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Anyone considered giving Leyton Orient Upton Park in recompense? New manner, nice new ground... or they could just pocket the proceeds from knocking the bugger down like Gold & Bernstein are probably hoping to and invest it in securing their club against West Ham... might even become the bigger East End team and put the other buggers out of business... Nice thought

It's true like, I'd say it's you with the attitude to Colocho. Call someone a self-publicising w***** repeatedly when there's not much separating him from other people trying the same thing and they're bound to get a bit chippy. It wasn't him being interviewed on Sky Sports News, it wasn't him announcing his talks with the club in the local paper, but he gets it in the neck while even his colleagues get clappy hands. Why? I've never seen him say anything much questionable, let alone personal, that wasn't in response to you or someone similar saying he's a self-publicist, or that he's trying to speak on behalf of other people, making out he's a better person etc. and trying to pick holes more because you don't like him than that you disagree with his actions. Some solid quotes would help. Thanks. The thing is, on here I don't want to represent the campaign, I would rather be myself ... maybe I should have a "My views don't represent those of United For Newcastle" under my avatar. The thing is with people like those two, is that they know very, very little about the statements we make, interactions with the fans and what we are trying to do. As the whole self-publicity thing, it's laughable to be honest ... They call me a self-publicist when it was I that was setting up interviews with Sky Sports News, Radio Newcastle etc and not appearing on many of them (due to other commitments) myself. Yet Jordan, Chris and Kevin have not been accused of anything ... It's personal. But do I care? No. The few on here are in a very, very small minority (if not the only) people that have seemingly relentless criticism of what I am trying to do. Let them have their fun. Anyway, in my lunch break I'll go through the questions that people have put on here (as well as Twitter and Facebook) and present five or six. Some of you will be delighted to know that I couldn't get the day off tomorrow, so it'll be Kev and Chris meeting Simon tomorrow afternoon. It’s nothing personal against you, if I come across that way then I apologise. I will admit I have been taking your posts as representative of United for Newcastle (UfN), perhaps I struggle with a non season ticket holder from Essex trying to represent the fans of Newcastle United and you do come across a little sanctimonious at times. I didn’t agree with the protest against the sacking of Chris Hughton, which was the birth of your campaign, and I still don’t see how or what your (UfN) aims will achieve in relation to the ownership of this football club. I would argue that protesting during the season could well be counterproductive and not in the best interest of Newcastle United. I went down to see the Hughton protest and it was mainly kids and charvas outside the old Milburn reception. The vast majority of season ticket holders still don’t know who you (UfN) are. I do not understand how you (UfN) will hold Mike Ashley to account; you (UfN) state you are going to evaluate Mike Ashley’s position as the owner of Newcastle United, what are you (UfN) actually going to do? Write a report? What will you (UfN) do with your findings? Why do you (UfN) have a picture on your Facebook page that is insulting to the majority of Newcastle United season ticket holders? I wish you (UfN) luck in the meeting with Simon Esland and the one thing I would like be highlighted to him is Clause 2.5 of the ‘SEASON TICKET 2011-12 Terms & Conditions of Use’ as despite the so called price freeze, this clause leaves the club open to increase the price at the end of each season. Has he hinted that he will entertain discussion about non ticketing issues? If you want to get in touch with Jordan, who was instrumental in setting up the current Level 7 signing section, send me a PM and I can arrange that. Seeing as I think I sort of prompted that, I thought I'd say, that reads a hell of a lot more fairly. Don't have to agree, or be that formal all the time, but that kind of approach is gonna get everyone further ultimately as far as I can see. As things have been, with :[white][/white]mackems:-style debate/abuse running around the forum, it's just mainly been poorly-founded gang mentality crap in my view. Not just with Colocho, like, it's been happening to various people from various people lately... I know a lot of you know him off the forum so maybe it's different, but even neesy was getting too much stick a while back. The stuff with tDeans the other day was just bullshit, meanwhile... a lot of people showed themselves up. It's dragging the place down. Stu, agreed that CMQ is particularly excellent at fronting stuff. But still, it's seemed to me a lot of people have started with the premise Colocho is a dick and work from there. I can't recall him talking about real and fake supporters ever, certainly not in an accusatory way (I definitely can remember more pro-Ashley elements saying those wanting to boycott are fairweather anti-supporters who are abandoning the lads on the pitch, though). He does talk about U4N a lot, but I'd guess that's because it's a sizeable part of his life and something he thinks/hopes will be important in helping the club this forum exists for talking about in. I haven't thought he was trying to give gravitas to his own views, beyond that he's one of the people stepping up ('The Big Society' and all that) to try and arrange/administer what's intended to be a collegiate affair. At a bare minimum he/they pay more lip service to being interested and wanting to represent all views more than typical established figures like Steve Wraith do. As massively unfortunate as it is, by stepping up it's perhaps impossible to avoid talking down to people occasionally, just by virtue of the position you're trying to fulfil. It's the nature of the business, and if people can see he's not doing it with a wholly ulterior motive (I see it that way, if you disagree... ok), they should accept it insofar as it's inevitable when someone tries to do something. Who gives him the right to ask other people for their views like he matters? No one, but no one has the right to stop him doing so either, and everyone else can behave like they matter and try doing something themselves if they want.

