BottledDog

Who did spot him ? Like you say, credit to whoever was responsible for getting him to our club. Fairly sure that plenty spotted him, but Chris was one who has scouted him in the past and probably recommended him this time around. Llambias will have been responsible for sanctioning the signing and actually getting him in.

Based on what exactly? Build me a scenario here. If we are talking players, despite all the gnashing of teeth every transfer period saying we'll flog our best players and bring in freebies, when has this actually occured under Ashley? When have these fears over his asset stripping tendancies ever borne fruit? Any decent player has left for their own reasons; not one player has been forced out.

I can't see any reason to make any major additions bar injuries. Happy to let Hughton just bed the long term wounded back into the team slowly. This a chance to stabilise, consolidate, and then move on not go ape because of a few results and mess with a tight knit group. But whatever happens, I'm comfortable enough to trust in the direction Ashley and his staff seem to be setting since relegation.

Well, he's still learning, but he's getting better and better tactically as well as bringing on individual players. I'd be absolutely sick if we don't get behind him. What would that say about us as a club? We are behind him and I think it'll stay. I'm just not at the same level as others, that he's our saviour and we'll become a successful club with him - it's too early to tell. Doesn't mean I won't give him a chance like. I think he has a very real chance of giving us some great times given backing, just seems to have the perfect character for us and the players, but agree that it's still way to early to hail him as the next Robson etc; In the same vein - I also don't hold with all the pressure to bring forward discussions on his contract, it's in both parties interest to work something out, let them sort it in their own time.

Always backed and defended him; seemed a straight, determind bloke, who talked a great deal of sense from the start. It's pretty mad that people who apparently had no time for him, and saw him as nothing more than a puppet that should be got shot of asap, are now loving the bloke. Good to see though.

Mike Ashley will probably think "Well I appointed a coach as manager and we're 4th. If I get rid of Chris and do it again we might win the league. Sorry Chris no new contract!" I don't doubt that Stevie Stone would indeed win us the league.

f*** him, players like him, Michael Owen, Oba Martins, Beye, and every other c*** who thought they were bigger than the club. Look where they are all now. On benches. getting paid handsomely though, which is all c***s like that really care about I think Shay's move is different to the others mentioned. He moved to a club to be their first choice keeper, a club which will be challenging for trophies soon. The rest either left for more money or went to average clubs. Shay gave us some good years, a lot of them to be fair. He was always a top class keeper, and although he had no North East connections he loved the area, the club and the people. Still love the guy, but wouldn't take him back because it would be unfair on who we have. Shay has done absolutely nothing different to all the other players who are readily criticized for being mercenaries. Personally, I don't see the problem moving to City, they have money which is an obvious bonus, but that pretty much goes hand-in-hand with chances of winning trophies, so quite how you can separate the mercenaries from the ones who are there 'for the right reasons', is beyond me. The only ones that really seem like mercenaries are maybe Ade & Balotelli, but I'm sure you could make reasons for Balotelli to move other than money. Not so sure about Adebayor like. It does not go hand in hand to be fair, for how many years did we pay huge wages to players? We never stood a chance of winning anything. I don't like City but they do, yes money is great there but he moved to try and win something. And Shay was here a lot longer than the rest of the other players who left. Regardless of how long he was here, he picked the worst fucking time to force a move away. That's what gets most peoples backs up I'd wager. A great goalkeeper for us once, but it's difficult find much love for the bloke and his bulging retirement fund after the role he picked during his last act at the club.

Can't see that helping the situation in the slightest.

Which is why Ben Arfas injury is such a monumental kick in the knackers for Hughton and all of us this season.

Half the reason we went down was the sodding managerial merry go round. It would have to be a hell of a reason to dismiss Hughton and go through that again. If the players stopped trying and started engineering moves away then I'll start worrying, but until that unlikely scenario happens, and I can't believe it needs saying, we really need to get a grip and stick with a manager for once. During this very tough time (most of which has been due to factors well out of his control) he has my full and absolute support.

Wasn't he only manager for two seasons? One they got into the play-offs and the next they got promoted? If so that's hardly poor is it? Forest fans I know despise him, said he's very negative and a terrible man manager. He's neither negative, nor a terrible man manager. Very disappointed he has taken the post. What an arse of a day it has been.

