Jackie Broon

They're hardly a random addition, they're from Newcastle's coat of arms, dating back to the 16th century.

I don't think Dalglish had much choice in Ginola, Ferdinand and Batty leaving and although he made some shocking buys too, Given, Speed, Solano and Haman (and to a lesser extent Dabizas) were fantastic singings. Keegan wanted to leave because he could see what was coming with the floatation of the club, which was effectively been run by a banker called Mark Corbridge, and Keegan was effectively sacked rather than let him finish out the 96/97 season. The name Corbridge should really be down there with the likes of Ashley, Wise, Llambias and Jimenez.

It's amazing how easily influenced people are, the amount of people that parrot the 'he's a nice bloke' line without any actual objective indication that's the case, quite the opposite. West Brom fans still trotting shite that out.

It took a bit of finding again, in the end I found it by Googling 'Alex Hurst features me' and it was the top result

Happy Takeover Day https://streamable.com/mvzfry

It summed up the moment perfectly.

Judging by their respective lineups I think Johnny and Eddie must've done a Freaky Friday-esque body swap.

Didn't we have a match with Liverpool called off after Diana died? Although I think it was the next day.

Yeah, I like Howe's calm professional approach, but I don't think our players are always active enough in calling for decisions, like the Stones taking out Schar in the penalty area, if our players had called more strongly for a penalty I think it might have been given. As it was they just got on with the game and made it easier for VAR to not ask the ref to give it another look.

Trippier's red card maybe, and that's just feeling lucky because it actually went our way for once. Hard to think of one other than that.

Yes, lots of deadline day deals are done subject to a medical.

I'm surprised we haven't been going for more young prospects for the future that can bolster our squad without adding to the 25 man limit, given that our academy is probably a long way from regularly producing them.

To be fair I'm sure he has been told by people within the club that there's nothing left for us to spend, he just doesn't have the journalistic ability to consider what their reason might be for telling him that.

We're very early in the season, a lot can and will change and they will be planning for that possibility.

They apparently need to reduce their wage bill because they're in danger of failing UEFA FFP rules, if they get into Europe. So I don't think they'd be looking to sell to buy.

Ta, but also I might be completely wrong and I haven't really looked at the UEFA FFP rules, they're above my head.

Then again, the media have been briefed for months that we are heavily restricted by FFP and only had a limited pot of money this summer. Within FFP limits (which we still have a lot of leeway with) funds probably aren't an issue, it's pennies to PIF, the issue is that we don't want other clubs we are negotiating with to think we have unlimited funds. Although the Wilson injury might have had some influence over the timing of the deal and what we were willing to pay, I think there is a reason for briefing that PIF loosened the purse strings just for that. For very different reasons to the Ashley era I think the club continues to repeatedly and intentionally mislead the press, public and fans over our financial position.

Actually, band-aid is a proprietary eponym, like calling a vacuum cleaner a hoover, it is actually a name brand We never would've had name brand plasters under Ashley.

Yeah, he looks to have huge potential and that he's be a really useful squad player able to play anywhere across the front three or attacking midfield and seems perfect for our high intensity pressing style of play. As much as I'm delighted with Isak I'll be disappointed if he is instead rather than as well as Pedro.

But I thought we only had a budget of £40m to left?

That's only UEFA FFP, not PL.

Weren't a lot of the local journalists denying that a new bid had even gone in over the weekend when Romano reported it? Which now seems to be completely accepted did happen.

Yeah, Jason Burt's name is on the article and he posted this half an hour after Romano's 'here we go'.

Hadn't done any Denis Wise youtube scouting of him yet after previous disappointments but I'm far more impressed than I was by Hugo Ekitike. He looks far ahead of where Ekitike is at the same age ideal for our style of play.