Not Worthy Of A Thread

[David28]

I think it's also quite comical that "he" seems to be only one person but uses "we" all the time. 

[Thespence]

Did not see this article at the time but it is canny read.

How England's north-east feast at Italia 90 turned into famine

 

The release of a film about the 1990 World Cup, One Night In Turin, was bound to bring with it a stab of regret, and not just because those of us who recall the tournament vividly are now of an age when melancholy proliferates like the hair in our lugholes. And if you come from the north-east of England the pang of nostalgia James Erskine's documentary provokes is likely to be all the more acute.

 

In one of the final friendlies leading up to Italia 90 England beat Czechoslovakia 4-2 at Wembley. It was the match in which Paul Gascoigne secured a place in the squad with a display so impish the opposition must have been tempted to check if he had a pointy tail. In the final minutes, having already set up two of England's goals, Gazza scored one of his own. Socks at half-mast, cheeks ruddy with effort, he soft-shoe-shuffled past two defenders and smacked the ball into the roof of the net with the explosive urgency of a schoolkid who has just heard the bell bringing break-time to an end. On the touchline, the England manager, Bobby Robson, wide-eyed and grinning fondly as a new dad, turned to his assistant Don Howe and cried: "That … is … fantastic!"

 

It remains my enduring image of Sir Bobby – a man who took such joy in football even the sight of a few workmen having a kickaround in the park was enough to distract him from his dinner. The thing I remember best about that game, though, is neither Gascoigne's performance, nor his manager's reaction to it, but a letter that appeared in this newspaper a few days later. It was written by a Tynesider and though the exact wording of it eludes me now, the message has stayed with me ever since. On Wednesday night, the writer said, England had defeated another of the World Cup finalists. The England team had featured three players – Gascoigne, Trevor Steven and Bryan Robson – from the north-east, three of the goals had been set up by players from the north-east, another had been scored by a player from the north-east, the team was captained by a man from the north-east and managed by one, too. "Tell me," the letter concluded triumphantly, "what does the rest of the country do for a hobby?"

 

I read that line sitting in a flat in the Old Kent Road. I imagine I laughed with glee when I read it and punched the air. The letter, or at least the sentiment behind, would inspire me to write a book about north-east football. It would, it is fair to say, change my life.

 

Looking back today, I can see that this missive represented a highwater mark for north-east football. England's team for the first game of the 1990 finals, against the Republic of Ireland, featured four players from the region – Gazza, Robson, Chris Waddle and Peter Beardsley (Steven was also in the squad). At the time it didn't seem like such a big deal. After all, hadn't England's legendary baggy-shorted forward line featured Wilf Mannion and Raich Carter as inside-forwards? Didn't the Charlton brothers help England win in 1966? Hadn't the squad Sir Alf Ramsey took to Mexico in 1970 – regarded by many as the best set of players we ever had – included the Charltons, Colin Bell and Norman Hunter?

 

I first went to a football match in 1967. By that stage no north-east team had won the league title for 30 years, the FA Cup for a dozen. Newcastle and Sunderland were struggling to stay in the top flight and Middlesbrough had dropped into the Third Division for the first time in their history. Yet, that year's News of the World football annual showed that 62 players from the region were employed in the First Division. There was at least one at every club, with the exception of West Ham. Howard Kendall, Jimmy Husband, Tommy Baldwin, George Armstrong, Ralph Coates, David Thomas, Mick McNeil, the Charltons, Bell, Hunter – for an area with a population hardly bigger than Birmingham's it was quite a list.

 

Through the 70s and 80s the pits and the steelworks and the shipyards shut, but it seemed like the north-east would churn out footballers for ever. Now, however, it looks like Italia 90 was a last howay.

 

Since then the involvement of the region's players in the national team – with the exception of Alan Shearer, and the fitfully fit Gascoigne – has been on the Green Party side of marginal. On Tuesday Fabio Capello's provisional squad of 30 included just two men – Michael Carrick and Adam Johnson – born in the region. In 2006 Sven-Goran Eriksson's final 23 mustered only Carrick and Stewart Downing – who managed 150 minutes of football between them. In 1998 Glenn Hoddle's sole north-easterner was Super Al. In Korea/Japan there were none at all.

