Probing Toon’s Europa League group stage opponents: Part one – C.S. Maritimo.

Posted on September 5th, 2012 | 146 Comments |

C.S. Maritimo - Estádio dos Barreiros.
Maratimo at their place.
Team: C.S. Maritimo.
League: Portuguese Primeira Liga.
Position last season: 5th.
Stadium: Estádio dos Barreiros, Funchal, Madeira.
Last major trophy: Campeonato de Portugal, 1926.
Fixture dates: Thurs, 4th Oct (A), Thurs, 22nd Nov (H)

Though Maritimo play in Portugal’s Primeira Liga, Maritimo (Maritime) are situated on the island of Madeira, some 600 miles from the Portuguese coast and slightly closer to Africa than to Portugal.

Madeira was colonised by the Portuguese in the early 15th Century and is now an autonomous district of Portugal. Despite being a very small island, with a population which is roughly similar to that of Newcastle upon Tyne without Gateshead, Gosforth and the rest, the island of Madeira has no less than eleven teams competing in the Portuguese leagues, the major ones being Maritimo and their main Madeiran rivals Nacional in Portugal’s Primeira Liga. Both Maritimo and Nacional are from Madeira’s capital city, Funchal. It was Nacional who helped to groom the young Funchalian who subsequently went on to become Madeira’s most famous football export by far, Christiano Ronaldo, who won a title with Naconal’s youth team before he moved on to one of the big three of Portuguese football, Sporting Club of Lisbon, at the tender age of twelve.

Getting back to Maritimo though, as you can see above, they were 5th in last year’s Primeira Liga with 50 points. However, as there are only 16 teams playing a total of 30 games per season in the Primeira Liga, this is the equivalent of around 63 points in the 20 team, 38 game English Premiership, two points less than Newcastle United won for their own fifth Premiership place last season. Of their 40 years or so competing in the Portuguese leagues this was Maritimo’s joint highest position, though they have managed it 6 times before, along with 3 sixths and 4 sevenths. Overall, their consistentency would put them at tenth in an all time Primeira Liga table. This is despite the Madeiran clubs only being allowed to compete in the Portuguese League for the first time in the 1973-4 season, and not entering the Primeira Liga for the first time until the 1977-1978 season. However, it is virtually impossible to break the monopoly of “Os Três Grandes,” the big three of Portuguese football, Lisbon’s Sport Lisboa e Benfica and Sporting Clube de Portugal, and the most dominant Portuguese club of recent times, FC Porto from Portugal’s second city.

Maritimo's club crest.
Maritimo's club crest.
In terms of cup competitions, Maritimo’s best so far has been two appearences in the 2001 and 1995 Portuguese Cup finals, though if we go way back to 1926, the days when Wee Hughie Gallacher was wowing the St James’ Park crowds with his prolific goalscoring, Maritimo won the Campeonato de Portugal, the main Portuguese trophy of the time which was a kind of League and Cup competition all rolled into one. Last year they made the Quarter Finals of the Cup after beating the mighty Benfica 2-1, though they were eliminated 3-0 by the aforementioned Sporting in the Quarter Finals. To give you an idea of what the lads might be up against if Maritimo have a good game, here are some highlights of that Benfica game at Martimo’s place, the “Estádio dos Barreiros.” Incidentally, if you are wondering why there are so many empty seats, they are parts of a new stadium for the club which was still under construction at the time, and it seems that it is still unfinished due to financial problems with the consortium building it. Hence, it currently has a capacity of under 5000 with only one stand still open to spectators.

Finally for this section, like Newcastle United, Maritimo are old hands at this UEFA Cup / Europa League lark. They have competed in six UEFA Cups and this is their second Europa League so far, though they have never progressed beyond the earlier rounds. Last season they went out in the Europa Cup playoffs.

Form this season

Looking at this season for Maritimo so far, they won their first game of the Premeira Liga season 1-0 against Rio Ave (away), with the second being a 0-0 home draw with Gil Vicente. In the Europa League they have already played four games. The first games, a 1-1 away draw and a 0-0 home draw against Asteras Tripolis of Greece is an interesting one as they are a team of around the same strength as our last Europa League opponents, Atromitos. the next two against Georgian side Dila Gori saw Maritimo easing through to the group stages fairly comfortably with a 1-0 home victory and a 0-2 away victory for the Madeirans, which saw them comfortbly through to the group stages.

Danger men

Lest you were thinking that Newcastle United now have a monopoly on lethal Senegalese hitmen, Maritimo’s top scorer for the last two seasons was their Senegalese striker / winger, Babá. He scored 15 goals in only 22 appearences for Maritimo last season. The good news for us though is that he was sold in the last window to Spanish club, Seville, for an undisclosed amount. It would have been great if Newcastle United had signed him though, then we could have fielded a Senegalese strike force of Ba and Babá! Now though, the dangermen should be striker / winger Sami from Guinea Bissau, and their Brazilian striker / winger, Danilo. Having written that neither of them seem to have been especially prolific with goals last season or in the little there has been of this season so far. Sami scored 6 goals in a total of 37 appearences last season, and has yet to hit the back of the net in this one. Meanwhile, Danilo scored 9 goals in 39 appearences, scoring one goal (against FC Dila Gori) in the Europa League.

Conclusion

Maritimo shouldn’t cause too much of a problem against a full strength Newcastle United team. They should be a slightly more stiffer test than our previous Europa League opponents, Atromitos. Then again, with a desperate shortage of players thanks to the parsimony of Mike Ashley, Alan Pardew has already said that he will not be giving much priority to Europe this year. His second string side were VERY lucky to get past Atromitos when the Greeks should have been awarded one definite penalty, and possibly even two though the second one was more debatable. Tim Krul should also have been sent off after the first incident too for bringing down an Atromitos player. Anyway, as I write, although they shouldn’t be a big threat to a full strength Newcastle side, we could get a very nasty surprise this time if our Silver Supremo just treats these games as just a canny run out for the bairns!

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NUFCBlog Author: workyticket workyticket has written 1095 articles on this blog.

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146 Responses

  1. Cheers for the info Worky.

    I had no idea your knowledge of the Funchalians was so detailed! :D

    Surely we can beat this team though. I’m pretty sure even our kids should have more than enough to do well there.

  2. Geordie Dan
    Are you serious, fifth place in the Portugals premier league is not that far from the same spot we finished last season.
    It’s a decent league who’s teams usually do well in the Whatchamacallit league.
    If we play our kids, it’s goodbye to this competition.
    But as there’s not much dosh involved, does our owner really care?
    Actually he should, as i’m sure he will eventually expand to most parts of the continent, so the advertising exposure would be worth it alone.
    But what do i know?

  3. the one thing maritimo will be, is technically very good, with the ball at feet.
    the first thing newcastle have to do, is their customary, give the ball back to the opposition.
    that is one of the major flaws, in our game, our ball rentention is pathetic.

    i dont know if putting a team of kids and fringe players, out against these, would be advisable.
    this will be one hell of as tough game to win, expect to be chasing shadows, for long periods, and the inevitable unsporting behaviour, you will get from a portuguese outfit.

