Benwell Lad

Do you remember Shearer celebrating a goal for Blackburn at the Gallowgate end against the team he "loves".

Aye, I'm happy. My team won, Bellamy was plagued by bad luck otherwise he'd have scored 4. Imagine him in our team playing alongside Martins instead of Dyer, something Newcastle fans would be over the moon about if it happened. Owen for Bellamy this summer maybe? By the way, using doesn't make it any less abusive than using the words. No need. That would be a great piece of business, but hardly likely is it ? He was superb yesterday and showed he has lost none of his desire and passion, just glad he didn't round it off with goals. You're right Martins and Bellamy would terrify any premiership defence. The booing yesterday was pretty minimal - it's always gonna be audible - but no one around where I was sitting joined in which probably indicates the majority of NUFC fans still appreciate him. If only we could get him back in a B&W shirt ??

WOULD HE f*** You've just revealed you know very little about Newcastle. so he would be welcomed, yeah see the reaction of the people tomorrow my friend The few bandwagon jumpers who will be booing, will of course make a lot more noise than the thousands who will remain quiet but appreciate what he did when he played for NUFC. That unfortunately will give the press the story they want. No true Newcastle supporter could boo someone who gave what Craig Bellamy did whenever he wore a B&W strip.

Strange thing that despite Bellamy allegedly causing trouble everywhere very few people have anything but good to say about him. Managers and players at his clubs and international team all seem to rate him. When he left Newcastle only one player had anything bad to say, the rest all said what a great team player he was. Other than that it seems like Souness, Terry MacDermott (who had never met him) and the chairman's son were the only ones with an axe to grind. A twat off the field maybe, but highly rated by almost everyone he's ever dealt with professionally it seems.

You've got it in one :thumbsup:

He's history ?? I hope so, but I've got a feeling he could be very much the present on Saturday.

I hope he gets his leg snapped at some point during the game. And I mean that. I've heard macums say that about Shearer before. Sad, bitter people.

You know as well as anyone that the Highbury spat was orchestrated by Souness, Bellamy being Bellamy reacted. Bellamy like anyone who watched Newcastle at the time knew he was wasted playing wide right. The bit in bold takes away any credibility as he NEVER slagged off the club or the supporters. His gripe was with Shearer/Souness and for whatever reason the chairman's son.

I hope not, although bandwagon jumpers and those daft enough to believe what T.MacDermott said about him in the Chronicle will probably make enough noise for the booing to be THE story. Most supporters who watched him appreciate what he did for the team during what with hindsight, was a pretty good period for us with CL football and top six finishes. Compare Bellamy's whole hearted approach to playing for NUFC to that of Duff, Emre, Owen etc etc, and theres no way he deserves to be booed.

I'm dreading him playing against us on Saturday I just hope he picks up a last minute niggle in training. That is borne out of respect for what he can do not any bad feelings. I hope he gets a good reception, he was a top player for us who always gave 100% and loved playing in our shirt and was forced out by people who put their personal agendas before the club.

Class !

Exceot when given the chance, Macarone actually did something. Were you watching "The Bill" the night of the Palermo and Celta games ? Always wondered who it was that the smoggies were singing about. I've never seen Luque play like a man who deserves a place in the team, not really. but hey, he's got a great showreel, right? Has he ? I wouldn't know I've never seen it, but nice to know you managed to pull yourself away from The Bill to watch it. Was it any good - the showreel I mean - not The Bill. Dunno0, i'm basing my opinion on having watched the soft c**t - before and after his terrible, unfortunate injury. He's never had a game where he impressed. Sadly that is just the type of Anglo Saxon judgment a lot of people pass. A more reasoned assessment would carry more credibility. I've also heard it said over the years about Solano,Robert,Ginola,Thomasson, Bassedas, the Greek guy and many other's. They're not really soft, they'd never have come through the ranks of junior football if they were, they just do things differently.

Exceot when given the chance, Macarone actually did something. Were you watching "The Bill" the night of the Palermo and Celta games ? Always wondered who it was that the smoggies were singing about. I've never seen Luque play like a man who deserves a place in the team, not really. but hey, he's got a great showreel, right? Has he ? I wouldn't know I've never seen it, but nice to know you managed to pull yourself away from The Bill to watch it. Was it any good - the showreel I mean - not The Bill.