 

Much has been written about Scotland's marked decline as a producer of talented footballers – whatever the causes of that slump might be they seem to have drifted south. Looking to raise my spirits, a friend comments that Waddle, Beardsley and Gascoigne emerged under a Conservative government. Another points to the emergence of Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson, the return to form of David Wheater. It is a time for clutching at straws.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/may/14/england-north-east-football-world-cup

[Bad Mongo]

Claus Lundekvam admitting to years of drug and alcohol abuse on Norwegian TV2. That would explain Gordon Strachan's quote about him: “He was carried off at Leicester and someone asked me if he was unconscious. I didn’t have a clue. That’s what he’s always like.”

[Guest palnese]

Claus Lundekvam admitting to years of drug and alcohol abuse on Norwegian TV2. That would explain Gordon Strachan's quote about him: “He was carried off at Leicester and someone asked me if he was unconscious. I didn’t have a clue. That’s what he’s always like.”

 

This is no surprise as he has been arrested for drunk driving and  for posession of coke earlier. I hope he can fight off his demons and get a fresh start.

 

It is also worth mentioning that he scored Norway's 1000th International goal with his cock.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Claus Lundekvam admitting to years of drug and alcohol abuse on Norwegian TV2. That would explain Gordon Strachan's quote about him: “He was carried off at Leicester and someone asked me if he was unconscious. I didn’t have a clue. That’s what he’s always like.”

 

This is no surprise as he has been arrested for drunk driving and  for posession of coke earlier. I hope he can fight off his demons and get a fresh start.

 

It is also worth mentioning that he scored Norway's 1000th International goal with his cock.

 

Said Shearer was shit, he can fuck off & die tbh.

[Bad Mongo]

Did he?

 

"Unless we get a replay, I probably won't ever play against Shearer again," said the Norwegian defender.

 

"I will miss that because we have had some really good battles over the years.

 

"I have enjoyed playing against him because it is always a real challenge, the sort you look forward to as a player."

 

Shearer began his career with Southampton some 18 years ago, but Lundekvam knows better than to expect any favours from a man who is desperate to cap his career on Tyneside with some silverware.

 

"Shearer has had an unbelievable career," added Lundekvam. "His strength and power and quality in the air make him very difficult to handle.

 

"He is a master at sniffing out where to be. He is a very clever player. He is forceful and he knows all the tricks.

 

"But he does not just dish it out, he takes it too, and there is much more to him than that. He is a very good footballer with a clever brain and he only needs half a yard to punish you.

 

"You cannot let your concentration drop for a second because he will be on to anything in a flash."

[Dinho lad]

It was Miguel Angel Nadal that said shearer was "shit" , didn't he? (Although, if i remember correctly, he used the term "nothing special".)

[Foluwashola]

Its probably been mentioned, but Kammy really is fucking mental 

 

http://www.skysports.com/tv_show/story/0,20144,12975_6197087,00.html

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

Not to bash the everbashable NUFCBlog again... but...

 

When he posts Stories like this: http://www.nufcblog.com/2010/06/10/milner-28m-transfer-good-news-bad-news-for-newcastle/#more-45918

then goes on to comment about the exciting youth prospects at Newcastle, I can't help but wonder how the hell would he know living in Colorado or wherever in the US it is he lives. I mean, fair play to the guy for trawling websites to get his info for blog spots, but man does the guy lack a little connection with reality at times.

[ponsaelius]

Anybody have the link for that shirt website somebody on here runs?

 

EDIT: I've found the site, but can't find the World Cup ones?

 

EDIT: Got it.

[Thespence]

Taking the fucking piss

 

http://www.subsidesports.com/uk/02-03-newcastle-away-shirt.html

[Guest palnese]

Taking the fucking piss

 

http://www.subsidesports.com/uk/02-03-newcastle-away-shirt.html

 

£125.00

 

fucking hell 

[Village Idiot]

Silly facebook game I have become sort of addicted to:

 

http://apps.facebook.com/fifasuperstars/

 

What makes it for me is that it has player licenses so you can collect real players from all over the world for your team (only able to buy shit so far, though).

