Elma

Probably be enough to resolve any clash with Spurs, Swansea, Brighton, Huddersfield, Stoke, Soton perhaps even WBA. Only really Bournemouth might require a third kit. In saying that, I agree that having a markedly different kit is better. Yellow always a favourite of mine.

Mr Real Geordie forgetting that lesbians absolutely love football. There are also many male gay teams around the country and a gay football supporters network with NUFC fans as members.

Noticed that. Rafa always said April would be decisive for us. Their six in April (and maybe even the last game against Wolves if they finally get their shit together) look tough. Not sure I can see them winning close on 30 games, although a lot can change between now and the start of the season. Will be watching their first game with increased interest considering we've just been down there and know the teams/standard a little better now.

We got five from those four games last year. Should have been at least seven. Think they've got Barnsley away after that too.

That Wolves fan got his wish

That's not it - it's blue from a good source! Looks a mock-up. Why would they change the letter sizing on the sponsor between home and away? That sponsor matches the time they sponsored Burnley so probably nicked from there and photoshopped.

Great bunch of lads

They had the official home kit without sponsor in Bangkok Airport when I passed through over Xmas. Got a pic of it somewhere.

Don't think I'll ever buy another. Am in my 40's and get to about 2 games a year as I live abroad. The only time I'd wear a shirt is for the match and I've got the Brown Ale 80 Year Celebration shirt from Toffs to cover that (actually might buy another of theirs as I love the Bukta 76-77 away kit - that one I could wear more generally). The only exception might be if we got to a cup final.

Had one of his better games against Barnsley. If he stays he shouldn't play more than ten games next year, ideally most of them in the early rounds of the cups.

I don't mind a patch on the back (either black with white numbers or white with red numbers). To make it work though the patch needs to be just bigger than the number, and to come with the number rather than being part of the shirt - so people can choose whether they want a number or not. I remember cutting a black patch for my Asics home shirt in the early nineties, stitching it on, and then buying white letters and numbers for it. Had Rob Lee 7 on the back as per the below: https://www.classicfootballshirts.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/0dc2d03fe217f8c83829496872af24a0/n/e/newcastle-93-home-mw-star-lee.jpg Red takes me back to this: http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/football-1974-fa-cup-final-wembley-stadium-4th-may-news-photo/79021371?esource=SEO_GIS_CDN_Redirect#football-1974-fa-cup-final-wembley-stadium-4th-may-liverpool-3-v-0-picture-id79021371

Nice kit. Like the red numbers as that's what we had when I was going as a kid in the early eighties. The only thing I'd say (ignoring the sponsor size - don't think we can complain about that if the estimates of the deal are anywhere near being true), is that I prefer thicker stripes and more white than black. I actually think this year's kit is the best we've had under Puma and with a different sponsor would have been perfect. Like the hooped socks too. In fact, I like all three of this years. Awaiting the new away and 3rd now hoping it's going to be something like maroon/blue or yellow/green but whichever, simple designs. My favourite recent change shirt before this year was the 'lucky' Brazil effort from 2013/14.

I'm in Turkey. What's this Wikipedia you speak of...?

Why should we forget about them? They've been our rivals for 125 years! The going down, going up song has been tremendous for the past few games but other than that they don't really get sung enough that much. Rivalry is one of the things that makes football what it is and what sets it apart from other sports. I find it staggering how many people on here don"t understand that. I'll take great delight if they struggle badly next season and get turned over by Burton Albion. If that offends you then tough sh*t. Agree about the banner/plane fwiw. I agree about rivalry being important in football and all that. But to me I'd rather focus on or season of achievement then theirs of plight. We can have endless amounts of laughs after this summer if we still have Rafa, he's been backed and they're struggling in the Chanpionship No reason why we can't do both. We've had a great season and their demise has been the icing on the cake. Cake with icing made of mackem tears. Delightful. ....and a Boro cherry. Dare we wish for some Palace flavoured ice-cream to go with it?

Wouldn't agree with the first part but then at 42 I've been through about 35 seasons. The bit in bold is why I went for a four over a three, which was my initial reaction.

Not sure I'd keep Krul like. Not followed his form much since on loan but thought he hadn't played much? You need three keepers so if Woodman is to come through, is Krul that much better than Elliott or Darlow? He wasnt the year he got injured. I'd argue Elliott was better after he came in. Sels to go obviously.

They won't, but I still see three wins as the target. That would put us on 93 points meaning Huddersfield would have to win all remaining games to surpass that. Funnily enough, the 'easy' run in that both Brighton and Huddersfield were supposed to have doesn't look so easy now (to me anyway). Brighton have to go to both Norwich and Villa, as well as Wolves who are on a great run. In fact, Brighton only have two home games left, one of which is Bristol City who are fighting for their lives. Huddersfield have to go to both Wolves and Derby (both of whom are now also in great form) as well as Preston and Fulham at home. Our next two are difficult on paper, but after that, three from the last four are against sides with absolutely nothing to play for.

