CaliMag

The vast majority of us never had a choice and that is (partly) what makes our support special.

John Carver has been appointed manager of Toronto FC. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=504280&cc=5901 If mods think its big enough news they can change the title or make a new thread.

Sib > than Shola and Smith and less costly in wages

Shola will not work up front with Owen. He looks for guidance and leadership to know where he is suppossed to be - both him and Owen would become virtually static up front providing little movemetn or space and no pressure on the Arsenal back four. Smith with his lack of ability does have some petulence which seems to create some (minimal) movement up front exchanging obsenities with defenders. But I would suggest partnering Owen up front with Milner and forcing Shola to move by making him RW. We'll still lose but I am hopeful we'll score at least one.

I'd rather have Shearer as well but for different reasons. Shearer's shadow looms large and I would rather we did it now (in a season where relegation is highly unlikley) and take the plunge. Its going to happen anyway - someday and I woudl rather we got over with it. He'll either succeeed (less than 10% chance of that happening) or he'll fail - but then the next manager will have a clean slate and won't have to have the legacy of SHearer threatening him.

Didn't he say in a TV interview a few weeks ago he was enjoying going to games as a supporter as he still had his box at SJP. It interferes with him making the Leeds matches.

Apparantly when you lie about 30 to 40 million pounds of debt it tends to irritate the people who end up paying for it. [Calling NE5, calling NE5... you have been ordered to report to this thread as soon as possible...]

Same "hairstylist" ... common mistake.

Gutted ... I so desperately wanted Scotland through. the anti-jock sentiment has been toned down quite a bit on here. The Ward of the Middle March is long dead and so are the reivers so I think we can all get along eh lads.

One other possible exception: this video might inspire Crumpy Gunt to organise some of the lads around him using colour coordinated shoes to take off and wave at certain times for spelling out stuff.

Increadibly organised and polite (with the "FAIR PLAY" stuff) - that would never happen in any European club*. *Except the Germans

I'd be suprised Le Havre would ever do business with us again after the long legal battles over Zoggy.

Find other local music to play. Why not Johnson era AC/DC or the Angelic Upstarts? (though now that I am typing this I am thinking Crumpy and others are going to take exception to the Upstarts because they are from South Shields)

This is concerning because if Sam ever agrees then off he'll go, just like Parker. Owen will leave at a cut rate price as well.

Madras has been drinking tonight folks... nothing to see here.

I think most of us have steeled themselves with the fact that 1. Newcastle is not and will never be his first choice and 2. he will get injured consistantly He is a professional and he will do a job for us and really that is all that matters. He can't or won't leave (unless we can get Spurs or WHam to buy him, but honestly - how many times will we be able to rip these clubs off before they get wise?) Anyway I say 6-8 weeks. He will avoid getting cup tied which will set of an avalanche of frustration and conspiracy theories here on the N-O Board. He will just come back into the side around the christmas fixtures and probably pull off his first start for the New Years day game (he's not much of a drinker you know...). That will be enough for him to get selected for the next round of qualifiers. That will also kick off the next round of paper talk during the January window where he will say nowt until February 2nd when he'll come out and say "I never wanted to leave..." etc. And he'll go onto to start around six games in the rest of the season and bag an additional 4 goals for us. He'll have a few niggles which will end up with him sitting out all of April. Season wise we're looking at 15 starts and 7-9 goals.

I've done it off and on and I would say that the past few years has been an improvement in the quality and amount of video that they put on the site. Big Sam seems less rushed in his "exclusive" interviews than Souness and Roeder but to be honest I usually find his appearance irritating so I like to listen without the visuals. From his large 1980s style gold nugget rings to his shirt being unbuttoned always one step too far to the gold chain he invariably has hanging on his chest... I swear he gets his dress sence from cheap east london gangster wannabes and Las Vegas both circa 1980. I would be shocked if Martin Scorsese's "Casino" was not always playing on his DVD player at home.

I love the commentary carrying on about how "Martins is getting his chance only because Owens is injured..." so that means Martins will start just about every game this season TBH.

UNBELIEVABLE MARTINS!

Taylor really riding his luck now - an OG is right around the courner.

Man City making our defence look poor right now.

Foooook... that was close.

Interesteing comparison. Speed got lots of criticism even when he was playing in the middle though - and TBF he was also playing a position that was not natural for him. He came here as an Attacking CM was moved out to play LW and then was eventually partnered with Dyer to play DCM. I doubt Smudger will ever be as well liked as Speed because ultimately Speed was a good lad whereas Smudger has always been a bit of a dick. Personality will have as much as an influence as ability when people pass judgement on him.

Welcome to the Forum. ----------------------------------- RE: the thread topic. We're gonna get tonked. 4-1 Citeh Big Sam is going to play it super-defensive with long balls to Viduka. We'll pretend to play a 4-3-3 but really it will turn into a very narrow 4-5-1 Sven's new boys know how to play it paient against teams like us and they will have the majority of possession and eventually score a few.

There are two steroetypes in this story - Canadians are nice and Sooth Efrikans are mean bassads.