LoveItIfWeBeatU

Not only are SAFC officially obsessed with NUFC, they also confirm themselves as sad Mackem bastards.

We'd all like Armstrong to be a sensation but that doesn't mean he definitely will be one.

Chancel Mbemba will almost certainly be away at the African Cup of Nations which runs 14 January – 5 February 2017.

The old professional players always try to play in a celebrity when they should just have a shot themselves. Having said that, it's amazing how some former professional players lose their skills. I went to the Steve Harper testimonial. All the attacking players could no longer hit the ball with any power. Shearer couldn't shoot any more. I saw him say his knees and ankles were shot the other day (when mentioning he wouldn't be playing during the Entertainers charity game). I guess most ex-players have wrecked their legs to a certain degree.

What time does the game start? 8pm. My Soccer Aid thread got merged into the Other Games Today thread (it was obviously causing a problem by being in it's own thread).

Same NOWAT complaint every time and then loads of people watch it and comment. Who doesn't want to see Ramsay Bolton play football? I bet he's a real dirty player.

Everyone's favourite is back. http://socceraid.unicef.org.uk/ http://socceraid.unicef.org.uk/players.html

He'd only be coming to us to win the Championship trophy. Another one to tick off his bucket list.

I can understand the security guard not appreciating Gazza's 1970's Bernard Manning style brand of 'humour'. I bet all the UK media outlets have Gazza's obituary written/recorded ready to go at a moments notice.

Except Rafa offered Taylor a 1 year contract which Taylor turned down.

Still under contract for at least another season according to the official NUFC Twitter.

He gets a lot of hate but I've just watched the compilation of all his NUFC goals and it made me smile. There are some great goals in there.

I'm not bothered he's gone, it was more the point that Rafa was happy to keep him for another season.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-newcastle-united-goal-hero-11422843

Rafa was obviously OK with keeping him or he wouldn't have been offered that 1 year contract (said to be "heavily incentivised"). That's at least one first team centre back we now need to replace. I'm guessing Rafa thought he'd do as 3rd or 4th choice in the Championship. Rafa was probably hoping we'd get promoted after one season and then we could have replaced Taylor when we were back in the Premiership. Now we'll have to try to get someone this season. A loan, someone who is a better standard than the Championship but is willing to slum it for a season or buy a Championship quality centre back as a stop gap.

I think he'll leave if we don't get promoted at the first time of asking. I'm not going to worry about that though. The last time NUFC were in the Championship they were far from prepared for the season. We ended up getting promotion with a lot to spare. This time we are going in to a season in the Championship with Rafa Benítez as manager with full control over footballing matters and money to spend. It's no guarantee but it certainly helps with confidence.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-tv-championship-how-11398625

I'd imagine he'll be persuaded to stay until at least the January transfer window. If by January we're well on our way to instant promotion he'll stay, if not he'll leave then.

A priest can't have a wife He doesn't have a problem with the church trying to appropriate Rafa's popularity for their own means so he's not likely to be bothered about the priest having a wife. Could be worse, he could be a child abuser like a lot of priests.

Don't agree with that. He is absolutely awful these days. He doesn't hit the ball cleanly anymore when he shoots. He's finished.

Afraid not. It's a small housing development (71 dwellings) by Taylor Wimpey. So it is: - https://www.taylorwimpey.co.uk/find-your-home/england/tyne-and-wear/newcastle-upon-tyne/whitfield-green I presume that limits any expansion of the training ground. I don't know if NUFC have any unused space on their site.

I bet Sunderland fans can't wait to see Big Sam cross swords with some of the worlds best managers. Ibrahimovic smashing goals past them will also be a privilege. It's the taking part that counts.

You reckon? I'd wait until at least Christmas before making a statement like that. I may be wrong, Benitez might be a class Championship manager, but he's untested in a division like that and to suppose that you'll not only come straight back up but he'll then get you into Europe is slightly delusional. You are basically implying that you'd consider a tried and tested Championship manager to be a better bet for promotion from the Championship than the likes of Arsène Wenger, Claudio Ranieri, Jürgen Klopp, Mauricio Pochettino, José Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, Rafael Benítez, etc. Next you'll be saying you'd rather have Championship quality players in the Championship over Premiership quality players.

Does anyone know what is being built in front of the NUFC Little Benton training ground? Building foundations have been built in what I referred to as the 'horses field'. Did the club buy it and are expanding the training ground? I remember hearing the field owners wouldn't sell it to NUFC. Did that situation change?

They'll be livid that we're happy. Personally I don't read their 'banter' attempts at goading us. Why give them the satisfaction?