Is exactly what the banner should say. Yes please Good shout. Might be too long though...?

Spot on.

The way I see it, win on Saturday and it takes us to 80 points with 9 to play. Even dropping to a two points per game average (over what is essentially, a middling group of fixtures) would leave us on 98 points. Although I think the total required for promotion may be slightly over 90 this year, it would take a miracle to stop us on 98. If Huddersfield won every single game of their remaining 11, they would finish on 101. So basically, with our goal difference they could afford one draw. Just got to keep our heads down and keep going as we are. Personally I think promotion will be confirmed at home to Preston (and I'm a glass half empty person).

Think it's just the one defeat against Blackburn wearing it ? Wonder if it'll get the same cult status as the two tone yellow kit the last time we went up.... f***ing love that kit !!!! ....... Fancy another 2-1/3-1 tonight but would take a point Love all three kits this year. The third is probably the weakest but gets the least exposure anyway. If we do go up they would have made a good trio for record shirt sales with a new sponsor - doubt Puma will better them next year. A point good enough tonight. Keeps us effectively more than a win ahead of Brighton and more than two ahead of Huddersfield, what with our goal difference. A win would just round off a great week.

Can't disagree with that. 50m should be enough for a solid season.

A fit Andy Carroll yes, but he's even older than Sturridge and his recent injury record is even worse, I think? Interesting though that our injury record (to date) seems to have significantly improved under Rafa - only really Gayle's hamstring and perennial sick note Aarons have impacted the season. Anita had an impact injury but returned as quickly (if not quicker) than expected and no real significant training ground injuries.

I think we'd stay up with less than that (provided Rafa stays), but would hope we spend at least 70 million to give us a chance of comfortable mid-table.

Since the start of the season I've had a sneaky suspicion Sturridge will join next year. Whether it happens will depend upon whether 28 (just after season starts) will be considered too old for Mike and Lee, and whether NUFC think they can improve/manage his injury record. It's just I think Liverpool will be shifting him on, and he's exactly the sort of player Rafa likes - lots of pace to get in behind, good on the ball, and gets a fair few headers for his size (18% of all goals). If we don't go for him, it will be someone like him from abroad. Can't see Mitrovic still being here. Gayle will be used more sparingly but still has lots to offer. Elsewhere, it's probably worth pointing out that last year we were unlucky to drop on 37 points. SMc had a points average of 0.85 points per game. Rafa had 1.3 points per game (49 points over a season which would have had us in 11th, between Chelsea and Everton). If you exclude the first four (three away and home derby) when he was still trying to organise them, the ratio jumps to 1.86 points per game, a run which included games against Liverpool, Man City and Spurs. The point of this is to flag that the following back five played a considerable part in that - Darlow, Anita, Lascelles, Mbemba, Dummett. Now we've swapped Clark for Mbemba but Mbemba is still on the books and we could still field that defence. Yedlin has replaced Jaanmaat. In front, Shelvey was used as a sub more than not, but Colback and Tiote became the preferred two. Again, not a million miles away from where we are now. Shelvey's game has improved under Rafa, Hayden is a solid addition, and Tiote no loss. I'd like to see us sign a beast of holding midfielder with decent distribution though. In front of them it's a little more tricky. We were using Townsend, Sissoko and Wijnaldum, all of whom have gone. I would say we need a replacement in the number 10 role for Wijnaldum. We have Diame in that position but we need an upgrade there. I wouldn't be surprised to see Townsend come back, but we now also have Ritchie who is one of the few players who I have no doubts about in the Prem. Gouffran will probably be let go, but I don't think Sissoko is a huge miss. I don't think we'll retain Atsu so we'll need someone wide left. Up top we were playing Cisse. For me, Gayle is an upgrade there but as per the opening paragraph we need a proven premiership quality striker, maybe two. Where this is going is that we still have 6-7 of a side that did remarkably well under Rafa in the Prem in the last six games, and I don't think we are significantly weaker man for man. The mackems may shout that we were s*** and Rafa relegated us, but we were relegated by SMc and a chronic lack of action from the board. If Rafa had had two more games we'd have been fine. Therefore, to say our current squad would be immediately relegated is miles away from reality. The collective improvement from solid coaching and a decent shape count for more than the individual quality of each player. Look at Burnley? Comfortable this year and with no better a squad than us. In summary, we need a quality centre-half (as Hanley and/or Mbemba will be off), a right-back if Anita is released, a quality left-back as an upgrade on Dummett, a holding midfielder, left winger necessity, right winger "nice-to-have", and at least one striker, two if Mitro goes. Sounds like a lot but will allow us to release 5 or 6 and players like Dummett will drop into the squad as cover. I actually think the current side would just about survive under Rafa - the above is to get us comfortably into mid-table rather than fighting a relegation scrap.