Benny back in February?

Posted on December 21st, 2010 | 326 Comments |

Benny back in action soon?
Benny back in action soon?
Hatem Ben Arfa has been continuing his recovery from a horrendous double leg-break injury by spending hours grafting away at a rehabilitation centre in the south of France.

And it appears that the hard work is paying off as Ben Arfa has been pencilled in for a return to training at Newcastle at the start of February.

This would be great news and would mean that the skillful Frenchman would return to action a hell of a lot sooner than was first feared. Obviously it will still take some time for Ben Arfa to return to full fitness as he will need to go through a kind of pre-season again and take it slowly so as not to aggravate the injury, but it would still signal a remarkable recovery from an injury that could quite easily have seen Hatem ruled out for the rest of the season and beyond.

“Hatem is doing really, really well,” his agent, Simon Stainrod told The Journal.

“He’s working really hard and he’s in a centre where they work intensively from Monday to Friday on the injury and it is definitely helping him to make plenty of progress. I think from the original prognosis, it’s going to be much, much better than that.”

“You can never tell 100% but hopefully he’s going to be back in the first week of February, which is just fantastic. It could be later, it could be earlier but that’s better than anyone thought.”

It certainly is better than anyone thought. I wondered whether we would see him again at all this season, but it seems that my concerns can be allayed, at least for the time being. Still, there is a long way to go until Hatem can pull on a black and white shirt again, but a return to training is a significant step on the return to full fitness.

“The club doctor came from Newcastle to see him last week and he was really delighted with Hatem’s progress. He’s working hard and there are a group of specialists working with him – he’s really in the best place.”

“He’s working on his strength and that is the next step, but he’s dedicated and he’s absolutely determined to get back in a Newcastle shirt and repay the supporters for their support through all this.”

Ben Arfa will be returning to work with Newcastle under a different manager this time around following on from the sacking of Chris Hughton. Alan Pardew is the new man in charge, but despite Ben Arfa being saddened by the news of Chris’s departure he is adamant that the show must go on.

“Hatem was a little upset by what happened with Chris but while it sounds harsh, football is football and his responsibility is with Newcastle United,” Stainrod added.

“You have to be professional and he can’t wait to start working with Alan. He’s got a good reputation as a coach and even though he’s someone different, you get used to that in football.”

Great news!

NUFCBlog Author: toonsy toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.

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326 Responses

  2. lets hope he comes back fuly fit and strong! would hate for it to go again, anything before early April is a huge huge bonus to NUFC.
    Lets just hope there are still the few quality players at NUFC hen he returns!
    I fear the fat controller may asset strip! if he does then its a deathwish im sure!!

  4. Good stuff. Now if we were to sign another quality winger and striker in January or the Summer we will be more than capable of fighting for a Euro place.

  5. The time frame sounds like we need to think of him like Joey Barton’s injury last season.

    He will more than likely have a month or two playing time, 6-8 games, but it won’t be enough to get any sort of form back, those couple of months will be his pre-season.

    Sign him up, good summer off concentrating on fitness and conditioning and then a full pre-season here, to show the sort of form Joey is this season. Will be a big player for us next season if we can sign him up.

    We need in the summer:
    – A left winger/attacker (him)
    – A right winger/attacker
    – A speedy, little number 10 to play off Carroll

    We’ll probably end up only buying a keeper though :D

  9. can’t benny play on the right as well? tbh, the way joeys been playing out there i’m not sure we need a right winger. yes its not his natural position but he’s balls into the box for andy have been great.
    would like another goal scorer up top to help andy but don’t see it having so many strikers on the books already (unless someone is shipped out)
    i think kadar can cover for us at LB

  10. hmmmm I would have agreed with you in the past Toonsy, however now I think we have Kadar, Ferguson as well as Perch who could ‘do a job’ for a game or two if called upon.

    Enrique isn’t exactly injury prone so I would say we need cover at left back only if he sustained an injury which meant he would be out for a number of months, however, for knocks and suspensions (i.e. for only a game or two) I think we’re alright these days.

  15. Anyone heard any more on the one about Joey being made available for 1.5 Million. Could be one of three things, 1, The crappy red tops are shit stiring again, 2, Cashly is trying to further trim the wage bill which doesn,t make sense cos whoever we replace him with would cost three times that much for the skill level alone, and 3,maybe his agent is fishing around to provoke a situation. Any news ??????????

  16. Maybe Sky meant 15 million….

    In any case, even the blind can see how well JB has done when in the side and how shite his replacements have performed.

    Unless the scouts have lined up the next coming of JC in January, the story is bollox. It is bollox to think NUFC would leave so much money on the table by selling JB on the cheap.

    Therefore, I conclude the story is bollox.

  17. James Shamim – Sky Sports are not usually right at all. They have about the same reporting accuracy as The Daily Mail. Remember, this is the channel that reported Steven Taylor was having a medical at Everton a few years back whilst he was sat at home watching it on TV.

    TGS – Hi mate. Health-wise I’m doing fine mate, but work-wise is a right bugger at the minute. The weather and an extra workload aren’t helping, but I’ll get there :)

    You going to any games over chrimbo?

  18. sky sports are usually right? Are they bollox! They will say anything and use any ‘source’ they can find to keep people watching their repetitive, mundane channel!

    We’re coming up to the transfer window man, the journos willy’s are getting twitchy, and I can foresee and month of the biggest load of crap we have ever witnessed!

    We need to stop hyperventilating over every bit of news we hear, 99% will be crap.

  19. BeeGuy says:
    December 21, 2010 at 4:05 pm

    “Unless the scouts have lined up the next coming of JC in January”

    John Carver? ;)

  21. Good to see some sense on here. Of course the Sky story is rubbish – as have been most recently.
    Great news indeed on HBA – we desperately need Joey cover, and that’s without even considering what the two of them can do if they’re on the pitch together.
    As for selling of players: I don’t want to sound like an Ashley mouthpiece, but how clear, unanimous and consistent does the club have to be before people stop seeing skeletons in cupboards?
    Everyone from Ashley to Carroll has consistently told us what the club policy is, and they’ve been following it very nicely for 18 months now.
    That doesn’t mean we won’t lose ANY players, but why the hell would they suddenly start unravelling everything they’ve built up by selling the ones who are doing a job for us? Deal with it: apart from the dreadful CH move, we’ve seen consistency and sense for a while now.
    (Terrible PR, lots of bullshit press releases – but consistency and sense)

  22. James Shamim says:
    December 21, 2010 at 3:51 pm

    I’ll reserve judgment for a couple of years on whether we’re a selling club.

    For what it’s worth I think Ashley will sell anybody if he gets a good offer.

    Everything he has done in the last three years, defies believe so I have no faith in the man at all.

  24. is midnight here,and i am going off to sleep soon.

    just a short and sweet statement i am gonna make.

    PPl may start questioning me,of what i am thinking.

