Heron

Times change, he might be ready for that now? Would it be a terrible move? Like there's nothing to suggest he couldn't do it. At worst we'd have a solid high press that doesn't leak goals, it'd be better than a high press that cannot keep a clean sheet...

We have improved as a team or it certainly seemed that way until Cambridge. I think anyone questionning Howe's position is massively underestimating the sheer level of gross negligence we were operating at previously, in all honesty.

I don't understand how Benitez isn't a director of football to be honest? He understands and has plans for a football club that go well beyond managing a squad of players. He'd also be able to provide defensive guidance to Howe and the team, and has accolades and ability to manage those within our squad and beyond, no matter how big they think they are. You could argue any DoF undermines Howe at this stage too...

I'd have him as a DoF. Said that before getting Howe. RB as DoF and Howe as manager.

Never should have left / been allowed to leave.

Wasn't there yesterday owing to illness but attitude is a key issue throughout for us now and I cannot help but feel that's because influential players with bad attitudes are seemingly held in such high regard (because there is no one near their technical quality). We then have try-hards who get shit for not being good enough and get berated...

I thought I'd put this in here as it's more of a general rant than specifically about any given subject (apart from Newcastle United)... 2021/2022 will (seemingly) always be earmarked as the year we failed to capitalise for me as a football club. Trillionaire owners, a new manager, new players, a positive vibe, all simply not enough to undo 14 years of poor ownership and neglect, and at least 2 (years) of gross neglect under Ashley and Bruce. For a very, very brief period I'd actually commended Ashley in somehow managing to sell the club to the Saudi's - my view being that he had simply 'played the game' and 'forced the hand' of the Premier League by threatening to expose there web of corruption. I still believe this. However, as we fail to capitalise, the realisation of just how terribly the club had been ran once again surpasses any joy or positivity we could now hold. It's like when the Saudi's came in, we didn't have our man ready in the dugout. Spurs becomes another lost game (to utilise). We then bring in Howe, who unfortunately gets covid (another lost game). We play Norwich and Clark makes a bad snap shot decision which forces us to draw (another lost game). I'm gonna be somewhat controversial here and say, then our fans gan on like people Clark or wheoever makes a mistake or isn't good enough are full on devil spawn. Giving them stick at the stadium. It just cannot help man, they must kna they're about to be replaced so berating the ones who are trying their best isn't gonna help them up their games. Yet, that being said, it's a tiny minority and the club has had swathes of positivity from the stands for weeks on end, despite poor results and more recently poor performances. Our problem is a lack of character, particularly on the pitch. No leaders. No fight. No courage. That's all because of everything above. These lads are a shell of what they were under Benitez. I really like Howe and believe he can do well here but he really needs to start getting ruthless I feel. I have this impression (and that's all it is), that he was held in such high esteem at Bournemouth and rightly so, for turning them around but here it's like these players know nothing of it or simply don't care. I have my reservations that he's too much of a nice guy, pushing positivity instead of the realistic kick up the arse some of these lads need. I just don't see him as the angry type. I also don't know if we can adapt to a defensive style that stops us leaking goals. Despite this, for us to call for his head or for us to really go in on him would be incredibly ignorant to what has preceded him. Howe needs not only a full pre season but a full season to fix this shit man. Unfit players half way into a season with no wins under their belt. Howay. Like you don't just turn that psychology, physicality, system or quality around like 'that' [clicks fingers] I fucking hate Ashley for what he's done to the club but I tell you what Bruce has been far worse in the immediate term. Absolute gross negligence. Anywhere else he'd have been sacked months ago and actually probably not even given the job in the first place. To have a team physically unfit for the league is nothing short of a disgrace. Our performances had improved until Cambridge where the players collectively shit their pants and that loss will prove catastrophic I reckon. The leaders of the past, such as Lascelles, Ritchie, et al can no longer be the leaders of present (on the pitch) because they don't always feature and/or seem to have 0 confidence or courage and we now need new leaders to step forward. It doesn't need to be new signings but it needs to be people who will clash heads and ruffle feathers. At present, I only see Joelinton and Wilson as these people, aside from new signings. To be frank, I think it's time for the excitement to subside and for us all to realise we're in a massive fucking dogfight and cannot pick our soliders. It's time to make do with what we have and fucking knuckle down and grow some balls. As over simplistic as that sounds, that's our reality, and only with real grit, determination and unity will we overcome this mess we now preside over. Fuck me. This whole situation is so 'Newcastle'.

Oh dear

Was very pleased our best defender was back today.

Shut up you muppet.

For the first time last week I wasn't involved with the display, and sat elsewhere in the ground and I genuinely found it quite moving. I think it's because I didn't have an appreciation for the joy it brings, we're normally panicking and stressing at 14:30 through to 15:10 so it was weird to get the feelings others get. Also, with taking a stance vs Ashley and that I'm normally shouting and balling and don't really take in what it means to be back. It all just came flooding back. I looked at the Gallowgate and thought "Cambridge must see this and think 'fuck me this is a serious club'" so much so they beat us But aye. Lush man. (Not to blow our own trumpet )

No, it won't, but it'll be out there. Discussions were had and there was a desire to go large for him but the general consensus was one swallow doesn't make a summer and actually the priority is to back the whole team at present given the predicament we're in. The more fun or personal displays can wait for now. Don't want to sound too much like Grandmaster Flash but it's all about The Message at present. Last week wasn't good enough, in fact it was canny horrendous, but we're keen to show we're right behind them, today is a new day and we can, and must win. And we will.

