Chicken Dancer

Absolutely love the bloke. Always will. His stubbornness will cost him his job. Probably sooner than we think .

I don't think he is our manager for the start of 25/26. Not saying that's what I want to happen btw. Plenty time to turn this season around but if it carries on like it's started there will be a fair few who will be happy to see us have a fresh start. I don't think the fans will ever (fully) turn, but I think the club will be relatively ruthless if we finish outside of Europe.

Ana they’re fucking shit but that’s by far the best we’ve played away from home all season. Not sure what was poor about it? Poor penalty and finish from Gordon. If Isak plays we likely comfortably win. We played really well and some of the best football we’ve played in a long time. Two good performances (in the league) off the bounce now. Might not have the points but I’m much more encouraged by this point compared to Bournemouth in August.

I don’t think he was awful at all. I think he had a good game but took a shitty pen.

What a special night that was. I've never seen St James' like it was that night. Everyone was in their seats about 25 minutes before the game. Concourses were bouncing, town was electric. It really was my favourite memory out of hundreds and hundreds of Newcastle games. It really made me emotional that prominent figures in my life who were part of my NUFC journey like my brother and my Grandad were no longer with me to experience it. I will die a very happy man if my kids get to experience something similar. It really was something that will last a lifetime.

Not having a pop here Teddy, but when you say you seem to have a plan in place now - weren’t most of your fans (certainly my few r&w mates seemed to suggest was the consensus) saying how flawed it was a few months ago when you weren’t winning? Genuinely interested as to what’s changed other than a fast start?

Ahh forgive me it was the wrong word to use. But I do think he will be in a higher division this time in 12 months, either here or overseas. I genuinely hope he does too. Oh aye, there's absolutely no doubt they completely overrate basically every player that's played for them and they pretty much always have done. But Rigg should go far in his career. He's very slight but is extremely talented, I've watched his career fairly close (from him being very young) due to mutual friends and not in a noncey way. He will hopefully play for England one day but obviously a long way to go. I'd be delighted if he wound up at NUFC one day and would be confident in saying that's probably his ambition, as much as he will try and hide it these days for obvious reasons. That being said, staying at Sunderland with a clear path to consistent first-team football was quite clearly the right decision to make at this stage in his career. I'd be shocked if they hadn't basically said to him 'do well here and we won't stand in your way' if somebody comes in for you at the right price in the next couple of years, as is their model these days.

I don't think Teddy is far off the mark with Rigg to be honest. He really is special and won't be there long regardless of whether they get promoted anytime soon or not. Fingers crossed he is pulling on black and white one day as he will go very far in his career, pretty sure of that. Also pretty sure he will have ambitions to play for us one day too. Just because he plays for Sunderland doesn't mean he's shite.

We actually have reminded me of ten Hag's Manchester Reds so far this season to be fair. Have been crap for 80% of the games we've had, yet have the points on board. The difference being I reckon we will have it figured out soon enough. The same issues certainly won't be here in 2 years time.

Nothing will ever change whilst he is their manager. I actually gave him the benefit of the doubt over summer and had some kinder comments about him on this very board, but yeah - he's fucking shit. The amount of pastings they get is not normal, but their fans seem absolutely reluctant to give him any sort of shit. Can't even be fucked to check how much but I do know he's spent a small fortune and they're still absolutely crap.

7 in the morning me is gonna be fuckin raging at 20 past 1 me. 7 out of 9 and we ain’t played well yet. New stack is belta as well. Sandro ole ole ole

£35m Hope that it’s only a rumour. £35m man, Jesus.

I think most of us are quite happy to walk away at the prices quoted. He's good, but not life-changing good. He will leave next summer, to us or somebody else. As ever, your club will remain a stepping stone. I have no ill will towards Parish - I'd hope our owner would do the same. Great start of the season for you boys, though.

Ah yeah I totally get that. But I just think because we were shite then, doesn't mean we need to accept having shite windows now. Back then we had an ambition to finish 17th or above every year, obviously things are different now. I refuse to believe we didn't have a plan B, C D +. Obviously there's spending for spendings sake on someone not good enough, but even as nothing more than an average bloke who happens to be a fan, I'd be pretty confident in saying there's CBs of about the same ability as Guehi available, probably for less ££. I actually agree and have said as much in my group chats - this window doesn't necessarily mean we will have a bad season. We're probably in a better position than last season for sure - the issue is so is everybody else competing for the same places in the league. Hate to come across as if I'm hammering the bloke but the reports don't look grand imho. I think without Staveley here anymore (who I gather was his main ally at boardroom level) a poor finish in the league will likely see him gone. Maybe even a power struggle behind the scenes will push things to the edge.

Really don't know what to think tbh. I don't think Ashworth/Mitchell had grand plans of signing DCL, Kilman, Trafford, Kelly but then I have no evidence to suggest they're all Howe picks either. The comments KaKa highlighted from that Bournemouth fan do concern me, though. I'll find it ever hard to say a bad word about Howe. If there's anybody who would be the one in charge when (probably more if) we eventually win something, I'd want it to be him. Absolutely adore the bloke. But if it becomes apparent he's unable to work with a Sporting Director or is insistent that the targets are identified by him/Tindall/his nephew I think it will put us in a really tricky situation. Having a Fergie type gaffer who runs the club from top down is a dated model in 2024. I'm not saying players should be forced upon a manager - he should definitely have a say if not the final say - but we certainly need to do a lot better in future windows. Even the most positive amongst NUFC fans couldn't possibly dress this window up as anything other than shambolic. I'm sorry but rewind 3 years to the summer of 2021 & we signed Ruddy, Kelly & Osula (we'd have obviously been used to it by that point) but we'd still be saying how utterly horrendous it is. Totally understand we're held back by PSR and rules to protect the elite. I also don't think we're unambitious by any means. The rules are the reason we've not signed anyone, but it has still been an absolute shitshow. I hate to say it but there might be a few grumblings on Sunday if we put up a poor performance & get a bad result.