OzzieMandias

So it could be him, then.

I see "success" has now been redefined as "not being the only person responsible for leading the club from 2nd to 13th and losing a few cup finals along the way".

Plus whatever assorted dodginess, hidden debt and papered-over cracks they're discovering as they conduct their review.

I'll give it six months.

I was thinking exactly that about the slow signings, by this time last year we had signed (scratches head, whistles a little, slowly drinks coffee, scratches head again and gives up trying) nobody. and the year before ? I suppose, now that success is nailed on due to Fred being completely responsible for us not qualifying even for the Champions League like all those other clubs with incompetent chairmen - you will be looking forward to explaining the lack of it if such a thing happens ? mackems.gif You sound like you want the club to fail. Anything rather than admitting he was ever wrong.

I wonder how many more clubs Bell-end has to play for before his adoring, lovesick fans finally get over their tragic loss.

Also from the Guardian story:

Aye, but he'd just come back from the Champions League final and the "new" owners had already been around for a while.

Yes, as any fool can see, as he has been spending it.

Take your own advice. In the last couple of years before selling up, Shepherd increased his shareholding by around 4 percent -- revealing your conclusion that it would take him a couple of years to buy 2 percent to be, yes, baseless shite. And even then you miss the point, which is that even had he acquired that 2 percent, he still wouldn't have had the finance to buy out the rest.

Me neither.

Wish I could watch it.

Do people feel it will help somehow if a transfer budget is announced?

I don't think that's what most people feel. For myself, I think that SA, pending Ashley's review, is proceeding with the kind of budget he would have had under Shepherd. More money will probably materialise, and some kind of "trophy signing" may be on the cards. Or not. If Oba's release clause gets triggered, for example, I imagine enough cash will materialise to buy a top-quality replacement. We may well splash out on a fancy playmaker. And more money will definitely be spent on the defence.

The season where Robson's team got "found out" in the 2-6. It seemed like a dream up until that game. And then it seemed like a bubble had burst.

There are decent enough reasons for giving the armband to a Geordie. I don't think we have to have a Geordie captain (Rob Lee was an excellent captain, so was Bobby Moncur), but it's good to have some local lads in the team -- gives a team character, having a few players who grew up wanting to be out there on that turf, in that strip -- and it's definitely one thing to take into consideration. That and "it will help the boy grow up" are the two positive reasons for Taylor as captain.

This is fart gas too. At the point where SJH sold out, Shepherd could no longer go on buying tiny amounts of shares. If he increased his holding, he would have had to offer for the lot. He obviously didn't have the finance to do so.

Not particularly happy with this, if it's a decision, but then I don't know what decision would have made me happy.

Obviously, in order not to waste valuable time, we should only give trials to players we are already sure we want to sign.

Aye, but more importantly, when does he change the letterhead?

There isn't really one great candidate, to be honest. I can see the arguments against every name mentioned.

My thoughts exactly, except I'd describe him as more of a psycho than a thug.

Speed was a good transfer, though it took everyone a while to realise how good.

Peter Beardsley.

Anyone interested enough in the club to have an opinion will be aware that Shepherd is merely being kept on temporarily -- partly out of politeness, partly because of his pay-off, and partly because he knows where the bodies are buried. His actual job title is irrelevant.