Benwell Lad

Great post. As I said I don't know anything about him, but not going to write him off before he's kicked a ball. Seems to be in keeping with the "go for potential - low risk" strategy being employed by the club nowadays. If they work out great, if not - well we aren't going to lose very much. In stark contrast to the signings we used to make in the £10-15M bracket with four year contracts on millions a year which then didn't work out.

Good Post that. He is not a financial expert, dont let the name of the publication he works for fool you. He works for the company who now publish the MAG, and other football publications. He is also a Wolves supporter. Was in raptures when we were relegated, infact he though it was hilarious because he hates Newcastle United. Even though he works in Newcastle So why is he asked to comment on Newcastles team affairs --- Well he is laughling regarded as a jouno and conveniently the MAGS office is in the same office block as SKY TV office in gateshead. He is also a failed footballer So he was used to provide comment along with a disgruntled former employee, a "pundit" who also hates Newcastle, a Polish warehouse worker and an idiot with a waistline bigger than his IQ. Looks like the BBC's current affairs producers excelled themselves this time.

The BBC just hoped and assumed that most of the thick Geordie c*nts watching would have missed that slight technicality. Rule no. 1 for BBC current affairs programme makers - don't let facts get in the way of the agenda we're setting.

Trying to draw on positives - we got a point away from home, we kept a clean sheet and the new signings had another match to bed themselves in. It was however woeful, worryingly unimaginative and no entertainment whatsoever. We really need a performance which makes a positive statement and that may only happen when Jonas and Routledge are both bombing the opposition down opposite wings. I can't wait.

Rather than have YET ANOTHER story about how certain brands use manufacturing processes in the third world, maybe BBC North East could treat us to an expose of how much it cost them (or us as licence payers) to send Chris Jackson all around the world just to state the f*cking obvious once again. They have been running this "sensational" story as the headline on their hourly news bulletins today. There can't be much else happening in the world.

He most probably won't as he must have PL options closer to home. If he does then great - if not it'll be like when John Salako preferred Coventry City to us. Remember that ?

Correct. It really is all that matters in the short term for the very reasons you state. Financial stability and longer term success can only come after this first step.

l Although we all crave success, in the longer term clubs who are financially stable will be best placed to succeed in the next decade or two. It seems Ashley is prepared to back his manager in this season's promotion push which is good, because as a club 2 or 3 years out of the PL would render us very unstable financially. Whether Ashley's motives are based on the better price he will achieve for the sale, or if he has longer term ambitions remains to be seen. Personally I like the way they go about their business in the transfer markets, resisting temptation to cave in to media and internet pressure and "bigging up" the whole process as we once did. Whether Ashley's stated policy of buying "young and upcoming" rather than "expensive and established" will work also remains to be seen. For now there seem to be some positive signs but like you I never get too carried away where this club are concerned.

The word "bipolar" was created for those f*ckers. From Champions league contenders to wrist slashing time in a few months as CP40 astutely pointed out elsewhere. Come on Stevie boy you can do it !!

It must be remembered that you don't have to in any way sympathise or give credit to Ashley to be accused of "bumming" him by many on here. (What a horrible expression that is btw) Simply not blaming him for the global economic crisis or Africa's starving millions is enough for some.

I've never really understood the other side of it Bob, i.e. why it's percieved to be a weakness to comment or generally take the piss out of mackems. I think theirs is the 2nd result all Newcastle fans look for, but it will never be the obsession for us that it has become for them. All Geordies and people from other parts of the north east have been taking the piss out of mackems as long as I can remember and will continue to do so. Let's face it their club and "city" give us plenty of material ! They really enjoyed themselves in May and last summer, but it was a mere blip and makes them look even more stupid as their inevitable demise follows.

Nah. Every other football club owner, and indeed all billionaires in general, made their money from environmentally friendly, socially aware schemes. Fat Mike's the only one who's a c*nt and therefore the only one BBC can do a programme on.

f*** off you daft c***, this story was actually true. It was more a general comment about the state of the nation's press which you'd have understood if you'd read it properly. Not the brightest spark are you ?

Farrington and a few others would find it pretty tough if they had to get off their lazy arses and provide genuine and honest material for their readers. Much easier just to stick to the "print now apologise later" policy which allows them to write anything, whether researched or not. They treat their readers like gullible monkeys.

Shola with dreadlocks.

English football has in some ways been a microcosm of the global financial situation and subsequent meltdown. Many football clubs just didn't play by the fundamental rules of business, thinking they were some kind of exception - certain clubs having wage bills in excess of their turnover - totally unsustainable. This model is of course only possible when sponsored by mega wealthy individuals - but even those clubs could be very vulnerable in the future. Clubs who are balancing the books and resisting the pressure/temptation to find short term success will be best placed to succeed over the next decade or two, as there will be no government bailouts for football.

It really is. Over the years many refs have been accused of being "homers" but this season we seem to have created the opposite as a succession of poor Championship referees have set out to prove they will not be swayed by a big crowd and end up letting that intention take over, giving nothing to us and letting the opposition kick lumps out of our players. (Particularly Jonas)

A decent game between two contrasting styles. Their's was definitely sweeter on the eye and it was the first time this season a team has taken the game to us at SJP which I think a few of our players could not get their head round early on. That said, ironically they were also probably the dirtiest team we've played this season and how on earth Olsson,amongst others, stayed on the pitch is quite incredible and down to weak refereeing. Although impressive, WBA's style will definitely work better away from home and I think their results bear this out. Pointless repeating much that has already been said in earlier posts but I thought Harper's 1st half save after the deflection was truly superb and I really think we should start accomodating Guthrie in CM. A win would have been nice but bearing in mind the league table, NOT losing was the most important thing. We really need a strong performance against Palace and thereafter to make a fresh statement of intent to the rest of the league.

Likewise, I have to say that despite my criticism they are very good writers. I suppose we can all be a bit opinionated but most of us don't have a medium which reaches out to tens (if not hundreds) of thousands.

Their own section of the article looks the same to me. All they have done is added comments about the deal which have been released subsequently. Their take on any potential deal remains the same. They've removed the parts which said "will we now be going for Keiron Dyer, Carl Cort and Alan Foggon ?" and the bit about this being Newcastle's plans for the future. They've also added a quote from Hughton saying that it's fairly common for ex-players to train with their old teams when they're looking for a club - which of course it is - and does put a slightly different complexion on what they were trying to imply previously. Apart from that the article is just the same !

See they're editing the article little by little to make it look slightly more sane. They must be starting to sober up.

Which is exactly what any serious predator would be doing. They somehow manage to perpetuate the opinion that they are a single agenda protest group while all the time trying to deny it.

Howay lads, we're jumping the gun, it's unlikely to happen. If it does then we'll have plenty to debate, but even then it would probably be a couple of months as RB cover and not to play midfield.

And these people seriously think they can take over and run a major football club. I'm not sure whether we should be laughing or crying.

In fairness is was relevant to both threads, one being about Nobby and the other about nufc.com and the post being about nobby and nufc.com I will not however be posting it a third time.