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Did he?

 

"Unless we get a replay, I probably won't ever play against Shearer again," said the Norwegian defender.

 

"I will miss that because we have had some really good battles over the years.

 

"I have enjoyed playing against him because it is always a real challenge, the sort you look forward to as a player."

 

Shearer began his career with Southampton some 18 years ago, but Lundekvam knows better than to expect any favours from a man who is desperate to cap his career on Tyneside with some silverware.

 

"Shearer has had an unbelievable career," added Lundekvam. "His strength and power and quality in the air make him very difficult to handle.

 

"He is a master at sniffing out where to be. He is a very clever player. He is forceful and he knows all the tricks.

 

"But he does not just dish it out, he takes it too, and there is much more to him than that. He is a very good footballer with a clever brain and he only needs half a yard to punish you.

 

"You cannot let your concentration drop for a second because he will be on to anything in a flash."

 

Yeah he did.

 

"Finished as a top class centre forward, on the way down as a player" or something like that.

 

Wasn't a recent quote either and I'm fucked if I can find it.

[Cheshire Mag]

Silly facebook game I have become sort of addicted to:

 

http://apps.facebook.com/fifasuperstars/

 

What makes it for me is that it has player licenses so you can collect real players from all over the world for your team (only able to buy shit so far, though).

 

Good shout, great game, just starting to get into it now!

[Village Idiot]

Silly facebook game I have become sort of addicted to:

 

http://apps.facebook.com/fifasuperstars/

 

What makes it for me is that it has player licenses so you can collect real players from all over the world for your team (only able to buy s*** so far, though).

 

Good shout, great game, just starting to get into it now!

 

Once you get to level 5, you can set up a game against NUFC with the "play against PL teams" mode. Geremi is in the starting XI and one of their best players incidentally

[Bad Mongo]

Yeah he did.

 

"Finished as a top class centre forward, on the way down as a player" or something like that.

 

Wasn't a recent quote either and I'm fucked if I can find it.

 

Sorry, perhaps that means "he's shit" in some obtuse dialect of the moron language, but not in normal English.

[Thespence]

Real lack of Toon tittle tattle I guess them phone calls have worked.   

 

* Ledley King faces a week of intensive treatment to be fit in time for England'sclash with Algeria on Friday.

    * Harry Redknapp is on the verge of signing a two-year contract extension at Tottenham after turning down a £3million-a-year deal to manage Dubai outfit Al Ahli.

    * Real Madrid are closing in on a £30million deal for Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic.

    * Chelsea have edged ahead of Manchester City in the race to sign Valencia winger David Silva.

    * Rafael Benitez will make Carlos Tevez a transfer target for Inter Milan.

    * Sunderland plan to make a £7million bid for West Ham defender Matthew Upson.

    * Everton are leading the chase to sign winger Martin Petrov.

    * Barcelona are trying to clinch the signing of Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas at the World Cup.

    * Manchester City want to sign Roma defender Philippe Mexes.

    * Everton have joined the race to sign Hull winger Stephen Hunt.

    * Martin O'Neill will ask James Milner to give him one more great season at Aston Villa.

    * Alex McLeish hopes an improved bid of £5million will be enough to bring Palermo striker Fabrizio Miccoli to Birmingham.

    * Portsmouth will take a big step towards extinction on Thursday unless talks with the taxman are successful.

    * Chelsea playmaker Deco is close to a move to Brazilian club Fluminese.

    * Aston Villa lead the chase to sign Sporting Braga defender Evaldo.

    * Paul Hart could turn his back on Hull to make a shock return to Crystal Palace.

    * Cardiff midfielder Joe Ledley could snub Celtic and sign a four-year deal with Stoke this week.

 

Sunday Mirror

 

    * Manchester United are hoping to sign Germany captain Michael Ballack.

    * Manchester City have launched a £40million bid for Barcelona defender Daniel Alves.

    * Inter Milan are set to battle with Manchester United to sign CSKA Moscow winger Milos Krasic.

    * Manchester City are lining up a £15million bid for Roma defender Philippe Mexes.