    But i actually would be very pleased to see more players AKA deadwoods or not needed leaving ASAP.

    Great Example:Xisco,Shola (shola fans,i am sry),Leon Best,Perch,Alan Smith?

    Next is,if there is enough transfer money,i would seriously want Jonas or Wayne to leave too. Geez.

    Jonas only Stregths:Good In getting Fouls from opponent,Able to dribble well.

    Wayne: Pace.

  26. http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/4432650.htm#producttabs

    http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/4434270.htm

    I know this is very much off topic n Im sorry if i sound like a complete idiot , but Mrs is buying me an electric razor for xmas and asked me last night what type would i rather. Since ive never owned an electric razor I have no idea what the difference is in the two types of models above. Or if there is any difference what so ever. Anyone know which one is better or if there is any difference at all?

  28. J.T.ive have the 8250 m8 have nee bother with it,its canny,but would buy nowt from argos,had nowt but crap off them,please note the no-return 30day clause they have in it,WHY

  29. Cheers ice

    I was just doing research on them on argos as i have no idea about them! Grand ill tell her to get me one with the 3 heads on it! Cheers again ice

  30. Toonsy – It was Sky that broke the news that Wayne Rooney was going to sign a deal at United afetr he said he wanted to leave – They where also the first to link Ben Afra with us!

  31. Johno – They are all much the same mate. I have one of those self-cleaning ones that cost about £200 but I got it for £30 ;) so it’s a bargain. If I was paying full price I wouldn’t have got it. My advice is to stick to manual shaving as I think it’s better than the electric.

  32. James Shamim – So that is two stories then…..

    Interesting to see that the article has now been removed from the SS website aswell…..

  34. Barton story is crap- if our goal is to stay up, why sell our best MF in the middle of the season?

    some of Ashely’s football decisions have been appalling, but I don’t know where he got the reputaion as being cheap. Has he ever really sold anyone who didn’t want to go?

  35. I could just about “get it” if the story was that Barton might be sold if the offer is right. After all, you can say that about any player! But £1.5 million? For a 28 year-old, with West Ham said to be slapping a £15million tag on 30 year old Scotty Parker?
    Now JB does come with a lot of baggage and he’s still not fully redeemed himself yet from my point of view – that 3 match ban for hitting Pedersen did the team no favours. I also still think he owes the club and the fans big-time for all the trouble and money spent with so few games in return. But I do think he is now playing well and just starting to repay the debt he owes us for sticking with him and paying those high wages.
    £1.5 million is just such bad business that it undermines the veracity (that’s a good word!) of the whole news “scoop”.

  36. Johno Toon says:
    December 21, 2010 at 4:37 pm

    “I know this is very much off topic n Im sorry if i sound like a complete idiot , but Mrs is buying me an electric razor for xmas and asked me last night what type would i rather. Since ive never owned an electric razor I have no idea what the difference is in the two types of models above. Or if there is any difference what so ever.”

    The Remingtons are foil shavers and the Philishaves are rotary ones and will also work in the wet, which is nice. Divven’t touch Braun with a bargepole, I’ve had two and they were both knacked in no time. On the other hand, my Remingtons were very reliable and Phillishaves too. Philishave ones look the nicest to use.

  38. TOONSY were you lead a-stray with that L/pool managers job you hinted at last week,heard nowt since

  39. Sky sports use the same methods of prediction as bobby shinton. They just report every tiny bit of crap they hear and hope one off them is right. When they get lucky usually once every 1000 attempts they crow about it until they are blue in the face.

  40. Ice – Must have been mate. Still, whenever Hidgson does go, in a few years or whatever, you heard it here first :lol:

  41. I just want one toonsy for when im in a hurry for work n need to get rid of stubble!

    Nothing beats a hot towel shave tho! They r immense!

    N i think the barton story is silly. As i said before he is the best english midfielder in the premier league at the moment and for anyone to out a price tag of £1.5 million is just stuipd ( regardless if its ma or a journo ). Please god its a non starter

  42. clippers all the way Johno, manual shaving is tedious and sometimes painful. I read that Barton story earlier; they’re so bloody tedious, why the hell would we sell one of our best players for 1.5 mill? It’s ludicrous. Danny Guthrie is worth 1.5 mill, Joey Barton is worth, I’d say, about 10 mill (peak of his career, best form of his life).
    Knob’eds

  44. Micky Toon says:
    December 21, 2010 at 5:13 pm

    “Sky sports use the same methods of prediction as bobby shinton.”

    That’s better than the Mail and Anal Oliver though, Micky.

  46. MDS – dead right. Ashley’s done some bloody daft things, but when it comes to his business model – which includes player policy – he’s been totally consistent since he sacked Wise and made that apology. CH and now AP have both been clear and consistent on it too. Two transfer windows have backed it up with actions, and we’ve not sold anyone who didn’t want to leave (not that you can, mind).
    Even with the players: how many times does Carroll have to plainly say that he’s staying (and it’s his choice alone) before people stop questioning it?

    We won’t sell any of our performing players in January any more than we did in the past two windows. As AOD has said, we could lose a bit of dead wood, but not the likes of Carroll, Colo, Barton et al. We may even see more good additions.
    So stop the doom-mongering!

  47. Let’s hope he’s back long enough for us to secure our PL status, but not long enough for all the big clubs to start sniffing around him :) Seriously, would be a brilliant perm signing on what I’ve seen so far. After that, perhaps a pacey striker, and LB cover and that would be a brilliant summer. I still think we could last without a perm right wing-Barton has been brilliant there, who knows maybe we could give Gosling a run out there, I know he’s hardly a winger but it might be a good balance with arfa on the left and something more steady on the right..who knows? All I know is, I like the way our squad is shaping!

  48. If we can sign more thoroughbreds for carthorse money in Jan with Carr then go for it. If it has to be done by the sales/release of wages of deadwood then fine by me. I think we might see some action in this window, Pardew has a decent enough transfer record allied to Carr I am optimistic.

    Great to read some news on Benny. Benny and Tiote have to be reason for optimism and if the club can sign another player like those I think we will be absolutely laughing by the end of the season.

  49. Most of the media use the ‘lets print every bit of crap because in the end something might stick’ James!!! Believe nothing until its announced by the Club!
    Two examples: Last week we were getting sold to a Qatar family… Ermmm whats happened then?
    And what about Martin O’neil and Jol for the managers job?
    Believe nothing!

  50. Re the Barton story, i believe his agent is looking to negotiate a new contract and may be stirring the pot quite a bit.

  51. Johno Toon says:
    December 21, 2010 at 5:18 pm

    Nothing beats a hot towel shave tho!

    Damn right. Ya divvent get smooth as a baby’s bottom with clippers thats for sure. ;)

  53. Willie McKay was talking to the press last week and mentioned there was interest from other clubs so its not a new story but the price is.

  54. DJG says:
    December 21, 2010 at 5:28 pm

    “Pardew has a decent enough transfer record allied to Carr I am optimistic.”

