United front?

Posted on March 30th, 2010 | 274 Comments |

All we care about is NUFC.
All we care about is NUFC.
Level 7 was undoubtedly in fine voice last night as the natives played their own part in Newcastle’s crucial victory over promotion hopefuls, Nottingham Forest. By the time Jose Enrique scored to make it 2-0, the appropriate volume which would have been fitting for such an occasion deserted me. I was so hoarse it came out as a whisper.

Each new ditty seemed to spread further and further round the ground, and when the last goal went in, the roof lifted off to ‘Jose’ ringing around the ground. And yet one song which has become less and less popular in recent weeks is the ‘Get out of our club’ song aimed squarely at our much-maligned owner, one Mike Ashley. This isn’t yet another excuse to dredge up the past because my feeling is that for now, supporters have almost, more or less, accepted an agreement to disagree on the current incumbent. Because not once did I hear the song being aired from my lofty perch, not even a whisper of it. The closest we got was the more neutral ‘All we care about is NUFC’ song.

Perhaps it really is a case of an unspoken agreement to keep feelings in check and worry about the off-field nonsense once the last dribbles of champagne have gone flat. Maybe, it’s just a subconscious and psychological illusion we’re projecting to the opposition at a critical point in the season? Or otherwise, those that still have an axe to grind with Ashley, and there are plenty, were just too busy enjoying the moment.

Either way, it was conspicuous by it’s absence in Level 7 and the atmosphere was fitting with the knowledge there we’re almost over the finishing line. It was a celebratory mood that pervaded every corner of St James’ Park. Attentions turned to gaffer Chris Hughton on the touchline, who responded appropriately when asked for recognition from the baying thousands chanting his name.

But that ‘United’ front could be crucial in the final few games as ‘Champions’ has a much better ring to it than ‘Runners-Up’. Now is surely the time to bask in the satisfaction that we’re on course to prove the doubters wrong and perhaps enjoying the moment for what it is, isn’t such a bad thing?

Fickle? I hear faintly…

NUFCBlog Author: bowburnmag bowburnmag has written 234 articles on this blog.

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274 Responses

  1. I have to say, because we have been top for so much of the season I will be disappointed if we don’t go up as champions.

    Anyone else feel the same?

  2. Yeah I’d be a bit gutted not to go up as champions although happy enough with the fact we’re promoted (almost)

    Glad to see the FCB chanting is all but over, at the end of the day all I care about is NUFC and what happens on the pitch, we’ve had our fair share of numpty chairman with John Hall, FFS and now FCB, however which club hasn’t.. I’m sure Liverpool, Man U, Portsmouth, West Ham and many more could moan and sing about the owners/chairman (and do) but ultimately nothing has changed at any of those clubs due to chanting/marching

    Good things Ashleys done is to finally have a more manageable wage bill, a decent youth policy and seem to getting players who actually want to play for the club rather than coming for a fat paycheck!

    yeah yeah I know the bad stuff about Ashley but hey it’s all water under the bridge for me and I’m judging him from Dec this year onwards – clean slate and all that

  3. So, carry on like the last six seasons or so of medioacre, inconsistent football in the premiership or going down for one season, re-grouping and feeling like this?
    I know which one ive chose :)

  4. I would pretty much guarentee that this good will towards Mr Ashley will end and the songs and hatred will return quick sharp after a lack of summer investment and a few thrashings next season.

    The question is – Does he go or does he stay??

    Fickle is a good word indeed.

  5. Mick – It’s something I said on hear at the end of last season. Relegation would actually do us a world of good. Perhaps it has, only time will tell.

  6. Micky Toon says:
    March 30, 2010 at 2:02 pm
    Mick – It’s something I said on hear at the end of last season. Relegation would actually do us a world of good. Perhaps it has, only time will tell.

    Not if we get relegated again.

  7. Well we can’t do much worse than the 2004 – 2009 seasons where we were mediocre at best and had one of the highest wage bills and underperfoming or just plain sh!te big money signings – I’ll be happy with lower mid table and to see some rowth within the team to take us upper mid table the season after

  8. stuart79 – you must be a bundle of laughs at home – talk about glass half empty!

  9. Watched last nights game through beer goggles and having watched it again today on tv, Williamson was outstanding, the whole team played well sticking to their 442 shape against a younger 451 and i was really chuffed for Hughton.
    But then i had a gander on the Guardian football page and my feel good factor was replaced by spitting feathers at another article from the Mackem Munter, supposed to be a match report but she calls Hughton weak for not dropping Carroll? WTF has team selection got to do with her?
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/mar/29/newcastle-united-nottingham-forest-championship

  10. stevep says:
    March 30, 2010 at 2:13 pm
    stuart79 – you must be a bundle of laughs at home – talk about glass half empty!

    Actually steve I’m a very positive person in the realism of life but there hasn’t been much to be positive about regarding NUFC in the last few years – Just as you get your hopes up they get dashed.

    I’m just looking at what could happen – I don’t have my rose tinted specs on, were a few on here seem to think everything will be hunky dorey next season with just a couple of £1m signings.

  11. Captain Bob is on Sky now saying we need 2 or 3 quality PL players to give us a chance of staying up. I would agree with that assesment – But how much will they cost?

    As for Louise Taylor she shouldn’t really be making comments about Hughton considering she knows as much as us about what happened – Taylor might have hit Carroll with a golf club for all she knows.

    Club silence isn’t doing anyone any favours though – Encourages bad press like this stupid half wit.

  12. That’s an exaggeration Stuart,
    can’t think of anyone on here that’s claimed that like.

    While rose tinted gegs aren’t the order of the day, neither are shit stained ones, some where in between seems about right.
    But at least enjoy the moment.

  13. Club silence is exactly what should be happening.
    We’ve a title run in, potential legal proceedings & why should we tell the press anything, they’ll make up what they want anyway.

  14. BBB @10

    Shes a fool mate!!!

    I for one agree with keeping carroll on the pitch (give me grief if you feel the need to) however out of our other strikers who would you put in to replace him given his rich vein of form!!

    Of course i dont agree with the ALLEGED incident between Tayls and Carroll. But the club is bigger than One or two players.

  15. Probably better they write about the truth rather than bullsh1t they make up.

    There is a very real possibility that the rumours their spreading could effect his court case in April – Who wants that?

  16. That Louise Taylor gets right on my tit, she knows nothing about what happened and so takes part of Shearers comments about Carroll and twists it to make it look like he was having a dig whereas he was actually praising him – now she’s saying hughtons weak and will be sacked in the summer….jeez

    Stu – don’t think anyone thinks we can get by signing a couple of 1M players but we do need to be careful who we buy, spending 10 million plus on another Luque, Viana, Marcelino, Owen etc etc would send us down for sure

  17. Stuart79 says:

    “Actually steve I’m a very positive person”

    Wahhhhhhhh hahahhaha Woooo hooooooooo what a liar lol

  18. Afternoon Stardy, Stuart et al

    Lousie Taylor is an affront to journalism – jealous mackem cow.
    So pleased to see how delighted Hughton was yesterday and the reaction of the players to the Bull’s goal – magic.

  19. stevep says:
    March 30, 2010 at 2:36 pm

    “now she’s saying hughtons weak and will be sacked in the summer”

    Alot of the Newcastle correspondents want to see the back of Hughton, because they can’t get buggerall out of him. They want to see another manager like Joe Kinnear, Alan Shearer or Graeme Souness. They want to see the manager talking about things like “banging heads together” (as Souness did), they want dressing room leaks, expletive ridden press conferences etc etc. They just don’t get that with Hughton, and they don’t like it.

  20. I heard Loiuse Taylor will be reporting that Taylor has attcked Carroll with a golf club in a revenge attack at half time in the match last night. Sources say that is whay Carroll had to come off injured :lol:

  21. worky – Aye, Hughton never gives a free ticket to the press which should have been happening long before him. If it had then we may not have vicious hacks drooling over the next story reporting on us.

  22. Stardust says:
    March 30, 2010 at 2:36 pm
    Stuart79 says:

    “Actually steve I’m a very positive person”

    Wahhhhhhhh hahahhaha Woooo hooooooooo what a liar lol

    That’s exactly what I do when you talk about football.

    You don’t rate Taylor(Who will probably end up at an established top 7 PL club next season) and you think Carroll is a pile of crap – Where would we be without Carrolls goals this season? Probably about the same place as Middlesbrough.

    So please don’t talk about football again on here as I don’t think my sides can cope – Hilarious you are! Priceless in fact!

  23. @stuart #12 – yep. i think the lowest we can finish now is 5th, but i’d need to double check the numbers.

    win saturday with forest losing guarantees us top 2.

  24. Just watching the game now. 5 minutes left. Shola goal was instinctive, Nolan has played well, Jonas wasn’t allowed to do his usual, Williamson and Colo were solid.

