Benwell Lad

I don't think we lack much on the physical side, the point is we seem to lack a certain mental meanness or "cuteness" that other teams use and display. We need stronger characters to stand up to opposition players, lobby referees and use gamesmanship to see us through games when necessary. We have a fantastic squad character wise, but perhaps we lack a bit of what Nolan,Barton or even Shearer gave us - a streetwise attitude where we would not be pushed around or accept bad decisions easily.

Thanks. Particularly enjoyed the bit about Susanna Reid

Yes, we've come to a point where it's definitely one of them. Could be a pivotal result for the rest of the season.

After Hoillet took a ridiculous dive to try and win a penalty against us at Blackburn away, would you have wanted us to put the ball out of play if he appeared injured later in the game ? I know you've probably answered that already. If he genuinely appeared injured then yes, but obviously it's harder to believe that if a player's always rolling around. In that case he's brought it on himself by cheating earlier. If you're gonna win anything you've got to have a mean streak. We are too nice and last night and against WBA, both games we lost, we were sporting and the opposition who won weren't. Dead right. Can't think of a successful team who didn't have it. It's what I miss about Nolan and Barton, they had it, and as Ian said, so did Bellamy.

Is it the ultimate irony that if we play acted, cheated and appealled a bit more we probably wouldn't be ?

After Hoillet took a ridiculous dive to try and win a penalty against us at Blackburn away, would you have wanted us to put the ball out of play if he appeared injured later in the game ? I know you've probably answered that already.

From a moral standpoint that is difficult to disagree with. However do you think we should do it even when it is clear that the oppositon would not show the same level of sportsmanship?

Nothing when relating to a decision already given, but psychlogically it seems to have a culmative effect on referee's future decision making. I am sure certain teams operate on that basis.

I'd hate us to ever be like a Ferguson/O'Neill team who constantly whinge at referees and start waving imaginary cards etc., but are we a bit too soft when it comes to protesting or standing up for ourselves? Last night Arsenal protested almost every decision against them while we seem to accept everything given against us. Tiote's booking was easily accepted despite their midfielders commiting more fouls and no one complained about Arteta pushing Shola in the face. Twice this season we've stopped play voluntarily when in promising positions, last night and against West Brom earlier in the season. I can't remember being on the receiving end of such generosity and contrast it to Sunderland against Arsenal when an Arsenal player went down with a serious injury and Sunderland played on to score. I love/admire Colo and his great sportsmanship but do we need a captain who gets at the referee a little bit more and a team who make bigger appeals?

Having followed up his cowardly challenge on Danny Simpson with another nasty one against Liverpool on Saturday, and getting off scot-free after "accidentally" head butting Rhys Jones against Boro recently, this latest flash in the pan mackem sooperstar, who looked every inch the part time player he recently was in the derby, might be advised to concentrate on working at his game instead of sharing his thoughts with his adoring public on Twitter and following his manager's newly found obsession of all things NUFC.

Author is a Mackem. He realised his credibilty would be compromised if he put SOL in first place so he put it ....? Just a shame that so few people on Wearside bother taking his recommendation to visit the place. Unless NUFC or Take That are topping the bill of course.

You need to remind him that Niall Quinn tried selling the naming rights to their bland new stadium for three years, but failed miserably and gave up trying. That of course was the bland new stadium they moved into after demolishing their spiritual home of 100 years Roker Park, employing a company named O'Briens to carry out the wrecking of their traditional home. Oh what irony.

The supreme level of wit displayed at SJP recently when a couple of sad macums waved Sports Direct bags was probably the funniest thing I've ever seen at a football match. I've hardly stopped laughing yet.

Has anybody said that Tiote is irreplacable? A Tiote replacement could easily turn out to struggle like Obertan has, the more you buy and sell, the more likely you are to make mistakes. If not expressly stated there are certainly implications along those lines. I'll make it quite clear, I hope he stays, partly because of the point you quite correctly make. However in a risk and reward business if he does go, my feeling is it would be for more than his real value. Truth is we haven't really missed him that much when he hasn't played this season and that was before any "replacement" was in place.

Sadly, reserve games at SJP always seem to attract an annoying bunch of immature schoolkids who show very little interest in the game but seem intent on childish misbehaviour. Last night probably gave them something to hang their hats on. It will be a shame if it leads to more reserve games behind closed doors as I know older people and people with young kids who have always enjoyed going along.

Good open positive stuff. Regarding Tiote, while I hope we keep him but not sure we will, to talk about him like he's irreplacable baffles me. He has played one outstanding game for us this season and has a total of one goal for us since he arrived. Decent player but not sure the reality matches the hype.

The tramp has fuckin lost it already. Martin o'Bruce

Overall Pardew has brought a lot more positives to our club than negatives and has to be a B+ at least. The one gripe I have is that he has to find a way to accomodate a certain player in our squad who has a unique, god given, special ability that can take us to the next level. I think in Pardew's mindset (and maybe justifiably so) the fear of losing possession outweighs the brilliance he knows that player can bring to us. He has to get over it but I'm sure there'll be another thread about this somewhere on here :-)

A trading profit was made in 2004 - although it was then wiped out by a dividend payment to the shareholders. Who and how much ? And I am being serious, have a general idea but not the specifics. It was a £4 million profit and a £4 million dividend. The dividend would have been spread amongst all the shareholders in proportion to their shareholding. From memory the Halls and Shepherds had about 70% of the clubs shares at that time. Thanks. Nice work if you can get it. Taking millions off the club you "support".

O'Niel jumps up and down like a demented tramp on speed during every game. It's his trade mark and for some obscure reason why the media love him so much.

A trading profit was made in 2004 - although it was then wiped out by a dividend payment to the shareholders. Who and how much ? And I am being serious, have a general idea but not the specifics.

If ever the difference between the two sets of fans needed to be clearly illustrated, Sunday did just that. If we had got a draw when the opposition missed a penalty, had been totally dominated in every statistical way(shots,corners,possession etc) had our captain and best player sent off for plain stupid acts and a manager who's game plan was nothing more than to kick the opposition off the park, we'd be incensed and rightly so. In macumdom that was a moral victory which will lead to years of domination. Are they really that stupid ?

Progress on the playing side allied to reduced costs and profitability is a clever conjuring trick in today's world. Perhaps the RBS should head hunt Dekka ?

It's even getting tedious having such backward tramps as our closest (geographic) rivals. Why can't we have a club a bit more like ourselves as a main rival instead of those humourless bitter twats.

He looks like a tramp, certainly found the right club for himself.