Rich

I don't think he's a "c***". Just a crap footballer. Gives his all, tries his best etc, but his best simply isn't anywhere near good enough. For me it's not that he doesn't score goals, it's that he doesn't even look like scoring a goal. He never has a shot, never gets in the box, and never sets anyone else up for a shot either. Aye. The people slating Smith to such an extent are f****** embarrassing, although I do appreciate that emotions are running high at the moment. He's been very poor, yes, but by all accounts he's an honest lad and he always seems to give 100%. There are people at this club who have been very poor for more than three quarters of a season, and who most certainly haven't given 100% to this football club in their time. There are quite a few in the current squad who I'd reserve that sort of bile for ahead of Smith, to be honest, but he's become an easy scapegoat. 100% that what u base on picking a player then u could pick from 52,000 playing every week cos that is what every one would give, his football talent is none should be a hairdresser IMO Did I say that? Did you miss the bit where I said he's been very poor? Silly post.

Can you honestly say you've seen enough of Zamblera, Tozer, Kadar etc to justify this "team" of yours. And the fact you've got Tozer and Kadar's positions wrong says it all tbh. Tozer is a CB and Kadar is a LB, in fairness to him. Martins as a right midfielder, however... I thought Kadar was a CB and Tozer LB? Tozer is the giant bastard, think he's played mainly CB for the reserves, but he can also play LB. Kadar is less giant and has played mainly LB for the reserves, but can also play CB (and did so with Tozer against Everton last week.) Kadar looked very fast to me in the game, and not the biggest, potentially more suited to playing fullback. Tozer looks too big and awkward on the ball to be considered a fullback.

Oh dear. You can tell you don't live here Decky (Unless you were taking the piss.) I know far too many Smoggies to class 'Boro winning the FA Cup as being "good for the North East".

Can you honestly say you've seen enough of Zamblera, Tozer, Kadar etc to justify this "team" of yours. And the fact you've got Tozer and Kadar's positions wrong says it all tbh. Tozer is a CB and Kadar is a LB, in fairness to him. Martins as a right midfielder, however...

You ask Goalfather to explain why he thinks Martin's goals are indicative of footballing intelligence. Would you return the favour and explain why you think they, or is general play, aren't? Again, I'm not suggesting he's on par with Rooney or Fabregas when it comes to vision etc, but to claim he has NO football brain is a bit of an overstatement if you ask me.. His allround play isn't what I would define as 'intelligent'. His runs, movement, etc. And a lot of his goals seem to be instinctive ones. It isn't a criticism of him as a player as such. It's me attempting to debunk the notion he is an intelligent player. For what it's worth, I tend to agree. I'd still have him as our first choice striker though, right now, as I believe you've already said you would do as well. The lad has never hidden in his time here, he's been fit and available for selection as much as anyone else has and he's shown himself capable of doing something really special to get us out of a few sticky situations. He's exactly the sort of player we need in the team and making things happen for us. He cannot be any worse than what we have in there, he has the fans on his side, and he's proven himself capable of handling big pressure as well. He is our best bet currently, but that doesn't make him this brilliant football player that he seems to have become since going away to Ghana.

Agreed, once every ten games kinda player. Better than never in ten games, surely? Like some.

I don't think he's a "cunt". Just a crap footballer. Gives his all, tries his best etc, but his best simply isn't anywhere near good enough. For me it's not that he doesn't score goals, it's that he doesn't even look like scoring a goal. He never has a shot, never gets in the box, and never sets anyone else up for a shot either. Aye. The people slating Smith to such an extent are fucking embarrassing, although I do appreciate that emotions are running high at the moment. He's been very poor, yes, but by all accounts he's an honest lad and he always seems to give 100%. There are people at this club who have been very poor for more than three quarters of a season, and who most certainly haven't given 100% to this football club in their time. There are quite a few in the current squad who I'd reserve that sort of bile for ahead of Smith, to be honest, but he's become an easy scapegoat.

Just to cheer everyone up further: If that is correct... then oh my.

Why aye man. If we don't have hope, then what do we have?

Where the fuck was the midfield for that third goal? Hold on. Where the fuck was the midfield at all today? Hold on again... where the fuck has the midfield been this season?

Martins does have to play, like, and so does N'Zogbia.

Fuck it, this is far better than a board argument mackems.gif

Splendid. If you educate me about the NFL while we go, it could be the start of something beautiful. I fear we have rather hypocritically hijacked this thread!

What narks me about these arguments sometimes is that they involve people who could be doing far more productive things with their time, especially as pertains to NUFC. It's all meaningless at the end of the day, and is used for nowt more than time wasting. Jesus, I'm philosophical tonight.

I'm flattered Marry me Shak.

We should just agree that all the boards we've ever had are s**** (including the current), and mount our own joyous takeover. With Mick and NE5 as the joint leaders of the campaign. It'd be fun. How could they lead campaign as that would mean answering questions & if you read each of there posts you will see that neither of them has ever answered a question the other one has asked & that is some going as they must have replied to each other over 3000 times That makes them the perfect men for the job if you ask me. Mike Ashley doesn't answer questions either.

We should just agree that all the boards we've ever had are shite (including the current), and mount our own joyous takeover. With Mick and NE5 as the joint leaders of the campaign. It'd be fun.

Something that creates fiscal earnings to pay for said item of discussion. Clearing brushes and effluent not your actual line of employment then ? And you're not lecturing me while not being a season ticketer yourself by any chance ? Howay man, wake up. The question is "If we go down, are you renewing?" - I was the first to reply in this thread with "yes". So aye, I obviously have a season ticket at the moment...

I think we'd be a few points better off, to be honest, and a few goals better off too, but that certainly doesn't tell the whole story. Allardyce had apparently lost the players, he had most certainly lost the fans and the fact is that he quite probably never "had" the board (behind him) either. He was a man on bided time and he had to go. I'm not sure if I'd swap a few points extra to go back in time and keep Allardyce, honestly. But of course I will be if we go down. The only way that decision can really be justified is if we avoid relegation. What difference does a place or two in the rest of the bottom half of the table make? Really? There are a few ways to look at things, but if you're being optimistic about things and you expect us to stay up - which I do - then you have to look at the fact that Keegan will have been in the job six months come the summer as a major plus point. He will have had time to evaluate the current squad and make plans, he will have had time to bring in his own backroom staff and get them working efficiently and he'll have had time to settle back into management - he'll hopefully have got through the worst part of his potential 3.5 years too. If we stay up, then we should be in a far better position come the summer than we would be if we sacked Allardyce at the end of the season, where we'd again be looking at another rush-job of a summer where everything is new to the players and the boss. As long as we finish 17th or upwards, then hopefully the decision will be justified, but if we do go down then the board probably do want stringing up. Basically, I'm still looking longterm. To say you want Allardyce to have stayed just so we could have an extra few points at this point in time is madness.

Exactly. And bafflingly we still have pillocks attacking those saying such (don't you, "Janitor" ?) You've been saying it for years man Phil, it's nowt new, change the record. You were a moaning bugger when we were doing well for fuck's sake.

A winger who does nothing it terrible by default. That post was by LucaAlteri, not me, you crackerjack!

Fantastic stuff again from Barnsley, thrilling to watch. Very odd ending though.

Fucking hell. Am I the only one who doesn't remember too many people saying that we'd only have 2 points from Keegan's first 7 league games? Did I miss something?

Martin Jol? :lol: TT on fire in the face of adversity.

Honestly think he'd tough it out, simply because I'm not cynical enough just yet to think he could be that much of a bastard. Who knows, though?