OzzieMandias

No I didn't see it. Nor did I see the holocaust. Nor did I see September the 11th, did it REALLY happen? So, if we find you a link to the holocaust, or September 11th, are you going to provide us with some evidence of this Bellamy story? Yeah, I've already found you a link. The link is a guy at work's son. Chase that up what you will, before dismissing it. Cheers xxx Yeah, well my next-door neighbour's cousin goes to school with your guy-at-work's-son and says he's a stupid cunt. Prove me wrong.

No I didn't see it. Nor did I see the holocaust. Nor did I see September the 11th, did it REALLY happen? So, if we find you a link to the holocaust, or September 11th, are you going to provide us with some evidence of this Bellamy story?

Only a 50 quid note? What a puff! If he really wanted to show off, he'd be burning a £100,000 bearer bond.

Can't believe some of the shit Owen gets on here. Sure, it's been frustrating. But blaming him for his injuries, or for how he spends some of his time when he's not required by the club, and lashing up all this bile, is as ridiculous as it is pathetic. Do you think he wants to be injured? I don't. Do you imagine he's been slacking in his efforts to get fit again? I don't. I imagine he's been doing everything he possibly can -- including dealing coolly with his own frustration. Yeah, he's coming back to fitness as England are about to play a game. But hey, he's also coming back to fitness as Newcastle United start another season in the Premier League. So let's all go egg his fucking house, eh? You know it makes sense!

Let's hope not. Perhaps he thinks Dyer will be a calming influence on his hot-headed Welsh chum.

I'm not really talking about image. A big part of the job is about how you handle people -- first the players, and then everyone else. KK handled people by being their mate, and the we're-all-chums-in-this-together vibe that he created spilled out of the changing room and into things like open training sessions. Allardyce is more like a teacher than a mate. He's all about mastering details and keeping one step ahead. He even gives the players homework, and they respect him because he obviously knows his stuff. The training ground is closed because nothing must disturb the atmosphere of meticulous preparation.

That was part of the whole KK "chumminess" package, though, wasn't it? He was everybody's mate, supporters and players. Allardyce is more of your stern, meticulous plotter. No distractions wanted.

Bad news. It may not be just a matter of finances though; it may be Gartside digging his heels in with us because we've already got Sam. Might also be that Forde fancies working with someone different. Sounds like Chelsea is not yet a done deal, though.

The same was said about Jon Dahl Tomasson when he was here, it didn't mean he was well-suited to playing as an out-and-out striker either. Jon Dahl was a great finisher. Wasn't his fault he was asked to play as frontline striker when he clearly wasn't one. Didn't he miss a sitter against Sheff Wed early in his Newcastle career which seemed to knock his confidence and from that moment he was doomed here. His confidence certainly went but I think it was more from the general thing of having to play out of position in place of the injured Shearer.

There's a depressing history of us struggling against lower-league opposition, though. I mean, we usually win, but we rarely dismantle them. Not saying it's a forgone conclusion but surely we're not frightened of facing Barnsley at home, are we? Shouldn't be, no. I'm not. But I also remember home defeats to Birmingham and Blackburn when they were in Division One, and I still shake my fist at Stevenage every time I pass it on the train. I'm still trying to erase the word Stevenage from my memory bank! Aye, we've struggled with the odd tie every now and again but I think we'll demolish them if we put out a strongish side tbh. Can't see many bookies taking much money on Barnsley at all and I'll stick my neck out and say we'll win this one comfortably. I'm sure you're right. For some reason I've got more confidence in Allardyce than our last several managers -- including Bobby -- for when it comes to polishing off games like this.

There's a depressing history of us struggling against lower-league opposition, though. I mean, we usually win, but we rarely dismantle them. Not saying it's a forgone conclusion but surely we're not frightened of facing Barnsley at home, are we? Shouldn't be, no. I'm not. But I also remember home defeats to Birmingham and Blackburn when they were in Division One, and I still shake my fist at Stevenage every time I pass it on the train.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/funny_old_game/1840759.stm Beating Sunderland in 2001/2002. Thanks, Dave. I loved him when he said that.

There's a depressing history of us struggling against lower-league opposition, though. I mean, we usually win, but we rarely dismantle them.

Both Bristol teams at home, with Man City and West Ham coming in. I bet the plod aren't looking forward to that.

Someone remind me, what was the game we won, when afterwards Bobby Robson, asked whether he was pleased about the result, said he was so pleased that he'd be "going down the Quayside tonight, with Craig Bellamy and Keiron Dyer."

£60-65k is the figure that's recently been in the press.

Tevez, without a doubt.

I agree. It was missing before Dyer left though Aye, but now it's even more missing.

Agree that the squad is now missing something in midfield. Everything now looks much more solid, but we need a touch of sparkle, pace and creativity.

Which puts it at EXACTLY the same level of believability as the "West Ham shady practices shown in this transfer" thing. I'm afraid you're wrong. There have been precisely no mentions of a loyalty bonus by anyone at either club. The "West Ham shady practices thing" has been asserted by us and nothing has been denied by them. And who could forget that their "shady practices thing" nearly got them relegated last season. Just in the last few days, Derby have also complained about dodgy West Ham approaches to one of their players. Meanwhile, the Joey Barton "loyalty bonus thing" came out into the open as fact. If it did in that case, why not in this one? But, feel free to believe that West Ham are pure as the driven and Mort and Allardyce are liars, if that what makes you happy. There you go again, taking things too far. Because i have a doubt over an supposed allegation (and we were SO UPSET by their behaviour we were bought off with another £1m, according to you), i must hate the club? Fuck off, thats patehric even for a man of your limited means. There you go again, taking things too far. Who said you hated the club?

Meanwhile, the reverberations from last season's "West Ham shady practices thing" continue to rumble: http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2149803,00.html

Up to £8 million now?

Which puts it at EXACTLY the same level of believability as the "West Ham shady practices shown in this transfer" thing. I'm afraid you're wrong. There have been precisely no mentions of a loyalty bonus by anyone at either club. The "West Ham shady practices thing" has been asserted by us and nothing has been denied by them. And who could forget that their "shady practices thing" nearly got them relegated last season. Just in the last few days, Derby have also complained about dodgy West Ham approaches to one of their players. Meanwhile, the Joey Barton "loyalty bonus thing" came out into the open as fact. If it did in that case, why not in this one? But, feel free to believe that West Ham are pure as the driven and Mort and Allardyce are liars, if that what makes you happy.

The "loyalty payment thing" is a rumour for which there hasn't been the slightest shred of confirmation in any published story.