Tsunami

The things I remember most are the facts that the stadium was in disrepair, official security was awful, that the Liverpool fans had no thoughts whatsoever of safety, that many through years of success thought they had the right to do as they please and that many Juve fans were also up for a fight. I can still see a Juve fan on the track behind the goal brandishing a pistol. HTF do you get a gun into the European Cup Final? Everything was in place for the disaster it became.

Howard Gayle had a song about him and his colour but it wasn't racist. It went "He's Black, he's Broon, he's playing for the Toon Howard Gayle, Howard Gayle." I was at Grimsby on a Boxing Day when he scored and that song was being belted out. Mind you when he got sent off at SJP for the Mackems he did get abused...............

There's a lot to be said for the Play Off's. A big part of me would love to be there today.

Very difficult this given the way the game has changed and trying to get a balanced side so with apologies to many: Banks G Neville Moore Adams Pearce Beckham Gascoigne Robson Waddle Charlton Rooney

Twas going wide!

aargh

Why didn't Ashley simply say that we'll not be taken mugs anymore, that sensible investment will be made on the playing side and that the club's long term security was paramount? What the club has produced reads like a wind up, a fuck you all with a suggestion that he is looking to get his money back without any real concern where the club is when he eventually leaves. If he trousers the sky money and we get relegated he will still get 100M or so. If he trousers the sky money and we stay up, bingo he looks like a genius, he can command a greater price and perhaps we'll buy some players - everyones happy. Either way, first and foremost, he is looking to get his money back.

Thank fuck we got promoted. That statement reads like a club after relegation and without a pot to piss in. Looks like he's going to be stuffing quite a stash of Sky money in his back pocket. "Geordie nation" least he's in tune with the fans though...............................

He didn't play in the PL with the Mackems. ANd yet you speak about his capabilities with such authority I stand corrected in that. Doesn't make him any quicker.

Carvalho was far better. Colo let's himself be drawn into awful positions. He needs to learn from his first PL season. Our defence didn't play as a unit. As it happens I believe Danny Simpson is the real defensive weak link. He simply isn't quick enough and he got raped in the PL with the Mackems. The fact that we have a lack pace through the spine of the team will leave us exposed time and time again next year and Hughton has to address this. There were times against ordinary sides last year where we were hit on the counter attack and our midfield was caught 40 yards or so off their attacking midfielders. We got away with it this year; next year we wont.

Colo bases his whole defensive game on anticipation and getting in front of the attacker. He has done well this season but he was too slow, weak and poor in the air in the PL. He better have learned his lesson or he will get torn to pieces again.

Ha ha, they have Bloomfield Road in the sea.

We conceded too many late goals at home (Bramble & Faye for starters), but for me Owen's misses late in the season sent us down. He had good chances against Pompey but he missed an absolute sitter against Everton where a slip had left him 10 yards out with Howard stuck on his line and he contrived to miss. Had we won that game we'd have stayed up comfortably.

Hull home, with Brown back in charge.

That is awful. There is a huge problem with shirts now being dominated by the sponsors logo; they'll have marching ant lights stitched around the logo box before long. Less is more (in this case).

Which ones? That joker at Burnley, granted. Almunia, Sorenson, Howard, Gomez & Green are high profile keepers who I wouldn't swap with. Most keepers have their weaknesses. Harper doesn't make that many howlers, is a good shot stopper, his kicking could be better and his main weakness is dealing with crosses. You'll not agree with some mentioned and others have been left out as I haven't seen enough of them (Hull, Wolves...). The point is that we'd be replacing Harper with Krul or would need to spend 5M or so which would be better spent elsewhere.

We have many more weaker positions to replace. Most keepers have weaknesses, Harper doesn't command his 6 yard line & is prone to punching the ball but he is a decent keeper. Gordon cost the Mackems 9M or so and he has the same problems. Compare Harper with PL keepers and he comes out pretty well imo.

Do they not count?

was he the lad that had jonas in his pocket all match? That's him. We were rumoured to have been looking at him before & he did have a good game against us but we need to do our homework on all new signings. We wont have the cash to make mistakes in the transfer market. KK got rid of David Kelly, brought in Beardsley had already got in Cole & Lee & knew exactly who wouldn't cut the mustard in the PL. KK was given the money needed to do this. We have to hope Hughton has the balls, right transfer targets & the support of Ashley. Without all 3 we will struggle.

We have a complete lack of pace in the centre of defence and midfield. Guthrie & a fit motivated Barton are our best bet on what we've got in midfield whilst Nolan should be sold to an ambitious Championship side - he'll not cut it back in the PL. The lack of pace in central defence and at RB will leave us exposed. Danny Simpson is far too slow. I'd have a look at Perch for one.

We need a RB with speed (Simpson will not cut it in the PL), we need another CB with speed (our current crop are too slow for the PL), we need a creative midfield palyer and a solid defensive midfield player (none of our current midfield are good enough), we need a quick target man & a better right winger. We'll not get all of this but unless we add a decent amount of pace and a creative midfielder we will be picked off too easily.

West Ham gives us a better chance of staying up next year

miss: winning, looking forward to the next season wont miss: The FL Show, I'd also say being accused of being arrogent fans - but we'll get that next year as well. No doubt Sky will roll out the usual identikit fans for interview.

More tickets left than there were against Notts F at this point. Mind you the website suggested Notts F was almost sold out; no idea where the spare 6,000 odd empty seats were.

I have to agree that I thought that more than 46k were there.