Chicken Dancer

Very harsh! He was poor in his first season when we got relegated, but the Championship season and beyond he was pretty good - he got in team of the year in 11/12. He also gave the best performance by an NUFC CB I can remember at Sunderland away, probably until Burn in the final.

I just thought we were conserving energy second half more than anything else. Some of my mates were whinging in the group chat too - I suppose people would feel better if our goals were spaced out over the entire 90? The job was done at HT, there was no need to be busting guts or trying too hard. Obviously we didn't play as well as we can second half, but we didn't need to at all. If we really wanted, we could have scored 4 or 5. Mind I was bored rigid second half But it's not often you start a second half with such a cushion against such a shite team.

Yeah, our bench is very thin, especially when you consider what Aston Villa can bring on for example. The drop off from Bruno - Longstaff and Isak - Wilson is very telling, there isn't really much to change or impact the game in a positive way. Hopefully we're comfortably ahead like last night by the point we need to make changes with Wednesday in mind.

I think we (should anyway) win our home games. Don't like the idea of having to go to Brighton and Arsenal as our last 2 away from home, but really fancy us to do Chelsea and Everton at home. It will be very tight. I can't shake the feeling Forest are going to make it hard for themselves, it will be interesting to see how they cope if their cushion is down to a point or two. I'd like to see them qualify (obviously not at our expense) and they do have favourable fixtures. Think they said last night they've won 13/14 against bottom half sides?

I think 16:30 Sundays, especially in this sort of game, always make for a good atmosphere. Plenty time to ale up prior! Buzzing for it. Really looking forward to it - I'm still gutted that 2-0 in 22/23 wasn't 4/5-0! Honestly think that if we're up for it, they don't stand a chance. Words I never thought I'd say when playing Man United. They've definitely improved but they're currently 13th with a -4 goal difference, having played 31 times. We should be putting teams like this to the sword, especially at home. We've not given a team a hiding at St James' all season (discounting Leicester), would absolutely love it to be Sunday.

Will always have a soft spot for him and up until Tonali went as the most central of the 3 midfielders, we looked better with Longstaff in the team. Buzzing he got to experience Champions League nights with us and the goal he scored against PSG will hopefully stay with him forever - alongside his brace against Southampton in the 22/23 semi. We’ve obviously outgrown him now and there’s no shame in that. The shit he gets on socials is bang out of order imo.

I actually don't think we will get 7 away from home, but I think we should be getting 15 at home. Realistically we won't win all 5 at home and will probably win more than 1 away, but we do have tough games for sure. If Villa get it then I'd have to concede fair play, being deep in Europe and an FA Cup semi is some distraction. Not worried about Brighton either, though saying that I can't remember us ever playing well at the Amex. I'm assuming Forest are done, so then that leaves us, City, Chelsea & Villa for the final 2 spots. I'm glad we've won the cup as I'm completely relaxed (as opposed to 22/23) about it all. We've guaranteed Europe and we've won a cup. We'd have all shook on that back in August.

It's ingrained in my soul to be terrified of these type of games, but in reality we should be winning this relatively comfortably. In fact I'd say the next 2 games we should be getting 6 points and anything less would be a bit shit really.

I've just counted and it's 42 He's literally applied for every game; Premier League, CL, FAC & League cup in that span. Quick counting by me on .com mind! But understand what you're saying regardless

My mate has applied for every single ballot since August 2023 and he's got one for Villa at home last season (opening day) and Chelsea in the cup this season. Not sure how many games that is in total but I'm guessing at least 30. He's either doing something terribly wrong or has awful luck. Like others though, he tends to get to most games from member sale. He's probably only missed 5 or 6 in that span, though granted has paid 3 figures for some 'premium' games.

Was so glad I was able to get pissed on the moor - a copper even laughed when I made a half-arsed attempt to hide it when they were walking by us genuinely don’t think they gave a fuck. A class day from start to finish, the city was a special place to be.

It's telling that of all the clubs he's managed, it's probably only Wigan (maybe?) who probably hold him in any form of esteem. He's protected by his mates in the media because he's one of Fergie's boys - riding off the back of a very successful team in the 90s. A bit before my time but from what I gather he was a pretty good player. Shame he's a pretty shit bloke. He's universally disliked by Birmingham, Villa, Sunderland, West Brom, Sheff Wed & Newcastle fans. The ones that he hasn't been binned by, he's fucked off at the first opportunity of something 'better'. It won't be long before Blackpool fans can't stand the bloke either. Complete and utter cunt of a bloke and I can't even call myself a Newcastle fan when he was manager. I watched about 3 games after chucking a season ticket that I had for 17 years prior. Used to be absolutely delighted when we lost. Thank fuck Gayle missed that chance too, btw. The thought of this cunt leading us out at (albeit an empty) Wembley is enough to make your skin crawl. I suppose one thing we can be grateful for is the fact he unravelled all of Benitez's work and made us shit enough to be bought for what seems a relative pittance in hindsight. Fair play to Gayle for respectfully calling him out. I can't wait for a talk in with Paul Dummett in 2035 to hear what it was really like in those dark days.