  4. sorry i messed up again, i meant to say is NOT give the ball away to the opposition, what a numpty!!!!

  5. Chuck>

    A team made up mostly of kids beat SC Braga and drew with Olympiacos and Fenerbahce during pre-season correct?

    I know pre-season is nothing like the real deal but I’d be confident with most of our young-uns against any team which finished 5th in the Portuguese league. It’s not the Premiership mate.

    Yes I’d play some experience mixed in there as well but I’d play Bigi, Amalfitano, Sammy Ameobi, Ferguson, Vuckic and Abeid no problem at all and expect us to win.

  6. Good stuff WT and I note with interest the point

    “Then again, with a desperate shortage of players thanks to the parsimony of Mike Ashley”

    It seems NUFC have included Xisco in their “senior” squad of players over the age of 21 presumably before he gets moved on for a final season at £50k a week.

    The squad of 20 (excluding Xisco) is then made up with
    Mehdi Abeid, Sammy Ameobi, Gael Bigirimana, Shane Ferguson, Davide Santon, James Tavernier and Haris Vuckic

  7. geordiedan-those were preseason games. Our opposition didn’t play their first teams any more than we did.

    If we try the squad we did v. Atromitos we’ll have A LOT of trouble getting out of this group.

  8. Thanks worky that was a another very good read. As you say we shouldn’t have any problems if we were playing our first team but I’m worried too about what will happen if Pardew sends out too many rookies for these games. I’m especially worried about Bordeaux as they were french champions and in the champions league not so long ago.

  9. ‘Then again, with a desperate shortage of players thanks to the parsimony of Mike Ashley’

    Total rubbish!!!!

    As pardew says we should all be praising Mike for turning down all the big money offers on his players as he could have cashed in if he wanted after all the money he’s put in to save this club. we’ve got rid of all the deadwood now, have a better squad than the one that came 5th last season and the youngsters are a year older too.

    There’ll always be some stupid muppetts who are never happy though!

  10. Yes, good boy there “true nufc fan”. Keep thinking and feeling what the people in positions of power tell you.

  11. Just typical! I suppose you’d rather go back to the Shepherd days when the club was buying old has beens and going bust?

  12. true nufc fan says:

    “As pardew says we should all be praising Mike for turning down all the big money offers on his players as he could have cashed in if he wanted after all the money he’s put in to save this club. we’ve got rid of all the deadwood now, have a better squad than the one that came 5th last season and the youngsters are a year older too”

    So truenufc perhaps you could explain why we’re suddenly being fed rumours of players we’re gonna bring in during the Jan window ? Surely, if we have an adequate squad, we dont need any more ?

    As I often say, when discussing our very own version of Laurel and Hardy, if its looks and smells like bullshlt it probably is bullshlt !

  13. ……….and before the GS’s of this world claim this site is an anti Toon outpost, may I say well done to Brad Inman for his first hat trick for NUFC at the Britannia. Seems he’s linking up well with Campbell.

    Knows a thing or two about how the game should be played ;) “I thought the midfield – Conor (Newton) and Michael (Richardson) – played really well. We had three in central midfield which helped us a lot; we had JJ on the left and Marcus on the right which made the pitch big so we had good possession of the ball and that helped on such a big pitch”

    Friends I know who have met the lad say he’s deserving of a longer term contract. At 20 it should be his time to shine so let’s keep our fingers crossed !

  14. But just in case you all think I’m going soft on all things Toon let me please be the one to post this little snippet of information from the Reuters web site.

    “Ashley holds 71 percent of Sports Direct’s equity and is executive deputy chairman. He does not take a salary and generates significant free advertising for the company through his ownership of English Premier League soccer club Newcastle United”

    Note the word “free” true nufc fan :roll:

  16. Don’t you lot all have benefit forms to fill out and bedsheets to paint with mispelled anti Ashley slogans? :)

  17. “So truenufc perhaps you could explain why we’re suddenly being fed rumours of players we’re gonna bring in during the Jan window ? Surely, if we have an adequate squad, we dont need any more ?”

    true nufc fan says:

    “Don’t you lot all have benefit forms to fill out and bedsheets to paint with mispelled anti Ashley slogans? :)”

    So I’ll take that as a “No” then ?

  18. true nufc fan says:
    September 5, 2012 at 8:09 pm (Edit)

    “Don’t you lot all have benefit forms to fill out and bedsheets to paint with mispelled anti Ashley slogans?”

    True nufc fan, that has to be the most ironic thing I’ve read for quite some time. When I was at school I used to win a little silver cup every year for spelling and I’ve never had to use a spellchecker in my entire life. So, I can tell you that it’s actually “MISSPELLED” :lol:

  19. Bottom line is TNF this site is populated by adults. Not fan boys or girls who lap up every bit of news fed to them as if it were gospel.

    We all know or at least should know that NUFC has a spin team just as the Government as well as all political parties throughout the world and of course, Piers Morgan. Why ? Because they all have to be seen to be the nice guys for the sake of their image but they know that most of us wont listen to their own tales of righteousness so they create “third party” agents to do their tub thumping for them.

    I would estimate that over 50% of all Newsnow items that you read are either directly generated by Fatmans spin team or are just regurgitations of the original.

    Some come from “sources”, some come from hack/journos plying their trade in the shadows of SJP and some come from well meaning fans who just get taken along for the ride.

  23. Sorry I didn’t mean you worky, Andy, Trojan, Tunyc above, I meant that so called “true nufc fan”

  25. tunyc says:

    “Ugh, Andy. You said “Piers Morgan””

    Tis arguable who is in greater need of a spin doctor, Fatman or Morgan ?

  26. tunyc says:
    September 5, 2012 at 8:53 pm

    “Ugh, Andy. You said “Piers Morgan”.

    Again, ugh.”

    tunyc, we send all those wonderful gifts over to you like Piers Morgan, Simon Cowell and Anne Robinson. You should show some gratitude you miserable Yank ingrate! Just as we all should show gratitude to “Mike” for kindly donating all of his debt to the club, covering the stadium with Sports Direct and not selling all of our top players.

  27. “Just as we all should show gratitude to “Mike” for kindly donating all of his debt to the club, covering the stadium with Sports Direct and not selling all of our top players”

    Yeay I’m thinking we should all contribute towards a statue in his honour. True NUFC will be good for a few bob :)

  28. Oh dear, NUFC may have to pay the price for this. All that free advertising from Newcastle United, the share price is now up to over 330p, but the miserable, ingrated Sports Direct shareholders just throw it all back in poor Ashley’s face. The bastads!

    “Sports Direct shareholders reject share incentive scheme for Mike Ashley

    “Mike Ashley and Sports Direct have suffered an embarrassing rebuke by shareholders after a share incentive scheme that could have netted the Newcastle United owner more than £25m failed to win approval.”

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/epic/spd/9523904/Sports-Direct-shareholders-reject-share-incentive-scheme-for-Mike-Ashley.html

  29. One thing you can definitely say about Ashley is that he knows how to get geordies at each others throats, but why do we let him do it?

