James

As I see it, Shepherd doesn't go against the will of the manager, he appears to do his own initial negotiations over star players before approaching manager and saying: "I am able to sign player X, do you want him" and player X is generally of such a calibre that no manager could turn the offer down. The annoying thing is that the manager/chairman subsequently miss out on those lower profile but still very important signings further down the line for whatever reason. My major gripe with Shepherd is not in the transfer market, but with his two most recent managerial appointments and the sacking of Sir Bobby Robson.

I would never pass up on Shevchenko, even if it is just for one game. When given the correct role in the team, not only can he create chances for the rest of the team, but he can pick up and control any ball in the box before finishing it superbly. His club goal scoring record when applied as a centre-forward over the past 10 years is second to none.

Southampton away would be nice.

You never know, perhaps it will be a swap deal.

The Shevchenko's want their children to go to an English school, so they'll be hanging around in England for quite a bit. Our style of play will suit Shevchenko more also. Don't think Mourinho ever wanted Shevchenko to be honest, and Abramovich is probably cooling to him. I reckon we could actually pull this off, and I also reckon that we'd have a good chance of signing him in the summer for £10 million.

Then a perfectly sensible solution has been taken. If I was to post a link, I would expect to be fairly banned within 10 minutes, whereas you would be right to give less regulars a warning. Nothing more for me to debate about really, keep up the good work

To be honest, you are never going to be able to stop posters from breaking copyright rules - the email will catch peoples attention, but new members will not be aware. I think you generally see a short term decrease in video links, but it is now at the stage that you have to choose whether to ban everyone or no-one who breaks the rules. New posters will join and post links straight away and if unpunished the majority of other posters will do the same thinking they can get away with it also. A big negative is that new members could be put off staying around with an immediate 14 day ban, but on the other hand the moderators have to do something to avoid endless videos to be posted, as in the end of the day, they need a deterrent to a) ensure the security of the site, and b) lessen their workload. To be honest, no-one really reads the rules before posting, most people that join expect to be able to do what they want on the internet and aren't aware of the existence of copyright-breach monitors I would recommend a kind of immunity period where month-old members can get away withan edited post and a very stern warning sent over PM - although it is not up to me to say what is done and what isn't done.

Fixture lists....just wondering....why can't we discuss this...also what does anything from the Newcastle World mean...can you elaborate a bit more please.... Fixture Lists are copyrighted believe it or not, and the two previous incarnations which merged to form Newcastle-Online (aka howaythetoon and ToonChat) both got closed down by their servers without warning after NUFC threatened the server with legal action. It is illegal to post more than 5 fixtures at a time I understand. Newcastle World is the official website. The only thing from there we can post without breaking copyright as far as I understand is the text articles which you dont have to pay subscription for, and even then you must post a direct link to the page in question.

No and No

My group is so finely balanced, you need certain players from both Manchester's to get points, and others not too and certain points from Watford players (Young, or Francis if Young doesn't play) and points for Baines, Seol and Doyle in their second game could also be crucial. Evra isn't starting - that could help me as Rio can now score as many points as he wants. Not sure whether points for Ronaldo and Richards are good or bad, and dont want Dunne, Barton or Distin getting much of a match.

Fair points, but I think that for 1. we have an award for best foreign poster and that pretty much covers it - it is very difficult to judge who does and doesn't speak English as their first language. As for 2. most members that vote will only be aware of two posters, and only one of these posts in the NUFC section, so it becomes more of a case of 'who is the only female poster' rather than 'who is the best female poster' Regardless, keep voting everyone!