    * Talks over Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney's new contract have been delayed.

    * Arsenal have released William Gallas after failing to reach an agreement over a new contract.

    * Fulham owner Mohamed Al Fayed doesn't think Roy Hodgson will leave Fulham.

    * West Ham are ready to swoop for former Arsenal winger Robert Pires.

    * West Ham have formally approached Portsmouth about recruiting first-team coach Paul Groves and goalkeeping coach David Coles.

    * Phil Brown insists Hull would still be a Premier League club if he had kept his job.

 

People

 

    * Liverpool will finally make their move for Fulham boss Roy Hodgson this week.

    * Celtic will try their luck with a bid for Bobby Zamora - if Roy Hodgson leaves Fulham.

    * Maunuel Almunia insists he will not be forced out of Arsenal this summer.

    * Barcelona are set to make a second bid for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas.

    * Robinho is keeping his options open at Manchester City - by retaining his rented house near Manchester for another year.

    * James Milner has put plans to buy a new West Midlands home on hold, sparking rumours that he could leave Aston Villa this summer.

    * West Ham are ready to launch a third bid for Everton striker Yakubu.

    * Jose Mourinho is hoping to bring Michael Ballack to Real Madrid.

    * Roma are hoping to sign Nadir Belhadj from Portsmouth.

    * West Brom have joined Wolves in the hunt for Nantes midfielder Guirane N'Daw.

    * Ilan could be handed a chance to stay in the Premier League with Bolton.

    * Aston Villa, Everton, West Ham and Wolves are all in the race to sign Crystal Palace defender Nathaniel Clyne.

    * Newcastle have been told that it will take a lot more than £1million to sign Swindon striker Charlie Austin.

    * Dougie Freedman is a leading contender to take over as Crystal Palace manager.

    * Bristol City could make a move for Stoke striker Dave Kitson.

    * Middlesbrough are heading the race for Peterborough winger George Boyd.

    * Middlesbrough, Norwich and Nottingham Forest all hope to sign Charlton captain Nicky Bailey.

 

Sunday Express

 

    * Fulham boss Roy Hodgson will become the new Liverpool manager this week.

    * Wayne Rooney's new Manchester United contract has been put on ice.

 

Mail On Sunday

 

    * Everton defender Phil Jagielka is Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's latest target.

    * Roy Hodgson is still waiting to hear if he is going to be offered the Liverpool job.

    * New Inter Milan boss Rafael Benitez is hoping to sign Javier Mascherano, Dirk Kuyt and Milan Jovanovic.

 

Daily Star Sunday

 

    * Joe Cole will be offered a £135,000-a-week deal with Arsenal when he returns from the World Cup.

    * Arsenal are facing a battle with Barcelona and Real Madrid to sign Ajax defender Gregory van der Wiel.

    * Wayne Rooney's new Manchester United contract has been held up because of the World Cup.

    * Robinho could decide to return to Manchester City after the World Cup.

    * Everton are hoping to persuade Steven Pienaar to sign a new contract next season.

    * Arsenal defender William Gallas has rejected an offer to join Panathinaikos.

    * Andres Iniesta is convinced Cesc Fabregas will join Barcelona this summer.

    * Former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier has told his old club that Roy Hodgson should succeed Rafael Benitez.

    * Liverpool have put a £28million price tag on full-back Glen Johnson.

    * Tottenham are one of the clubs showing interest in Juventus striker Vincenzo Iaquinta, claims his agent.

    * Arsenal are chasing Werder Bremen playmaker Mesut Ozil.

    * Everton are considering joining the chase for Ranger striker Kris Boyd.

    * Gareth Southgate has ruled himself out of taking the job as Portsmouth boss.

    * West Ham have failed with a fresh offer for France winger Sidney Govou.

    * Bolton and Newcastle are battling to sign striker Ilan.

    * Dickson Etuhu will fly back to London after the World Cup for talks about a new deal at Fulham.

    * Fulham will need to pay £8.2million to sign Standard Liege striker Dieumerci Mbokani.

    * Manchester United want to loan out striker Mame Biram Diouf next season.

