TheBrownBottle

Yep, I think so. January would be the last chance to get anything for him (and I would think it would be a nominal fee).

We have to be trying to keep Schar - I would hope it’s Lascelles that we’re looking to move on, possibly in January when he’s fit again or in May/June.

I can get excited by signing defenders. I was when we signed Woodgate. I wasn’t particularly excited by Tonali or Bruno tbh (though Isak was exciting in terms of potential). Signing players from the PL means you know what you’re getting. I think real, top class defenders slot in very quickly - and you immediately see the step up in quality. I always find it surprising that people undervalue the importance of quality in goal or in the back line. Top defenders add to my enjoyment of matches massively - they give a confidence where nervousness used to be.

I haven’t been this excited about a transfer in years. I think he’d be a hell of a signing. This guy could be in the NUFC and England team for the best part of a decade.

They can’t be football fans if they’re aware only of what they’ve literally seen.

Agreed - I gave them sixth simply on current status

Without consideration for their managers or owners (which can change my view) Clubs I don't mind Brentford Wolves Clubs I don’t care about one way or another Liverpool Man City Arsenal Fulham West Ham Leicester Southampton Bournemouth Ipswich Brighton Palace Clubs I don't like Everton Villa Forest Spurs Clubs that can fuck off Man Utd Chelsea edit: in terms of clubs that can fuck off, the other three are not in the PL (Mackems, smoggies, Leeds). I always had the impression that the Mackems, smoggies, Leeds, Man Utd and Chelsea were historically the clubs with which we’d kind of formed a collective Geordie consensus about - but it is interesting to me that time changes these things

They didn’t suffer Pardew - they wanted him and told anyone who would listen that we were delusional for wanting him out

They’re the absolute embodiment of PL flotsam to me - nowt about them, have spent more years in the third tier than the top one, but seem to think that because we’re not Man Utd or Liverpool then they’re the same size as us. Lots of ‘side wards moves’ or ‘why would he sign for Newcastle’ patter. Daft twats

Yep, agreed - I never bought into the 'just a big daft NUFC fan' schtick at any point. He seemed to truly enjoy scoring against us - the one that sticks in the craw is the one in '95 which effectively cost us a European spot. Cole is a complete cunt, mind. Any residual sentiments for that man died watching the '96 Cup Final.

Sir Les celebrated against us too, mind

I'm going 3-4-1-2 so that I can maximize the attacking talent (with apologies to Trippier) - and I'm going for the modern rules re nine subs on the bench: Pope Woodgate Botman Albert Solano Lee Bruno Robert Beardsley Shearer Isak Bench: Given Trippier Schar Elliott Gascoigne Batty Ginola HBA Wilson

NB Crystal Palace's support's apparent one-way hatred of us makes this one all the funnier. The disrespect is coming thick and fast from London's sixth biggest club (and that's at a push).

I’d be ok with that, though I agree that RW is a problem. Having the strongest back line possible is a good thing, though

Exciting stuff, this. Been a long time since we were signing England internationals with their best years ahead of them (yes, I’m jumping the gun)

All awful - though I really didn’t like Stimson as a FB. Thought he was absolute shite

I was at Birmingham City for a friendly when he did play. ‘Stand up if you’ve got a Pinas’, etc We put Les Ferdinand off with laughing. Don’t think Pinas played again

I was at the Charlton game - in the Milburn paddock with my dad. Our goals were really well worked, and the ones we conceded were fucking ridiculous - worse than Sunday league stuff. Summed that season up.

Wonder if the Champions League is really good again, after last year when they would have beaten most of the teams in it, particularly PSG and Milan

Mike Ashley, the hard nosed businessman. Useless fucker

They were truly bleak times - I feel jealous of those who’ve never seen us at the foot of the second tier (though even then my dad used to tell me that the late ‘70s - early ‘80s were worse). Even the two sides relegated in the PL era were smattered with some excellent players and both sides bounced back as second division winners.

What sort of sell-on - is it a share of profit (less of a worry) or a share of the sale (classic Ashley incompetence)?

It hasn’t fucked them, crucially. The rest of the PL - (ie the daft cunts who voted for it) - definitely.

Bloody hell, forgot about Wilson. We had a couple of loan flops in that terrible season - I can remember getting Andy Walker from Celtic as well and in desperation it being exciting that we were signing a Scottish international (one who probably only played a handful of times and was shite in those games)

Mark Stimson is still the worst first team regular I’ve ever seen in B&W Fumaca is still the worst I’ve seen generally - poor sod was our Ali Dia. Like a rabbit in headlights