TheBrownBottle

Yes - and while the test does allow for failing the test if you’d have been convicted elsewhere, ultimately it was about piracy. They prove MBS is the state, the state backed BeOUTQ, MBS therefore involved in piracy, which would have led to conviction in the UK (though of course he’d never have been convicted in KSA). It was a convoluted way to hammer them on piracy. There is zero chance that the PL starts an international diplomacy issue otherwise - they knew that PIF would never allow MBS to be ‘convicted’ of piracy by the PL. They would have also known that the PL was unlikely to pin the murder of Khashoggi, or multiple violations of international law, or state-sponsored oppression of minority groups etc. The PL’s only sense of morality or ethics applies to its own interests.

His poor family, bloody awful news. Heartbreaking

Who wants to let Tariq know that there is nothing in the PL rules about clubs being owned by a state …

Yep. Only ended up being a net £6m in fees in the end - a nice bit of business all in, helped relegate Burnley and I still think the lad did a decent job leading the line for a few months last season. All the best to him - also, have Forest had a deekee at Jamal Lewis? Someone should tell them he’s just what they need at left back …

I don’t mind Colin Wanker tbf - he’s often canny about us. But that is helped by the fact he never managed us.

Yep

Yep. I remember playing them at home late in 96/97 - we’re going for the CL (and finished 2nd), they’re in the doldrums (ended up relegated 3rd bottom). We had to scramble a late equaliser to salvage a point. A lot of the confident ‘we’d be guaranteed to smash the 8-0’ shite isn’t borne out by history or reality. Bournemouth are second bottom and we’re top four - but you wouldn’t have thought it last week. Let the cunts rot, I say.

I don’t like those things. A stupid and potentially dangerous distraction.

Agreed. A Man Utd unencumbered by the Glaziers’ ludicrous leveraged debt repayments will be an even bigger monster. It’s a massive club with huge revenue streams already - it doesn’t need a boost. Though I’d expect the Qataris will likely rebuild the ground and training facilities. Ultimately, they’re the biggest club in the country and likely always will be. A properly run Man Utd isn’t fannying around in 3rd/4th/5th year on year.

I said it on here during the WC (and I know I wouldn’t be the only one to think this) that once the WC is over, PSG has had its use for the Qataris and they’ll buy into the PL. PSG was to win vital votes from France & Platini, but ultimately its a failure - no-one outside of France gives a solitary shite about Ligue 1 and they never will. It’s a money sink for them.

It has to be said, if I was offered a Faustian pact whereby Newcastle win the league cup and lose every other game this season, I’m signing in my own blood at that instant. No such thing though, so fingers crossed tomorrow. I’d take (another) draw now if offered.

NB some of this boils down to simple jealousy, like that Chadwick knacker. Man Yoo are on the market - of course everyone will drop everything to buy it. That’s not going to be the case. They’ll get a buyer chucking daft money at the purchase - but it is a hell of a gamble. Anyone who doesn’t have shit for brains would be much better off buying a Leeds, Everton, Villa etc - buy a club which can be grown to those levels at a relatively low price.

I love this stuff. It’s a fundamental failure to understand the intent here - PIF has already made it clear. You spend £300m on NUFC, then invest in it - even a £1bn investment might grow the club to reach Spurs or Chelsea levels and the club is worth £2, 3, 4bn. The idea is that it is an investment which pays off. Buying Man Utd for £5bn makes a return much, much more difficult. You’re relying on values continuing to climb - and ultimately, a thing is only worth what someone is willing to pay. Man Utd ran up a £115m loss last year. Where exactly is the yield, other than the value of the club? And again, how many would be willing to buy for more than you paid should you decide to flip it? We’ve reached the point where sovereign states are buying clubs - where do you go once they wish to sell?

It’s a shame he didn’t actually say that. He could’ve saved the club an £8m payoff. The lying cunt.

Yeah, fair enough - we have very different constitutions for these matches! On a general note - the second division is fucking bizarre atm. The Mackems are 5th but they’re closer to the team in 24th than the team who are top in terms of points.

It doesn’t matter how good we are or how shit they are. I was 26 years old the first time we lost away to the Mackems in my lifetime, and weve comfortably won the majority of games during that time. But that means nowt. Derbies are anxiety-fuel and complete nightmares until kickoff. I can never sleep the night before. Winning is a relief rather than a joy. They can fucking stay right where they are as far as I’m concerned.

I wasn’t expecting anything other than defeat. A win in either would have been a massive upset. Hope rather than expectation was the order of the day for anyone other than the most optimistic (being kind there) of our support. We don’t go into the LC Final as favourites this time either, but there’s a hell of a lot more hope that we can win. This is a much better side in every way, with a much better manager. And I can’t imagine the support having to chant ‘attack attack attack’ at the players this time round.

Yep. And that’s why those rumours are a load of bollocks. We’re not swimming in those waters yet. At some point you’d think that the tiresome internet ITKs will work out that the FFP constraints are real and the club are working within them, and there’s not going to be £100m+ transfers at NUFC for a while yet. Given how weak the squad is, it would be borderline reckless and irresponsible to spunk the budget on a single player. It isn’t going to happen, set these Twitter blowhards to ignore would be my advice.

Yep. I once saw a similar one to the HBA one in America, only with Obama. Bloody copycats.

*Ashington NUFC jerk* Bloke: I read in the paper this morning that Mitrovic is a Serb Ashington bloke: a Serb? He should be bliddy starting *end of Ashington NUFC jerk*

Ashington pit yak isn’t Geordie mind. It’s pit yakker

If Chris Waddle wrote flags phonetically …

Nee bugger had it. Blue star all the way

Likewise, I was a reader from issue 1 though I drifted away from it around 2010. Agreed - but it was what was available. Hurst is a Tory - he confirmed this in an article for the FT: https://www.ft.com/content/cca67e3a-619a-11ea-b3f3-fe4680ea68b5

Yep, add me to the ‘anticipating a limp defeat’ brigade. We won’t risk anybody who is a risk a week before the final, no-one will risk a red card with a careless challenge, no-one will be pushing that little bit extra hard in case the pull up with a muscle injury. I wouldn’t blame them on that score, either.