nbthree3

If Fulham win we're 18th despite that draw, on goal difference - with them to play us on the final day. Hoping for Villa to deliver in that case!

The life of a football supporter is full of what ifs. It is the tortuous subplot to every game and every season. All the missed opportunities, sliding door moments and 50-50 calls that did not go your way. It is the possibility of what might have been, of what you could have won or done, blowing like a winning lottery ticket in a gale that keeps most fans coming back for more; the hope 'what if' becomes an “I was there to see it” moment. For Newcastle United and Tottenham supporters, the ‘what if’ this season is far more frustrating than that. It is what if they were able to go to games, to shout and scream their anger, to revolt and call for change. Rarely have they felt so powerless. With games behind closed doors, they have been kept away from their team, the noise they can make on social media and elsewhere too easily ignored. They are effectively silenced. There is no way of showing their displeasure at how things are unfolding, of how the team is playing; and the men they all seem to blame for it - the manager. According to a survey by The Athletic this week, Newcastle’s Steve Bruce and Tottenham’s Jose Mourinho are the two least popular managers in the country with their own supporters. They are, if you believe social media and surveys like this, no longer wanted at the clubs that continue to support and employ them. Yet, both continue unharmed, protected from vocal shows of protest by Covid-19 lockdown measures. They may be at opposite ends of the table, Newcastle one place above the relegation zone, Spurs one place below the Champions League qualification places, but the emotions are startlingly similar. When they meet at St James’ Park this Sunday, the stands will once again be barren and empty, yet both are in desperate need of a win to ease the pressure that still engulfs them. If fans were allowed inside the ground, neither manager would have been spared sustained and spiteful personal abuse this season. Despite the silence on matchday, though, both know they are being ridiculed, chastised and blamed. Despite it all, Bruce was unequivocal in his wish for fans to be back in the ground, believing that, in Newcastle’s perilous position, Newcastle’s fans would get behind the team, roaring and cheering rather than booing and jeering him. It may be wishful thinking but fascinating all the same. “I would desperately want the fans inside the ground,” said Bruce. “Absolutely. 100%. Without them, then, we're just like every other club. “Playing behind closed doors, for me, we've all got sort of used to it, but when we see the internationals and we see four or five thousand at a game, it makes a difference. “Look, I would want the supporters in because that's what it's all about. We've missed them dreadfully and I'm sure at this particular time, they'll get behind the team and that's the most important thing now. “We're in a scrap, we're in a fight - let's get ready for it. Certainly, the supporters would play their part in it - I'm absolutely convinced they would - to try and drag us over the line in certain situations." In a survival fight, maybe Bruce is right. But would Tottenham fans, even though they play in the League Cup Final later this month, be so forgiving of Mourinho if he falls short of a top four finish. Like Bruce, the grumblings about playing style and identity have turned more toxic as results have worsened. Mourinho needs a win on Tyneside just as badly as Bruce does. “For me, Jose,” offered Bruce, the criticism that he receives is, in my opinion, ridiculous because here is one of the greats. “Over the last 20 years, what he's done, what he's been and what he's done in the Premier League is there for everybody to see.” It is, but it is the here and now that matters for both of them, not the past.

Crazy to think this time last year when Poch and that were linked, a fair few including myself sympathised with Bruce for trying his best, while recognising he had to go after a takeover! That's long gone now hahaha

Yeah we should really learn to expect these things, rewarding mediocrity and all. Does mention only genuine boycotts to season tickets etc would be the only likely thing to make Ashley reconsider while he's still owner. So there's the solution

"Newcastle United could offer Steve Bruce a new contract if he keeps the club in the Premier League with owner Mike Ashley continuing to provide staunch support to his underfire manager this week."