Yes. They are not making money. They have debt up to their eyballs. They are going to struggle to bring any players in. They are currently playing a long way short of a newly promoted side. They have no knight in white armour riding over the hill. To me, they are struggling. That makes me happy. Fair play to him talking like that. Don't know much about their situation, but they at least come across as a well meaning bunch you can work with. Offers an insight into their working practices and plans for improvement, not just "weren't me guv" type statements. I'll give the floor to Niel and 1878 to tell me why he's a lying bastard, like.

Oh aye. The signing enabled Carroll to become the striker he is, and he's been invaluable since the turn of 2011. Can't believe it's worked out cos the Leon Best i saw for us 12 months ago was f***ing woeful. A Coloccini esq turnaround. Saying that though I do remember possibly myself and definitely Stu saying the Plymouth game showed real potential. Don't mean to bring it up, but seeing as it's been mentioned, yeah I think he's been a decent little cheap as chips investment, providing options for our other players last season (inc. off the pitch) which kept up our momentum, while still not being fully developed himself. I remember him showing a fair bit shy of a goal too, he wasn't abject. A good move by Hughton worth pointing out more than normal, seeing as the £1m spent on him is supposedly one of his biggest crimes according to Ashley and Llambias. Just a shame that injury kept him out of the squad for months at the start of this season and stopped him being able to change that perception. Pleased for him. You what? Where's that come from? Multiple newspaper articles and 'football sources'. Think Caulkin tweeted about it for good measure. Take them how you like them. http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/215950/Chris-Hughton-You-never-stood-a-chanceChris-Hughton-You-never-stood-a-chanceChris-Hughton-You-never-stood-a-chanceChris-Hughton-You-never-stood-a-chanceChris-Hughton-You-never-stood-a-chance The only good ones were bought by anyone but Hughton, you see. If that was the case (Perch, Routledge, Best ect were Hughton suggestions while the others weren't), he'd have done himself a favour saying it in public. I'm loathed to believe a reporters heresay without quotes, but fair enough, sounds plausible. If that really was one of the reasons (and like you, I'm fairly suspect) for bringing in Pardew (as well as experience etc), I'll be looking forward to seeing if the signings he brings in are any better, especially the budget/squad fillers. Not got a great deal of hope that he is a wiz in the market after the winter window passed us by. Aye, indeed, although they have 'made it known' as much as they tend to nowadays, hence the articles in papers suddenly starting up about Graham Carr being a genius. It doesn't have much credibility with me though, given they tried the same trick following Keegan's departure and were shown up (claimed, for example, that Wise had discovered and signed Bassong when Bassong soon afterwards came out himself and said Keegan had done all that). Yeah, not got a great deal of hope about Parew in the transfer market, going on his history. It's possibly the biggest single thing I have against swapping him for Hughton as we'd made such consistently great moves under him (the little things like Van Aanholt, or signing Tiote when most were wanting strikers and right-backs). Purely hypothetically, even if Pardew were a slightly better tactician, I know who I'd back to bring in personnel that had the team playing a large magnitude better after a transfer window. Now that said, I've always been prepared to believe club structures (Carr... even Wise seeing as he was (is?) still quietly on the books) played a big, even dominating role in dictating what transfers were made under Hughton (though the chances of that being true dimmed for me after I heard the stories of Tiote and Ben Arfa's acquisitions). So I've retained some faith in the idea our transfer quality will hold up. But time will tell. In this instance, it might be that the more of a puppet Pardew is the better.