  25. Looks l caught a Stueyfish. In case anyone hasnt seen one its a bit like Monkfish – but uglier and more depressed.

  26. Sho nuf nice to see “Oh! Shola Ameobi, thats what it`s all about”, back and in form, banging them in.
    Could have a twin towers forward line, two big Geordie boys Carroll and Shola, could be a handfull.

  27. I think we should apply the same logic to managers as we do to players ie players we know are no good in the PL should be replaced.

    Hughton should be replaced with a more experienced manager – I’d go for Mark Hughes – He’s proved he can work wonders on pathetically small budgets.

    Also Hughton is boring as fck too!

  28. No matter how many times I hear Sholas speak I still never quite expect him to sound as he does :lol:

  29. Stardust says:
    March 30, 2010 at 2:57 pm
    Looks l caught a Stueyfish. In case anyone hasnt seen one its a bit like Monkfish – but uglier and more depressed.

    Still no answer to my question?

    Shock… Er not really

  30. Stu – Pick your toys up mate rather than trying to get a bite out of someone else.

    Jeez, you got done by Stardust. Accept it and move on.

  31. Angeldust
    What is it?
    Cant you contribute to the blog without insulting someone.
    Or consistently arguing and deriding others opinions.
    You just jumped all over Stuart for his negativity, hey dude, check yourself out , you have to be the most negative guy on the blog.
    So how about a bit of positivity, zat possible ?

  32. Well Chuck – if I am Mr Negative – then the rest of you are in really are in trouble – and Stuart must be posting from the afterlife! Wonder if he died with an orange in his mouth – I suspect so.

    Oh and Chuck – no bite here :lol:

  33. It’s his geordie accent, Chuck. No matter how many time I hear it I still don’t expect it lol

  34. Could have a twin towers forward line, two big Geordie boys Carroll and Shola, could be a handfull.
    ———————————————–
    I suppose but we would see dreadful long ball football. It seems we are at our best this year when playing a more free flowing style, no?

    I think a good buy for next year would be a Prem proven striker with pace…then send young Nile out on loan to a championship club

  35. haha Toonsy mate I completely agree and so does my old man! It’s always hilarious to hear him talk with that accent and makes him that much more endearing in my opinion. What a legend, dead pleased he got that goal last night. Lol I was watchin it with my dad and after Shola scored he was like, ‘you know Olly, I think there are some people out there that don’t take Ameobi very seriously…’
    haha classic.

  36. I rather think we’ve had enough of “that women” and her muck-raking journalism! I’ve emailed the club and urged them to ban the women from the stadium – I suggest others do the same. Other clubs don’t put up with this sort of thing – why should we?

  37. Deb-“jealous mackem cow” made me smile whilst not searching very hard at all for something to do at work, lol. She is a complete plank however. Feel free not to hold back and keep me amused!

  38. I rather think we’ve had enough of “that woman” and her muck-raking journalism! I’ve emailed the club and urged them to ban the woman from the stadium – I suggest others do the same. Other clubs don’t put up with this sort of thing – why should we?

    Sorry about the careless plural – the comment is aimed at ONE woman – Louise Taylor.

  39. seanp – I don’t think she is one of them match-going journo’s mate.

    I think she just resides under a bridge using her yellow finger nails as a poison pen.

  40. Chuck says:
    March 30, 2010 at 3:08 pm

    Don’t have a go at Stardust, Chuck.

    Natures beat you to it mate.

  41. hi toonsy! said we could be up by the first week in april u said we hope so and you were going to the peterborough game it is going to be brill and monday it should be all over thank you to all toon fans.

  42. Aye asim, I really hope it is confirmed on Saturday for my own selfish reasons as I want to be there :D

    I am REALLY tempted to end my SJP sabatical and go Sheffield United game. I think the mrs will let me as she knows how important Newcastle United is to me and how in reality she plays second fiddle to it. Think that is why she let me follow them to every game at the end of last season.

  43. toonsy says:
    March 30, 2010 at 3:59 pm

    “I am REALLY tempted to end my SJP sabatical and go Sheffield United game. I think the mrs will let me as she knows how important Newcastle United is to me and how in reality she plays second fiddle to it. Think that is why she let me follow them to every game at the end of last season.”

    Ah! So it wasn’t some kind of principled stand after all, Toonsy. You were just banned by ‘Die Führerin’ all along! :-)

  44. If you think we won’t be playing long ball agains the likes of Aresnal or Tottenham next season, you’re mad. It’s our best chance to win! I’d put Carroll and Ameobi into the team and see how many balls we can put into the box. Maybe even a recall for Ryan Taylor.

  45. Free Scoring Smudge says:
    March 30, 2010 at 4:17 pm

    Cannot wait for next season then.

  46. worky – :lol:

    Nah, she lets me go to any games I want really but I’ve just chose to stay away and go to the away ones.

  47. toonsy says:
    March 30, 2010 at 4:21 pm

    I can see the thump print on your head toonsy!

  48. Was just gonna say Stu, thump hasn’t been anywhere near me :lol:

    See Paddy Power are paying out on us for the title already.

  49. Did anyone else actually smile at the reactions of Ashley, Owl Heed and (I assume) Ms Ashley when Enrique scored?

    The cynic in me says “so would you if your company had just shot up £100m in value” but I don’t think that was it. I think they may be seriously enjoying the footie for what it is.

    Is that daft? Anyone else think it?

  50. Whumpie – I’m pretty sure Ashley and co enjoyed it for what it was – crowd raising the roof, players united in joy – whats not to love, this is pretty much what he had in mind when he bought the club although imagine he thought he’d be celebrating winning champ leagues spot so his investment would have tripled in value :-)

  51. Whumpie says:
    March 30, 2010 at 4:42 pm

    He’s either thinking ‘I’ll make the most of this cos next year will be totally different’ or ‘Thank fck for that, I thought I was gonna lose the lot!’ or what about ‘How much will I get for Enrique now?’

  52. Agree Whumpie. I couldn’t stop smiling at everyone’s reactions, it was so good to see.

  53. I hope ashley puts his money in the team or he is going to get rid!collison would be a good signing for us from west ham if we good get him on the cheap get in before others as are season starts next week were we can get ahead of others and start testing the waters for these players tap them up.

  54. Although I think that Forest could well lose on Saturday football does have a habit of spoiling the best laid plans.

    It wouldn’t suprise at all if Forest win their next two games and we don’t beat Peterborugh just to drag the whole thing on a little longer.

    Ideally I would like us to win on Saturday and so to Forest, that way if we win on Monday we get promoted having doing it ourselves. Think it will make for a better atmosphere.

    Although don’t get me wrong I wouldn’t say no to Forest losing and us winning on Saturday.

  55. geordie deb says:
    March 30, 2010 at 4:57 pm
    Agree Whumpie. I couldn’t stop smiling at everyone’s reactions, it was so good to see.

    Who was it who did the Superman/Klinsman on the ptich from our dug out? I couldn’t see, I thought it was Hughton but then took hold of my senses.

  56. Free Scoring Smudge

    So your solution to competing with Arsenal and Tottenham is to play Ryan Taylor on the wing?

  57. I saw a chair went over in the dug out.

    Also, hopefully that stupid yellow card rule will be reversed now.

    Frankly, if I looked like that with my shirt off, I’d never put one on! I’d insist on just being painted in black and white stripes before each match.

    If he scores again and does that at Plymouth, my wife may suddenly take a keen interest in attending more games!

  58. @MDS

    I just meant to expect long ball tactics, which does suit Taylor better; he does have great delivery. Unfortunately he can’t run whatsoever.

    Routledge has suprised me with his crossing, the one that led to the Carroll volley was fantastic. I think he’ll do well on the wing in the premiership.

  59. 4 Whumpie says:
    March 30, 2010 at 5:15 pm
    I saw a chair went over in the dug out.

    I noticed those chairs last night , what happened to those big black leather chairs?

  60. @Free Scoring Smudge

    I didn’t mean that they would be able to kick circles around Prem clubs but think we will need a more varied attack then simply long ball. Routledge has been a very pleasant surprise but think we will need a bit of depth on the wings and would prefer a new face or two than anyone on the current squad. Would love to see us add a pacey striker as well but I don’t think we will be too aggressive with transfers this summer.

  61. Jose has found his level in the CCC. Too bad Smudger hasn’t found his level yet, as we’d have to get back into the Champions League before he’ll start banging them in. Then will Smudge get some doggystyle love? Errr, dogpile

  62. @ MDS

    Carlton Cole maybe? We need to be careful not to add any profiligate strikers just because they have the pace. Martins was my favorite Magpie once upon a time, but really didn’t bring anything to team play.

  63. Oh yah, Dragonera? I have more observations from yesterdays game:

    Carroll showed some good skill on the ball, looking like a less attractive Viduka out there

    Hughton must have mandated either Simpson or Routledge grow a mohawk so he could figure out which one to yell at to get back

    Harper clear MOTM IMO

    Speaking of Viduka like players, was Mark wearing Nolan’s shirt, then switched to Ameobi’s with a few minutes left?

