Abacus

In part, my view is that this is the way the game has already gone. So I'd rather take part and compete, than be compliant cannon fodder for the rest. Of course I'd prefer if there was a level playing field to start with, but there already isn't, and we didn't cause that. There are already inherent advantages for the likes of Man U, which means I won't be crying for them. They're paying Ronaldo's wages ffs. I don't know why Spurs are even in the conversation in the self selected big 6. My main feeling is sheer relief to be rid of Ashley, and if they want to grow the club sustainably and sensibly, actually reinvesting in the club and it's infrastructure at long last, I'd be more than happy with that approach. But if they want to blow a fortune and give us a wild ride for a few years, I'm not going to say I'd have any problem with that at all either. Other fans have had that, so why not us? As I say, we didn't cause that problem. So either level it up for everyone, or if you're happy to accept an uneven playing field before now, then fans of the big 6 need to put their big boy pants on and accept that if you play with crocodiles, you might get bit. Personally, I'd rather build like a Leicester, but not have our best players poached every season by a self entitled 'elite', but that's just me. Today I'm just delighted

Think it might be cheaper to pay him off.

I wonder what horrors the new owners will find when they take over. What's in this locked drawer? Hang on, Joe Kinnear is still under contract!?

Poor little Charnley. "Can I have my old job in the post room back please? Oh no Amanda, I got my tie caught in the machine again."

What has De Marco baked recently? I hope it's a massive shit sandwich.

That would risk it going supernova.

I can't tell you how much this would be the most incredible thing to have happened after all the let downs. Actually, I think I can as you're all there with me

Keegan director of football. Managers can come & go.

He'd just sign it and send it back.

Was thinking the same. More chance of him being appointed and fired, before Charnley springs into action and starts calling round on his special animal noises telephone. "What's that Mr Moo Moo? I don't understand. Can you start a week on Monday or not?"

Caulkin gets criticised for his takeover stuff. But, it seems to me from what's come out that he was passing on what he was told by several parties, and that there was a very late swerve by the PL to block it. So it seems. I can't really blame him for that, and since then, he's been pretty circumspect, always making clear that confidence in one or other of the parties can be unfounded. The Steve Bruce stuff is harder to understand, for me, if they really are friends. Shearer gets criticised for not laying into Bruce on MOTD, due to him apparently being a friend. And it's true I have lost a bit of respect for him for that. But at the end of the day, Shearer is a pundit - a talking head. One step above the rentagobs on Talksport etc, but ultimately they're all there to generate clicks and in a similar role. I am disappointed when the professional journalists feel conflicted by personal friendships as well, though, or can't see it clearly. That's not what they're paid for, Newcastle fans or not. Quite why there is this wall of protective rubbish about Bruce and his training methods, his totally dreadful and consistent record over his 999 games, his persistent out of touch with reality excuses, his blaming everyone but himself, is beyond me. And that's just the start with Europe's fattest man, his gigantic sleeves and his meticulous system of unimprovements. Why, then, are more journalists not holding him to account? Too pally? If that's the case, just admit you're conflicted and then go report on someone else for a bit.

Bottom 3 again now. I think that's the only time Ashley actually pays attention.

The trouble with Luke Baldwards is that he's anything but fair and balanced with that summary. He's declared there's a slim chance of success, but he has nothing to base that on. Why is he waffling on about a 'burden of proof' in an arbitration case? He's already decided that the PL are right, if that's the case. Also, the aim of the CAT case is just to 'embarrass and expose' the PL? If they're squeaky clean, what could there be to expose? And why should they be embarrassed? As usual, just a joke of a writer, I won't say journalist.

I didn't read it that way. Funny that on the other hand the PL were keen to say the deal was still on, if we were successful at arbitration. Because if so, then there'd be no financial loss, and no basis for the case to proceed. Which is what they were trying to argue in the first place.

I really hope we've got the A-Team in place, if we have found them. Got that theme tune running around my mind in a loop now.

We should have zinged that slimy Lewis with that one as well.

We've the best legal team, the world has ever had...

That's having cancelled for a while now, rather than just threatening to cancel.

I keep getting a 'limited time' offer for £9.99 a year, or £14.99 a year depending on what day it is, to rejoin them which keeps popping up on my Facebook.

I feel Lewis will ask for a one hour delay whilst he finishes his sandwich. A motion backed up Charnley on Teams.

Ah, I see. I haven't been watching it, just following it on here.

If SJP Holdings is really a director, has it been assessed as such under the owners and directors test, as is supposed to happen to all directors annually?

Personal view, if the court has jurisdiction, it's a win that will scare the horses. If not, we're done and arbitration goes against us too. I base this personal view on very little of substance. You're welcome.

I like how rattled Luke is by even the words "wheeling out", hence using those quotation marks. He knows he has no response to the actual point made so instead responds like a cornered rat at even the suggestion he's defending his mate, by saying he's only passing on what he's heard. As if MA could even care less about playing entertaining football to start with, and he's the only one making the decisions. I can only assume Luke's 'source' is a photocopied butter-smeared fan letter written by a Mr Jonjo Shelvey, and personally signed by a certain Stephen Roger Bruce. Leaving all that to one side. Given we've run out of other candidates. Let's say you get a call some Sunday from a desperate Charnley who has tried all the other buttons on his special animal noises telephone, would you take the job?

I agree with the Eddie Howe bandwagon. Keep Jones on as a coach under him, perhaps. He's the best you could hope for under Ashley, and someone who could hopefully keep us afloat until Ashley is gone at least. Whoever thought Bruce was the answer to anything in the first place, except dealing with the European butter mountain, needs to be formally wedgied throughout the length and breadth of the city.