Mattoon

Well that was all a bit salty

done!

I'll hold my hands up, didn't think much to him signing for us tbh, we needed defenders and a striker at the time and was disappointed we got him instead. Having said that he's not exactly a world beater and has left us infuriated at times, several times a match and many of us here can be quoted as saying he's having a bad match more than once and wanting him subbed, but he pulls it out the bag every game for us. He's been involved in everything and without him we'd be in a much worse position, glad to eat my words on this occasion. Even when he's been bad he's delivered, awesome work Andros!

Tbf we need spurs to win and secure 2nd. 3rd and 4th aren't far behind and 4th might not yet get champions League. All to play for even if the title is won. I was gonna say surely we want Leicester to win tomorrow and sew the league up and Spuds to beat Chelsea to put a bit of daylight between them and Arsenal so they can cement 2nd before they play us.

One without Dele Alli which can only be a good thing. One without Alli who have tied up 2nd and can't win the league, best chance we'll have of getting a result.

Sunderland are going to draw their way to relegation, Norwich are too up and down, we just need to remain calm and do what we can do and we'll be safe. Down to a 5 after today.

Rafa you beautiful bastard!

What are these feels? Can't handle this man, it's torture!!!

Get the FUCK IN!!!!!!!!

The door is open thanks to Stoke, we just need to do our jobs now, get this sorted.

Rafa will have them fired up for the second half, I have faith in him, not so much in the players. But these are here for the taking if we can step it up a notch.

Does anyone realise that to avoid relegation we need to actually win this?

Confident if we can get to half time without conceding we'll be fine in the second half.

Given what we've had to endure you're quite right to expect the worse but this is Rafa's team now things are changing.

First time I've included us in an accumulator this season, feeling pretty confident today!

He's the glue holding everything together right now, for the first time in recent memory, players, fans and club are pulling in the same direction, it'd be just our luck for it to be too late. If/When Rafa leaves, it'll all fall apart.

You're spot on, but sadly I doubt the part in bold is the view of the majority. No you're right, but the majority on here and the die hards that were driven away by the whole regime will. I hope we stick it to his team tomorrow and I hope that rather than attack him we just sing Rafa's praises for the whole match, show him exactly what we're made of, a noise he'll have never been privy to!

NUFC came out and said they didn't want to qualify for Europe, or have a cup run. What was the manager (Pardew or any other) supposed to do with that? Do you honestly believe that Pardew wasn't in on that using Europe as an excuse for his terrible form, claiming the squad wasn't capable of competing on more than one front? It was a match made in hell.

100% it's Ashley's doing, but I can't agree with you that any has-been in the dugout would have been able to facilitate that. It takes a special kind of smarmy, smug, egomaniac with extremely thick skin to do what has been done.

Think that's one of the longest times I've ever nodded. Absolutely spot on. Being absolutely barmy about Newcastle United was something that I never thought would waver for me. I take my hatred for Pardew really personally and I'm certain I'm not the only one. Bleeding Black & White is every Geordie's birthright (even an adopted one like me) but Ashley facilitated by Pardew made us have a mauve transfusion. It's unforgivable and unforgettable and it's heartbreaking to hear supporters not wanting to take the next generation to games because they don't want to taint that love they had and turn them away from NUFC. It's heartbreaking seeing them want to support a Manchester team or a London team because there's been nothing here to support thanks to them. Our only last dying hope is that Rafa can bring some pride, passion and belief back to a beleaguered support and ignite a passion in the next generation.

Yup. Surely a rhetorical question?

Souness was undoubtedly worse in footballing terms, in a time where he pulled apart a great team, however Pardew is responsible for the disemination of mediocrity and destruction of expectations. He destroyed the spirit of the club, it's hardened supporters and dismantled the pride throughout the club. Psychologically what he has done has ruined a generation of supporters and created an ethos of "that'll do" throughout the club, now I'm not saying he is solely responsible but he was the chief facilitator and will be reviled for his part in the ruination of a once proud club. That for me is much, much worse.

Ah the wonderfully incitful Lawro, what a waste of oxygen that guy is. Personally I've stopped letting the "inside track" bother me, it's clearly a looking out for the lads statement. You'd have to be blind to not notice the run he's on and completely retarded to not realise this downward spiral started with him and was in large part caused by him. Only now we've got a real manager in charge are the roots of recovery being witnessed. Lawro can go suck a dick for all I care.

Aye it's not worth agonising over, it's clearly out of our hands, we just need to go out and get the three points we should against Palace and Villa and see how it pans out.