Wullie

Unless you've got genuine quality that you need to cover for, for example Enrique or Tiote who it is neither necessary nor feasible to replace, it's not a good idea to buy 'back up'. Ideally your first team should become back up over time as better players come in. Buying bench players inevitably leaves you with a large squad with no real depth because they're generally shite and aging - Campbell, Ryan Taylor, Kuqi, Perch. If you are going to buy back up, it must be in the form of young players with the potential to step up later and become first teamers.

Rather sign Betty fucking Boothroyd.

How did Hughton have a fresh squad over an entire 46 game Championship season? Having said that, his transfers last January were exemplary in the way they covered for injuries, from Williamson and Routledge to temporary cover in Van Aanholt and Hall. Pardew had the opportunity to buy cover like that this January and decided not to bother, other than someone who was injured of course.

Did he actually say "lots of asterisks"? Would be gobsmacking enough. He did!

That's true I suppose. You're basically the only country in the world with lower leagues that are worth anything. Be proud while it lasts. Even the first level of the non-league here, the Blue Sq Premier, is basically another league that most fans take notice of.

Did you have to research that?

There are other leagues despite the Premier League. I've probably been to getting on for a hundred Hartlepool games in my life, I probably wouldn't have gone to half of those if I'd been able to stay at home and watch NUFC. It's a lot harder to get kids to lower league football or their local sides if they can sit at home and watch the players on the front of their FIFA 11 box. Televising 3pm kick offs would be an absolute disaster for the Football League and English football in general.

Was in the club shop after the match waiting for a friend of a friend getting Tiote on the back of his shirt and some bloke went up and asked for 'SMB' printed and they refused to do it! The bloke behind the counter said "can't do it because of what it means, sad mackem lots of asterisks, sorry mate" I was fucking gobsmacked. In other news, the shirt looks better than than it did at first but why Puma do the crest so it looks like it's on rice paper is beyond me.

Personally, I enjoy being able to watch more than one live game per weekend. Nowt stopping the Premier League from putting Man Utd's, Chelsea's, Liverpool's games on TV at 3pm Oh God. I've quoted about 3 of your posts in the last day so it might feel like I'm picking on you but stop saying braindead shit ffs. The whole point of the different kick-off times is that games are on telly, hence the extra money, etc, etc. Sometimes I think you're taking the piss. Duh. Put them on at the same time and get four tellies like me, you cheap cunt.

Why Autumn? Be fair Mick, judge him after the summer/in January/next summer/after next summer. Souness-esque, then everyone will claim they knew he was shit all along, like they did with that fool.

Has Alan said this? He sold him! I'm staggered that anybody can defend him after today's display. Cost us having millions of pounds and finishing above the mackems, all because he wanted to give Alan Smith a run out!?

Did anybody think he was the new Hiddink? some certainly attempted to make out he was more than was true. pardew has done little to change it in that the squad attitude has carried itself. It hasn't though. That's why top players like Jose Enrique are desperate to be away.

Can't believe anyone can say Hughton doesn't get absolutely slated on here. People actually slag his signings then in the next post will say "Oh but poor old Pardew has no say over transfers" - no, he's absolutely fucking clueless, that's the problem. "We're better off without Carroll", ok Alan I believe you.

Ronaldo for a kick off.

Tend to agree. Any manager really needs at least one full season to be fairly judged. Chris Hughton had one, came up from the CCC with 100+ points and still gets called a cunt on here.

Of course it would be a good decision. What's the other option - give this arse 30 million? I remember when Shepherd gave that and more to Souness and nearly everyone other than Mick and I thought it was brilliant.

We finished above Stoke quite comfortably? By one goal and Pardew had us get beat 4-0. I remember him getting it in the neck for drawing with Fulham too who Pardew then lost to and finished below! Is just being able to beat the bottom five going to keep us up next season? We need to kick him out now to give ourselves a chance.

So who does Otter? Don't remember anyone suggesting Hughton didn't sign his own players.

Lua Lua must get his boots from the same place as Ranger used to. Did alright considering he spent 15 minutes on his arse.

I like him.

Hid.

Well i'm fucking gutted. If west brom had just rolled us over, fair enough but to have finishing above them wrapped up and bring Smith on, i can't accept that. Fucking wanker.

Disappointed for Blackpool but glad Birmingham have gone. Desperate to see the back of Wigan Athletic.

I can't remember a worse player in nearly 20 years of following NUFC. Give me Ramage, Pattison or Wayne Quinn any day.