The real sad thing is that within Maccarone's outburst is a sad indictment of English coaches in general. Basically they're over rated, egotistical ,tactically inept, losers. Take Jose, Ferguson,Benitez and Wenger (all foreign) out of the English game and what's left ? Yes - that's right the so called "top guys" are Allardyce, Curbishley, McClaren etc. A bit like England in general overpriced and overhyped.

Exceot when given the chance, Macarone actually did something. Were you watching "The Bill" the night of the Palermo and Celta games ? Always wondered who it was that the smoggies were singing about.

As was Taylor who was "trying" to mark him and having a very difficult time.

Carew was superb last night, he pulled our defence all over and O'Neill did us a favour taking him off. Will he keep it up though and justify what are probably very high wages ?

I wish they'd just scrap the banal screaching shite. The music is crap and then its played through a tinny screachy PA sysyem which does nothing other than induce a headache. Not like the Phillips Stadion at all. It is one of the contributory factors to the crap atmoshere at SJP.

Are Colchester on the verge of becoming a big club ? Considering their entire staff probably earn less than the macums manager or one of their highly paid has been players they're not doing bad. Position P GD Pts 8 Colchester 30 15 47 9 Sunderland 30 7 47

Agreed, there are definately some Mackem WUM's (wind up merchants) on here, brain washing some of the more fickle among us imo. The "sell Given" thread was actually "Sell Given ?" and debated the point that if we have three Premiership class goalkeepers does it make sense to sell the highest valued one ? Most people thought not. Likewise this thread merely debates would we have been better off long term if the Shearer fee and wages had been invested elsewhere. It does not doubt his contribution to the club. I'm neither mackem or brain washed, but I think in his last 2 years Shearer's prescence was detrimental to the club. First going public in the Chronicle about not accepting a squad role (before either Dyer or Bellamy's spats) and then being instrumental in Robson's departure and Souness's arrival. In fact I'd say in Newcastle it probably proves you're not brainwashed if you can rise above the "Shearer, Shearer" type adulation.

No. At the time we signed Shearer we were still trying market the NUFC brand globally and no doubt spending a world record £15M on the world's best centre forward helped achieve that. To have the club name headlining on every TV staion and publication on the planet would have taken a £15 outlay alone. We also signed England's best player and at the time thought it would take us to the next level i.e. the championship. That said the best team I ever saw in decades of following NUFC was the one immediately prior to Shearer, so effectively he never improved us. The real sadness was watching him stay on too long and the part he played in Robson's departure and therefore Souness's arrival, and thereafter Bellamy's departure in order to preserve his own position. Unfortunately he was allowed to become bigger than the club and no truly big club would allow that to happen.

He's from Consett and played for them a bit in the NL. Anyway Consett always seems more "Geordie" than Durham and most of the population are black and white. A bit parochial anyway saying that "technically" Durham aint Geordie when he is playing 12,000 miles away. BTW Claypool Ben Clark is at Hartlepool - used to play for the mackems.

You will enjoy visiting Newcastle I'm sure. I have had a lot of foreign visitors in town and they all loved it and want to return. Canuck's comments surprise me, I've certainly not known anyone have "being American" held against them here - although I have heard about it in some parts of Europe. Sadly Canuck must have met the wrong person. IMO there is virtually zero racism around the city although any opposition player could come in for abuse. No one get's more abuse at SJP than Geordies who play opposition teams e.g Michael Carrick recently. The food is OK and there are hundreds of decent restaurants, although as far as I know there are no Korean places, so you'd better bring your own supply of kimshi.

Folk from South Shields are Mackems - FACT. No they're not. Some may be, but more people in South Shields are B&W than mackem.

I think we can all thank our lucky stars you're not in charge mate, for even considering it. You're not actually Graeme Souness are you? Jesus Christ....... Why ? Did Souness ever imply we should sell Given ? I must have missed that. You obviously missed the question mark after the title as well. My point of discussion is what is the best and most practical solution to having 3 goalkeepers on our books who are all good enough to play at the top level. Judging by what I've read so far it would seem the majority think that Given should never be sold at any price. I'd probably be inclined to agree but I'd think very carefully about it WHEN all 3 are ready.