Paullow

The way it's going, Bristol Rovers and Anderson might not even get into the playoffs. They are 8th as it stands, and not guaranteed top 7 even if they won their final game - they could do with a helping hand if they can't get back into their match themselves. Mind, they have just pulled a goal back this second. 2-1 (down).

True, 4 weeks ago, just before the Wolves game, I was very much in the 'happy with 17th' camp, and 13th / 14th would still be unreal considering where we were, but it would still be nice to finish as high as we can (depending on the final game out the season scenario...), and we're probably realistically looking at those sides below to drop points, as opposed to us gaining them. I was still hoping Burnley would have beaten Watford, but while Watford are generally poor at home, Burnley are not much better away.

Pretty much every 3pm going the wrong way now that Brighton have just taken the lead from their 2nd pen.

He'd be more than fine for next season, possibly the season after, but then he'd probably have the same issue as he has at Aston Villa after that with the respective club looking to move beyond that level of player. I'd still sign him though, it would be one less (totally) new player to bed in, and probably deserves the move.

Aye, but pretty much guaranteed to have a tough playoff match, and the away leg second. If they concede it will be MK Dons (or Rotherham), and potentially Sheff Wed in the final, but if it stays the same then it will be Sheff Wed over two legs, and possibly those two auto promotion contenders in the final. Feel a bit sorry for Plymouth, from the outside, they did look one of the weaker sides involved, so wasn't wanting Sunderland to play them, but it looks like they will miss out on 80 points, which is harsh, but they've made a pigs ear of their match - 0-3 and down to 10 men.

I didn't realise he had a Wraith like reputation . I've started to listen to a lot more podcast at work in recent months, including TF, and I quite like the content, and agree with a lot of what's said.

I've just stuck a tenner on Liverpool at evens. Even with changes, that's incredible value because it obviously is a lot bigger match for them, but if it doesn't happen (and I hope it doesn't) then that's guaranteed to be another great result for Eddie's mags.

Still largely 7s, but I see we've come into 11/2 at Bet365, which does feel short, so there must be a bit of confidence somewhere.

It's just mad to think we're on 43 points and completely safe before these tricky run of fixtures - how the hell has that happened, ha. Surreal to be be in this position when you consider where we were in early to mid January after those Cambridge and Watford home matches.

Yeah RAWK was generally quite pro Newcastle when Rafa was there, changed a bit once he left, and then pretty much 180 when the takeover went through

This tweet the next day definitely hit me, and judging by all the quote tweets at the time, I wasn't the only one : https://twitter.com/nufc/status/1446592032592564225 Still surreal thinking about it. Just years and years of absolute nothingness, totally pointless and just being there for the sake of it, and look at the club now. Amazing.

Probably been posted elsewhere, and could have made it to many threads, but this is a good video. https://streamable.com/mvzfry

Just looking at how many points we have picked up against the rest of the division: Man City 0 (still to play them away) Liverpool 0 (still to play them at home) Chelsea 0 Arsenal 0 (still to play them at home) Spurs 0 Man Utd 1 West Ham 1 Wolves 3 Leicester 3 Brighton 4 Brentford 4 Southampton 4 C Palace 4 Villa 3 Leeds 4 Burnley 3 (still to play them away) Everton 3 Watford 2 Norwich 4 No wins against any of the current top 7, but we've done so well from 8 downwards, especially that upper bottom half where we've picked up 4 points against so many teams, which is good going. We could still do the double over Burnley, which would be the only one, but Watford are the only bottom half team, or from 8 downwards, that we have failed to beat.

QPR vs Sheffield United coming up on Sky. QPR have fallen away from the playoff picture in recent weeks / months, but Sheff Utd will have one foot in them if they can take the 3 points. Boro, Blackburn, and (still just about) Millwall fans watching closely.

It's an exciting game, and a chance to see how far we've come, and also a chance to have a say in the title race, but realistically, we're 15/2, largely expected to lose, and there's very little jeopardy if we do lose, bar possibly dropping a place or two, but surely the likes of Leeds, Everton (H), and Villa were much bigger games, where a loss could have potentially been a disaster.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sunderland_A.F.C._seasons Yeah, they've only played in Europe once, or 4 matches, as a 2nd tier side, 49 years ago. Plus they have only finished in the top 12 of the top flight 3 times since 1956 - those two 7th place finishes under Reid, and then Bruce's 10th when they jumped about 4 spots on the final day (including us, after blowing the lead against WBA). The top division used to have 22 teams in the league, so they have literally only finished in the top half 3 times in 66 years (and obviously counting), and not once in the top 6. So even if you were an old man of 73 y/o, you've only seen your side finish 7th, 7th, 10th, plus those two European ties in 1973, and you'd like to think a 'big club' would at least be in the upper echelons at some point in the past 50 years or so. Worth remembering Huddersfield have won more league titles than Tottenham.

Do Hebburn have a bit of money and a potentially more exciting future?

Thanks. I've just seen the table, and it's fair to say Alnwick are struggling, so the fans should see plenty of goals. Do you know if it will be written as Newcastle vs Alnwick, or still Alnwick vs Newcastle, but just at SJP, like you used to see in the FA Cup, and if the latter, will Newcastle get to play in their black and white (with that also seemingly being Alnwick's home colours)?

What's the reason for the fixture change? Was meant to be Barnsley but seems like Alnwick have taken their place. It's good for Alnwick players, and might add a bit more on the gate being a sort of derby, but seems a bit strange just to be swapping matches around, especially with Alnwick giving up a home match.

It was actually just Scarborough FC, Town were a youth team set up in the Athletic days and played a bit in the Teesside and Wearside leagues, but have since folded. I still remember being conflicted that Jimmy Glass day. I live between Newcastle and Carlisle, so have kind of always had a bit of interest in the latter, but I must have had my holidays at Scarborough every other year as a young'un, so liked both clubs. Scarborough never really recovered from going down that day, but what an incredible story it was. I think at the time I was more hoping Scarborough would stay up, but my interest in Carlisle did pick up a lot more a few years later when they were a solid League One side.

Feels like they're destined to be in the Unibond forever. Marske and Stockton both won their semi finals in the league below (Marske beating the more local Shildon), so at least they will have a regional team in the league with them next season (or fellow former Northern League side), along with Morpeth.

One or the other - Sunderland go up and Everton go down, or both stay where they are?

To be honest, he's been so good, especially since the turn of the year, I'm actually pretty quite surprised there's been no 'Peddie Howe' talk from those down the road, in line with their 'Rafa Beneathus' and 'Beheadie' .

Draw is fine, but I guess from a pure Newcastle high finish perspective, then a Leeds win would be the best as it's unlikely they would pass us with their remaining fixtures.

Wasn't sure which one you meant, but the year we finished 5th under Bobby in 2004, we only won one of our last 7 league games. I assume you mean Pards in 2012, but that year we were never below 6th from mid January, and were even 4th with only 4 games to go, but then lost 3 of the last 4, most notably the 4-0 vs Wigan, and then dropped to 5th. Mind, with Chelsea winning the CL, it was probably just as well, because it would have been devastating to have finished 4th and then miss out on the CL, like Spurs did, but we were definitely in big contention for top 4 at the end of the season. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011–12_Newcastle_United_F.C._season