  30. personally i’m more worried about fans who are pro ashley, rather than the fans who will question, what is happening, at the club.
    it’s becoming the new mantra amongst the pro brigade, “we dont want to go back to the old days, when shepherd was blaa, blaa, blaa”.
    “we would have went bust, etc, etc, etc”.
    they always use these things to attack you, they never bother to ask you about, freddie shepherd, and your feelings of the old days.
    most dont want that, yet the pro brigade, assume that’s the case.
    we just want a balance between, sensible spending, and not this tight a**ed fake transfer policy.
    you people are more dangerous to the club, with your brainwashed, never question anything views.

  31. Has this become the only blog in regards to NUFC thats not a feelgood site ?
    Am i wrong ? or has most of the content of News Now, as claimed by Andy mac @19, become generated by the NUFC PR department.
    If so, then we are a minority.
    But dont let that cause you any concern, as we know many minority’s are the result of the ignorance of majorities.

  32. Stop the nonsense of acting superior and throwing around the word fallacy every time somebody attempts an argument that disagrees with yours. It’s childish arrogance and massively detracts from any reasonable and rational statements you are going to make.

    Why doesn’t everyone grow up and embrace others opinions instead of castigating them for it? The blog would be a boring place if it didn’t create opinion, so stop insulting those who represent them opinions.

    Few of you took any notice of the blindingly obvious contradiction by Andy as you are blinkered by hatred, just like others are blinkered by the inevitable pr department. Don’t use the media’s statements for yourself in one agreement and then claim they shouldnt be believed in another. Either believe them or don’t.

    It is undeniable that ma spent a low amount of money, is it undeniable that we had any more to spend? Should we spend more than we earn? Should we be content with making approx 5m profit (if memory serves me correct) , which would therefore take around 25 years to pay off our debt? Should the club just accept debt is inevitable?

    Hell, you know what. Nobody cares. Football is football, as long as we perform to acceptable standard on the pitch then the beautiful game is far more than just money. Last season 5th was more than acceptable, let’s get behind the team and cast the judgements retrospectively.

  33. toontony, you are bang on there, i’ve always said that myself, when shepherd was in the hot seat, all the fans were united against him.
    i’ve never come across a more divisive, figure than mike ashley.
    could it just be a classic case of, “divide and rule”?

  34. Daniel-I’ll keep pointing out false dilemmas as long as others want to present them. To suggest that the only two possible transfer policies at NUFC are Mike Ashley’s austerity or Freddy Shepherd’s bingeing IS a false dilemma. There are many other possibilities; I would have been more than happy with a spend like Everton’s. Or hell even if they’re all frees-as long as the moves address the needs of the squad.

    You are aware that according to the latest accounts from Companies House that NUFC have the 3rd-highest debt of all PL teams? That the debt has grown under Ashley?

  35. daniel says:

    “Few of you took any notice of the blindingly obvious contradiction by Andy as you are blinkered by hatred”

    a. its not blindingly obvious to me :)
    b. its not hatred its just common sense
    c. can you suggest a reason for the suddden spread of “good news” stories after the transfer window ended so disappointingly ? Tbh I cannot ever remember a tale linking us to Ince last January so why does it suddenly appear now ? Similarly the tales of knocking back bids for Cabaye and the “we’re lucky to have held on to all our players” stories are all designed to make pissed off fans think we’re lucky :)

    Even this poor bugger who quite rightly questions the transfer strategy of the club, feels as though he has to defend himself against the happy clappy brigade. Which is nonsense.

    “I applaud the fact that we try to get value for money in every deal we do nowadays but I just can’t believe that our scouts couldn’t find good players withing our budget that could fill the problem areas of full back, central defence and striker.

    For me it has been apparent that we have needed some quality players in those positions for a while, certainly the 2 defensive areas at the very least.

    We seem to have messed about on the Debuchy and Douglas deals and not had any kind of plan b to fall back on when those didn’t materialise.

    The fact that subsequently Ryan Taylor, James Perch, Danny Simpson and Coloccini have picked up injuries in the last week or so shows you that we are taking a hell of a risk with some areas of the squad that could seriously come back to haunt us and who is to say a couple of other key players don’t pick up knocks in the coming weeks.

    I know some people will find this very negative but I just don’t buy into all the excuses being peddled by the manager in terms of bigging up the fact we didn’t sell anyone, calling the likes of Steven Taylor and Marveaux new signings etc etc – they are all cliches that are trying to cover up the fact that we didn’t do enough to make the squad strong enough to try and build on last year.

    This isn’t any kind of anti Pardew or anti Ashley rant – I am simply just a little bit disappointed that we haven’t taken a good opportunity to fix some glaring holes in our team”

    Please note this did not emanate from SJP nor .org :)

  36. TROJAN RECORDS 73 says:

    “toontony, you are bang on there, i’ve always said that myself, when shepherd was in the hot seat, all the fans were united against him”

    Actually TJ there were vast numbers of pro Shepherd supporters who lapped up the “he always backs his manager with HIS money” fable and it took sites like “nufc mismangement” and “nufc finances” a long time to try to convince those who were misinformed.

    It was never Shepherd’s money that paid for signings, his personal financial input into the club over the years he was in charge was around £400k. Yet we all know that was the mantra the board/spin team adopted at the time and many, I’m afraid, bought into it just as many are doing so today but with a different Fatman !

  37. tunyc, stop trying to befuddle people with these fancy concepts such as logic and reason and just stick to the childish name calling and psychological projection. ;-)

  38. TROJAN RECORDS 73 says:
    September 6, 2012 at 11:02 am

    toontony, you are bang on there, i’ve always said that myself

    Thanks Trojan. I’ve supported the club for as long as I can remember and I like nothing more than to see them do well. However well we did last season though it just doesn’t seem worth all the aggro caused by Ashley, filling our stadium with all his Sports Direct crap and changing the name, the way him and Llambias heve lied about it and so many other things as worky and some others rightly pointed out in the past. Ashley has insulted the intelligence of us fans too many times and as I’ve said already, we’ve let this nasty bastard get us all at each others throats. I’m absolutely sick of it and supporting the team just doesnt seem the same anymore. But I’m glad that there’s at least one blog which isn’t taken in by all of his crap. Long may it continue! (the blog that is not Ashley)

  40. @39 toontony

    You’re right but what can be done about it? The commercialisation of football was bound to have that effect but rather depressingly we seem to be at the forefront of all the worst aspects of it: The name change, the propaganda, the fatcat, the debt, the lacky manager… but most galling of all is we are being fleeced on top of this. The club is being handicapped by it’s owner as he uses us as a water-horse for his prize runner Sports Direct Brand. I just wish this little donkey has a mule kick to hit Ashley in his other prized possessions!

  41. Wey fk na’s whats ganna happen after this international break lads.defensive wise were just about screwed..no Colo,Simpson,Raylor,Fergie..all we need now is for Saylor to break down n training…what makes things even worse is fkin Laurel n Hardy knew we needed defenders.pair ov arseholes.

