Benwell Lad

Yeah probably. But England played for Wales and Sunderland played for Arsenal.

Does there come a point where football ceases to function as a realistic sport as these "prostitute" clubs totally dominate their national leagues and in turn European and international competition ? Already clubs like Manchester United seem to be favoured by the powers that be at FA and PL levels. On Saturday, even as they totally outclassed us, it was difficult not to see the referee favouring them in crucial decisions. This probably began when Keane and Co. were under orders to harangue referees over every decision that went against them. Salex seems to have Rooney and Ferdinand continuing the tradition from what I saw and the manager himself does it at a higher level off the pitch. Referees and Associations ARE swayed by this continued and orchestrated assertive behaviour. As money starts to absolutely rule the sport can the dominance of a few teams ever be reversed ? Do the marketing people and the rulers of football ever want it to be? I doubt it. Everyone keeps telling us we've "never won f*ckall" will we be happy to follow a game where we may NEVER will win f*ckall ? (ignore the double negative - we know what they mean) Along with Notts Forest, Sheff Wed and eighty odd other English league clubs will we be be happy to see our role as being merely plucky cannon fodder in some team's annual routine of taking all the trophies and increasing their share value ? Maybe it will be all about business in the future and success will be an operating profit rather than a trophy. Perhaps the powers that be and the men who control the marketing rights will be happy just to see legions of customers worldwide subscribing to the most successful brands and watching the sterility of all too predictable leagues and competitions. American sport has tried to address these problems with their draft process ( Although I don't pretend to really understand it ) and rugby by capping teams budgets to stop money dictating everything. I doubt football will change because they (FIFA, UEFA, PL and marketing people) don't have any desire to change it as that would upset the billion dollar revenues they enjoy. If football survives this change of ethos, then brace yourselves lads and lasses for your children or grandchildren wearing ManU or Real Madrid shirts (over my dead body !). In the meantime enjoy what little competition remains.

Erm, what about Bolton? Or Villa? When the f*** will we stop pretending that we can ognore the beatings off bigger teams, whilst making up other excuses for our peers - and inferiors - also humbling us?? We took 4 points off Bolton monkey. You must have missed that. Still despite having our worst ever premiership season we're still above that rabble down the road eh ? If it wasn't for them breaking all kinds of records (again) we could be in the s***. That should cheer you up, does it ? Did you see the Bolton home game? Was that good enough for you? Oh, aye, i'm over the moon that we are JUST above SUnderland in the league table. Thats exactly what I expect from a club with our support, resources, infrastructure etc. If you're not happy with the present situation Monkey - then imagine how most us us on here must feel !

Quite. What is he good at? Conning a lot of punters with his badge kissing spin I think. Allardyce showed good management by not falling for the sentimental crap and standing up to his dad's ridiculous newspaper outburst. Imagine if we had given the huge contract his father thinks he's worth - to someone who quite frankly is no better than Ben Clark at Hartlepool and realistically should be nowhere near our first team.

Erm, what about Bolton? Or Villa? When the f*** will we stop pretending that we can ognore the beatings off bigger teams, whilst making up other excuses for our peers - and inferiors - also humbling us?? We took 4 points off Bolton monkey. You must have missed that. Still despite having our worst ever premiership season we're still above that rabble down the road eh ? If it wasn't for them breaking all kinds of records (again) we could be in the shit. That should cheer you up, does it ?

Steven Taylor is more mistake prone and not as good a natural defender as Dabizas, Bramble, O'Brien, Rozenhal and a few others who were heavily (often unfairly) criticised and eventually offloaded as not being good enough for Newcastle. Bramble bore the brunt of the criticism and blame when we lost in Alkmaar last year although watching the game Taylor looked to be the worst offender. I think the criticism being levelled at him now is just people waking up and finally seeing beyond the local lad rhetoric and badge kissing stuff. He is simply not a top level defender. In fact from what I've seen this season he doesn't defend at all. Saddens me to say it, as I would genuinely have loved to see this homegrown product at the heart of our defence, but he really needs to step down a level or two to make his living in the game.

Well said mate. We really need to stick together now.

A championship standard defender - nothing more. He has become a serious liability in the Premier league - it must be the "badge kissing" stuff which endears him to many because it certainly isn't his ability to defend.

Probably because there was nothing he could have done about any of those 3 goals. The only goal yesterday where the keeper could have done better was the first, most keepers would have cut out Ronald's cross, Given once again, seemed rooted and just watched it sail by.

God bless you Gazza. You gave pleasure to millions with your special talent. A genuinely nice kid in a sport with a lot of phoneys. Hope it all works out OK.

Only an idiot would question your's or anyone else's loyalty because of where they live SM.

Good post Oldtype. I was born into a Newcastle family and who to support was never an option. In no way does that make me better than any other supporter, wherever he or she comes from. In fact perhaps those who did have a choice are better fans. I think local users of this forum really admire you foreign guys who support NUFC, it has been said earlier that there is no way you can be accused of being glory seekers ifor supporting us. The one or two who make comments about "outsiders" are the usual agitators, and I don't think they actually support Newcastle, but masqerade as NUFC fans so they can make negative comments which are detrimental to the club and it's supporters.

