Optimistic Nut

Think tactically we've nailed it. Let them have the ball for half an hour and they didn't have a fucking clue what to do. Ramp it up second half and we win.

Would also be a mental lift for them, they'll claim they forced him out of the derby/he bottled it, etc. If he's 100% fit then I probably would play him here.

Don't care how big you are. Stick a ball on top of them with a man or two on their toes, not much they can do.

Cracking second goal for Hearts. Back out to 6 clear (Celtic have 2 games in hand)

Injury-time winner for Hebburn home to Morpeth. 8 wins in a row now and only 3 points off the top.

Also plenty where we've just outplayed them. The 2-0 with Shearer & Bellamy, the Owen double for instance.

Some of our most iconic away wins there in the away kit, mind (O'Brien over the wall, no away fans in last Roker Park derby, Dabizas header).

That's from crosses alone. We're not even talking about Marseille or Celtic (I know it was pre-season but it got laughed off at the time), was more like a preview.

Sod that. Wish it was an annual Third Round FA Cup tie with them being a mid-table Championship team.

I don't see results being any better or worse with either. Would sooner try to evolve our play (which happened in Dubravka's spell this time last year) by going with Ramsdale this season, else another 6 months of Pope we're back to square one in the summer. Even if we don't fancy Ramsdale as the long term solution, he'll help us change the way we approach games and will be an easier transition with a new number 1 next year.

It's hardly like we've been infallible from crosses before Ramsdale's few games. There's been at least 2 goals that Pope was at fault for from them.

Back up to Hearts on 3rd January for Livingston game.

They've got a thread trying to "claim Consett" today. Consett to St James Park = 14.3 miles Consett to Stadium of Light = 24 miles

Oh aye, and their fans will lap it up.

It just sums up your club's mentality. They'd sooner that, than say the Defoe volley. Small time as fuck.

It's not downplaying a derby by saying a Champions League tie and a Cup 1/4 Final is more important. It's massive (more important to them because it's all they have), but there's bigger fish to fry.

Bet you were one of the "We'll support you ever more" sheep under Bryce & Ashley.

Hope we follow it up with some moments of quality against them, the absolute Neanderthals.

2-0 fairly straightforward Newcastle win. Let's see how their fans & players handle a bit of expectation. We've got experience all over the pitch of big occasions.

Nicely warmed up for these twats.

Had plenty of ups and downs supporting us in the derbies, we've only had one semi-successful CL campaign in our history and one cup in 56 years. Success in those two over the Derby for me for those reasons.

The way people are starting to look back at him I don't know why we didn't just take £100m back in July first bid. He was fucking class for us, man.

Massive chance to make up for Marseille tonight man. Top 8 still definitely on..

We'd go above Bayern with a win tomorrow like.

Leverkusen Fulham Sunderland Chelsea Going deep in the CL and a another Cup Final would mean more than winning the derby.