  42. FFS we all need to cheer up before Ashley’s brownshirts come back to smash our windows and give us a bit more re education.

    Jack, I’ve read more than one so called fan writing that it’s actually a good thing that Simpson is injured because he’s shite and it’ll mean Anita can play right back. Sadly, I can’t find any of what they’re smoking.

  43. Hey can we stop talking about football and back to fighting and discussing accounts and all things financial?
    All this football talk bores me :lol:

  44. At leaat we can enjoy the England game safe in the knowledge none of the toon will injured in that game! :-)

  45. Sammy you mean Collo, perhaps, oh hang on!!

    All of this chat about Newcastles finances mean nowt to me. One week I’m reading we we are financially very solid, the next week we are in the sh!t. All I can do is rationalise how we appear to be in comparison to other clubs.

    A lot of clubs similar to us appear to have splashed out on new players, Sunderland for one.

    The one factor that has kept me slightly onside with our present owners/management is we always seemed to pull a plum out of the magic transfer hat to improve the team. It might be that one of the few this time around might be in that category.

    With the Collo injury adding to a growing list it’s pretty obvious we are going to have to play a lot of the newcomers plus some of the marginal first teamers, so I think the pro Ashley camp is going to take a knock unless what we have does produce some winning football.

    From what I have seen so far howeverIi think we be lucky to be even midtable come the next transfer window and Ashley may be forced to lever open his wallet.

  46. To Grumpy and anyone else who has posted on this thread so far.

    I’m not about to add another layer of confusion to this topic but from a purely unbiased standpoint, I offer all of you the opportunity to read and disseminate the following information.

    This is a belated view of NUFC’s finances, presented by an unbiased financial observer, the Swiss Ramble.

    http://swissramble.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/newcastle-united-life-in-northern-town.html

    If you cant be arsed to read the whole thing (something which most fans appear to have a problem doing) then just look at these…..

    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-efraQqdGKQY/UEcFDD9KAVI/AAAAAAAAGQI/579nYGVYR00/s1600/12+FFP+PL+Distribution.jpg

    which is the revenue received from the BPL for last season and

    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ovdX3eWmlZU/T2g9Xwt5xRI/AAAAAAAAFZg/7yhcd0ftCKM/s400/7%2BNewcastle%2BProfit.jpg

    which shows the profitability of the club in recent times.

    However the above is purely a current (2011) view of the profitability and DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE DEBT (accrued by Ashley) of £143m which has steadily risen over the years since Fatman arrived.

    Now the real issue about NUFC and our ability to generate income takes a real knock from the following.

    2011 match day revenues (across the BPL)

    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zdzw-ZB3hL4/UEcF2ZxnNoI/AAAAAAAAGQ4/_rfZar7_z4w/s1600/18+FFP+Match+Day+Revenue.jpg

    OK we lag behind the Mancs understandably but to lose out to the Spuds for approx £400k per match is hard to understand ?

    So why does Ashley bother ? Well take a look at the proposed income from TV due within the next two years and you’ll see there’s an estimated 30% growth on TV revenues. Which means that if we just sit tight, do nothing and keep our noses clean we’ll sweep up a further £30m per season !

    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bEfMnksL70I/UEcFTmBPptI/AAAAAAAAGQY/KL8pt4KxDoo/s1600/14+FFP+PL+Distribution+2014.jpg

    Thassit !

  47. Wow WT you’ve got this site screwed down tighter than a dolphins air hole :)

    Cant post from any of my computers presumably you’ve had an attack of the Batty’s ?

  48. Grumpy Old-Toon says:
    September 7, 2012 at 2:03 pm

    “From what I have seen so far howeverIi think we be lucky to be even midtable come the next transfer window and Ashley may be forced to lever open his wallet.”

    Grumpy, the last transfer window was the one where Ashley’s wallet was full to bursting, with Sports Direct raking in huge profits on the back the Euros and the Olympics and SDI shares rising to over 330p. Since the window ended however, he’s had his proposed £25 million bonus knocked back by shareholders and Sports Direct could be facing a leaner time for trading in the future too with no major event like the ones named above for some time. So, if the last transfer window was what Ashley is like in the best of times, what will he be like now he’s had his pocketmoney taken away and trading conditions will almost certainly be getting tougher?

  49. AndyMac says:
    September 7, 2012 at 3:56 pm

    “Wow WT you’ve got this site screwed down tighter than a dolphins air hole”

    It’s posted now Andy. Computer said “no” after it took a look at the number of links on it and decided it looked like spam.

  50. Andy, OK I have looked at them and they do seem to indicate a positive trend for Newcastles finances. I’m not going to try and diss them but I do have a natural cynicism towards statistics so wouldn’t neccesarily just accept them.

    Bottom line for me is how are we doing on the field and do we have the means on the pitch to succeed, rather than in a bank somewhere.

    Not ensuring a viable playing staff gives the potential to fail with an eventuall overall loss of income.

    I’m no mathematician but does than not make sense?

  51. Grumpy Old-Toon says:
    September 7, 2012 at 6:51 pm

    “Andy, OK I have looked at them and they do seem to indicate a positive trend for Newcastles finances. I’m not going to try and diss them but I do have a natural cynicism towards statistics so wouldn’t neccesarily just accept them.”

    Grumpy, old, and cynical – I like the cut of your jib!

    It’s not statistics themselves, they’re fine so long as the input data is absolutely accurate. It’s usually us missing out on a hidden yet crucial factor which throws everything up in the air, especially when we’re being led by the nose as to what they mean by someone with an agenda.

    Example: Everyone thought there were large amounts of statistical evidence to prove that “zero tolerance” policing worked in New York, hence it was hailed as some kind of panacea to bring down crime rates throughout the world.

    However they missed out one HUGE factor. The time zero tolerance policing was implemented coincided with a large change in the demographics of New York’s population. This change was almost certainly a far bigger factor in the declining crime stats that the zero tolerance guff. But of course, as the saying goes, a lie travels around the world while the truth is still putting it’s pants on, and the initial perception that zero tolerance works and was back up by statistics stuck, so idiot politicians all over the world still think it’s a panacea for crime, and everyone’s still banging on about zero friggin’ tolerance!

  52. Worky, yeah I’m afraid that age and cynicism are natural bedfellows.

    Saw a bit of Barak Osma- oops, sorry Obamas speech where he kept saying we “CAN” save the human race etc. Struck me as pure rhetoric actually saying nothing, with his adoring disciples lapping it up.

    Most of the human race are sheep I’m afraid!

  53. Hmmm interesting read AndyMac. I don’t have any real financial understanding of business arrangements like the one Mike Ashley has with Newcastle. If we start to make a profit what of this is Ashley entitled to as owner? if so how much and does this effect our ability to pay him off as long as he remains owner?