    I beg to differ, and I’m not optimistic at all, DJG.

  55. I dont want Barton to go but on the wages he has been paid, has the club had a good return on their investment when you take into account his absences from the pitch, most of which were self inflicted, maybe he should make a gesture as gratitude for the backing he has had from both the club and fans and sign a new contract on the terms the club offers.
    Cant see it though.

  57. davy says:
    December 21, 2010 at 6:15 pm

    “both jose n carroll on there twitter saying we hav new assistant manager wonder who it is”

    Pardew said Malky Mackay from Watford, Davy.

  60. see the Barton story has now been taken off the Sky Sports web site, didn’t even last the day, told you man, absolute crap

  61. Sky have taken the barton story off their s(h)ite blatantly bollocks and if i hear any more about Carroll im screaming.

    We have a good side when everyones fit and arent far away from having a half decent squad and the press fcuking hate it…

  62. Why would JB want to leave fans who love him, team mates he gets on with and superstar wages to join a relegation battle with West Ham. I bet he soiled himself laughing! Once again, another crock of sh&te from sky. As if there isn’t enough rumours about our players they start a new one. I reckon they have a squad poster up in the office and some tw@ spins round a few times then sticks a pin in the next rumour victim

    Georgie Thompson on the other hand… I would like to stick something in her tw@ ! ;)

  63. CC says:
    December 21, 2010 at 6:28 pm

    “Sky have taken the barton story off their s(h)ite blatantly bollocks and if i hear any more about Carroll im screaming.”

    There was nothing about Carroll and Barton being sold until Pardew said that his first priority was to stop Carroll and Barton from being sold.

  64. Big Bad Bob

    That’s what I said. It’s clear the story is a non-starter, but Sky don’t normally randomly make s**t up. They normally just run with any s**t the papers churn out. The whole thing stinks of Willie Mckay…

  65. its because we hav good players the southern press will always link them with london teams they cant stand the fact were doin well n will do anything to disrupt us

  66. workyticket says:
    December 21, 2010 at 6:39 pm

    “There was nothing about Carroll being sold until Pardew said that his first priority was to stop him from being sold.”

    Theres been talk about Carroll being sold since the Villa match, I dont blame Pardew for saying that, If he refused to comment it would have made him look like he was hiding something and got him off on an even worse footing with the fans and local press.

  67. i know u cant tell if any of them toon players on twitter are real but two of them saying new assistant manager, malkie mckay wud b good bright young manager but there lies the problem why wud he go from bein manager to assistant manager hes got watford playing well

  68. i cant understand the carroll thing if hes worth 20mill after only half a season in pl whats he gonna b worth after 3 or 4 seasons why sell him now, i like when pardew said “we hav to act like a big club n big clubs dont sell there best players” love it

  69. CC says:
    December 21, 2010 at 6:49 pm

    “Theres been talk about Carroll being sold since the Villa match, I dont blame Pardew for saying that, If he refused to comment it would have made him look like he was hiding something and got him off on an even worse footing with the fans and local press.”

    No one asked him about Carroll and Barton being sold, CC, so there was no need to “refuse to comment”. He should have kept his stupid, ego driven trap shut rather than implant the seed in their heads.

  70. Worky that sounds as if your blaming Pardew for starting the story, but apart from the 1st Story where he said he asked for assurances about Carroll I never heard owt else that would give this legs. I think no matter what happened the rags would have been starting stories about us as they allways do.

  71. worky there nothing anyone can say to stop them printing lies for the simple fact is there isnt a player like carroll so the press will persist with this story, wud luv it if carroll come out n said i dont care what bid club accept am refusing to speak to any club because am staying here, if hes mad bout the toon as much as most of us am he wud hav no problem doing that

  72. Worky am I to assume you’re not the biggest fan of Pardew? Have to say I agreed whole-heartedly if that’s the case, but I’m slowly warming to him based on the things he’s been saying… the jury obviously is very much still out for now.

    On a side note, I lost 2000 words of my dissertation because of a system failure today. If that won’t stress you out I don’t know what will…

  73. Worky – Pardew was asked about Carroll in his press conference. He said it was one of the first things he asked Llambias. Personally I think its pretty damn clever and common sense.

    Your anti Pardew rheteric is not just unfounded but pretty unfair on the guy.

  74. Big Dave says:
    December 21, 2010 at 6:56 pm

    “Worky that sounds as if your blaming Pardew for starting the story”

    I am Dave, it was a stupid thing to say.

    It’s no mistake that the two players Pardew said “were going nowhere”, Carroll and Barton, are the ones who are the subject of speculation. It’s a bit like when a board come out and say that their manager has ther full support. You just know what’s going to happen next.

  75. workyticket

    I dont think this speculation is Pardews doing more Ashleys and through no fault of his own Carrolls.

    Ashleys because his irrational decision making means he is an easy target for people who accuse him of knowing nothing about the sport and trying to make a quick buck by selling anything not nailed down, Even when it is factually false and makes no business sense.

    Carrolls through his rapid improvement and fine displays for a club supposedly in disarray, Making him newsworthy.

  77. Woke up this morning and saw the RSS email from uncle ed’s site sayin’ wor joey was gettin sold to the irons for 1.5mil and nearly fell outta the bed laughin’! HA, the English sporting press is sh!te!

  79. Worky do you seriously think then if Pardew hadn’t said that then there would have been no stories of them being sold or moving on ?

    Toonsy I just hope if he do’s make an early return that the fans dont expect him to start where he left off, I think it will be next season before we see him back to full power.
    I havn’t noticed Jay Jay about has anyone else

  80. DevonMag says:
    December 21, 2010 at 7:00 pm

    “Worky am I to assume you’re not the biggest fan of Pardew?”

    Not at all, Devon Mag. I don’t think we’ll go very far with someone who took a big club down to League One, has had more back room bust ups than Graeme Souness, who almost got West Ham relegated while leaving two of the world’s best players (Tevez and Mascherano) on the bench. It took Alan Curbishley, to save them.

  81. Big Dave-

    What’s happenin mate? Thought about you the other day. I had a customer from Belfast.

  83. OHurley – I’m fine mate. Just being a slave to the working machine at the minute. Still, only a few days left now :)

    Dave – Just spoke to him. He isn’t very well.

  84. Big Dave says:
    December 21, 2010 at 7:25 pm

    “Worky do you seriously think then if Pardew hadn’t said that then there would have been no stories of them being sold or moving on ?”

    No, but there’s no need to aggravate the problem for his own personal PR.

  86. great news about benny really hopes he signs next summer i just hope pardew doesnt rush him back too quick from the injury he needs time!!! also hopes tiote signs a new long term contract soon he is the reason nolan is playing so well at central midfield covering him when he is out of position or makes a forward run. Up the toon keep it up against city this weekend!!!!!

