TRon

didn't need him ? an experienced quality (he was at the time of signing) international who can play on both wings in theses squad days. If he was bought as a squad player to fight for the shirt that would have been fair enough. In reality Roeder was too weak to drop senior players and Duff became an automatic choice even though his performances on the pitch were powder puff to say the least. and when n'zogbia played there that season he was worse...whats a manager to do ? Before Duff came N'Zogbia had been on fire. Zog doesn't take kindly to playing second fiddle, which isn't a great attitude, so it was (and is now) imperative that we buy someone as good as or better to compete. Otherwise if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Hughes has done ok but beyond the hype, I'm not sure he's cut out for a top team. Who's to say he won't turn out another Allardyce?

didn't need him ? an experienced quality (he was at the time of signing) international who can play on both wings in theses squad days. If he was bought as a squad player to fight for the shirt that would have been fair enough. In reality Roeder was too weak to drop senior players and Duff became an automatic choice even though his performances on the pitch were powder puff to say the least.

The only problem I have with our current scouting/purchasing setup is that none of them know this area so how the hell do they sell the club to a foreigner who probably hasn't got a clue what it's like? They may visit the club but they'll probably only see what is on the route from the airport and possibly a quick trip into the city centre. Maybe...just maybe, these players will have heard of Newcastle United before and recognise some of the names associated with the club and already be sold on the club to a tiny extent? I would imagine Keegan, Shearer, Owen, Viduka are pretty familiar names. The Serb underworld might even have heard of Joey Barton for all we know.

Apparently it's "arrogant" to think the same as this guy who is clearly a decent hack even if it's The Sun. amazing. A southern journo praising the club. How many people get their knickers in a twist when they slate the club and respond by saying how much bigger and better we are than they [these tossers] think ? Make your mind up time beckons, and don't bother asking Jimmy Greaves how he thinks we've always been a small club Who mentioned Martin Samuel ? Well if a southern journo thinks Redknapp should have left Pempey for Newcastle because "it's no ordinairy club" maybe the idea that Newcastle are still a big draw isn't bollocks after all? Mind we shouldn't need these fuckers to tell us it. I genuinely hope you're both right, and I suppose the proof will be in the pudding soon enough. I don't think anything is going to get proved either way. There will be some players who would go to Pompey because they are currently doing well, there will also be plenty of high quality players who will relish the idea of a big stage like St James. In the entertainment arena the bigger the stage the bigger the attraction for leading stars. We aren't Man U or Real Madrid, but then Portsmouth aren't Spurs or Newcastle although short term they are doing better on the pitch.

Apparently it's "arrogant" to think the same as this guy who is clearly a decent hack even if it's The Sun. amazing. A southern journo praising the club. How many people get their knickers in a twist when they slate the club and respond by saying how much bigger and better we are than they [these tossers] think ? Make your mind up time beckons, and don't bother asking Jimmy Greaves how he thinks we've always been a small club Who mentioned Martin Samuel ? Well if a southern journo thinks Redknapp should have left Pempey for Newcastle because "it's no ordinairy club" maybe the idea that Newcastle are still a big draw isn't bollocks after all? Mind we shouldn't need these fuckers to tell us it.

It seems even some southern writers think more of our club than some fans . From Steve Howard when 'arry was linked to Newcastle: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/sunsport_columnists/article674951.ece Apparently it's "arrogant" to think the same as this guy who is clearly a decent hack even if it's The Sun.