  57. Workey
    Zero tolerance?
    You talking bout Giuliani’s regieme?
    Just nonsense stuff created by his PR department.
    Created a whole false image, that by cracking down on minor crimes, it would reflect on major crime.
    It never happened and if it had would have clogged up the courts not to mention an increase in poice presence, at a time when Poice wages had dropped to the point there was a shortage of both numbers and quality.
    Also the fact crime usually falls during periods of full employment and the fact demographics as you stated had changed the face of NYC, through gentrification of certain sections of the city.
    At present our Nanny mayor Bloomberg, who has become interested in the diets of New Yorkers and other equally none of his business stuff, has given the comish Kelly, the go ahead to use stop and search tactics (with guess who ? the main targets of this policy) yes overwhemingly African Americans and other minorities.
    But if your white it’s all right, you wont be searched and humiliated, but you may be castigated for being overweight by eating the wrong things.
    Sound crazy ? actually if people constntly hear about restuarants having to present the number of calories on their menu, it totally distracts from the fact hundreds of thousands are being stopped and searched and questioned each year, which has been defended and described as preventitive action.
    Ashleys PR department could learn from Bloomberg and Kelly.

  58. Woikey
    When are you going to grow up and stop this silly nonsense about our neighboring club, it’s really childish and for all your generally sensible approach to most things, completely out of character.
    Yes rivals, and yes great to beat them each year, but to use schoolboy macho language and insult to-wards them is embarassing.

  59. Chuck, your the expert on New York obviously but, what I read several time from very good sources was that

    Crime figures were very high in NYC:

    Giuliani introduced zero tolerance policing. I bow to your superior knowledge of NYC as to whether it was implemented properly or not but in some ways it’s beside the point in hindsight anyway.

    Crime figures in NYC started to fall and the stats were used as concrete proof that zero tolerance policing “worked”

    It spread like a virus all over the place and became gospel

    Intelligent statisticians without an agenda who looked at the wider picture presented far more convincing evidence that the fall in crime actually had far more to “demographic changes,” or “through gentrification of certain sections of the city” and “crime usually falls during periods of full employment” as you put it. But alas, it was too late. The truth had put it pants on too late so to speak.

    Here we go!

    “On the historical examples of the application of zero tolerance kind of policies, nearly all the scientific studies conclude that it didn’t play a leading role in the reduction of crimes, a role which is instead claimed by its advocates. On the other hand, large majorities of people who living in communities in which zero tolerance policing has been followed believe that in fact has played a key, leading role in reducing crime in their communities.[14] It has been alleged that in New York City, the decline of crimes rate started well before Rudy Giuliani came to power, in 1993, and none of the decreasing processes had particular inflection under him.[14][15] and that in the same period of time, the decrease in crime was the same in the other major US cities, even those with an opposite security policy. But the experience of the vast majority of New Yorkers led them to precisely the opposite conclusion and allowed a Republican to win, and hold, the Mayor’s office for the first time in decades in large part because of the perception that zero tolerance policing was key to the improving crime situation in New York City. On the other hand, some argue that in the years 1984-7 New York already experienced a policy similar to Giuliani’s one, but it faced a crime increase instead.[14]

    “Two of the best American specialists, Edward Maguire, an Associate Professor at American University, and John Eck from the University of Cincinnati, rigorously evaluated all the scientific work designed to test the efficiency of the police in the fight against crime. They concluded that “neither the number of policemen engaged in the battle, or internal changes and organizational culture of law enforcement agencies (such as the introduction of community policing) have by themselves impact on the evolution of offenses.”[14][16]

    “The crime decrease was due not the work of the police and judiciary, but to economic and demographic factors. The main ones were an unprecedented economic growth with jobs for millions of young people, and a shift from the use of crack towards other drugs.[14][17]

    “Since the original 1973 program had a positive impact on the citizens, who were left with the false impression it had improved their safety, the program has been described as a public relation policy instead of a safety one.[8]”

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_tolerance

    Doesn’t matter a jot though, political Harry Callahan fantasists are still using it as a supposedly serious, evidence based panacea for cutting crime. If you want a new Mayor over there, “Red” Ken Livingston’s still out of job over here and he has alot of experience when it comes to running a major metropolis. :-)

  60. Worky @55: it was days back when I was having a mini-meltdown about everybody not appreciating NUFC the way I do :)

    I have calmed down now.

  62. Worky @61:

    “……….and before the GS’s of this world claim this site is an anti Toon”

    it was AndyMac @13, but everything is great, we have the Draghi put.

    I scrolled down through the threads on here and could see that Chuck was angry just by the way he was punctuating. I will read it in the next few minutes and report back :)

  64. Worky @18 of nufc fan:

    “Don’t you lot all have benefit forms to fill out and bedsheets to paint with mispelled anti Ashley slogans?”

    True nufc fan, that has to be the most ironic thing I’ve read for quite some time. When I was at school I used to win a little silver cup every year for spelling and I’ve never had to use a spellchecker in my entire life. So, I can tell you that it’s actually “MISSPELLED”

    And then Worky said @59:

    “Chuck, your the expert on New York obviously but, what I read several time from very good sources was that”

    Is that correct Worky? “your”? I would never think about saying something about typing or spellign becaasue of allah this intuatV stuff we have on fones now.

    A MISPL’CED APOSTROPHE HERE AND THERE CAN LEAD TO – BROWNSHIRTS AND BEYOND.

  65. ANDYMAC: it is great to be one of the “GS’s” of the world. I feel at home in football.

    Sky always talk about the “Messi’s”, the “Michael Owen’s” and the “Micky Quinn’s” of the world. I will start to talk in the 3rd person like Sam Allerdyce soon. Did I spell “Allerdyce” correctly Worky, I couldn’t be bothered to look it up :) :/ :> ;)

  66. So Chuck: I took the canaries back to the pet superduperstore. The male one was supposed to sing, but all he did was chirp like a broken smoke detector, starting at 5am, the little bastard!

    I got canary sounds from you tube and played them to him, to no avail.

    And what, you may ask does this have to do with NUFC, Chris Hughton!!!!!????

  69. I’m off to get a few hours GS. I’ve being doing this in depth Bordeaux probe for several hours now. I’d should have just spent 15 minutes doing a “Toon plotting January swoop for Francois Footballer?” type story. It almost certainly would have had more readers and I could do ten+ of those a day like Ed Harrison.

  71. Worky: I have forgotten what I said the other day except I was miserable and drunk. Truly the best combination if you DONT want to get laid, as my ex-girlfriend said!!!

    Yes way, Jose Mourinho!

  73. GS says:

    “ANDYMAC: it is great to be one of the “GS’s” of the world. I feel at home in football”

    GS I recall you said that we were all a miserable bunch and should support the team instead of criticising or words to that effect.

    “Stop moaning and support the team” is a phrase which gets trotted out by people who choose to ignore the BS that emanates from SJP, the poor tactical choices made by Pardwho and the blatant toadyism which appears, as if by magic, from the local press.

    http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2012/09/08/61634-31791815/

    This is just another stunning example of Thomson House wiping the Fatmans arse for him !

