Whitley mag

Howe is the best manager bar Robson to manage the club in my lifetime. Could finish mid table and still have plenty of credit it in the bank. Loved the way we went CL or bust, somebody suggested on here it was a losers mentality to not want the EL, it’s anything but we went all out to stay in the best competition in the world and only narrowly failed, a last 16 tie would have been monumental and proud we went for it. My only doubt with Howe is does his type of player, his transfer strategy, result in us being able to compete with the best. Stories of him wanting Phillips, McTominay etc don’t elevate us to where PIF will see the club heading. Hopefully they are just stories and he realises those type of players won’t take us where PIF want to go, as that is the only thing I can see stopping him being here a very long time.

Apart from Tino serious question marks against the rest. Don’t think Barnes or Tonali look like what we needed, just more pace on the wing without any craft in Barnes and Tonali looks another midfield workhorse to me. Our 2 blue chip signings don’t bring anything different to the table and that’s without even getting into how Tonali comes back from ban. Give me Kone, Thuram or Diaby over the signings we made. Big pressure to get it right going forward or PIF will rightfully start asking questions.

An asterisk if we win otherwise back to being mag cunts, they’re not pretending to be falsely outraged by the Saudis though.

Said it was a massive drop off when Pope got injured, needs replaced as priority in January, can’t underestimate the importance of a top keeper. Massive concern for me that Pope did his shoulder during a routine save, hard to rely on him going forward now, need to invest big on a keeper top priority.

Find it hard to be to disappointed when we won 1 game out of 6. Injuries meant we couldn’t play with intensity bar PSG and 1st half tonight perhaps. What stands out for me though is that we lack a couple of clever technical players, especially at this level where intensity and running will only get you so far.

Exact opposite would rather concentrate on getting top 4 again, it’s been proven we haven’t got the squad to compete on 4 fronts.

Like to think they wanted CL or nothing tonight, that’s where I was at, couldn’t give a fuck about the EL.

Exactly, Liverpool collapsed without Van Dijk can’t be overstated how much where missing him.

Hard to criticise this team but that was an ordinary Milan team very much there for the taking for me. We need to steady the ship with just a win of any sorts on Saturday, starting to look all a bit disjointed and forced at the minute. Keeper situation needs resolved in January and we need Botman back asap.

Not convinced either.

Never get tired of hearing that, last 16 tie would be special.

Sunderland’s attempt to become the club of the North after we got relegated.

Very much this and don’t think Bruno further forward is the answer. We really need a technical midfielder for certain games that require a bit more than Joelinton’s brute strength.

Doesn’t fill me with any confidence would prioritise a new keeper in Jan.

It would almost certainly be Castle Leazes and not Leazes Park, even then the residents and environmentalists would still object even with an improved and extended park. However, like last time if Hall hadn’t given up, I think we’d get the permission eventually.

In a strange way the current owners are now in same boat, redeveloping SJP would be a compromise option which may get us to 60k with compromised facilities. The alternative future proofing the club for generations and building something that would be the envy of most. What really sways me is that I think the East Stand at the very best would end up as some half baked glass construction that would do nothing for atmosphere or character, and we’d still be stuck with thousands of seats in level 7 which feel detached from the rest of ground when it comes to atmosphere and sight lines.

Some snippets from the Chronicle- At least 10 possible locations around Newcastle were considered, but it quickly became clear that Castle Leazes on the Town Moor was the only viable option and one which the club, the city council and the Freemen of the City all agreed on. The new 55,000 all-seater venue (with capacity eventually rising to 70,000) would be a rival to Milan’s San Siro and Barcelona’s Nou Camp, while the £90m project would provide the region with a major economic boost and raise the city’s international profile. On a site that was used for cattle grazing, the new state-of the-art stadium, set off with steel and glass, would be sunk eight metres into Castle Leazes at Spital Tongues. It would be a three-tiered bowl, boasting unimpaired views for all fans. The structure of the roof would also echo the city’s most famous landmark, the Tyne Bridge, by having two huge arches. In the event, as we know, there was a furious reaction from local pressure groups, local residents, and environmentalists to the plans - and the new stadium was not be. After a sustained campaign of marches, protests, letters and petitions against the stadium, and the possibility of a long drawn-out and costly public enquiry, the club reluctantly withdrew its proposals in late 1997.

My memory fails me but did Castle Leazes even get rejected, wasn’t it just going to be a long drawn out application that would have been called in, and basically Hall was to impatient and decided expanding would be quicker ?

Trying not to give this to much thought until the week before, absolutely hate the build up to this fixture. For anyone thinking it’ll be a walk in the park though I’d brace yourself. Roll back the years to Luton under Keegan, Robson against Wolves and for those with short memories Sheff Wed last season. Championship clubs away in the FA Cup 3rd round are notoriously difficult. Pray we win but it’s far from a certainty.

The arena site could really expand the City Centre and drive investment into that area. With river nearby they could certainly build something that is spectacular on that site. If I had to choose I would probably go down the Castle Leazes route, with a land swap and new park leading to City Centre. The city centre does lack green spaces and it could really add something if done well.

I’d add the Tottenham Hotspur stadium that new end behind the goal creates a much bigger noise than anything they produced at WHL.

Atmosphere is fine if you’re at the Gallowgate End of stadium, unfortunately half the ground hears fuck all due to uneven build of ground. Even the corporate areas apart from that new one built in the summer look more suited to Beamish. History’s great but the future is more important and this would be an unprecedented opportunity to build something for the ages in the City Centre.

New stadium in the City Centre every day, St James has seen it’s day unfortunately. Concourses are cramped and dated, acoustics shite, facilities years behind the best stadiums and level 7 is fucking terrible. Most importantly we can go bigger and get future generations in, and at the same time massively increase revenue streams.

Needs to improve his FA Cup 3rd round record that’s all I’m saying.

Play the reserves until January to ensure where full strength for this. Despise these cunts into them.