  87. Toonsy-

    Yeah, same here mate. I work in retail, so this is like the most stressful time of the year. Is it bad that I just about loathe xmas?

    Of course, my birthday is on the 30th, so hopefully the Toon will that week and it will be a good birthday.

  90. OHurley…delivering Newspapers isn’t really working in retail but I can understand why ya hate it with all those heavy Xmas tv guides in the papers ;-)

  93. Toonsy no probs was just wondering why he hasn’t been about as he normally is own.

    Ohurley you have to be careful with some from here ;) but not all :)

    Worky he wouldn’t be my 1st choice but I would rather have him than JFK and a few others. and as he is MA’s choice I think he will get a lot more backing from the fat man than CH ( MA’s Coach ) ever did or would have so imo that will be better for us in the longterm.

  94. Ice….I think I need to start before I can finish ;-)

    DJG… just a long running joke wi OHurley ;-)
    he actually deals in moonshi……er I mean telecomms :-)

  95. Dave

    Got my tooth done, not even sore, strange considering half the root was drilled out. I feel a little dissapointed was hoping for some sympathy off people. :)

  96. Worky – which big club did Pardew take down to League one?

    On Tevez and Mascharano, is there not a case of them needing to get use to the pace of the English game? Or does it just fit your agenda to slag him off?

    His record isn’t too bad if you’d actually look at it. Took West Ham up to the PL, finished 7th in their first season in PL, Charlton were as good as down when he went to them and their performances and results improved. Oh and have I mentioned missing out on a play off place with Southampton by one point even though they started the season minus 10? Oh and he won a cup in that season too.

    In that respect he’s achieved a lot more than your super manager Hughton.

    Not saying he’s great, but he’s nowhere near as bad as you’re going on.

  97. Pardew wouldnt be in my top ten choices but we are stuck with him and i would rather see him than JFK, His win percentage is better than Arry and Holloways and his credentials are certainly better than that hideous cretin the mackems employ, Lets give the guy the benefit.

    Also If he can twist Ashleys arm up his back and bring in a winger and a striker in january and get Taylor tied down then im happy enough.

  98. Pardew is excellent with words and knows what people want to hear from him. We were told about this and it looks like he’s already charming some on here. Be aware.

  99. you can have all the money in the world in any trade/game ect but if your not good enough to pull it off theres only one out-come ime sorry to say.
    case of suck it and see for us fans :(

  100. stuart79 says:
    December 21, 2010 at 7:51 pm
    Worky – which big club did Pardew take down to League one?

    ‘yeah which big club worky?’

    (little voice in the corner) :)

  101. “His record isn’t too bad if you’d actually look at it. Took West Ham up to the PL, finished 7th in their first season in PL”

    I think we actually finished 7th that season, But I agree with everything else mind…

  102. Big Dave says:
    December 21, 2010 at 7:47 pm

    “Worky he wouldn’t be my 1st choice but I would rather have him than JFK”

    JFK is a better manager than Pardew, if football is your yardstick that is.

  103. I wasnt happy with the thought of his appointment , but he is here and has to be given time. Alot of fans at his previous clubs hold him in high regard and seems to favour attcking football. And hopefully in time we will have the same regard for him!

  105. OHURLEY
    Ya mate travel over to as many matches as i can its geting really tough now with the recession bollox nd all but i did make 15 matches last year nd four so far this year AR you from Ireland aswell its amazing how many newcastle fans are over here huge support!!!

  109. Richie is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower when the doorbell rings. His wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs. When she opens the door, there stands batty the next door neighbour. Before she says a word, batty says, “I’ll give you £800 to drop that towel” After thinking for a moment, she drops her towel and stands naked in front of batty. After a few seconds batty hands her £800 dollars and leaves.
    She wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs. When she gets to the bathroom Richie asks “Who was that?”
    “It was just batty” she replies.
    “Great!” Richie says, “did he say anything about the £800 he owes me?” :-)

  111. CC says:
    December 21, 2010 at 7:56 pm

    “I think we actually finished 7th that season, But I agree with everything else mind…”

    Aye CC, West Ham finished in ninth that season.

  121. Johno Toon says:
    December 21, 2010 at 8:12 pm

    “What fans toon factor?”

    Charlton fans hated him as he took their club down the divisions. West Ham fans thought he was good in his first season, then were less than enthusiastic when he almost got them relegated before he was sacked. Southampton fans were mixed when he was sacked there. He did win the Johnstone’s Paint trophy, and almost got them in the top six depite a 10 point deduction, however Liebherr’s Southampton in League One was like Newcastle in the Championship.

  123. That is not really how i read it workyticket , alot of fans ( from what i read n damned if im going looking for quotes :) ) were saying he played good football , brought winning mentality to their club etc etc

    Im not saying he is perfect , n he certainly wouldnt be my 1st choice , but he is here n he has my support

  124. And we will think the sun shines out of his Harris if he starts winning games. The fact of the matter is that is here now and theres nowt we can do about it other than support the team.

  128. Worky – Any chance of explaining how Pardew took Charlton down the ‘divisions’? My memory of it was that he only went down to the Championship with Charlton, no further. WH fans actually speak very highly of him, or certainly all the ones I know.

    You forgot Reading too. He got them promoted to the Championship and is commonly credited with laying the foundation of Readings recent success under Coppell.

    There’s non as blind as the blinkered I suppose!

  132. Richie I just thought I would save Ice the hassle of signing up to .com and I know that Ice dosn’t really have nasty bones in him :lol:

  134. IrishToon-

    Nah, mate, I’m a yank, but my family is from County Cork. Before gettin’ deported to America, my great great great grandpa was a war hero in the Irish rebellion (for the side that Big Dave would have fought against, coincidentally lol). Married him an English noble lass, and when her parents found out, they had the two of them arrested and deported to the States. And that’s how I’m here, and why I go by O’Hurley on this blog :D

    Big Dave- he was a nice guy actually. Very worldly. Was a professor at a french university for a long time. Really affluent here now. And his daughter was pretty hot :lol:

  135. Big Dave-

    He also said he’d bring me a bottle of pocheen when he gets back from Belfast after christmas. I hope he wasn’t kiddin’!! that would be epic!!

  137. Hey, did anyone see that Barca is coming under major fire after signing their deal with the Qatar Foundation? Apparently this “charitable” foundation has been financially backing Hamas! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I told ya’s that they were no good like!

    Probably told the FIFA chairman that if they didn’t get the world cup bid, they blow up a building or something. Just sayin…

  138. i actually think pardew will turn out to be great for us, this will be the best set of players he has ever worked with, the players seem to be loving training with him from what there saying, he aint messing about either getting his back room staff sorted he has obviously convinced ma to let him do it his way if he wants succuess

  140. Davy-

    Because I’m an eternal optimist, I’m gonna agree with ya on that. Pardew has a GOLDEN opportunity before him. He’s gotta make the best of it!