  74. “The Journal can reveal that United, who consciously avoided being drawn into the hunt for a centre-back over the summer”

    Where’s Daniel and NUFC True Fan when you want them ? :lol:

  75. “Stop moaning and support the team”

    Also assumes we dont support the team yet most of us have years of bitter experience following the Toon and we very rarely criticise the players because they can only do what they’re asked to do. Some of course dont do it as well as others do they Mr Obertan ? :lol:

  76. i’ve just read the article in the journal, for a moment i thought i was having a “de ja vu” episode, when you have heard or seen something before.
    then you come to the realisation, that you are reading a somewhat rehashed story, which came out the same time last year, after another dodgy window.
    we’ll keep our money for january etc, blaa, blaa, blaa, talking about this much maligned scouting system, which is utter crap, if people are honest with themselves.

    they must honestly think we are daft as a the proverbial brush.
    there non existant transfer policy, is the usual, “owt for nowt, giz a shout”.
    they will go after players who’s contracts are up in the summer, so they can pick them up, for nominal fees.
    absolute genius!!!, why are other clubs not doing this i wonder?
    the gruesome twosome live in their own heads, they are completely deluded, the pair of them.
    these two dickheads cannot last that much longer, in football, the way they are going about it.
    there flash of genius plan lasted one window, until everyone knew what they were up to, then suprise suprise, it didn’t work in the summer, i wonder why!!!
    they then proceed to try and do it again, obsessed by their cheik tiote deal, off they go, looking for another.
    it wont work all the time, they need to come up with something different, or they’ll be all washed up.

    judging by the comments on the journal board, more and more people are becoming disgruntled with this utter crap.
    what do they do, get the script writers from, “hollyoaks”, to come up with this drivel?

  78. “It seems that certain Newcastle players who helped fashion a fifth-top finish last season have been targeted for unsettling promises which never materialised,” he said.

    “They have been left bemused and, it would seem, on a downer. Certainly it showed in the body language of some against Aston Villa.

    “Well, if I was in United’s boardroom I would move Heaven and Earth to get confirmation of which agents were at fault and report them to football’s hierarchy.

    “It is an absolute disgrace to unsettle footballers in this way. United have been left to pick up the pieces and it could cost them.” – Supermac

    Aye Supermac, it is an absolute disgrace to unsettle footballers in this way with “unsettling promises which never materialise.” Of course though, when we actually do it with clubs such as Lille and Twente, rather than just claim after the event that one or two clubs gave Newcastle United a call to ask if a player was available, that’s completely different.

  79. “The club faced accusations that they did not invest over the summer but a by-product of that is they still have funds left for possible recruitment in January.”

    I can’t believe I’m reading this shite.

  81. Worky says:

    “I should have just spent 15 minutes doing a “Toon plotting January swoop for Francois Footballer?” type story. It almost certainly would have had more readers and I could do ten+ of those a day like Ed Harrison.”

    The problem with Ed’s blog is that there isn’t any depth. When I read the comments it is like reading a 13-year-old’s homework, complete with the misuse of there, their and they’re (to continue the spelling theme).

    Plus, there is no talk of canaries which I find very strange for a football site.

  82. And another thing, is it true that Hulk is called Hulk because he looks like Lou Ferigno, or is that just an urban legend?

    I thought he was called Hulk because he is built like a brick Sh*thouse.

  83. Chuck@58
    Your having a laugh arnt you?
    Them dirty unwashed soap dodgers..our enemy!!! you want us to not ‘name call’ them..its childish.
    Giv ower man,will you..are you a geordie chuck?

  85. One more thing. When was the last time Supermac ever said anything good about NUFC? I saw him many times and he was a great player.

  86. GS says:
    September 8, 2012 at 5:47 pm

    “Plus, there is no talk of canaries which I find very strange for a football site.”

    You’ll find all the Canary talk you’ll ever need on a Norwich site GS.

    Cheers Jack, much appreciated. I’ve done a far better one on Bordeaux (nearly). They’re a bit scary actually, even a full strength team might struggle against them, never mind the bairns. Ancelloti and moneybags PSG couldn’t beat them a few weeks ago. They’re were French treble winners and Champions League quarter fianlists only a few years back.

  87. And why is Waynetta Rooney considered a style icon by some? She hooks up with some ugly bloke because he is good at football and now tells people how to dress.

  88. GS says:
    September 8, 2012 at 5:55 pm

    “And another thing, is it true that Hulk is called Hulk because he looks like Lou Ferigno, or is that just an urban legend?”

    His dad was a huge fan of the TV show GS and he called his son that as a nickname.

  89. Worky @88: thanks, the thing about looking like Lou Ferigno just didn’t sound right, even though I have heard it quite a few times.

  90. WT says:

    “His dad was a huge fan of the TV show GS and he called his son that as a nickname”

    Just as well his Dad wasnt into “Adam Adamant” ?

  91. “The problem with Ed’s blog is that there isn’t any depth. When I read the comments it is like reading a 13-year-old’s homework”

    BTW GS that’s quite amusing.

    Mind you I think Ed is a lot more “Glass Half Full” kinda guy than old sourpuss on here :)

  92. WT says:

    “I can’t believe I’m reading this shite”

    What cant you believe about this shlte then ?

    The Journal understands that Newcastle are once again interested in Montpellier centre-back Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, who will be allowed to talk to interested clubs from January as his contract expires in the summer”

    The new motto underneath the sea lions and shield should read,

    “As Contracts Expire – So shall we reap”

    Probably looks better in Latin :)

  93. GS says:
    September 8, 2012 at 6:11 pm

    “And why is Waynetta Rooney considered a style icon by some?”

    Because people of modest talents like to think that they too can be famous and successful without talent and lots of hard work, dedication and sacrifice. People like Waynetta Rooney, Kerry Katona and that dead lass who was on Big Brother, Jade Goody, are like them. They are an affirmation of this and give them hope that their little lives may one day be sprinkled with a little stardust in a way that Coco Chanel and Cristobal Balenciaga never will, so they copy them rather than the real thing.

    Andy Warhol was bang on the money.

  95. Who the hell is Lesley Goddard? And Andymac, Sea Lions are these giant things that weigh like 400 pounds and eat fish, whereas sea horses are tiny little fragile creatures.

  99. Yes, thank F#ck. I was just about to write “no defenders for September/October and no strikers for January”. I might even write it depending on what happens :)

  100. GS says:
    September 8, 2012 at 7:35 pm

    “Yes, thank F#ck. I was just about to write “no defenders for September/October and no strikers for January”. I might even write it depending on what happens”

    There really are some miserable buggers on this site. We should all go and support Sunderland if it is this bad. :-)

  105. Who does this sound like?

    A silver haired Supremo in his early fifties who used to be a defender, his team came fifth in the table last season. After clearing out quite a few players from his team with a great need for replacements, he found himself ultimately frustrated in what ended up being a highly inactive transfer window for his club at an important stage in it’s development.