    * Pascal Chimbonda insists he won't walk out on Blackburn this summer.

    * Stoke are on the verge of signing Hull defender Steven Mouyokolo for £3.75million.

 

Sunday Mail

 

    * Celtic boss Neil Lennon has drawn up a list of players to be axed - and Georgios Samaras is one of the big names on it.

    * Finnish football bosses claim they have won the battle to keep Stuart Baxter from Celtic.

    * Aberdeen and Hibs are battling to sign Falkirk midfielder Burton O'Brien.

 

[Guest BooBoo]

Was browsing on Toontastic before. There's a whopping NE5 thread (or Leazes Mag as he goes by on there) where he goes on for page after page about Ashley, shit boards, Shepherd, trophy signings and that he was banned from here "for being right".

 

He's got his own board too, which i'm sure has about 10 members, most of which suspiciously seem to agree with his buffoonish mitherings. :facepalm:

[Guest palnese]

Best Robert Green lines? * If only John Terry had lived next door to Robert Green's missus...

 

* Why is Robert Green like ITV HD? They both switch off at the crucial moment.

 

* What does Robert Green do after winning the World Cup? Drops his controller.

 

* At least that's one British spillage the Americans won't be moaning about...

 

* What's the difference between Robert Green and Justin Bieber? Robert Green knows how to drop his balls.

 

* Kermit was right: It's not easy being Green.

 

* All these Rob Green jokes are getting out of hand. In fact they're crossing the line...

 

* The England lads had a get-together after the game and bought Robert Green a drink to commiserate. He spilled it.

 

* Steven Gerrard said: "The whole team is behind Rob Green." With hindsight, that's a good place to stand.

 

* Robert Green's bringing out his own South African trumpet. It's known as a boo-boozela

 

* Robert Green - a joke even Americans can understand.

 

* Yesterday at London Zoo one of the staff let a a Central American monkey slip out of his grasp. So Robert Green's not the only English keeper to drop a Howler.

 

* My computer's got the Robert Green virus. It can't save anything.

 

* Just bought a Robert Green condom. Extra slippery and you're guaranteed not to catch anything.

 

* Rob Green has injured himself. Apparently, he put his head in his hands and immediately kneed himself in the face.

 

* What's the difference between a botanist with the flu and the England goalkeeper? One has Green fingers and can catch a cold...

 

* Before he got into football, Robert Green was a bus driver. But he got fired because he couldn't make any stops.

 

* I'm Robert Green and cleaning Windows is my next idea...

 

And the best England v USA joke which doesn't feature Robert Green is.. .

 

* It was a clever move to bring Shaun Wright-Phillips on. For 15 minutes the Americans were stunned, thinking Gary Coleman had come back to life.

 

bahah

[Cajun]

Was browsing on Toontastic before. There's a whopping NE5 thread (or Leazes Mag as he goes by on there) where he goes on for page after page about Ashley, shit boards, Shepherd, trophy signings and that he was banned from here "for being right". 

 

He's got his own board too, which i'm sure has about 10 members, most of which suspiciously seem to agree with his buffoonish mitherings.  :facepalm:

 

He signed up under a different username to agree with himself too apparently

[Rocker]

Just had an interview for gmtv about gazza. Fml.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Yeah he did.

 

"Finished as a top class centre forward, on the way down as a player" or something like that.

 

Wasn't a recent quote either and I'm fucked if I can find it.

 

Sorry, perhaps that means "he's shit" in some obtuse dialect of the moron language, but not in normal English.

 

What?

 

It was when he absolutely wasn't finished as a top class centre forward.

[cp40]

 

Always thought this thread not worth a look, but as teh match is so shit and I was bored , turns out quite amusing.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Was browsing on Toontastic before. There's a whopping NE5 thread (or Leazes Mag as he goes by on there) where he goes on for page after page about Ashley, shit boards, Shepherd, trophy signings and that he was banned from here "for being right". 

 

He's got his own board too, which i'm sure has about 10 members, most of which suspiciously seem to agree with his buffoonish mitherings.  :facepalm:

 

He signed up under a different username to agree with himself too apparently

 

Hates it here so much he signs up time and time again as well.