afar

This makes what Villa and Everton did last year all the more impressive and in Everton's case over a number of year. They've both been relatively successful despite the quality of their squads. For me that's down to two excellent managers.

I will never hold him is as high esteem as KK for what he's done for this club and there were times when I was totally against some of his decsion making, the dropping of KK from the England team and the sale of Nobby are just 2 examples that spring to mind. But he's a very special man, with a deep love of the game and Newcastle in particualr, he gave us back the pride which had been lost when KK left. He deserved a better end at the club than he got. One of the most deserving knighthoods ever given out IMO. Just a thoroughly decent human being, who stuck to fingers up at the press, for what he achieved in the game after the abuse he got as England manager. Will be a simply awful day for football when the light goes out on his life.

I'm am absolutely gobsmacked by this. How the hell people can jusify this on the basis that he's better than Smith or Ameobi (which in my mind is actually debateable) is beyond me. Healy ticks none of the boxes, he's too old, never done it at club level as one of the NI lads mentions, he's not the big strong un that we need. Hopefully Anal is just talking out of his arse again and there's nothing in this, because if we are looking at a player who couldn't get a game for a club who were within 10 mins or so of being relegated last season, then god help us.

But then what would we have to measure crapdom by ? "Is player xyz worse than Smith ?"

About 90% sports in the Olympics are professional these days. The Olympics is about being the best, and the best sportsmen are proffessional. Can't say I follow athletics at all, is that all professional at this point? I assume so. I've no problem with that being contested by Pros, because the Olympics is the pinnacle of their sports. Soccer, Basketball, Tennis it's just another event to them, much smaller than say a Grand Slam in tennis or a Championship in basketball or soccer. I think it somewhat devalues the Olympics. While some guys are breaking their arse for 4 years to win a medal, others just take a couple of weeks off from their multi-million pound day jobs to show up and fart about for a couple of weeks on a thrown together team and then they win a medal themselves. Athletics is complete professional now, has been for a number of years now.

Hopefully they'll find out.

It's true what they say about people from Liverpool. They're all natural comedians: - Wow after hearing all that, what the hell are we doing contemplating selling this guy, sounds like an absolute monster

LOL

I kind of like the Ashleyite term, I mean it in jest that's all, it doesn't embarrass me in the slightest, I would quite happily accept a Keaganite badge, cos I absolutely love the guy. I would even have adopted a Brambleite badge in the past as I was one of the few dumbasses to continually back him, see how stupid I can be Ashley's not stupid, in fact he's apparently very sharp, he'll know the value of Smith, that's why I believe it's KK that is probably the one reluctant to sell.

Well if they do, an unfortunately, I firmly believe they will reject any approach Then as far as I'm concerned, they will get no sympathy from me if they continue to bleet on about how big our wage bill is. Who is 'they'? Decent point, that needs a reply from me. First they are Ashley but under KK instructions possibly against Ashley's wishes but he doesn't want to look like he's undermining his manager. And I would agree with Ashley's stance to a certain degree as he wouldn't want to loose a good manager over Smith. 2nd & 3rd "they", I knew you or one of your flock would pick up on this, obviously the board or whomever is sending signals that we were in a financial mess and want to reduce costs. I'm begging you though please don't turn this into the old board/ new board thread though. As this is nothing about that. Just me saying if the club want to make savings on the wage bill, this guy is where they should be starting. Got a link to anything that proves Ashley wants to keep Smith (and Keegan doesn't)? Can't see where that comes from at all. Got a link to anything that proves we want to reduce costs? Can only see s***-stirring journalists suggesting that. Just because they keep saying the same thing doesn't make it true. 'Signals'. I agree this is where the club should be starting, but don't forget they gave him the deal in the first place; backing the then manager who wanted him. Also agree this thread shouldn't be spoilt by the same old s***. So I'll leave it there. Jesus Christ Dave, do you fucking read ? What part of "I firmly believe" equates to "I have cast iron proof that Ashley wants shot and KK doesn't" ?? Ashley's been watching Smith all last season from a supporters point of view. He's sat in with the fans, he's surely heard the abuse and seen what a pathetic excuse for a footballer Smith has become. KK has only seen him since January and apparently hasn't kept up with football during his sabatical. He could quite possibly be under the collective illusion that alot of people in football are that Smith is merely just a little out of form and will regain that if you give him time. AS I said that's just my take on it, not fact or anything, I never stated it, words of support coming out of KK for Smith back up the idea that the club don't want to let him go. OMG, here we go with the link crap again, Mort clearly stated and the Ashleyites have been arguing all along that the club was in a mess and the wage bill is out of control. Or have I just made that up ? This has been the case for backing Ashley during this summer of inactivity. We have to get the wage bill down, we have to get the wage bill down, I've heard it a million times. Well here apparently is a golden opportunity to do just that, get rid a top earner who is also a useless fucker. I hope to god that they (Ashley and KK) don't look this gift horse in the mouth.

Roy Keane for just being a twat, hated him long before he became the Mackems Messiah. He's just an odious little cunt. I admired schmichel for his goalkeeping ability and even seemed a nice bloke when he retired and became an awful pundit but I hated they way he acted on the field, moaning cunt that he was. Practically anyone really that has pulled on that Red jersey and walked out at the Theatre of Arseholes. Something about the place turns players into arrogant pricks, perhaps it's their manager influence.

