Mick

We've had absolutely no hope for so long it's ridiculous.

He'll get all the time he needs here and few fans will side with players over the manager unless the manager is a fraud like Pardew.

2pm.

He sounds just like the manager we've been wanting for a long time, the fans could see it but the club couldn't.

We've appointed a new manager and our complaints are the scarf and Wonga, that's progress.

Based on the lift everybody at the club's had and based on having a manager who will have the players ready for the game.

He will be given time here, we get tarred and feathered as not liking any managers but that's not true we don't like bluffers and shite managers. Good managers get time and it will be no different for Benitez, he will love it here. As you've probably noticed, the whole place has been given a lift and that goes beyond this forum. People who don't normally bother with football are talking about us getting Rafa. I think the club has changed since Pardew left and it's changed for the better, I think Benitez will get all of the backing he needs to be successful here and I think the fans will see any progress as success. We don't expect trophies, few clubs could go almost 50 years and still get the support that we get. If anything our support has probably been one of our problems because too many have accepted shite for too long. Anyway, that's all in the past and we're hopefully going to turn the corner and we can start to enjoy our football again, Benitez will be idolised by getting the basics right because we aren't even used to that. Our players aren't as bad as our league position suggests, they're totally unmotivated and I think that changed yesterday. I would guess that the whole club will gain a new level of motivation and it's going to be brilliant seeing and hearing a Newcastle crowd who are no longer apathetic.

It isn't the hope that kills it's having no hope that kills.

We could easily spend that amount again if/when we stay up.

Ashley already has changed, we've spent just under £80 million in a year and we've appointed our first manager on merit since Keegan came in. As for sexy football, who gives a shit? Surely the only thing we need is effective football and I'm sure we now have a very good chance of seeing that.

I've got no nerves at all, we'll not lose the game and I expect us to win.

We don't know what our current midfielders are capable of when working under a good manager, I think some of them may surprise us over the next few weeks.

We've spent the best part of £80 million to go backwards, spending the same to go forwards would be a no brainer. Charnley, Carr and Moncur have all screwed up and put their easy jobs at risk, screwing a good manager doesn't make sense and they will know that. I'll almost guarantee our defence is sorted in the summer if we do stay up. We'll not be buying more midfielders while we can't score or keep a clean sheet. Benitez is their potential get out of jail card and they'll know it so self preservation will tell them to back the manager.

We have a few players out on loan who would make a difference if they were still here, especially Armstrong.

From the club statement: "Newcastle United is delighted to announce the appointment of Rafa Benitez as the Club's new manager"

I'm sure he's clever enough to have had assurances about where he stands, even the job title suggests that he's covered everything from his point of view.

No point worrying about something that might not happen.

Racist.

We woke up this morning and McClaren was our manager, we'll go to bed tonight and Benitez is our manager, life doesn't get any better than that.

For what it's worth, I can't see him legging it if we go down, I think that's just a safety net in case things were so bad that his position became untenable and I think it's a safety net which suits both him and the club.

That's a good watch if anybody has missed it.

That's so defeatist, if you go for that type of manager you'll always be fighting to avoid relegation because that type of manager is that type for a reason.

That was possibly my highlight from today, a day of many highlights. It was like him quietly walking into a meeting, saying nothing and just hammering his fist into the table. He's told them straight away that he's here and he means business.

I thought Dummett was out for a month?

Why do you want a blue, green and white square as an avatar?