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Lots has changed. Different atmosphere at football pre-Keegan. Pre-SKY, pre- all-seater. It sounds like a myth that people would piss and puke to get spaces in the Gallowgate or old Leazes but it happened. If you havent experienced the Gallowgate bogs in full flow and I mean that quite literally then youre lucky. The portaloos used to empty into a 4 inch puddle around your ankles at times in the West Stand/Milburn when it was being developed and the team really were abysmal. Similarlarly most of the players then were English. The decent English players have been replaced by better from abroad and the likes of Stephen Sidwell woud have been much better known in those days than he is now. The league is quite obviously stronger now. There were more players from the prem at the world cup this year (and many from the better teams) than then despite Scotland having played. It was something approaching 100 iirc (and as I say, the majority were with top teams) Of course there were some exceptionally good players but no Thierry Henry or Shevcheno or outsanding foreign young players like Ronaldo in the league then. Liverpool in 1988 were lght years ahed of everyone in this league and still got hammered 5-0 in a game with Madrid (obviously not competitive as they were banned but there was shock that it had been so comprehensive as they felt they had a point to prove). It has changed dramatically. Particularly, on the pitch between 1996 and now when teams could literally pick 11 foreigners. Its just made the league stronger by a country mile. I guess it gives a little more perspective if you saw those times. However, in the end we are playing NOW and as such all we have to compare ourselves with are other teams playing with the same rules. Certainly Newcasltes first team now would beat the best team of the 80s.

You keep saying that but its not exactly the truth is it. Firstly he made the mistake of not sacking SBR when he should and then sacking him early in the season with no back up plan. Thats two mistakes already. He then didn't make a bad appointment, he made THE worst appointment possible which is more than just a little mistake. He made two further mistakes in paying Blackburn compensation instead of waiting for them to sack him and secondly giving him a massive contract worth a fortune which has cost us millions. And he didn't "just correct it" at all. He hired him, watched a truly awful season, including several key incidents that showed Souness to be worse than we thought possible and he failed to sack him when to do anything other than that was moronic. He then gave a man who had shown himself to be grossly incompetent, money to spend pre-season (another mistake) and having watched yet more shite from Souness' team he still failed to sack him even though we were a complete embarassment (another mistake). Then finally and way too late he eventually made the right decision and sacked him, but again had no plan in place even though he'd been watching shite for months and should have had the forsight to get something lined up. From when Bobby should have left to the current day, Fred has made a string of mistakes not just one. We've already pointed out that us and Liverpool were practically identical not long ago and the different actions of their board and ours as seen the two clubs worlds apart now. 190983[/snapback] Maybe he was listening to Craig or Gemmill when he kept him on There is nothing wrong with Newcastle United that the right manager won't put right quickly, people on the board are saying that it is the biggest single factor in the fortunes of a football club. And they are right. And yet - defining "failure" and success can't be dependent on solely the winning of one of only 2 domestic trophies, that means 90 teams are "failures", which is absurd. YOU will be aware of the change in the club since 1992, the situation has changed from one of dreaming of winning a trophy, to one of being massively pissed off that we haven't. Raised expectations, they have at least achieved this, and I have NEVER said they are perfect, I have ALWAYS said they have made mistakes but have done well and finding someone better will be far from easy. YOU will see this point, but I know others won't. 191005[/snapback] Agree with the bits in bold. But we shouldnt be scared of trying to find better. Im not suggesting that Freddie has done a shit job. Just that he had presided over some ludicrous decisions lately and he has to take responsibility for it. He is boss. I'm not massively pissed off about not winning something, just resigned to it. Always have been. The onlyt imes i thought we had a decent (outside) chance of it under McFaul when Gazza, Jackson, McDonald,McCreery, Goddard and Mira were here. We fucked that up too. Other than that - maybe when city beat us in 1977 in Gordon Lees last game (iirc). With that then of course we have done better since 1992. The game with ManUtd (they won the cup then )in 1989 or 1990?? was ok as well but i never thought we stood a chance that year. Perhaps we should have took the cup a bit more seriously in the better years. We have never had the strength in depth to battle on all fronts. Even in the Keegan years it wasnt a particularly strong squad by modern standards (that of other clubs who win things I mean) For instance we beat Manu kids 2-0 with a virtual first team in 1994 (iirc) and it showed the power they had even then. Same with Arse and Chelsea now. In fact they have had that for some time.