Well if they do, an unfortunately, I firmly believe they will reject any approach Then as far as I'm concerned, they will get no sympathy from me if they continue to bleet on about how big our wage bill is. Who is 'they'? Decent point, that needs a reply from me. First they are Ashley but under KK instructions possibly against Ashley's wishes but he doesn't want to look like he's undermining his manager. And I would agree with Ashley's stance to a certain degree as he wouldn't want to loose a good manager over Smith. 2nd & 3rd "they", I knew you or one of your flock would pick up on this, obviously the board or whomever is sending signals that we were in a financial mess and want to reduce costs. I'm begging you though please don't turn this into the old board/ new board thread though. As this is nothing about that. Just me saying if the club want to make savings on the wage bill, this guy is where they should be starting.

I'm not trying to be funny here but how much of problem is it to replace a forward who hasn't scored a goal and you could probably count the number of shots he's had on one hand and still have fingers to spare? Name a replacement who is available and who would come then. Smith has played a load of games on the right of midfield and in central midfield. He's got his head down and got on with it and never moaned or took the huff. He's never been in the papers for bringing the club into disrepute. He's a good honest pro who desperately needs a goal to give him a lift, you don't become a bad player over night. Absolutely spot on about him being a honest lad who hasn't caused the club any off the field problems. And no you don't become a bad player overnight, problem is though Smith has never been a good player. He got by at leeds on youthfull enthusiasm, he never progressed, never improved his game and over the last few years has steadily been in decline. Unfortunately now he's at a point where he's more of a hinderance to a prem club than a help. There are plenty of prospects we can pick up relatively cheap that would do a better job than Smith does, he's not even useful as a squad filler because we can't rely upon him and at 60k a week, rejecting any offer would be sheer madness from our point of view.

Well if they do, an unfortunately, I firmly believe they will reject any approach Then as far as I'm concerned, they will get no sympathy from me if they continue to bleet on about how big our wage bill is.

I was talking about most of the residents of Birmingham, regardless of race Of course you were. Still *looks at username* you've finally managed to find a theory more absurd than your original "we're all ruled by evil lizard overlords" one from the 80s. There must be a hell of a lot of competition in the market there then, birmingham must be the place to go for the price conscious druggie. Oh no, not you again. Aye, would you believe I'm posting on an NUFC forum, unbelievable, love ya too brummie

I was talking about most of the residents of Birmingham, regardless of race Of course you were. Still *looks at username* you've finally managed to find a theory more absurd than your original "we're all ruled by evil lizard overlords" one from the 80s. There must be a hell of a lot of competition in the market there then, birmingham must be the place to go for the price conscious druggie.

FFS read my previous post

i'd think we need 2, ideally 3 more on top of Coloccini. if it is just him and one more, i'll be a bit disappointed, especially if the other player is a back-up full-back. so hopefully after this, we're now looking at players further up the pitch. of course we could do with a substitute for Enrique but it's not a priority and we can probably wing it till January in that position. My thoughts exactly, unfortunately the pessimist inside me tells me, it's colo and a squad player, hopeful but not confident something comes off with a attack minded player.

Get in. Think that's the first time I have loved a post from you Role Model. Excellent news

Can't believe none of you sad bastards had the gumption to take a screen shot or something at the time. idiots the lot of you

I really rate Moyes as a manager but some of his transfer dealings have been a little hard to figure out. Beattie, Johnson (although he's set to make a huge profit on that one) and hopefully now Smith, they all smack of buying on name rather than looking at what the player will offer your team. To counter balance this though, he's also picked up some gems, Lescott, Arteta, Graveson and Yakubu. Kind of similar to Ferguson in his early days at Manure tbh, he bought some big names that failed back then, in fact he bought a lot of dross at first but also the odd gem to offset the duds.

Rip off merchant tbh. Hell if we got that much money for them two I would take them to the train station myself to see them off, and I live in bloody Canada

The problem with Smith and Shola is they add nothing to the squad, it's clear they can not be relied upon to even back up the main men. Therefore I would have absolutely no problem accepting any bid in excess of zero pounds for either of them. They're just leaching off the wage bill at present. Duff is a different story he is adequate as a back up and even on pre season form pushing for first team place. His wages however make him a bit of a luxury as a squad player, if we could claw back 3 mill or so I would take it, we'll be able to bring in a prospect who'll fullfil the back up role just as well and be on a lot less. Outside the obvious candidates, I would consider big bids for Milner or Zog and even Owen (purely for his fitness record and contract situation), but we need enough time in the window to allow us to find a replacement.

Wow just catching up wih this thread after a couple of days. A good old bitch session that I missed out on. Blah. It won't surprise too many of you that I think Unbelieveable and Tsunami have made some excellent points here. I don't think I can add a lot to what those two have said. One thing that kind of gaulled me though was, this acceptance that Arsenal and Manure are games we are gonna loose. I'm as pessimistic as the next bloke but surely we have to go into these games with a bit of hope if not expectation ? Yes we are a million miles away from Manure and Arsenal but so too were the likes of the Smoggies and Reading and both got results there last season. It was clear to almost everyone with a passing interest in NUFC that this close season the squad and first team needed way more than just a touch up, it needed a lot of work. We simply can not cope with injuries, that is clear and is something that should have been identified and rectified long before now. We could do a Villa next year and get extremely fortunate with injuries but given our previous it's unlikely.

Is Baptista all that good ? Yes. Fair enough, lets get him, what you waiting for KK, get your bloody money out Ashley