We felt like many other fans he does deserves a pat on the back given the shit he has previously received. It's all been a bit love/hate with him hasn't it? I think it's right though that he sees with good performances comes good reward.

We're trying to balance this at present. We have new equipment we're trying to familiarise with at present and hence the printed banners, but this also ties in with the many messages we want to give as the season progresses and develops. The intention is to have a 'base' level though and achieve a 'minimal work/maximum output balance' and there's now a larger focus on attempting to be leaner in terms of reducing waste materials and time. We genuinely appreciate all the donations we receive and are occasionally overhwelmed by it so we're considering methods to give people the best value for money and also give us more free time back to ourselves. Some of the large surfers are a good way to reduce man hours and will look to be used but we also need a few repairs and hence their lack of use recently, but we are keen to keep things fresh too. It's all just a giant balancing act, and it is often unbalanced one way or another, but thankfully we seem to have the trust of the fanbase and the club, and tend to strike the right tone with a lot of people. Hopefully that continues...

Depends on the culture and arrangement. It doesn't work in England because you have a mixed set of fans in all areas of the ground, by and large except for the occasional block or two.

Excited for this again. What is this is sense of hope?

I feel it's important to remain a member so to retain the right to shape the organisation to how you'd prefer through the voting process. This was my feeling when I stepped forward for a role on the board, but that was fast dwindled away. Personally, I will probably vote on this despite not paying into the pledge. It's not how I believe it should work, but it is (as I understand) what has always been outlined from the start, the same as the use of the cash generated, etc. So I won't criticise them for following it. The key aspects I take from your post(s) are the bits about the AGMs, processes and most importantly correspondence. I think I'd have done certain things differently and voiced my opinions on such matters whilst actively involved. I think in retrospect I could have gone about things slightly differently, but in all honesty, I also feel my views would have simply been diluted in favour of playing politics and that's not actually what I was interested in. I feel I listened to, and considered their views, and challenged when relevant, but there was never going to be a breakthrough given the certain dynamics, personalities and characters involved. However, whilst you're well within your rights to pull apart the legal wording and ambiguity you feel is there, for me it's these kinds of things that need to be addressed with a pinch of salt. There has to be a balance in that - these are simply volunteers who aren't necessarily trained or knowledgeable on outlining such processes, structure or reporting from a legal standing. Which I appreciate is why you pointed towards legal guidance and advice, but how are they to know what is and isn't good advice? So that also depends on the quality of any guidance they may have had. Which I'm sure they will have done. Nonetheless, if this is being put to the trust in a constructive way, then it can only be for the good that any ambiguity is removed and subsequently the trust is more watertight for potential, future issues that may have arose. That being said, I'm just not sure on the need to go to their governing bodies, personally. It all seems a bit much, but hey ho. Perhaps that's me being a bit blasé about the formalities of such an organisation. I guess that, now I'm out of it, I just don't pay as much interest. But, out of curiosity though what is your end game? Like would you consider running for a board position? Because perhaps some of the knowledge and experience you seem to have would be better utilised working from within the Trust and on the board rather than against as it currently seems? That was the view I tried to take, but my short fuse was fast burned out, so perhaps you feel the same, I don't know? But I do think the trust needs to be more open to the constructive criticisms of it and easier to access (in person) for open communication. Hopefully, that'll help it to not stagnate and/or decline, and instead, grow. Speaking more generally now, I'm just of the view that, this is all just, like, a bit too serious nowadays. I think Ashley did this to us. I feel the trust has lost direction of its bread-and-butter-fundamentals, and with that they risk losing the membership they have massively built. My feelings were made known from within, and I let down the voters who voted for me by sacking it off. However, now I spend my football time doing Wor Flags, going to the game and watching and playing footy, and not arguing and debating with people who have little interest in what I say, operating in a grey area of the fanbase. And finally, despite all the flaws in the modern game, it finally feels like supporting my team is getting back to being more like what it's supposed to be - fun, passionate and enjoyable. Anyways, I'm gannin to kip

I was yolking. It's a song aint it. Scrambled is best like. Bit of broon saace

How do you like your eggs in the morning?

Good suggestion this. Should put it to them

Aye. Absolutely. Because he's better than having us go backwards and sideways against a team approximately 40 positions below us, who we end up losing against cause we have absolutely no teeth to our attack. We're strikerless. He might win us these next couple of games, this Saturday's in particular. If we do, the ball is almost in our court...

We are desperate? What's your point?

We're paying above the odds, because we have to. It's no different to clubs adding £10m on because they know our predicament and we have to pay it. All clubs will put silly valuations in these type of clauses where possible to ensure there's a continuity plan of their business. That being said, I don't think it's a great deal over the odds anyways given he's what we need and it's exactly what Burnley don't need. How will them fuckers attract better for less at such short notice?

This is another thing. £25m is a worthy punt if it keeps you in the top flight. It's better than a £50m bigger punt because you don't know how the 'punt' will adapt.

Just seen a tweet before and have to say I absolutely agree with it. People would gladly see us spend £30m on a player they've never seen in their life, nor heard of, that is entirely unproven in this league and a lot bigger gamble rather than see us sign someone who weakens our direct rivals, thus increasing our chances of staying up irrespective of what he does here and whom has a similar goalscoring record in the same division as our current star striker. People are mental man. Nobody is saying the signing is awe inspiring or ground breaking or make the world sit up and listen, but it's a sensible purchase that increases our chances of scoring, and staying up; our current, primary objective. Anyone who watched that game on Saturday will have seen that we needed someone to poach a goal or two and boss their CBs. He's that man, at this level, against our direct rivals.