timeEd32

Willock looks like someone with no confidence.

The way Howe just looked at Almiron made me want to run through a wall.

We'll probably be doing the same in 3 or so years.

I just spent the entirety of a shower thinking about NUFC. That hasn’t happened in more than 5 years.

Still the best day(s) on this website. Quite possibly the most fun in the history of the internet.

I was 23 when he took over and really at the height of my obsession with this club. I've been a supporter since Shearer/Keegan, but much of that was through news and highlights. Unfortunately, Ashley's ownership has coincided with a dramatic increase in the availability of Premier League games in America. For the first six or so years I would schedule my weekends around when we played. I would think all week about the next match. My wife made it into the Chronicle holding a 'Pardew Out' sign while pregnant with our first son. It was around that time I was rooting against us. I wanted Pardew gone. Honestly, it's never been the same since. Rafa provided some hope, but I didn't care as much. I've seen NUFC twice in person -- once at SJP and once at WHL. Both under the reign of Ashley / Pardew. Not coincidentally I've never seen us win either. I now have three kids and I really look forward to walking into SJP with them one day to see a club that is at least attempting to compete.

I’m well past caring about the background of the new owners. Fuck Joe Kinnear Fuck Dennis Wise Fuck Alan Pardew Fuck John Carver Fuck Tony Jimenez Fuck Derek Llambias Fuck Steve Bruce Fuck Joe Kinnear again Fuck Lee Charnley Fuck the other ridiculous cast of characters I’m forgetting Fuck every club that tried to stop this And especially fuck off to Mike Ashley, who made supporting this club such a miserable experience that many stopped caring. I am excited, but I am not as excited as I would have been 5+ years ago. Hopefully in time the passion will return fully.

I don't watch us very closely these days, but Lewis being bad really stands out to me.

The club is dead. Fuck it all.

Bruce looks like a dad who raced from work to coach his son's youth team. Similar level of management too.

Good article on Saudi Arabia: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/06/saudi-arabia-taxes-coronavirus-pandemic/612493/ I hate that this matters now, although I suppose it's no worse than caring about the Sports Direct share price.

There's no doubt it's a problem and they would be at the bottom of a list of ideal mega-billionaires if we could choose. The suggestion that all billionaires are bad carries a bit of truth, but it's also a cop out. Few rise to the level of the Saudis in terms of their beliefs, practices, and human rights violations. In general and particularly right now the world is in shambles. As an American we have thousands dying, millions unemployed, exorbitant or unavailable health insurance, a huge and growing wealth gap with horrible poverty mere miles from me, and a constant assault on the truth from the fucknugget in the White House and his sycophants. Not to mention a planet that is potentially on a path to irreversible harm. I follow and watch sports for entertainment and for an escape from the above. Along with live music, it's my main hobby and has been since I was seven. Over the last decade my interest in this club and, as a result, this sport has diminished steadily. For the last four or five years I've barely cared at all about something I used to schedule my days and weeks around. For a number of years this forum was my most visited site on the internet. It was the first and last thing I opened every day. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've been here in the last 6-12 months. Complete apathy due entirely to the current owner. So it may be wrong and it may be selfish, but Mike Ashley took something away from me and I want it back. I want to think all week about the next match. I want to read (incoming) transfer rumors with a belief that a few of them may come true. I want to scream at a referee through the TV. I want to bitch and moan about the lineup an hour before kickoff. I want to watch full matches from the edge of the coffee table because the couch just feels too far away. I want to track flights and analyze grainy photos at the training ground because that player might be coming to the club. I want to feel like I'm going to throw up while watching the last 10 minutes of a one goal lead. I want to analyze the league table and pointlessly predict upcoming fixtures. I want to scream bloody murder when we score a late winner and then type gibberish into a match thread. I want the club to show even an ounce of ambition. I want there to be hope. I just want to care about Newcastle United again.

I've had some games on in the background, but this the first half I've really watched in awhile. Pretty much what I expected. Almiron is fucking terrible.

The six wins in a row in the second half of that season with Ba-Cisse-HBA up front was probably the highlight of the Ashley era, despite the fact Pardew was manager. That included an incredible half away to West Brom, Carroll's return to SJP and Enrique in goal, a counter-attacking masterclass away to Swansea, and Ben Arfa's wonderful goal against Bolton. Then we got hammered by Wigan 4-0 and lost 3 out of 4 to finish the season, only saved by Cisse's miraculous goals at Stamford Bridge. It's been pretty much downhill since then with only a slight blip from Rafa. I just want to care again like I did in 2012 (and before).

I hope the Athletic makes it. They've hired a lot of quality talent in America and now pushing into football.

Here's my final draft team -- 8 team league with Togga scoring... -----------Pickford-------------- ----TAA------Duffy-------Chilwell -Eriksen-Bernardo-Tielemans-Lanzini ----Origi----Rashford----King---- Bench: Barkley, McNeil, Holebas, Adams, Stones, Lamela Got Origi and Lamela in the last two rounds as it looks like they may start this weekend. One will be replaced by Pepe next week. Quite happy with this as long as Eriksen stays in the country.

Imagine how fun this week might have been if the takeover had been real.

Kind of hate Fantrax (really miss Togga), but it's the only site right now that offers all the customization we need.

Draft is the only way to play, ideally with money on the line. The official FPL game is so lame - everyone ends up with largely the same team.

Almost done with our draft for this season. 8 team league with Togga scoring on Fantrax. Quite happy with how things went (with the 8th pick)... Bernardo Alexander Arnold Eriksen Rashford Tielemans Chilwell King Barkley Duffy Lanzini Holebas McNeil Adams Pickford + Pepe as I'll be adding him with my waiver priority.

Got to agree with this like. Anything to keep that shit house out of the team is worth it. That can't be the way decisions are made man Isn't that exactly the way decisions are made?

I wish we knew what would get him to leave so I could root for that outcome. Is it another year or two in the PL to maximize the sale price? Or getting stuck in the Championship? Or crashing a division or two below that? Or is he here until he's dead?

Thanks, I'll check back in in a couple weeks.

Would someone mind summarizing the last two weeks of takeover nonsense?

First time I've been on here since Rafa left. What's happening? When are we hiring Sherwood?