merlin

I see Owen as our Owen. I see Viduka doing Shearers job better than Shearer did it after his legs* went (*when we sold Bellamy) and I see Martins as the thick t*** I thought, but now know he is. Owen and Viduka every time for me. I see Owen as our Owen. I see Viduka doing Shearers job better than Shearer did it after his legs* went (*when we sold Bellamy) and I see Martins as the thick t*** I thought, but now know he is. Owen and Viduka every time for me. Totally agree.

Have said before, Ashley & Allardyce have a tough job - regardless of the amount of money available, NUFC is just NOT seen as a top target for the best players anymore. The past 4 years have seen the club's reputation decline massively, and we have fallen way behind the Top 4(which, in case anyone has forgotten, we were part of between 96-97 and 2001-3). The bosses have a huge sorting-out job to do, and quite a number of the current squad are just NOT good enough for NUFC, either ability-wise or character-wise. Allardyce has to get a foundation to the team which will at least bring some respect and fight back to the side - if any silverware results in the next year, it will be a huge bonus and help us to compete with the top 4 for players. The days of storming the Prem like KKs team did in 1993/94 are over - there is too much power in the top 4 now, and the order is too established. We are effectively starting all over again, that is how far the club has fallen - AND we now have real competition from the likes of Villa & West Ham, both of whom have money.

Was it 'moral' of Manure to keep Cantona after he launched himself feet-first into the crowd at Selhurst Park..?? Media made all sorts of excuses for him, was back playing again within months. Just watch self-righteous clowns like Collins in the Mail on Sunday have a go at NUFC for signing Barton, yet not a word against Cantona because he was a foreigner and played for his beloved Reds... Bloody hypocrites, the lot of them.

Agree with all of that..

When the Mackems had finished building the S-O-Sh.,they asked for suggestions on Radio Newcastle from S'Land fans as to what they should call the stadium - one NUFC fan rang up and suggested 'The Sugar-Puff Bowl'......!!!

Provided that the transfer budget is more than 25m, Top 6 IS a realistic target - this is dependent on Allardyce being able to land his targets, though, and as someone has said , we have more Clubs wanting to spend big money now.Nevertheless, I still think that the new set-up enables us to be as attractive as any bar the top 4 clubs, but time is of the essence - if the takeover drags on past the next 10 days, we will start to see targets drifting away as other clubs take advantage of the stalemate in the boardroom. If Ashley can get Shepherd out quickly, AND install a top operator like Dein, we can expect things to really move - in that case, Allardyce should have all the ammo he needs to start challenging for top 6. Also, I agree that a good start is vital - the club has come out of the traps like a tortoise in the past few years, and I expect Allardyce to have them flying next time, if only that he may have sorted out some of the bad habits/diets/troublemakers by then..

FF!!?? Heaven forbid..!!!! Dein is a VERY shrewd and clever operator, with fingers in lots of pies(NOT Greggs...!) He would be a formidable choice as Chairman PROVIDED he has severed his links with Arsenal ; I am not yet convinced that he is not still beavering away in the background, trying to resurrect the takeover of Arsenal with the Americans - he has been deeply involved with the Gooners for many years now, and I would imagine his loyalties are firmly Red & White - only if he has become convinced that Hill-Wood's grip could never be loosened would he give up and think of being involved with another club. IF-IF that were the case, we ARE a tempting target for him ; we have a much greater chance of rivalling Man Ure's crowds in a bigger stadium than Arsenal do...its a fascinating prospect.

Agreed - would LOVE to be there when all the tests are done on the players , ESP one who has been notable by his absence on the playing field over the past few years.. Wouldn't mind betting that a Transfer request goes in first, OR a complaint about ' Infringement of my Human Rights..' !!

Who cares where he is ? More interested in the Future team at SJP than the Past....

If true, Viduka will prove to be excellent value for money - he is great at holding the ball for midfielders/quick strikers to feed from and will score goals. Have any of the doubters seen some of the goals he scored for Boro last year !?? A player of his calibre is great business on a 'Free', even for a couple of years.

Viduka is a much better player than Martins, and a more suitable partner for Owen too... Agree with that totally..would be a great signing for nowt.

Was so small, we all thought he was a Ball-boy...!! Saw his wife sing at a players' do just before Xmas in 1988(we'd just bought Dickson's shares , shocking the life out of Mckeag..!) - she was as successful at singing as John was at scoring in a Newcastle shirt..!!

Was that the one where the scoreboard read OOOPS? That was a long way out and the ball bounced over keepers head into Gallowgate net. the manager (Arthur Cox iirc) wasnt amused. Think it was actually in the Lee/Dinnis era, circa 1977..

The injury/unfit-for-selection problems at SJP have been a total disgrace for years - think back to the fiascos involving Marcelino, Dyer, Bobby's famous signing from Wimbledon(7m, SO famous I can't even remember his name..!!)etc etc. The difference in available hours between ours and Bolton's players tell you that Sam's backroom MUST have been doing something right, although I strongly suspect that some of the players mentioned were swinging the lead. It is a huge relief to see the Club being dragged into the 21st Century in that aspect of the game, and we must hope that the unprofessionalism that has dogged the club for years is swept from every corner of it - the fans deserve nothing less.