Not since Roeder was confirmed as PERMANENT Newcastle manager. Shearer and Tommy Craig have departed to let Roeder do it all himself from that date. That is what I'm basing my percentages on. I know, but’s it’s a fairly arbitrary line to draw. As is, to a lesser extent, limiting your analysis to PL games. GR’s win percentage as manager - 44% GR’s win percentage since becoming the permanent manager all competitions - 46% GR’s win percentage since becoming the permanent manager cup - 75% It’s only by excluding huge chunks of Roeder’s NUFC managerial career that you can arrive at a poor win percentage. I know the league is ‘what matters’ but excluding the bits that don’t support the idea he’s no good is very unfair. I regularly review my stance on the manager, but right now 17th isn't good enough, especially considering our home record. This isn't mentioning poor performance during the transfer window and some appalling tactical decisions made during our matches. Things may be starting to turn around, but I'm not going to support a prolonged tenure by Roeder until he actually turns things around. I've got nothing against the guy, and if improvement continues I'm happy for him to remain until the end of the season. It will take a dramatic improvement though for me to not call for his departure at the end of the season, as I do feel that a much better manager will need to be in charge for any long term success. This is all taking the thread off topic, but if you want to discuss this further, please start a new thread on this and I will happily respond.

Do not dare to criticise the man who stands alongside Shearer, Owen, Patrick Kluivert, El Hadji Diouf, Michelle Akers and Mia Hamm as one of the greatest living players of all time.

Southall was definitely an all-time great. Perhaps carried on slightly too long though as he lost his agility.

Doyle is my captain too. I may get a shock qualification. The team at the bottom of my group Galatasaray: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/M/eventhist.mc?id=262879 are playing Dyer's Sore Hammy: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/M/eventhist.mc?id=75857 and are currently leading, despite not having updated the team for ages. With Gerrard and Gilberto having good games for Galatasaray, things could go my way in this fixture, especially with DSH having Drogba as captain and Lampard. Hopefully, Evra, Saha, Lescott and Distin will have bad games. My team isn't doing badly, though I'll need a good Watford game, or a goal from Agbonlahor or Doyle, or Campbell or much much better, Knight to really help me out: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/M/eventhist.mc?id=95126. League Winners: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/M/eventhist.mc?id=448609 are now two points ahead, with three Manchester City players to play. My fate really resides with the Manchester City Watford game I feel.

Thing is, at the end of a World Cup, Pele compiles a list of every single player that performed mediocrely or better, and then conducts one-on-one interviews with pretty much every single member of the press. For each press meeting, you'll get something like this: Thing is, Nicky Butt was fucking superb in 2002. Agreed pretty much, though I think Pele overrated him a little, and wouldn't have said that in front of a foreign press (or if he didn't play for Manchester United)

Not since Roeder was confirmed as PERMANENT Newcastle manager. Shearer and Tommy Craig have departed to let Roeder do it all himself from that date. That is what I'm basing my percentages on.

Thing is, at the end of a World Cup, Pele compiles a list of every single player that performed mediocrely or better, and then conducts one-on-one interviews with pretty much every single member of the press. For each press meeting, you'll get something like this: Reporter: Who was your player of the tournament then? Pele: There were many good players, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ballack. It's a tough one, let me come back to it. Which country are you reporting for? Reporter: England Pele: (looks at list) Miicky Butt, he was my best player. Reporter: Nicky Butt? Pele: Yes. Havent got much time, I have another reporter to see in the next room, got to go see him now. (Leaves and meets next reporter) Reporter No. 2: Who was your player of the tournament then? Pele: There were many good players, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ballack. It's a tough one, let me come back to it. Which country are you reporting for? Reporter No. 2: Northern Ireland Pele: Ronaldo, he was the best player. That winger of yours that played for Manchester would have been able to match him though if he was playing. Reporter No. 2: Keith Gillespie? Pele: Yes etc

Many reckon that decision was only made because FIFA wouldn't be able to take exclusive photographs in order to sell a photobook. If they did the greatest footballers of all time, there would be quite a few photos of urns and coffins

Emre kicks his ass according to Mr. Diplomatic - Mr. Pele himself.

