midds

"The former casino boss has been efficient in his handling of the club’s affairs behind the scenes" *chortle chortle*

He's been an absolute nightmare quite frankly. He was one of the people who oversaw this whole mess, yet he seems to abstain from receiving any criticism from a lot of folk. I'd agree 100% with that. He's done a shit job since he came in June/July and I'm glad Ashley has had the sense to bin him. Should never have been appointed.

Good for the club. Llambias has been a disaster tbph.

Isn't Martins out? I'd stick Viduka up front and play Owen behind him with zog and Gutierrez either side. Guthrie and Butt sitting. Need to keep hold of it away from home.

He's offered him a very good contract. If Owen doesn't want to sign it then that's his decision but it doesn't make the contract a token gesture. If Owen walks he'll have to spend quite a bit of cash to replace him. That's the only Plan B I can think of as regards sorting out the Owen situation.

They'll be relegated within 18months. They'll certainly be in trouble. That's a poor replacement if it goes ahead.

Team: Newcastle United Current Position: 12th Where did you expect your team to currently be: About 8th or 9th Best player so far this season: Coloccini (honourable mentions to Given & Bassong though) Worst player so far this season: Butt frustrates me more than any other. Does some good work but his legs have gone. Best game so far: Portsmouth and Villa. Also Chelsea purely for the novelty of having an organized, reliable defence capable of putting the shutters up when needed. Worst game so far: Mackems. I think a lot of the negativity against Kinnear started because he lost that particular game. Who would you like to sign in January: A complete CM. Who would you like to sell in January: Smith, Cacapa, Carroll. They add absolutely nothing to the squad at all. They serve no purpose whatsoever. Thoughts on your manager so far this season: Not sure how it’s going to pan out but considering the shite he walked into I’ve got nothing but the utmost respect for the bloke. He’s made mistakes but he’s honest and got bollocks and we’re also a tougher nut to crack thanks to him. General thoughts on your team so far: There’s a togetherness in the squad that I’ve not seen for a while. The defensive side of things are a real bonus. The current back 5 have been excellent for the vast majority of Kinnear’s time here. Where do you think you’ll finish from this point to the end of the season: 8th or 9th.

What a ridiculous statement. You're basically assuming that football fans are constantly on the verge of becoming an angry, violent mob and that not just our fans, but all football fans are desperate for a pagger and need to be 'controlled' for fear of just losing it and having a barney. The stewards have already lost control by acting like a bunch of thickhead wankers. All they need to do is be seen. They don't need to shout at, berate or attack fans for the heinous non-crime of standing. As the old saying goes, treat people like animals and they'll act like animals. If the stewards keep up this level of provocation then there will be fights, arguments and arrests. That's not what I meant. I suggested that the area of the ground with the highest potential for major bother is Level 7 because of the proximity of the away fans. That could be why the stewards go OTT. That's all. They don't need to go OTT. As long as the area between the block of away fans and home fans is properly policed, which it is, then there'll be no trouble. Before the bouncers were hired I can't remember L7 being a haven for violence and debauchery so there is no need for these heavy handed tactics employed by the mack wearing arseholes. All it'll do is have the opposite effect as proven by the fact we're talking about it now. The stewards aren't hired muscle who can throw their weight around when they see something they don't like. That's the job of the Rozzers. I'd agree with all of that. However, prolonged standing up there gives the stewards a reason to intervene in the first place. If the whole of Level 7 sat down for the majority of the game then I reckon there would be less confrontations. I might be wrong. But that then brings up another question - why is standing such a bloody issue? Yes, we all know about Hillsborough but that was less to do with standing and more to do with cackhanded policing and Liverpool fans who didn't have tickets. Standing simply is not dangerous and it's something which football fans will continue to do because it's natural and preferable to having your arse numbed by those plastic monstrosities at grounds nowadays. I prefer to stand at SJP's as I resent the battering my shins take from the edge of the seat in front. Okay, if there is a kid behind me i'll try to limit the amount of time I stand for during the game but before and at half time i'll stand almost constantly and yet i've never had a steward ask me to sit down. Is there something special about standing when the game is in play? Is that when it's only dangerous? Again, I agree with every word. I've often said on here that I'd welcome safe standing areas in our ground but sadly, I can't see it happening. The two issues about the stewarding and the standing are entwined with each other and you can't look at one without considering the other. Not sure what the answer is but there's obviously a problem and it needs sorting.