Name me the chairman of Newcastle who have presided over better league positions ? How many ? So far as I am concerned, Craig Bellamy could have attacked Souness with a rusty pickaxe, and in fact he should have hit him back with one If you refer to the incident with Carver, you should explain yourself clearly, if you have a brain that is. Carver himself brushed it off, so why should you be bothered ? Clearly he had the club more at heart than his own ego, unlike Souness. Are you defending Souness ? And who are you ? 190952[/snapback] Sorry, i had assumed, wrongly, that you could think. Arent you the little General! Not defending Souness but amused about how you cant see that one thing is exactly the same as the other. Shepherd (your hero) didnt brush it off did he? He gave him another warning. Apparently Shepherd (your hero) condoned the belting of Bellamy though (cant imagine why, can you?) So was Shepherd wrong then? Or You? You really are coming across very badly in this thread. Its amusing though. Nb: The benchmark for a club of Newcastles size is to have won something and done something respectable league wise. Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea (pre-Abromovitch), even Tottenham have managed that more successfully in recent years. We had 2 decent seasons and one where we got 5th with a very similar points total as we got this year. His handling of Bobby after that was a disgrace - he needed to replace him and instead pissed him about. Bad management whichever way you look at it. Its better than McKeag or Seymour or Westwood but what mong wants to benchmark success against those dark days? I expect better. 190962[/snapback] If you think Spurs have been better than us over the last decade - having qualified for europe once against our 7 - then you are a sad man. And wrong. Even the spurs fan on NO admits this. Why not answer my question. Why dispute the fact that our old directors ran the same club with the same potential weren't in the same league - literally - as the current people. Why is this ? And using such daft childish assertions as "your hero" etc make any point you might make meaningless. How long have you supported the club ? Do you really know what "mediocre" is ? I suspect not, if you think we have been mediocre I dread to think what the 86 clubs below us over the last decade must feel. Clearly I didn't miss too much informative info during the time I was absent from here, whoever you were before. Thanks for your time. 190966[/snapback] BRILLIANT. Almost the perfect Leazes riposte.It has: Hypocrisy. Failure to understand basic English - e.g. to acknowledge that teams such as Spurs have been better recently and look like they are managed (as well as having won something in the last 10 years). Insults. Mystic Meg guesses about how long I have supported or watched the team. Avoidance of the very obvious question asked.(a very common one) Fictional and frankly embarrassing nonsense about our league placing. Candy from a baby. Been fishing for it too. Could have done with a bit more 'Freddie is my hero' stuff but you cant have it all. Cheers for that 190985[/snapback] my....he won't tell us who he used to be Or how long he has supported the club. Why not ? I don't do fishing, but just tell me how long you have supported the club and who you used to be, or won't you tell me because I slaughtered your argument and knowledge of the club before ? Which I would do again .... Are you a Souness supporter, or an anti Bellamy ? Do you stupidly believe that a shit board runs the club to the tune where it can provide 60m quid for their managers in 2 years ??????? I'll say thanks for your time again, because I don't expect you to be honest enough to give the answers I'm asking for. 191001[/snapback] Candy from a baby.

You keep saying that but its not exactly the truth is it. Firstly he made the mistake of not sacking SBR when he should and then sacking him early in the season with no back up plan. Thats two mistakes already. He then didn't make a bad appointment, he made THE worst appointment possible which is more than just a little mistake. He made two further mistakes in paying Blackburn compensation instead of waiting for them to sack him and secondly giving him a massive contract worth a fortune which has cost us millions. And he didn't "just correct it" at all. He hired him, watched a truly awful season, including several key incidents that showed Souness to be worse than we thought possible and he failed to sack him when to do anything other than that was moronic. He then gave a man who had shown himself to be grossly incompetent, money to spend pre-season (another mistake) and having watched yet more shite from Souness' team he still failed to sack him even though we were a complete embarassment (another mistake). Then finally and way too late he eventually made the right decision and sacked him, but again had no plan in place even though he'd been watching shite for months and should have had the forsight to get something lined up. From when Bobby should have left to the current day, Fred has made a string of mistakes not just one. We've already pointed out that us and Liverpool were practically identical not long ago and the different actions of their board and ours as seen the two clubs worlds apart now. 190983[/snapback] In the meantime he gave our worst recent manager - and this is £ per month employed - more money than any other. Genius.