Oh aye. The signing enabled Carroll to become the striker he is, and he's been invaluable since the turn of 2011. Can't believe it's worked out cos the Leon Best i saw for us 12 months ago was f***ing woeful. A Coloccini esq turnaround. Saying that though I do remember possibly myself and definitely Stu saying the Plymouth game showed real potential. Don't mean to bring it up, but seeing as it's been mentioned, yeah I think he's been a decent little cheap as chips investment, providing options for our other players last season (inc. off the pitch) which kept up our momentum, while still not being fully developed himself. I remember him showing a fair bit shy of a goal too, he wasn't abject. A good move by Hughton worth pointing out more than normal, seeing as the £1m spent on him is supposedly one of his biggest crimes according to Ashley and Llambias. Just a shame that injury kept him out of the squad for months at the start of this season and stopped him being able to change that perception. Pleased for him. You what? Where's that come from? Multiple newspaper articles and 'football sources'. Think Caulkin tweeted about it for good measure. Take them how you like them. http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/215950/Chris-Hughton-You-never-stood-a-chanceChris-Hughton-You-never-stood-a-chanceChris-Hughton-You-never-stood-a-chanceChris-Hughton-You-never-stood-a-chanceChris-Hughton-You-never-stood-a-chance Other mentions that sound like paraphrases are to be found elsewhere, regarding their astonishment at how a sum as large as £1m could 'just go up in smoke', too. I find that somewhat ironic given Ashley's reported gambling habits, but there you go. The only good ones and only the good ones were bought by anyone but Hughton, you see.

Not a bad idea, actually. Less room for misunderstanding.

No, because the club now has the value of the player in cash form. Hypothetically, if someone bought the club from him tomorrow, they'd also effectively be buying Andy Carroll's value (either in terms of an available balance, or more likely reduced debts). So the value of the club need not be reduced by selling players. (Fyi, there's more to that conversation regarding possible club value outcomes following a player sale) It would of course be stupid to sell all the competent players at once, which is why I don't think I've seen anyone suggest that. But bleed it steadily, say by removing a couple of top class players per year and hoping internal development and good scouting will make up most of the shortfall, that definitely can be achieved. If he really is a git, wanting to get some easy money back year on year, a good place to start might be to draw a salary and maybe charge a few million a year in interest on his loans for a start. But no, your scenario that he's happy to asset strip by putting an unbelievably good academy and scouting network in place to develop a least 2 or more top class players a year, just to sell them at the end of the season and somehow syphon off the cash from the clubs accounts, does seem more achievable. Certainly a better idea, yes. Far more plausible that he'd consider that route, too. Wages and interest rates might yet come, but would be a slow route to recouping his money let alone anything else, and until recently would have only really compromised his ambitions, of course. By the way, 'somehow syphon cash from the club accounts' - are you seriously suggesting he's going to convert his loan into a gift and never take that money out of the club? If so I disagree. It'll come out one way or another. Some assume he's hoping for a quick sale to someone who prepared to pay it off as part of the transaction - maybe, I'll be delighted if so - but otherwise it's only reasonable for him to consider other alternatives.

Seem to remember you praised him more significantly in the past, but aye, fair enough.

I agree with this bit. But as for Woodgate himself and his performances. He was almost flawless. Great player. He absolutely did change the back four, the whole team consequently, in fact. There might well be a post lurking in a far corner of the internet showing I thought this at the time...

Aye, although ask VI... Not a normal fan of another club, but he thinks Woodgate was stunning iirc. Think we saw the best of Woodgate though - he's never been so perfect as he was since his return to England.

I remember him saying around 10 days before he left he was happy to stay here. I specifically don't, to be fair. Not sure which one of us is right, like.

The only critical one of those is Tiote, thankfully. Maybe Barton seeing as we gave away our only other noted right-winger, but there you go. Ha, a midfield of R.Taylor Ireland Guthrie Gutierrez - quite a thought.

I feel like putting my head in a blender when I read your posts. He's pretty much right like. I still owe you a pm don't I mate, sorry about that. Was having a nightmare at the time, read it and forgot it. Sort of prove our point like re: the impact of various personal circumstances. Very good ideas, though.