  143. OHurley ;) as for Poteen a lot of the people that made it are out of business now because the assets recovery agency closed them down :(

  144. yes son iam still collecting your family allownce ,and ya mam is still working nights son ,i tell her too wrap up warm but she reckons it takes too long taking it off :)

  145. Batty-

    paddyyank. I might change my name to that on here. That’s pretty awesome, actually. Thanks, mate!

    Big Dave-

    Yeah, I heard that, but I also know that its impossible to keep the Irish from making their own whiskey. It’s out there, ya just gotta know the right bloke :D

  147. Big Dave-

    See if you can figure out how to ship it! I’ll pay ya for it!! Some QUALITY poteen is some of the best drink I’ve ever had. As good as Virginia moonshine!

  154. OHurley says:
    December 21, 2010 at 9:06 pm

    “Hey, did anyone see that Barca is coming under major fire after signing their deal with the Qatar Foundation? Apparently this “charitable” foundation has been financially backing Hamas!”

    OHurley, whenever I see the word “Apparently”, I know that a stream of BS is almost certain to follow. Sounds like classic Israeli misinformation.

  160. Toon_Factor says:
    December 21, 2010 at 9:27 pm

    “Usted es un hijo de puta jeje”

    Toon, you seem to have forgotten that I can speak Spanish. There is no room for crap like that on here.

  162. TF-

    Yeah, mate that was EPIC!!! Where you been hidin’ oot like??? And I think what I wrote said about the same as what you said :lol:

    Worky-

    Good thing ya don’t speak french!!

  167. Who wants poitin?

    Clove poitin is quite nice, burns your lips though its quite strong

    You need to make sure its not cloudy, cloudy poitin is baaad lol

    My friend used to make it, in the bath of all places, his wife spotted the Garda coming up the lane so he started tipping it down the toilet! :D

  168. OHurley says:
    December 21, 2010 at 9:53 pm

    “Worky-

    Good thing ya don’t speak french!!”

    I do OHurley, better than yourself by the look of things.

  169. Worky

    How come you havnt told me off calling people a c**t before? plus everyone swears on here including yourself, so why you being hypocrite? Old man

  171. Batty-

    Just seemed like the thing to say since we were on the subject of foreign languages :D

    Brownrob-

    I WANT POITIN (how the hell do you spell it/pronounce it anyway???)

    And the last I had was just like what we call “white lightnin'”. VERY good taste, VERY strong, and clear as a bell.

    Worky-

    You speak french, mate?

  172. Brownrob atlest the toilet would have been spotless :) As for clove and the honey stuff I didn’t think much off it I prefered the bog standard :) and the cloudy stuff is bad I had stomach cramps for a few days once

  177. OHurley

    It was ‘Epic’ and you made the 1000’s comment and ill never forgive you for that ;) and ive been hiding in Uni all the time OHurl

  178. LOL Big Dave I’m suprised the cloudy stuff didnt kill you its not good at all…

    O’Hurley, the Gaelic name for it is Poitín, but it sounds like potcheen in English, but its got loads of names and spellings.

    Its hit and miss depending on who you get it from, some of its only as strong as whisky/vodka, while other stuff is so strong you can get drunk again the next day without drinking it!!

    I know a lot of boys that use it for newborn lambs, a teaspoon of it will get them going and warmed up. Poor things, with a hangover the morning after they are born! :D

    Its quite hard to get good stuff, you have to be careful as you don’t want too many people knowing about it! ;)

    I could get some shipped over to you but I doubt the US Customs would have something to say about that!!! :D

  184. That batty, he went to make an appointment with the doctor, says he had a problem down below and his balls weighed 40kg and he himself only weighed 80kg…

    Woman on the phone told him to stop being silly as he sounded was half nuts…

  186. Batty-

    Ils ne sont pas les chattes. T’es une chatte. :D jk, buddy.

    Worky-

    I didn’t know you were so good with languages mate! I speak only a bit of spanish, but a lot of french.

    Brownrob-

    Thanks for the education, mate! I’ve always heard it pronounced potcheen, but always seen it spelled poitin. I’s always curious bout that.

    Big Dave-

    I suppose I oughta spell it “poitin” bein’ as that my people hail from Cork. LoL

    TF-

    Yeah, hahahaha, still doubles me over to think about that:D You were SO pissed off! I promise that if we ever get that high again, you can make the 1000th comment :D

  188. Not as fckin lazy as British people, there worse than those Americans ;) Do you know i support England Batty?

  195. JJ-

    Tu parles francais aussi maintenant? Christ, tout le monde parlent francais dans ici!

    Batty-

    BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

  197. Batty-

    We’d tell ya who, but we all think you need to get the old noodle working and figure it out for yersel like ;)

  204. Batty-

    Eat sh!t mate! I’m easy to get along with! Unlike your radgie @$$! lol jk mate!

    And “Dawg” is a laughing stock over here mate. Obumma though, that’s a different story. LOL

  208. 12 gold hoops, 11 fake uggs, 10 mayfair kingsize, 9pm curfews, 8 snotty kids, 7 different fathers, 6 grams of sniff, 5 sovereign rings, 4 stolen alloys, 3 different asbos, 2 many beers, and a brand new STD…..Do Christmas the american way, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! ♥

  212. LMAO!!! Is Dawg more popular over there than he is here? That’s like SO 2007 haha :lol:

    Batty- LOVE the 12 days song. Only change one thing: we don’t call it sniff. we call it “blow”.

  219. Batty-

    Yeah mate, it’s called “blow”. And since we invented it, that’s what it’s called. :lol:

    it’s 4:55 here right now

  220. Dave-

    Are you still on that paper route tangent, mate? haha!

    It was MOONSHINE that I ran, not papers ;)

  221. Reet may go here heat the car uo to go pick the wee girl up from work its a lovely -9 here and there is ice on the inside of the car windows FFS catch yous tomorrow.
    Be good lads and no fighting :)

  229. Hamas are not a terrorist organisation. You’ve been
    watching the O’Reilly factor too much.

  230. Watching ‘Green Street’ and it’s quite possibility the worst film I have ever seen. The guy in the brown jacket who is supposed to be a cockney has his accent all mixed up. He sounds like a hybrid between an Australian/American/South African/Englishman. Embarrassing.

  233. Hamas is a politcal movement in plalstine , or a terriost group depending on how you look at it ,

    Think you mmight be thinking of Humus toonsy :)

  234. The European Union and U.S amongst others class it as terrorist group but as with most, one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter and all that.
    Prefer them to humus tho ;-)

  235. The American Revolution employed terrorist tactics. Nelson Mandela is a convicted terrorist. The Irish government is littered with terrorists.

  236. keepin oot of this 1 as i dont think the israels are angels ,so it dus depend which side you take

  238. History is written by the victor’s of war!

    Im sure Cromwell is well thought of within English History but hated within Irish.

    Same could be said about Michael Collins but other way around.