Ungrateful bastard. You saw last night that people want to play for Glen too

I have been. Very nice it is too. Wants some geezer?

Name me the chairman of Newcastle who have presided over better league positions ? How many ? So far as I am concerned, Craig Bellamy could have attacked Souness with a rusty pickaxe, and in fact he should have hit him back with one If you refer to the incident with Carver, you should explain yourself clearly, if you have a brain that is. Carver himself brushed it off, so why should you be bothered ? Clearly he had the club more at heart than his own ego, unlike Souness. Are you defending Souness ? And who are you ? 190952[/snapback] Sorry, i had assumed, wrongly, that you could think. Arent you the little General! Not defending Souness but amused about how you cant see that one thing is exactly the same as the other. Shepherd (your hero) didnt brush it off did he? He gave him another warning. Apparently Shepherd (your hero) condoned the belting of Bellamy though (cant imagine why, can you?) So was Shepherd wrong then? Or You? You really are coming across very badly in this thread. Its amusing though. Nb: The benchmark for a club of Newcastles size is to have won something and done something respectable league wise. Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea (pre-Abromovitch), even Tottenham have managed that more successfully in recent years. We had 2 decent seasons and one where we got 5th with a very similar points total as we got this year. His handling of Bobby after that was a disgrace - he needed to replace him and instead pissed him about. Bad management whichever way you look at it. Its better than McKeag or Seymour or Westwood but what mong wants to benchmark success against those dark days? I expect better. 190962[/snapback] If you think Spurs have been better than us over the last decade - having qualified for europe once against our 7 - then you are a sad man. And wrong. Even the spurs fan on NO admits this. Why not answer my question. Why dispute the fact that our old directors ran the same club with the same potential weren't in the same league - literally - as the current people. Why is this ? And using such daft childish assertions as "your hero" etc make any point you might make meaningless. How long have you supported the club ? Do you really know what "mediocre" is ? I suspect not, if you think we have been mediocre I dread to think what the 86 clubs below us over the last decade must feel. Clearly I didn't miss too much informative info during the time I was absent from here, whoever you were before. Thanks for your time. 190966[/snapback] BRILLIANT. Almost the perfect Leazes riposte.It has: Hypocrisy. Failure to understand basic English - e.g. to acknowledge that teams such as Spurs have been better recently and look like they are managed (as well as having won something in the last 10 years). Insults. Mystic Meg guesses about how long I have supported or watched the team. Avoidance of the very obvious question asked.(a very common one) Fictional and frankly embarrassing nonsense about our league placing. Candy from a baby. Been fishing for it too. Could have done with a bit more 'Freddie is my hero' stuff but you cant have it all. Cheers for that

Name me the chairman of Newcastle who have presided over better league positions ? How many ? So far as I am concerned, Craig Bellamy could have attacked Souness with a rusty pickaxe, and in fact he should have hit him back with one If you refer to the incident with Carver, you should explain yourself clearly, if you have a brain that is. Carver himself brushed it off, so why should you be bothered ? Clearly he had the club more at heart than his own ego, unlike Souness. Are you defending Souness ? And who are you ? 190952[/snapback] Sorry, i had assumed, wrongly, that you could think. Arent you the little General! Not defending Souness but amused about how you cant see that one thing is exactly the same as the other. Shepherd (your hero) didnt brush it off did he? He gave him another warning. Apparently Shepherd (your hero) condoned the belting of Bellamy though (cant imagine why, can you?) So was Shepherd wrong then? Or You? You really are coming across very badly in this thread. Its amusing though. Nb: The benchmark for a club of Newcastles size is to have won something and done something respectable league wise. Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea (pre-Abromovitch), even Tottenham have managed that more successfully in recent years. We had 2 decent seasons and one where we got 5th with a very similar points total as we got this year. His handling of Bobby after that was a disgrace - he needed to replace him and instead pissed him about. Bad management whichever way you look at it. Its better than McKeag or Seymour or Westwood but what mong wants to benchmark success against those dark days? I expect better.

