Kevin Nolan

[Dr.Spaceman]

I used to shit myself in case it took off.

[Guest BooBoo]

As a bairn Saltwell Park was class. That aeroplane and a kiddies race track for three wheel motorised bikes where you got five minutes for a pound. Was probably my favourite place to go as a nipper.

 

 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I used to shit myself in case it took off.

 

Ha, I was exactly the same. When the recording of the captain said it was nearly time to depart I started crying and all sorts!

 

Will second the love for Saltwell Park, great conker hunting as well.

[Optimistic Nut]

The man left a cult hero. Get the feeling if he stayed any longer, the goals would have dried up, his performances would have dipped even further, and he would have got even more stick. Two superb seasons for us but the time was right to leave, we're so much better without him in the long run.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

The man left a cult hero. Get the feeling if he stayed any longer, the goals would have dried up, his performances would have dipped even further, and he would have got even more stick. Two superb seasons for us but the time was right to leave, we're so much better without him in the long run.

 

Very true on all counts. I hated him for a while, then he won me over, but he was still essentially not really cut out for a top-half team and would likely have got dramatically worse in the next couple of years. West Ham giving him that massive contract is a heel of a risk.

[Guest BooBoo]

Probably right Nut.

 

If I ever meet him, I'll give him a warm hand shake. Never the best player but for 31/10/10 he'll rightly go down as an all time hero.

[Guest BooBoo]

Wow the aeroplane is a helluva lot smaller than I remember.

[Optimistic Nut]

Probably right Nut.

 

If I ever meet him, I'll give him a warm hand shake. Never the best player but for 31/10/10 he'll rightly go down as an all time hero.

 

Yep. Goes in that bracket with the likes of David Kelly of players who weren't the most gifted player we've ever had, but will always be a cult hero for what he did.

[Ashley17]

He would have been like Rob Lee in 01/02 had he stayed, slowly phased out as we have better players before being given away to some shite in January.

[jdckelly]

I liked him but probably for the best he moved on and he'll get nothing but well wishes from me

[timeEd32]

And to think some were ready to slit their wrists three months ago when he was sold.

[Sifu]

And to think some were ready to slit their wrists three months ago when he was sold.

 

The reaction at the time was justified imo. Firstly we had no idea how Cabaye would do in this league when we signed him; secondly we sold our top goalscorer and finally we sold our captain and leader on and off the pitch.

 

Of course we've now seen that Cabaye was indeed a fantastic purchase, seems to have adapted to the league well and offers movement and creativity in the middle - something which Nolan couldn't offer.

 

Nolan was a great servant but now we can finally move on.

[M4]

Getting rid of him felt like an unnecessary gamble.

 

We can be pleased that luckily it payed off.

 

[timeEd32]

I was slightly worried about how the team would react not knowing his true influence with the other players, but from a footballing perspective it was a no-brainer.

 

How's he doing this season? I know the first couple games West Ham fans were killing him. Anything changed?

[Ishmael]

Getting rid of him felt like an unnecessary gamble.

 

We can be pleased that luckily it payed off.

 

 

Who'd have thought our midfield would look so much better by replacing Nolan with a player who can run, tackle and pass?

[Guest Heneage]

Getting rid of him felt like an unnecessary gamble.

 

We can be pleased that luckily it payed off.

I think people just looked at stats, took 12 goals away and thought we'd crumble. What most seemed to forget was how often we'd complain about his lack of movement or overall contribution.

[M4]

Getting rid of him felt like an unnecessary gamble.

 

We can be pleased that luckily it payed off.

 

 

Who'd have thought our midfield would look so much better by replacing Nolan with a player who can run, tackle and pass?

 

I also meant we could very well have signed someone and kept Nolan too.

[TRon]

Getting rid of him felt like an unnecessary gamble.

 

We can be pleased that luckily it payed off.

 

 

Who'd have thought our midfield would look so much better by replacing Nolan with a player who can run, tackle and pass?

 

It's staggering isn't it?

 

 

[Ishmael]

Getting rid of him felt like an unnecessary gamble.

 

We can be pleased that luckily it payed off.

 

 

Who'd have thought our midfield would look so much better by replacing Nolan with a player who can run, tackle and pass?

 

I also meant we could very well have signed someone and kept Nolan too.

 

Pards said Nolan didn't want to sign as a back-up player, which he clearly would have become this season.

 

We did well selling him.

[toon25]

Getting rid of him felt like an unnecessary gamble.

 

We can be pleased that luckily it payed off.

 

 

Who'd have thought our midfield would look so much better by replacing Nolan with a player who can run, tackle and pass?

 

I also meant we could very well have signed someone and kept Nolan too.

 

Pards said Nolan didn't want to sign as a back-up player, which he clearly would have become this season.

 

We did well selling him.

 

Also think to have had him on the bench, with his stature and reputation, would have meant him being brought on at the expense of arguably better players who could change a game. That said, I really would like to see some defensive 'back-up' on the bench in Jan. We've a lot of players who could win us a game, but very few who could help us see a game out if necessary.

[Ishmael]

Basically that yeah.  We're miles better off without him in the starting 11 or on the bench.

[Dave]

And to think some were ready to slit their wrists three months ago when he was sold.

 

The reaction at the time was justified imo. Firstly we had no idea how Cabaye would do in this league when we signed him; secondly we sold our top goalscorer and finally we sold our captain and leader on and off the pitch.

 

Of course we've now seen that Cabaye was indeed a fantastic purchase, seems to have adapted to the league well and offers movement and creativity in the middle - something which Nolan couldn't offer.

 

Nolan was a great servant but now we can finally move on.

 

 

Still very early days and Nolan's goals from midfield DO need to be replaced by someone, but by the looks of it we've made an upgrade if we're considering them a like for like swap.

[Pilko]

Nolan's goals will be replaced by the goals that Cabaye will create (and score), I guess that's the idea anyway.

[TRon]

Getting rid of him felt like an unnecessary gamble.

 

We can be pleased that luckily it payed off.

 

 

Who'd have thought our midfield would look so much better by replacing Nolan with a player who can run, tackle and pass?

 

I also meant we could very well have signed someone and kept Nolan too.

 

Pards said Nolan didn't want to sign as a back-up player, which he clearly would have become this season.

 

We did well selling him.

 

Also think to have had him on the bench, with his stature and reputation, would have meant him being brought on at the expense of arguably better players who could change a game. That said, I really would like to see some defensive 'back-up' on the bench in Jan. We've a lot of players who could win us a game, but very few who could help us see a game out if necessary.

 

I haven't seen him yet but I believe Abeid's going to be given the understudy role for Tiote.

[Hughesy]

Getting rid of him felt like an unnecessary gamble.

 

We can be pleased that luckily it payed off.

 

 

Nothing lucky about it.  Just common sense.