    If Smudger played we woulda won by at least 5 or 6 to nill

  64. Dragonera,

    What’s wrong with Carlton Cole like?

    He’s been pretty impressive for West Ham in the last 2 years.

    He’ll be better than anything we have – He’s proven at least.

    Not saying he’d be my first choice but I don’t think we’ll be shopping at a better shop than the one he is in.

  65. jose but sorry free scoring smudge wouldnt swop any left back in the world for him. if he keeps his form up then barca or madrid will come calling and i wouldnt call him for going. long balls who cares they would be good in the prem if we can find the players in this league to get the ball too are big andy carrol and they would not be able to cope as most goals in the prem are scored from set plays and knock downs.

  66. If we recieve a bid for Enrique that gives us a profit on what we paid he will be gone – FACT.

    That would fit in with the clubs business plan so nobody can say the club wouldn’t sell him.

  67. Stuart

    I’m not saying Cole isn’t a good player. I am more douibting our ability to attract such a player. He will go to a top 8 side if he leaves West Hame

  68. Asim –

    The Jose thing was sarcastic, he’s one of five players I am sure will fare well next season in the premier league:
    Jose
    Routledge
    Carroll
    Harper
    Williamson

    Not the Colo convert many on this blog seem to be. I just don’t think he has the pace, and he left Blackstock completely unmarked a few yards in front of goal yesterday.

  69. That’s why I am not looking forward to the short term future – If we cannot get players like that we’ve not got much to look forward to in the foreseeable.

  70. Lads did anyone hear Jose saying that Jonas was stuffing grass into his mouth lol when I heard him I watched it again and you can see jonas just before he lets him up. Re MA I think he was happy for the right reasons not personal ones.
    Well Toonsy did you enjoy playing with your cars while I was watching the best part of the game ye ha

  71. “Lads did anyone hear Jose saying that Jonas was stuffing grass into his mouth”

    These South Americans will try anyway of smuggling drugs :lol:

    Aye Dave, my cars were fine, Wales was fine. I can take missing last night, I’ll make up for it at London Road Saturday.

    Much colouring in done today, Dave?

  72. Stu79 – yup I’d take Carlton Cole or Darren Bent if he fancies playing for a proper team :-)

    Think we’ll pay some players 60k a week, just not all of them as per the last few seasons
    Butt and Hall will be off come the summer which leaves two squad places available, pretty sure we’ll offload a couple of others who just aren’t up to it – I know he played really well for us early season and I really like his attitude but don’t think he can cut it anymore……….smudger anyone?

  73. STuart

    I see your point, but that’s not necessarily true. Birmingham City have no players that are the same quality as Cole, but they have fared pretty well. It is all about smart buys. We aren’t in a position to buy well known, good quality premiership performers, so we will simply have to take a more shrewd approach and hope for the best. There is a very large slice of luck involved in signing players as i am sure you know. You just never know how well they are going to do for your team.

  74. imo one of the 3 imports will go in summer in wage cut back,jonas,jose, collo,my moneys on collo :(

  75. stevep – Agreed. Smith doesn’t justify his wages. If he was on say 20k a week then maybe keep him as a squad player but the 60k a week he is now is wasted money.

  76. @icedog – selling collo prob depends on if stevie taylor signs a contract extension otherwise we’ll sell him due to his current contact running out in just over a year

  77. dont worry we have good players. need a right back central midfield and a striker the rest is good team. we can only add players in that area we then would move forward season by season we got to be able walk before we can run.we are not going to get to many players look at man city they spent 200 mil and cant even win the league.if ashley has spent 20-30 mil too keep us a float then he is either going to get rid or spent some money which would move us forward thats what we wont not backwards.

  78. Toonsy a Koi Fish that I coloured in and a Liverpool badge that was allready traced out for me ;)

    Stevep I dont know about 60k but I dont think Ma is stupid he knows you get what you pay for so I thing the wage cap think was bullshit, i’m sure if the right player comes along Ma will buy him and pay him a decent wage. Dont know about Smudger I like him and I think he would like to stay but I think the CCC is his place

  79. Stuart79 says:

    “Actually steve I’m a very positive person”

    Now read

    ” Stuart79 says:
    March 30, 2010 at 6:19 pm
    That’s why I am not looking forward to the short term future – If we cannot get players like that we’ve not got much to look forward to in the foreseeable.”

    Wahhhhhhh hahahahahah Wooooo hooooooooo what a sad loser you are Stuart – the most downbeat man in the world has just been caught showing the world what he is.. Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

    Positive ? Optimist? wahhhhhhhhhhhhh hoooooooooooooooo

  80. SteveP

    I wouldn’t mind seeing Smith go in favour of a player who is actually a real DM, but then again, I wouldn’t mind too much if he stays. I would sooner get shot of Nolan, who would fetch us a pretty penny. I just don’t think he can cope with the pace of the Prem.

    I wouldn’t mind seeing the back of Smith, Nolan, Ameobi, Butt, or R.Taylor. I don’t really want Steven Taylor to leave, but if he does it won’t be the end of the world. Williamson and Colo are a better partnership imo and we could always fetch in the pacey and versatile Perch from Forest, who looks a proper player. Perch would cost a couple of million, Taylor would fetch at least 7million. I can see that materialising in fact

  81. Dragonera says:
    March 30, 2010 at 6:26 pm

    That is in an ideal world.

    If it was that easy to be shrewd and get good, young players everybody would be doing it.

    stevep says:
    March 30, 2010 at 6:25 pm
    Stu79 – yup I’d take Carlton Cole or Darren Bent if he fancies playing for a proper team

    We couldn’t buy Darren Bent in our dreams – That is the sad situation were in now. Mackems are a million miles ahead of us and that gap should get bigger if Bruce spends the money he’s being given wisely.

    Sad but there you go.

  82. Look at Sunderland’s buy of Darren Bent last summer — they were a bottom half club before they got him, and they’d surely be relegated without his goals. Why couldn’t we get Cole?

    Smudger could be gone in the summer, but Butt almost surely will be out and we’ll need the depth.

  83. stevep,never looked at contract side of things,will go for collo like,as we have a bit of cover there think it was hard on young lad who missed out last night,but needs must m8

  84. Dragonera says:
    March 30, 2010 at 6:33 pm

    Would we really get £7m for Taylor given he’s entering the last year of his contract?

  85. I think ths whole Perch hyping up is a bit premature. According to some Forest fans it is the best game they have ever seen him play and I’ve only seen him play the one time.

  86. Stuart79

    “If it was that easy to be shrewd and get good, young players everybody would be doing it.”

    Which is exactly why i said there is a large slice of luck involved when signing players. Idiot pundits like to kid themselves with their repeated drivel i.e. “they need proven premiership players” and “there aren’t enough players with premiership experience in their side”. However, these idiots prove year in and year out that they know naff all regardless of having good careers as players. The sad truth is that there is no handbook or guide to getting good players. Some managers and scouts just have a good nack for it. So far, Hughton hasn’t done too bad.

  87. Free Scoring Smudge says:
    March 30, 2010 at 6:34 pm

    Mackems paid £12m for Bent – A reconised PL quality striker – Without him they would have been relegated.

    Where does that leave us next year?

    I don’t personally think we’ll be spending anything like that on a striker – A striker that will score goals and keep us up.

  88. Toonsy

    I see where you are coming from with Perch, i haven’t seen much of him either. However, surely the glimpses shown of his ability yesterday suggest he would at least be a good squad player. He is strong, fast, read the game well and isn’t afraid to go in for a tackle.

  89. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Smith and Barton gone at season’s end and replaced by younger cheaper players.

  90. Toonsy the only badges I have refused to do is Manures and a Celtic badge once cause the Guy was a knobhead.

    Lads I dont think we will see our side being weakened by selling our good players but I think we will see the back of some old deadwood.

  91. Not sure we can sell Nolan, I know he doesn’t offer much as far as pace, but I think he brings an important veteran voice to the club. He seems responsible for the much improved team spirit, something we need to maintain if we want to have a year like Birmingham City next year.

  92. Stuart

    I think we could get at least 7million for him if the likes of Villa or City come in for him as a replacement for Dunne or Toure. As long as we don’t make any idiotic comments like, “we have to sell to buy” a la Kinnear

  93. Dragonera says:
    March 30, 2010 at 6:39 pm

    Don’t agree, sorry.

    If you want a good team you need good players, they cost money. No team have ever won anything without buying good players – Not in this era anyway.

    You said you need a bit of luck ect in the transfer market but you cannot rely on luck with all your signings – If you have a good manager they won’t waste money – If they spend decent money on a player their generally good players.

    A club can get away with getting the good, young players to supplement the quality they already have but you cannot rely on them – As you say there’s too much luck involved.

  94. Spyro – I’d be more inclined to say Perch’s performance last perhaps warrants another look at him before making any decision.

  95. Free Scoring Smudge

    Suppose you have a point there about Nolan.

    How could i forget about Barton!? He is another i would like to see the back of.

