Chris_R

Which in turn would batter Tom Mather's team of 1936-37. Which was closer in time to Bill McGarry's era than McGarry is to today.

Good luck to Fraser, far from the worst we've ever had and did well for us at times. Shame if he's been the source of leaks though, that doesn't reflect well. In terms of worst ever, I've had to go 3 at the back to fit in all the shite midfielders we've had. Oh which note, how had nobody mentioned Amdy Faye? Total dogshit, just not even a footballer. First name on my list. Mike Hooper Marcelino Cacapa Boumsong Hendrick Getemi Amdy Faye Smith Colback Guivarch Xisco

I really, REALLY wish they'd stop giving all our rivals massive warchests for their old players. It's getting very annoying and it's really not helping.

Much of the youth are desperate to modernise, but there's a significant middle aged population in positions of power who are scared of losing their traditional values and want the brakes applied. I get both sides.

Saudi Arabia is very different from the rest of the Middle East. Anyone using Dubai or Abu Dhabi as a reference point doesn't really get it. And any footballer going there on that basis is in for a shock too. I've been to the middle east 20 times I think? Indeed I've just come back from Qatar this morning. I think I've been to Saudi 10 times, often for a month at a time, variously to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran. Most of the other places, even Qatar, are westernised to an extent. Even in Qatar I could buy a beer in the hotel. Saudi is a completely dry country - beer isn't difficult to get, it's just not sold, not anywhere. It's illegal to own or sell or make or buy. No doubt you could smuggle some in, but that doesn't seem very sensible given the penalties. People will do it, sure, but taking those risks just to get a beer will become very boring very quickly. They take their faith VERY seriously out there. In most parts of the middle east there's at least something to do or fancy things to go look at. There's NOTHING to do in Saudi. It's just sand, a few shopping malls, oppressive heat and constant prayers. That's not to denigrate the country, I have met some wonderful people out there who I now consider good friends, it's just a fact. Boredom is very real out there because once I finish working (Normal working hours there are stupid, like 06:00 to 13:00) there's just nothing whatsoever to do in the afternoons. Even the internet is heavily censored so it's hard to even spend your afternoons in a debauched few hours of self abuse. And yes, I know about VPNs. But it just gives you an idea what you're dealing with there. As for their football league, I suspect it will go the way of China. It's a vanity project but ultimately fans (almost entirely) support clubs, not players, and nobody gives a shit that Ronaldo is playing there now. How many of his full matches has anyone on here tuned in for? I'd reckon a sum total of 0. Same for all the other players at the other clubs. Ultimately, nobody gives a toss about who wins their league except the locals. The clubs have no history and no pedigree. With their clubs never playing ours, they can't establish one either and anyone playing there will be forgotten about. It's a footballing graveyard and a massive money sink. Their only hope is to get some kind of meaningful competition going with external European clubs on a regular basis, but it'll take 5-10 years of that before the fixtures start to have some history and meaning, and they'll have to keep throwing endless money at it in that time. Unless or until that happens, they'll pump another few hundred billion into it and then slowly realise it was a stupid idea. However I'd be surprised if FIFA or UEFA went for that, as they should know that could tip the power balance towards the middle east so would be sensible to tell them to get lost. But then of course they're hardly immune to bribery, so I guess we'll see a super league next year haha.

He's such a liar that if I met Bruce and he told me he was still alive, I wouldn't believe him.

There's a lot of very valid criticism that you can level against Saudi Arabia, but "being nice to rapists" isn't on the list.

This is one thing I don't get. I'm sure it was Froggy (apologies if not, cba to read back) who said that there was no reason for the father/daughter to be after money as they're already milllionaires. Missing entirely that the greediest people on this Earth have consistently proven to be the rich, and the richer the greedier. As if being already well off has ever stopped anyone craving more coin, in fact it seems to be quite the reverse. And in this case it seems the father would far rather have his daughter be with a rich "alleged" abuser than with some poor kid who'll treat her well, which as I've just said is hardly surprising. Rich people never want their kids marrying poor, it dilutes their wealth which they've fought so hard to hoard.

It's not glossed over, quite the reverse. They literally say they believe he didn't do that and that there's another mysterious reason (that they won't share) for the photos, videos and audio recordings of a woman being beaten up and its aftermath. If it wasn't so serious, it would be laughable.

That's not the best case at all. That's the worst case, which is still many steps better than what everyone currently thinks of her.

If such evidence exists and all parties agree he's innocent, shouldn't that evidence be released? Wouldn't everyone prefer that, than he can get on with his career at Man U and we can all share in this knowledge of his innocence?

We've not been tight enough out of posession, and we've not made enough space in posession. Of course some of that, maybe much of that, is down to how good Man City are but that's to me the difference between the two so far. Plus a goal obviously.

IF there's a buyback clause, which is a massive "if", the player still has to want to leave. They still have to agree terms with him.

I can't even begin to imagine the amount of regret he must be feeling right now - a guy who had it all, should have been retired by now in a really nice house with a lovely car, and enough money in the bank to not have to worry ever again. Instead here he is, unemployed and unemployable, hawking off his only prized posessions to put food on his table because he was too stupid to not just knuckle down for a bit.

Clearly his colleagues don't talk to him. Which is completely understandable.

Hopefully the pens continue all night and nobody ever misses then. Want them still taking them tomorrow morning at 9am, with the scores 1427 each.

I'd play for free, of course. If the options were 'play for free' or 'don't play for free' But his other option is 'don't play for £70k/week When those are the choices, pass me the TV remote.

I mean yes, but I do plenty of illegal things so that's not why I wear one. I wear one because it's a sensible precaution and I'd do it irrespective of the legality of the situation.

Sounds too much like the Judean People's Front. Which fits, because they'll just end up fighting with themselves like always.

When I get in my car, I put a seatbelt on out of caution. Doesn't mean I drive around worried.

@Thomson MouseWhere did I say I was worried? It's just common sense. Going there's fine, you''re with a pack of likeminded people. The train was always full. But coming back, often late at night and not with a big "match crowd" because I'd been out witih mates afterwards and having to walk home alone, I'd just prefer not wear a Newcastle top incase some knacker is floating about at the other end when I'm full of beer. That's at least in part because I know I can be a bit of a beligerant arse with idots when I'm drunk and if someone confronted me I'd probably talk my way into trouble when I wasn't able to defend myself. Just my decision though. If others want to go in full colours, crack on. Risks are cery minimal. That said, I've not bought a football top in over 25 years so I guess the decision not to wear one was already taken on another level anyway.

But that's the thing, there was a video posted in the Villa match thread from a Villa streamer who'd uploaded videos of his trip to Tyneside, where he'd been freely drinking in bars and chatting with Newcastle fans whilst wearing his Villa top. Nobody cared, plenty of Villa fans mixing freely with Newcastle fans, often in the same pub and just having a bit of banter. Can you imagine Villa fans trying the same in Sunderland? Every match there's posts on RTG about people are getting in fights and busses are having windows put out, they'd be chased out of the local pubs there followed by a volley of chairs, glasses and ashtrays before they got got to the bar to order their first pint. Just proper Neanderthals.

Yeah I think a lot of Newcastle fans are probably emboldened now, but they've always been our fans. I used to live in South Shields and whilst there was never any bother and it's hardly Pennywell, when I went to the matches on the metro I did so with a little bit of caution.

They're simultaneously the loyalest fans in the world, whilst being incredibly easily swayed to supporting us.