    I am of course referring to Francis Gillot, the Silver Supremo of our forthcoming Europa League opponents, Girondins de Bordeaux. He isn’t a complete Pardew doppelgänger though, he’s a “tinkerman” seems to adopt a different formation and tactical approach for virtually every team he faces, including 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 3-5-2, 3-1-4-2, 3-3-3-1, 5-3-2 and 5-4-1 in his year and a bit at Bordeaux.

  107. That injury list is a bit like the Blob in that old Steve Mcqueen film (of the same name) just keeps growing with no sign of stopping.

    Probably his finest performance!

  108. maze202 says:
    September 9, 2012 at 3:16 pm

    “Krul injured on international duty.”

    Aye, I was reading about it on Sky Sports, maze.

    “Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul out of Holland squad with elbow injury”

    Now forgive me for seeming more concerned with geographical accuracy than the fate of our number one keeper but there’s no such thing as a f*cking “Holland squad,” it’s the f*cking Netherlands squad! It’s a bit like saying “Joe Hart out of London and Home Counties squad” instead of “Joe Hart out of England squad.”

    It’s one of the biggest sports sites in the world, yet they can’t even get the most basic thing right.

    http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11678/8067618

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holland

  110. Jack 72
    Sez, chuck are you a Geordie ?
    Depends on how do you define a Geordie Jack ?
    And by the way some of those unwashed soap dodgers are others families and neighbors.
    Grow up for gods sake !

  111. Worky @ 59

    Having lived through the Drop Dead NYC by the Republcan’s (the Feds) in the seventies, when the City came close to bankrupcy.
    With the resulting Muggings, burglaries, Garbage strikes, etc., it becomes obvious that it was not caused by a tolerant police force, but by a lack of jobs and oportunities, plus a lack of funds for public services.
    Giulianis NYC was much different, improved infrastructure, a growing economy and more available opportunities for all.
    Of course each Mayor will attempt to take credit for each and every positive turn
    Giuliani for his (never happened) crackdown on crime.
    Our present billionaire mayor (the Nanny) directs his energy against calories, forcing the food industry to “lighten up” “the war against obesity”
    While at the same time encouraging “The Comish” to stop and search hundreds of thousands of African americans and minorities, like i said If your white, it’s allright!
    Of course we dont have the herding of demonstrators, (well sometimes) or CCTV cameras (but may have eventually)that takes place in the UK.
    And yes we tend to have almost as many whitewash cases involving the NYPD as the Met. but what i’m saying is you are still way ahead of us in most cases.
    The assasination of the Brasilian in the tube by some kind of out of control special police team, the recent death of the paper seller caught up in a police cordon, with no one doing a day’s time, with no refection or dismissals for those involved at the top.
    Which city is more corrupt, hmmm? hard to say.

  112. Grumpy Old Toon @107: even the players that can’t get near the team like Nile Ranger are injured. And Shane Ferguson has something called “Gilmour’s Groin”. Hopefully, Gilmour will want it back, and I did see that Shane will probably play for Northern Ireland next week.

  113. Chuck @111: watch out, I might sign up for the tangent police, although since I am the worst offender I don’t think they will take me :)

  114. Does anybody else think that the timing of these international friendlies and qualifiers is done by monkeys? It seems to me that they are designed to cause the maximum disruption to the regular football leagues, especially now that there are so many African and South American players.

  115. Before Alan Pardew came to NUFC, “Gilmore’s Groin” used to be known as a hernia, or a “sports hernia,” Since, it’s become “Gilmores Groin” for some reason and at one stage, half the squad was out with it.

    Chuck, pack it in with all the bollocks (again)! I happen to know there are several thousand CCTV cameras on the New York subway system alone, they probably just hide ’em better over there. I also happen to know that there have been literally thousands of deaths in police custody in New York too.

  116. GS, it’s the Africa Cup of Nations which is causing many of the problems. The Copa America and European Championships are held every four years in the close season, the African Cup of Nations has now been held two years in succession in the middle of a season, and even normally, it’s every other year in the middle of the season.

  117. Listen in chuck,in my book it does not make you childish if insult mackems by calling them soap dodgers,wor unwashed neighbours etc…its called BANTER.mackems give it to us & we geordies give it to them.there words chuck ok,just words that dont har or hurt unless you really are a soap dodger n stink like a scouse bin dipper.now crawl back under your rock.think i’ll go back2txt typing just so u dont read my posts.probs4the best as i dont bovva reading urs n only read the 1earlier by mistake..u mackem lover

  118. Worky: I understand the ACON disruption, and it sort of goes to prove my point. But also, what idiot schedules a 2 week break for the World Cup Qualifiers after only 3 games of the Premier League?

    Then again, they chose Russia as a host country and is it UAE in the middle of the summer.

  119. Jack72: if you think you will get anywhere trying to change Chuck’s mind about anything you have another think coming. Chuck came out of the womb with the same views as he has today.

  120. Jack, I’m in North London and most of my mates down here are either Gooners or Yids. The things they say about each other are even worse than us lot with the Tramps of Wearside (I’m not exaggerating)! They send the most horrible jokes to each other and so on but they’re all still mates. Chuck just doesn’t get it.

  121. GS says:
    September 9, 2012 at 6:58 pm

    “Then again, they chose Russia as a host country and is it UAE in the middle of the summer.”

    Qatar, which has about half the population of Wales. They said they’re going to use fancy modern science (and lots of money) to reduce the temperature of the stadia by as much as 20 degrees. They’ve also promised to use fancy modern science to design modular stadia where the upper tiers can be taken down and donated to less privileged footballing nations when it’s all over to help with the development of their football infrastructure.

  122. Chuck-you may be a bit behind the news cycle.

    CCTV surveillance for NYC:

    http://www.nyclu.org/pdfs/surveillance_cams_report_121306.pdf

    http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=post-911-nyc-video-surveillance

    http://www.mediaeater.com/cameras/overview.html

    http://truth-out.org/news/item/10897-paul-harris-nypd-and-microsoft-launch-advanced-citywide-surveillance-system

    As for unwarranted police violence, the name Shawn Bell comes to mind, as does the recent incident where police shot NINE bystanders while taking down one man. They are-literally-looser with their guns than are soldiers in warzones.

    It really is absurd that people associate the crackdown on “lifestyle” crimes under Giuliani with the decline in violent crime. Massive numbers of people arrested or cited for possession of marijuana, possession of open container of alcohol in public, noise pollution or loitering (mostly the homeless there) had nothing to do with declining murders, rapes, arson and robberies. But then, some will swallow whatever is shoveled at them by the media…

  123. As for football-looks like we’re back in the lead in terms of PL injury lists. Good thing we’ve got that deep squad…

  124. That list is so depressing, it is virtually a full first team unavailable for selection.

    I wonder whether things have ever been as bad as this in the Toon history. Did we have this many injuries when sliding and crunching tackles from the likes of Jimmy Scoular, Norman Hunter etc. were part of the game?

  125. Grumpy Old-Toon says:

    “That list is so depressing, it is virtually a full first team unavailable for selection”

    Maybe we could register the Fatman as a player and squeeze him in between the sticks along with his wallet. Nothing could get past that obstacle. Job done !

