Wolfcastle

Do we go Sheffield Wed? Seems not the sort of game I'd bring him in for. Will be a massive jolt if he starts the Leicester game (up for that already ffs)

Was rather hoping we'd have something extra for the two cup ties. Especially with three competitions on the go. Just cant shake the all hands on deck feel and nervousness about suspensions and injuries. Margins are fine at this vantage point.

I'm the opposite. Before it was just a write off and a 3-0 defeat was routine and anything less a bonus. Now it stings to lose. I mean I'm still bitter about the one game we have lost if last night was anything to go by. Likewise can't wait though. Got league-cup Quarter-Finals in 96 feel about it. Hope ASM doesn't get sent-off for being fouled like Ginola that night though I'm sure the commentary will be similarly biased. Speaking of bitter.

It was. You'd have different areas singing even the same song slightly out of sync with each other and as one area/we finished the punctuated silence at the end would be filled by the Gallowgate and Milburn finishing like an echo. At least vary up the versions of the Blaydon Races. I'd rather listen to "to see Matt Busby's aces" than the one he uses.

Just wish people would get a grip and accept this. Has and will happen to everyone.

That Jo miss seals it for me. The crossroad between finally scoring and destined not to.

Pet hates: people moaning about the team and players when where not winning by half-time when were having a great season.

They had bother at the Rotherham away game last season, wasn't someone's daughter or neice hit with a coin the mackems were throwing at their fellow Mag hating bretheren? Wonder which of the eight games we've played against Rotherham in the last sixty years caused this deep rooted hatred the poster with a Newcastle fan in his avatar and clearly not obsessively biased at all is making up mentioning. *didn't even know these were playing...again.

Ah man. Just popped on to see if there were any updates on transfer speculation and injuries and saw this. Truly sad. Cliche to say it but I palpably feel the loss to the game of him, Diego and Cruyff.

When we were what they are now 90-92 a middling second tier club with no prospects, we expected to lose players to clubs like Forest, Derby, West Ham and first division clubs because they were doing better, for all our attendances (an all time low) were comparable and games against them were bigger than normal games. The tone around the place matched what we were. Even when we were instilled as favourites to get promoted in 91/92 the fanbase scoffed at it. There was a feeling of 'why can't we do that' but it was even considered a success to keep Gavin Peacock from moving to Middlesbrough because of the then climate.

Yeah, they use their exceptional gates as the rule, despite themselves noting them for their exceptional nature. X amount to Wembley, X amount to Man City for a relegation game, X amount against Blackburn and disregard the rule, having a half empty stadium for every game leading to Wembley, getting 20,000 the week before against Arsenal averaging 21,000 over the season and about 25,000 against West Brom in the previous home game. Bending the concept of exceptions and rules so that it works for them

When we bought Woodgate we were linked heavily with John Terry, Chelsea were perhaps about to do the first stage of a Leeds and begin sellling players. Mourinho was set to come in and work under Sir Bobby then take over. Fitness notwithstanding probably the best pre-planning this club ever made. Such a fine line. Instead Abramovic rocks up, we get Bowyer on a free and nothing else and the rest is history.

and every goal from open play

All the big guns have won comfortably. Spurs not winning maintains that.

And not sure of the merits of seeing Kevin Ball smash into Gazza, John Kay into Ginola, Quinn lumbering around elbows and dives with Woodgate and an ancient Chris Waddle shuffling around like the waiter on Twin Peaks up against his former youthful self.

Hesitate to say I'd love to see our legends versus their legends but then they say the Harlem Globetrotters matches got boring quickly.

Wasn't worried about selling Given on the football side as had no qualms about Harper or Krul but it just felt so cold and sickening. Leaving an utterly miserable and cold club, absolutely couldn't blame him, felt like a form of protest (or was that just projecting on my part). Just that feeling of the people who own your club poisoning it willingly was so bleak and miserable. If we knew then we'd have 12 more years of that I don't know what I'd have done.

Caught Leicester at a good time. They've been in really good form lately, turned the corner, won last week but we got them just as they were scheduled to turn to shit again.

Really looking forward to this. My only gripe (providing their fans would have behaved themselves) is its not a normal Xmas fixture list and not an evening match on the 28th or 29th.

Don't know whether to laugh or feel scandalised

Food for thought for the league cup atmosphere's being a bit down - three games today, Mackems, Leicester, Villa and the home crowds are crypts for league games

Ignoring the fact it was an organised pre-meditated boycott....and that if they did the same nobody would know the difference.

Even the Leicester forum can't escape their bile and made up bullshit SAFC1: "Saudi scum are already talking about reaching the final. Wembley. etc etc. Of course it won’t be long before they’re eventually competing for cups but please turn them over this time lads… "

Played quite well in one of them too, what more did we want?

We only got two home draws in the entire Keegan era in this thing.