Wallace

I highly doubt we'll find out, but I'd love to know the reaction inside the club to what they said, if any. Probably be fined. They like fining the players.

I wonder if Ben Arfa is due back earlier than we expected. I know the papers have mentioned January in the last couple of weeks but if that was the case he would be back in training by now but maybe if it is February and they hold on to Barton for most of January, it could make sense that they are prepared to sell him. But we definitely need a creative player if he does go because there is no-one else really creating the goals.

Scott Parker is on big money at West Ham - think he is their highest earner - so if they sell him, they could afford Barton's wages.

Can imagine if we sell him to West Ham that they will stay up on goal difference because of all his assists and we will go down.

Blimey Llambias actually met up with the players. He usually refuses any meetings they request with him.

Their cowardice is one of the many issues I have with Ashley and Llambias. Their refusal to put their name to any statement or front up to the media is pathetic as is the way they leak stories to their mates in the press when they want to tarnish a manager (Keegan / Hughton / Shearer) or player (Milner / Taylor) and at the same time forbidding the other party to put their side out. I wonder how much Campbell and Enrique have been fined this week as I am sure they will have been.

In the interview on 5Live, they asked him did he appreciate how much the club meant to Geordies and he started waffling about young English coaches and then said but he knew Newcastle was a club for the working class.

Mick Lowed interviewing him on Radio Newcastle.

Hate it when they start patronising the fan base - all this best fans/great club stuff. Doesn't wash with me.

He is well regarded. Now Academy Manager I think at Fulham since Hughes arrived - was previously the number 2 there.

Pardew will sign the real Mullins. Mullins was on the radio earlier praising Pardew saying he was a very good manager!!! I think he might be after a move.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/robkelly/100014318/the-farcical-appointment-of-alan-pardew-would-neatly-sum-up-mike-ashleys-disastrous-newcastle-rein/

I do not recall such hostility from every quarter of the media not only for sacking Hughton but also the appointment of Pardew. It is a good job he is supposed to be an arrogrant tosser and therefore I assume has the thick skin he is going to need in the next few months. The upcoming fixtures are not kind for him either.

Of course - he's a "mate".

If there are other candidates involved, it is probably more the backroom staff. They need a goalkeeping coach and maybe an assistant if Pedro isn't going to get the job.

Look on the True Faith site.

Read that as Alien Pardew!

I cannot imagine why anyone would want to play or work for this club - it sounds so joyless. I often hear how the normal staff are very unhappy with the atmosphere around the place. I guess the players can cocoon themselves against it but unless they have an affinity with the club, why would anyone sign for us other than as a stepping stone to another club. At least the players felt they had Hughton on their side and who put them first before himself - the way this appointment is looking, you cannot imagine they are going to have much trust in the new manager whoever he is.

A couple more articles. http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/166451/Newcastle-owner-Mike-Ashley-You-ve-got-to-be-in-toon-with-me/ http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/216148/Wanted-A-top-man-to-do-as-Mike-Ashley-says

Yeah I'm curious to whether he does something different or just keeps it the same. I just hope we don't get raped. In talk-ins, he used to come up with some very bizarre teams selections when asked what his first choice 11 would be.

The club will always take the credit for the good buys and blame the manager for the poor ones. They tried to take credit for Bassong but the player himself said it was down to Keegan.

But is Beardsley's a decent coach? Has he managed to improve any of our reserve players? I have never heard anything positive about him as a coach. Great player and a very affable bloke in public - seen him chatting to everyone around the supermarkets as everyone else seems to have done. If Ashley wants to develop young players and sell them for a profit, how is this going to happen with the coaching staff we have? Presumably Steve Stone is line for a promotion now - no idea who is next in line after that.

It is Ashley's plaything and he is just ramming that point down our throats. He doesn't give a toss about the fans other than we hand our money over to him, no questions asked.

Pedro is one of my all time favourite players but all i ever hear about him is how muck of a t*t he is. Maybe Pardew and Pedro as his number 2. John Anderson said on the radio he thought that Pedro would be the Assistant Manager. After all, that's what Ashley wanted and Hughton fought against.

Brian McNally on Twitter "Hearing from an impeccable source Newcastle will meet their first choice candidate tomorrow and expect a decision inside 48 hours" Are they playing games because if it is Pardew why would it take so long?