Paully

My gobbledygook! http://www.true-faith.co.uk/match-report-hull-city-1-newcastle-united-4-kc-stadium-1mar14-ko-3pm-premier-league-att24903/

This blend of history, hope, yearning and passion is what football is all about George Caulkin February 28 2014 07:02AM This is it. This. That flutter in the belly, that sprinkle of nerves, that wondrous, aching possibility of this time, this time, for God’s sake PLEASE let it be this time. That cacophonous train ride, that lad sitting opposite decanting booze into Ribena bottles, that motorway convoy, scarves trailing from windows, that persistent, pissed memory from last night: your mate in a copper’s helmet, sopping and shivering in the Trafalgar Square fountains. This is it. This is what football is. What it was. That walk towards Wembley, at once familiar and new, the old chants and the remixes, scorching the air. The fella you recognise from a few seats along at the Stadium of Light, who never stops moaning – that miserable git – but he’s strolling beside you and he’s neither miserable or moaning, because he’s shepherding his kids, fussing and smiling. They couldn’t miss this. Not this. This is it. Not enough to obliterate all those disappointments, those bitter, loveless relegations, but you wouldn’t want that, anyway. They are part of who you are. Part of Sunderland. And whether you stopped going or persevered, whether you are an addict or a convert, a malcontent or a loyalist, this is your patience through adversity, your gallows humour, those howls of anguish. This is why you do what you always do; bear witness and sing. But this is how it should feel. This is less about winning – although you wouldn’t say no – than giving it a go. Trying everything and then heaving a bit more. Not holding yourself in. Seeing a flash of silver across the stadium and knowing that 90 minutes could mean a long journey’s end and another beginning. This adrenaline. This soppy descent into cliches about heroes and giant-killings, those stories about Stokoe’s sprint and Monty’s sorcery. About daring to dream. This is why your dad passed down that beautiful, cursed birthright. Your mam or your sister, brother or friends. This is why he stood at Roker Park, so cold and crammed that his legs were locked and leaden. This is why you shook together at those reserve-games, why you stayed outside when the rain whipped in, your mouth numb and nose running. This is why you put up with his stupid music on that endless away trip. This is all those feelings like love and loss, straining for release. This is Sunderland, your Sunderland. This is your city, your town, your village, your region, forgotten sometimes and left to suffer, but prominent now, loud and raucous. This is supporters’ associations and local branches, working men’s clubs, community and togetherness, collective strength, being part of something both greater than and intrinsically you. This is pride – stinging tears of pride. This is raising your head and gazing at the sky, not staring down at your navel. This. Not that great, grotesque lie about priorities. Not swallowing the guff that one season of toil should be superseded by another, that having endured the delights of Stoke City, the only ambition must be straining to get to Stoke again. You know what Stoke’s like. Christ. Aston Villa, Crystal Palace. Tick them off. Been there, seen it and, you know what, they’re not that much different from Leicester, Queens Park Rangers and Birmingham. Not couldn’t be arsed. Not withdrawing your best players for a one-off match because of 38 league games which simply must take precedence in a cold, grey world of sporting accountancy. Not fear. Not dread. Not measly, weasel-word excuses for laying waste to tradition because of avarice or arrogance and cowardice. Not name-changes and colour-swaps and franchises, or a stadium’s brutal nobility scarred by garish advertising hoardings for money-lenders and tat-hawkers. Not the bottom-line. Not the profits or the losses, the turnover and the revenue, the wage-bills and the relegation-clauses, because when the files are lodged at Companies House, they will not be hailed with an open-top bus ride, a civic reception, or a hazy, alcoholic day which stays lodged in the brain. Not Financial Fair Play, not billionaires, not the stodge of mid-table and totting up television revenue after one more lunchtime kick-off and a 200-mile journey. Which is not to toss away the prospect of staying up. Nor to deny that it matters for progress and development and all those other birds which have never quite flown. But neither is it everything, because you’ve slumped before and ricocheted back. Having squirmed through long, sapping sequences in every single season since Roy Keane and Niall Quinn secured your return to this ceaseless, daft, grasping jamboree, you reckon you can cope. This, though. This is something. This is different. This is booking your London hotel en route from that draining, life-affirming semi-final, when those caustic commentaries about the worst penalty shoot-out in the history of awful penalty shoot-outs missed the point entirely. It was the best. This is snaking, sluggish, twitchy queues outside the box office, 80,000 frantic telephone calls on a single day, begging for favours, scurrying for tickets. This is a day out and a night away, a daubed blur of red and white. This, like the song says, is cheesy chips on Wembley Way. And win or lose, this will be recorded and you were there, one small figure lost amid the din, but integral to it, which, in the final analysis, is what clubs and their supporters should mean. What football is. This is history, hope, yearning and passion, maybes and meaning, exquisite agony, wild abandon, love. This is you. This is Sunderland. This is it. In memory of Kevin Twist and to Lyndsey, his daughter, with love.

