CaliMag

We got more points, more goals, more away victories and more victories coming from behind. We had more spirit in 01-02 as well. The two Leeds games really encapsulated the team that year never giving up and clawing our way back. Just as you could say we were lucky in the Arse away game in December 01 we were equally lucky to make it to the second group stages of the CL - we fluked that and Juve did not have their hearts in that game when we scraped the 1-0 win, Lippi wanted us to go through and even said so in interviews.

I remember it well. You used to be a regular and quite cheery poster. That season broke you for some reason - I am guessing there was personal issues that contributed as well.

Our team was actually better in 01-02 than 02-03 eventhough we finished 3rd. We had more points when we finished 4th more goals, more away wins and most importantly more games where we came from behind to win. And yes it was 01-02 that Fergie said we would have probably won had Bellamy not been injured, the stars were in perfect alignment up until that point.

7 a side is miles better. I even prefer 6 a side indoor myself. More time on the ball, more movement, and more goals. Its also loads more exercise which is a plus or negative depending on who you are - if you are not in good shape and everyone else is you might be looking at a coronary with the "small sided games."

Its a bit like death by firing squad, death by hanging, death by drowning, or death by electric chair.

Chelsea is (just barely) the lesser of those evils listed above..... god I think I am going to be sick. Also I want Chelsea to beat ManU in the CL Final, The Cup Final and the league... I hate ManU that much. I want fergie to cry, I want the fans to moan and I want to be able to say "Well of course only one team has even been able to do the quadruple..." just to get a rise from those red shirted shite. But that is cold comfort indeed... and god forbid ManU wins it ... I could not handle plastic fans over here celebrating... or Liverpool and smugness of a sixth... f*ck that.... or Berlusconi and the rest of those right-wing, election stealing, match fixing pr!cks... this sucks... In the best of all worlds the final would be cancelled due to crowd trouble and UEFA would not give out a CL this year.

Madras: Favourite foreign club could mean a lot of things - it does not necesssarily mean you "support" them I only support NUFC truly, but I like St. Mirren and the LA Galaxy... watching and cheering on other teams is a lot less like cheating on your wife when you have such a long distance relationship like my fellow North American residents.

A nice real salt of the earth type lad... but I can't see it. I appreciated his work effort despite his lack of skill and the fact that he knew what it was like to have a real job. Unlike 99% of today's footballers he knew it was a priviledge to play for any premiership club, never took it for granted and showed tremendous respect to everyone. He'd get eaten alive by the job I reckon with the spoiled brats he'd come in contact with. Him, Ketsy and Dabz go on my "Were crap but loved'em anyway" list of Newcastle players.

Of all of the people in the Premiership you pick McBride?!? Bizarre. I am with NUFC4 - stand up guy and another "I'd rather play anywhere but Everton" player as well...

Marko - I don't go to many away games but my family does and the only serious trouble I've heard of was in Belgrade our first time (several fans ambushed by local Serbs weilding clubs and crow bars). Also when we played Roma I believe a Newcastle supporter lost their eye from a missile. No trouble in Juve and after all of the hype Palermo was failry quiet - I rekon there are two explanations for this 1. Geordies are more polite than other English folk and 2. We are hard as fucking nails... it defo both TBH.

There are comparatively few overseas - comapred to various red shirted scum and Chelsea. Even fewer Villa fans. Although admittedly THE best pub to watch football in the US is owned by a Villan. Mad Dog in the Fog in San Francisco? Been there. He doesn't own it any more, I don't think. Although I think there were two of them, maybe it is just one who has sold out. Aye the Mad Dog - quality place. Shame if he's sold out.

There are comparatively few overseas - comapred to various red shirted scum and Chelsea. Even fewer Villa fans. Although admittedly THE best pub to watch football in the US is owned by a Villan.

Spot on. Makes you pretty much hate all other English clubs after a short while. The exception to that rule is if you are in San Francisco or New York City which both (for some odd reason) have a large Geordie contingent.

So much to hate on that list... from racism, to extremely violent histories (surprised Red Star Belgrade didn't make the list - they did produce Arkan and its hoolies were responsible for rape camps and genocide... but no matter), sectarian violence, arrogance, anti-semitism, fascism... All that and I voted for "other" because I really can't bear the site of Guadalajara FC (AKA "Chivas") or any of its fans - the makemesque red stripes and the subversive rascist nationalism they openly endorse just plain irritate me.

How man, you're a Newcastle Fan. We're United, they're ManUre. Calling them 'ManUre' is more embarrassing than 'United', to be honest. Do you prefer Red Manc Scum then?

Very well said. I totally agree.

That would be class though Gejon makes an excellent point.

Roma needs another goal here. I desperately want ManUre and Liverpool out of this Compo.

Are we not counting home grown talent? Watson, Waddle, Gazza etc? Watson being the most recent - I don't remember what we got but it was something.

Despite popular opinion Emre gives us something we normally do not have. If we get rid of him we are robbing ourselves of the ability to play actual footie on the ground with movement as opposed to hoofing it up. We are not Bolton... let's not pretend. We can not replace him cheaply, and with the current disfunctionality with our transfers getting rid of Emre is just one step closer to relegation IMO.

you shouldn't support USA under your dodgy politics rule. come on,you were all thinking it Fair play... I even thought about it. But there are some Countries that I would never support - I would not necessarily hate them or disrespect their skill but "support"... no.

I would always support my country above any other nation, regardless of who played for the opposition. Exactly the same as i wouldn't support Man Utd above Newcastle if the Mancs happened to field 5 Geordies and we fielded none. ... and therein lies the difference. I care significantly less about Scotland and the USA than I care about how NUFC performs and I imagine the majority on here do (edit: about their own respective Countries - I am well aware of the fact that the USA and especially Scotland are... loathed by the majority on here). Convesely I never support ManUre even if they are the only british team in Europe... I just won't do it.

Back to the original question: If NUFC had 5 players that played for Country X I would defnately support Country X in the Euros or World Cup strongly and would support that Country over my native national teams (Scotland & USA) as long as they did not have dodgy politics attached to them (like Serbia, NI, Iran, etc.).

Madras: I disagree with a UK team being more logical than a Unified Ireland team. I don't have the history of the various FA's in front of me, but I believe the invention of the NI FA happened very late and Ireland used to have a single FA. The fact that the UK is waaaaaay overrepresented by FIFA is because their respective FAs pre-date FIFA (because we invented the game) - admission into FIFA by the British Isles happened after ROI was formed and the admissions were done after much political wrangling and the UK demanding its full and seperate representation. My point (belaboured as it is) is that political boundaries are less important that histroical precedence in forming the original FIFA seats anyway so why not have a unified Ireland play as they would have pre 1920s. Regarding bringing together the home Countries - I am surprsed FIFA doesn't force the UK to shrink down to a single representation. And you can't argue its because we all hate eachotehr because all you have to do is look at Spain to realise that there are many "Countries" in Europe with different regions claiming seperate identities and ethnicities, fearce rivalries, hatreds etc.