YNGLEGIONNAIRE

I think Rafa is the real deal if you want to establish a continuum here. The guy gets the potential here and has tried from the beginning to establish his proven formula for success . I disagree that it necessarily has to be boring to watch , I know it would thrill me to see us defend capably and with confidence , but be ruthless on the break . No chance of him doing it if he's not backed though . I have no doubt that he , more than SBR or KK , would deliver a trophy given the right backing .

Might want to lose that image. A Dennis the Menance fan club one would do though. Class!!

Can see it now on RTG... "Cheating Jawdees in points scam "

Was there today and although we bemoan the current filthy state of our stadium , it still is far superior to their flea pit . There is a distinct lack of control about the whole arena , people wandering around incessantly , parts of the structure being frequently and extensively used as percussion instruments and the natives randomly moving to other seats as and when they pleased . I do think that the relatively low roofing helps with maintaining a good atmosphere within the ground however . As for the game , it could have gone either way , and was a decent spectacle to be fair . The crowd certainly gave Joey Barton a rough ride .

So frustrating this situation is mind . We have a manager who could genuinely project this club forward as contenders to win some kind of trophy , any kind of trophy would do , would it not ? Although our style of play under Rafa is never going to see a return to the days of " The Entertainers " , I personally have seen enough in his tenure here to believe that , given the right backing , Rafa's style of football can be equally thrilling , if in a different way . In my eyes , to defend and outfox your opponent can be a joy to behold . At the end of last season we all could see that the foundations were there to build something here . The realisation that this is just never going to happen under this owner is so utterly deflating . Deflated is how the mood feels already this season inside SJP . So sad that this is shaping up to be an opportunity lost . Some of Rafa's rhetoric suggests he is desperate for the fans to ramp up the pressure on Ashley . Rafa really wants to succeed here . But suppression is engrained in our DNA . Failure is the norm of our footballing existence . And the pundit gurus are sniping at Rafa and reminding us of our place . We are the deluded , how can we expect anything more than to just exist ? If we don't realise what we have now with Rafa , then to react after he's gone is too late .

Got to agree , there was no buzz at all making our way to the ground and it was so subdued inside. Disappointing , as Rafa needs to be inspired if he is to stay and fight for something he believes in .

Exactly this ^^ ..It's the stuff of dreams!! To have this potential at our club and know that unless we get rid of the leech that's sucking us dry then we're never going to have a perfect fit like these two again .

And another Joselu comes with a pricetag of 22 million

Well if they don’t realise that just does fuck all and he would be laughing his arse of at that they’re either thick or as I said sheep. Ashley Out has fuck all effect and never will. I'm getting to the point of fully believing that he's such a stubborn cunt that he won't leave no matter what fans do do. He'll leave when he wants to and there's little we can do about it. Unless there's a literal physical threat to him or his family or something else completely mental like that (Italy has been mentioned) he's not going anywhere until he decides to You may well be right but there is need to try something and en masse. Otherwise come next summer this club will just be in a hopeless position. And by doing something en masse it may just persuade Raffa to see this out beyond the end of his current contract... meek acceptance may help him decide it's all not worth the effort .

Had to visit their "city" yesterday and took a bit of time to take in some of it's delights . Bit lost for words to describe it's aura really . Chernobylesque maybe ? The current status of the football club is certainly reflected by the city .

I think it's reached the stage where even Rafa knows unless there's a shift in the status quo then it's dead here . Turning up and getting behind the team week upon week , then meekly returning to gnash our teeth in frustration between times is no longer enough .

It will take us being down at least one division to get anywhere near that imo. As long as we're circling the pl drain nothing happens. That's the contrast with the likes of Liverpool, for them not trying to compete for Europe minimum is unthinkable. We've got a manager of the highest order , the likes of whom we may never have again . If ever there was a time to make some kind of stand it has arrived . We just submissively let Rafa walk away then this club may never be as close to achieving it's true potential again

If only we could hound the fekin life out of Fat Ash till he left . It would undoubtedly cement our bond with Rafa even further . Imagine forcing that tw&t out and having Rafa commit to another 10 years man through fan power ! Wish we had a more proactive fan base .

I get the anger directed at Ashley , but to counterbalance this we've got to be so thankful that Rafa is still here and so obviously working miracles by pursuading even loanees to come to us . Rafa deserves a medal for his commitment considering the hand he's continually being dealt . We've just got to pray that come this time next season he still believes he can make his vision for this club work in spite of tragic Mike's stranglehold .

That's Dun Cow Street , Sunderland . Look at the zombie flesh eaters over the right shoulder .

Reminds me of the traumatic time when King Kev ripped up our beloved Andy Cole- led squad . Keegan knew exactly what he wanted from throughout the whole squad and was not afraid to pursue his vision . Difference here is the man with a stranglehold on the purse strings . Rafa knows down to a tee what he needs from everyone and unfortunately Mitro doesn't fit the bill . But how Rafa achieves his goal with this guy in charge is the conundrum .

I prefer to put faith in the possibility that Rafa's mantra was finally becoming embedded throughout the squad towards the end of the season . What I saw against Man U , Arsenal and Chelsea gives me hope . However , we have an owner who appears to try his best to crush the same . Given even moderate backing Rafa would have us genuinely able to compete top half finishes .

Think maybe one thing that's keeping him here is the fact that he's seen Liverpool go through the dodgy ownership thing and have come out the other side in great shape . I think he aspires to make us a force like them . Big task to outsee our nightmare of an owner though .

Bloody hell .. after all these years it finally makes more sense ! I always wondered why Bamburgh got a mention 😂

We went to Blaydon Races 'Twas on the 9th of June , 1862 on a Summer's afternoon , We took the bus from Bamburgh , She was heavily laiden , Away we went down Collingwood Street , That's on the road to Blaydon. Oh me lads , you shoulda seen us gannin, Passin the folks alang the road just as they were stannin , There was aall the lads and lasses there , Aall wi smilin faces , Gannin alang the Scotswood Road , T' see the Blaydon Races . That's how I remember it back in the day. It was always sung at a steady , much more dramatically effective pace , and yes, had so much more impact as a proper Geordie anthem .

He goes and we are not building , we are just repairing a subsequently damaged structure . We have waited so f..kin long for an absolute beast of a captain like this it is insane to think of letting him go , regardless of the fee .

Pretty sure Rafa would concede that the job here is too big for him if we sold Lacelles . To say Rafa's been patient in his frustrations is an understatement , but the transformation of Lacelles made under Rafa makes him the cornerstone of this team . Surely a backward step too far if we sold him.

His match ratings here is quite funny https://www.whoscored.com/Players/27188/MatchStatistics/Mohamed-Diam%C3%A9 When did Jamaal slap him al owa? Was just before the West Ham game. I remember being impressed by his response. Didn't think for one moment it would last. Still sh!ttin bricks in case Jamaal does it again

Absolutely man of the match . Every one of our lads was fantastic and it's incredible how organised and assured we looked , but yes Diame was an absolute beast .

The statement lays the foundation for the follow up " We tried our best to keep him " . There's a lot of speculation about Pochettino's future , and a Spuds fan on TKSPT , who doesn't want the scenario to happen , said an ex- player acquaintance told him Pochettino's gone & replaced by Rafa