Think that sums it up nicely. There are a lot of positives, just a shame I expect GPs on Tyneside to be handing out more prescriptions for anxiety medication before long.

Woodgate was God-like on the pitch, the best I've ever seen. but pound for pound Coloccini is a better defender because you just can't underestimate the value of being consistently available and professional in a centre half.

Wow, hell of an interview. Wondering if it's a poor translation, not least because it doesn't all make sense - the 95/96 team lost out because they lacked team spirit and didn't care about winning the league and the pressure got to them? Looked a bit like he'd been pissed off recently, to be honest.

Man your knee must be shattered from the sudden involuntary movement

No, because the club now has the value of the player in cash form. Hypothetically, if someone bought the club from him tomorrow, they'd also effectively be buying Andy Carroll's value (either in terms of an available balance, or more likely reduced debts). So the value of the club need not be reduced by selling players. (Fyi, there's more to that conversation regarding possible club value outcomes following a player sale) It would of course be stupid to sell all the competent players at once, which is why I don't think I've seen anyone suggest that. But bleed it steadily, say by removing a couple of top class players per year and hoping internal development and good scouting will make up most of the shortfall, that definitely can be achieved.

Absolutely. I still don't really rate him, but he's risen to the challenge pretty well and is playing out of his skin at the moment. He's been a great little poacher for us in the last few games. Honestly don't think he is, yet. Take the situation in the second half at 2-0 up, ball gets played into him just inside the area, he looks at the goal, gets half a yard on his man but then hesitates before knocking the ball down the channel and eventually back to Jonas. A fully-firing, top form Leon Best smacks that ball as soon as he gets a sniff at goal, he's definitely proven that he has the technique, think he's the type of player who will only get better with a constant, injury-free run in the team. Whether that is ultimately good enough to be a number 9 for NUFC is up for debate. Yep, as has been said, he definitely has psychological restraints on his play. He's prone to failures of conviction, snatching at things etc. But if, a big if but if nonetheless, he can be trained to overcome those he'll move up a level (or two) as a striker. True as it might be, consistently only being able to reach that kind of confidence after a long run in the side isn't good enough for a Premiership man, but hopefully he can be improved and eliminate that need.

Oh aye. The signing enabled Carroll to become the striker he is, and he's been invaluable since the turn of 2011. Can't believe it's worked out cos the Leon Best i saw for us 12 months ago was f***ing woeful. A Coloccini esq turnaround. Saying that though I do remember possibly myself and definitely Stu saying the Plymouth game showed real potential. Don't mean to bring it up, but seeing as it's been mentioned, yeah I think he's been a decent little cheap as chips investment, providing options for our other players last season (inc. off the pitch) which kept up our momentum, while still not being fully developed himself. I remember him showing a fair bit shy of a goal too, he wasn't abject. A good move by Hughton worth pointing out more than normal, seeing as the £1m spent on him is supposedly one of his biggest crimes according to Ashley and Llambias. Just a shame that injury kept him out of the squad for months at the start of this season and stopped him being able to change that perception. Pleased for him.

Not seen the match yet, or heard much beyond 'dull sans Jonas', but great result. That's a bit of form from him I wasn't much expecting. Still lack confidence over our future performances, but every win's a huge win, so I'd rather be in Wednesday 16th than Monday 14th...

It's true like, I'd say it's you with the attitude to Colocho. Call someone a self-publicising wanker repeatedly when there's not much separating him from other people trying the same thing and they're bound to get a bit chippy. It wasn't him being interviewed on Sky Sports News, it wasn't him announcing his talks with the club in the local paper, but he gets it in the neck while even his colleagues get clappy hands. Why? I've never seen him say anything much questionable, let alone personal, that wasn't in response to you or someone similar saying he's a self-publicist, or that he's trying to speak on behalf of other people, making out he's a better person etc. and trying to pick holes more because you don't like him than that you disagree with his actions. Some solid quotes would help.

The first two paragraphs are are hackneyed and inaccurate. The post reads like it was written in a faux-ivory tower, with those living below characterised as Shepherd-loving ape-men. As such, I would think it's Punk who could be accused of not giving due consideration to what other people have been saying.