How can any NUFC fan WANT them bastards to win?! I hope Man City absolutely and utterly obliterate them!

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/alan-pardew-reveals-taking-spirit-6751389 Alan Pardew reveals he will be taking spirit of the SAS into last 11 games of the season 27 Feb 2014 07:20 It's Who Dares Wins as the Premier League hits the final straight, reveals Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew Share on printShare on email 2014 Getty Images Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew Alan Pardew has revealed that Newcastle United are taking the spirit of the SAS into the final 11 games of the season – starting at Hull City this Saturday. And the United boss has suggested to his team that it could be a case of “Who Dares Wins” as the campaign hits crunch time. Pardew’s team are ranked as outsiders to qualify for the top six this season with odds of 66/1 available from some bookmakers. Newcastle could close the gap to just two points to sixth place if they beat the Tigers. But there should be plenty of incentive in the last 11 matches. Especially if Manchester City defeat Sunderland in the Capital One Cup final, a result that would activate sixth place as a Europa League spot. Yet seventh could yet turn out to be an additional Europa spot too. Indeed, if Man City also make it to the FA Cup final and play either Arsenal or Everton in the Wembley showpiece, it could open up an extra slot depending on final league positions in the top six. However, after Newcastle’s poor recent run, Alan Pardew has come out fighting. He said after seeing off Aston Villa at St James’ Park: “I had somebody who was very special visit me from the SAS. “He gave me a little medallion and I thought ‘I might need a bit of that getting out of the stadium’. “So I put that in my pocket.” United completed their first Premier League double of the campaign by beating Aston Villa on Sunday. Villa were also the first team United managed to beat on their travels this season in the top flight. Now Pardew hopes it can spark another run of good form after a poor start to 2014. Newcastle have six away wins in the bag and are two victories away from levelling the eight they picked up in the 2011/12 season, when they finished fifth. With six games on the road to go this season, Pardew said after seeing off Villa: “It was a key moment. “I am hoping that trend continues – like it did after the first away win. “Villa have always been fortunate for me as a manager. Sometimes you have those moments.” Regardless of United’s troubles in 2014 they have sold out the away end at the KC Stadium on Saturday. There will be 2,500 fans making to the journey down the east coast. Pardew believes the Toon Army played their part against Aston Villa, and feels they can once more against Hull. He said: “The last 15 minutes the crowd got involved. “And we got ourselves in a position to win the game – and then we won it.”

@SAFCofficial: Johnson: 'Me and my family followed #SAFC while growing up. To to be part of this occasion with the club is great!' Mmmmmm; http://www.nufcfans.co.uk/2012/08/photo-new-sunderland-signing-loves-newcastle-united-fans-adam-johnson/

