Rich

Would be upwards of 70,000 if all sides were done, you can't forget the corner bits either. At the minute we have only one done in that way, obviously. 60,000 would be achieved by doing the Gallowgate and connecting it up to the Milburn.

Simple.

Eh? One person picked him for the "team of the season", I put him in the "team of the season (outside the top four)" that Ankdh suggested.

I'm in Hull as well, so this could be bang on for me now and again if I was just going home for the game and not the whole weekend. Could probably be useful a few games a season to me for the next two years, as I'll be driving up and down then too.

Anyone else get the feeling that this is a sort of Rooney scenario all over again?

Surprised to read this from you, if I'm honest, but I wholeheartedly agree with it. Parky is a romanticist though, I suppose, so I can't be too hard on him for wanting a maestro in our team. It's a nice thought, but I'm not sure if Modric is the man for the job, or if there's any role for such a player in the Premiership anyway, especially for us at the current time. A playmaker is more somebody you build the team around, I don't see why Keegan would do that so soon after finding a winning formula. With your love of the beautiful game and your enthusiasm for a lot of individual players, I thought you'd love the idea of a "number 10" at the Toon. Wasn't a dig at all.

Crouch can do the job Martins is currently doing for us? That's a new one!

Direct replacement for Geremi in my book. Unless Barton gets sent down. He prefers playing on the left, though. I was thinking he goes in for Barton on that side, and Joey moves to where Geremi has been playing. Unless he goes down, as you said. I can't see him coming in and taking Owen's current role and I can't really see him playing in a 4-4-2 either.

Surprised to read this from you, if I'm honest, but I wholeheartedly agree with it. Parky is a romanticist though, I suppose, so I can't be too hard on him for wanting a maestro in our team. It's a nice thought, but I'm not sure if Modric is the man for the job, or if there's any role for such a player in the Premiership anyway, especially for us at the current time. A playmaker is more somebody you build the team around, I don't see why Keegan would do that so soon after finding a winning formula.

Just realised I've asked that same question in the Modric thread and people have started answering. Is that him spread over 3 threads now?

"Semi-denial" because I don't believe we need a playmaker On the second part, I was saying it because my original comment was all to do with us not utilising a playmaker while Sam Allardyce was manager, that's where the "wishful thinking" bit you picked up on originally came from. You got your wires crossed with your response today, which is why I began with "dear me." To get this moving on from tit-for-tat though, if Modric does come, I'd be extremely interested to see what it would mean for the current formation. I do not believe that he is a classic "number 10" from what I've been reading about him since these stories reared their heads again. If you ask me, the top three is working very well, and could be even better if Viduka was replaced by someone like Kenwyne Jones (who I just noticed while browsing has 10 assists this season to go with his 4 goals - not bad for a Mackem player) or someone better - Berbatov would do nicely (wink). Does Modric come in and play where Barton is for us now, but with more of Geremi's role, with Joey switching to the right (provided he's not in clink)?

James Johnson Campbell Laursen Lescott Young Elano Bentley Petrov Yakubu Santa Cruz Could move onto a team outside the top-10 with that selection, though...

Give me optimism over pessimism every time. I haven't got my hopes up over this, but will obviously be very intrigued if it comes off. I've seen Modric play about 3 times, though, so the only thing that will excite me is his reputation, the price and the fact that we're looking at his apparent calibre of player this summer. Wonder where he would play should he sign. Where Barton does now?

Giving Parky an unjustified serious answer for a minute, as I cannot let that disgraceful "told you so" attempt slide from him of all people: Has Modric signed? Have I missed something? Is Allardyce still the manager? And haven't we went on a smashing upturn in form by playing a settled defence/'keeper, not conceding daft goals, and without the need for a playmaker in the mould of a Modric? We've stopped conceding goals and, as I thought initially, we have the players to score them at the other end - now we're sitting atop the form table! A "playmaker" remains a namby pamby position, in my eyes, and an unnecessary one at that. It's fashionable, though, so I understand why people like Parky pander for us to have one. It's good to bite.

Wishful thinking indeed Richie baby. Dear me. Thought you'd be happy mate. I'm trying not to get wound up by your incredibly mongy first post, it's killed my vibe.

One post to each other and someone is coming out with that!

This a long fucking warm-up, like! Must be one fat lazy bitch.

Wishful thinking indeed Richie baby. Dear me.

I'd agree with reservations. I have no problem with signing a better left back, but a big name doesn't guarantee that. Keegan's record in the transfer market will stand up to most but he does tend to go on reputation sometimes. Robbie Fowler's signing at City being one example. Exactly, but I wasn't talking about a "big name". It could be somebody that Wise/Vetere have unearthed who is the bees knees. We'll see what happens, but like everything else, it's out of our hands and all we can do is hope for the best.

I'd take that Abidal fella, like...

We simply have to sign the best left-back we can possibly get. Might sound blindingly obvious, but surely that's the only real way to progress? There's no room for sentiment, as we keep getting told. Enrique has been good, very good at times, but he's hardly Roberto Carlos. Whoever is Keegan's first choice should be the player we sign, if you get what I mean, all we can do is trust his judgement.

My thoughts exactly.

YouTube is chock-full of videos from yesterday, pre/post/during game. Great way to burn some time today.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=40LUPts7upE Fucking brilliant.