macbeth

Shay inthe petrol station in Ponteland. With his then gorgeous, stick-insect shaped girlfriend. Number plate the wonderful Y 15 HAY and used to deliver Mick Mahoney's papers to him

It was worse 30 years ago © NE5

tickets still on sale it says at the bottom

Souness inherited a squad that had finished 6th, but it was in decline and needed some work Roeder inherited a side at ~14th, that was in more decline and needed work. Souness destroyed something while trying to fix it, Roeder just hasn't changed anything. History will view Roeder as plain and incompetent, Souness as evil and incompetent

You need to define what the ratings mean. You don't want the same person meaning "average" and giving 5, when the next person also means "average" = 7 The Independent used to have a good set of criteria for assessing players in PL games. Their view was that across the whole PL you should expect no more than half a dozen 10/10 performances in a season. (They usually got fewer than this) Each week they expected to get half a dozen 9/10 across the 10 games being played. An average performance in their eyes was 5 or 6 out of 10 and that was what you should expect from the vast majority of the players each week. A player sent off int he first half couldn't really be justified getting much more than a 0. You should think about this and set your own criteria.

you must mean an average for Robson? As you never fail to tell me there was huge investment in 2001-early 2003 which you also never fail to tell me meant that no other spending was required. http://www.nufc-finances.org.uk/transf6.gif

it's getting obsessive now. I read that you can now get gene therapy that can control late-onset homosexual infatuations.

Looks better than them all rolled into one http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/presenters/media/jacqui_oatley.jpg Any topless shots kickin about?! http://www.nufc-finances.org.uk/oat.jpg

Looks better than them all rolled into one http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/presenters/media/jacqui_oatley.jpg

Based on position only I think. at £500k per position that would be £2m less than last year. This is all assuming we stay above the might that is Blackburn and Man City.

Okay two seasons ago the club lost £12m having spent a net £20m on players. This season we look to be losing about £20m having spent net £10m on players. Sadly we cannot afford anything at this rate. WE have to borrow money to spend and who will lend us money ? We already took next year's sponsorship money form Northern Rock to pay for Owen, so taht bit's missing as well. (For the benefit of anyone who suspects I'm just putting the club in a bad light, sorry)

As for your comments about top teams changing managers, perhaps you could tell us at what stage of the season that manu appointed Ferguson, Arsenal appointed Wenger, and the great Spurs appointed Jol ? Man U appointed Ferguson on 6 November 1986, the same day they sacked Atkinson Spurs appointed Jol the same day they sacked Santini (admittedly internally) Arsenal sacked Rioch in August, did not appoint Wenger until he became available at the end of September. They took their time the same way Shepherd did in his appointment of Roeder. Surveyed the world and found that of all the managers in the world they woudl wait for the best they could get, Roeder. Our appointments have been September, September, August. But keep on making things up and finding the odd example that you think proves your agenda if it makes you happy. I think it is your view of what you think my agenda is. "Agenda" is not a word I use, and I never use the phrase "your agenda". I wouldn't be as presumptious as to try and tell soemone else what their opinion was. Although when I ever ask you what my agenda is you always reply with the enigmatic "it's obvious" or "everyone knows" or "I've answered this before". The first two may be true to some, but no one believes you have ever answered a straight question with a straight answer, ever. BTW, I am pleased for you that you are so desperate to prove me wrong, and are unable to do so, that you change my posts/attribute things to say things that I have not said. mackems.gif Perhaps some idiot like BooBoo may even post that its childish mackems.gif

You seem to be implying some sort of criticism of our board. Their lackies will be along in a moment to shoot yout down for not understanding what you are are on about ......

which of course you would be dead against even if they did go for a top manager. I'm sure you would also have something to say if the club approached someone illegally too, like everyone else. Mind, your perfect chairman - that bloke who runs the post office - could always bribe them to keep it to themselves with a few million quids worth of postage stamps. Console yourself with the thought that they must all be looking at your sooper dooper website, which is scaring them away, as they can clearly see that we are the worst club in football. I've made it !!! Finally I my site has made it to the level where it so influences the people that Shepherd approaches that he cannot win them over. There's me, sitting in my little room at home creating a wee web site and this has more impact than the persuasive skills of a £500,000 per year top businessman. I feel so very proud. As far as approaching managers who are in contract. The obvious answer is to have some idea of what you are doing. Many teams try and change manager during the summer when negotiations are easier. So for example Chelsea and Liverpool who weren't happy with their managers only finishing 2nd and 4th decided to move on. Others with a great wealth of intimate knowledge of what is going on within their own club and football generally decided to keep the manager through the 3 month close season, see 14 days worth of football and sack the manager. This gives them a problem, totally of their own making. I don't want my club to do anything illegal. I don't either want them to be led by someone who has the leadership and vision to get the key appointment ( © NE5) so badly wrong. Arguably twice in an row. As you seem insistent on bringing Adam Crozier into the discussion (people are starting to talk about your infatuation with him) you'll start and accuse me of being a Sven supporter At least I suppose we know for sure that Shepherd would never do anything that wasn't totally in the best interests of the club

I'm sure you meant this to be a serious observation. Unfortunately, poaching managers is illegal, so very few do it. The only way to get a top manager, like Souness, when he is already in a top job, is to pay his club huge compensation for their loss.

