Billy Pilgrim

Tbh I’ve given it a lot of thought over the years and have come to accept that the cost of my principles would be some mad oil prince buying Newcastle. I still can’t believe that it would be possible that we’d be the richest club in the world with unlimited promise. 13 years of Ashley has left me feeling like one of the dogs in a PDSA advert. Just give me something to be happy about for fucks sake.

It’s got to be Benitez really. If we do get bought out and we have the funds, Rafa would not just be a managerial acquisition but a genuine investment in the matters he was interested in but denied under Ashley. Rafa knew exactly what the club needed with regards to training and general systemised refurbishment. The only question mark with him is transfers, he lands some quality players but seems to have to burn through several transfers before getting it right. If the money is unlimited who gives a fuck, let him spend when the mood strikes. As for Bruce, fuck him. He’s going to come out of this having done a forgiveable job under duress and there will be plenty of sympathy in the Redknapps and Jamie Carraghers of the world. Geordies never took to him, Rafa had them defensively organised but toothless and he brought a bit of spark back, etc.

Almiron is the least of our problems imo. Clearly has quality and if he isn’t burdened further by the torrent of shite around him he’ll get a move and bang them in.

I’ve done the research and this lad is a fucking tatie. Looks uninterested, weak, slow, touch of a priest. Awful business. No defending him.

Football journalism is typically awful and they somehow show more hubris than agents. They behave as if they're somehow integral to the game and the oracles of truth. In reality most of them can barely string an original thought together and know fuck all about football.

I have no dog in this fight, but I will say that Babylon by David Gray is perfect for a chorus of 'Almiron, Almiron'.

Lad is a total baller

Looks like the hapless fall guy in a joyriding case

Longstaff has stepped it up today. Best player on the pitch so far. That little sprint there too, didn't realise he was quick.

He's doing some basic midfield stuff moderately well. Good to see him get a goal. I really wouldn't mind a Dummet quality CM from the academy, we're thin as fuck as it is.

That documentary is going to get some viewing over the years. The only thing they're ever going to be known for is getting relegated to League One over the course of a television season.

We can win something if that fat bellend gives him some money or fucks off before Rafa goes.

He has done a quite ridiculously good job with us.

I genuinely, wholeheartedly hate the cunt with every fibre of my being.

Tipped them for relegation. Got absolutely no goals in the team although ive been surprised how s*** at the back they've been. When we played them earlier in the season I was impressed with the defensive line up and thought we'd get nowt. Butland is a great keeper, Zouma had always looked brilliant, Wimmer did well at spurs. In actual fact all of them have been dogshit, very curious.

I was in the youth system between 2000-2003. It was fragmented, we did things at Darsley Park, then on some days we'd do things in Whickham, on others it was nearer silverlink. I remember the parents politics being shockingly bad, a lot of the team were just the kids of people who ran a sunday side. My mates all went to Sunderland instead and they were far better looked after. Oddly enough in the trial that I passed, I was on the same team as Beardsley's son and after the game he came over to congratulate me for scoring from a corner and a volley

On the basis of talent he's our best player. On the basis of application and consistency in accordance with that talent, he has to go. If he can't do it regularly for Rafa who can he do it regularly for? Last year he looked a cut above, this year he looks talented but unreliable. Can't do with that at this level. In a better team he might get away with it, but we are shite and nobody good is remotely interested.

In hindsight it's strange because Rafa loves a striker like Wood, suppose he wanted proven top level 'quality' and Joselu was the closest thing to his mind

I can easily see Benitez wanting those players and not being scared to spend big money on them. I would rather spend it elsewhere tbh but let him get what he wants.

Years and years ago I met him. We both used to post on the CVG forums and were the only north easters there really, I was only about 15 and he was a couple of years older. He got me a ticket to the Derby and I sat in the Sunderland end. We beat them 4-1, Shearer scored in his last game, you all know the rest of the story. This is 100% true and I'm sure Nelford will be happy to confirm. Surprised to see that username pop up again.

He's come on leaps and bounds since we signed him. His pace is absolutely lethal, I don't think he's particularly good going forward but for someone to chase something down when someone is put through on goal I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have trying to get to the ball first.

He's been great so far, pretty much exactly what we needed. Quite surprised by how defensively useful he is, particularly in the air. He's no Shelvey for hitting passes but he's probably the ideal foil, once he's settled in properly and right up to the pace of English football I think he'll go onto much better things than us fairly sharp.

Elliot gets dogs abuse online and it really is unwarranted. He's unspectacular but the shift he's put in when required has very rarely been substandard. Tbh I think a lot of the sniping at him comes from the fact that he was Pardew's boy. On his own merit he's been an excellent signing.