pinkeye

I had heard that about the choice between Elano and Smith before and believed it then so I have no reason to disbelieve it now that Oliver has written it. Elano started out like a world beater at Man City but, has since faded and is really not much better (if at all) than Smith. Shocked at the size of Smith's salary though!! £20k per week max I would have guessed!

The win that made us mathmatically safe from relegation was the highlight for me. An awful season with a few small highlights, agree that Owen's header against the mackems was fantastic, proper shut those unwashed morons up in the corner of level 7. A couple of real battling performances such as Arsenal at St James's for one, the ease at which Spurs were swept aside - twice!! And watching Habib Beye drifting past players on the right, just like watching Brazil!! Surely he won't leave us for a few years!! He loves it here!! All in all though I am glad the season is over, I expect the renewal letters will be in the post this week and I am expected to put my faith in the club by dipping into my pocket again. Hang on - just thought of my final highlight. Ramage and Carr released!! Common sense prevails at St James' Park.

I only walked in as he was doing the toon toon bit as he was walking off the pitch. If that is going to be a regular thing I will a) get into the ground a little sooner and b) learn the words, not just the first verse and chorus!! Excellent, made for a superb atmosphere throughout the entire match. The goals obviously helped like!

Didn't the 3 Bulls go up last time the mackems were here as well? Or was that Celtic?

No. Has it occurred to you that the majority of people who enter could actually live outside of the region? Seriously? A website for a football club in Newcastle has more readers, who enter competitions, living outside of Newcastle? Maybe I suppose but, unlikely. If, for example, there were 10 local entries for every 1 foreign (or otherwise) is the probability higher for one of the local entries to be picked in a random draw? Just a thought anyway. I enjoy their football writing but, have wondered about the competitions for a little while.

Does anyone else, apart from me, enter the competitions on NUFC.COM? I cannot remember the last time anyone from the actual North East won one of them................ I wonder how random the draw is when practically every competition is won by someone who has entered from outside the region. The most recent one for a signed photo of Mick Quinn was won by someone in New York, USA!! Are they trying to make a statement that people from all over the UK and the world read their website? Wonderful.

The sickening thing about this match being moved is that it is our last home game of this season............ I was not going to be able to go anyway due to a stupid holiday miscalculation (ticket already taken, sorry!) but, there are loads of people who, for one reason or another, will not be able to make this new date and will be forced to miss out. Just have to enjoy the S*******d game that little bit more!!

I just voted yes as well. There are a number of factors that could have effected his early form, if his mind was elsewhere i.e. worries about jail etc and getting over a pretty serious injury, metatarsal I think(?) could also weigh on his mind. If he is receiving councelling as part of his bail conditions I think it is pretty clear that it is working. He is a calmer more confident player and probably due a goal to complete the turn around. (Just no dodgy celebrations please!!!!!!!!! Corner flag Knighthoods etc!)

Has anyone else noticed a "new" Joey Barton in recent games? When he is fouled, rather than spring up with aggression and confront the offender, he has been very forgiving shaking hands and trying to help the player not get booked by talking to the ref. His overall persona seems to be that of a calmer man making a huge effort to change from the tormented demonic madman that we have seen and heard of from his recent past. Is he having anger management councelling at the Sporting Chance Clinic as part of his bail conditions maybe?

Based on some of the dead atmospheres we have had and the abuse screamed at Fat Sam early on in the season I am very surprised that we are not on negative points in that league. Also based on whos opinion are the points awarded and deducted, I cannot say that I have ever heard of this measuring stick before..........

Go on sale tomorrow for members and 21st April for general public should there be any left (good chance but, maybe only single seats). I am a bit gutted as it is our last home game of the season and I am going to be on holiday in Tenerife. (Got me weeks wrong when I booked it up). Another thing to look out for is that it is likely to be an important match in terms of the destination of the Premier League title (assuming Chelsea keep up the pressure on Man Utd) so Sky are very likely to want to show the game live meaning that the match could swap to the Sunday or be an early kick off on the Saturday.

I think a hammering of some poor unsuspecting team has been on the cards for a little while and maybe Reading are the ones. If we create the chances we will score plenty, it's all about Barton and Owen on Saturday................... Viduka and Martins to get a hat full each!!