  96. Dragonera says:
    March 30, 2010 at 6:44 pm
    Stuart

    I think we could get at least 7million for him if the likes of Villa or City come in for him as a replacement for Dunne or Toure. As long as we don’t make any idiotic comments like, “we have to sell to buy” a la Kinnear

    I think City might have bigger fish to fry than Taylor to be honest.

    As for Villa, Dunne’s had a great season and he’s only just signed so I don’t see them replacing him yet.

    I think £7m is a lot for a player out of contract in 1 years time.

    The only way we would get £7m for him is if Souness or Kinnear get back into the game and want to buy him.

  97. Toonsy

    Maybe you are right. I was just sort of coupling last nights performance with Hughton’s initial interest in him in January.

  98. were does that leave any1 stuart79! tell me how many teams that have a striker who as scored 20 plus goals 4 teams in the prem rooney-tevaz-drog the dog and who else my be torres. so scoring goals as a team is most imporant you cant relay on just them.

  99. Stuart

    Yes, but Surely O’Neil will be on the lookout for a young English centre half to come in and learn from both the aging Collins and Dunne before they do start to decline?

  100. big dave,my son is burning my ear hes just finished a 18hr job on tat,ask dave can he do polynesian/mouri,as he says there hopeless here,and loves them even drew his own dis

  101. It seemed last year everyone was all over Stevie T for his remarkably poor marking and positional sense. I prefer Williamson at CB over Taylor.

  102. I can’t see anyone at the club being willing to break up the ‘three amigos’, Colo, Jonas and the Bull. It was obvious in the aftermath of Enriques goal that they have a particular bond that, if it were broken, would probably see all three leave the club in quick succession. Everyone at the club must be able to see that that would be a disaster.

    We’ve built our championship challenge on essentially the back four that played yesterday plus Taylor and to a lesser degree Kadar. I really don’t see how the club can break it up, I would see them being more likely to try and strengthen it, particularly at full-back.

    If Colo’s wage is such an issue, I can see other players being let go in order to keep the overall wage bill down. Smith and Barton are the obvious candidates in my eyes.

    The one player in defence that I do see leaving however, is Steven Taylor. For all the chest beating and rhetoric I’m not sure his heart has been here for a couple of seasons now. I suspect he tried to get out when Allardyce was here (who didn’t), but Keegans arrival scuppered that ‘cos Keegan seemed to rate him so sorted out a better deal for Taylor.

    Lets get promoted first (as champions?) and then worry about it. Better to just enjoy the moment.

  103. Stuart79 says:
    March 30, 2010 at 6:44 pm

    “No team have ever won anything without buying good players – Not in this era anyway.”

    LOL Stuart. Best one in a while from you.

  104. Stuart79 says:
    March 30, 2010 at 6:44 pm

    “If you want a good team you need good players, they cost money. No team have ever won anything without buying good players – Not in this era anyway.”

    Stu, just what are we winning next year? Are we planning a cheeky title challenge or planning to stop in the league as a priority?

  105. Smudger @ 127: I prefer Williamson at CB over Taylor.

    Me too. He was immense yesterday, even with a broken hand.

  106. Stuart

    “If you want a good team you need good players, they cost money. No team have ever won anything without buying good players – Not in this era anyway.”

    Well if that’s the case then so be it. however, we need to be looking at the immediate future, which is about survival and then progression. We aren’t aiming for silverware just yet so we don’t need to build our squad as if we doing so. I think that is a problem with many NUFC fans, too much is often expected too quick. We can’t just skip to signing good, well known players just yet. We need to slowly build the team with smart, shrewd buys.

  107. starkadder,theres also butt imo one will still go,ash wont pay for a couple good signings with at least 4 big earners still there and lets be honest which club will take JB on big money with his history sad but true

  108. asim says:
    March 30, 2010 at 6:49 pm

    Who mentioned 20 goals a season?

    Teams who go up and struggle don’t score enough goals – Do the maths.

    The chances are we will be out spent next season by Stoke, Blackburn, Wigan, Villa, Bolton, Everton, Sunderland and Birmingham – How can that be?

    Our finances are supposed to be in great nick, our turnover will be in excess of £100m yet all I’m hearing is that the club won’t be spending too much money.

    If these clubs do invest more heavily than us the gap is just going to get bigger and bigger and bigger!

    I don’t want to hear ‘you don’t have to spend money to do anything in the PL’ because you do.

    History tells us you do – Birmingham and Stoke are 2 out of about 20 clubs that have been promoted in the last few years – The odds are stacked against the low spenders.

    Now I would be happy with an outlay of £20-£30m and I don’t think that is unreasonable either given our supposedly financial strength.

    I’m sure many will disagree but them are my thoughts.

    Either way it’s going to be an interesting summer and a more interesting season.

  109. For all of the progress we have made this year addressing the lob sided balance of the team, i can still see the same fundamental weaknesses. A team that struggles to maintain possession, cope with clever movement and pace. IMO These issues can be addressed if we sign a proper DM that can properly protect the back four, and sign a tidy AM that can dictate the pace of the game.

  110. Stu79 – I don’t think Sunderland are that far ahead of us, take away Bent and they are sh!te, really glad that spurs geezer turned us down for them as he’s been worse than useless for them – I don’t think I’d swap any of their players for ours bar bent for ameobi maybe :-)

    agreed we need to spend decent money but need to ensure we buy quality instead of the cack bought in the FFS days (and early ashley days i.e. xisco)

  111. stevep,aye and k.jones seems to be working his ticket to be away,i will be happy to finish 14-15 next year then kick on imo,creep before walking

  112. Stuart IMO we are not looking to win owt next year survival is the no1 then built from there no ?

    Icedog I dont do much Polynesian or Maori stuff as I find it hard to design as it is personally designed for the client mostly based on your family history. Japanese stuff is what I love

  113. Free Scoring Smudge says:
    March 30, 2010 at 6:44 pm
    Not sure we can sell Nolan, I know he doesn’t offer much as far as pace, but I think he brings an important veteran voice to the club
    —————————————–
    Agree 100%. Nolan does seem to be a leader and maybe “the” leader of the squad.

    Getting rid of Smith might be a bit harsh considering all he’s done for the club this year but his wages are simply out of sorts for what we should be doing now. i like Barton’s ability but he makes too much for a player that is a)always iinjured; and 2) a powder keg taht is always one decision away from suspension.

    If I had to predict, I would say Smith, Barton and Butt are gone with maybe 4-5 players in on fees or loans, and a couple of our youngsters loaned out.

  114. stevep says:
    March 30, 2010 at 7:01 pm

    I’d take Turner, Cattermole, Hutton, Jones, Reid, Ferdinand and Malbranque to name but a few.

    But don’t forget that they will be spending a fair bit more money in the summer too.

  115. Dragonera and Toonsy are right Stuart. The only thing we should be aiming for next season is survival.

    Yes, I’m sure players will come and go, but I wouldn’t expect wholesale changes unless lots of our current players demand a move away and I cannot even see that. I suspect that a lot of the players we’ve seen this season will still be here next year.

    We do need to strengthen, right throughout the squad because we don’t have particularly good depth. We need cover for the Lovenkrands role, we need someone with a bit more guile and pace in centre midfield and we desparately need cover for our full-backs.

    But we don’t need to buy the cream of the crop just yet. They come with high transfer prices and high salary demands which may well be more detrimental to the squad as a whole.

    We need to exercise patience, both as a club and as supporters and let the team gradually step up the league with relative success. That success should bring additional income and so allow us to buy the type of players who do stand out.

    They may even want to come to us for footballing reasons if we get it right, not just for a fat wedge.

  116. Icedog. I’ve got a disturbing feeling that Butt will get a one year extension. It’s like an erupting ulcer in my stomach, but it’s there!

  117. Stuart

    “Birmingham and Stoke are 2 out of about 20 clubs that have been promoted in the last few years – The odds are stacked against the low spenders.”

    They are proof that its not the amount you spend, but the way in which you spend it. Its all about getting the right balance to the side and addressing the deficiencies. Im sorry, but whether you spend 10million or 25million it will not make a difference if the acquisitions aren’t what’s needed.

  118. big dave,cheers bud will pass it on,hope he struggles to find for a while,wants ankle to hip done,guess whos paying ME

  119. Big Dave says:
    March 30, 2010 at 7:06 pm

    It’s all relevant. To stay up we need to spend decent money, to win things your looking at double that outlay and more.

    Look at Villa, they have spent a small fortune and are probably only going to finish 7/8th.

    I don’t want us to ‘just try and stay up’. We should have the facility to attract and buy better players than most of the other clubs – Do you thnk we will do that?

  120. Big Dave says:
    March 30, 2010 at 7:06 pm

    “Japanese stuff is what I love”

    Like Bukkake? :lol:

  121. Stu, so you want us back in the top 6 straight off next season?

    That would cost a fortune, but then it would alse be a throw back to the days where we spent beyond our means.