What a ridiculous statement. You're basically assuming that football fans are constantly on the verge of becoming an angry, violent mob and that not just our fans, but all football fans are desperate for a pagger and need to be 'controlled' for fear of just losing it and having a barney. The stewards have already lost control by acting like a bunch of thickhead wankers. All they need to do is be seen. They don't need to shout at, berate or attack fans for the heinous non-crime of standing. As the old saying goes, treat people like animals and they'll act like animals. If the stewards keep up this level of provocation then there will be fights, arguments and arrests. That's not what I meant. I suggested that the area of the ground with the highest potential for major bother is Level 7 because of the proximity of the away fans. That could be why the stewards go OTT. That's all. They don't need to go OTT. As long as the area between the block of away fans and home fans is properly policed, which it is, then there'll be no trouble. Before the bouncers were hired I can't remember L7 being a haven for violence and debauchery so there is no need for these heavy handed tactics employed by the mack wearing arseholes. All it'll do is have the opposite effect as proven by the fact we're talking about it now. The stewards aren't hired muscle who can throw their weight around when they see something they don't like. That's the job of the Rozzers. I'd agree with all of that. However, prolonged standing up there gives the stewards a reason to intervene in the first place. If the whole of Level 7 sat down for the majority of the game then I reckon there would be less confrontations. I might be wrong.

What a ridiculous statement. You're basically assuming that football fans are constantly on the verge of becoming an angry, violent mob and that not just our fans, but all football fans are desperate for a pagger and need to be 'controlled' for fear of just losing it and having a barney. The stewards have already lost control by acting like a bunch of thickhead wankers. All they need to do is be seen. They don't need to shout at, berate or attack fans for the heinous non-crime of standing. As the old saying goes, treat people like animals and they'll act like animals. If the stewards keep up this level of provocation then there will be fights, arguments and arrests. That's not what I meant. I suggested that the area of the ground with the highest potential for major bother is Level 7 because of the proximity of the away fans. That could be why the stewards go OTT. That's all.

I'm not familiar about the consistency of the stewards around the ground tbh. As Chez has already said, it's about controlling the crowd and I'm not surprised the stewards go a bit OTT up on Level 7. (Doesn't excuse it btw, no excuse for wading in and hitting fans - that's bang out of order.) If the stewards lost control up on Level 7 then the chances of widespread violence would be high. The away fans are only a few blocks away and it's there where the stewards need to be 100% in control of things.

That's the crux of it though, isn't it? These lads who want to stand are having a pop at the club as if they actually have a choice in the matter. They'd be better off lobbying their MP's if they want the Taylor Report overturned rather than having a pop at stewards. Either way it's not going to happen and they're going to have to comply with the conditions imposed or face hassle every game.

I bet Taylor felt out of place Why? Because they are all actually deserving of a game in their team's starting XI?

If he wants out so badly, he'll throw a transfer request in. Until that happens I'm writing this off as shit-stirring.

Exactly.

The last few shirts we've had (home and away) have been vile. Hope the adidas designers come up with something a bit better for us.

There you go lads, there's your tickets. Cheers. Can we stand during the game? Not really. It's a safety issue. But we want to. Sorry, you can't. But we really want to. It'll make the atmosphere better. You can't stand. But we think we should be able to choose to sit or stand. You haven't got that choice. You can't stand. But that's wrong in our opinion. We want to stand. Tough. If you watch the game, you follow our rules. If you can't do that then we'll eject you. And on and on. The law is on the club's side whether you like, or agree with, it or not.

But the choice isn't there. St. James' Park is an all-seater stadium. Prolonged standing will invite bother. Fact.

No. Neither do the players. What's your point?

Awful tackle. Pity the spineless fat twat of a ref had to wait for the 4th official to confirm it for him though.

That's exactly how his comments today have been interpreted by some on here already though... That's what I mean. He's said nowt of the sort. If he wanted to do that, he'd have just said that. There's nothing we could have done about it because it's well within his rights to do so. Agree 100% on both points.

That's exactly how his comments today have been interpreted by some on here already though...

Struggling to see what people are up in arms about tbh. He's doing nothing wrong and if I were him, I'd be making a decision in May -certainly not December or January. I think the vibes are quite good actually and if they're both prepared to sit down and haggle it out then there should be an agreement. If, on the other hand, he walks away then we've got to accept it. If he's not interested in being here then I don't particularly want him to sign. Seems like he's jus letting a few people know he won't be rushed into signing the first thing that's put in front of him. Nothing wrong with what he's come out with today at all.

The only thing I'd be covering with Stalteri is a ticking bomb. He's wank.

Quality quote from Wenger in that article: Mr Wenger clearly hasn't encountered some of the fuckers on here though.