Benwell Lad

Much as some would like to play this out as a reactionary thing, it is really more of a natural demographic. Moaning about the ownership, the chairman, the manager, the shit team, the shit player etc, and stopping attending, buying a season ticket or whatever is really nothing new. It's happened as long as I've supported Newcastle and human nature means it always will. There was a period which coincided with our best recent years after the Magpie Group took over, we were on a high, the Premier League hype was ramping up, football changed from a rough working class experience to a fashionable day out, stadiums were revamped and a whole lot of "mode" fans jumped on board (some would say "plastics"), and this was when the mythical 20,000 waiting list stuff came about. These "mode" fans really did come along, I saw it, as did many others. They were fine, good lads and lasses who I knew, but they had never been real "football people" - it just became the thing to do for them on a weekend. Unsurprisingly most of them have since found something else to fill in Saturday afternoons - and good luck to them. It wasn't just us, it was football generally and even Sunderland saw their gates double overnight when the novelty of a new stadium hit town. There always has been a certain percentage of a certain generation who will quit going for whatever reason. Any of the above complaints, or perhaps financial reasons, or they just get into doing other stuff. However life goes on, there's always a new generation coming along, for who the thrill of getting out in town with their mates and attending the match for the first time will hook them forever. Throughout the whole of football attendances will go up and down, people will stop attending while others start, but Newcastle as always will be one of the best supported teams around. That's just the way it is.

Somebody pissed off all the frenchies yesterday so they'll probably be in the huff for the next hundred years or so. Aint happening anyway.

Can sell him for a profit in the summer? Only realistic reason I could see him pushing it is if the players value is predicted to rise between now and then.

Do some more of these pretend quotes man, they're class. They are like. A few predicted excuses would be a bit of a hoot too.

Appalling state of the French economy will be a factor in cross channel transfers nowadays too, regardless of the artificial bubble that PSG and Monaco operate in.

Is it? What evidence is there that we don't negotiate? Every transfer we've done, we've just said a number and walked away? Seems a bit odd to me. Nah Ian, I didn't mean it was that simple. Of course there will be a lower initial offer as there normally is in any kind of deal, and negotiation thereafter, but there will be an advised maximum which we will not go above. That maximum will be based on probable resale value and "cash on the table" means upfront rather than tick. He's played hard ball all his life and whatever people may think about him he's proven to be quite successful at it.

We always do, but it's OUR valuation. We simply won't go above what maximum price is considered to be. So no we will not pay the valuation if theirs is higher. It's how he works - cash on the table - take it or leave it. Mind cash on the table speaks quite loud nowadays.

There's enough JFK humour around here to fill three comedy festivals. Really thought out and original too - brilliant stuff. Nonsense apart, this deal will be like every other one in the recent Ashley era - on his terms or not at all. After receiving advice, a maximum offer price will be decided based on the main criteria that the potential resale value can be assumed to be higher, or at least the same, as that paid. If that fits with the selling club it happens, if not it doesn't.

Not selling out a SF on Wednesday > selling out a QF on Thursday. Clearly. They even failed to sell out for the derby this season, desperately hawking tickets around and having to give them away days before the game. Shame really because we were the only attraction left on Wearside which guaranteed a full house apart from the boy bands.

Bit like the away one too when Dummet ended up in central defence. We should however console ourselves that despite the hype they really are a truly awful side and what they've achieved recently has been more by bungling their way through games than playing with any style. What concerns me is that since Poyet arrived they've taken to diving and cheating big style especially Johnson, and that in almost every game they've played there's been one really nasty tackle trying to injure an opponent. We will need a strong referee.

Fuck me I thought Sheff Wed had hijacked the deal for a moment there.

I'd gladly trade the point for the red card like.

Yep he normally impresses and infuriates in equal measures but tonight it looked like he has finally realised that playing in the premier league is different to playing in the school yard.

Relatively speaking he does. Arriving in our "international" airport, which grinds to a halt if two flights come in together, by the time I get through passport control, luggage reclaim and negotiate the sliding doors that don't work, I'm normally ready to kill someone.

Me too. Probably because he really is a player who comes along once in a generation and we've been largely denied the pleasure of watching him thus far.

Good post. I think for those of a certain vintage the Supermac departure was the one that hurt above all others. It was like the whole town was in shock and mourning rather than the mixture of outrage and "meh" you get nowadays. While it's disappointing to lose someone who was at the top of his game, I have no great interest in what he does from now. As you say it's happened so many times and it happens everywhere, the king is dead, long live.......

Any bookies out there who could explain what amount of money would have to be placed to result in the extraordinarily short price being offered ? Wonder who was behind it ?

I don't know if it's set up right but both Local Time's on their profiles are 13.57, which definitely isn't the time in France. I'm leaning toward them being Mackems tbh Pigeon English is a giveaway mind Reckon there's about 3 mackems posting on here at present (not the two "open" ones), have been for a while, just digging and popping up when it suits to have a bit stir, but don't think these "frenchies" are. TRC for one Not TRC - he's just a bit sympathetic at times isn't he ?

I don't know if it's set up right but both Local Time's on their profiles are 13.57, which definitely isn't the time in France. I'm leaning toward them being Mackems tbh Pigeon English is a giveaway mind Reckon there's about 3 mackems posting on here at present (not the two "open" ones), have been for a while, just digging and popping up when it suits to have a bit stir, but don't think these "frenchies" are.

Fuckin hell should have known what having derby week and the end of the January transfer window rolled into one would mean round here. I even think I read that someone has gone all Lord Kitchener and says if we don't sign up to boycoutt we're cowards. Anyone got two knitting needles and a pair of underpants - I need to get out of here quick.

A fairly average striker past his prime, so he'll be Sunderlands best forward. Probably their default when signing players. Along with overpriced, whether it be wages, fee, or both.

Guess the macums get it easy this week. Having lost their only 3 decent players in the summer it's unlikely PSG or any of the money clubs will be bothering them too much.

Eventually found them in the 3 Bulls mate. The one with the beret on was sipping a nice Merlot and looked pretty happy, but the two drinking lager said they thought the English, brewed under licence, Kronenbourg was shite. They looked like they were settling in for a session and one of them said that they like Newcastle so much they may just hang around and buy the club if Ashley wants to sell.

I have an absolutely no recolection of this, what was the score? Nowts apiece. Dreadful match.

Sorry, but I'm still absolutely seething that Sunderland moved quickly to hire Poyet and he's already turning things round, while we are stuck with this hapless twat and his cup disaster antics. Thats sunderland who were bottom and looked completely doomed and falling apart? As if for one second they would have done anything had they been 5+ places higher and not imploding Edit: Just remembered why i dont read this thread, page after page of the same shit Just popped in because I saw Foluwashola had posted and he's normally canny crack. But aye, you're dead right