The players will force roeder out by christmas if not sooner. 190938[/snapback] Which ones rule the roost do you reckon? James Milner?

To be fair to him, I think he's an exile. 190607[/snapback] Nope. He's a yank. He used to be alright a while ago, but I can't abide being told to get a grip by someone who doesn't have to fork out money for tickets to have the piss taken out of them. If I supported an American football team from afar, I would never have the brass neck to turn up on their forum and tell the match-going fans to get a grip and some perspective. Cheeky twat. 190638[/snapback] Almost as bad as someone from Pakistan, living in Pakistan, not watching the matches because he's asleep, writing the match reports for N-O 190924[/snapback] I always like the player ratings they give off the radio.

post a picture Gemmill and we can run a poll on the level of ginganess

Just so we dont get too many quotes... Leazes, you say that Souness should have been sacked for thumping Bellamy. Correct? Surely Bellamy wouldnt have been at the club to thump if we use your criteria? Assualt on other members of management isnt acceptable in any form either is it? Agreed? Who was it who put the player code of conduct together and put him on a final warning? Freddie Shepherd!

Bump for LM 190921[/snapback] There are reasons why Dalglish and Gullit "failed", which were their own responsibility. They have both praised the board and admitted they were given every support they could have wanted. Do you purposely ignore this ? And - just think on FA Cup Final day - twice - under these managers, 90 other sets of supporters would have swapped places with us, yet you call it "failure". The ironic thing - is Martin O'Neill has never reached an FA Cup Final, yet is deemed to be a "big manager". 190922[/snapback] Cloughy never won it and people think he was too

Can't see where I am being blinkered, in fact I think the majority of people on here who seem either oblivious to the financial position of the club - through a lack of intelligence or just because they are deluded enough to think we can just spend what we like - are the blinkered ones. And for what its worth, as a squad player for a small fee Sibierski is alright - bearing in mind again our budget - whereas my main worry is Martins because if he flops, that is another 10m quid down the plug, and this is the type of signing who has created the position that we are in now ie Luque, Boumsong, and many others before those over previous years. 190617[/snapback] Nobody is oblivious to the financial position of the club. Nobody is saying we only spent £15m, why not more. What we're saying is, why not spend the £15m more prudently? That's a question Freddy Shepherd should be asking too. But prudent spending robs him of his Hollywood signings and requires him to actually put some hard graft in helping his manager to establish a transfer plan. Why do that when you can fly by the seat of your pants and then just say "One thing you can't level at us is that we're boring." He actually thinks that this is an asset of ours ffs!? 190624[/snapback] Ok Gem, we'll go and buy 7 x 2m pound players, and see where that gets you, if you dont' want "hollywood" signings .... plenty of those over at the SOS mate. 190675[/snapback] Sorin, Campbell, Trabelsi, Roberts - that's £2.5m for ya. Leazes, seeing that we're the 5th best club in the country, would anything less than 5th this season be seen as a failure of Freddie, or of Roeder? 190692[/snapback] Wouldn't touch Campbell. Jason Roberts for 2.5m ? I don't think so. Anyway, I think I have stated that I believe the club's main problem was up front, and has been addressed. Of course, if shithead Luque had justified his fee, it wouldn't have been so important. Time to let some clueless fookwits on here to agree with each other I think ..... 190699[/snapback] So if Martins doesn't work out who will you blame. When a company underperforms year on year you must look at the top management of that company and that is FFS. You right about there being at least one clueless fookwits on here though. Although I have only seen one. 190709[/snapback] Who will I blame ? What a stupid question. The manager of course, who would you blame ? You still don't understand the concept of the manager being responsible for his own players do you 190832[/snapback] You still don't understand the concept of the chairman being responsible for his own managers do you 190836[/snapback] eerrr...yes I do. I have never defended the board for appointing Souness. All boards make crap appointments. If you think Dalglish, Robson and Gullit were not considered to be top appointments at the time, please explain the criteria you apply when assessing and apppointing managers. 190841[/snapback] Believe it or not, Luque was one of the hottest players in Europe at the time. The only reason they sold him to us is because they didn't want to sell him to Barca or Real, who both made offers for him. You can't see how you're being slightly hypocritical about this? Souness made a mistake in signing Luque, in the same way that the board made a mistake in appointing Souness (who at the time was just about to be sacked by a club who certainly aren't one of the top 5 in the country). 190845[/snapback] I am not being hypocritical at all about anything. I said from day 1 I hate Souness and would never have brought him to Newcastle in a million years. I said he shuold have been sacked when he took bellamy off against Charlton. I said he should have been sacked for assaulting his player on the training ground. I said Craig Bellamy was far more valuable, and far more committed to Newcastle United, at the time, than Souness would ever be. I always said the board were wrong to appoint him - how could I say otherwise ? I always said Boumsong and Luque were a waste of money Nowt hypocritial or ironic in any of that. 190862[/snapback] So i take it you agree that this should never happened and assault is a sackable offence? If so, the incident would never have had the opportunity to occur, would it? Cant have it both ways Leazes. 190902[/snapback] Errrr....as I have ALWAYS said he should have been sacked, I fail to see your point, nor do I see what you mean by "wanting it both ways". The only thing I wanted was to get rid of the cunt who sold our best player and put himself above the club. As I said at the beginning. 190919[/snapback] HE should have been sacked for assault.I will join up the dots for you.... If assualt is sackable as an offence surely Bellamy was guilty of that and thus shouldnt have been at the club anyway? No?

