AyeDubbleYoo

I think we need to completely stop thinking of Milner as a wide player now. Out wide he is average, his only chance of becoming a great player is to make the centre of midfield his own.

I guess some of it's not really his fault. If Alonso wanted to go the Real Madrid then there's not a lot he could have done about it, except sign a decent replacement of course.

Keep the club out of the financial shit is a valid thing to do. Anyway, this isn't the thread for that debate.

I feel sorry for him as well, not the nicest guy by all accounts but a very good footballer when fit.

I'd love to see Arsenal win the league, but I think Chelsea still will. Chelsea Arsenal Man City Man Utd Maybe :/

Thing is, they've spent loads, just on very average players.

Oh shit, he's away then.

Exactly, it would be a stupid move to sell him so cheaply right now. If we go up and he doesn't quite cut it in the Premier League, he'll still be only 22/23 and still worth at least £2m then, if not more.

If we were offering sensible wages then I find it hard to disagree with the club over that. It's pointless to reduce the wage bill, only to let it creep back up again and get back in the mess we were in before. Simpson's a decent player and I think we should keep him, but not for too high a price.

Admittedly I haven't watched Milner every game this season, but I still think that we did the right thing to sell him for £12m when we did. All the signs were that his weaknesses were going to stop him becoming a top player, he can't beat a man and has little pace, and at the time even his crossing was poor. He obviously suffered from being in a very poor team, but at the time I thought it was a brilliant sale.

If we buy Beckford we've got the potential to create a partnership that might actually be able to work (ish) if we get promoted. Both Carroll and Beckford have potential to make it in the Premiership, whereas we know Shola isn't good enough. I'd be very disappointed if we got Beckford and let Carroll go without giving them a chance to play together.

I certainly wouldn't want to sell him for that sort of fee at this point.

We should be quietly very happy with returning at the first attempt, but any kind of public celebration would be ridiculous. I won't count it as winning a trophy, like I didn't last time we went up. In English football there's only really 2 (maybe 3 if you're generous) trophies that would count.

Yes, and a broadly similar player. Blasphemy! I'd like to see Beckford rap as well as wor Andrew.

Interesting to see Spurs sticking up or him as it's a "non-football matter". Wouldn't of thought that made any difference to whether they wanted him assoiated with the club.

If this means people can't go, will there be a refund and resale mechanism? Because I might take advantage of someone's misfortune to get myself a ticket.

Fair point, he deserves a share of the credit for what we've done this season. And if the players can manage themselves then we don't need to spend big on a proven manager anyway.

Maybe, but do really think most of the players will be leaving? Of course they won't. If we don't refresh at least half the first team we will be relegated, so it don't really matter what I think. You might be right, but surely it's pointless debating based on things that we know won't happen. Must happen. We will return with wages under control again and spare cash and PL money. The decks have been cleared so to speak. If Ashley has learnt anything it's what is needed to stay up....Having been through it once. Personally I'd get Shearer and Speed in as soon as promotion is formalised. I hope you're right about that, it would be great if we did invest wisely in the squad for once. And I suppose it's possible that Ashley has learned his lesson, even though it's never happened before! Not sure I would go for Shearer and Speed though, if the situation really turns out to be that good then I'd like someone with a proven track record. Although obviously I haven't got a clue who that would be.

Maybe, but do really think most of the players will be leaving? Of course they won't. If we don't refresh at least half the first team we will be relegated, so it don't really matter what I think. You might be right, but surely it's pointless debating based on things that we know won't happen.

Maybe, but do really think most of the players will be leaving? Of course they won't.

They lost one game in the league last year IIRC Yep, I said they'd been over performing.

No idea about him to be honest... would rather see a youngster given a go though.

In his favour so far is that - he isn't influenced by events above his head, he gets on with the job. - he has a light touch, he doesn't mess around with things if the results are coming. - the players seem to be behind him and the team spirit is good. We don't really know how he'll cope when we're losing more games than we're winning, and he has to face the big teams week after week. But until the ownership situation is sorted out (i.e. we have a new owner) there doesn't seem to be much point in getting anyone else. I can't how they could do much more than Hughton has (so far).

Most probably, yeah. The amount of memories of Gerrard smashing in a last minute winner over the years are endless. Without him they would be a very average side. Benitez is probably is a decent enough manager, but for Liverpool he's signed a lot of players who didn't make the grade for whatever reason.

Last night was a very small crowd, but overall I think we deserve massive credit for our crowds since we got relegated.