Anyone who thinks this is a ragbag club with an over the hill manager should probably join Crouch at Portsmouth. There's a nice lttle club with shed for a ground that can easily accomodate a few more supporters. Plus they've got a jowelly faced cunt for a manager whose wife tells him where he can work I believe in my club, but the people saying only a mug would choose Pompey over us are deluded, tbh. Aye, especially when their posts are less than accurate when it comes to facts... what facts are those Not referring to you, mate. Hence why you weren't in that quote list. TRon's "25,000" comment when their ground only holds 20,000 and when he says they've got plenty of empty seats when I'm fairly sure I remember their ticket uptake for each game being right up there with us, not to mention the fact that they're desperate to build a new stadium to fulfill ticket demands. he's not too far out though, pompey is a canny little town and the supporters are quite good, but they [and Southampton] aren't that substantial in numbers to sustain being a top club. Without serious cash injections they will possibly bomb when Redknapp calls it a day. Building a new stadium will be nice but so far as numbers go I don't see any point in them building a stadium bigger than about 35000 at the most, and thats being generous. Crouch, being British, will know this. The only way he would prefer pompey to us IMO is because he's played for Redknapp before. None of that changes the fact that what he posted was essentially bollocks, like, even if it fits your agenda. That aside, I do hope we're still capable of attracting players like Crouch here ahead of clubs like Portsmouth, and I certainly don't buy into the thought that there's "no chance" a player would ever come here now ahead of their like (Villa, Spurs, Everton, etc.) even if all things were equal (wages, transfer fees, etc.) I just think for Crouch, personally, we'd be behind Pompey if it came to the crunch. On top of Redknapp, they've just won the FA Cup, finished top 8 and are in the UEFA Cup and they might be able to offer more wages than us these days, rightly or wrongly. How do you come to the conclusion it's bollocks? I sincerely believe that good English players would prefer us over Pompey despite their recent success. There are good reasons for believing it despite the fact I said their piddly little ground holds 25,000 instead of 20,000. That's missing the point. It might be that Gaydamak might offer more money as a sweetener, but all things being equal I don't see why a player wouldn't thill to the idea of being in a Newcastle team led by the legendary Kevin Keegan rather than Droop Doggy Dogg. Portsmouth have done well but they are like Blackburn under Jack Walker. A small club punching above their weight at the moment, but it will only last as long as their chairman keeps ploughing in the cash. One iffy season and how long will that continue? How can you argue that stating they "can't even fill a 25,000 stadium" (sic) when their capacity is only 20,000 isn't bollocks? Or that you intimating that they have loads of empty seats, when they have an average PL attendance of upwards of 96% of their capacity isn't bollocks? That was what that bit was all about, putting the arrogance of your tone aside... But I'm not arguing over whether their stadium is 20,000 or 25,000 capacity. It was a rough guess which isn't really the gist of my point in any case so if you want to call it bollocks fine, it's bollocks about small detail. I won't be too disappointed if any of those players end up at Pompey because I'm not too keen on any of them tbh. Good luck to them if they go there. Doesn't change the fact that when he was interviewed for the job at Newcastle, it was generally regarded as Redknapp's last shot at a big club. It wasn't me reporting it that way at the time. Maybe they were all talking bollocks as well.

Can't possibly be us then. According to some on here we are a joke club that figure behind, Blackburn, Portsmouth, Everton and so many other far more important teams.

or it could just be paper talk...being in the papers and all..

Anyone who thinks this is a ragbag club with an over the hill manager should probably join Crouch at Portsmouth. There's a nice lttle club with shed for a ground that can easily accomodate a few more supporters. Plus they've got a jowelly faced cunt for a manager whose wife tells him where he can work I believe in my club, but the people saying only a mug would choose Pompey over us are deluded, tbh. Aye, especially when their posts are less than accurate when it comes to facts... what facts are those Not referring to you, mate. Hence why you weren't in that quote list. TRon's "25,000" comment when their ground only holds 20,000 and when he says they've got plenty of empty seats when I'm fairly sure I remember their ticket uptake for each game being right up there with us, not to mention the fact that they're desperate to build a new stadium to fulfill ticket demands. he's not too far out though, pompey is a canny little town and the supporters are quite good, but they [and Southampton] aren't that substantial in numbers to sustain being a top club. Without serious cash injections they will possibly bomb when Redknapp calls it a day. Building a new stadium will be nice but so far as numbers go I don't see any point in them building a stadium bigger than about 35000 at the most, and thats being generous. Crouch, being British, will know this. The only way he would prefer pompey to us IMO is because he's played for Redknapp before. None of that changes the fact that what he posted was essentially bollocks, like, even if it fits your agenda. That aside, I do hope we're still capable of attracting players like Crouch here ahead of clubs like Portsmouth, and I certainly don't buy into the thought that there's "no chance" a player would ever come here now ahead of their like (Villa, Spurs, Everton, etc.) even if all things were equal (wages, transfer fees, etc.) I just think for Crouch, personally, we'd be behind Pompey if it came to the crunch. On top of Redknapp, they've just won the FA Cup, finished top 8 and are in the UEFA Cup and they might be able to offer more wages than us these days, rightly or wrongly. How do you come to the conclusion it's bollocks? I sincerely believe that good English players would prefer us over Pompey despite their recent success. There are good reasons for believing it despite the fact I said their piddly little ground holds 25,000 instead of 20,000. That's missing the point. It might be that Gaydamak might offer more money as a sweetener, but all things being equal I don't see why a player wouldn't thill to the idea of being in a Newcastle team led by the legendary Kevin Keegan rather than Droop Doggy Dogg. Portsmouth have done well but they are like Blackburn under Jack Walker. A small club punching above their weight at the moment, but it will only last as long as their chairman keeps ploughing in the cash. One iffy season and how long will that continue?