    Lets get some money into the club first like.

  122. Regards bloggers saying get shot of Butt, Smith, Barton etc who is going to take them though, I think Butts contract might be nearly over but I cant see many wanting Smith or Barton but I think Joey could be a good one to keep ;)

  123. Starkadder says:
    March 30, 2010 at 7:06 pm

    Who’s talking cream of the crop?

    Average PL players cost a fair bit of money.

    What could you get for £15m these days?

    Dragonera says:
    March 30, 2010 at 7:08 pm

    Like I said they are the exception not the rule. Although I think you’ll find that both them teams have spent more money in the thier first season that we will spend.

  124. I think we should all fall immediately back into the arrogance of expecting we should win everything next season,
    much in the same way that got us here in the first place.

    Just for a laugh.
    :)

  125. toonsy says:
    March 30, 2010 at 7:14 pm
    Stu, so you want us back in the top 6 straight off next season?

    That would cost a fortune, but then it would alse be a throw back to the days where we spent beyond our means.

    Lets get some money into the club first like.

    No, I think people are midding my point.

    The only way to get into the top6 fast is to spend serious cahs – Spurs, City and Villa are evidence of this.

    But just to give yourself a good chance of staying up you need to spend decent money – £20m at least – I just don’t think we’ll do that.

    People on here are seriously deluded and blinded buy the fact were playing in such a poor league it’s beyond believe.

    IMHO We need more improvements to the side that people realise.

  126. Aye,
    let’s sell our ‘dead wood’ for peanuts & bring in ‘world beaters’ for zillions.

    & let’s break up all semblance of a team that has learned to be a team & take a massive risk on building another one in the off season.
    Top plan.

  127. Well, I guess it’s all about opinions. Calling people deluded as they may have differing opinions to yourself is a bit childish though.

  128. Can anyone smell coffee?

    No I thought not – Not with the majority on here anyway.

  129. Stuart I am not a fan of MAs but I dont think him giving CH £20m for the right players is out of the question. I just dont see why you cant wait till the transfer window to see what happens first rather than expect the worse mate.

  130. I agree with keeping the core of the team around with a couple of smart buys. Couldn’t we spend on one difference maker though? I keep coming back to Carlton Cole, seeing as:
    1) West ham likely winning the championship next season (with Dyer TEARING it up)
    2) He’s got size, decent pace, and can score the odd excellent goal
    3) Not too ridiculously expensive

  131. Stuart79 says:
    March 30, 2010 at 7:02 pm
    workyticket says:
    March 30, 2010 at 6:52 pm

    “What’s ya point?”

    It was self contradictory in an amusing way, Stuart.

    “No team have ever won anything without buying good players – Not in this era anyway.”

  132. I personally think MA has done not a lot wrong. There has been a great deal of overreaction to things he has done.

  133. I agree Stuart there are some very average premier league players who have got £15m transfer tags round their necks.

    But I’d much rather spend my £15 of half a dozen real finds, like Williamson, than all of it on one player who just didn’t fit in, either on the pitch or in the dressing room.

    Don’t worry Stuart, I’m not so naive as to expect that we can find another 6 bargins like Williamson. We will find a couple of cheapies and also pay the going rate for a couple of players. All I ask is that we don’t pay over the odds, and if we do pay a lot of money, we make sure the player fits the entire club structure and doesn’t upset the apple cart.

    The future is about so much more than next season. We have to make sure that our next steps set us up for a relatively successful long term future and that is not going to happen overnight.

    Just look at Man City as an example. All the money they have spent just to get a Europa League place. It’s going to take any team, not neccessarily Newcastle a long time to break into the current top 4 and perhaps even the top seven.

    Once upon a time we were only fighting Man U, Liverpool and a couple of London clubs for players. Now we have to contend with Man C, Everton and Villa and right now, they have the advantage. It will take us several years to get to their level and lose the stigma that is attached to us due to the manner in which we went through our relegation season.

    The first transfer we should make in the close season is to get in a proven Managing Director. Now that is one position I would bust the bank to fill successfully.

  134. toonsy@155,aye some even think they can play with cars and even colouring in,oh well takes all sorts i surpose ;)

  135. How about Steven Fletcher from Burnley. They are likely to go down and he has scored goals for them and we would create more chances than Burnley which would give him more of a chance.

  136. Free Scoring Smudge I would like to see Dyer do well he has been through a lot. and before I get jumped on I know he shit on SBR once but he knows it aswell and I think he regrets it and everyone makes mistakes in life.

  137. Big Dave – You know my feelings on Dyer, but I respect you have yours and wouldn’t jump you for airing them :)

  138. I can realistically see 10-12M made available- assuming we don’t sell anyone. That could get you 3 decent up and coming players from either the CCC or another country. then supplemenat with loaners from the top 6.

    I wouldn’t mind seeing the back of Smith but as Big Dave mentions, I’m not sure how you could swing it. I’m torn on Barton. He’s never fit and is paid too much, but he is quality when healthy and am not sure if there would be anyt akers until he proves to be both healthy and settled.

  139. Big Dave says:
    March 30, 2010 at 7:27 pm
    Stuart I am not a fan of MAs but I dont think him giving CH £20m for the right players is out of the question. I just dont see why you cant wait till the transfer window to see what happens first rather than expect the worse mate.

    Experience Dave – You not remember the last two years?

    One swallow doesn’t make a summer.

    workyticket says:
    March 30, 2010 at 7:31 pm

    It’s a reflection on todays game Worky. It’s all about money – Average players cost a fortune and get paid ridiculous wages and great players get paid astonomical wages.

    In the past the game wasn’t about money, it was about pride, local communities and enjoyment.

  140. Stuart

    “Although I think you’ll find that both them teams have spent more money in the their first season than we will spend.”

    Not being funny mate, but how can you start a sentence with “I think you will find…” and then end it with complete speculation?

    Anyway, Everton are a prime example of a side initially built from relatively little.

  141. Dragonera,

    When Moyes went to Everton the world was a different place – PL revenues weren’t half of what they are now, hence clubs didn’t spend as much to keep themselves in the league.

    Although Everton were an established PL club when Moyes took over, he was given very little spend and they nearly got relegated.

  142. Toonsy your so kind :lol: ;)

    Mds maybe if BSA is still with B’burn we could persuade him But as I think it was the “Right Hon Toonsy” said if they weren’t on such big wages they would be decent back-ups, I know a while back I read that Smith was willing to take a wage cut for an extension to his contract ? and as I said I think Barton could be a good-un if he can stay out of trouble and stay fit. I also think Nolan could be a good-un to keep if he sheds a few pounds and works out a bit more ;)

  143. Big Dave/ Toonsy. I must admit I’m a bit torn about Dyer.

    On the one hand you remember all the injuries, his refusing to play out of position at Boro, the on field bout against Bowyer and also his disco dance on the post in europe and you do think waste of space.

    But then I remember some of the other stuff, his goal against Everton when he flicked it over the defender and the keeper, his obvious distress when he found out about Sir Bobby’s death in a TV ambush, erm, I mean TV interview.

    I think he could have been so much more for us, but unfortunately his injuries were perhaps the most telling blight on his Newcastle career. I also think that his place among the ‘young guns’ didn’t help him too much.

    I have no doubt that he was a good player, To be a great player he needed a stonger guiding influence and he obviously didn’t get it. Successive managers, team captains and team mates have to take their share of the responsibility for that.

  144. I know, let’s overpay for top 4 castoffs! (Duff, Owen, Parker). Then we’ll add some ridiculously expensive and unproven foreigners cause it takes money to survive at the top level.

  145. Stuart im not running you down mate your entitled to your opinion and I can understand where your coming from. But i’m sure MA remembers the last 2 yrs aswell and I would like to think he has learnt alot of valuable lessons

  146. starkadder,see what your saying,but at the end of the day your fate is your own responsibity to a large degree

  147. Stu79 – you’re having a laugh
    “Turner, Cattermole, Hutton, Jones, Reid, Ferdinand and Malbranque ”

    we already have as good as this lot if not better, ferdinand is a liability, malbranques legs have gone (Harry hotspur quote) Jones looks like he was a one season wonder, Cattermoles just a thug in a football strip and the others are just cr@p, without Bent they would be relegated for sure.

    I thought you said you wanted to improve the toon not get them relegated for certain

  148. agree about Moyes, took him a while to get it right and no doubt if he’d been in that position today he would have been sacked

  149. stevep, I’d take Cattermole, decent player. At least he’ll only be injuring other clubs’ players.

  150. Icedog, I think in the end Dyer (and to a lesser degree, Ameobi, Bramble, Jenas and others) began to believe their own hype.

    That period of time, under Robson, promised so much and yet degenerated ultimately into what we experienced at the end of last season.

    That’s what happens when everyone around you does nothing but tell you how wonderful you are and how you can do no wrong and no-one else can do anything right. And once it’s backed-up by an infrastructure of hangers on, whose own inflated status depends upon your own, you end up in a bubble, divorced from reality. When reality finally does strike, your stranded and ill prepared to deal with whatever floors you.

