure give Shay Given a shout while youโ€™re at it. He can give Hart a hand :-)

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    Mute Peader Conlon
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    Nov 30th 2013, 4:53 PM

    hEART IS SHIT ENGLAND B OUT AFTER2GAMES MUST CHECK D ODDS ON TA

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    Mute Andrew Hickey
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    Nov 26th 2013, 1:24 PM

    This is a regular twitter fish and reel gag. Itโ€™s been done with Ramsey(England) & Lewandowski(Germany) recently, canโ€™t believe Long bit the bait.

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    Mute Sรฉamus ร“ Lochlainn
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    Nov 26th 2013, 2:53 PM

    Canโ€™t understand how youโ€™re not allowed to use every day words like โ€˜sh!tโ€™ on the comments pages, yet imbeciles like pauljohnson are able to spread their own trolling sh!t across them!
    Donโ€™t reply anyway, he/she will go away eventually.

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    Mute Frank Buckley
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    Nov 26th 2013, 2:21 PM

    There must have been 60 or 70 Englishmen at least by now who have played for Ireland, about time England got 1 Irishman in return. And doesnโ€™t the typical soccer โ€˜fanโ€™ in this country only care about English teams anyway and couldnโ€™t give a fiddlers about any Irish clubs, so one would think they would have no problem with any Irish fella playing for England.

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    Mute YourAuldLady
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    Nov 26th 2013, 2:54 PM

    โ€œaccountsโ€โ€ฆ so you accept that you have more than one account on here. Good to know.
    If you havenโ€™t been in this country in a month, so where are you now? You are in a country or are you hovering above a country?
    You have commented on GAA stories, Dublin related ones, in the past and were passionate about Dublin thenโ€ฆ so fail there.
    You only said last week that your Chelsea through and through, but you support Liverpool as wellโ€ฆ any real Chelsea fans I know wouldnโ€™t give 2 fks who else was playing and only concerned with their own team. So you think United fans support Chelsea against Liverpool!!!!
    Your found out, everyone on here knows it.

    Steo is gone, the other 3 plums will be too. At least the Journal will be troll free then and we can have right discussions on here.

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    Mute Katrina Locke
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    Nov 26th 2013, 2:54 PM

    Agree hes in great form and its great to see and great for irish football. My only issue is R Keane. As long as he is there he will countinue to take th spot of an possible younger contender. Dont get me wrong keane has done more than enough for his country obiviously wit his record but its time to hang up th boots. Just my personal opinion. !

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    Mute YourAuldLady
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    Nov 26th 2013, 2:57 PM

    Good comment Katrina, I wouldnโ€™t yet like Robbie to see hang up the shoes because I think he can help the like of Long with his experience.

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    Mute pauljohnson
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    Nov 26th 2013, 3:44 PM

    Jrbmc. Your just a Clown bandwagoner.

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    Mute pauljohnson
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    Nov 26th 2013, 1:33 PM

    @David. Is the article about Long coming into form? No it isnโ€™t, itโ€™s about people on twitter thinking he is English and saying he should get a call up to the English national team. I merely stated England have several better options.

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    Mute Lee Smith
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    Nov 26th 2013, 5:55 PM

    TBH, Shane Longs record for West Brom hasnโ€™t been that good since he joined them and made the step up the premier league from Reading. The fact that weโ€™re more reliant on a 33yo Robbie Keane over a 26yo Shane Long is very telling for Ireland. Maybe Conor Sammon can step up under the new Manager IDK.

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    Mute pauljohnson
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    Nov 26th 2013, 1:23 PM

    I donโ€™t care about it. Doesnโ€™t mean I donโ€™t watch it. I watch all football nearly. Even when that foreign supported kip is playing (MANCHESTER) I will watch them. And to answer other questions, Crouch and Defoe donโ€™t get into England as there is better options there, but if Shane Long was English he be behind them in pecking order. And Danny Welbeck is world class??? Haha, I never even suggested that, he is just like Long. Hard working headless chicken. And in answer to that other bloke, Berbatov scored most goals in premerleague one season, Rob Keane scored all them goals against the likes of the Faroe Islands.

