Mick

What is even more amazing is that we've had 40% of that list here, plus the two 2J's posted.

I'm not sure if we will, this season will be seen as a failure within St James', I'm sure of that. I'm not sure it has been a failure though, I think the club has now been stabilised and we are in a hell of a position to move on from although I think we might have a surprise or two before the new season comes along. For most part the football has been shit, away from that and we've had an amazing 12 months. It looks more worthy of a book than a DVD.

I'm selfish when it comes to football but I'd love us to win something for him more than I'd want us to win something for me, I felt the same way about Bobby, I think they both wanted to win something more than I did as I was just happy with the football we played. In years to come it will be how they are both judged, we see that now with Keegan. Some people don't rate him as highly because he didn't win anything major. Keegan needs to win something before he's held in as high regard as some of us hold him, at least Bobby had won things before as manager, and Keegan hasn't, yet.

We only needed to turn draws in to wins to have made that a very good season and we almost did finish 4th. Only bringing in Bowyer shouldn't be under-estimated, especially after the CL disappointment. As for that terrible season, I'd swap it with any we've had since.

I thought that almost at the same time as pressing the post button as I couldn't imagine David Fairclough spawning anything that could be described as lovely.

If you could make a perfect manager for us you would probably come up with Keegan except he'd go one stage further than he has in the past and bring us a trophy.

I think he was the original "Super Sub" and probably still the most effective ever that I can think of.

David Fairclough?

I could have rambled but I didn't. I actually met him when he was here as a player. I was in awe of the bloke and was worried that I wouldn't know what to say to him but within a fraction of a second he'd put me at ease and it was if he was my best mate who I had known all of my life. We were talking for probably 5 minutes but it felt as if it went on for hours in some respects but in others if felt like it was over in a flash, I still can't work that one out.

David Fairclough above Beardsley, Terry McDermott and Ray Kennedy.

A few weeks ago I couldn't wait for the season to finish and would have been happy to see it ended at any time during the last 8 weeks, now I can't wait for next season.

You're right about the way the older generation feel about Keegan. He was twice European player of the year and captain of England yet he came to our shitty club to finish his playing career. He was possibly not the player he was in his prime but he gave us 110% when he could have been looking to take it easy, that 110% has been maintained both times he’s been here as manager. He did anything but take it easy, he put everything into those 2 seasons and lifted this club from a club that was going nowhere to a club that could once again return to the top league, we gave him a testimonial and he gave the cash raised from the full house against Liverpool to the club, he did that for us, the fans. He came back as manager when we were probably at our lowest ever and according to some, could have gone out of business. He didn't only match what he did as a player, he pissed all over what he had done before. He left us with the 2nd best team in the Premiership, I doubt anybody could have guessed what he would do here as manager. I couldn't give a shit what happen this time, Keegan will never be seen as a failure at this club, the bloke bleeds black and white as much as any of us, possibly more so considering we turn up once or twice a week, it's his life. This nutty club and nutty manager were made for each other and I don't know how that happened, nor do I care.

Leave him alone, he's just making up for you who will still be worried we'll go down if we pick up anything less than a win on Monday.

We might next season if we go back to 4-4-2 which I think Keegan will do if he can get the players in that he's after.

He was class, he was taken to Liverpool to replace Keegan which I didn't think he could do but he did it, Scottish football produced some very good players back then but I can't think of any better than him.

Souness narrowed our pitch when he was here.

You're right about us missing some quality and leadership at centre half but we've proven recently that you can get away with that if you can keep the pressure off the defence. Getting the midfield right will do as much for the defence as it will for the rest of the team, replacing Butt with somebody who can actually find his own team mates with the ball will help in that respect. Of the 4 teams you mention, I’m not too concerned about them if we get our game right, Spurs and Man City don’t usually have the stamina to put a full season together, Spurs are more likely to win a cup than do well in the league. Man City is possibly going to press the self destruct button, Everton and Villa may do well but none of us know for sure how either will do at this stage.

I think we're 3 players away from having a good go at top 4, I'm not saying we can get the players that we need but if we do then we can manage it. Two quality midfielders and a quality replacement for Viduka and we could have a good go at the top 4 but we'll have to see who we bring in first. Our current team could probably push top 8 over a season with Keegan picking the team.

It's far too early to even guess, if we get the right players in then we could push towards the top because we don't have Europe to worry about like some of the others, I'm almost certain that we'll do a lot better than this season. Bring the bastard on.

Here's one. http://oatcakefanzine.proboards27.com/index.cgi

It hasn't gone up much recently but £305,417.39 isn't too bad. A bit more news about the charity dinner Greg mentioned: I am hosting a Celebrity Sports Dinner on Friday 9th May at St James' Park which will be a great evening and a way of showing your support to The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. Everyone is welcome. It will be a great night. Special guests include Bobby Davro, Sir Bobby Charlton, Steve McLaren, Stuart Pearce, Bryan Robson, Alan Shearer, Chairmen and Managers from Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough and many many many more.... Anyone interested, contact Newcastle United on 0191 2018525 - £75 per person

I was sitting in the middle of them, they were horrible that day.

I'm not sure, you'll only change your mind later anyway.

That'll tie in with "So I paid £140m for the club with the expectation that there was a debt of £70m. Actually it was around £100m so there was suddenly an extra £30m to find. But I just thought: 'Shut up about it'. I'm a big boy and I didn't cry."