I saw that on Twitter, someone put that out. I thought it was a good touch and I do agree - would much rather watch dodgy streams and the like if I had to (even better, the watchalongs that Gallowgate Shots do I enjoy atm) than help fund mediocrity

Club's been for sale 3 and a half years, he's failed to sell the club to either a credible buyer, or one without so dubious a background it's had to be shelved for a year - price 100% needs lowering if he wants out genuinely, otherwise we'll continue to not care about what we're doing and it's 'business as usual' for Ashley

I'll get the thread right this time! https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8166581/Newcastle-takeover-moves-one-step-closer-fruition.html 1 year ago today "Newcastle takeover moves one step closer after 'Premier League is informed of £340m attempt to buy out Mike Ashley by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund'"

No just that he'll say on Friday it's business as usual and he's here until his contract expires at the end of next season apparently

The talk was obviously enough for Ryder to have to shoot down "The former Manchester United skipper has not been pictured at training in recent days but has still been heavily involved at the club despite rumours on social media he refused to take charge of last week's sessions."

It's more or less Carver's "I think I'm the best coach in the Premier League" approach (for this game, for trying to keep the club afloat - you've got to convince yourself you and only you are the best for a certain task otherwise you'll never be able to accomplish it) I think. Not that it defends what most of us can clearly see as lies

"Nevertheless, the mood inside the training ground, which has taken on a siege mentality this week with staff trying to block out the outside noise and players told to stay off social media, was said to be upbeat and determined." If you pretend nothing's wrong, is anything really wrong at all?

Newcastle United as a club doesn't deserve to be with the twenty finest in the country, or it's supposed to be the finest. Rewarding this season's pure regression (the argument in the summer was that there was no stagnation, let alone moving backwards!) does everyone but the fans true justice. It's another year of the same, and with Bruce's contract only a year from expiring, we'd have talks of extensions next year if we stay up! A takeover is the genuine crossroads for the team: Ashley and Bruce in whatever league represents failure. Ashley and another man, depending on that manager, is failure, but with potential short-term gains if we end up prizing Howe or something, never long-term with Ashley here. A takeover with another man is success and planning for the long-term, and I dare to think about a takeover with Bruce as that's never happening now

Rafa just proved the Ashley model will never work - he simply will not back a manager's vision for progression as he wants to sell the club - and the responsibility and consequences shift to the eventual buyer/s - and doesn't want to fund it. It's why he's happy for managers like Bruce who won't complain and rewards that personal loyalty, rather than making public his grievances over broken promises. "Nothing more we could do" embodies this inability to care

Bringing in a top manager changes little about the club in the long-term. It just regresses into what it was, once they've been cast away due to broken promises. Rafa wasted his time working for Ashley's Newcastle but I'm grateful he could see the club for what it could, but cannot under Ashley, be. Howe I fear would fall into the same trap, but if a takeover happened who knows what might happen or who'd we attract... in the short-term I would love someone forward-thinking which tbh is most managers!

We've found the player Insider said wanted out - and yeah Twitter were right

Players aren't playing for him clearly, anyone but Charnley or the relevant authorities at the club recognises that. https://theathletic.com/2468647/2021/03/24/steve-bruce-newcastle-mike-ashley/ That said do we believe his instruction was to be less passive?

Twitter think it's Miggy, if it holds any weight Hope'll get to it in some form before too long. Ironic Bruce loves 'hope' unless it's the journalist

https://www.nufc.co.uk/matches/first-team/2020-21/middlesbrough-v-newcastle-united/ alarm bells continued, not even started, at this point. That was a more or less full starting eleven albeit not entirely fit, but what's the difference? (Darlow, Manquillo, Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Murphy, Hayden, S. Longstaff, Atsu, Almiron, ASM)

"As one source said: ‘The players are used to doing their own training by now. They are not surprised by the schedule.’" It might be best to keep them away from Bruce and his staff tbf

Mole's back with a bang

Tbf Insider haven't been too far off the mark recently

For the betterment of the league we need to go, staying up simply rewards the incompetence we've come to expect. Fans aside this club does not deserve its place among the elite teams - we've seen what former players have said about the academy, the infrastructure and the broken promises that forced Rafa's hand. To a neutral a forward-thinking Championship side would enrich the division far more than us, or what Sunderland were, can offer. Brentford, Swansea, maybe Norwich or even Barnsley if they manage it. The mentality's broken and we don't care, why should we? All but a 10 from me.