TomYam

Me too. He slalomed around the question avoiding the obvious comparison with pre-Howe matches.

I feel the same. However, perhaps we could ladle up Kalvin Phillips and Raphina to soften the blow of Everton staying up.

It'd just take an injury or two involving Mee, Tarkowsky or Weghorst and Burnley would fall back.

Chelsea are there too, but perhaps they'll be repatriated to Moscow soon with Abramovich.

We're reaching that point in the season when a mini run of good or bad results can lead to unremitting joy or misery. Fans of all those threatened clubs will be going through those motions. We're just a couple of injuries away from running out of competent players and (obviously)we need to get those points on the board while our tail is up. The cat is among the pigeons.

Truth is we'll be big favourites to be relegated if we lose to Brentford. Crucial match. We need to accumulate points while there's so much posiitivity as we have a very difficult final quarter.

Or 3 Amijoes

He's just announcing his annual wash.

Who I want to be relegated: Everton, Everton and Everton Who I think. Since Everton don't do relegation, I suspect the same as the majority: Watford, Norwich and Brentford.

BJ....Boris Johnson?

Hope Wolves finish 4th. In the meantime, howay ManU!

Agree entirely. The most exciting aspect of PIF-Reuben ownership has been the prospect of major investment in this great city (not just football) and the commensurate benefits to the wider community.

That's encouraging. A lot on the other forum seem highly resistant. Perhaps just posturing?

I'm sure our owners have given thought to stadium expansion or relocation. They have the political and financial clout to bend things in the direction they want. However, there would be a lot of resistance from fans who wouldn't countenance moving home. The land to the south and west of the Arena is probably available until it has been developed. There is plenty of space for a 70,000+ stadium, ancillary practice pitches, hospitality and apartment buildings. If they want, they'll get.

We simply mustn't lose this match. A win will surely see the clouds part for good and the heraldic angels trumeting louder than a plastered mackem eating curry and chips after yet another defeat.

I totally understand why folk are struggling to countenance a move from St.James's, but why move to Hunter's Moor? The Town Moor is totally unique and the visual, infrastructural and environmental impact of placing a new stadium there would be unacceptably great. If we're going to move home, a stadium on the Arena site would be visually stunning (from the river), has good infastructure that could be enhanced further to the betterment of the city, and the local environment would be improved immeasurably.

I believe that a Middle Eastern investment company has bought the southerly half of Leazes Terrace. This fund is not thought to be PIF. The northerly half of Leazes Terrace (facing the park) comprise individually owned private apartments, while the southerly half (facing the East Stand) are student occupied. Not sure what the intentions of the new owners are, but will clearly involve refurbishment. One things for sure - if the club moves to a new site, these apartments would become highly desirable.

It wouldn't be the same, but it could be better in many ways. Until the (Arena) land is built on, it's probably available to those that are prepared to pay for it.

Those stadium plans suggest the greater part was to be built on Leazes Park rather than Castle Leazes. Crazy to think the council approved, but then it's not exactly renowned for civic pride and John Hall was well known for, ahem, convincing people to support him. As I evinced in an earlier post, if a new stadium were built 100 metres further north-west along Barrack Road (from those earlier plans) then you could arrive at something really special that most NUFC fans would support. However, that would involve purchasing land housing student buildings and army reserves. Very complicated.

You're right, but I think it encroached on to Leazes Park. Still feasible depending on design quality, infrastructure, etc.

I'm pretty sure Castle Leazes isn't large enough to build a 70,000 seat stadium on - especially when you consider parking, etc. It'd surely have to involve buying up the buildings between Castle Leazes and Barrack Road. Horribly complicated. However, it's under-utilised common moor land and a 'land swap' with St.James's could be a major improvement for both club and city.

Juventus are in the strange situation of being the second most popular club in their city, struggle to get big attendances - and yet are by far the most popular and commercially successful club in Italy. Imagine Manchester United but with the attendances of West Brom: that is Juventus.

Newcastle only has one park in the city centre - and some people on this forum want to build a football stadium on it. Leazes Park is the oldest park in the city boundaries. It's Grade II listed and is in a Conservation Area. Leazes Terrace is Grade I listed building (the highest rank of national importance ) and is in a Conservation Area - some on this forum wish it be demolished or moved elsewhere.

Today, our natural attendance level is probably 55,000+. Next year (if we stay up), it'll probably be 60,000+. It should continue to increase as we grow on the national stage and attract international students and tourists, young kids from Basingstoke and Bury St Edmunds, aspiring fairweather fans and former Sunderland supporters. A successful, attractive Newcastle United playing in a magnificent stadium should manage 75,000 within a few years. Why would't we aim to accommodate those that want to attend?

So those who'd consider moving to a new stadium in an alternative city centre location are mad cunts and sick freaks? Perhaps a giant psychiatric unit should be built on Leazes Park - handy for the RVI and for any NUFC fans showing signs of objectivity. We're all emotionally invested in St.James's, but that shouldn't close our minds to the possibility of change.