Big Geordie

Mirandinha used to live on The Chesters estate in Bedlington when he first came to the club. Never met him, though I hear he often joined in kickabouts on the local field with his kids and their mates. Met Pav in 'Suits You', Eldon Square back in 94. He's a big bloke - but I'm a fair bit taller than him, something which he joked about. Got his autograph and a photo taken with him. Top fella. Stood next to Lee Bowyer early on last year in Shooters, Morpeth. Didn't say hello to him - was keeping himself to himself with his pals. Met Peter Beardsley at the hairdresser's at Kingston Park Tesco, back in Jan. Top fella - he stayed and had a bit of a natter with me for a couple of minutes after he'd finished getting his hair cut. Non football related - stood behind Jonny Wilkinson at the checkout queue at KP Tesco. He's only of average height, but boy is he a big lad.

Gemmill - he suffered from the trappings of wealth and position. Surely with that though comes a responsiblity to conduct yourself accordingly ? His treatment of SBR at the Boro away game was the finish for me with him - then came the fight with Bowyer.

I won't shed any tears if he goes - even better if we get some sort of fee for him. He arrived at the club with great potenital - but since he's been here - has flattered to decieve. Think he averages 20-25 games a season for us and 2-3 goals. Simply not good enough - and that's not counting his awful off the field behaviour. One of Souness' worst mistakes was giving this little @rsehole a new deal and a hefty pay rise. He did hit some form once he came back from injury this season, but typically lost interest as soon as he'd made the England squad. The sooner he leaves the club - the better. Dyer =

An awful advert. Clearly though it'll make it's impression with the easily-led amongst our lot. I'll buy the shirt, but will probs get it from JJB.

Sending some of the kids out onloan next season wouldn't do them any harm - as long as some quality first teamers are signed in the summer first ! Man United have loaned out plenty of their kids, this campaign - Jonny Evans, Rossi and Simpson to name but three.

The continual Rod Stewart songs were doing my box in today.

I went to Torino for the CL game - was in the upper tier and can confirm that our lot were the subject of some unwanted missiles - particularly those in the lower tiers. However - the Italian police there seemed prepared to take those fans on. Still remember - we were kept behind for an hour after the game, and when we left the stadium, we were given a 'guard of honour' back to the waiting coaches - police tooled up with riot shields, dogs and machine guns. No-one said boo to a goose. :-/

I for one have had enough - for two reasons - it's getting too expensive for a s/t, when compared to what is served up in return for your cash - and secondly - Freddy Shepherd. I'll pick and choose my games next season (if I go at all) - I'll more than likely be found at Croft Park watching Blyth. I want to enjoy my football again and not get taken for a ride at the same time.

Monday night games. /o\

Check the other thread - you can see both socks today.

There's nout wrong with a bit of constructive criticism and I'm sure the lads at .com will appreciate that. What is uncalled for is some of the comments that have been posted on here about them and their work over the last couple of years. I guess they put a lot of time and effort into the site and they offer a different view. If folk don't like it - then rely on the useless official site, as long as you have a taste for believing their propaganda.

By booing their own new signings and flicking the Vs at the club captain? By protesting for a manager change once a year? By continually renewing season tickets in the face of blatant incompetence? By campaigning for a world class manager for an 8th place club? By insisting they have a right to success based on their numbers alone? You've just summed up yourself by saying all that, I hope you realise.

Perhaps yes - in relative terms, we haven't fallen so far - but from the CL to Intertoto - and now probably not even going to qualify for that is still a fair downward turn. I see the warning signs, and have done for some time - as to the lads at .com because we've seen it before. And the lck of faith that is present in the current regime (Shepherd and Roeder) is as big a warning sign as any.

Bob - it's probably fair to say that many of the posters on here are younger lads who've never known Newcastle outside of the PL. Not their fault of course that they are young - but it doesn't mean that the opinions of us older lads are any the less valid, because we've seen all of this before. In time, they will learn and their optomism towards the club will be replaced by cynicism when you begin to see the reality of the way things really are. I used to be blinded by my faith in the club - not anymore, and I'm not alone in that respect either. It's on the back of the younger fans that Shepherd makes his money - and of course the older fans who still choose to keep going because they don't know any better. As I said on another forum yesterday - Shepherd knows he has lots of fans by the bo11ocks.

I think that the match report is pretty much spot on, and I don't have a problem with what Niall and Biffa say in the main. They (like me) are lads of a certain age who have seen all of this (and far worse)before - something which some of the younger poster's on here might not appreciate. The over-riding concern is that the club has fallen a long way and is showing no signs of recovery - seeming content to wallow in melencoly. For some of us older fans - it simply won't wash anymore.

Fair play to them for doing so. Now we just need the Chronicle to follow suit.