When they had WM formation (ask NE5) the format was 1 2 5 3 4 6 8 10 7 9 11 4 and 6 had defensive responsibilities, 8 and 10 attacking, as long as everyone knew there role it was nicely matched up and balanced. Bloody Hungarians messed it yup by dropping their centre-forward away from where he was supposed to be and confusing the opposing number 5 completely. Bloody Italians messed it up by making 4 and 6 defenders with the number 5 in a a new fangled sweeper role behind. Sir Alf messed it up by playing without wingers and effectively inventing 4-4-2. Rinus Michels messed it up with Holland by letting anyone play anywhere, and givign Cruyff the number 14 shirt. Souness messed it up by when we played Fulham by finishing the game with no fullbacks, 5 in midfield and three up front Harper O'Brien Elliot Jenas Bellamy Butt Bowyer Robert Shola Shearer Kluivert This has not yet gained the international acceptance of the Hungarian or Italian or Dutch variations.

That was the NUFC way. Started to drift when squad's grew and players had to have squad numbers which stuck with them. So if a young player, say Shola Ameobi joined the squad and all numbers were taken he ends up with something like 23. He ends up happy with that number and it stays with him. Other players request a shirt, so Phillipe Albert requested 27 as he joined the club on his 27th birthday. Players could change if they wanted, but players would probably only look to change if they were getting one of the 2-11 shirts.

At the time Souness was appointed. Bruce was offered the job, the same souce said McClaren was then offered it, then Allardyce. Bruce, wanted it but did turn it down because he thought he was getting a bad reputation for jumping jobs too often. McClaren wanted it but Gibson gave him such a bollocking, and played the "I was loyal to you ..." card so strongly that McClaren backed down. When they talked to Allardyce they recognised he had too much baggage, and came across as too confrontational. The source is someone in television who through his job is pally with all these guys, and is also reasonably close to Kenneth Shepherd. So was able to find out both sides. Souness ended up being all that was left, with any sort of justifiable CV, at that point of the season

Couldn't agree more, Shepherd did unbelievably well to get Souness then Roeder from all the ambitious and confident managers from the list who were willing to snatch the job they have obviously been reading your informed and professional website. Or talking to that willy woofter who runs the Post Office, you know, the bloke you think would be our ideal chairman Your faith in the club you say you support is touching. Such unambitious talk would have made Mckeag and his cronies proud, as I'm sure you have so much else in common with them. time after time you have gone to my site and systematically pointed out the inaccuracies. Every time I try and take you advice and fix it. Then I find I'd be going against what Shepherd has published and I think "who do I believe Freddie Shepherd, and his signed report, or NE5". My brain then explodes. You agreed with Shepherd's appointment of Souness, I never agreed with Crozier's appointment of Sven, regardless of how many times you say it. Give the choice of Sven or Souness it would be a brave man to decide either way. You are clearly braver than me in deciding Souness was the better man. Where did McKeag appear in this ? McKeag's appointments versus Souness and Roeder. Not sure I've heard you say anything against any of them. But that's cos you sycophantly back who ever is chairman then claim otherwise later. Doff your cap the rich man. Yes Sir, of course Sir !! 11th's great sir, better than 7th last year sir, and better than 3rd and 4th and 5th sir, just unlucky sir, blame the manager sir, blame the players sir, blame the fans sir, how were you suppose to know sir, yes sir of course sir, Geordies are winners sir, yes sir. (Oh and yes sir, did you like my clever comment about poofters sir, wouldn't ever catch a great man like you sir, doing anything dodgy on the sex front sir, unless you you asked me kindly sir, cos for you sir, anything sir ) .

Couldn't agree more, Shepherd did unbelievably well to get Souness then Roeder from all the ambitious and confident managers from the list who were willing to snatch the job

http://moneyextra.uk-wire.com/cgi-bin/articles/200605161048080351D.html says Newcastle United PLC 16 May 2006 16 May 2006 Appointment of Manager Newcastle United today announced that Glenn Roeder has been appointed as Team Manager on a two year contract. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

Freddie hasn't seen his own in a while

Can sometimes look too much like a thug footballer from the 70s to me http://www.leedsfans.org.uk/leeds/images/TYorath1.jpg

well said. imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

you're such a lad