Paullow

Yeah, it was debatable, but VAR certainly hasn't done them any favours tonight. They'll do well to get back into it now. Neither are adding much to the WC from a neutral perspective, although it would have been nice to have another Newcastle player there to follow.

VAR

WOOD!!!

Yeah, it's not exactly a boom period for them. Kelleher occasionally plays cup games for Liverpool. I recognise Molumby because WBA were on Sky non stop since Bruce took over, and he sounds like that Mulumbu player they used to have. McClean obviously because of the Sunderland links and his controversial nature, and I took more notice of Nathan Collins during Burnley's run in when I was wanting them to pip Everton, but it's largely bottom half Championship level, and a long way from around 10-15 years when they had the Given's Keane's, Duff's etc.

CR took the lead after 3 mins, but NZ are getting back into it and have had a couple of good chances. Wood starting, 3 players playing in Italy, the unattached Winston Reid, and someone from St Mirren, oh and Sligo. Hopefully they can join Australia in Qatar.

I was caught out too to be fair. The screen text said 'Chelsea sign defender Kadeisha Buchanan from Lyon on a three-year deal', and just assumed it was a man with that name, but totally missed the 'FA WSL Breaking News' part.

Chelsea sign Kadeisha Buchanan from Lyon - SSN breaking news.

Just having a look back, and looks like it. Bramble was later, but then he was 20, but we used to sign so many young players like Jenas, Dyer, Bellamy etc. but something we haven't really done for 20 years. Murphy was not necessarily signed straight for the first team, but he's also a lot older than I thought - thought he was just 24/25 now, but he's 27.

It's quite interesting that today is a battle of the third wheels in our previous two 2nd tier campaigns. Forest pushed us and WBA closest in 2009/10 before ultimately falling away and losing out in the playoffs: https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-championship/20-february-2010/ And then Huddersfield 5 years ago - they were definitely the main threat to us and Brighton, and they obviously went up via the playoffs later on: https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-championship/11-march-2017/

Solihull 3-1 up after 60 mins against Chesterfield, winner plays Grimsby in the final. It would be a bit unusual seeing Solihull in the league, but would quite like it. Scott Loach in goal for Chesterfield. I remember him at Watford when he was England U21 keeper, and he's in goal for Chesterfield today. He made over 150 league games for Watford in the Championship, but then must have dropped off and has had most of his usually prime years in the National League, including a couple of seasons at Hartlepool - it's strange how careers can just go downhill.

Think I'll look to get to the Saturday game, and even better with that being Bilbao. I'd just turned 8 during the UEFA Cup matches and remember watching the home leg on TV with my dad and brother. The away leg mustn't have been on TV as I can remember checking Ceefax and Ziganda or someone got the winner to go out on away goals - I didn't fully know what was going on, but I was still gutted

I doubt there's any legs in that post, and like everyone else under 40 the current badge is the only one I've known, so I'd far rather it wasn't changed (as I like it), but it's amazing the amount of clubs badges that have changed in recent years, so I wouldn't be too surprised if ours was altered in the not too distant future.

While many thought they would struggle if they went up, I was saying the other week that I could actually see Sunderland doing relatively well next season, like a top 10 finish or something. They've obviously got a decent fanbase for that level and there will be optimism, so there will naturally be money going on and / or expected money which will influence the odds, but I was just looking at the 2022/23 promotion odds and they are pretty high up the list: https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/championship/england-championship-2022-23/promotion - 8th faves for promotion (bar Nottm or Huddersfield) When you consider WBA have Bruce, question marks over Burnley's finances / general situation, then there's not that many strong sides in the league, and if Huddersfield fail today, they would probably be more expected to head back towards the lower mid table odds-wise, like fellow playoff side Luton, whereas you'd probably expect Forest to be among the main challengers again should they come up short today, so that's influencing me a little bit. We clearly shouldn't need concern ourselves now with competing with the newly promoted sides the following season anymore, so in other years it might have been better (from a pro NUFC perspective) for a Huddersfield to come up, to very likely fill one of the 3 relegation spots, that's if anyone actually massively cared about us staying up in the previous 'ticking along' era. We shouldn't need concern ourselves with Sunderland either with our trajectory, but at the same time, while it's pretty unlikely they will get back to back promotions, it would be better if we were much more established in our new era should they return to the top flight in the near future, so I think I am leaning more towards wanting Hudds, even if I think Forest will be the better addition to the PL.

So, Forest or Huddersfield Want / think?

It's like the old tower camera on FIFA. Awful.

I'm pretty neutral tonight, I've used my Bet365 on Real Madrid and BTTS, so probably hoping for that. I guess the new CL changes in a couple of years, especially for teams like us and a few others, will give more incentive to hope the English clubs do well.

I saw someone on Twitter post something like a 6 part video of all the goals this season, but has anyone found a better / more updated version than this one (which was posted a few weeks ago) https://streamable.com/mvzfry Thought there'd be a few more of those types emerging.

Mackem.

Roma vs Feyenoord Conference League final just started on BT Sport. 2 clubs we have played since 1999, and hopefully in the not too distant future. Abraham and Smalling start for Roma, and a couple of recent former Premier League players. Not sure I've heard of any of the Feyenoord players.

There's some really big teams, relatively, in the 5th tier. Notts Co with their 19,000 stadium and 12,000 there tonight staying down. Loads of other former league clubs as well - I guess even their opponents Grimsby have played in the 2nd tier fairly recently. Pretty sure Southend have too. Stockport in the late 90's, although they have been promoted. It was obviously just 1 up 1 down for ages, so at least there are two spots now, but it really should be 3, as it can be a nightmare to get out of it. I guess there's a lot of sugar daddy teams like Salford, Fleetwood, Forest Green, Harrogate etc. taking up league places and a lot of traditional clubs are falling by the wayside. Scunthorpe who were in the Championship with us the first time round will be down there next season, and Oldham who even played in the Premier League. Crazy.

Poor Notts. Looking like a 4th season in the 5th tier. I was hoping they would have come up from the 6 in contention. Not sure who now, possibly Solihull.

2 ex Newcastle (youth) players started for Notts County, Cal Roberts and Kyle Cameron, but the former went off injured after I had switched it on.

Grimsby with a 96th minute equaliser against Notts Co to send it into extra time (National League playoff on BT Sport). 1-1

I think they could actually do OK next year. If Forest go up then it wouldn't be a huge surprise if current playoff sides Luton and Huddersfield end up going back towards the bottom half. Leeds staying up helps, and Burnley look like they may be a basket case next season. Norwich likely will be there or thereabouts again like they always seem to be, but reading their Pink'Un forum, there's a lot of 'it feels different this time', so who knows. West Brom have Steve Bruce, so outside of Boro, Sheff U, maybe Norwich and Watford, and a few others, it doesn't seem as strong / intimidating as it normally would, and Neil seems to know what he's doing / knows the division, there'll be a feel good factor with fans back onside, and with just a couple of shrewd additions, I think they could easily be in the top half.

Salernitana survive in Serie A despite getting battered 0-4 at home to Udinese, as Cagliari can only draw 0-0 at already relegated Venezia. I always thought of Cagliari as a yo-yo club, but they've had 17 of the last 18 seasons in Serie A, albeit predominantly finishing 14th-16th. Quite a good idea Serie A scattering the games over the weekend and those teams directly competing for certain things playing simultaneously.