Wallace

Their fans are always complaining they are ignored in the media - they've got their wish now!

Former Sunderland scout on the radio says everything Sunderland do is influenced by what Newcastle are doing!!!

Sometimes the manager says "howay you have to speak English here".

I guess it will depend on the policing arrangements. At Bordeaux, I think a lot of people went for a wander and there were bars etc close by. At Bruges, again I don't recall having to go straight into the stadium although I did but I don't think there was much else to do around the stadium.

Needs to work off all those excess pounds first!!!

Mark Douglas also mentions this in today's Journal.

Can't believe he has made 63 appearances already.

Just received an official text from NUFC to say the derby is sold out.

I'm sure I read something a few years ago saying Fletcher was also a Newcastle fan...might be mixing him up with Darren Fletcher mind. I've read/heard that as well.

He seems to be a really high profile player in France these days. Was he before he joined us? He seems much in demand in the French media.

http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/archives/27810 Analysis of our results against each referee.

I seem to recall that the club said there was a contract offer on the table. However, Owen and the media are rewriting history here. Was anyone really upset that he left at the end of that season? By that time, he had already burned his bridges with the fans. Certainly for the second half of the season from my POV, he stopped putting in any effort as he had already decided that he would leaving on a free. It was all about self-preservation and making sure he did not get injured hence him pulling out of challenges and missing so many one on one chances. It is very telling that Shearer after trumpeting him as a reason why we would escape relegation ended up dropping him. If Owen wasn't going to give his utmost for a supposedly good friend, then he obviously didn't care one bit. As a captain and therefore someone you would expect to set an example to his teammates, he was a disgrace. Surely everyone was glad to see the back of him and even the most deluded fan would have realised that there is no way we could have afforded him in the Championship. The reason why fans resent Michael Owen has absolutely nothing to so with him leaving at the end of the season and not staying to help us win promotion. We managed that quite well without him (infact I think his continued presence would have been resented by the other players and the infamous team spirit may well not have happened). It is all to so with his attitude and performances in that season being one of the main contributions to our relegation.

Going to Barnet today as my game's been cancelled, looking forward to seeing him in the flesh, absolute ledge. The c*** was only suspended. Astonishingly, for fouling James Beattie who plays up top for Accrinton Stanley these days. With Franny Jeffers. Incredible scenes all round. Luckily I had a punt on 0-0, that game was complete filth. N.b. I haven't fact checked any of the above but I was told it today and I'm so desperate for it to be true there's no way I'm risking looking it up and finding out it's wrong. Yes Beattie and Jeffers are playing for Accrington Stanley. The reporter from the game the other night was going on about Accrington having 2 England Internationals playing for them.

Was on the bench, rested for the Spain game apparently. He's also on a yellow card so I guess they didn't want to risk losing him for the Spain match.

I prefer this approach to the one where Pardew usually spouts off in interviews about how difficult it will be to hold on to our players which always gives the impression that he is inviting offers.

Ultimately it is up to what Pardew, coaches and players think. If they are happy with the situation with Colo and they are supposed to know the "real" story, then there shouldn't be a problem. I do think the captain of a club should be more media friendly but by all accounts, he has been a very good captain to his teammates behind the scenes and is quite influential.

Sissoko on for France.

Sure some Spanish teams were in for him? If he wanted to go, he could've done - as so many declared there wishes to leave after that Leyton Orient game. He's been a credit to the club since we went down, until just recently. It's bitterly disappointing imo. I just think it's unprofessional and insensitive (again, that's based on my belief that he doesn't have a season-ending injury). Wonder how much they were offering though, I bet it was a fraction of what we paid. I appreciate what he has done for us up to January but I doubt there was any real option for him to leave anyway so in my head it's a moot point. I recall his agent saying at the time there were clubs in Spain interested in him but there was no-one at the club to negotiate with. (It was during the time Ashley and Llambias had cleared off and supposedly no decisions could be made because the club was up for sale). I daresay wages would have been an issue as well.

I'm a bit confused with all this. Didn't someone say they saw Colo's son outside SJP last week? I would have expected him to take his kids with him especially if his wife is in Argentina but if they are still here, he must intend to come back soon.

Good to see that the club have kept the prices down again for the Benfica game.

Called up Steven Caulker. Poor Saylor but I'm relieved.

One outcome from having their match on TV yesterday is that it has made everyone else aware of how bad they are so it is now a discussion topic in the media.

Wasn't it a very late equaliser from us in that Derby game which is why we feel we got away with it? I can't remember anything of the game itself.

This trip is overnight so the cost of accommodation will account for some of the difference whereas Bruges was just a daytrip.

Hopefully they will bring a large number of supporters over. Always love it when there are loads of foreign supporters in town.