    Problem is some people cant leave history where it is and move on

  239. batty boy ,if weren’t for margaret your house would be still owned by the local council would it not.

  240. Home ownership effectively caused the recent economic crash. Will Thatcher take credit for that too? Jog on.

    Unfortunately some people live in historical times. Like the Palestinians. Like our invasion of third world countries.

    What’s the odds on Lambias being made FA chairman?

  241. I am starting to believe that all these stories about our star players being sold are coming from the club. I am sure once we are relieved at these playings not being sold, we will not care about new signings. There is something not right about Pardew and what he says to the press. Though perhaps Worky has just planted a seed.

  244. Johno Toon says:
    December 22, 2010 at 10:25 am

    “He more or less nobody be coming or going this jan”

    Eh? Where you get that from about people not coming? He’s been asked about selling players. Read it again.

    the question would have been somthing like.

    Q. With the transfer window coming up there’s been alot of specualtion about interest from other clubs, especially in regards to Joey Barton and Andy Carroll, you’ve been here two neeks now, what is your possition on players possibly going in Janurary?

    A. “We don’t want to do any business.

    “Part of my first week or so here has been spent trying to analyse what is the situation with the players we have and to try to secure their positions before we start looking elsewhere.

    “That’s been my main focus, rather than looking at other players who could raise the level here.”

    Note the last sentence, he’ll secure players future here, that he wants, before looking else where, so he does actually talk about bringing players in, and ones of of a higher level.

    On a different issue, the headline:
    Pardew wants to keep Barton

    where in that quote does he mention Joey Barton, but yet that’s what the headline is about? F’kin transparent losers

    PS football blog lads, lets keep the politics chat out of it eh

  246. ohhh and another thing, those quotes have been cropped, MAJORLY! Just reading it now. Makes for less interesting reading if they aren’t same old, no I don’t want to seel Andy Carroll etc etc, christ, they’ve tried their hardest to make a story out of this like

  247. Hughton said nowt, and was famous for it! Then we would go a sign players we or the media never even had a sniff about. We’ll sign players I think in Jan, couple of lads on twitter have said we have moved for a striker, they were right in the summer about players so interesting to see what happens.

  248. batty says:
    December 22, 2010 at 9:37 am
    keepin oot of this 1 as i dont think the israels are angels ,so it dus depend which side you take

    Correct batty, Their both as bad as each other. I only have sympathy for the innocent people effected by their stupid governments posturing and idiotic decisions.

  249. ILM

    That’s been my main focus, rather than looking at other players who could raise the level here.”

    We don’t want to do any business.

    From that i take noone is coming in or going until he asses the squad n im assuming he means Jan!

    Maybe this is where Journos get there stuff from , misreading quotes etc etc , maybe i can get a job in the sun now :)

  250. Marnin’ smegs!

    Woke up this morning to find a discussion about Ben Arfa had morphed gradually into an intellectual debate on the definition of terrorism and the relative demerits of Thatcher vs Cromwell.

    For me, one was a wicked despot with a loathing for those who differed from their ideologies and who would stop at no level of cruelty to enforce their views.

    The other was Cromwell. :)

    (Actually, Cromwell was probably the biggest, most unrelenting and sadistic bastard in English history, but there you go.)

  251. All this political stuff is too heavy.

    Let’s talk about something else

    Who’s got the best tits Jordan or Lucy pinder?

  252. apparently Pardew said in his press conference this morning that if we make any signings in Jan the’re more likely to be squad players, rather than big money first teamers.

    Charlie Adam? Youngun’s? Who knows eh…

  253. The tories have the biggest tits!
    :)

    No Cromwell, no democracy.

    Belief in a god is the real problem.
    :)

  254. we have Gosling and Ben Arfa back from injury in jan/feb so almost like two new signings – we need to stabalise this season and sort out whos going / coming in the summer

    @whumpie – def Lucy Pinder

    British are as bad as anyone out there, you can only feel sympathy for the lads/lasses that have to fight these stupid wars the govt keep starting, I joined up to have a bit of adventure and earn a bit of cash – didn’t give a t0ss about queen and country. you end up looking after your mates and vice versa, no one doing the actual fighting gives a flying fvck about the politics

  255. Ooh, Clint – taking the depth to new depths!

    Yep, agree. Although I’d argue that the availability of belief as an excuse is the actual problem. These days I think there are few political leaders that aren’t atheists underneath – but they won’t say so because they want “got told me to” in their back pocket for when things go wrong…

    Oh, and Jordan’s and Pinder’s are both pretty awful. Prefer quality over quantity. Always thought Vic Reeve’s missus Nancy Sorrell had the best I’d seen. That was before kids, mind…

  257. I’ve just realised how dodgy the wording of my past post was! :0

    I meant that Sorrell’s were lovely up to when she had kids; I suspect they’ve, um, gone downhill a bit since…

  258. As for Jordan: I wouldn’t touch her with yours! Fekkin’ nightmare of a human, with a face like grilled blancmanche and a chest more like Gazza’s fake ones than anything you’d like to play with. Probably got more germs in her than a sewer rat’s bog brush too.

    Yeck.

  259. Do we have a new asst manager???

    “@Josenufc3 José Enrique Sánchez
    We have new assistant manager but dont ask me the name because i dont know hem”

  260. yeah I see Jordan in M&S quite regular – she’s a minger
    Pinders days are gone but would still rather do her than Jordan
    Apparantly they say the same about me :)

  261. Micky,
    don’t worry mate.
    :)

    Money, god, turf, in that order.

    Then it’s just a case of, ‘what excuse can i find to have a go’?

    Take all that crap out of the equation, & we’ll have world peace.
    ;)

    Whumpie,
    that’s a canny call bud, always keep a good excuse back for when the shit hits the fan.
    :)

    Anyhoo,
    2 games in 2 days should be interesting, v 2 pretenders for the title.
    Funny how we always get to go well south over xmas/new year, isn’t it?
    ;)

  262. Sorry Micky.

    Anyway, back on thread: I agree with 4-4-1 @ post 254. I’m sure AP and Ashley are both very aware that they have two very capable midfielders arriving in the next few months in the shape of Benny and Gosling.

    Does anyone know anything about Gosling’s wing play? Could he be the player who can get down the line (like Jonas) and get a cross in (like Raylor or Guthrie)? I don’t think we’ve currently got anyone who can do both…

  264. I think they are both ropey, but I’m not up on my “page 3 lovelies” so those are the only two women who I know who are famous for their tits. :D

  266. Whumpie,
    Gosling has been employed on the wing, but he’s said himself, he prefers a central role as he’s not the quickest.