Can't see where I am being blinkered, in fact I think the majority of people on here who seem either oblivious to the financial position of the club - through a lack of intelligence or just because they are deluded enough to think we can just spend what we like - are the blinkered ones. And for what its worth, as a squad player for a small fee Sibierski is alright - bearing in mind again our budget - whereas my main worry is Martins because if he flops, that is another 10m quid down the plug, and this is the type of signing who has created the position that we are in now ie Luque, Boumsong, and many others before those over previous years. 190617[/snapback] Nobody is oblivious to the financial position of the club. Nobody is saying we only spent £15m, why not more. What we're saying is, why not spend the £15m more prudently? That's a question Freddy Shepherd should be asking too. But prudent spending robs him of his Hollywood signings and requires him to actually put some hard graft in helping his manager to establish a transfer plan. Why do that when you can fly by the seat of your pants and then just say "One thing you can't level at us is that we're boring." He actually thinks that this is an asset of ours ffs!? 190624[/snapback] Ok Gem, we'll go and buy 7 x 2m pound players, and see where that gets you, if you dont' want "hollywood" signings .... plenty of those over at the SOS mate. 190675[/snapback] Sorin, Campbell, Trabelsi, Roberts - that's £2.5m for ya. Leazes, seeing that we're the 5th best club in the country, would anything less than 5th this season be seen as a failure of Freddie, or of Roeder? 190692[/snapback] Wouldn't touch Campbell. Jason Roberts for 2.5m ? I don't think so. Anyway, I think I have stated that I believe the club's main problem was up front, and has been addressed. Of course, if shithead Luque had justified his fee, it wouldn't have been so important. Time to let some clueless fookwits on here to agree with each other I think ..... 190699[/snapback] So if Martins doesn't work out who will you blame. When a company underperforms year on year you must look at the top management of that company and that is FFS. You right about there being at least one clueless fookwits on here though. Although I have only seen one. 190709[/snapback] Who will I blame ? What a stupid question. The manager of course, who would you blame ? You still don't understand the concept of the manager being responsible for his own players do you 190832[/snapback] You still don't understand the concept of the chairman being responsible for his own managers do you 190836[/snapback] eerrr...yes I do. I have never defended the board for appointing Souness. All boards make crap appointments. If you think Dalglish, Robson and Gullit were not considered to be top appointments at the time, please explain the criteria you apply when assessing and apppointing managers. 190841[/snapback] Believe it or not, Luque was one of the hottest players in Europe at the time. The only reason they sold him to us is because they didn't want to sell him to Barca or Real, who both made offers for him. You can't see how you're being slightly hypocritical about this? Souness made a mistake in signing Luque, in the same way that the board made a mistake in appointing Souness (who at the time was just about to be sacked by a club who certainly aren't one of the top 5 in the country). 190845[/snapback] I am not being hypocritical at all about anything. I said from day 1 I hate Souness and would never have brought him to Newcastle in a million years. I said he shuold have been sacked when he took bellamy off against Charlton. I said he should have been sacked for assaulting his player on the training ground. I said Craig Bellamy was far more valuable, and far more committed to Newcastle United, at the time, than Souness would ever be. I always said the board were wrong to appoint him - how could I say otherwise ? I always said Boumsong and Luque were a waste of money Nowt hypocritial or ironic in any of that. 190862[/snapback] So i take it you agree that this should never happened and assault is a sackable offence? If so, the incident would never have had the opportunity to occur, would it? Cant have it both ways Leazes.

