TRon

Good point. I've often felt that we have been too slow in giving some of the younger guys a chance, even if it's just coming off the bench - just look at Ferguson's impact when given a run. Maybe with Nolan leaving Vukic will get more of a look in as both are goal scoring midfielders although their qualities are different.

I saw him in the cup game against Arsenal and it looked to me like he would be ideal playing behind a striker as a more direct alternative to Ben Arfa. He looks quick and like he has an eye for goal.

To give them their dues they get some decent fees for players, Given excluded obviously We sold Zog too cheap as well, but then having Kinnear as manager at the time didn't help.

My thoughts as well. Pretty much sums up the level of thought amongst the lynch mob.

It would be a lot healthier for us as a club if he could walk into a bar full of pissed up fans. I'd give him props for thinking he could tbh.

At least it puts to bed the idea of using Ferguson as back up to Jose. Something I'm sure we might have been considering once the Taylor deal fell through.

By all means chuck abuse at him if you feel it's the way to go, it's a free world. I just don't see why anyone who does that then thinks moaning about no big signings is consistent. It's effectively saying "spend some of your money and buy some players you cockney cunts" Now if I was a cockney cunt I might well think "well fahck you you norvern baarstards I'll start charging interest on the loan"

Will Ashley invest more of his cash in speculative signings after his mate Dekka has been called a cockney cunt and chased from a local pub? Hmmm..I wonder...? Barry Moat, come on down!

Hopefully it'll force the f***er to resign. Hopefully it will force Cashley to sell the club so local businessman Barry Moat can step in to rescue us.

I think you'd have a different opinion if you were there. From where I was sat, sure it was light hearted to begin with (if completely pointless), and a couple of Darlo fans did incite some violence, but what happened after looked like complete knobjockeys from our end hitting people (and I think stewards as well). If that's how it happened I take back what I said above.

The toon fans were singing if Sameobi scored they were on the pitch....then Sammy scored so of course they got carried away and got on the pitch in a celebratory atmosphere. The Darlo fans then showed their mackem tendencies by turning a good natured event into a violent occasion. It was daft on our fans part but what they did was just sheer malice.

We should ban all games at the SOL.

Half of them will be at the match posing as Darlo fans

It'll give the media a field day tomorrow. No one will give a flying fuck in a weeks time. It's a friendly played in Darlington ffs. Their fans were always going to want a dust up.

I blame the Darlo fans. Clearly their proximity to Sunderland has led to spasmodic inbred madness.

Sameobi's cult status is born. Instigated a mini riot already

you're kidding

Keep it up Besty. Anything that keeps Shola out the team will make me happy. As long as it doesn't mean we start thinking we don't need another striker after all...

Well the best players have time on the ball. As long as Cabaye's not a coward it just means the shit premier teams will end up giving away loads of free kicks if they try to pressure him too rashly.

What tosh.

Pardew's in a job which is more than he was before he signed on here. Not just any old job either, it's one of the best in football so I doubt he's squirming that much. He's publicly said that he's had great support from Ashley and Dekka as well.

I would say the left back area is one of my few major concerns this season. It might be we bring in another left back if we can sell Enrique and leave ourselves enough time to get a replacement. Or Enrique might hang around for the final year and we'll make do with Ferguson as back up. The idea it might be left to clubs playing brinkmanship in the last few days of the transfer window is what concerns me.

It really isn't. We obviously have a fairly tight transfer budget which is why are going for frees and release clauses for the most part, none of which I have a problem with btw if the players coming in are good enough. If I'm being optimistic I would hope that we have decided to not sign Taylor as the money we would spend might now be better spent on someone like M'Bengue instead. It still begs the question why we were in for him in the first place because we do need a back up left back, whether Enrique leaves or M'Bengue arrives.

It was the club's decision to pursue him not ours as fans so let's be clear on that. Either he's a good prospect or he isn't. If he's not all that, then you would have to question why bother in the first place? Swansea who must know him a lot better than we do thought enough of him to fight to keep him. What does that suggest to you?

That was the reason you were calling my post ridiculous? Honestly? You haven't even said that much different. The player went to the tribunal because he wanted to come here. IF the clause had stood and other clubs had come in for him good luck to them. In reality he would have joined us as that was the reason he was going to the tribunal in the first place. How I read it is that once there was a chance the deal might cost more than £1m and plus the 13k a week which Swansea were prepared to offer we pulled out. We were blown out of the water by plucky little Swansea. You might see it differently but you haven't given me reason to think otherwise.