Mick

Shut up, Sky Boy.

Agree with this, judging by our business so far and who we're rumoured to be after it doesn't look as if there is that much to spend or at least no where near as much as people expect. Barring Deco we've not been linked with any big money moves, people will argue that it is still early in the window, however Allardyce himself said he wanted to have the majority of our transfers sorted by the time the season begins. I'm not complaining about the situation, just trying to keep things in perspective, the takeover has put the club in a much better position than we were in. Mort has already sounded out the debt as one major problem that has to be addressed and this is reassuring, it seems things were getting out of hand under the old board. However purely from what I've seen so far it doesn't look as if we're going to be spending on the scale some other clubs have or will be doing this summer. I'm sure Allardyce will have been informed of what he has available to him and it seems by looking at deals like this he's concentrating whatever is available to him on the defense. It would be interesting to know exactly how much this debt is or was. A few people have blamed it on the ground extension but I can't see it being that as we borrowed something like £44 million which was repayable over 17 years, I think.

I was out one day and this bandwagon came along so I thought why not and just climbed aboard. It's not everyday you see one, the last one had Keegan's name on it.

If you have massive amounts of cash then you can dress any way you want without worrying too much what others think, that's not me speaking from experience.

Good idea, if you're banned pay to get back on earlier.

No, not at all. I am however sayig that sucess in future is not necessarily down to only Shepherd, as this time he is not doing the appointing, and then the follow up backing and sacking on his own. The previous two managerial reigns are all his however, he can take full credit for those if you like. of course, along with the first time in over 50 years that NUFC had finished in the top 5 for 3 consecutive seasons with Bobby Robson as manager, but don't try to change history if it doesn't suit you If Ashley doesn't back his managers any more than the Halls and Shepherd did, and we are successful, what does that tell you ? FWIW, I have wanted Allardyce since Bobby Robson left, and so I think he will be successful whoever the chairman and owner is. Obviously if Ashley throws money at the club, he has a better chance, but I wouldn't bank on that, you shouldn't expect him to. Its far from clear tonight what sort of money Ashley will invest but we will know soon, especially if we have an offer accepted for Deco which i hope we are working on. Ashley has invested very little apart from the money spent to buy the club, not that it makes the slightest difference because I already think we have a much more professional club and look forward to a new season for the first time in years. Spending well is much better than spending big, I get the feeling that our current setup will get more out of any money they spend.

NE5, your vote of confidence is a bit like the kiss of death, you backed Souness althought you later denied it and you backed Roeder, two failures. Throw Shepherd into the post and you don't have a very good track-reacord, do you? Just copy whatever I post and you'll be OK.

Actually, that's quite a good idea, the person donating the most gets to ban Vic, that's a sure earner for the site.

Do I take it that you've always wanted to do it and are surprised that it hasn't been asked before?

Shocking actions by a football club, I'll give Shepherd credit for taking whatever came his way and I can't ever remember him complaining.

Eto'o was playing with himself when talking about our crowd when he came here a few years ago, I wouldn't be surprised if he came here. He was at Barca yet still banged on about how good the astmosphere was at St James', never say never.

Plenty go to corporates so it's possible if you know somebody who is in that circle.

If I was a defender and had to pick one of them as a partner I'd chose Terry, if I was a forward and had to go up against one of them I'd chose Ferdinand. That doesn't make me right but I know which one I'd prefer.

Things must be getting bad if he's world class, I'd have Terry ahead of Ferdinand 9.999 times out of 10.

I don't want to sound like a broken record but I'd love to see us match the Man U bid for Tevez but offer the cash up front instead of a two year loan and an option to buy for £10 million later as rumoured. I don't see the point in going for Raul or Deco who are both untried over here. They are two clever players but I would question what they were coming here for if we did get one of them. I would be less worried if they were coming for European football but that isn't the case with us this year, we really need to think why would they come here.

No link? Thought not. Anyway :sleepy2: :sleepy2: :sleepy1::sleepy1::sleepy1::sleepy1: :sleepy2: :sleepy2: :sleepy2: :sleepy1::sleepy1::sleepy1::sleepy1: :sleepy2:

Are you on about when Drogba moved the free-kick from a crossing position into a shooting position and then curled it into the top corner to put us out of the cup. I was more annoyed that our own players just let him to do it than anything else, we had more than matched them the whole game. I thought he meant the semi when Sir Bobby took us to Wembley.

When have I ever said "that qualifying for europe regularly and buying major international footballers is the same as qualifying for europe 4 times in 30 years and selling all your best players in the process, is just the same?" A link would be good as then you would be able to prove this rubbish that you keep spouting, if not then I'll accept the non appearance of a link as your admission that you're lying yet again, something which you're well known for doing. Your question about Allardyce has been answered, do you have problems with your eyesight or is it a memory problem that you have?

The ousted board did raise expectations, it would be stupid to say that they didn't, they had also lowered them by the time they left. A lot of people were actually expecting relegation as times. Why do you feel the need to keep banging on about the "old board" the one you told us we could do a lot worse than?

A 'fixture list' is the same as a 'list of fixtures' I guess. Best not to. I'm not sure that it would be a fixture list, more like an advert for Sky I would have thought.

I've always been against play-off games and always will be, I don't see why you should have to play for anything when you've already been through a season to reach whatever position you finish in.

we're still in the first week of July and Allardyce has already equalled the number of players who came in before the transfer window closed last year, excellent stuff.

I agree with Solano being a better outlet but I'm still over the moon about Milner, he's been kicked in the bollocks by our last 2 managers yet he was one of our better players last season, that after driving down to Birmingham to sign for Villa anly to be called back at the last minute. He's got a lot of promise and he always gives 100%, no matter what shit seems to be thrown in his direction, he's still learning so will only get better.

I know what you mean, the empty seats for a team who qualified for Europe still boils my piss, I just hope we've all learned something from that and I think we have. It has been an expensive way to learn a lesson though.

People wanting better than we've got shouldn't be seen as a problem, I'm sure Allardyce wants the same, I'm sure he'll want better but he's getting the best that he can for now and will probably get better player as and when they become available. That’s what the fans want and I’m sure you’re the same. I don’t see wanting better as being a problem, it’s the only way to move forward.