Pilko

It's a waste of time discussing this, really. It boils down to how cynical people are towards the board and how much faith people have in Carroll for not being a massive wanker.

We didn't have to sell him regardless of what he wanted. He handed in a transfer request and I think £35m was a good price. I have no problems with that. I agree with the misgivings that we clearly didn't bother getting anyone of sufficient calibre in to replace him.

It's different because Carroll demanded a new contract or he was off, to our knowledge Tiote did not do that. Also, Tiote was absolutely 100% not on a wage that befitted his squad status. Carroll's wage was debatably about what he should have been on. Yes, he had a brilliant start to the season and an England cap, but it's still very early days in his Premier League career. The offer to renegotiate at the end of the season tops it off, too. It's a perfectly reasonable compromise and Carroll rejected it.

This is bullshit. At the end of the day, it boils down to whether or not you agree with what the club percieved to be acceptable wages for Carroll and Tiote. If Tiote was on under £10k a week before the new deal, then I agree with them that he is worth a pay rise and contract extension. If Carroll was on ~£35k a week before January 31st, having only been on that increased wage for four months, then it again depends whether you agree that he was worth whatever he was asking for, rumoured to be nearly double that. I for one don't think he was worth that wage considering he demanded it and even brushed off the club's suggestion a new deal would be thrashed out about four months down the line. Put it this way - the club offered to give him a new deal about 8 months into a 66 month contract, and he thought they were being unreasonable. Considering they managed to get £35m for him then I don't particularly disagree with the club one bit on this one. I really find it pathetic how people are saying we should have just given Carroll his mega-money. What's to say another four months down the line he'd not be after another pay rise (and hefty signing on fee/agent fee)? It's a dynamic that could go on forever. Anyone who's seen Mark from Peep Show paying that chav to get his Blackberry back will know the scenario - the party with the power (in this case Carroll) can basically take the piss if the other party (the club) adopts a soft-line approach. EDIT: The criticisms about us not levering a deal for Sturridge/Ngog, or getting someone else in who isn't Kuqi etc, as we held all the cards in the Carroll/Torres deals, I completely accept btw.

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/1859/josh.gif

You'd have to be a fucking nut to be far and away Man City's best striker (Tevez) and not demand a pay rise, let's be honest. He has at times dragged the team to results this season (and last season too), and when you consider they've made Gareth Barry the ~20th best paid player in world football, you'd have to be barking not to hold them to ransom.

Neither do I, but I just don't think that particular view is as widespread as you do.

spot on. They're both good posters but very one-eyed at times. If it's one eyed to dislike a bloke who got us relegated, uses the club as a Job Centre for his gambling buddies and continues to sell off our best assets, then yes, I'm one eyed. Canny ridiculous to be accused of that given what he's done to the club, but then this is exactly what I mean. It's not even about your 'dislike' of Ashley. I dislike him too. I was more getting at the negativity or cynicism when Ashley does actually get something right, be it through judgement or dumb luck. He's clearly a prat, but this doesn't mean everything he does is totally shit and to the detriment of the club. The above paragraph comes not from an Ashley fanboy, but from someone who is resigned to seeing him at the top of the club for the forseeable and who is trying to see the positives his ownership brings, however scant they may be.

spot on. They're both good posters but very one-eyed at times.

How did it end?

It was actually Ranger wearing a mask

If I ever encountered him I'd double up my accent and say "Hellaw, Mr. Pardew" just like Michael.

About four hours ago, mate. There's probably a link on the BBC Radio Newcastle page, or search the iplayer?

Model prick.

someone needs to phone and ask some sort of Partridge related question, like.

Butt's got proper fat legs.

John Carver

Jonas is a worse finisher than our Jonas.

wp

Pehhhhnalteeeeh

Younes Carpool

Simon Chevrolet

Neymar is a bit good.

Lucas plays for Brazil fucking hell.

They won't mind that. The French get very tetchy if you mention the Revolution at all, even if you're having a laugh about all the stupid shite that went on under the Ancien Regime.