This is the SECOND time he's done this - your acceptance of this sort of behaviour by NUFC players is exactly why this club has achieved so little over the past 40 years - too much tolerance of second-best and UNPROFESSIONALISM...

Waste of space - get rid now. We can do better(and deserve better) than this overrated little twerp - the way he tries to control a ball reminds you of someone trapping the proverbial medicine ball..! Ashley & Allardyce will demand far more committment than that demonstrated by Martins - hopefully, all similar wasters like Dyer will also be getting their marching orders - Reality shock awaiting some of the most overpaid/overrated players in the Prem....Thank heaven.

Simply a sign of McClaren's desperation - Beckham has been a spent force for England for nearly 3 years - his performance in the 2004 Euros was a disgrace, esp as he was Capt. Eriksson didn't have the balls to drop him, or face a battle with the shirt sponsors by doing so. Compare this with Big Phil & Portugal - didn't hesitate to pull off Figo when he felt it necessary.. Never felt Beckham was a GREAT player at all, and certainly NOT a great England Captain - over-hyped,one-trick pony, darling of the media who worship tat & trivia. George Best had it right;'Apart from the fact that he can't dribble, beat a man with pace, use his left foot, or head the ball, he's not a bad player..!!' Definitely a retrograde step to select him again.

It wasn't his debut, but fairly early in his Newcastle career, John Bird had a 'blinder' against Man U at SJP - was never the best of defenders(despite Bobby Charlton resigning from Preston in protest t his transfer to us..!), but this beat everything - he put in an Own Goal from around 20 yards which would have been a credit to one of Shearer's best rocket shots.. We came back from 3-2 down to 3-3, but lost 3-4 to another shocking error(from him too, I think).

I think not even getting in touch with Shepherd was the worst thing about it. The Hall family and Shepherd (no matter what you think of them) have worked together at the Toon for years. Although, it is canny funny in a way as well. Sir John Hall bent over backwards to work together with Freddie on takeovers, but in the end he despaired of getting his co-operation, and realised that he had no choice but to go it alone. First of all, Shepherd claimed that the potential buyers were 'time wasters', and then he admitted that regardless of the offer,he wouldn't sell. He even had the nerve to claim that the Halls wouldn't sell either, which of course he wasn't entitled to do. The guy deserves no sympathy at all. Totally agree - he deserves all he has got(or rather, NOT got !!!).

Wanted Gudjohnsen when he was at Bolton - would be a fantastic signing for us, great attitude too. We have a realistic chance, but only if he is persuaded to leave Barca - Big Sam might just be the tipping point. Would give us at least 3 good years and be a great partner for Owen..

There' is NO chance of YOU suffering from insomnia - if Shepherd had got control, I wouldn't have been able to sleep ANY night.! Heaven has at least preserved us from THAT fate..!!

Must also add Terry McDermott to the list - signed from Bury for 25,000, straight in against Liverpool in 72. Just about played them on his own in midfield, and his box-to-box running was a revelation for those days. We won 2-1, but didn't really deserve it. No wonder they signed him a couple of years later - he was the only player to perform against them in the FA Cup final in 74..

I take it you mean Supermacs home debut vs Liverpool, hat trick then knocked out and carried off going for the fourth Absolutely agree - unbelieveable day ! L/Pool about to embark on an era of fantastic success, with one KK making his away debut for them - S/Mac had already played his first league game at Spurs(it was a 0-0), but none of us expected what was to happen at SJP that August day - first was a pen, then a fantastic, net-bursting strike at the Gallowgate end from wide on the left of the penalty area ; the ball crashed into the roof of Clemence's net and he had no chance with it. They got back to 2-1(I think KK scored),then, just after half-time, a great left-foot pass from Terry Hibbitt(we were to see many of those over the next 4 years)was nodded down by Tudor just outside the area & Supermac belted it in, across Clemence..We all were going beserk by this time, and shortly afterwards, he intercepted a bad goal-kick by Clemence and , as the ball ballooned into the air, set off after it.Clemence raced out & collided with him, knocking Super out cold.He lost a couple of teeth, and, in the Dressing room afterwards, couldn't even remember scoring the hat-trick ! What a day..will always remember it....!! Nail-biting finish as the scousers pulled back to 3-2, but we hung on.

When you have as much money as Ashley & the other tycoons who have bought into Football clubs, they don't necessarily WANT a big financial return - its a plaything, for goodness' sake. Look at Ashley - billionaire at 43, what else can he achieve in business that is going to massively-dwarf what he has done already? NUFC will give him another purpose in life - resurrecting the eternally-sleeping giant, challenging the established 'big boys'(he likes doing that..!!). Who knows, he may really start to enjoy it all, MUCH more fun than everyday business.

Shepherd couldn't afford it or he would have sold up to him without hesitation. If things were so bad, then why as the major shareholder didn't he do something about it and force a change of chairman? No he wouldn't - have you the proof otherwise..?? Also, if you hadn't noticed, he HAS forced a change of Chairman - do you think Shepherd will still be there in a few weeks time..