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/neil-cameron-coloccini-williamson-newcastles-6746901 Neil Cameron: Coloccini and Williamson are Newcastle's odd Couple - and they can't do without them 26 Feb 2014 11:23 Neil Cameron believes Alan Pardew must give Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson the rest of this season to establish an already superb partnership Share on printShare on email Getty Images Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson They were not supposed to play with each other at all this season. As it happens, Newcastle United don’t function properly when they are not both on the field at the same time. Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson are to some degree an odd couple. The captain is a superstar. He’s going to the World Cup. His country might even win the thing. He has played for AC Milan and made 214 appearances in Spanish top-flight football. The other is a (supposed) journeyman centre-half who began his career at Torquay United and won’t be going to the World Cup. Although that last factoid is increasingly looking silly. On Sunday against Aston Villa, Colo and Willo, to allow them their nicknames, were partnered together in the Newcastle United central defence for the first time since January 1. It was a million miles from a mere coincidence that it was only the second clean sheet recorded since the Argentinian picked up an injury. In total, they have played together 13 times this season, 12 in the Premier League and one cup match, a 2-0 home win over Leeds United back in September 25. Newcastle have won eight, drawn one and lost four of those games. This period saw 13 goals conceded in these 13 matches. A goal a game is not brilliant, but consider the following. Coloccini disappeared after the New Year’s Day defeat at West Brom before reappearing on Sunday. During that time, Newcastle conceded 13 times in just six league matches. Williamson played in every one, but could you really point the finger of blame at him in any of these matches? He wasn’t great at Chelsea or in the derby, but he was one of the few to get pass marks. He was eventually run ragged in the Spurs game, an awful 4-0 home defeat – but again to lay any fault at his feet would be wrong. Incidentally, the Capital One Cup tie was Williamson’s first outing of the season – because he was supposed to be the fourth-choice defender. Someone you could risk in a cup game that didn’t matter. Heaven forbid you would need him for a Premier League fixture. But a fixture is what Williamson has become. Thankfully. Much talk has centred on who Alan Pardew will play at the other end of the pitch over the final 11 games of the season. However, who starts at the back is just as important, and surely Coloccini and Williamson must be allowed to see out the campaign, if the skipper’s body holds up. Coloccini is the leader, albeit a silent one. He steadies the ship, begins attacks and reads the game, thus refusing any pesky striker an inch of space. Williamson is old school. He wins his headers and makes tackles, although to suggest he’s not much of a footballer is ridiculous. They complement each other, if not perfectly, then certainly extremely well. And much of this success must be put down to Williamson, who has hardly put a foot wrong all season. Did anyone really expect him to play much, if at all, in the Premier League? Pardew’s hand was forced somewhat when he found his team three goals down at half-time at Goodison Park. Everton walked off the park after 45 minutes wondering how they hadn’t managed to score more. Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa was given a torrid time – he’s arguably not yet recovered – and the £7million signing was taken off for Williamson, only on the bench because Steven Taylor was injured, came on and helped settle Coloccini, who himself was having a bad evening, and no more goals were conceded. Indeed, Newcastle scored twice and came closing to nicking an unlikely point. From this moment on, the derby match aside, things went really well with these two guarding central defence. This is when most of the good work was done by United. Chances are that Coloccini will try or at least hint about a return to South America in the summer. However, if he does stay, and remember Newcastle don’t need to sell him, then these two could be the leaders of Newcastle’s defence for a couple of seasons. Coloccini was a bit rusty against Villa, but his mere presence makes that back four better. Williamson was terrific. Again. His superbly-timed tackle on Christian Benteke not only prevented a goal, it set up a chance at the other end, and lifted his team-mates and the entire stadium. There will be worse centre-halves in Brazil than Williamson. Some will be with England. That doesn’t seem fair.

2-3 years? It's only 2 yars ago he was in team of the season for the PL is it not? So? The season we came up was his best season for us in MY opinion so the 2-3 years after that in MY opinion he wasn't as good as the previous so in MY opinion he has regressed. He was voted in the best PL team for our 2nd season up when we finished 5th!

The accounts up to June 2014 will be absolutely mind-blowing! No permanent transfer fees paid out, £20 m in from Cabaye, humongous increase in media revenue, probably a rise of about £6 m via our league placing, 3 new kits and sponsorship deals! We’ll be on course to make a profit of about £50 to £60 m!

Majestic - our main man

Great to have him back and the best CH I've seen at SJP! He oozes class and brings calmness to the back 4!

650 minutes since he limped off injured in which time we’ve conceded 16 goals or a goal every 40 minutes Please be fit for Sunday, you curly-haired delight!

Nice bit of poetry!

