thewellander

Did he actually write that? What a f***ing clown. Amazing that everything I hate about him could be so nicely summarized in one quotation.

Michael Owen is as delusional as it gets. He personifies the money grabbing footballer. When we signed him my friends bought me his autobiography as a joke. Pretty much most of what he wrote about was how many houses and cars he has, etc. I'm so glad we're rid of him. And his rant about wishing he knew how much we hated him so he could have left sooner...give me a break. Nobody would have taken him if they had to pay a fee for him.

I hope everyone is fit so we can put this side out. Surely Blackpool will be coming out to win this game. They're in serious trouble and they'll see this as one they need to win. I think it'll be harder than it should be under any other circumstance.

We probably couldn't wear a Puma kit last game of last season, since we were sponsored by Adidas.

This.

Don't piss on my cornflakes! I can't get all the way to Kansas or Columbus on a weekday. Toronto might me my only hope. Washington on a Saturday is doable, though.

You're all forgetting the John Carver / Toronto FC connection. Dead on Toronto on the weekend. I'm feeling confident.

Toronto? Close to Columbus, more or less.

I expected the story to end with Tiote getting robbed, but in hindsight, they wouldn't dare.

I hope they play closer to me than Kansas City (it's a 20 hour drive) but if not, I'll see you all there. Keeping my fingers crossed for a game in Toronto, though.

Here's a new shirt that won't be featuring in the MLS playoffs this year. http://www.torontofc.ca/sites/default/files/imagecache/primary_image-620x350/image_nodes/2011/02/ShirtTrioStory.jpg

We're delusional Geordies. That's why. Bolton embarrassed us earlier in the season and I feel that this group of lads respond well to that sort of thing. Aston Villa relegated us and we hammered them, Arsenal went up 4-0 against us and we molested them in the second half, etc. Even the whole season last year, I think, was an example of how this group plays when they feel they have something to prove. So, yeah, I feel good that we're going to get a result today.

Sometime last year (before finding this place), I found a website for NUFC gatherings in Toronto, but it was sadly out of date/defunct. There's probably someplace in TO or the Hammer for Toon gatherings. I just haven't been able to find it -- I'm blinded by all the c***s who walk around here in their brand new Chelsea scarves and hats. Good lord I hate a lot of people in this town! I went to that bar a couple years ago and the woman behind the bar said that all the guys who ran the supporters club ended up getting married and having kids, so it just died out. I don't know of any place that NUFC fans can gather in Ontario. It would be cool to have a place to go when I'm down South, though, so if you find anything, please post it here.

14 Against Norway Cheers!

I want to get a Ben Arfa France shirt. Does anyone know what number he wears for the national team?

I would never hold it against a player who wants to move on when he puts in as much honest effort as Enrique. He works hard and puts in great performances every time he walks out there; what more can we ask of him. He'll always be one of my favorite players, even if we have to sell him in the summer.

Scored a free-kick for Toronto iirc. But yeah that was it. Was a free kick. I was at the game. He was terrible at Toronto and John Carver was his manager, so I don't think there's any chance that we'll see him at NUFC again.

I agree with this. I hope we don't have to risk him. If we can get a few wins before he's fit, I would hope that they wouldn't rush him back in.

I love Newcastle United. End of. I can't say enough about the character of the lads.

Failing to grasp the general premise here. Muppet. But who gives a **** what Nolan says to Liverpool. What does it have to do with enjoying an NUFC football match or supporting the team? Absolutely nothing. Obviously everyone in the team is happy for Carroll. Everyone on the team would probably do the same thing if a top club went in for them. It's a job, get over it. Perhaps you're not grasping my basic point: get a life.

The way people act on here, you'd think that we expect that playing for Newcastle United be the only consideration in our players' lives. They must be loyal to NUFC beyond all considerations. Give me a break. Nolan and Carroll are friends. If Nolan is happy for Carroll and helping him settle in Liverpool, it's because they're friends. There's more to life that NUFC, even for the players. Honestly, the reaction on this board to Carroll leaving has been staggering, even by Internet fan board standards. For Carroll, Nolan and everyone else in the squad, playing for NUFC is a JOB. They have every right to want more money or to move to another team or to hold their personal relationships higher than their "loyalty" to the company that pays their bills.

All these conspiracy theories are hilarious. Andy fancies himself a top player who should be earning top money at a top club. He became aware that Liverpool were in for him and put in a transfer request. It's as simple as that. And why not? The only people that Carroll should be loyal to are himself and his family. If they can ultimately have a better life because he made this move, then all the power to him. Nobody on here would act any differently. Time to move on.

I'm gutted at losing one of our top players, but if I try to thinking about it rationally, I don't know that I would have done it any differently if I was anyone in this situation. Carroll has had one good season in the Championship and less than half a good season in the Premiership, and Liverpool offered us £35m for him. He's far from a proven Premier League talent and his personal issues are extremely problematic. Honestly, Liverpool are taking a huge gamble. I can't imagine that anyone in Mike Ashley's position would turn down £35m for Carroll. Is Ashley doing what's best for Ashley? Potentially. But who can honestly say they would refuse that kind of ridiculous money? As for Carroll, he knows the writing is on the wall at NUFC. His ambitions obviously outstrip those of the club. Ashley and Pardew are looking to establish NUFC back in the top flight and aren't looking to challenge for European places and Andy feels that he wants more from his football career. Plus, he probably got offered a higher wage, and again, I don't know anyone who would turn down the kind of money that he likely got offered. Hopefully we move forward from this. We're probably in a good position to stay up even without him, and hopefully we get some new signings in the summer with some of this money. If not...let's just keep supporting the players. This is life.

I've never had any problem with that. Growing up-- if you were were really into football, ahem, soccer-- you probably had family or roots in a football mad-country. It seemed (and seems) perfectly natural (to me) for Portuguese-Americans, Italian-Americans, Brazilian-Americans, Mexican-Americans and whatever to support the country of their forefathers. That's just the way it was for me. I know a lot of people who have the issue of "hyphenated-Americans" and don't like seeing US citizens rooting against the USNATs, but I could never get that worked up about it. Mostly, it seems to be a US-Mexico thing. I know guys who pretend to be really upset about people supporting Ireland or Italy. But their eyes only light up when they can start venting about Mexican-Americans. I'd probably be more aggravated if we hadn't been kicking their asses for 20+ years now. P.S. 2-0 It was made worse by the fact that the match took place on Canada Day and that we were in a Canadian stadium. Like I said in my post, I'm a big England supporter. I have quite a few England shirts that I wear often, but I couldn't imagine cheering for England over Canada. Wouldn't even fathom it. Especially not at a Canada home game in Toronto.

U20 World Cup in Toronto...Canada U20 v Chile U20 on Canada Day (Canada's birthday). Half the crowd were Canadians of Chilean decent who were cheering against Canada and we ended up getting beaten pretty bad. I ended up drinking with David Edgar's sister, though, which was kind of cool at the time. But I was really annoyed at people cheering against their own country. I support England in the World Cup and Euros, but would never chose them over Canada.