    I think that is largely what happened to Dyer.

    Just my opinion, and I think you are right that you should be eble to exercise a degree of self control. But the environment that most professional athletes exist in, and in particular premier league footballers, does not lend itself to that.

  151. I think we have the base of really good squad and nobody can convince me otherwise ,

    Yes the squad has to be improved and it is going to take time for us to compete for a europen spot like before, but the club need time to re-build , how long did it take Sir Bobby to get us back up the right end of the table?

  152. starkadder,aye m8 with you on that,(they) live in a diff world to us cash paying fans :(

  153. @Starkadder – pretty much spot on – modern footballers are mollycoddled from a very young age, so much so that they rarely know anything about the real world and live in a bubble surrounded by people who continuously tell them how great they are.
    If they haven’t got a close knit family or someone keeping them in check throughout thier lives they invariably end up a complete t0sser

  154. Stuart79 says:
    March 30, 2010 at 7:42 pm

    “Average players cost a fortune and get paid ridiculous wages and great players get paid astonomical wages.”

    That’s the way it should be, Stuart. No players in the Premier League are “average”, and we go to see them and the manager. If they are the ones who entertain and exhilerate. If they are the ones who pull people in and win the prizes, if they are the ones who generate the huge amounts of revenue from TV companies and fans and prize money, it is only right that they should see their fair share of it in return. A very small amount of footballers, film actors, musicians etc may seem to be very wealthy by conventional standards, but their fortunes are nearly always very small in comparison to the people who leech from their talent.

  155. Well villa are already in decline, anyone see the conjecture on ssn today about having to sell to buy & MO’N not a happy bunny? Saying he may even leave.
    Spuds have already, months ago, put out the same spiel.
    everton are doing ok cos they have had a long term manager & therefore continuity.

  156. workyticket says:
    March 30, 2010 at 8:22 pm

    I’m not arguing the fact that people who entertain us should be well paid, but my point is the gap between the entertained and the entertainers have grown substantially.

    In the past footballers ues to travel to games on the bus and were part of the community. Now they think their on a duifferent planet and forget who it is that make them so wealthy – Although their wealth really is off no real issue for me, I was purely pointing out that it’s about money nowadays.

    Although I really have to disagree with you on there being no average players in the PL!

    Bolton, Stoke, Wigan, Hull, Portsmouth, Burnley, Blackburn and Stoke are littered with ridiculously average players.

    Cannot believe you made that comment to be honest.

  157. Personally what I find so annoying is that the vast majority of them start of no different to you and me, and are certainly no better than you and me, but I find that the cult of celebrity that supports them and grants them their lavish lives is morally corrupt mainly because people like you and I support it, as if we are living out our fantasies through them. It’s self perpetuating.

    These are no more important than a nurse or doctor, a teacher, a member of the armed or emergency services or even a street sweeper. No offence to street sweepers the world over.

    I’ve never heard a professional sportsman say ‘I hate my sport, I wish I could go and be an aid worker for Unicef but I can’t afford to do it’. However I’ve lost count of the number of people who’ve said to me ‘I hate my job, but I need to pay the mortgage’.

    Rant over, and probably a thread for a completely different blog.

  158. Stuart79 says:
    March 30, 2010 at 8:30 pm
    workyticket says:
    March 30, 2010 at 8:22 pm

    “I’m not arguing the fact that people who entertain us should be well paid, but my point is the gap between the entertained and the entertainers have grown substantially.

    In the past footballers ues to travel to games on the bus and were part of the community. Now they think their on a duifferent planet and forget who it is that make them so wealthy – Although their wealth really is off no real issue for me, I was purely pointing out that it’s about money nowadays.

    Although I really have to disagree with you on there being no average players in the PL!

    Bolton, Stoke, Wigan, Hull, Portsmouth, Burnley, Blackburn and Stoke are littered with ridiculously average players.”

    Stuart, if that is the case, then doesn’t it damage your argument about us having to invest large sums in big name players just to survive in the Premiership? As teams like Bolton, Stoke, Blackburn, Wigan, Portsmouth (until now) Hull (just, and perhaps not for much longer) seem to have managed with squads which are much the same as ours is now.

  159. Starkadder says:
    March 30, 2010 at 8:33 pm

    “Personally what I find so annoying is that the vast majority of them start of no different to you and me, and are certainly no better than you and me”

    They are better at football though.

  160. TICKETS FOR MONDAY MAY PROVE DIFFICULT TO GET:

    The on-line ticket sales for Monday’s game keeps on crashing due to high demand. I suggest that anybody wanting a seat legs it to the ticket office tomorrow. The buggers hardly ever answer the phone…

  161. Worky, is it not about expectation?

    People in Hull don’t expect their team to spend big and win the league. They want them to, just as much as we do I would expect, but they know it’s not going to happen because they haven’t got the money and they can’t attract the players. I suspect it’s the same at the other clubs listed.

    So when it comes to survival they follow a prudent route, which is what I suspect we will do for a couple of seasons. It’s not what I want for my club. I would imagine that it might not be what Ashley wants for his club either, I’m sure he’d love to win the premier league title next season.

    Of course Portsmouth also prove that when you overstep the mark, it’s a long way down. But we knew that already.

  162. worky at 196: LOL

    I missed that flaw in my argument.

    3/10, must try harder and not let my emotions run away with me.

  163. Starkadder says:
    March 30, 2010 at 8:46 pm

    “Worky, is it not about expectation?”

    Unrealistic expectations and impatience from top to bottom in our case, Starkadder.

  164. workyticket says:
    March 30, 2010 at 8:40 pm

    Do you not read all the comments I have posted Worky?

    When have I said we need to invest large sums of money to survive? We need to spend £20m minimum to give us a good chance.

    Also I think I have said that average players cost a lot of money now. The clubs I mentioned have spend a decent amount of money – On average players.

    I’m not too sure the point you’re trying to make.

    Also to everyone else – I don’t expect us to go and spend £70m to get us in the top six – That is how much it would need realistically.

    I want us to spent £20m minimum – Giving us a better chance than the other teams of staying up.

  165. The price of players is coming down, what with the global financial F*** up ‘n all.
    Just look to the last window & the drop in expenditure between that & the one before.
    So we could be seeing a marked drop, to a more realistic price for players, particularly ‘average’ prem players.
    All clubs will be claiming ‘poverty’ to agents & cutting them out altogether, where possible.
    The bubble has burst.

    Current affairs n’ all that.

  166. Stuart as I said I dont think £20m is an unrealistic amount to expect considering how much money we will be getting just for being in the prem. I also think £20m would be a good investment for MA to start putting right some of the heartache that the club has been put through.

  167. Clint I think you might be right there. I expect we should be able to pick up a few decent player for decent money of some of the clubs that have to cut costs

  168. Agreed Dave.

    Also I think Bayern Munich fans will be thinking of Karma at this moment in time.

    Rooney looks like he’s injured an’ll – Probaboy his metatarsal and that’ll be him out of the world cup.

  169. Big Dave says:
    March 30, 2010 at 9:38 pm

    Again I would agree, but the noise coming out of the club is that there will be next to nothin available for Hughton.

    I mean I hope we do get £20m to spend but do you think Hughton will get that much without having to sell first?

  170. It’s not about money spent though , is it?
    It’s about the player brought in.
    Do they wanna be here,
    do they fit,
    do we need them?

    Spending a prescribed amount will ensure nothing but expectations & not necessarily great expectations.

  171. Stuart79 says:
    March 30, 2010 at 7:02 pm
    workyticket says:
    March 30, 2010 at 6:52 pm

    What’s ya point?
    <<<< his point is ur a complete arseole and every 1 can see it ,you change your mind more than the weather changes

  172. Could be, hey Dave?
    Football is having to get with the idea of change again, this time from the other direction.

    Shares can go down as well as up etc.

  173. Fair play to Bayern for going till the end and nicking a winner, man u looked rubbish at the back. I will however, be gutted if that injury to Rooney is a serious one.

  174. CLiNT FLiCK says:
    March 30, 2010 at 9:41 pm

    I think it’s more to do with WHO’S spending that money. We have given a lot of money to some bad managers.

    But it’s really difficult to get good players for next to nothing. It has to be or every club in the owrld would do it.

    It takes years to get a scouting network to achieve something like that – Arsenal had to spend decent money originally to get into a position to give Wenger time to get his scouting network into action.

  175. Or:

    Managers the world over, laughingly think, if i throw loads of cash at it, some of it will stick.

    I agree we’ve given way too much cash to bad managers in the past. Mail that to FFS.

    The way things are now mean that managers have to be far more shrewd & not just pay top whack for players they hope will adapt immediately. They are gonna have to learn, fast, how to build a team again, like back in the day.
    A good thing in my view.
    Skill required, not hard cash.

  176. Ross,
    at least it’ll dampen some of the hair-brained expectations of pundits & fans alike, Re: rooney.
    One man does not make a team.