Jesus wept! Some good points but some of the Pardew patter is shocking! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-2562437/MARTIN-SAMUEL-Losing-Pardew-blow-club-marches-shoelaces-tied-together.html Losing Pardew would be yet another blow for a club that marches with its shoelaces tied togetherNewcastle United contrive, year on year, to find ever more humiliating ways to fail or implode Losing Pardew now, or even at the end of the season, would be another mis-step for the club By Martin Samuel PUBLISHED: 00:00 GMT, 19 February 2014 | UPDATED: 08:03 GMT, 19 February 2014 23 shares 23 View comments Newcastle United have no director of football and no managing director. The owner is rarely in attendance and no permanent signings have arrived in two transfer windows. The last time they scored a goal at home in the Premier League was December 26. It is as if they have given up. Yet, lose to Aston Villa on Sunday — it would be their sixth straight home defeat in all competitions — and there has been speculation that Alan Pardew, the manager, will be sacked. Newcastle say this is completely untrue. What is undeniable is that the club is sinking into torpor and, in the absence of any visible leadership at boardroom level, the buck is stopping with Pardew. There are plenty of contenders for worst-run club in the Premier League — and Fulham have set that bar pretty high in recent weeks — but given all their advantages, Newcastle should be in line for some form of lifetime achievement award in the field. Magnificently supported, from a region that has consistently produced some of the best footballers in Europe, they contrive, year on year, to find ever more humiliating ways to fail or implode. No small success is ever built on, no decision so smart that it cannot be quickly undermined. Losing Pardew now, or even at the end of the season, would be another mis-step for a club that marches with its shoelaces tied together. Pardew took Newcastle as high as fifth this season. ‘People talk about the Champions League and there’s no mention of us,’ he said. ‘I have a wry smile — great, write us off.’ Pardew: I expect life and limb on the pitch Giddy heights: Newcastle went fifth in November after Moussa Sissoko's (front left) winner over West Brom .There are people within the Football Association who think he has potential to be England manager one day; Jose Mourinho floated the idea before Newcastle’s match with Chelsea this month. Now, if his job is not under imminent threat, it is increasingly becoming a dead end. Pardew is trying to turn around a vessel that is not so much afloat as adrift. The only evidence of a pulse at his club are terse statements announcing the latest departure or the banning of reporters. Newcastle are bobbing along with the engines off and no captain to take responsibility. When Joe Kinnear left as director of football, the first thought was that he had been sacked for failing to recruit players. The latest suggestion is that his employers were upset when he negotiated only £19million from Paris Saint-Germain for Yohan Cabaye. They wanted more. Now we know what the ‘director’ stood for in his title. Directing the best players to the airport. A steal? Newcastle sold Johan Cabaye (right) to PSG for £19million - but the club's hierarchy wanted more Pardew is the patsy in the middle. He obviously decided long ago that the best way to keep his job — and he is not long into an eight-year contract — would be to shoulder each fresh indignity without complaint, whether it was the sale of his best player without replacement, or the appointment of an overseer who soon became a professional joke. Pardew never offers even mild dissent against Mike Ashley’s running of the club, which wins him few friends among the fans. As Ashley hasn’t turned up for a home game since September, it makes the manager the only visible senior club official on match day. No wonder there is tension. If Villa was to be his last game, unlike some former colleagues Pardew would leave with his reputation enhanced. It is merely his misfortune to be saddled with a club that has lost its purpose. They might sack him one day, but it still won’t mean they care.

'Howay the Lads' sign has had the treatment; http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-flickr-photos/nothing-sacred-newcastle-united-mike-ashley-around-photo-proof-howay-the-lads/

Never used their in-play offer but this seems like a no-brainer!?

http://pdy.pr/KXZlqf

I can see him going and us bringing Forster back for about half the price

Vince McMahon new owner; The Rock new manager; Stone Cold Steve Austin new DOF and Hulk Hogan new club president! Yes please over the current clowns! http://www.winnersports.co.uk/billionaire-interested-in-newcastle-32493

Not quite sure about the source mind! http://www.winnersports.co.uk/hoddle-in-newcastle-talks-61629

Apparently big nose Thompson has been slating him on Soccer Saturday

16k! Ha ha ha!

1 up with 10 to go - Graeme bastard Fenton

Phil Neville's disgraceful tackle on Gillespie down there just after Christmas which cost us him for several months had a big part in us not winning it too for me - the bastard!

Great post mate and it's what I always say! Under KK it was all about us in the build up and a total positive attitude whereas Pardew is the complete opposite! So many greats memories and If it wasn't for him in 1992 then God knows where the club would be!