ramirez

I remember Swansea and Barnsley cup games in the 90s where there were 2-3 different pockets of away fans around the ground.

You’d think an away friendly in Bilbao would be organised since they’ve now had three visits to our place since the first meeting, would be a very popular pre season game of not going to be in the same, or any, European competition next year.

I'm not sure on that either, to me it would have made sense to use an either or if they were avoiding repeated clashes or same country but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Football ranking has us projected to play pafos or Frankfurt in the play off round, either would be decent trip with direct flights from toon?

Football meets data has us as 99.9% to qualify, with 36% of top 8, lower threshold for qualification than last season by sound of it. At the very least if we miss out on top 8 we should finish 9-16 and get a seeded tie against 17-24 so have second leg at home, that would mean we have home first after that the way it worked last season, for people thinking of booking time off etc

Adidas only have long sleeved for that in authentic atm, shame they took away the free peronsaliation. Otherwise I don’t think the new adidas shirts are great, the Mexico one isn’t a patch on the famous 98 shirt.

Great atmosphere in town but the game felt like a testimonial with little jeopardy. Depressing that Brentford is a bigger challenge than Bilbao.

Same reason they refer to the ‘stadium’ total lack Of imagination.

I was booked for the euros in Bilbao before covid hit, they didn't even host any games in the end and I only got as far as Wembley. The videos in the first post are incredible, I had an ST in the east paddock from 92-06 but rarely went to midweek cup games when I was younger, so missed the first one, was one of the few at the Bobby Lee testimonial however. Looking forward to some nice 'football friend' action tomorrow.

I suppose its maybe best known as being the finish for the GNR starting from toon, so will likely be associated more with Newcastle being tyneside. The accent is defo more geordie sounding than mackem too.

Can't imagine Fulham bringing to many given the timing, may be rare ballot success for some.

They are playing the Thursday after as well as the Thursday before so 4 games in 8 days. The first one is shelbourne at least.

Palace are playing in Europe on the Thursday too! Crazy schedule.

The shear amount of games we have due to CL, league cup draws at home with another good run, means 3 homes in a week etc will inevitably lead to complacency and the atmosphere to suffer a bit. That 1/4 final v Leicester felt huge 3 years ago, less so for Brentford last year and probably even less again for Fulham next month.

Only in Europe and championship I think. we’ve not won in the blue away either fwiw, or in its 97 original form. Probably a few more like that.

Not convinced by spurs, Chelsea or man united, or villa either, but crucially not convinced by us. So I’m sure one or two of them at least will get ahead of us. That was a must win game to turn around away form really.

On current form Burnley and spurs maybe Chelsea.

aye was first one with my mates and i checked it was ok first, with most of them. Think it was a friday night week which done him.

yeah you're on the ball tbf, my dad forgot to pick and hes normally ubver organised for things like this so i let him off, was chuffed he then went out from an admin point of view! im already floating idea of a wc one 27 consecutive days of four games a day will be lethal

Theres a bit of debate in my own on , im long since out and someone forgot to pick one week but i asked them and let them back in, only for them to crash out anyway (spurs v wolves), apparently the protocol for this is to be assigned the lowest rank team. Anyway theres still 4 out of 10 left from start of the season, rollver got to be likely.

The riddler style orange one from 97/98 too I think.

Hearts and possibly Pompey and millwall too.

It seems like ages since they’ve sacked a manager. Still can’t see it for a while but who knows, Villa are bang in form.

I don’t think many adults would have had the asics gk shirts, hence the high prices for them now. Goalkeeper tops back then had all the padding in too.

i got an Italy womens shirt as was £7, just as an experiment, fits quite nice, a fair bit of room around the hips! I'm now well on my way to being the NE29 version of ed gein. Conversely the pin stripe trefoil gender neutral shirt is pretty boxy and i dont really like the fit at all, also got the recent real madrid reissues teka black shirt in the same size (xl) and its absolutely massive so have had to return.