Neil

I agreed with your first point and disagreed with the second a month ago and realistically still think the same now. However, I think Spurs are in with as good a chance as any club right now and certainly more than a month ago. I'm not ruling the idea out just yet. MON is very keen to get Bentley though I cant fathom out why. Word down here is that MON doesn't want Bentley. And do Spurs have as much chance of signing him as, say, the four teams who can offer him CL football or Man City who can offer him absurd wages? Err, or Everton who can offer him lashings of stability. That's pretty much our main selling point.

Best wishes to him, but sadly I fear it's looking very bleak.

A shitter version of Peter Beardsley, though.

Living in a world of £8m Cattermoles, that's vaguely acceptable.

I think they could work. Crouch, despite his height, doesn't strike me as the strongest of people. His close control however and holding up of the ball is excellent. Jones is a more strong, naturally athletic kind of striker who, if he can be bothered, can give any defender a hard time. He's also fairly quick.

I'm not so much disputing the fact they want as much money as possible; that's understandable. It's the way they're refusing to even let him speak to us. Anyway it seems the game's changed now, we've offered the same deal Spurs are, so it's up to the 2 kids to come to a decision. Footballing reasons vs other reasons, basically.

Also think we should go after Poulsen to sure up our central midfield. Wouldn't think Juve would ask that much for him, and with Diego and Melo (I think?) gone there, I'd expect they wouldn't be fussed about keeping Poulsen. I'd assume, anyway.

And we have. Made a bid for Naughton and Walker. Now, for common sense to prevail. ......

Why are they being dicks? Refusing a smaller bid? They agreed a fee with us, but since Spurs came sniffing about, they've suddenly pulled out and are refusing to let Naughton speak to us, even though it's where he wants to go.

Same actually. Obviously was an outsiders POV but the whole Tevez saga bittered my perception of Sheff Utd. Wednesday strike me as a club I'd quite like to see back in the PL.

So it seems Sheff Utd have been utter twats regarding Naughton. Now refusing to talk to us after Spurs offered £8m for him and Walker. I can see a hatred of Sheff Utd solely based on this emerging Even more so if the lad makes the idiotic move to WHL. If he does come to us, like he says he wants to, I'd have to give a large 'lol' in the direction of a) Spurs: The amazing 'wheeler dealer' 'arry at the 'elm, who apparently would rather hijack another club's bid, and b) Sheff Utd, for being dicks generally.

Join us tomorrow where our daily media-driven empty phrase will be "adds steel to the midfield".

And after all this, Man City will realise their defence is still not that good.

Tevez confirmed to City.

Who's #9?

If Naughton had any sense or footballing aspirations, he'd come to us. Not that I can trust him to have much sense when his head's turned by Spurs' inevitably larger financial muscle.

From my POV, there's nothing particularly shocking in what he's saying, it's just it's rare (but totally refreshing) to see someone being so honest about it in public. And fair play to him, because everyone's thinking the same thing.

He's an imbecile. Mercenary.

Go for it Mike.

Train fares from Newcastle-Darlo seem to fluctuate for me; the other day it was £8.00, the time before that it was over a tenner. National Rail website and check the actual train you're getting when looking at the rare, is what I'd advise.

Speaks more sense than NE5 at least.

Feel free to delete this if you don't think it's worthwhile, but personally thought it might be worthy of a new thread. Gives me a chance to let people know we've kick-started things with a fine 2-1 defeat at Bury.

Worrying isn't it?

Sunderland increase Cattermole bid to £6m.

Cant see it mentioned anywhere on the BBC football website. I'd much rather believe the reliable source of Mr Monopoly, aka Florentino Perez.