Jonas

Didn't think it was possible to surpass a team with Keane, Hughes, McClair, Giggs (albeit unbeknowst at the time), Bruce, Schmeichel, Ince, Cantona and Cole managed by Ferguson for cuntliness but they've gone done it.

Aston Villa, Blackburn, Barnsley, Charlton (but at West Ham), Coventry (Highfield Road), Crystal Palace, Derby (old/new), Dunfermline, Hartlepool, Liverpool, Leicester (Filbert Street), Luton, Man United, Man City (Maine Road), Middlesbrough (old/new), Morton, Notts County, Norwich, Oldham, Rangers, Sheffield United, Mackems (old/new), West Ham (Upton Park), Wolves. Wembley Juventus (old), Barcelona just at: Hibernian, Celtic, Dumbarton, Gateshead, Hampden Park, Roma/Lazio, Napoli, PSG. Passed: Leeds, technically Forest but was night and missed it. Loved going to different grounds, was honetly like famous tourist destinations to normal people with an almost illicit edge, then just lost all romance for football. Almost all 90s.

That's the way to be as fans either way. That's what gets remembered. Its something different about us, anyone can go on like a bairn when they lose and be good when they get their own way - there's nothing special about that, they all do it. Its things like clapping the team off after getting relegated - Dabizas had to explain it to people in Greece, the craic with Bilbao after losing, clapping Arsenal off after the cup final - remarked upon by Adams, Wenger and Overmars, nobody leaving when we got beat 4-1 off Liverpool and xenomorph heed Owen in Gullit's first game and remember Stuart McCall mentioning in a programme years later that ouir fans never stopped singing despite getting beat 4-0 at Everton on his debut. Timely reminder to some.

Impression I got was that a lot on here were of a similar mindset that 4th again would be a great success but generally were expected to drop a few places. That is my view so might have been seeing what I wanted to. Fully expected a 94/95 to 93/94 ahead of schedule positional drop (*whilst still growing as a club generally) with the addition of CL catching us out at this point where we'd have been ready another season or two down the line.

Lost 3-1 at home to Wimbledon days before we beat Barcelona lost 5-2 at Blackburn days before we beat Juventus.

Two days since a Champions League draw no less. Qualifying a relegation bound team for the champions league the year after doesn't get you very much equity with some people. A galling lack of humility.

Wow nearly lost as many as the club record tiny amount clueless Howe managed all last season. Proof definitive he's shit.

He's not like. Relentlessly slags off multiple players and the general play every game.

Yes what a coincidence his memory vaguely recalls something that didn't happen that puts us in a made up negative and them in made up comforting. Kiev apart we've sold out every CL allocation we ever got. Had to be pushing 10,000 in Monaco and Antwerp. Rome, Lisbon, Metz, Turin were sold out with big allocations of between 4-6k. Commentary on our last goal in our last CL away game literally said "It may as well be the Gallowgate end" They took less than all of that and more to Coventry, 3hours away, last week. Away end was half empty and it didn't even look they were given all of it.

Weren't a club of any note at all until the mid90s and that was assisted by Marseille's punishment/demotion. Had biggish name players (Ray Wilkins) prior to that but felt like New York Cosmos type ringers. Obviously meant home games.

Wasn't sure about the attraction of fanzones generally but have to say I'd fancy them for these games. Guess its since I just want to hear the CL music coming through the walls first hand. Which is basically my experience last time anyway due to the queues outside ahead of the Feyenoord game

Just checked out they've scored five goals in European football. We scored that in my first European game alone and doubled it by the end of the two legs.

Wonder if the legendary Baaally will be taking his bairns to our Champions League games again. But fucking hell. Even their greatest ever team is chock-full of players you wouldn't recognise if you sat beside them at a CL game.

Worth remembering that we were the pot4 side nobody wanted.

Would probably prefer not to even mention them at that level but the opportunity for that remark was pretty provocative and that's all it is. Also regretted that we never rubbed their noses in the muck to the extent the situation merited when these situations have arised before only to have them mlik finishing two points ahead or something for multiple times what its worth at a later point.

The least attractive game is Borussia frigging Dortmund and the best atmosphere in Europe.

Whey aye. Worse Newcastle teams than this have been better teams that contemporary Dortmund, Milan, PSG. 97/98 Barcelona and by a long chalk 02/03 Juventus.

Just leaves Bayern, Ajax and Real Madrid to check off the list for a full house of having played them all now.

Plus Daveed is bound to emerge plenty.

Yeah, I mean nobody thought we'd beat Barcelona in 97 but didn't everybody celebrate the fact we got them? Know I did.

Apart from Real Madrid, pretty much a dream group. Its bonus stuff again for me. And for the fearful of flying, two out of three ain't bad a Meat Loaf once said. Not that tickets will be forthcoming mind.

Man City away in the 3rd round it is then

What a shit draw. Can already see the slaugthering for not playing a full strength team and the likely loss.

Just a thought. In 1997 we played PSV in a pre-season friendly and drew them in the Champions League in 2002 we played Barcelona in a pre-season friendly and drew them in the Champions League in 2023 we played Rangers in a friendly...