Numbers

This would have fitted nicely in that Alan Pardew thread down there.

'Exclusives', in the form of 'access' to playing and coaching staff. As s**** as most of it is (most player 'interviews' also come from Comms team), it sells. People will always want to read this kind of stuff, what the players and managers are thinking after/in the run up to games. It's as good as a monopoly for NCJ in the region. Journal, Chronicle, Sunday Sun all NCJ... The papers can't print quotes without club sign off - so cut out the middle man (i.e. the player). Remember when Santon signed and said "I never saw a Mackem in Milan!" Christ, it's all so contrived - how don't people see through it? Very little of what NCJ reports is 'journalism', however you define journalism these days... and most of the information that they report (print would be more fitting) on a daily basis, if not all is spoon-fed to them by the in-house PR team at the club. The 'direct line' between Oliver and Shepherd (that Ryder told me personally about) now exists between the communications (PR) team at the club and Douglas/Ryder. Ryder's own views are limited to his blog and webchats. NCJ cannot afford to bite the hand that feeds - and instead works as a sounding board for the club's agenda. As you may have already guessed, every press statement (including Llambias') from the club is written by Wendy Taylor and co. approved at boardroom level, and distributed to the press. I've been advised by a national tabloid sports journalist that they couldn't report such a story without some form of recording. Hardly the scandal of the century now, is it? Every sports desk at a local rag is utterly beholden to the Premier League club(s) that they report on. Only reason I'm talking about the maligned local press is because they would never report a 'scandal' in a full-blooded manner. What I find scandalous is the club having a targeted ROI on players. What you're saying about holding onto him until the summer makes no sense, surely if what you're saying is true and the club do want to make a nice mark up on players January is the time to cash in. Don't know how long this secret scheme can run like, you're onto them already. I personally think you're f***ing micey.

Have you got a direct line to Derek? The target is to make a 300% profit within 36 months of the player signing for the club. £20m presents a 478% profit - they may wish to maximise that figure by waiting until the summer. Tough one to call - but the 300% 'rule' is in place. Are you serious?

Would he cut the mustard? That's the big problem, it has been the sauce of much concern. Pardew knows if he gets it wrong he'll come in for some condementnation Encore

Put the fucking ball in the box man, stop fucking around with it.

Had nowt to do.

Can't understand for the life of me why he brough Shola and his lazy skills on.

Not ready yet by a long shot, looks lost when he comes on.

Looked good today.

Missed a few chances, nowt clear cut, was clear they came for the draw. Not the end of the world more the start of a new unbeaten run.

Was thinking exactly the same.

Exactly. What good is pace when you stop running, let the opposition player catch up and start doing step overs. Maybe he's trained with Cronaldo too long..? It's frustrating, we get the ball out to him and the attack just fizzles out because he is standing in the corner making the grass dizzy with infinite stepovers.

I've watched Swansea have so much possesion in their games ive seen, but fuck me they can't get a sniff of the ball. AARGH THAT MUSIC DER DER DER DER DER DE DE DE DER ...

Ba is fucking quality like, how the fuck did he get some of those shots away.

Getting boring this now like.

Thought i had clicked the wrong thread...

Fuckin Stoke... spat their dummies out because we used their towels.. -20 points deduction for blatent cuntery should suffice.

Look at Crouch man, you couldn't bend wire that shape.

Another wank display from a ref today...shockingly shit.

Ref has been terrible...

Stoke fans are repulsive.

As someone has already said, they struggled to beat a poor Blackburn team...papering the cracks.

Why did they sit back and try to hold it in the second half, Sunderland are a dreadful team they could have took them tbh.

Fuck off dehlia.

Comedy defending.