Benwell Lad

Says the man with more "shady dealing" previous than anyone else in football.

Agree that clubs will be in for him first who can offer better wages and does anybody really exp[ect him to come back when he was desperate to get away in the first place . If he was desperate it was because he'd ran into a brick wall career wise here and JFK certainly put his nose out. We're a different team nowadays, he enjoyed life on Tyneside and with the exception of the the CL qualifiers we should be as well placed as any club regarding our bargaining power.

Feels like a resort town after a bank holiday weekend when there was a big concert going on around here today. Only a few locals left and a return to peace and quiet.

Wages budget will be different to transfer. Losing a player off the payroll will allow that part of the wages pot to be spent on another player. In this respect losing Carroll probably had less impact than losing Xisco ! Bosman rulings distort the picture somewhat - you may get a player for free - but he will want a big signing on fee and a much higher salary to compensate. It leaves the club having to decide whether the available pot is spent on transfer fees and they keep the present wage budget or whether they pick up "Bosmans" but move some of the transfer kitty to cover extra wages and signing on fees that will be incurred. Something like that anyway.

Shearer has pop at the club via the press, club answers back - big deal. I wish Shearer would get some active involvement in football instead of just picking up a fortune warming his arse in a TV studio and telling everyone else what they should be doing. His stint here was pretty poor, albeit in desperate circumstances, and he wanted rid of Colo and Barton which questions his longer term judgement but I still think the guy has a lot more to offer the game than just being a second rate pundit.

Funnily enough I've heard that a few times from the long standing fans and staff of Walker Central. I live just round the corner from them so I usually have a bit of banter now and then (when they aren't doing the club out of money ofc). Echo that, never heard a word said about Shola other than what a smashing lad he is.

Responding to it certainly is.

He often is. Looks like he carries that team at times.

We don't have a better squad now, we just have lower expectations. I'll admit it's debatable, like anything I suppose, but I think we are better now. Less big names and big fee players, but overall better.

Pittsburgh's Colocinni

Is it not just an American thing ? Here most of us bear the burden of our club from cradle to grave. In the US fans switch allegiance just because they like some player or coach. I just know life would have been a lot easier if my father had been a Man U fan.

He looks a far better player now than when he left us, and if his mind has matured like his game he'd be a very good acquisition. Much rather he was here than somewhere else and I'm sure he'd have no problems returning to Tyneside.

Amazing hat we've made all that money on transfers and yet probably have a better squad now than we did at the begining. Sound fiscal management ?

Sick as I am at losing a player as good as Carroll, I agree that if used wisely the extra transfer and salary budget we now have could underpin the clubs immediate future in terms of tying down existing players and squad strengthening. The extra £50M Carroll's departure gives the club (fee plus salary increase, bungs, agents fees etc) must be used as a positive springboard.

I normally try not to get personal but I think you're a bit of a saddo. All you seem to do at the moment is look out for your "usual suspects" posts so you can point them out. Who exactly are you pointing them out to ? I am sad, I still love and believe in this club. Good on you mate, I'm sure you do, but please stop trying to ridicule those of us who have different opinions, but strangely enough also love and believe in the club.

I normally try not to get personal but I think you're a bit of a saddo. All you seem to do at the moment is look out for your "usual suspects" posts so you can point them out. Who exactly are you pointing them out to ?

Aye, me too. It probably helps that Carroll hasn't played for us for quite some time and that he wouldn't play tomorrow anyway. Would definitely be hurting worse if he'd rattled in a hat trick last week.

4,700 who competed their own on line survey (was it qualified in any way or could a supporter of any club have a go ?) provided those quite convincing results. Ballot the 50,000 who go to the match and support the club and it may have some credibility.

Howay man, we all know it's contrived but half a brain cell would have told him to wait a couple of days and not release it the same day as he's saying something completely different somewhere else.

I doubt he was expecting him to hand in a transfer request. Or anyone being daft enough to stump up £35M.

Very contradictory to what the alleged text messages and Chronicle interview said.

Of course we remember, you tell us every time you post.

Truth is Pardew has a top reputation within the professional game and he's looked a very good manager since he came here.

I believe him. Now Ashley has to back his man, the manager he chose specifically with the cash he's been promised. He's as pissed off as anyone by the look of it, but remains level headed and determined. Another top interview from him to be fair. This. Dunno how much they're paying him but he's grafted for every penny so far.

You sound like a real supporter.