  177. But good players will still cost more money won’t they?

    We might find that transfer fees decline over the next few years but better players will also cost more.

    There is more skill in judging whether a player will adapt to the team and league (whatever the cost) than finding a player for next to nothin.

    Good cheap players are found with a brilliant scouting system, the manager will then decide how much the player is worth and if it’s worth paying what the selling club want.

    What that player costs shouldn’t come into it in that respect.

  178. How Stuart,
    y’right about arsenal & wenger.
    But having said that, he still spends the odd wedge on a top quality player when he has to.
    & there’s nowt wrong with that, a sprinkling, here & there.
    Bit like youth & experience.
    Some players you get from youth, others for nowt or next to nowt & some you have to stump up for.
    Considered spending & acquiring.

  179. I think the main aim is to try to keep the Team as much of a Team as possible. For the 1st time in years we are a strongly bonded team of players that all seem to want to be here and I would hate to see that disrupted I think we only need 1 or 2 good players that will fit in with our team and add that wee bit of extra quality.

  180. CLiNT-agreed, however he is in fantastic form. There’s nothing to say that he will continue this run of form into the world cup, however an injury hindering his ability (or his inclusion full stop) would be a serious shame for him, let alone England fans and or neturals who just enjoy watching good players at their best.

    As for the media, this will be hysterical too. They’ll go from “rooney will win us the world cup” to, “rooney might miss the world cup, prepare for the world to explode” lol.

    He’s only went over on his ankle, hopefully just a sprain or something, but as we all know, the chip wrappers arent logical.

  181. Me too Dave,
    though i was thinking 3/5 players to maintain competition.

    Hughton has done pretty well in his dealings, getting back ups & loans to bolster the squad through difficult times of lots of games. The guy is no newby.
    He’s watched & listened & now he has his chance.
    Rouledge & Williamson have been top buys, hungry with something to prove. Simpson’s still young & he’s giving him a chance.

  182. Ross,
    he wanted to get off the pitch mate, they were gonna lose, you what ‘top’ players are like, don’t wanna be part of a sinking ship. :)
    There’s next to nowt wrong with him.
    Rudolph probably told him to ‘sprain’ his ankle, to allow bayern to think all they have to do is turn up at ot.

    Y’dead right about the ‘bog roll’s’ though. :)

  183. I hope Rooney is out for the rest of the season tbh as i couldn’t bare seeing Man United win a 4th Prem title in a row. He will not be the difference between us doing well or not in the World Cup anyway imo. He doesn’t perform that well for England and usually the tournament has a way of throwing someone relatively obscure into greatness.

  184. Drago-Been a while, how are you mate? Rooney being out for Chelsea will do me. If Chelsea beat man utd i could see them pushing on and winning it. I will need to look at both run ins until the end of the season however. Man u out the CL, Arsenal winning the league actually, and a fit Rooney for the WC would do me fine! haha.

  185. Stuart, to make it easier for you.

    Arsene Wenger’s spending at Arsenal

    1997-98
    -£50,000

    1998-99
    -£8.93M

    1999-2000
    £6.18M

    2000-01
    -£3.3M

    2001-2002
    -£10.98M

    2002-2003
    -£1.14M

    2003-2004
    -£15.65M

    2004-5
    £1.6M

    2005-2006
    -£7.45M

    2006-7
    £22.7M.

  186. Ross

    hmmm, I suppose i could settle for that, haha. I just don’t like all of this over reliance on a player that up to now hasn’t actually proven much at International level. In fact, i would even go as far to saying Crouch is far more valuable to England then Rooney is. He has been one of the top 3 domestic players this year but only time will tell if he can replicate such form on the big Wordl Cup Stage. Seriously though, i am quite eager to see which England player comes of age in this tournament. Many think it will be James Milner…I hope not as it will rub further salt into my wounds considering the harsh criticism of him i had when he was here, haha

  187. Worky,
    aye an interesting read that mate.

    Aye Ross,
    i’d prefer the gooners to win the league too.

  188. Clint I mean we only need 1 or 2 for our starting 11 but I think we could do with a few good back-up players with the potental to be in the 1st 11. I know everyone has their own opinions on our squad, but im sure our defence of Jose, Colo, Taylor,(Williamson) + Simpson is strong enough for the EPL. Our Midfield Jonas,—–, Guthrie + Routledge. I also rate Barton but not 100% where he will fit in, as the 3 I have named are my favs for MF and I think they deserve a chance. We also have Nolan, Smith etc. Strikers Carroll, Lovenkrands on current form but we also have Shola, Ranger + Best ?.

  189. CLiNT FLiCK says:
    March 30, 2010 at 10:33 pm

    “Worky,
    aye an interesting read that mate.”

    Clint, It’s also interesting to read what they said about “Arsene Who?”, when he took over as well. It was very similar to what some idiots said about Hughton when he took over here.

  190. Anyone who predetermines an amount of money that must be spent is, to put it politely – a fool.

    Stuart writes “But good players will still cost more money won’t they?

    We might find that transfer fees decline over the next few years but better players will also cost more.”

    So Stuart – theres no such thing as Bosman rulings? and the effect that prices bring as contracts draw close to ending?

    And by your logic – if we signed 6 Rooneys all on free transfers – that you wouldnt be happy as it had cost us nothing.

    And before you counter with that players will cost money – Worky has just made you look a little silly in your Wenger rhetoric. Please stop your whining – you bore the hell out of me. Cant imagine youre much fun for others to read either.

  191. Lads as much as it hurts me to say it I would far rather see Manure win the EPL than Chelski, I dont think Arse will do it.

    Clint ;)

  192. Why is that the people who know the least always end up saying the most on here?
    I wish there was an ignore button like there is on some forums.
    Does no one else one seems to remember Spew99 spending the first two thirds of the season telling us all how sh!te we were and how great teams like Cardiff, West Brom and QPR are. How we were just a couple of bad results away from disaster and that in a few weeks we’d not even be challenging for the play-off places, never mind automatic promotion???
    FFS make – go and have a tommy tank and do something constructive with all that pent up negativity you’ve got inside ya.

    If we can keep progressing slowly and surely like we have this season we will be absolutely fine in the Prem next season. Nowt dramatic is need – just stability and continuity!

    ps; nothing personal or owt like Spew – you just do my fooking ayia napper in.

  193. The worst thing we could do is swap a whole bunch of the team for ‘so-called’ prem players, expecting them to gel overnight.
    That never works.
    Slow build is the only way.
    Build on what we’ve achieved.

  194. Worky > It was very similar to what some idiots said about Hughton when he took over here.

    What were the things they said about him ? Just so that I know if your grouping me in the Idiot’s box as I had reservations about him

  195. Toon chicken,
    you have a way with words mate.
    :)

    Worky,
    it’s a case of people not realizing that CH has had a long & top end apprenticeship.
    With some different styles of managers/players to work with.

  196. There y’go Ross,
    yellow ticker on ssn,
    rudolph hopeful rooney’s not a bad injury.

  197. Cheers CLiNT ;)

    I’d bit me tongue for long enough like.

    SJT was another moaning minnie but at least he seems to have seen the light lately. There are so many more reasons to be cheerful now than not – pecks me head that people would want to focus on the nots!!!

  198. ToonChicken – good to see you fella – and yep youre right – the verruca that is Stuart is still hanging onto the blog.

    He adds nothing constructive but twists and whines every day – best just to see his name and skip by what he says – its predictable, dull and boring.

    He cant even be constructive about this season – he now decries the whole league as sub standard – just because it suits his jaundiced view.

    Any idea how to get rid of a verruca forever? answers please on a postcard…..

  199. Stardust > Any idea how to get rid of a verruca forever? answers please on a postcard
    Apply liquid Nitrogen to the head of it should sort it out :lol:

  200. Im not sure Stuart has a head Dave – he appears not to have a brain anyway….. :lol:

    Great idea TC – but not the kind that comes in tubes eh? ;)

  201. Alreet Stardust.

    I think if anyone watched last nights performance and thought that team (ie; us) would struggle to beat most of the teams in the bottom half of the Prem then they would have clearly proved they know nowt about football.

    I assume Spew just watches the big Super Sunday clashes – Arse v Manure etc. and thinks that must be what every game is like!!??

    There can be no other explanation.

  202. Christ we’d have taken Liverpoo apart last night at St. James’ and we haven’t beaten them since a cheeky Robert free kick about 5 years ago (if my memory serves me).

  203. Drago-haha, Its a shame but Milner has really evolved as a player over the past season or two. I think he could shine given the chance at the WC which like you, i would find annoying. I’d have liked to see Beckham go aswell but obviously that is not to be.

  204. TC,
    let it all out mate, things are on the up for a change, let’s enjoy it for a while at least, hey?
    There’ll be plenty other times to moan, that’s for sure.

    Stardust,
    DDT?
    Sulphuric acid?