Just having another look at this list, three of the so-called greatest players of all time played for Bolton last season

Although I was kind of aware that there was some kind of infamous list compiled by Pele of the greatest players of all time, I never knew the exact details and just reading it on wikipedia now, I'm thinking - what a joke! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_100 Despite being called the FIFA 100, Pele couldn't bear to cut the list of names down to 100 so we are stuck with 125. In order to not offend any living footballers, all dead greats were excluded from the list. According to the list, 4 of the greatest players of all time have played for Newcastle over the past three seasons. Three of our last 6 managers were also amongst the greatest players of all time (although that is slightly more reasonable) Here is the list in full: Argentina Diego Maradona Alfredo Di Stéfano Daniel Passarella Gabriel Batistuta Hernán Crespo Javier Saviola Javier Zanetti Juan Sebastián Verón Mario Kempes Omar Sivori Belgium Franky Van Der Elst Jean-Marie Pfaff Jan Ceulemans Brazil Cafu Carlos Alberto Djalma Santos Falcão Nílton Santos Pelé Rivaldo Rivelino Roberto Carlos Romário Ronaldinho Ronaldo Sócrates Zico Bulgaria Hristo Stoichkov Cameroon Roger Milla Chile Elías Figueroa Iván Zamorano Colombia Carlos Valderrama Croatia Davor Šuker Czech Republic Josef Masopust Pavel Nedvěd Denmark Brian Laudrup Michael Laudrup Peter Schmeichel England Alan Shearer Bobby Charlton David Beckham Gary Lineker Gordon Banks Kevin Keegan Michael Owen France David Trézéguet Didier Deschamps Éric Cantona Jean-Pierre Papin Just Fontaine Lilian Thuram Marcel Desailly Marius Trésor Michel Platini Patrick Vieira Raymond Kopa Robert Pirès Thierry Henry Zinedine Zidane Germany Franz Beckenbauer Gerd Müller Jürgen Klinsmann Karl-Heinz Rummenigge Lothar Matthäus Michael Ballack Oliver Kahn Paul Breitner Sepp Maier Uwe Seeler Ghana Abédi Pelé Hungary Ferenc Puskás Ireland Roy Keane Italy Alessandro Del Piero Alessandro Nesta Christian Vieri Dino Zoff Francesco Totti Franco Baresi Giampiero Boniperti Giacinto Facchetti Gianluigi Buffon Gianni Rivera Giuseppe Bergomi Paolo Rossi Paolo Maldini Roberto Baggio Japan Hidetoshi Nakata Liberia George Weah Mexico Hugo Sánchez Netherlands Clarence Seedorf Dennis Bergkamp Edgar Davids Frank Rijkaard Johan Neeskens Johan Cruijff Marco van Basten Patrick Kluivert René van de Kerkhof Rob Rensenbrink Ruud Gullit Ruud van Nistelrooy Willy van de Kerkhof Nigeria Jay-Jay Okocha Northern Ireland George Best Paraguay Romerito Peru Teófilo Cubillas Poland Zbigniew Boniek Portugal Eusébio Luís Figo Rui Costa Romania Gheorghe Hagi Russia Rinat Dasaev Scotland Kenny Dalglish Senegal El Hadji Diouf Republic of Korea Hong Myung-Bo Spain Emilio Butragueño Luis Enrique Raúl Turkey Emre Belözoğlu Rüştü Reçber Ukraine Andriy Shevchenko Uruguay Enzo Francescoli United States Michelle Akers Mia Hamm

Here is a much more difficult one: 1979/1980 3 1981 3 1982 3 1983 3 1984 3 1985 3 1986 3 1987 2 1988 2 1989 2 1990 2 1991 2 1992 2 1993 3 1994 3 1995 3 1996 4 1997 3 1998 3 1999 4 2000 4 2001 4 2002 4 2003 3 2004 3 2005 2 2006 2 2007 2

...although Luque didn't crash his car - he pulled over to the side of the road with a puncture, and while he was phoning for a pickup on the side of the road, a lorry smashed into his stationary vehicle.