David Kelly

Off out for a couple in the Ouseburn shortly and looking forward to the game. I get the talk of losing so we can laugh at Spurs and what not but the thought of entertaining that mindset in reality when I'm on the way to the ground is just not part of my make up. Fuck Spurs, fuck West Ham and fuck the rest of them really, I don't care what happens to them. Want a good performance and win as well as a good send off for Tripps.

I find this whole using his Insta page as proverbial stick really bizarre like. What do people really expect to find on a footballers page? I don't use it but had a quick look and isn't it just shit for kids to like? Why are people massively offended by it? Maybe I'm just owld and out of touch.

I think for me, some of it is about the club we want to be. Eddie has given us and achieved more than any other manager in our modern history and the thought that we have become so entitled that we are sacking him is just completely unthinkable to me. Of course, I'm not daft or naïve, it does not give him a pass forever and no doubt, this season has been poor for all the reasons that we have discussed at length. If next season continues in the same vain, then rightly, we may look to make a change but in my 50 odd years of supporting this club, we have had so many charlatans, chancers and arseholes that it has been an absolute privilege to be alive when this man has been in charge, a man of absolute integrity and class. For those of a certain age, they know that David Kellys goal against Portsmouth was a proverbial turning point and a pivotal moment where if it had not happened, we might not have recovered from. I was in the Gallowgate corner that day and I never thought I would experience that emotion again until the Cuo final, where I felt the sheer visceral primordial release that happened that day when we won. These moments in my NUFC supporting life have been rare. I remember listening to the radio and many callers were saying that their Dads or Mams had passed away and they'd lived their entire lives without seeing us win anything. I think there may have been posters on here who have recounted similar experiences. That is what it meant. People have been born and died without experiencing what Eddie has gave us. He has absolutely earned the right to turn this around. (Sorry, I've had a few Stellas so a bit emotional but make no apologies for being an old romantic)

Genuine question, who do we consider are technical passing teams that we could emulate? Do we mean a Brighton style but with better players? Man City / Barca with lesser players? Do we stick with the same style for every match and the full 90 odd minutes? Are Man U and Chelsea in this bracket? Is it just a change of formation where we play through the middle with a 10? I honestly don't know what this means.

Wrong for starters. See Kid Icarus post above for pretty much where I am and in more broad terms, the manager I have waited not a kick in the arse of 60 years for might be given a bit more grace because of what he has done for us. Secondly, when did all this happen? When did he morph from a relegation saving, cup winning, twice champions league qualifying manager to the manager you say he is? Did he just wake up one morning and forget what to do or, and here's a wildcard for you, development of a manager isn't binary like you are implying and all the mitigating factors outlined by Kid Icarus actually do play a part, especially in a season that started on the back of a car crash summer like no other?

Fair? Seriously? When did all this happen exactly? When he saved us from relegation? Getting us to two cup finals, winning one of them? Two Champions League qualifications? Is all of it based on this season where there has been a myriad of mitigating circumstances? I've read your posts mate and I'm not sure why you keep contributing to this debate. It's the same stuff over and over again. Of course, you are entitled to your views, that is absolutely fine but these points were challenged in very constructive way by people who are infinitely more articulate than I am and they made absolutely sweet FA difference. That is fine as well, if that's it then that's it but in future you may as well just write 'no previous success or mitigating circumstances makes any difference' and be done with it.

S Seriously mate? This bloke booed the team off, which you are justifying, and I'm the angry bloke? FWIW, I did exactly what you did. You can fuck off with that patronising 'walk' shite as well.

Aye mate and by that logic, I have every right to say what I think about it. The NFL? Who gives as flying fuck what them daft cunts do over there? Grown men who think this is acceptable behaviour? Grade A's every fucking one of them. Fuck off back to the wrestling or the pantomime they belong.

What a fucking grade A wanker

Oh well, fair enough. That's a very strong stance but if that's what you think, that's what you think and you may well end up being right. Clubs can do as much as humanly possible to mitigate risk in a transfer but sometimes for a multitude of reasons it just doesn't work out. Since he's got no chance of turning it round, what do you think we'll do with him? Persevere until we buy someone else? Sell him to Watford or some shite Ligue 1 club for £5m in two years time? What will his trajectory look like?

What do we think the club seen in him then? Reportedly two years of scouting, no doubt would have spoke to him and his representatives on many occasions, got a feel for his personality, dedication, professionalism, lifestyle, stats reports up to the eyeballs etc etc Did every single person involved on the NUFC side get it wrong? I mean it happens, as we've seen on many occasions with other clubs, the kid who turns up just doesn't end up being the player they thought they were getting. I'm not suggesting for one minute he's been great and I get the frustration but just find this kind of 'line drawn, no redemption' stance a bit harsh sometimes.

Just in terms of his strikers instinct, that goal against Wolves is what I expected more of TBH. Maybe I'm looking at it wrong but It's the most simple adjustment he can make to at least try and be more effective. When the ball is out wide, just go and stand or drift to the far post. He always just seems to be stuck in the middle of a crowd in the centre of the goal which is fine if you know what you are doing and know how to impose yourself but one or two games aside, he's often struggled to make any impact there. Plus it might have give our wingers something to aim for. Many times at the match me my mates are screaming 'why doesn't the cunt get himself at the far post'. The Wolves goal shows he's got the ability once he's in that position so not quite sure why he didn't try to make that more part of his game? I'm surprised Eddie hasn't instructed him to do this, or maybe he has and he's just wasn't doing it. With his size as well, he was bound to get a couple more goals or knockdowns / assists. Of course, this is not going to solve all his issues but I'd rather have two effective touches in the box than a hundred elsewhere. All the other caveats about his performances are valid but this is something I'm completely baffled by.

Bordering on Keegan-esque man love for this bloke me like.

Have to say, I came away last night a little ashamed of the grief he gets. One of my mates is relentlessly negative about him the minutes he steps out on the pitch and it depresses the life out of me to be honest. Never been a believer of abusing our own players. I get people are in the emotional throws of match and sometimes it just comes out as your up and down as it were but I just don't get it at all and never have.

Booing is for kids at the panto and wrestling mate. Grown men who engage in this 'behaviour; I immediately think are cunts, end of. It's neither 'hilarious' nor 'fun'. You just make yourself look like a cunt. Sorry if that's a prejudice mate, maybe it's an age thing on my part. If anyone had booed when I was a young'un in the Gallowagate corner, they'd have been thrown over the back and rightly so.