Who said evil gloryhunter, or are you just the kind of f****** cretin who likes to pretend people have said things when they haven't? IMHO, you support the team from where you come (or have strong familial ties to). Thats how i was brought up, thats how things should be IN MY OPINION. If you choose to SELECT someone else to support other than your local team, thats up to you. But don't expect everyone else to think you're f****** ace to do so. I guess if your local team was the macums, i.e. ugly, always letting you down and getting screwed by Irish crooks then you'd be entitled to seek a divorce and support someone else.

I think he has more promise than Chopra, who was the last local forward to almost break through. Certainly looks more suited physically to top level football. I reckon Keegan will keep him and next season he could figure occasionally.

We've always been a club with a lot of soul Stephen, still are. Not many trophies but plenty of soul. The opposite of the team we play on Saturday I guess ?

Absolute bullshit. Where you come from is irrelevant as long as your reasons are genuine.

Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich etc that is. Supporting these teams, as glory seekers in their respective countries do, must be akin to seeking fulfilment from the services of a paid escort and never feeling the happiness or pain and the ups and downs of a genuine relationship. Those who "choose" these teams know they'll always look good, deliver the goods and provide instant satisfaction, never having to suffer the anguish and tribulations of a long term marriage to a real football team. I hope we get behind our team like never before on Saturday, showing what true support is about, and come what may we know it's better to be in a relationship like ours than the one those in the away end have with their team.

Might be wrong, but wasn't our best spell when we had Harper in goal, Enrique left-back, and Faye & Cacapa centre-backs? It certainly was. Shay's form this season doesn't merit the "Shearer like" automatic choice status he seems to enjoy, especially with an arguably better keeper on the bench.

I've been scanning this thread for the last few days and trying to bite my tongue. The article contrasting the differences between Cowgate and the "wine bars" could have been written about any major city in the developed world. In my opinion Newcastle's west end is a better place than it was decades ago. Tension between "locals" and ethnic groups are mentioned - just one of those human things I'm afraid - before there were any significant immigrant groups - there was plenty of aggro between rival parishes, schools - even streets. Sadly it happens. As a white working class Geordie born in the west end - I think a lot of the "new arrivals" have added something positive to the area and the city. Talking about "poverty" in Cowgate or other parts of the UK - there is NO poverty in the UK. We're a world leading economy which looks after all it's people and provides opportunity to all. Some are less well off than others BUT there is no poverty. Go to parts of Africa, Asia or S.America if you need to know what poverty is. The people I feel sorry for in Cowgate and other similarly "deprived" areas are the good honest decent people who's daily lives are made miserable by those who's behaviour is nothing more than malice or evil nastiness. Not poverty, not lack of opportunity, not political frustration - just old fashioned malice and evil. Newcastle as a city is doing good and show casing certain positive aspects helps build confidence, attracts investment and ultimately helps all. The west end is improving - albeit it still has big problems - but let's face it is never going to be Jesmond or Gosforth. The problems have not been caused by lack of money but in some cases by handing out too much, and mollycoddling fit able people who should be looking after themselves rather than spending their state handouts on tabs, booze, phones etc and then pleading poverty, at the same time spurning education and other opportunities while always looking for someone else to blame for what has happened to them.

?? They are far from incompetent. You're not mistaking them for St.Niall and the faceless Irish crooks down the road are you ?

Aah now I know. I saw Richard Branson and one of the Dubai sheikh's in the Diamond in Ponteland on Thursday night and I wondered what they were doing here. It's all obvious now !

Well written I'm sure it will upset his colleague Louise who displays such jaundiced and often vitriolic views on all things Newcastle. Undoubtedly Newcastle has been blessed with some courageous and dynamic civic planners over the last couple of decades. Nowt happens for nowt.

Wouldn't disagree with any of that mate. When i was at Chelsea, i saw the old lady from the backpage ( been going ever since i have and well before probably. ) She was trying to stand up and see but just couldn't. Felt really sorry for her, so in a way, elderly people should have a right to see. Not that i want to sit at away games, it's just a point against standing. You've hit the nail on the head Jamie. In this day and age there's no reason why a modern stadium should not be able to cater safely for people who want to sit and people who want to stand.

He's a championship standard player who will end up making aliving at that level. Just hope it's not with us.

On BBC Breakfast this morning Stuart Maconie, who has written a book about "the north" which dispels some of the stereotypical views and confirms others, said that it is now a widely held belief that Newcastle is "the best looking city in England". And that from a Manc (I think he is ?) Nowt to do with football, but UP YOURS all you southern, provincial and macum journalists who love to have a cowardly pop at us from behind the safety of your desk. Whats more despite the present goings on, with Messrs Ashley, Keegan etc commited to the cause we WILL have a football team to match the city.