Frazzle

With their name being dragged through the mud all over the press that'll be why West Ham did so poorly last season and couldn't get taken over then. I must have missed the bit where West Ham fans collectively spat out the dummy and started a boycoutt over their infallible god-like hero Curbishley. You really hate Keegan don't you?

this is what I mean man. Crofty has probably googled a picture of him and come up with the opinion that he has no pace You're not condescending in the slightest are you? The bloke has been pish for years. He's 30 years old and has only scraped over 100 goals in his career (including 5 in the past two years) I know that by googling a picture of him, and f*** all to do with being 24 and following football since I was a nipper. You think he's good because you once managed him on Championship Manager and he scored 87 goals for Forest Green in the Champions League don't you... Shola only scored his 50th league goal this season didn't he? He's been crap his whole career and now people are desperate for him to be back. Surprise, surprise players play better in worse leagues. Nice to see you've wrote him off already though.

Had one and half good seasons? He was only here for one and a half seasons and barring injuries was absolute quality, head and shoulders above everyone else. Plus didn't Taylor chose the number because of Albert?

Cruyff I think.

Fair enough, I agree with some of that stuff. That's the sort of sentimentality that is bad and that I do want to avoid. Man U fans make a big deal about their no.7 and we do/did with our no.9 and I don't see that much of a problem with carrying on (as long as it doesn't affect transfers/player happiness!). Anyway, this is the last post on the matter, I don't see the point in arguing further.

What's it got to do with how the club is performing? Unless Harewood says he won't move unless he gets the number 9 then I don't see a problem withholding it for a better player or a local lad. What problems have we had the in the past with numbers and sentimentality anyway? I think you're on about crap like appointing Roeder etc. etc. Nothing to do with an inanimate number... Unless you go back to Shearer and Sir Les... Would you honestly give it to Shola? And then what, take it away from him when we get promoted, given that we all know he isn't worth the shirt in the big league, never mind the shirt with shiny no.9? You didn't answer my question. What problems have we had the in the past with numbers and sentimentality? Especially in the last 5 1/2 years as you pointed out...

What's it got to do with how the club is performing? Unless Harewood says he won't move unless he gets the number 9 then I don't see a problem withholding it for a better player or a local lad. What problems have we had the in the past with numbers and sentimentality anyway? I think you're on about crap like appointing Roeder etc. etc. Nothing to do with an inanimate number... Unless you go back to Shearer and Sir Les...

Remind me again of how many clubs he's been manager of that he HASN'T walked out on ? (None ?) Don't most managers walk out of clubs? There's only three bloody eventualities: sacked, walked, end of contract (rare).

No. He'd have to wear 10. No. 10 can only go to a Beardsley type.

A nice little tradition? It's a load of mythical bullshit. We've had some absolute dross wear it over the years, just since we've had Andy Cole we've been spoilt in that respect. Yes tradition, you are aware tradition can start at any time in history? The number is always heavily associated with Newcastle anyway and its not surprising considering those who have wore it. It's not, I agree. However this "tradition" has been heightened ever since we signed Shearer. I can't say I'm arsed one bit by whoever wears it as long as they score goals on the pitch. It may have been heightened since Shearer but it was always special, the greatest players in our history have worn the shirt, like the number 7 at Man U. Like I said before we could get rid of the black and white stripes, I take it you don't mind about this either? Don't be absolutely ridiculous. Practically, the colour the team wears is meaningless the same way numbers are, teams keep the same colours because of history and tradition and this is the reason I believe we should respect the no.9 and not give it out to the likes of Harewood on a 2 month loan. Come out with rubbish like "don't be ridiculous" all you want but its the same principle (albeit different levels of severity). Then what happens if we don't get promoted? Should nobody ever be worth the magic number 9? Nope, I never said that either. But I would prefer it going to a local lad like Shola or Carroll rather than when we bring in some journeyman striker. Let's just forgot out it though, eh? Different strokes for different folks. Just don't come crying to me when we're playing in red and white stripes next season. Just kidding.

A nice little tradition? It's a load of mythical bullshit. We've had some absolute dross wear it over the years, just since we've had Andy Cole we've been spoilt in that respect. Yes tradition, you are aware tradition can start at any time in history? The number is always heavily associated with Newcastle anyway and its not surprising considering those who have wore it. It's not, I agree. However this "tradition" has been heightened ever since we signed Shearer. I can't say I'm arsed one bit by whoever wears it as long as they score goals on the pitch. It may have been heightened since Shearer but it was always special, the greatest players in our history have worn the shirt, like the number 7 at Man U. Like I said before we could get rid of the black and white stripes, I take it you don't mind about this either? Don't be absolutely ridiculous. Practically, the colour the team wears is meaningless the same way numbers are, teams keep the same colours because of history and tradition and this is the reason I believe we should respect the no.9 and not give it out to the likes of Harewood on a 2 month loan. Come out with rubbish like "don't be ridiculous" all you want but its the same principle (albeit different levels of severity). Edit- Instead of the shirt colour example what about the badge? Would you be bothered if we changed that? We've done it in the past.

Thanks Mystic Meg, any idea when the club will be sold as well? who are you expecting to come in to live up to the expectations you're piling on the number? I'm not saying we shouldn't give the number 9 out until we sign Torres or something, I'm just saying we shouldn't give it out willy nilly. As for your comment about Shearer being the last great to wear the 9, I meant how do you know this? We might sign or produce another great no.9 in ten years time.

Thanks Mystic Meg, any idea when the club will be sold as well?

A nice little tradition? It's a load of mythical bullshit. We've had some absolute dross wear it over the years, just since we've had Andy Cole we've been spoilt in that respect. Yes tradition, you are aware tradition can start at any time in history? The number is always heavily associated with Newcastle anyway and its not surprising considering those who have wore it. It's not, I agree. However this "tradition" has been heightened ever since we signed Shearer. I can't say I'm arsed one bit by whoever wears it as long as they score goals on the pitch. It may have been heightened since Shearer but it was always special, the greatest players in our history have worn the shirt, like the number 7 at Man U. Like I said before we could get rid of the black and white stripes, I take it you don't mind about this either?

A nice little tradition? It's a load of mythical bullshit. We've had some absolute dross wear it over the years, just since we've had Andy Cole we've been spoilt in that respect. Yes tradition, you are aware tradition can start at any time in history? The number is always heavily associated with Newcastle anyway and its not surprising considering those who have wore it.

Martins was bad enough this is even worse. :colo:

If you're gonna play Zurab in the middle it would be better to play Taylor at RB IMO, he's much more mobile than Colo and is actually quite good going forward.

I reckon the number 9 should be respected, call it meaningless but it's nice to have a little tradition. We don't have to wear black and white stripes next season but there'd be uproar if we didn't.

I'm going to tell everyone to stop the boycoutt when we get sold.

Ah, silly me. Thought they'd signed Jon Obi Mikel for a minute there.

Mikel?

Arsenal should've loaned him then so they could boo him off like Eboue. Harewood will be supported by the fans if he puts the effort him, we've supported Shola for long enough.

not counting this season, off the top of my head, 3-1 and 1-1? Did the double on them last year, 3-2 and 2-1. They didn't beat us this season when we'd come off the back of a humping at Leyton Orient. Basically, they aren't that good. Panic over then? Dunno why anyone would panic in the first place. We've got a much better team on paper and are one point behind despite not getting out of 2nd gear yet. Once we start playing we should easily win the league.

Is Barton's foot problem the fact that he can't kick a football?

At least we know Moat will build up the academy. He invested in the academy before he was even involved with the club. I know he gets publicity out of it etc. etc. but he could have put the money in numerous other projects.