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Ashley sighted this afternoon at Middlesbrough, sitting next to Mort, wearing a Toon top.

Geremi, too.

He won't be - even if he doesn't leave 'till next Summer, his time in exile would rule him out. This would a gesture of appreciation, an unofficial testimonial and a charitable act towards his countrymen back home.

If they'd had the sense to have an earthquake a couple of months ago, we could've done it in pre-season. More seriously, I've always fancied a Toon versus Peru/South America XI as a testimonial for Nobby, this could be it unofficially, with a greater cause benefiting.

wasn't that the constant theme at bolton ? worked though. on a much smaller budget. doesnt mean he will do it here. might do. but he has more £ to spend here. i've no problem with it if it is more longer term planning than it seemed at bolton The main point is, ultimately, that we're not Bolton. He wouldn't have brought (or have been able to bring) in Enrique there, the nature of a club like that at the level they are/were at brings a host of new challenges. Players who can already envisage bright futures wouldn't go there, they might here.

Allardyce is talking about breaking him into our game gently, decided this wasn't the game to begin him with.

Find it a slightly strange idea, never thought of Geremi as captain of a club like ours historically, but no complaints here, either.

Strictly speaking, I think it was the deal itself that was a rush job. Allardyce probably knew of him but had him down in the "nice but unlikely" category of signings. When it turned out he was there to take, we took him. No shilly-shallying, I like it

It's illegal to drive without insurance though. A curtailment of liberty, surely. You should be allowed to get your face smashed in when not taking appropriate precautions in car or on a motorbike, too. The main crux issue is that it nedds to be ensured that you have themeans to compensate others involved in an accident. Its been claimed he earns £70,000 a week He could kill someone's entire family in a crash and buy them a new, better looking one with greater prospects from Poland. Yeah, but if Joey Barton is exempt, why not exemplify everyone, including Mr Chav McDole, who proceeds to fail to purchase insurance, and subsequently isn't able to pay a penny of compensation to the guy he proceeds to run over. Convict on failure to fully recompense. A lucky few already have the means to, the rest can insure themselves as they (are supposed to) do, already. Ah... Jumpers for goalposts... I love a good footie discussion.

It's illegal to drive without insurance though. A curtailment of liberty, surely. You should be allowed to get your face smashed in when not taking appropriate precautions in car or on a motorbike, too. The main crux issue is that it nedds to be ensured that you have themeans to compensate others involved in an accident. Its been claimed he earns £70,000 a week He could kill someone's entire family in a crash and buy them a new, better looking one with greater prospects from Poland.

It's illegal to drive without insurance though. A curtailment of liberty, surely. You should be allowed to get your face smashed in when not taking appropriate precautions in car or on a motorbike, too.

I think Ameobi was in a similar position, once. Thing is, when you're that rich, do you need the insurance? His wallet could probably pay for any damage caused.

Newcastle - 12 players Titus Bramble, Celestine Babayaro, Pavel Srnicek, Nicky Butt, Stephen Carr, Damien Duff, Shay Given, Stephen Harper, James Milner, Scott Parker, Peter Ramage, Nolberto Solano Michael Owen canny as ever.

i know, muppets, that steve curry as well, from the daily express i think (ask ozzie), tried to make the same point on jimmy hill's show on sunday morning, he got shot down from all angles. bottom line, bolton were 5th/6th when he left. worse was that idiot on jimmy hill saying newcastle fans were against Sam because he was a sunderland player what a cunt makes us sound fickle as fuck i'd burn most journalists they dont understand a fucking thing And "his excuse for employing all those backroom staff is that they only got 70 hours of injury to Newcastle's 400". What a fucking excuse, though, eh?

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2080393,00.html

I think FIFA did that, actually. Still, we should do it anyway.

As well as the missing "just", the idea of "properness" was never a bad one. I understood it, certainly. It was a way of getting across the idea of someone who was not just capable of tippy tappy tricks, but able to bring it to bear in a useful way at a critical moment - not just to impress in a practise match. Someone who could stand up to examination. The trouble with Souness was, however, that he's a bullshitter.

That is a fair point, it's their own stupid fault for not disobeying the transfer window rules and signing a new striker who'd carry them to safety.

I don't know how it works for sure, but I imagine a season ends on the day of it's final match. The question is when the next season commences, therefore. It might be that we're already in the 07/08 season at the moment, if you see what I'm saying.

Simply the wrong result and should be rectified.

No doubt Allardyce will be chuffed. If most others feel the same way, I think so too.

I'll go along with whatever Allardyce's decision on this is. I respect his track record of dealing with difficult characters, getting their heads straight and motivated for the club. If he thinks he can't get him going again, then it will be best that we move Zog on. Of course, this will all be water under the bridge if he responds to a manager with credit and goes back to being a great young player for us next season. Unless he starts hitting women and spitting at tramps, but let's put that aside for the time being.

Wasn't it Riley who was staring straight at Olly Bernard when Thomas Gravesen nearly shattered his shin into a million pieces, ignored it and went and gave Everton a soft penalty against Woodgate thirty seconds later? Those Robert and Bernard decisions, I was fucking seething for days afterwards. I thought he caught Bernard on the top of his knee/thigh? Aye he did. I remember the big screen at Goodison actually showed the replay of it (which even then they weren't supposed to) and the away section went absolutely mental! That was Neale Barry. But you're right. See?

An old hatred of mine, ranks above Riley, Neale Barry. Now trains other referees...