So wait. What the hell are people banging on about about here? Whether Hughton spent 5 minutes or 3 hours 40 with the lad? Whatever. Great stuff Chris. Love the way he puts the extra mile in. Literaly.

Going to send him one as well, to what address would I send it? Direct to the club would be your best bet.

Probably not, but I do think he should have been a lot more angry & aggresively critical of the performance of the officials at the weekend. The guy was clearly seething and the club has gone down the road of formally tackling the problem which should have a much greater chance of forcing a response. He did everything right in my book, can't stand seeing managers loosing it in the heat of the moment.

He did not say it was ok ffs.

'One where the tackler is aiming to get the man aswell' is already outlawed if dangerous surely? Reasonable guidelines are in place, all Calderwood and the others are saying is that there is no need to start banning hard tackles etc, just follow the current rules on a more consistant basis. This was bad challenge with a horrific outcome, the ref had the opportunity to punish him and didn't see fit, now the FA can't do diddly squat about it either. That is the key issue in my mind. It is a serious issue that players are not getting the protection from the referees this season despite Shearer and the gangs guffaws, but the basic rules of the game I don't feel are in need of change, just a change of attitude, and a shake up of the utterly retarded system that does not allow the FA to revisit officials decisions after the game.

In all fairness, in no way were his comments as controversial as the majority reaction makes them out to be.

Uh, where is Calderwood blaming Ben Arfa? All he is saying is that the injury was exacerbated by the positioning of the players legs, which of course it was. It was as he rightly said, 'unfortunate'. he also said he didn't want to see that sort of tackle out the game. (stupid imo) I wasn't dismissing that, but it was important to not let the 'unfortunate' part get overly misconstrued. As for the quote you highlight though, I agree that he might be better served not to get drawn into it, and like you I would do everything to stop injuries like that occuring, but how do you do it? Should sliding tackles/tackles on the ground be outlawed? Coming from his background I'd suggest that is all Calderwood is saying, that you can't blanket ban on the basis of an extreamly unfortunate incident. easy, any tackle which is deemed deliberatly dangerous should be punished.........though that is already the law isn't it. edit...if you can freeze frame it as soon as de jong lifts his left foot to go in for the ball and ask yourself if he is just trying to win the ball ? its exactly the same as the tackle from behind, it's outlawed because even if the player is going for the ball it's done in such a way as to cause damage which is exactly what happened here. So it's down to making the right decision on individual tackles, not taking that kind of takle out of the game. I'm pretty sure that Calderwood would agree with you.

Uh, where is Calderwood blaming Ben Arfa? All he is saying is that the injury was exacerbated by the positioning of the players legs, which of course it was. It was as he rightly said, 'unfortunate'. he also said he didn't want to see that sort of tackle out the game. (stupid imo) I wasn't dismissing that, but it was important to not let the 'unfortunate' part get overly misconstrued. As for the quote you highlight though, I agree that he might be better served not to get drawn into it, and like you I would do everything to stop injuries like that occuring, but how do you do it? Should sliding tackles/tackles on the ground be outlawed? Coming from his background I'd suggest that is all Calderwood is saying, that you can't blanket ban on the basis of an extreamly unfortunate incident.

where has he said this? 909 or 693 mw. Will probs be on the beebs website at some point.

Uh, where is Calderwood blaming Ben Arfa? All he is saying is that the injury was exacerbated by the positioning of the players legs, which of course it was. It was as he rightly said, 'unfortunate'.

Notice that Bellamy has come out and said we came in for him. I have to say Hughton seems to have a hell of a hitrate going for exactly the players I think we need at the time. I don't think any other manager has come close to how godamn sensible/logical this bloke is. Ok, I guess it's still early days, but it's very rare, and very very welcome.

'They should ban De Jong until Ben Arfa can play again. De Jong shouldn't be allowed to play football. His tackle was criminal. He already injured another player (Stuart Holden) last season.' - Enrique http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1317822/Nigel-Jong-banned-long-Hatem-Ben-Arfa-out.html

I'd be delighted to help show support to the lad. Absolutly gutted for him and the club.

The only slight dissapointment today. Seems to have lost the confidence to take on his man. Glad that we have him though.