Can't rememeber if I posted it or not but, saw Titus in Hanahana a few weeks ago, the same day that Wigan played the mackems. He was with some other people who I didn't recognise. I regularly see Emre in a Merc CLS Class driving in near Baltic flats Appartments. Reg number E5 MRE.

To be honest as long as we beat the mackems (and beat them soundly) I don't care if we finish above or below the hammers. Obviously the higher up the league we get the more prize money we receive so that does matter. The other consideration is our attractiveness to new players, top players are not going to be that interested in a club that just escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth but, if we make a real effort to get as high as possible, maybe 12th or 11th is realistic then sell ourselves as being on a springboard to make a push for UEFA next season we can attract the 2 or 3 quality players that Keegan thinks we need to be special again!! Just beat the fuckin mackems though!!!!!!! You know how much that means to us!!!

I just watched the match highlights on Sky Sports this lunchtime and laughed out loud to see Mike singing "ee aye ee aye ee aye oh, up the Premier League we go" Right as the camera was on him. That's the only bit of the song he sang though, maybe he hasn't learned the rest yet??? Top, top bloke!!

Talk of about £500k as a loan fee. Good bit of business for 6 games!!

Shola is the only player that actually gets shorter when he jumps!

Gone to Stoke, official.

On the booing a substitution thing:- When Martins was being substituted (or any player for that matter) I think what seems to happen is that people in the ground maybe have a little sigh or maybe a little conflab with the bloke next to them in the ground and if you imagine 50k people all doing that you are going to get some sounds eminating out onto the field. There was no real boos like Allardyce used to get for his idiotic team changes, most of the groans on Saturday were probably because people were wondering why it was not Viduka coming off as he was clearly knackered and blowing a bit! Chelsea fans have been booing Grant's changes for the last couple of TV matches and particularly the last one against Liverpool when they were 1 - 0 down, very shortly afterwards they were 2 - 1 up and all the doom had changed to cheers. I guess what I am saying is that we should trust the managers decision, they are the ones who live and die by their choices and, in theory, be better qualified to make the decisions.

The only match I have ever left early from was the Birmingham FA Cup game, I left when the 5th went in!!

Didn't say that Taylor needs to be carried, I said that he plays better when he is with another central defender who is strong and vocal. Taylor is a very decent player and doesn't do too much wrong but, when his confidence is up as it often is when playing along side a more vociferous partner he is almost the complete package, more than good enough for a top half Premier League team anyway. PS - Cacapa has got decent pace, not electric by any standards but, he is pretty quick in a straight line.

I would say that Faye has not looked great all for a few weeks and last night was a shocker for him, his ability to clear the ball from danger is weak and for a big guy he is poor in the air. I never make knee jerk reactions to football, I am as emotional about Newcastle as the next man but, I have been around long enough to remain phylosophical, I feel that I am very forgiving to players having a "bad day" but, Faye has never looked comfortable on the ball to me and in recent weeks he has got worse. Confidence is a problem for him. Cacapa is great on the ball (most of the time) and has a decent turn of pace for an older player but, Diatta is captain of Senegal and has played with Beye numerous times meaning that it would make sense to look seriously at giving him a go with Taylor. Taylor needs a strong partner to lead him, if he is confident in his partner at the centre of defence Taylor seems to play a lot better himself.

I thought Butt had a great game last night, Geremi was generally ok although Barton was shocking (again!). Same midfield but, replace Barton with Zog on Saturday for me, it is about as good as we have got. Surely Diatta can't be any worse than Faye either............ Either him or give Cacapa another go!!

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/2304/80155887wk7.jpg "Here we come, Walking down the street, Get the funniest looks from, everyone we meet, Hey, hey we're the monkey's...."

When I see that goal I still get a lump in my throat, it was one of the most emotional nights I have witnessed as a newcastle supporter, Dyer shot in the dying minutes of the game that was parried by the keeper and Bellamy stole in at the back post and crashed it against the stranded keeper and into the net. I cheered and screamed so much that I went dizzy and almost fainted............