TheBrownBottle

Can I just shock you? I like Sunderland

Yep - safe standing seats still take up the same room as a normal seat

Given his wages, surely Fraser would have to be free / nominal sum?

Get them on Maury

We've only got the dogs' word for that in all fairness

I think the BNP hate left wingers generally, though especially foreign and / or POC left wingers

They DEFINITELY were. Everyone on Tyneside knew about Gillespie's gambling habits, Dyer's proclivities and Bellamy's long list of wanker behaviour. They were pretty much open secrets - which were 'confirmed' by the men themselves in mea culpas years later.

Honestly, adding the Francophone part is unnecessary. Ask Raheem Sterling.

Yes - and you mention Mike Hooper, who loved pubs so much he worked the doors after quitting as a goalie (and I hope he was a better bouncer than he was a keeper). Same with Clarkie who you mention - him and Andy Cole missed Wimbledon away in 1993/94 after both spat their dummies out for different reason the week before (Clark infamously tantruming in public at being subbed and kicking a bucket). Plenty of supporters weren't happy with their acting like cocks and undermining Keegan - though pretty much all the same supporters loved what they did on the pitch every week.

A truncated list of some of the players from my lifetime who had constant stories circulating re pissheadery / non-stop partying / gambling problems / being a tool: Quinn (pisshead & gambling) Venison (pisshead / liasing with very young ladies) Gillespie (gambling) Tino (partying - though every story I ever heard sounded fucking hilarious) Bellamy (all round wanker) Dyer (all round wanker) Carroll (pisshead) I haven't heard owt re ASM tbh.

I don't think it was particularly smart for Bruno to say it either

Got you, crossed wires there, my mistake - apologies. Yeah, you might be right. ASM has gobshited in the press a few times tbf, but I definitely wouldn't argue that the 'perception' of footballers is often race-driven (any glance at the tabloid press would confirm this). There was a study done a while back re the use of terms - or maybe cliches - which are used by football commentators and found that white players were far more likely to have adjectives relating to intelligence ascribed to them, and black players more likely to have adjectives related to physical qualities. edit: there ye gan https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/jun/29/groundbreaking-report-reveals-racial-bias-in-english-football-commentary

It doesn't seem completely crazy to think that ASM may be unhappy about his current status at NUFC; I'm not inclined to read 'ITKs' but logically it seems to have a good chance of being true. Most of us will be expecting Howe to play Isak LW with Joelinton returning to midfield once Isak is fully fit. That Murphy came on ahead of him at Arsenal possibly wouldn't go down well. ASM at present is possibly third choice LW behind Isak and Joelinton. This doesn't mean he has fell out with Howe, but it is hardly difficult to picture that he might be unhappy. There is a part of me that thinks that if this is the case, then ASM should take a good long look in the mirror. The club is now on a footing to add top rate players to his talents; he is the one who complained in the past about the deficiencies of his teammates. Now that we're doing that, he finds himself out of the team. He has outrageous talent running with the ball, but the consistency and output is lacking - quite simply, he doesn't actually produce enough for the team to carry him. He isn't that good - at least at present (though many of us think he could be, with training and application). I would think most of us would rather he shape up than ship out, but I'm now beginning to think the latter is, sadly, the more likely outcome.

Not sure if thinking that the lad's end product is questionable and his injury record patchy makes a person a racist tbh If you were looking for current players who get the most shit off the support, ASM would be somewhere near the bottom of the list. Chris Wood can only dream of getting the grief ASM gets.

They used to be called 'slide-rule passes' - not sure if others still use the term, but I do. Also applies (though less accurately in terms of the metaphor) to curved passes. It is a pass which is played on the ground to put a player through and is completely precise in its accuracy and weight - and usually has to take at least one defender (though usually a couple or more) out of the game to apply.

Hope's YT video hinted strongly that he wasn't convinced at all by the illness line

I’m 40 - and I wouldn’t have

I’m not arguing against rotation - I’m arguing that the Sheff Wed match saw too many changes and a few poor decisions I agree, I don’t think it will impact morale either

I’ll be delighted. But it wouldn’t prove that today’s starting XI was the reason for the victory - correlation / causation etc etc

It is unprovable that playing a stronger XI today results in failure in those two fixtures. Just as playing the starting XI we did today doesn’t mean success in those fixtures. It is still possible that we lose Tuesday and Sunday regardless.

‘This video is not available in your location’ One of the small mercies of leaving the UK

With you 100% on all of that - but he’s ok as a squad player for me. In complete agreement with your squad selections - which tells us we’re roughly eight in/out transfers away from being a really top squad

Agreed - though I’d add Dubravka as a decent backup keeper (assuming he stays).

Bit harsh - not sure he’s a tosser. He’s not a top quality footballer, no doubt there

He’s an outstanding footballer - I just meant he isn’t an old-fashioned instinctive centre forward