Anyone who thinks this is a ragbag club with an over the hill manager should probably join Crouch at Portsmouth. There's a nice lttle club with shed for a ground that can easily accomodate a few more supporters. Plus they've got a jowelly faced cunt for a manager whose wife tells him where he can work

If they went to Scotland thy couldn't play in the most exciting league in the world, so a slightly misleading comparison. I don't have any axe to grind about Portsmouth, as I've said, it's a lovely place. Miles better for sun sand and sea than Newcastle. As a football club though, it's still a small club with a ramshackle stadium and no support. Although they've had a decent season obviously.

Disagree completely, i think he will chose us, and i think Crouch/Matins, Crouch/Owen, is a much better partnership than Crouch/Defoe. I think Defoe is very average in terms of premiership quality, his misses on Wednesday highlighted his 'head down and hit it' approach to finishing. KK would be a positive for Crouch as too would Redknapp, but i think he longs to be idolised and he could/would get that in the bucketload here. We are still a big draw don't forget that. The majority of home grown players want to play here We'll see. Crouch's recent comment about the SJP crowd being "vicious" probably aren't in our favour, neither is the fact that Portsmouth are in Europe and that they can match us for wages these days. He's been at Pompey before and left on good terms, from what I recall, and in all honesty they're a lot further along the line than we are in terms of their squad or "plan", for want of a better word. I'd be very pleasantly surprised if he came here, all things being equal (wages offered, etc.) Having played for a real football club at Liverpool, it would seem a strange decision to go to a club like Portsmouth which can barely get 25,000 supporters into a tatty stadium. If Crouch would prefer to go there than that's the best place for him I'd say.

Sums it up for me. While it's correctly being pointed out that he's under-rated for his work with the ball at his feet, it's also true that because he's so tall it's assumed he's good in the air. I don't think he is particularly. We do need a target man, but one who is physically dominating enough to lead the line. I'm not convinced he is.

I think Michael "The Midget" Owen is better with his head tbh.

He probably still is. You are aware of his WAG, yes? Google 'Abigail Clancy', try not to cream on your monitor. I know who she is but who's to say Crouch is getting his leg over? Wasn't some brickie looking after that side of it when Crouch was at the World Cup?

He probably still is.

I would have thought he's beyond Pompey's wage structure, but they do seem to be spending big money on players which are usually beyond a club with a limited fan base. Maybe the owner is doing a Ridsdale and planning on mortgaging the club to oblivion.

He's so shit that booting him out of the first team actually saved us from relegation. Let's never forget that.

Duff also has an executive box at Newcastle. Let's hope it's not a problem though. In his case I'm quite happy to sell BEFORE a replacement is lined up. why would he need an executive box when hes Supposedly on the pitch playing? I think you answered your own question.

Duff also has an executive box at Newcastle. Let's hope it's not a problem though. In his case I'm quite happy to sell BEFORE a replacement is lined up.

The thing about Fat Fred is he looked to have dropped a few lbs in his latter days at Newcastle. His belt tightening could be used as an analogy for us looking at players of Diane's calibre. In fact as people lose weight, their ears if large enough, also become more prominent which could lead us to further bring comparisons with another former chairman, Gordon McKeag.

They have a better team, have just won the FA Cup and are in Europe. There's plenty of legit reasons to join them over Newcastle. In fact, Newcastle's advantages are all non-sporting ones- more cash, more fans, better stadium. Look it's not me calling Portsmouth a shitehole. As far as I'm concerned, it's a lovely place to retire. Everton...now there's a shitehole...

distin didn't I think he fits into the "unambitious...prefer the climate" category.