Two points to remember for you there then Gemmill. Bet you still do though

Zog is a good player and there is certainly a shed load more evidence to support his claims for a regular place than the likes of Taylor but I do think people get carried away. Diarra and Nasri are very good players indeed. I think Zog will get there but he is still some way off yet.

Can't see where I am being blinkered, in fact I think the majority of people on here who seem either oblivious to the financial position of the club - through a lack of intelligence or just because they are deluded enough to think we can just spend what we like - are the blinkered ones. And for what its worth, as a squad player for a small fee Sibierski is alright - bearing in mind again our budget - whereas my main worry is Martins because if he flops, that is another 10m quid down the plug, and this is the type of signing who has created the position that we are in now ie Luque, Boumsong, and many others before those over previous years. 190617[/snapback] Nobody is oblivious to the financial position of the club. Nobody is saying we only spent £15m, why not more. What we're saying is, why not spend the £15m more prudently? That's a question Freddy Shepherd should be asking too. But prudent spending robs him of his Hollywood signings and requires him to actually put some hard graft in helping his manager to establish a transfer plan. Why do that when you can fly by the seat of your pants and then just say "One thing you can't level at us is that we're boring." He actually thinks that this is an asset of ours ffs!? 190624[/snapback] Ok Gem, we'll go and buy 7 x 2m pound players, and see where that gets you, if you dont' want "hollywood" signings .... plenty of those over at the SOS mate. 190675[/snapback] Sorin, Campbell, Trabelsi, Roberts - that's £2.5m for ya. Leazes, seeing that we're the 5th best club in the country, would anything less than 5th this season be seen as a failure of Freddie, or of Roeder? 190692[/snapback] Wouldn't touch Campbell. Jason Roberts for 2.5m ? I don't think so. Anyway, I think I have stated that I believe the club's main problem was up front, and has been addressed. Of course, if shithead Luque had justified his fee, it wouldn't have been so important. Time to let some clueless fookwits on here to agree with each other I think ..... 190699[/snapback] So if Martins doesn't work out who will you blame. When a company underperforms year on year you must look at the top management of that company and that is FFS. You right about there being at least one clueless fookwits on here though. Although I have only seen one. 190709[/snapback] Who will I blame ? What a stupid question. The manager of course, who would you blame ? You still don't understand the concept of the manager being responsible for his own players do you 190832[/snapback] You still don't understand the concept of the chairman being responsible for his own managers do you 190836[/snapback] eerrr...yes I do. I have never defended the board for appointing Souness. All boards make crap appointments. If you think Dalglish, Robson and Gullit were not considered to be top appointments at the time, please explain the criteria you apply when assessing and apppointing managers. 190841[/snapback] Believe it or not, Luque was one of the hottest players in Europe at the time. The only reason they sold him to us is because they didn't want to sell him to Barca or Real, who both made offers for him. You can't see how you're being slightly hypocritical about this? Souness made a mistake in signing Luque, in the same way that the board made a mistake in appointing Souness (who at the time was just about to be sacked by a club who certainly aren't one of the top 5 in the country). 190845[/snapback] I am not being hypocritical at all about anything. I said from day 1 I hate Souness and would never have brought him to Newcastle in a million years. I said he shuold have been sacked when he took bellamy off against Charlton. I said he should have been sacked for assaulting his player on the training ground. I said Craig Bellamy was far more valuable, and far more committed to Newcastle United, at the time, than Souness would ever be. I always said the board were wrong to appoint him - how could I say otherwise ? I always said Boumsong and Luque were a waste of money Nowt hypocritial or ironic in any of that. 190862[/snapback] to be fair you said Luque was a waste of momey before you saw him, so keen is your observation.