    Even as a ‘dyed in the wool’ pacifist i’d like to send a BIG SHOUT out to all the lads & lasses stuck in some hell-hole shooting a gun.
    Be safe guys, even us pacifists are thinking of you.
    & to the 25% of the army etc. that are from the North East, an EXTRA BIG SHOUT OUT!
    All the best.
    ;)

  267. Whumpie says:
    December 22, 2010 at 12:13 pm

    “anyone know anything about Gosling’s wing play? Could he be the player who can get down the line (like Jonas) and get a cross in (like Raylor or Guthrie)? I don’t think we’ve currently got anyone who can do both…”

    Only saw him play once and he seemed more in the mould of Guthrie, however more adaptable, hence I guess people keep on saying he can play here and there.

    He’s a central midfielder though

  268. can I just add also, Gosling is a box to box midfielder, like we already have, not some sort of Ronaldo type game changer. He won’t have played for 9 months and when he does get back playing he won’t be any where near a first team place but more so a bit part/fringe type player. So to say it would be like a new signing is wide of the mark in my opinion.

    We wont see any type of form from him until next season.

  269. That is a good point ILM inregards to Goslings form / fitness , never really thought of it like that!

  270. toonsy,
    don’t go all soft & soppy on me, but how’s about:
    A little resume on how all of us are doing at the half way point in the fantasy league?

    Don’t know how hard it is to correlate such info, but it could be a laugh.
    ;)

  271. So heres one for you,
    who has been impressed with the way Pardew has conducted himself over the last couple of weeks?

    Of course we wont see anything football wise for a couple of weeks, but him personally, i’ve been impressed.

  273. ILM –

    He’s been very professional. He’s learnt from Mr Hughton on that though..

    Just unsure that he’s got any calibre for potential new signings..

    Remember we’ve just played 1 game under him as well

  275. ILM,
    It was always gonna be tough for him, coming in on the back of CH’s sacking.
    But he’s dealt with it pretty well, he’s no doubt upset a few, just for being here.
    He’s obviously focussed on not saying the wrong thing & he’s never gonna please everyone.
    But even though it’s ostensibly CH’s team, he’s won his first game in charge, not bad as it was liverpool.
    How much he had to do with it is debatable, but he was in charge & we won.
    As it’s MA’s first ‘real’ appointment, hence the 5.5 year deal, brought in a few weeks before the jan window, it’ll be interesting to see if he’s allowed cash to spend.
    The jury is obviously out ’til we play a few more games, but we can only support who’s there in the hot seat.
    So, for me, he has some time to show what effect he has.
    That equates to months, probably ’til the end of the season, although, i want stability at the club, so we’ve got to stick with him.
    But i’d say the same about anyone who has the job.
    So,
    AP, here’s your chance, get stuck in, show us what you can do & all the very best.
    Can’t say fairer than that.
    Toon Toon.
    ;)

  276. clint – ashley appointed keegan, kinnear and shearer so not really his first appointment or weren’t the others “real”

  277. Thanks Richie.

    I’ll look at it at home and join..

    Fantasy football is blocked at work – the fascists!

  278. Agreed 441.

    This just happens to be the first appointment he’s actually bothered to put in long term without knowing much about the guy apart from casino bets…

  279. Clint – good shout on the best wishes to the forces. I’m a bit of a hippy myself, but work in a support role to defence – surprisingly not a conflict at all. I’ve got nowt but admiration for our people out there being shot at, including some of my colleagues. Some of the stories make you realise how tough it can be and how important these guys are to a lot of people around the world.

  280. and the snow is banging down again :roll:

    fourfouroneone says:
    December 22, 2010 at 1:28 pm
    clint – ashley appointed keegan, kinnear and shearer

    …and Hughton

  281. As for Pardew, my attitude is simple: my anger at CH’s sacking is completely separate from my attitude to AP, which will form over the next few months. The players are backing him, so I’m backing him – simple as. If they’d rebelled, it would be different.
    So far, lots of sensible, straight talking, which I like.
    As someone’s pointed out, it’s going to be very interesting to see how Ashley’s commitment in the form of that long contract translates into backing AP in transfers and other policy issues.
    Back when Ashley appointed CH permanently, it turned out that I was wrong and he was right. I’m hoping it’s the same again, and I don’t think that’s an unrealistic hope.

  282. Tory Boy says:
    December 22, 2010 at 9:55 am
    batty boy ,if weren’t for margaret your house would be still owned by the local council would it not.<<<< you know i live in a caravan tory boy

  283. I see what Clint means by ‘1st appointment’. KK was in his early, naive, glory-boy days. JFK was a panic, interim appointment in the midst of the KK mess. Shearer was an 8-game thing. CH… sadly… turned out to also be a temporary measure.
    AP is the first appointment made in the cold light of day by an owner with some experience under his belt and in the context of a stable business model and five-year plan.
    How much difference that will make we’ll see in January and beyond, but I get the feeling that this appointment is a very different, less hot-headed one than the others.

  284. He wasnt my first choice but he has impressed me so far , we just have to wait n see wat he does!

    Any word on ig games are going ahead yet?

  285. Batty: when I were a lad, we lived in a shoebox in the middle of the A1 and had to get up before we’d gone to bed to lick the tarmac clean….

  286. KK was appointed ‘for the fans’, we all know that.
    & most of us knew it would ‘crash & burn’, & it did.
    JFK was the only one that would take the job, short term, so no, not a ‘real’ appointment.
    Shearer was an attempt to save wor ass from relegation, last ditch, to roust the team’s flagging attitude after a series of managers, he had no proper contract.
    & CH was ‘last man standing’ in a bad situation. He never had the full support, i.e. no proper contract.
    Does that explain where i’m coming from?
    Feel free to argue the toss like.
    But a 5.5 year contract for AP says, to me, MA’s first ‘real’ appointment.
    Y’get me?

    Whumpie,
    aye mate,
    with a bro’ that’s been to every major conflict in the world in the last couple of decades, let’s say: ‘it focusses one’s mind’ mate.
    ;)

  287. Whumpie,
    wor fatha used to kill us, get us up for work half an hour before we went to bed, we lived in a septic tank on the M1, that we had to lick clean before 9am, then dad would kill us again, then dance on wor graves.
    :)

  288. Clint…I get what you’re saying but we can’t say they’re not ‘real’ appointments just because they didn’t work out otherwise we could say most prem clubs havn’t had a ‘real’ manager for years. ;-)

  289. richie,
    but the point is, they were stop gaps & not on a proper long term contract, that disallows them from being a ‘real’ appointment imo.
    If any of them had had even a 2/3 year deal they would be a ‘real’ appointment.
    & KK was just an accident about to happen.

    Kerblam!
    :)

  290. is a 5.5 year contract that has a fixed termination clause really backing the manager?

    Happy to give AP benefit of doubt, CH sacking wasn’t his call and can’t blame him for taking job, ultimately results is what he’ll be judged on and his first test is Saturday against Man City (Players played Liverpool game for CH so not counting that as a Pardew win)

    I’m expecting a win :)

  291. Aw, who cares? Getting some points over the next few games is what matters, otherwise Ashley’s first ‘proper’ appointment may be a lot shorter than the improper ones!

