TRon

Because this whole situation has been blown completely out of proportion due to KK being a petulant twat, he basically refused to meet with the club to find a solution and preferred to get with his lawyers to screw as much money out of the club as possible. I'm not jumping to the defence of the board as they have clearly played a role in all of this but if keegan thought Smith was good enough and that we didn't need a new striker then he's an idiot, I'm just looking forward to them getting someone else in so we can put this whole thing behind us. if you stop throwing your toys out of the pram like a petulant bairn, I'll give you my take on this striker business, as I've just offered earlier. Whether or not you accept it is of course up to you. In the meantime, accept that Ashley will have to pull one hell of a rabbit out his hat here, or he's finished at Newcastle and the sooner he sells up the better. See my post elsewhere on 2 other message boards if you want to know what happened the last time the players of Newcastle United were completely alienated and disgusted at losing a manager they mostly believed in, for having a board of amateurs that didn't back him and support him. I'm sure he'd be happy to sell but for that you need a buyer first.

I watched Colo for Argentina in th WC match against Paraguay and he was immaculate. Anticipated everything and looked head and shoulders above Heinze who was rated so highly when he played here.

If Ashley didn't want ANY players I don't think he'd be spending £10m on Coloccini woul he?

The majority of people here thought that we needed a striker and an attacking midfielder before the window closed as their top priority. Yep. An alternative for Butt would have been nice as well but there you go.

Not surprising, the chicken looks overweight.

He obviously rates him higher than Stephen Warnock

By all means enjoy your day of action. Each to his own.

Don't think Keegan rated him but with no left back coming in, it looks like he's got that LB spot with competition provided by Zog. Fine by me as I've thought getting a mobile target man was a far bigger priority and hopefully Xisco will solve that. Hopefully with a settled run in the first team, we'll see him come on this season.

Think they can take advantage of toon turmoil eh? Let's muller the Hull'ers.

As someone who has always backed him, I personally feel let down by Keegan for walking away this time. If all these players being brought in turn out to be shite then he will have been vindicated, if they look like being good signings, it means he's turned his back on what could have been a good season of progress at the club he's supposed to love. Priniciples are fine but if he wants to be right even when he's wrong ( i.e, wanting to keep Smith and Milner) then he was asking too much.

Apart from everything they've done since they got here? Like investing a ton of money in the academy? In revamping our scouting network? Clearing all of our debt? Well get large amounts of stock in before a closing down sale, shud make a tidy profit. There's only one thing worse than having a shit team while making a profit: Having an even more shit team while making a loss. This was the scenario before our recent transfer activity.

Because the PR and statements they put out have been very poor. The first statement they put out was several hours after the inital rumours broke, and didn't answer what everyone wanted to know - whether Keegan had gone. They then waited another two days to respond further, answering what everyone wanted to know in the first place - that Keegan wasn't sacked, and hadn't resigned, so effectively was still at the club. Then, after KK's resignation and statement of reason (manger should be allowed ot manage, etc) they issued what can only be dscribed as a very unprofessional, almost childish response, with their list of 'facts' - a list of facts that contradict quotes direct from Ashley, Wise, et al in the previous weeks/months. KK isn't blameless in this, but the Board have acted quite poorly, and would do well to remember what they have said in articles/interviews previously, before stating 'facts'. Quite laughable that people are pointing to magazine interviews to "prove" the board were lying over how much say KK had over transfers. Obviously they were going to support their manager in public, even if they couldn't seriously follow up some of his more ambitious targets. Try reading between the lines ffs.

You'd have a job buying some of those with a £12m budget. I've got a gut instinct that Skjelbred fell through because of KK though.

That's an excellent point - if the players think an absolute legend like KK can be utterly shafted without the fans batting an eyelid I can't imagine they'll be too inclined to bother their arses going the extra mile for us when the chips are down. Ironically KK will probably be out shopping with his missus having put all this behind him and enjoying a nice holiday.

never mind that, they are cockney wankers/poisoned dwarves (etc, etc...ad infinitum)

Looks like Hull will have a 12th man in the St James' crowd on Saturday. At least I hope these cretins are in a minority. I back the lads to shock the suicide corps by dealing out a beating to Hull and sending them packing.

Should have been kept on as the janitor I reckon.

Top stuff

He's a very passionate, guy, I think that's why Newcastle fans would probably take to him. Can't see us going for him though, probably a bit too volatile for Ashley to take on after what happened with Keegan.

And most of us have accepted this when Milner was sold we all classed it as "good business" rather than see we are short on the right flank. Yet look at the amount of good business Spurs have done in selling Carrick, Berba, Keane & Defoe. They did win a trophy last year but they finished mid table & this year has not went to plan & due to them doing "good business" & Berba wanting out they only had one striker for the first few games. Total lack of planning. Probably looking longer term tbf. Shipped out Keane for £18m ?!! Berbatov: a complete c*** who didn't want to play for the shirt for £32m It is all longer term with you Ron. Selling your best two strikers/players is a masterplan to success. Yeah Berbatov wanted to play to win trophies & if being cunt helped him get a move to a club that is going to do that he will be happy. Were you happy with the transfer fee's Newcastle got at the time for Beardo & Gascoigne? No, but the only players we were looking to sell here were Barton and Smith. Where's the comparison?

HTT's "broken club" line up: :bootyshake: :bootyshake: :bootyshake: :bootyshake: :bootyshake:

Of course I am, our club has been littered with more Souness' than Keegans, he was our Fergie. Looking back, what he achieved was phenomenal Bob. I don't think any one else could have done what he did for us at the time and it is no coincidence that after he left, we struggled for years to move on and I fear history will repeat itself once more. Our Fergie? So far the career major trophy score stands at about 40 - 0 in Fergie's favour. Fergie never walked out or quit on Man U either even during the darkest hours. Darkest hours, like 20 odd trophies? His darkest hrs were before he won any trophies at Man U HTT. I'm surprised you didn't realise that.

Of course I am, our club has been littered with more Souness' than Keegans, he was our Fergie. Looking back, what he achieved was phenomenal Bob. I don't think any one else could have done what he did for us at the time and it is no coincidence that after he left, we struggled for years to move on and I fear history will repeat itself once more. Our Fergie? So far the career major trophy score stands at about 40 - 0 in Fergie's favour. Fergie never walked out or quit on Man U either even during the darkest hours.

You've said this a few times now - is it actually the truth? I'm not as clued up on the history of the club as I would like to be so I'm genuinely not sure. Well Wor Jackie is dead, Harvey is dead, Sir Bobby achieved good things here of course but not on the same level as what KK achieved so yes, KK has done more for this club than anyone alive. He saved us from relegation (twice you could argue) and took us to within 4 points of the title in just 4 years. The stadium we call home, Shearer's goal record, being able to sign Owen and so much more would not be possible without KK. Oh and Sir John Hall, who despite the stick he gets deserves as much acclaim as KK in many ways. Being a big fan of Keegan I feel let down that he didn't stick with the job through thick and thin tbh. People complain about Ashley not being around to communicate with the fans, but where is Keegan?

And most of us have accepted this when Milner was sold we all classed it as "good business" rather than see we are short on the right flank. Yet look at the amount of good business Spurs have done in selling Carrick, Berba, Keane & Defoe. They did win a trophy last year but they finished mid table & this year has not went to plan & due to them doing "good business" & Berba wanting out they only had one striker for the first few games. Total lack of planning. Probably looking longer term tbf. Shipped out Keane for £18m ?!! Berbatov: a complete cunt who didn't want to play for the shirt for £32m