Chris_R

Oh, I appreciate that. Doesn't stop me trying to find somewhere though. I mean we're in the age of 24 hour licensing now so there must be somewhere!

True, a pint around the train station might not be the best idea.

Thought about putting this in the non-football section, but it's in relation to getting a pint in before the game against the unwashed so I've put it here. So, anyone know? Normal pub opening time is 11, but on a Sunday it's normally 12 iirc. So what's the crack on Sunday, anybody know of anywhere in Newcastle that's definitely open (And serving!) earlier than 12?

WHS. Are they suggesting they'd rather have Faye in the team than Smith? Give over. Smith's not good enough, we all know that. But Faye is / was just utterly clueless.

Faye and Pattison for me. Amdy Faye is simply not a footballer. Pattison is a fat waste of space. Faye needs to win this, those voting for Luque and Boumsong et al need their heads read. Not justifying your inflated salary does not equate to being the worst player we've had in 15 years.

No matter what anyone chooses, we'd never have won the league or any cups. This is Newcastle United, we always find a way to screw things up. So I would have added another one at the Stadium of Plight in Shearer's last game. We'd still win feck all, but at least we'd have stuck 5 past the mackems.

Those touting a cricket score have delusions above their station. Firstly, cricket scores do not happen in derbies. Secondly, 3 wins against mediocre / shit opposition does not make us capable of cricket scores. Thirdly the mackems are only a 3 points behind us. I think we're favourites, but let's not get carried away here. I'll go 2-1, goals from Martins and Barton.

Crouch would be good. No need for another 'keeper though, there's many more important areas to look at first.

Would have settled for a draw before the game. Well played lads. Bring on the mackems!

Well we've been the better side, of that there's no doubt. That's encouraging no matter what the final score.

That save from Owen came of James' afro by the looks of things!

James such a tremendous athlete, but seems to have a grape for a brain.

Any time in the last 8 months would have been a good time, but let's not worry about that.

Settling for the draw then.

Now that's a letoff. Should have hit the target with that.

And again to the first man.

Geremi still hitting the first man with crosses / corners with alarming regularity. Well, here goes another one...

I don't think I've passed comment on this, and after 3 straight wins and currently at 0-0 at half time against Portsmouth, I'd like to go on record as saying that I don't think 433 is the way to go long term. All Keegan's best sides have thrived on wingers, and I don't think anything will have changed. We need width, we need balls in from wide. Geremi can't do that, Barton can't, and neither can Butt. OK, Beye and Enrique can get forward nicely but fullbacks shouldn't be your primary supply from wide, they should be overlapping the wingers and supplying extra width (Remeber Beresford bombing past Ginola?). I realise the reasons for 433 at the moment as it suits our players, especially with Milner out injured but long term we must revert to 442.

I'm 100% in favour of increasing the diversity of people inside football grounds, and if that can be done by offering subsidised tickets to people to get them hooked then I'm all in favour of it. And I don't mind if that's done to attract women, children, muslims, gays, gingers or indeed any other sector of society. However whilst I'm 100% in favour of the above, I'm equally dead against segregation in any way, shape or form. Put Halal on the menu with everything else by all means (Though why people buy food at the match anyway I'll never know, it's only 2 hours ffs. Unless you're drunk and have the munchies of course, but if you're a good Muslim....?) but creating 'Muslim sections' (Which is effectively what this is doing) is totally abhorent to me.

I'd be delighted that we won / got a draw against a very good Chelsea team. I have no interest in the title race, AIDS vs Cancer there with regards to which I prefer. And anyway, I'm not prepared to end up like a Mackem where I spend more time hating other teams and wanting them to fail than I do supporting my own team. Newcastle getting points >>>>>> Everything else.

Eh? Can you even remember 10-15 years ago? I had a season ticket then and as soon as 85 minutes came up people were flooding to the exits. Most of my last 5-10 minutes of home games was spent singing "We can see you, we can see you, we can see you sneaking out!" at our OWN fans. And the noise wasn't what people claim it was either. Even then there were people saying that "It's not like it was 10 years ago, bring back terracing, blah blah blah". Sure, it was noisier than now in the mid 90s, but we had a hell of a lot more to cheer about then too! Give us a team that's winning games and we'll be as noisy as anyone again. I'm not saying that it's RIGHT that we should need the players to inspire us to make a noise, but it's a fact now and it always has been. The best atmospheres are always when one (Or more) of the following happens: 1) We're flying high, winning games and scoring goals 2) We're in the shit and / or siege mentality has set in due to off-field events 3) We play a 'hated' team, eg Sunderland or Man U 4) We feel we need to complain about something (Eg manager, board, referee) It's ALWAYS been the case that insipid 0-0 draws against Blackburn when we're about 10th in the table and playing mediocre football will be met by a subdued crowd. Perhaps we look back on 15 years ago and think the atmosphere was that much better because we were 15 years younger, and it was us in the equivalent of Level 7 of the Leazes (Standing in the Gallowgate under the scoreboard) making all the noise whilst those who had done it 15 years earlier again we're sat in the East Stand wondering why it was so quiet around them?

Sunderland obviously way out in front in terms of hatred, but as they're not listed... - Hate Man United (For their plastic arriving-on-a-tour-bus, no-connections-with-Manchester 'supporters') - Dislike Spurs (Because they seem to think that we're not a big club but that they are) - Couldn't care less about any of the others.

Sellars was fantastic, but even at the time everyone said he was underrated. So I'm not sure who was underrating him when everyone knew how good he was anyway? I doubt you'll get many (If any) people in here saying he was crap. I always thought Nobby Solano reminded me a bit of a right-sided Scott Sellars.

Fingers crossed for the match. Watching the Arsenal - Liverpool game in town first over a few pints then on to the ground for the Reading game. I'm pleased with the way the team has played over the last couple of games so I'm quietly confident about tomorrow. I think any win will just about guarantee safety, but I'll stick my neck out and go for 2-0. Barton and Martins to score.

I haven't seen enough of him as a DMC to make a call on his abilities there, but I like him as a central defender. I'd be more than happy to start with him playing at the back next season. Agree that Butt can't go on forever though and a new defensive midfielder is going to be a priority sooner rather than later.