MarkyMark

The Times: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/eddie-howe-puts-faith-in-oven-ready-buys-to-keep-newcastle-united-up-ls2kmjv7m Just bizarre all-round and doesn’t scream ‘competence’ - but then little has so far. 12 month contract. 9 months to go. Tick tock tick tock. Can’t imagine the Saudis keeping that contract in place in the event of relegation.

I’s bet that if we only bring in one new CH that player will be paired with Lascelles. Howe won’t have the bollocks to drop his ‘skipper’.

Plenty of us said before this week we needed at least one centre half before this game to win it. And we’re internet gobshites - not paid professionals. Lascelles is absolutely fucking useless - and Schar isn’t far behind. Their uselessness eventually forces the team back to cover their nervous incompetence. Howe has been dealt a shite hand - but even with that, I’m struggling to see where the improvements are. He’s now gobbled up all the remaining ‘winnable’ home games. Those PowerPoints must’ve have been very impressive. Criticism of the manager is justifiable in its own context, regardless of what came before. If the club are to have any chance of staying up, those in charge need to stop fucking about and pay the ridiculous fees being requested. We could’ve strengthened in the summer at a more reasonable price if KSA had resolved the piracy issue. But they didn’t, so now we’re bent over a barrel. Either pay over the odds for what we need, or prepare for the second division - and somehow hope that the PL don’t change more rules in our absence which will in all likelihood kill other plans stone-dead.

Almost as bad as a bloke I know who insists on spelling it “how’ay”

You don’t need to be wily to expose Ritchie at full back. Just having a winger with two functioning legs would do that.

‘Exactly’

Defoe would score goals in the Third Division at 39 I reckon. Not sure if it would ensure that they finish ahead of footballing heavyweights like Rotherham and Wycombe, mind

To me a supporter’s trust should be there to represent the wider support base to the club. They shouldn’t be in bed with them, nor should they require an ‘endgame’, in Wraith’s words. Too many of them are on a power trip, which terms like ‘endgame’ should flag up. Ticket prices, away allocations, safe standing, disability access, community works - they should be the meat and drink of a supporters trust. What do we get? A handful of self-aggrandising knackers, using their fanzines and social media presence to weaponise hair-brained schemes to pump up their own egos. Putting themselves and their pals on the board, or taking massive huffs if they’re not on it. Again, the idea that they’re even running for these positions shows the out-of-control egos on show - don’t they have enough of a voice already? Surely if you had a fanzine or a podcast or a significant social media presence, you’ve got all the ‘power’ (no laughing) you need? Your voice is catered for. The Romans managed to elect new leaders annually and they were running the Mediterranean - I’m sure a few thousand Geordies wanting to have a representative to tell them club that they should be asking for larger away allocations are capable of doing likewise. Shorter terms and no running again for the same office once you’ve been elected would be a good start.

In fairness, that’s like most Mackems

Wood scored 49 PL goals for Burnley. Only Phillips has more PL goals while playing for Sunderland (61). They'd have wet their knickers if they'd had anyone with Wood's consistent goalscoring record during their forlorn PL years.

And Joelinton becoming a competent midfielder - and we only have a handful of games to support this - still wouldn't make him a good signing. You wouldn't pay 40m for Joelinton - midfield dynamo. There's obviously far better out there for that price. We paid 40m because Ashley was persuaded by Nickson that the outlay would payoff - one day we'd sell him for far, far more than 40m. Nickson is still heading up our scouting team ...

Another one worth avoiding. Tiresome pisshead and failed stand-up who thinks his hatred is based upon righteousness. Haven't had to listen to a word he says since Richardson jumped ship from Football Weekly. Pretendy mackem gobshite. I look forward to him asking Pep about human rights abuses in Abu Dhabi, in that way that he hasn't asked of a single Man City manager. Or going on a journalistic strike against the Qatar WC and refusing to write or say a single thing about it in solidarity with the thousands of indentured workers who built those stadiums. 'Whatabouttery' he'll suggest, whilst not having a fucking clue that he genuinely is a hypocritical waste of space.

It reveals nothing more than the ignorance of others of what the previous 14 years was like. They've no knowledge, yet feel the need to pontificate. See also; Derby supporters excited that Mikey is going to rock up. It is why it is best to treat pig ignorance from other fans - and the shit-brained 'pundits' / hacks aiming for angry responses from supporters (and remember, it is grown adults doing this) - as white noise. It isn't even worth a second's anger.

Given the leveraged takeover and likely impending relegation, I wouldn't be too sure of that.

Personally, I’m getting the word … nonce

Fuck me. I’d tried to avoid his videos for the cringe factor - but what a whopper that lad is. There is clearly something off about him

Would Haidara class as ‘marquee’? I’m not sure how much name recognition he’d have in England, never mind KSA. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be happy to see him sign - but I’m not sure I’d call him marquee

Haha yeah, my mate lost a few stone without all those empty calories every weekend

And how was Kate Stewart?

Undoubtedly - I’m still not sure if I need to declare ‘I’m a Newcastle United supporter who’d like to see us sign some decent players’ when my Amnesty membership renews in March

Yep, one of my mates worked there a few times and that’s exactly what he said - the embassy was the only place which stocked alcohol, but it was illegal to have any in your system once you left. He went once, and the taxi ride home was apparently stressful, worrying in case the driver drops him off at the religious police … better to hop across to Bahrain or UAE once a month … He was very, very well paid on his stays over there (around two years in total) - but I wouldn’t want to set foot there, never mind work. The stories from him and others I know paint a picture of exactly what I imagined living in an atavistic and brutal dictatorship would be like.

Top gadgie is Chris Hughton

Digne comes across as a bit of a wanker, but it has to be said Benitez doesn’t come out of it smelling of roses. He’s hardly doing a great job, regardless of the circumstances- and he couldn’t have been unaware of what the reaction of Evertonians would be to his appointment. We loved him when he was here, but that was mainly because his appointment was surreal - Ashley didn’t appoint proper managers, he appointed washed-up MOTR yes-men. So given Rafa’s CV, it was an incredible appointment in the circumstances - though I dare say that at a properly run NUFC, plenty wouldn’t have put up with the football on display for too long before questions were asked. I still have massive amounts of fondness for the man, and how he handled himself at Newcastle under that dickhead former owner of ours. But he still feels like yesterday’s man.

It doesn’t, funnily enough They genuinely think foodbanks are marvellous because it proves that ‘deserving’ poor will be ok with handouts, rather than actually paying reasonable taxes to ensure foodbanks aren’t necessary. Can’t see past the end of their own nose. John Hall’s donations bought him a knighthood off Thatcher - who he idolised. Despite his being trained by the NCB. The ownership of the club has never been less than loathsome, as far as my reading of history goes …

Yeah, it’s a lot of money going to local charities, so there’s definitely a positive note to the end of it. Though it should be remembered that fans did hold shares in the club for a decade, not so long ago - and the most that it achieved was being able to ask the odd embarrassing question to Freddie Shepherd at an AGM. Then Ashley bought the club, the supporters shares were bought back at significant losses for those who’d bought them, and the net result was very, very little.