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    Mute 1Golden Maverick
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    Nov 26th 2013, 2:05 PM

    Does Long play for Shitski ? NO ! Does he play for Engerrrrrrland ? NO ! So go away you FOOL !!!!

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    Mute Ciarรกn Brennan
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    Nov 26th 2013, 2:46 PM

    62 goals against Faroe Island.
    D overrated shower of English players play d same teams and donโ€™t exactly tot up d goals against them.
    We see how well berbatov does without keaneโ€ฆ
    Saying crouch is better than long then your just another cocky English follower who doesnโ€™t understand why they do shit at every major competition. Itโ€™s not rocket science itโ€™s cos your shit

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    Mute pauljohnson
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    Nov 26th 2013, 12:44 PM

    Yes in a friendly if I remember correctly. What he do to get you all to the world cup.?????

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    Mute Alan Dunne
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    Nov 26th 2013, 12:46 PM

    Trap rarely started him

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    Mute pauljohnson
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    Nov 26th 2013, 12:36 PM

    English strikerโ€™s in a different league of talent to Shane long. 1, Wanye Rooney.2, Defoe.3, Sturridge. 4, Lambert.5, Peter crouch. If he was English he wouldnโ€™t stand a chance getting into the England squad. He canโ€™t get a start for Ireland when poor mans Berbatov is playing (Rob Keane).

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    Mute Brian Healy
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    Nov 26th 2013, 12:48 PM

    Long scored against England at Wembley in a 1-1 draw that England was lucky to get!!!

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    Mute Eddie Oh Donnell
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    Nov 26th 2013, 12:49 PM

    Defoe? Peter Crouch? Two men that have rarely played in the PL this season for their teams. Pull your head out of your behind there Paul!!!

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    Mute Mark Cronin
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    Nov 26th 2013, 1:01 PM

    Crouch? When is the last time he lined up for England? Give your head a wobble there Paul, next youโ€™ll be telling us Wellbeck is world class

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    Mute Timmay Timeo
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    Nov 26th 2013, 1:13 PM

    Berbatov 48 international goals
    โ€œPoor mansโ€ berbetov 62 international goals

    I know who did rather have.

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    Mute Anthony O'Donovan
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    Nov 26th 2013, 1:51 PM

    Need any help finding the plot there Paul?

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    Mute Keith Ryan
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    Nov 26th 2013, 2:46 PM

    Welbeck is world class!!!

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    Mute Aaron fogarty
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    Nov 26th 2013, 3:26 PM

    Go home your drunk

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    Mute Mick Rooney
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    Nov 27th 2013, 10:54 AM

    Like the knowledgble England โ€˜fansโ€™ in that tweet thread, weโ€™re dealing with a clown here.

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    Mute Jamie Sheehan
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    Nov 26th 2013, 12:59 PM

    Talking about Roy Keane!

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    Mute pauljohnson
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    Nov 26th 2013, 2:32 PM

    Excuse yourself old Lady. I have only Paul Johnson accounts. I havenโ€™t being in this country in over a month. When I came back yesterday you all were talking about me more than the story. And why would I support a l.o.i team. Im from England, I am not like you, I wont support foreign citys football teams. It makes no sense to me, my family and my friends. And Liverpool is also a kip. The only time I ever support Liverpool is when there playing against that trash heap out of MANCHESTER.

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    Mute theScorePsychiatrist
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    Nov 26th 2013, 6:38 PM

    You poor mixed up, misguided, mysoginist child. As Maris always says, โ€œA good liar needs a good memoryโ€. It appears your different โ€œaliasesโ€ are overlapping and you have lost all sense of time and perspective. I can help you out son with some excellent Freudian based therapy, all you have to do is askโ€ฆ..