Pulling no punches. Apologies if it's been posted elsewhere; http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/newcastleunited/news/tm_headline=gutless-united-have-no-stomach-for-fight%26method=full%26objectid=18780867%26siteid=50081-name_page.html Gutless United have no stomach for fight Mar 20 2007 By Paul Gilder, The Journal Shortly before the kick-off at the DSB Stadion in Alkmaar last Thursday, a short snippet of speech was broadcast over the public address system. The words were Winston Churchill's, the phrase familiar. "We shall never surrender," roared Britain's greatest war-time Prime Minister. It is clear that the message did not get through to Newcastle United's players. Surrender is precisely what the Magpies have done in recent days. That this is a team which lacks the stomach for a fight is obvious. In the trenches, Glenn Roeder's men would be of little use. Seven days ago, Newcastle were preparing to do battle on foreign fields and victory appeared to be within their sights. The manner in which the white flag has been raised during the intervening period is as startling as it is sickening. Uefa Cup quarter-final qualification was there for the taking in the Netherlands. But United blew it with a performance that poses countless questions as to the current condition of the club. Story continues Continue story ADVERTISEMENT Spineless, gutless, disgraceful, humiliating, shameful, unforgivable - all are words that can be used without fear of repercussion to sum up what occurred in Alkmaar. That which has followed has been just as bad. Having seen his side throw away their season, Roeder demanded an immediate response at Charlton. He got a 2-0 defeat against a team that understands the concept of fighting. Newcastle should have travelled to South London determined to start the atonement process. Yet surrender was the defining theme once more and redemption seems a vain hope. Roeder will not entertain such talk but it seems plain that his players have given up. This time last week, United supporters had genuine optimism that a 38-year wait for silverware was nearing an end. Yet this morning, their hopes shattered and their dreams wrecked, the Gallowgate faithful have nothing to cheer them. Both Roeder and Freddie Shepherd have insisted there is still much to play for this season. But it is hard to agree. The only prizes on offer are European qualification and pride. United's players have shown little of the latter. Without it, the former appears to be an unattainable target. If Newcastle's supporters are feeling an unshakeable sense of deja vu, it is because they have been here before. Two seasons ago, Graeme Souness and his side took a lead to Portugal, but the Uefa Cup capitulation that followed killed the club's campaign stone dead. Upon their return from Lisbon, United were humiliated in the FA Cup semi-final. In the eight games that followed, the Magpies won just once and completed the season in 14th place in the league table. It was the club's lowest-ever Premiership finish. That record is under threat on Sunday's evidence. If ever there was a time to turn on the style, to prove critics wrong, and to demonstrate talents that continue to be questioned, this was it. A convincing triumph at Charlton would not have been sufficient on its own to ensure atonement. But it would have been a good start. Instead, responsibilities continued to be shirked, the malaise spread further and the crisis deepened. While the players must take the blame and accept whatever criticism is aimed in their direction, Roeder cannot avoid censure as the inquests continue. So limp have been recent performances - the home leg against AZ excepted - the 51-year-old's motivational powers must be called into question. The Newcastle boss has been unable to inspire in a Churchillian fashion and unless a worrisome trend can be bucked - and there is no evidence to suggest that it can - his is a team that will head in one direction, downward. A club that was waging battle with European football's finest in the later stages of the Champions League just four years ago is mired in the mediocre these days. Seasons in which Newcastle finished third, fourth and fifth are becoming distant memories at a club that can no longer consider itself better than Blackburn, Manchester City, Portsmouth and Reading. That the Intertoto Cup is seen as salvation underlines the scale of deterioration. That even football's most-maligned tournament appears to be beyond reach is a damning indictment. What has made United a `big club' over the years is an astonishing fan base. Yet a little over 26,000 turned out to watch the first game against AZ, and that was before Roeder's troubles began to escalate. It is something the players, paid handsomely to represent some of English football's most passionate supporters, would do well to consider over the next two weeks. With the domestic programme interrupted by the international they will have plenty of time to think - they would be well advised to use it. ---------------------------------------- Seems as if The Journal are shifting their stance on how they report on club matters. Will The Chronicle follow suit or will they continue as Shepherd's apologists ?

Good news. 'Mon the bairns for the 2nd goal.

Taylor is young and has time on his side. If you can get a classy, experienced centre-back in alongside him - then he'll come on leaps and bounds. Bramble has proved time and time again that he's not good enough, and yet he's still here. The kid is built like a centre half should be, but he just doesn't have it upstairs to be a top CB. He's Championship level at best, now. If he gets a new contract, then it sums up the current ambition of the club.

You know that for a fact, or is it merely a rumour ?

The article is pretty much spot on - and rather damning in the process.

Playing in Europe is always a good experience - particularly for younger players. However - we look miles away from being a European side at the moment, so I think we can forget about qualifying for the UEFA Cup for at least the very next campaign. Will be interesting to see how the side respond to this - my money is that we'll limp to the end of the season, picking up one or two wins. Many of the players will already be thinking about their summer holidays now. At least Roeder may drop Bramble now - bet he doesn't though.

The scary thing is that ICNewcastle reported that talks to give Bramble a new deal, are due to start next week. It says it all really, on how the club is being run - from top to bottom.

I guess it depends who they get in full-time Wullie. Nick Pickering sounded OK last night - I know they have a few other's lined up, including that god damn Gabbiadini. >

Yup - I heard that too. I was always under the impression that the 3 of them got on ? Ribbing aside, they did seem to have a good chemistry together - Slaven and Gatesy as the jokers, with Supermac as the straight man.