    I’m optimistic. We’ve got a good squad, and I’m amazed how little the CH thing appears to have destabilised the club – despite the press (and ‘arry) trying to make it do so.

    I wonder who’ll take CH on next? There’s a very good manager twiddling his thumbs, which won’t last long…

  292. The ‘big’ teams – especially those assembled from spoiled foreigners by owners with fat wallets – tend to come unstuck at SJP in cold weather.

    Remember “The Special One” cocking it all up in the snow a few years back? With no injuries, he used up all 3 subs at half time – pretty much because he could, it seemed – and wondered why he finished with 8 fit players on the field. Shearer and co just battered them. 3 points. :)

  293. 4411,
    it’s the fact that he’s got a 5.5 year contract, nowt else.
    Irrespective of clauses real, imaginary or otherwise.
    5.5 years=’Real’, proper, long term contract.
    ;)

  295. Aw Micky,
    don’t wish boro on the poor lad mate.
    :)
    He couldn’t do much worse!
    :)

    wham for me like.
    Although blackbum will be sniffing around now.

  296. Clint like I said I know what your saying but length of contract is irrelevant, if Pardew takes us down, he’ll be gone in all likeliehood.
    If Keegan hadn’t left for the obvious reasons and kept us up he’d possibly still be here, if Kinnears health hadn’t gone and he’d kept us up he’d possibly still be here…or they could have done a good job like CH and been given the boot by the fatman.Pardew could take us into europe and still get sacked by Ashley, the man is unpredictable as his appointments have shown but they were all ‘real’ ones at the time they were made no matter what the circumstances.A 51/2 year deal with a fixed compensation fee if sacked is no more secure or real than than a 1 or 2 year deal. Has he thought this one out anymore than the others? who knows, maybe an old pals act maybe not, all that we can hope for is that he backs him more and that the lad can does a good job for us.I’ll support my team whatever. :-)

  297. But richie,
    all but kk were interim managers.
    MA was shamed into giving CH a 1 year deal when he got us up.
    None of them smack of ‘Right, i’m appointing this guy, cos i believe in him’.
    Where as with AP, MA is sending out a clear message that he wants a stable situation, hence 5.5 year deal.
    I dunno if he’ll last that long, but that’s not the issue.
    It’s a sea change at the club under MA.
    Personally i support NUFC, whomever is in charge, that won’t change.
    But whomever is there will get my support until such time as it becomes untenable.
    My patience usually lasts longer than the chairman/owner of the day anyway.
    So i doubt that’ll change either.
    :)
    I’m just trying to look at the appointment dispassionately & logically.
    Not saying i like it, i keep that all ‘in house’, as it were.
    Bit like a football club should.
    :)

  298. Apparently there’s a good chance of this being the coldest December on record (i.e. since 1890) which should work well when playing nesh poofs like Citeh. Anyone going out on a limb and predicting the result for Sunday?
    I think it’ll see plenty of goals and the odd incident/injury/red card, (will Tevez break his snood?) and end up 4-3 to us.

  299. Clint…just goin round in circles so we’ll just agree I’m right and leave it there ;-) :lol:

  301. Clint….ya’ve been doon sooth too long, I’m not even in long sleeved shirts yet never mind a jacket :lol:

  302. Right,
    anyone else not happy with sgt.major’s ‘little scheme’ of marching up & down the debating square?

    Right,
    off y’go.
    ;)

  306. I really fancy a result for us at the weekend. I guess it just depends on how many egg nogs and mince pies the lads have had the day before.
    I can imagine Nolan likes a mince pie or two and we know Carroll likes the odd egg nog. However my main worry is Barton. He says he doesn’t drink anymore so will probably compensate by eating too much turkey. Caroll won’t get a look in food wise if he is stopping at Nolans for crimbo.

  308. 3-1 Nolan, Carroll and Saylor
    I have a source in the club who told me that and he’s never wrong ;-)

  310. So long as we get a nice ‘homer’ ref that feels the need to redress the balance, in our favor.
    ;)

  313. CLINT coming home for hols mate or staying doon there with the softies,2/3in of snow and there airports grind to a halt jeez bloody disgrace,richie moved more than that with his pecker lol.

    anyway hows you pal?

  314. Got a Citeh supporter sits opposite me. He thinks ‘resting’ De Mong may be a wise move. I tend to agree, as a mixture of piss, fag-ends and bovril can really carry a long way in cold weather :)

  315. Alreet ice,
    am ok mate, apart from barking like your dog.
    How are you mate, all good?

    May come up between xmas & new year, depending on the weather like. It’s the getting back that worries me, me & the misses have a gig to go to on NYE in hammersmith, so, not sure yet.
    You still snowed in?
    Down here man they have no clue how to… when it comes to snow, they don’t even know how to drive in it, let alone keep an infrastructure moving.
    Laughable!
    I know people from all over the world with way worse weather than we get & they just organize themselves & get the phuck on with it.
    I was just having a laugh about it with a japanese friend, they don’t take any shit from snow.
    :)

  316. Clint: I used to live in Canada, and funnily enough, Vancouver grinds to a halt just like London does. The difference is that everybody just accepts that, for the time being, the cost of tooling up to do otherwise is higher than the cost of just taking days off.

    Think about it this way: just to equip every household in the UK with one snow shovel (which is what you’ll find in every garage in, say, Oslo) would cost about HALF A BILLION QUID.

    Heated railway lines? Tens of billions. Heated runways? The same. Snowploughs? Just the STORAGE space is hundreds of millions in this country.

    We should stop moaning and just enjoy the snow on the rare occasion it’s here.

  317. CLINT :),ime ganning canny m8 getting oot of bed a lot more now after opp.
    the roads etc have been good for last few days,just to watch the ice on roads as it hasnt lifted above 0 for a while
    maybe you would get to sjp if you get up like,got feeling we will stuff them like,you finished for hols now?

  319. ice,
    last couple of hours now.
    Then hyem.
    Nah, won’t make the manc game on boxing day, then i might be up there so would miss the spuds doon here, typical.
    Take it EZ mate, don’t want any injury set backs bud.
    Have you got the dog pulling y’sledge?
    :)

    Whumpie,
    :)
    Bit of fore thought wouldn’t go amiss like would it?
    :)
    There was a Polish lad on the radio talking about how we go on about ‘a cold snap’, ‘big freeze’ & such like.
    He just said: “In Poland we call it winter”.
    Which made me laugh.
    :)

  320. CLiNT FLiCK says:
    December 22, 2010 at 11:53 am

    “No Cromwell, no democracy.”

    Clint, Cromwell was one of the most horrible men who ever drew breath, though Big Dave might disagree with me there.

  322. worky,
    he got shot of the royalty, always a plus in my book.
    I know he wasn’t a friend of Ireland like (or cathoholics).
    But it was normal to be a qunt back then, as a starting point.
    Still formed parliament though.
    ;)