  205. Yep with you there TC – I take the positives out of this year, the lowering of the wage bill, getting rid of the lilly livered, a new team spirit, a real manager that never ceases to surprisingly impress and most importantly – many now do see that progress can be made without gambling he clubs future on mercenaries for exorbitant amounts of cash for little return.

    This season may well prove to be the pivotal season for many a year, and the foundations of a new NUFC – where everyone, fans, player, management and the board – are all united again – and all singing off the same hymn sheet (hope so anyway!)

  206. Aye Clint – I was thinking of just plain old salt too – slugs hate salt dont they?

  207. I’ve watched the last few minutes of last nights game on Sky+ about 3 times today and can’t see me deleting it for a very long time – I fooking love it!

    The lads reaction when Jose scores – Hughton’s reaction – the way they all go up to Hughton at the final whistle – sh!t man, even Ashley’s reaction – I loved it all!!!

  208. Toon Chicken says:
    March 30, 2010 at 10:42 pm
    Why is that the people who know the least always end up saying the most on here?
    I wish there was an ignore button like there is on some forums.
    Does no one else one seems to remember Spew99 spending the first two thirds of the season telling us all how sh!te we were and how great teams like Cardiff, West Brom and QPR are. How we were just a couple of bad results away from disaster and that in a few weeks we’d not even be challenging for the play-off places, never mind automatic promotion???
    FFS make – go and have a tommy tank and do something constructive with all that pent up negativity you’ve got inside ya.

    If we can keep progressing slowly and surely like we have this season we will be absolutely fine in the Prem next season. Nowt dramatic is need – just stability and continuity!

    ps; nothing personal or owt like Spew – you just do my fooking ayia napper in.
    <<<<< that must be 1 of the best posts ive ever seen on here every word is true and i could add a lot more aboot the dumb f@cker

  209. Ah – cheers Batty.

    I almost forgive you for posing as me on Ed’s blog now (almost) ;)

    Reet – enough excitement for me – I’m off to me cot. Laters!

  210. To be honest, some of this crack is a bit like schoolyard bullying. Everyone grabbing a stick and having a poke. Perhaps Stu’s words have been twisted to fit agendas as much as they have been used to back up his opinions?

    Do I agree that we’ll struggle by default if we go up? No.
    Do I worry that the two other standout teams aside in the league have restricted us to 5 points from a possible 12? Yes, when you consider that’s where we’ll be looking first to pick up points next season.

    Would we all prefer to pay millions for players we can get for nowt? Howay man…

    The point being, those cheaper options may not be available to us so money may need to be spent.

    It’s easy to dismiss it as pessimism but far too many of our squad have question marks over their ability to compete at the highest level. Even with this new found team spirit and desire. That can only take us so far.

    TC – honestly, if you think we’d have beaten the scousers with that display I’ll have whatever you’re drinking fella. And believe me, I loved the game and I’m still buzzing about it!!

  211. No one’s saying we’re sorted, just saying we’re not buried.
    & enjoy the fun, as it never lasts.

  212. But that’s just it, in terms of the here and now Stu comments suggests he’s enjoyed the ride at times. And let’s not forget it’s only been a handful of home games of late where we’ve really turned it on. But inevitably talk turns to next season and Stu has every right to suggest we may get found out. He’s not the only one saying it by any means. It’s the topical issue at half times in Level 7.

    I think my article speaks volumes for my thoughts on it. Though it seems someone is out to spoil
    my promotion party as I’ll miss the Ipswich game, I’m struggling for QPR tickets and now work want me down in the smoke for Tuesday so I’ll have to take it easy Monday should we be celebrating!! However, it might mean I get to sneak to the Reading game if the project runs over!

  213. bowburn,
    i think it’s Stuart’s commitment to his spiel over weeks, stating the same thing.
    We all understand the pitfalls, every last one of us.
    We don’t need telling at every juncture, continually.
    We’re Toon fans, we know!

    We’ve been disappointed before & we will be again, no doubt.
    He’s entitled to his opinion, but by the same token, we’re entitled to disagree & have our own opinion.
    I try to stop short of calling people, as you do yourself mate.
    UNITED!

  214. Aye, though arguably you were spikier in the good old days when you were lower cased!!

    As for Stu, I guess I can understand people seeing it as raining on their parade but I guess because I’ve seen his posts I appreciate his stance and believe me he was so positive pre-Jan, I was convinced someone was impersonating him at first.

    Mind you, when you consider Billy Davies demands –

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1262383/Billy-Davies-Newcastle-spend-60m-survive-top.html?ITO=1490

    Stu’s look pretty reasonable!!! Even our hero Jose agrees we need to strengthen with ‘premier league players’ to be fair. This coming from an integral part of the current squad.

  215. Good god, are we still in the play ground?

    There are too many comments for me to reply to so I’ll just forget about them and agrue another day.

    Bowburn,

    You’re spot on mate, I believe I’m totally justified in MY OPINION and if that means I get slagged off fot it so be it. I’m big enough to handle the weak sheep on this blog.

    Although batty is right in one thing he said – I was convinced we wouldn’t go up earlier in the season and if you look back at my posts that was due to the lack of players in the squad and I made it clear we wouldn’t go up without new players come Jan.

    With the injuries we’ve had if we hadn’t of got new players we wouldn’t be were we are now.

    I applaud Ashley for that and Hughton for his choices – But lets waiti and see how they do in the PL.

    Right now you can try and gang up on me and start the attempted bullying – Shame most of you form your opinions from watchin on tv not actually paying to watch them live.

  216. Stuart79 says:
    March 31, 2010 at 7:45 am
    Good god, are we still in the play ground?

    There are too many comments for me to reply to so I’ll just forget about them and agrue another day.

    Bowburn,

    You’re spot on mate, I believe I’m totally justified in MY OPINION and if that means I get slagged off fot it so be it. I’m big enough to handle the weak sheep on this blog.

    Although batty is right in one thing he said
    <<<<< 2 things stu i also sed we wouldnt lose more than a handfull of games but that will do for now no more slagging from me now u have admitted iam right :lol:

  217. Bullying?

    My god – the man bores the hell out of everyone with his misery and we are accused of bullying as we tell him so and try to lighten up the blog with a bit of banter while doing it?

    What kind of world do you live in BBM? it must be a one devoid of humour, banter or otherwise.

    The sad thing BBM – re “As for Stu, I guess I can understand people seeing it as raining on their parade but I guess because I’ve seen his posts I appreciate his stance and believe me he was so positive pre-Jan, I was convinced someone was impersonating him at first.” is that Stuart was posting reasonably and intelligently before and during Jan – then Roy Cropper wound him up calling him peoples lap dog etc and he then reverted to his persona that he is known for (which aint a good thing).

    I make no apology for saying it as it is. Dress it up how you want – but the fact is I come onto a blog for banter – and information, and it aint much fun for me or many others constantly reading negative crap – the consequence is I read and post less. (you may see that as a blessing in disguise)

    By the way I dont log onto suicidewatch.com either.

  218. “I think if anyone watched last nights performance and thought that team (ie; us) would struggle to beat most of the teams in the bottom half of the Prem then they would have clearly proved they know nowt about football.”

    – I didn’t see anything special about our performance against Forest, how many times did we really test their keeper? Maybe that was down to the conditions, but when someone makes the statement that others know nothing about football it generally means they know very little themselves.

  219. bowburnmag says:
    March 30, 2010 at 11:52 pm

    “He’s not the only one saying it by any means. It’s the topical issue at half times in Level 7.”

    Bowburn, are you ever going to stop banging on about Level friggin’ 7? :-)

  220. I guess it’s ironic that on an article where I talked about a ‘United front’ and agreeing to disagree we all started bickering?

    worky – Level 7 is where it’s at man, full of life and energy. Dusty mentioned on the next article:

    “Au contraire Stuart. You need to learn people are drawn to optimists and upbeat folk. No one surrounds themselves with pessimists and doom mongers – unless they’re up there in level 7 wi’BBM lol.”

    He should know, if he doesn’t already, that it exudes more ebullience than anywhere else in the ground. Granted more than half of them might struggle to tell you what ebullience means but they’d be pretty ebullient in failing to do so. Because they’re full of spunk and in some cases full of sh*t, just like we all are.

    I dunno, but I just didn’t see calling someone a slug and implying he and his views are not wanted around here as banter. Though I wasn’t just having a go at you, because you two give as good as you get at each other. I just thought his words were getting twisted. Maybe it’s just me being pedantic.

    My life is actually full of banter at the minute to be honest, if it wasn’t graft would be a slog and a half. As it is, I spend most of my days laughing my bollocks off.

  221. To be fair BBM I thought the slug/verruca was quite funny – god knows he has fired far worse at me over time.

    As much as he infuriates me – I recognise the need for blog diversity or it’d be dull – still does my head in when he is on his negative rants though.

    And to be fair fella – I do bait you a little too with doom mongering etc – I do recognise youre a good egg and all that.

    Now if I could only find myself a personality……:)

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