Gosforth Lad

The more I see the away kit the more I think it is very smart. Home shirt the best in years I think also.

I thought Ritchie was excellent vs Stoke.

Lump on relegation to league one; they're dead certainties. Completely fucked from what I can see.

Not in the Premier, but Grayson will be next like.

Perennial Championship keeper. Put in the same file as Westwood, Lee Camp etc.

Benitez hasn't been given what he thinks he was promised, but, tin hat on, he is in danger of going full on Davey Moyes here if he isn't careful. Moyes had Sunderland in a relegation battle after two games after he more or less called his players shit (which they were, as proven). The current players may be the ones that have to do the job (or not) for Benitez, so whilst I understand the idea of trying to put a bit of pressure on Ashley (I'm not sure if Ashley will give two fucks mind!), he has to be careful that he doesn't lose respect in the dressing room.

Out of interest https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/imagine-70000-capacity-newcastle-united-12772276.amp

My gran, mother and me signed a petition on Northumberland Street against the Stadium. The town moor is one of the city's Crown Jewels and John Hall needed to leave it the f*** alone. Worked out well anyway!

Everything Newcastle are as a modern day club is down to Keegan in my humble opinion; his influence on revolutionising the club is that great (though he shouldn't have disbanded the reserves!). Growing up in that era was immense.

Nowt will top that Rod Stewart draw mind. I was buckled!

We currently have 0 loans. I'm not including.merino due to the obligation to buy. It it obligation or option? Must admit I wasn't sure. Between work and kids I can't keep up with all the rumours and deals these days!

A few lads I used to go to school with (all from the posh end of Gosforth) who now live in London are like that. All disappeared up their own arses at some stage.

I think he looks a bit like the wrestler Kane.

Know nothing about this player. Nothing at all. I am a trifle concerned about too many loans however. Too many loans was one of the things that did for Sunderland in the end; foundations on quicksand. Need a striker. It's imperative.

Grayson does not appear that have any lips. Good manager though according to my old Director, who is a Blackpool season ticket holder. Put it this way, he is going to have to be; Sunderland have spent an Ayrton Senna on half a dozen players.

Page 302 on teletext. The Pink. Players living on nice but not palatial estates (Pavel Srnicek lived on the same estate as my mate in Gosforth).

Neither of those cities have the iconic entrance to them. In fact, ask somebody that doesn't know Newcastle, Leeds or Manchester to name a famous landmark of each and I'll bet my bollocks they'll name one from the town.

I appreciate I am new on here so I say this with all due respect, but you are talking nonsense when you say the city centre is 'awful'. I don't live in the city anymore, but I love close enough that it is always my destination of choice when going shopping etc. with the kids. I love taking them to the places I enjoyed as a young boy: Fenwicks (toy department!), Mark Toney's for an ice cream, Exhibition Park etc. Yes, I would agree that there is a proliferation of student flats and development that could equally be at home in the likes of Manchester or Leeds, but if you can't see past that to admire the majesty of Grey Street, Grey's Monument and Grainger Town (never mind the units at the ground floor, look up!), or enjoy the likes of Fenwicks (give me that any day of the week over Harvey Nicks) and the brilliant pubs, then that is a shame. I'm not that well travelled but I've been a few places and nobody will ever convince me that my home town isn't the greatest city on earth. And yes I'm biased.

Yep, unless they were to buy said new properties (by way of compensation) in order to flatten them.

That absolute balls Premier League anthem, which dictates players have to walk out the tunnel so the ref can pick the ball of a plinth first. How contrived and utter garbage. Used to like to see the players run out the tunnel into the pitch. Stadium jackets and pre-match handshakes. Shake at the end like men. Subs having to get dressed when called by the manager. Why don't they have their tops and shinies on ready. Is there some sort of marginal gain to be had by not doing so that I'm not aware of?!

Yep, had some of those, and the little cartoon-head models. Got my first NUFC shirt - the grandad collar one - from a little barrow-type club 'store' in Asda Gosforth. Anyone recall that?!

Got the Sky back in recently so will be watching whilst the kids are out. You never know, first game of the season could catch Spurs a bit cold. Early goal and get stuck into them.

Awful, sleazy slimeball of a man, with his noncy specs.

Yes, took some pictures (we got more on a tour over Easter though), they got a programme each and I'm keeping their tickets.

The boy enjoyed it, though I think the noise of the second goal gave him a bit of a fright. The daughter was watching peppa pig on my phone by the second half. Difficult to gauge things based on today; Verona were utterly turd in the first half but improved after the break, though they could hardly do any worse. Atsu was lively and some lovely slide rule balls inside the full backs from Shelvey, but he isn't going to get that sort of time as much in the PL. Mitrovic, grafter though he may be, still isn't good enough in my opinion.