Benwell Lad

Being charged for such a minor thing considering there were mitigating circumstances, when other apparently more serious offences get off scot-free begs the question WHO made the decision and do they have a vested interest ?

One of stokes best players. Nah. Couldn't tie Whitehead or Jones' shoe laces.

Or Jackie Milburn standing in a queue at Ashington to get the bus into town to meet up with Scoular,Harvey and Co in the Strawberry for a pre match pint and a couple of Woodbines before banging in a hat trick at St.James'.

if they had one more point than us, one more in a crowd, one more goal, they will make a statue to him, they will be wanking in the streets. Thats his brief. Not even sure oneill is interested in Europe anyway. He got Villa there and then quite disgracefully made no effort and just played fringe players ending in a quick exit. Kind of negates the point of achieving something in the league really. If that's what he did at Villa he'd do the same at a smaller club with a smaller squad and less talented players. Not that it'll ever likely to happen.

IF they get back tomorrow,and it's still an if, and they have no real adverse affects, I'd start Ba and have Cisse on the bench ready for the last 30 minutes. If we had a couple of world beaters up front as replacements I'd give them more time, but I'm not sure we have.......

What counts as succeeding? He won't get them as high as he got Villa considering how other teams have improved and having much more to spend at Villa. Have to say (honestly) I never rated him that highly, always thought he was bigger on bullshit than substance. Whenever his name was bandied around for us I always hoped not, but concede that quite a few did want him. I'd have been more concerned if they'd made a Rodgers,Lambert or even Adkins type appointment. I just don't see a 60 year old Martin O'Niell pushing them on, especially with what he's inherited.

Don't think it is jet lag that is the problem as there isn't much of a time difference. It is about the effects that travelling might have on their bodies e.g. someone mentioned dehydration. I know nothing of it myself, but I guess when you're a premier league footballer having to perform at an extremely high level of physical of fitness then the effects travelling are likely to be felt more than they would by most of the rest of us. Someone might advise them to drink some water ? Possibly even with a little drop of sirop in it

Double that. A positive is no real time zone jet lag.

You've completely twisted what was said and for some strange reason conveniently omitted that I said "motivation" first,which is probably his greatest strength. Apart from that you should try and explain his "achievements" - I guess you mean Celtic. Areet, but I don't really count winning anything with Rangers or Celtic as "achievment" - probably because you or I could manage them to trophies. You may also wish to expand why you disagree with my verdict on his coaching ability,tactical nous or transfer record ?

Looking like it could be a bit of a damp squib this time round (I hope so) but I'm sure they will be doing all they can to froth it up.

I've been thinking that for the last week. Everyone assumed O'Neill would have plenty of $$$ to spend. Maybe doing it the right way for them. Season is basically a write off, all he needs to do is stay in the division, blood his youngsters, find out who he wants to keep and wait till the summer when there are better options available, and £40m from tv rights. Will be a decent summer for them I reckon, lots of positive activity. No way. O'Niell's been around long enough for most of us to know where his strengths and weaknesses lie. Good motivator, good media bullshiter, poor coach, tactically inept and very poor in the transfer market.

I've been thinking that for the last week. Everyone assumed O'Neill would have plenty of $$$ to spend. Nile Quinn blew it on managers contracts and subsequent pay offs. Not to mention said managers' insane spending on overpriced has-beens.

Can't understand some of the reaction to the incident - looked more sinned against to me. Also even if there was a case would it have been so had the match not been live and overpaid pundits are frantically looking to "create" controversy out of nothing. It was nothing like Ballotelli's offence and the other guy suffered much lesser injury than McLeans "accidental" head butt on Rhys Williams in the Boro Sunderland match. Coming back to his general game, his competitiveness and little bit of steel impress me, the greatest midfielders I've seen combined aggression with sublime skill, Gazza, Souness and Brian Robson for example. Not that I'm placing him in that esteemed company yet, he has a lot of skill, a good big match temperament but on the aggression scale of 1 to 10, Glenn Hoddle being a 1 and the thug Cattermole a 10 plus, he's only a 3 or 4 at most.

Agree with that, though I suspect Cissé may be on the bench. Spot on, although I think it will be for reasons other than language problems.

Once again looked average to poor yesterday but as previously stated I've seen very little during the recent hype to suggest they're playing any better than they did under Bruce. Better results and the expected post managerial change flurry, but thats about it. Man for man they looked better than Boro, as you'd expect from a PL team at home, but Boro probably had the best openings and chances but fluffed them badly. I thought Sunderland again looked dirty - even without Cattermole - and got away with a lot of very iffy challenges. The McLean head butt on Rhys Williams was quickly brushed away - very surprising in today's game - whether intentional or not if it hadn't have been one of saint marty's boys I'm sure we would have seen it from 20 different angles until they made a case for debate. The Brown challenge which led to his own injury was as bad as it was comical and would have probably been a free kick if the challenge was made in the centre circle - Boro may feel aggrieved not to have got a penalty. Cheating seems to come quite naturally to their players judging by how many were in the referee and linesman's faces following the disallowed goal - Gardner having "caught" the ball before screaming his innocence at the ref. Blatant intentional hand ball followed by mass lying and protesting that Fergie would have been proud of. Gardner also telling the ref to send a Boro player off after a tackle in the midfield. Seems like the saint marty hype perpetuated by the fawning media is permeating into referee's decision making.

Timmy, Timmy Krul! Howay lads, there's got to be a song there for Timmy to the tune of Boney M "Daddy Cool"

See they're organising a sunderland marathon starting and finishing at the football ground which will take in all the local sights Hopefully it's on a bus route to help any cheating makems who will be entering the race.

Have a look at their group. Funny old game! Wasn't really expecting him back until Wolves to tell the truth, but almost a full month sooner? With a pal in tow? Fair play. It's the Grand National of football, may be a couple of favourites but essentially it's anyones to win.

Their club captain, you know the thug and car vandal, was let loose on TV last night representing them in an interview about the cup game. Disgraceful. Anyone know when he's due in court to face the car vandalism charges ?

Really? Any incidents to back this up? Nah not really, apart from some disinterested looking appearances towards the end and of course the "lies" about waiting until he knew if we were staying up etc. He was always going and treat us (fans) like mugs by stringing it along. TBH I don't even know what I'm doing in this thread, players move on, he chose to play for Liverpool, he no longer plays for Newcastle. No big deal really.

Behaved like a complete twat during the last months of his time here, whatever was going on, but gave us a few "love the fans" type platitudes. Miss his marauding wing play and strength, don't miss his misplaced passes to opposition players around our penalty area.

I like to see squad players and a couple of young 'uns get a run out and it would probably happen against a lower league side or even a Championship side at home, but away to a decent Championship team and bearing in mind how Pardew feels about the FA cup I think he'll be going full strength.

Keep an eye on nufc.com they're normally right on the ball for ticket sale dates.

;D I watched him closely when we played Brum last season as I knew very little about him but we had been interested. He was awful that day,contributed nothing and looked mentally weak and a liability to his team. No wonder they went down if he was a key player, I was pleased we hadn't followed up the interest. Seems to have become a bit of a hero to the makems though - must be playing at the top of his game. Cheating bastaad like, taking the lace out of the ball on the line against us and then claiming it hit his chest - and that dive at Wolves

Smoke/fire ? Whatever the truth, he's probably not for the long term once his family have left the place. If not Marseille then maybe some Arab Sunday League team could rescue him from the squalor of Wearside before too long.