Big Geordie

Ronaldo is sheer quality - no doubt about it. Pity that kid is a dick and the most annoying thing is that he doesn't need to be.

Can I just agree with the point that the local hacks seem back onside with the club, so I don't expect to hear any reports that offer anything apart from licking the clubs arse, as with what happened with Oliver and Shepherd. Has anyone got anymore info on this Michael Teasdale lad - perhaps he hasn't helped himself with his 'report', but is it enough to justify him being cut to pieces on here? Does he even post on here and therefore able to answer criticism?

Snowing in Fenham - no chance of the game being called off though, unless we have a Charlton-game esque fall from Jan 2006. Don't feel worried about tonight - will be listening in on Radio Newcastle. I expect us to get nothing, but I also expect the players put in a shift from 1-11 instead of rolling over.

Binnsy - I read .com several times a day and I don't remember Biffa writing something like that (might be wrong though) Someone muck raking perhaps?

Top lad and I share similar memories to him from the 84-85 strike too.

Haha, yeah sorry about that. It's the threads per page ratio which has been reset after yesterday. Have all them posts disappeared into oblivion then?

True - isn't that the reason why their away following don't wear colours as well? In saying that - it must be fairly easy being a Man United fan (and a die-hard at that) Many of them will have never known hard times following their club, and probably never will. In saying that, you could probably say the same of Liverpool, Arsenal and recent Chelsea (to an extent)

Can you provide a link for that, please?

That Llambias is out of his depth is clear from the short-sighted managerial saga with joe kinnear. The problem is, the NUSC are like militant Unionists intent on getting the boot into the leadership on every perceived failure and I can only see both sides putting their defenses up as a result. Yeah - far better to do nothing and take the medicine which is given to you without question. NUSC might not be perfect, but at least they are doing something - rather than those who are happy to sit on their hands apart from sticking the knife in when it suits.

It's tittle tattle spoken by man who has no idea as to what the hell he is going on about. If this grid is true, then where is the cover for LB that we've needed for 18months, and where is the playmaker we've needed for 3 years now? All bollocks.

Yeah - how dare those who have years worth of putting their hard earned into the club, give guy who runs the show a hard time.

It's because the club is being ran by non-football people. How does that explain it, like? Because the club is being ran by businessmen who have no understanding of how to run a football club. Surely what's happened in the last 12months is example enough for that? Ashley running SportsDirect is one thing - but a football club is an entirely different animal. Problems occur when businessmen believe that they are the same. Thats a myth that i've never understood and doesnt really stand up to any form of scrutiny. The Glazers are not 'football people', yet are running Man U pretty successfully. Success in business preceeds ownership of a football club and is the reason why owners are there, more so nowadays. If you mean that football clubs needs to take risks and invest in players then the phrase 'Speculate to accumulate' is a relevant business insight not something football club ownership taught the world. The Glazers have owned and ran sports clubs before though. They do have some grounding in the field. Yup - weren't they involved with American Football, before they purchased the Mancs? And whilst the Mancs have been successful, it's just as well as The Glazers have saddled the club with a very large debt. If The Mancs go through a dip (for example when Ferguson leaves) - they could be in big trouble.

It's because the club is being ran by non-football people. How does that explain it, like? Because the club is being ran by businessmen who have no understanding of how to run a football club. Surely what's happened in the last 12months is example enough for that? Ashley running SportsDirect is one thing - but a football club is an entirely different animal. Problems occur when businessmen believe that they are the same things. I think that's why they've appointed Wise. Or I think that's the logic they are going for anyways. I'm bemused as to when Dennis Wise became such a respected football guru? If you compare him to someone like SBR, then what Wise knows could be written on the back of a postage stamp, with room to spare.

It's because the club is being ran by non-football people. How does that explain it, like? Because the club is being ran by businessmen who have no understanding of how to run a football club. Surely what's happened in the last 12months is example enough for that? Ashley running SportsDirect is one thing - but a football club is an entirely different animal. Problems occur when businessmen believe that they are the same.