not the case mate, there are a few people on here who don't consider Sibierski a "trophy signing".....or are they talking about Luque ? Maybe we SHOULD go back to signing players like Kevin Brock, Mark Stimpson et all ... 190706[/snapback] Erm, we have ffs Sibierski is to Brock as Bernard is to Stimpson, just as well there wasn't a George Riley clone lying around at 11.55 last night !!!!! 190759[/snapback] To be fair Kevin Brock was fairly highly rated when we bought him. Unlike Sibierski.

There is an assumption here in that we didnt beat Chelsea....but would you have taken beating Villa in the final in 2001 |(iirc) for the 2nd place finishes? I was at Wembley and other than the night at Cleethorpes i havent seen Geordies as happy as when Rob Lees goal went in. Personally I still think if we had beaten Chelsea then we would have won the cup. I would take a cup win over the league now for certain. In the league we have fuck all chance of achieving anything other than a very short lived run in a cup we have no chance of winning. Thoughts?

are we playing Fulham in the past?

not the case mate, there are a few people on here who don't consider Sibierski a "trophy signing".....or are they talking about Luque ? Maybe we SHOULD go back to signing players like Kevin Brock, Mark Stimpson et all ... 190706[/snapback] Yeah cos thats what anyone who doesn't think Shepherd is doing a good job wants ffs. Your first sentence is completely nonsensical btw. What exactly are you bleating on about? 190713[/snapback] Why does he always do the diametrically opposed view with nowt in between?Jesus, cant deny your passion Leazes but you do talk some crap on this subject. You really do.

5th best ball in the country though 190703[/snapback] Brilliant

possibly not, but with a smalll squad, and having already shelled out 15-16m quid. Thats the point. We knew, or should have done, that the Souness legacy was this, or at least some of us said so. We would be better off if Bellamy and Robert were still here, agreed ? And considering he wanted them out so desperately we got 4m quid for the 2 of them, who can possibly defend THAT ? 189826[/snapback] You do understand the Chairmen has to OK all sales right. Souness didn't do it behind the fat ones back. 189832[/snapback] you do understand that chairman are supposed to allow their managers to run the playing side of the club, right ? So, if he DID veto any transfers on playing grounds, which appears to be what you are indicating you want, you would have a lot to say wouldn't you ? Seriously, I have my doubts, it seems the vast amount of people on here don't seem to understand this ..... nor the financial state of the club, mostly brought about by the last manager, despite it being as clear as the glass in front of your face. 190603[/snapback] In any business it is commonplace for the head of the business to have final say on major investments. In some cases that investment is their idea. In others not.Responsible management dictates that this has to happen. Responsible chairmen also employ responsible and well qualified staff. That is their duty, not only to the business but to the shareholders. He has failed on both counts. I accept he needs to give managers the ability to decide but he has gone into this issue far too recklessly and it is absolutely nobodies fault bit his own that the 'bottomless pit' is no more. 190614[/snapback] He hasn't failed. We have been the 5th top club in the country over the past decade, and appeared regularly in europe, filling the ground, and buying major international players. There are 86 clubs who have done worse than us, including one 12 miles down the road. Since this board took over this club in 1992 they have picked it up and established it back to one of the top clubs in the country. Fact. I'm not interested in stupid skyboy type views. 190671[/snapback] Read it again please. His responsibility is to emply decent people. So now you are saying Souness wasnt a failure and telling Bobby he had one year left wasnt crass management precipitating the shit we are in now?Liverpool were as badly off as us but took decisive action. He had the chance ot address that earlier in the year and failed. Freddie didnt take decisive action at all other than in telling Bobby he could piss off and if that isnt mismanagement I dont know what is.

Well its just 'cashing' in on an existing asset. They then buy out the club and see the assets appreciate, hopefully. There is some risk in that the two players may not adjust and there value could depreciate. Very good way of doing it. Is Ray Ranson still doing that leasing scheme that fucked Leeds over? Still, we need some investment and more importantly some direction.