Benwell Lad

Would have said the same about us a few years ago. According to last years data we were at around $65k they are currently on $78k. Given the players that left when we were relegated I think our average wage when we went down may have been pretty close to Villa's now. ..and could be saying the same about our dear neighbours in 12 months time.

This. Nowt worse than that empty feeling we experienced so early at Spurs then again at Wigan on Saturday. What is funny though, is how the once in a lifetime result against Arsenal seems to have given a generation of fans an unfeasibly optimistic outlook during such games. In both of those heavy defeats I heard someone say around the 70 minute mark "well this is about the time we started the fight back against Arsenal". Probably tongue in cheek I know. The pessimism about tonight, to a lesser degree, reflects the mood before the Man U game in January. I reckon at worst we'll go down fighting and given a bit of luck might even pinch something.

BBC budget cuts - had to find someone who could walk to Shepherds Bush. Joey did ok, looked a wee bit nervous but only to be expected as Paxman is much harder than him.

The thought of beating the Arab poodles and denying them the title, thereby pissing off some of the most obnoxious fans in football fills me with great joy.

After tonight's results is there still a mackematical possibility that we can't qualify for Europe?

Any impact the FA Cup may have on Chelsea's level of performance is more likely to be seen after the final rather than before. The scousers will get them at a good time next week.

..and with the long term contracts they've dished out to has-been overpaid dross, set against a backdrop of reduced gate revenues, it'll not be improving any time soon. A further negative indictment of how the club was ran during Niall Quinn's tenure, but don't dare even whisper that to a macum, cos he's a legend.

Must admit to being surprised by the composition of that list as I assumed American sportsmen were still way out ahead.

Classy Supporters again, and this is presumabley to one of their own. It's little wonder that decent people have given up attending their games and just left it to the retards and free ticket scroungers. Club captain a convicted thug and car vandal, manager looks and behaves like a tramp. Scummy club.

So true. Sad yes. But true.

He was completely off his face in The Diamond last weekend apparently. Acting like a dick, could barely stand and seemed to have very large pupils. What *cough* drink makes your pupils so big? Be careful if you have to park your car at Close House anytime, the arsehole spends a lot of time there too.

Be cool lads. If we finish 4th the Bavarian steamroller will not let us down.

There seems to be no depth to which their peverse bitterness cannot sink and the jealousy of our current success is taking it to depraved levels .

As good a description of Sunderland over the last couple of decades as you're likely to hear,

He was the first individual player I remember hearing Pardew talk about, not long after he became manager. It was obvious that he rated him highly and said he would work with him and particularly mentioned his physique which he said was too top heavy and restricted his mobility and ability to turn. Perhaps it was something Pardew picked up on during his sabbatical studying the Bundesliga. Anyway whatever he did, when Taylor came back into the side towards the end of last season, he looked like a quality Premier League defender, which was something I never thought he would become.

In fairness to Dekka mate just about everything he's said publicly of late, either in the programme or the press has been pretty honest and spot on, although I have no doubt it was already scripted by the PR person who's appointment you advocate. Ashley is the shareholder and therefore calls the final shots, but Llambias as day to day boss of the business, has to take credit for his role in the club's progress too.

Lads, you must realise that the rivalry between the two sets of fans is quite different. To us, they are merely an object of amusement, something we look down on and will always take the piss out of, which is quite easy as their bungling management and dimwit fans supply us with an endless source of ammunition. They however have a bitter hatred of all things Newcastle, be it the city their players and management live and socialise in, or the football club which is so famous throughout Europe and around the world. This has put a monumental chip on their shoulder which makes hatred and bitterness their default mode. The hatred has twisted their confused minds to the extent that whether they are an educated journalist working for the Guardian, or just an ordinary free ticket fan, they will deny the truth and twist facts to perpetuate the prejudiced myths they invent and cling to so pathetically.

Even when things are not going well the city of Newcastle and NUFC remain attractive propositions for those who make their living out of football. When things are going well there are few better places in the world to ply your trade. I've said for a while now that as we progress there are a diminishing number of clubs who can offer a player or manager more than ourselves. As football - including many of Europe's top clubs - finally wakes up to financial reality, we are already very well placed in that respect too.

I tell you mate we've got a lot to thank Niall Quinn for. They could so easily have pulled away from us if he hadn't been in charge of managerial appointments/contracts/sanctioning player recruitment etc. Amazingly, though not really for macums come to think of it, he's somewhere between legend and god like status down there. We should be thankful really, no set of fans are blessed with such a set of dimwit retards for rivals in the way we are.

Speaking of which, Sunderlands David Meyler engaged hands before head tonight on Twitter, too... @DavidMeyler let hope chelsea win it! I'd hate for newcastle to get europe! #ftm Legend status of Bally magnitude there like. FTM.

If the club sustains the current level of progress all revenue streams will be on the rise again, advertising, sponsorship, corporate, merchandising etc will all look a lot healthier next season. I've heard quite a few people who currently don't have season tickets saying they're getting them next season.

Me too. Ba,Cisse,HBA and Cabaye have grabbed the headlines and deservedly so, and Colo is just imperious, but over the season I'd go for Jonas. Every single member of the squad deserves credit, they have ALL been magnificent.

Lawrie McMenemy in the directors box at St.James' yesterday. Top guy. Great manager. Very dapper as well, unlike the trampy little scruff in the dugout at Sunderland nowadays.

Michael Oliver has been impressive every time I've seen him like. Would say he's one of the better ones! Agree. Unfortunately like the only other one I rate (Clattenberg) he has a declared interest in NUFC so we'll never see him.

Andre Marriner. He's not great... Funny name. Joke referee.