It's because the club is being ran by non-football people. Interesting article and yes, the NUSC give an opinion (which I have no problem with them doing so) Even if they didn't, and the meeting was merely transcripted - am sure the knives would have still come out. At a time when all the fans of the club should be banding together, the support has become fractured. It'll end up costing us all big-time. Mediocrity beckons, fellas. The NUSC isn't perfect (nothing ever is when it first starts up) it's very much a work in progress.

I watched most of the 88/89 campaign, and it was dreadful. Anyone remember the mini-revival we had, which offered hope of staying up, only to be fettled by a 3-1 home Easter Monday defeat to Sheffield Weds? I was at that game and I think we all knew then that that was that and relegation was a certainty. Also the last game that my dad went to, at St James. Going down leaves a feeling of desolation and major disappointment. However, that time we didn't have a team of experienced international players on very high wages like we do now. Bottom line is that I'm not sure enough of our more experienced players are that bothered.

Sadly the trend more recently seems to have clubs relegated from the Premier League languishing in the lower reaches of the Championship. Looking at the table now, its a bit like a graveyard for former Premier league clubs. Birmingham managed to come straight back up a couple of seasons back but I think that was a rarity. Scary times lay ahead Yup - sometimes when the rot sets in, it takes a while to turn it around. Money problems have plenty to do with it as well. If we do go down, it'll be like rats deserting a sinking ship for the players. Then again - why should they care when they'll end up at new clubs?

If we do go down, history tells us that bouncing back at the first attempt is very unlikely. In previous relegations, the club tends to linger in Division Two (the championship) for 4-5 years before finally mounting a promotion campaign. Then the whole cycle starts again....

We had 1500 empty seats today. The apathy has set in. How come the Hull game has sold out then, CG?

It was very quiet today. Says plenty when the loudest we sung was to have a go at Peter Reid just before kick off.

The cheer-leaders looked very young to me. Something slightly dodgy about having young girls dancing about in skimpy gear. Perhaps I'm just getting old.

So - another insipid and disappointing 'performance' today to digest over the next few days. Not that we get much respite, with the visit of the red Mancs on Weds. Just wondering what the general feeling is out there at the moment - has apathy set in for you with regards to Newcastle and are you past caring? It's been pointed out before but it's probably the biggest danger facing the club at the moment, even more so than relegation. The recent season ticket price freeze isn't down to the credit crunch - no it's a lot more blatant than that. It's a sweetner (and a poor one at that) to keep the fans on side. I believe Ashley and Lambias are very worried about the summer when s/t renewal time comes around. A massive drop in s/t renewals will have implications, particularly if we are playing Championship football. All very nice and well for prices to be frozen, but who wants to pay £26 a go (on average, IIRC) to watch football in a lower division? Being at Bolton today - a certain degree of apathy seems to have become attached to some of the players, but it's not a new thing. I saw our club captain (Owen) turn in a 'I can't be chewed with this' showing at Blackburn, and for some of those I saw today I saw the same thing. For many of us, NUFC is a big part of our lives. It has been for me for well over 25 years now - although I'm not as black and white daft as I used to be (not making it to many games because of financial reasons - young family to look after) I took the decision not to renew at the end of 2006/07 and haven't regretted it. Question is - what is it going to take for you to have had enough?

Bloody hell EDIT : Thats not laughing at you BG.... I just thought the comparison was funny It's true enough though. Tony Cunningham was an average (at best) centre-forward. Knew his limitations, but as least he put a shift in. Ameobi on the other hand..... I know he's always looked languid, but the last two games have just been pish from him.

Bobyule - I used to be one of those who stuck up for Shola in the past, when he was getting hammered. However it's amazing how much he has regressed as a player in the last 3-4 years and he's still here. He's a poor man's Tony Cunningham at the moment, and that speaks volumes.