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    Mute Brendรกn O Mhรกille
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    Nov 26th 2013, 11:19 PM

    Can somebody please send Paul for spelling and grammar lessons, whilst also performing his brain transplant, thanks

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    Mute theScorePhychiatrist
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    Nov 26th 2013, 8:59 PM

    I forgot to mention I love men. I would love Shane long to touch me inappropriately . All he has to is askโ€ฆ..

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    Mute pauljohnson
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    Nov 26th 2013, 3:22 PM

    And last week I wasnโ€™t in the country. I havenโ€™t being in Ireland since middle of October. This is my work phone. I leave it in Ireland when I go home. Donโ€™t come onto your site when not in your country. Clown!!!

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    Mute pauljohnson
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    Nov 26th 2013, 3:20 PM

    I donโ€™t care about Steo/Tom/Jack, any of your mates you keep talking about. Are you slow? Can you not read. I have other Paul Johnson accounts you clown. I had a Kerry jersey as my avatar commenting on g.a.a. I was pretending to be Kerry supporter, not Dublin, as there Irelands most successful team. I was jumping on the bandwagon and supporting a team of a city that has nothing to do with me. Kinda like every single MANCHESTER fan. And the only Chelsea fans you know are ones that have never being to the bridge, not from England and only start supporting Chelsea around 2006. Jump on the wagon there fast, its getting away. And you seem to think real fans donโ€™t look at other teamโ€™s snd donโ€™t care about other teamโ€™s? ??????? Clown!!! Stop watching football because you know little about it.

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    Mute jrbmc
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    Nov 26th 2013, 3:38 PM

    Quick Quick Paul the most interesting Chelsea story in months has been out up and itโ€™s about,โ€™Mourinhoโ€™s Hair cutโ€™
    Quick hereโ€™s your chance to post more fraud Moyes rubbish nonsense that Steo and his โ€˜buddiesโ€™ can respond to

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    Mute YourAuldLady
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    Nov 26th 2013, 3:49 PM

    LOL, thinkk Paul Johnson is getting frazzled,
    It is interesting the fact I didnโ€™t mention โ€œjackโ€ yet he is one of the accounts linked to Paul Johnson, so again it proves that he is.
    Why would you have 2 accounts? Because you were shut down is it?

    ANYWAY, as I have said to others, time to ignore the trolls like Paul, Steo, John and Jack. These stories would be about 1/2 the size less all the trolling.

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    Mute theScorePsychiatrist
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    Nov 26th 2013, 6:35 PM

    Yes Y.A.L. he seems to be having a nervous breakdown, it is common among people with multiple personality syndrome. I have offered on numerous occasions to help him, all he has to do is askโ€ฆ.

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    Mute pauljohnson
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    Nov 26th 2013, 1:09 PM

    Trap rarely started him because even Ireland has better options. Last night was one of the only times I seen him score in a competitive fixture. Hes not a striker. Other than last night he rarely finishes.

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    Mute jrbmc
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    Nov 26th 2013, 1:15 PM

    Paul youโ€™ve said many times you donโ€™t care about international football so why now ??? Did you forget ??? Or just get caught out again ???

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    Mute Martin
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    Nov 26th 2013, 1:23 PM

    How many times has crouch scored in past 2 years? Defoe?? Do you even watch football.

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    Mute Patrick
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    Nov 26th 2013, 1:56 PM

    Did you forget he scored against Chelsea? Idiot

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    Mute Luke O'Callaghan
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    Nov 26th 2013, 7:47 PM

    You mean you donโ€™t remember his goal against Chelsea a few weeks ago?

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    Mute robby rottenest
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    Nov 26th 2013, 11:12 PM

    Donโ€™t want to enter the football debate, no real knowledge.
    Also, the troll accusations, canโ€™t be entirely sure.
    But Paul, for a self proclaimed English man, youโ€™re not very good at english.

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