  126. Only one more wide midfielder or forward needed for that, grumpy-depending on which formation you want to play.

  127. tunyc says:
    September 10, 2012 at 4:26 pm

    “Chuck-you may be a bit behind the news cycle.”

    Nah, he just likes to bash the British tunyc. Once, he was even having a go at us for the slave trade and racism, though of course, you Septics over there never had anything to do with that sort of thing in the past. ;-)

  128. tunyc @122
    Impressive !
    I knew we were under an enormous amount of surveillance in NYC, having watched a tv documentary on the subject a few years ago and one would have to be blind to not be aware of the number of cameras everywhere.
    Both private and city operated.
    It’s both disturbing and smacks of the post 1984 world we all ive in.
    Equally diturbing are the cameras attached to most cell phones, where i have found myself unknowingly on friends facebook recently.
    As far as i’m aware, there are few if any laws governing these intrusive actions and to criticise their use is to here the old (if you are not doing anything unlawfull why worry) get with the program this is the twenty first century and the cameras are used to protect people like yourself.
    Unfortunately IMO 9-11 is the excuse for the introduction of both video and other electronic intrusion into our lives, by goverment and private agencies and it’s about time they were challenged in the courts, in order to establish what the limitations are of those who employ such systems, which includes both government and private bodies.
    The documentary i watched on UK CCTV surveillance showed a young man running from a park in London, who was then detained and questioned by the police, on being alerted by the video scanner, who assumed anyone running from a park, was running from a crime scene.
    And no he was’nt arrested and it may have been an isolated incident, but do we really want to live with
    this possibility, to be at the mercy of someone who’s judgement may be that questionable.
    I mean what kind of person would take a job watching a camera for hours on end and possibly for not much more than minimum wage.
    Passing through most major air terminals with their gestapo like security is bad enough, without being subjected to constant surveylance, everywhere we go.
    And just because i’m paranoid does’nt mean i’m not being watched.
    It’s all a bit scarey!

    And by the way, i agree with everything you stated in your last paragraph.

    Workey
    Are you saying that the UK did’nt reap enormous profits from the slave trade, if so you are either in denial or ignorant, which is it ?
    And as far as racism is concerned, yes it’s alive and well right here in the EPL, or are you unaware of the recent case against John Terry.
    Plus quoting other incidents of un-PC abuse by members of Arsenal and Spurs sides, does’nt make it acceptable behavior.
    And i’m old enough to remember a time where it did’nt exist, before football hooliganism followed by segregation, which i believe is not a positive thing and is only takes place in certain stadiums in certain countries, why is that, another of the UK’s exports to the world ?

  129. Grumpy Old-Toon says:
    September 10, 2012 at 6:30 pm

    “That list is so depressing, it is virtually a full first team unavailable for selection.

    I wonder whether things have ever been as bad as this in the Toon history.”

    Yup, I think they have been as bad in terms of injuries Grumpy.

  130. GS
    I thought i was off your radar ?
    Still insulting me i see though.

    Jack
    It’s ok! i just wont read your posts.

  131. Nah Chuck, I was just in a bad mood that day. What I said about you wasn’t meant to be an insult at all. I was just trying to think of a humorous way to say you stick to your guns.

  132. Well done for carrying on without me BTW (except for Chuck the miserable bastad). Sorry about the lack of blogs recently, though I did say there’d be a bit of a hiatus earlier. Just to let you know though, full blogging action should return soon(ish)!

  133. Worky, in my comment 124 I did make mention to the type of tackles that were part of the game in times of yore. with some of these (partially at least) out of the game we should be having less injuries now.

    Or are we getting different types of injury! Also modern medical techniques surely should be lessening the seriousness and length of injury. Certainly don’t appear to be the case to me. We still seem to have the same recidivist injured players always on the treatment table!

  134. Grumpy, they used to have something called “the magic sponge” which would cure anything up to and including a broken leg immediately. They don’t seem to have it anymore sadly.

  136. Workey
    Dont worry, we can amuse ourselves and i can rattle a few cages, that brings em outta the woodwork.

  137. tunyc, I remember Jimmy Greaves going on about the game back in his day. They used to take amphetamines, amyl nitrite, they’d smoke like troopers (the old untipped cigararettes too). Greavesy would drink himself stupid before a game as well, along with many of the others. He used to score a goal every game!

  138. Reminds of the American Football player Lawrence Taylor-most famous for snapping Joe Theisman’s femur in front of a national audience-who was out of his mind on cocaine during most games. He admits it. And he was unstoppable.

  140. Wonder of wonders, I think we may be able to put a team out against Everton. I think we should play with only one out and out striker because Ba or Cisse will see plenty of playing time with 6 games in 20 days.

    The tactics will probably be to pack the midfield because that’s where we have the fit players at the moment. My guess is 2 defensive mids to protect Williamson or Perch in central defence.

    I know none of this is rocket science but Pardew gets stick when he doesn’t play 4-3-3, and I don’t think he will play 4-3-3.

  141. tunyc@138
    Been a redskins fan for about 25yr n i remember that incident well,mind LT was a player n a half,speed,power he had the lot.things look on the up in washington now mind,about time aswell,far to big a team n franchise to not be winning divisions n superbowls.reminds me ov a certain PL club…

  142. GS says:
    September 12, 2012 at 3:07 am

    “I know none of this is rocket science but Pardew gets stick when he doesn’t play 4-3-3, and I don’t think he will play 4-3-3.”

    GS, When Pardew had his “Pardiola” phase in the latter part of last season, it seems to be a moot point whether the lads were playing 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 for some reason. I’m adamant that the team was a very skinny 4-3-3, or a 4-3-2-1 “Christmas Tree” though I’d go for 4-3-3, or even 4-2-1-3 in practice as Cabaye was in a quite advanced role when they were playing in that mode, and Ba and Benny were right by Cisse in the box scaring the shite out of oppostion goalkeepers. As I say, some might say different, though they probably didn’t study those games as closely as I did. ;-)

  143. I’ve been doing a very in depth study of Girondins de Bordeaux and their Silver Supremo, Francis Gillot. They will be a VERY big worry in the Europa League and it will have to be the full first team against them. Unlike our Silver Supremo, Gillot is very unpredictable and hard to read in terms of tactics. They’re on fairly big unbeaten runs in both Ligue 1 and Europe and are defintely on the rise again after their great treble winning spell under Blanc.

  145. chuck says:
    September 13, 2012 at 1:37 am

    “Worky
    Wgy is it that this blog seems to attract an unusual number of US residents ?”

    That’s a good question Chuck, but what are the other characteristics of people who tend to visit this site? And could it be that it’s just that Americans are more like to comment on this site than visitors from other parts of the world? We also get a large number of visitors from other places besides Tyneside and the US, but many of them tend not to comment so much.

  146. jack72 says:
    September 12, 2012 at 4:49 am

    “tunyc@138
    Been a redskins fan for about 25yr”

    You’re not a Septic Tank are you Jack? Did you start watching the American Football on Channel 4 back in the eighties?