In fairness those who have parades tend to win things regularly It's all very alien to us. I'm sure our parade next season hoisting the Europa will be a parade on the Tyne ala Tampa Bay 2021 (check it out, class) followed by a mint party in Exhibition Park with free drink for everyone!

The club could have quite easily made a fortune serving alcohol like. Obviously it's not the primary purpose of the day (getting lashed) but they'd have made a killing hoying a few bars up and made it like a mini-festival sort of thing. Get a load of local food trucks in (Brack, Acropolis etc) and let them rake it in too. Probably are doing that anyway, but aye they're missing a trick making it dry. If it's on the advice or a condition from the police then surely even they don't expect trouble? Ana mass gatherings attract a mass amount of knackers, but it's not going to be tribal or that given everyone there is celebrating NUFC - it's not as if it's mixed fanbases. Even let people buy a maximum number of beer tokens on the website and let them be the currency for booze on the day. 4 drinks pp or something, I don't know. Ideally you could take your own in but that's just going to make an almighty mess.

Arsenal away in the semi this season. Was the first time he/we went away to a big boy and proper done them. I actually enjoyed Man Utd at home in 22/23 more than most games. Late Sunday, 2-0 but felt like a proper hiding. Had so many class games at home under him to be fair, but I love that one.

Clearly time is a healer for some, but the levels of my hatred when he was manager were beyond belief. I remember being genuinely devasted when we equalised against Hull (ironically managed by Bruce) when we were 0-2 down. That was the game the protests were scheduled at St James'. Thought I'd won the lottery when Palace paid us for him, only for Carver to stink the place up. But aye, fuck him. Thankfully a distant memory.

Late to the party but absolutely immense on Sunday. I'm worried gets banned again for PEDs, he's got some engine, it's almost not fair Fair play to the bloke for 'paying us back' if you will. Bar the odd game/moment, he's been a solid 7-8/10 every week since he moved to the deeper role in midfield. But seriously, I honestly don't think it's delusional to say we have the best midfield 3 in the league. There's better individuals (Rodri) but I wouldn't swap our 3 for any other in the league, not a chance. Even with Willock and Miley we have a really decent to very good set of midfielders to choose from.

Can see arguments starting again if it’s ticketed by means of a ballot or something Be mint if you can take your own booze (and kids) and it stays dry. Really hope it’s not limited numbers, will be harsh on whoever misses out then.

100% this. It’s Gordon on the left with Barnes a very able deputy who will get plenty minutes next season as we compete on 4 fronts. Murphy will hopefully be the backup RW going forward. Delighted the pair of them paid a huge part in our history.

Hope not. But I suppose it would maybe drive people to buy them half priced ones available at the minute.

Dying to know the plans for next weekend like. Wonder when we hear out.

I'm not sure I'd be typing this if it went to ET. I was getting constant high heart rate notifications on my watch.

Won't shy away from some of my comments earlier in the season about being concerned he'd be able to take us to the 'next step' and genuinely thought it would run it's natural cause in the next year or so. But also was quite clear that there's nobody I'd want more to deliver a trophy than him. He's done that now and rightfully takes his place alongside the likes of Harvey, Milburn & Shearer as the top of the tree legends that will forever be associated with Newcastle United. From day 1 he's just absolutely 'got it', hasn't he? I hope he's here for years and years. For me now, he's about as far away from criticism as you possibly can be and probably has the safest job in the league, and rightfully so btw. Many have tried and failed to deliver what he's done - not to discredit what Keegan & Robson did as it was different eras and both are absolutely synonymous with this club. The bloke will get a statue (though I'm all for waiting till the day he's no longer our manager, would be a bit odd otherwise imo) and hopefully the plaque on there has a long list of titles he's won. As an absolute born pessimist, I can say with pretty decent conviction that this League cup will be the first of a good few trophies with him as manager. You won't be able to write the story of NUFC without mentioning Eddie Howe. I'm going to be a greedy bastard here - I want a european trophy. I know the European Cup is probably out of reach whilst Real Madrid exist, but we should definitely be going hell for leather for the Europa League if the opportunity arises. Even the King and Souness got to a quarter in that, and Robson came mightily close in 04.

If you'd asked 100 sunderland fans on Saturday if they'd rather go up and us win the cup, or stay down for another 10 year and us win nowt, we all know what the answer would have been for all 100. Best thing is they know more is coming and they're gonna have to live through it. They'll still be saying 'but but but we beat yous 6 times in a row marra' in 30 years time. Fucking glorious.

Mind the maddest part about the game for me was how well we managed the period after they scored. I'm sure I wasn't alone in being absolutely convinced them spawny bastards were gonna force an undeserved extra time, but we done the most un-Newcastle thing in the world and perfectly saw out the remaining 5 minutes or so