Rayvin

If we accept that the club simply didn't have money this summer (which, if I recall, is what HF was saying early summer) - then none of this should be a surprise. Charnley even made a statement to that effect back in May. Realistically, we've bet everything on Rafa being able to keep us up. If we go down, we won't be as financially vulnerable (I suppose) and if we stay up, we should be in a position to kick on next year. The market may even have calmed somewhat. Huddersfield and Brighton - firstly, I'm guessing their financial situation was different to ours. They hadn't just had to tighten their belts from being relegated, and I assume have built things up sustainably. But secondly, they've bet everything on not going down. If they do go down, I imagine that they'll be in trouble. The real problem we'll have is that if the club makes £50m profit this year from TV deals or whatever, Ashley might pocket a substantial amount of it to pay off the loan.

I do I just think the rest of the division is so shit we'll still be fine.

I kinda get that there's a process we're all going through here but is it honestly conceivable that Rafa didnt know how much we had to spend at least in the past month? I doubt today has surprised him. But who knows. Either way, he's here for now and if he sees out the season, will probably ensure we dont get relegated. After that, we probably will have money to spend. #optimism

Ok let's calm down a bit. No one really expected we'd do anything anyway ffs. We still won't go down. And I'm sceptical about whether or not Rafa will just leave. Although if a better offer comes along we could be in trouble.

Was trying to help rather than be a pedant.

@Happy Face

If we spend, it'll be in January I guess. If we're looking like going down. To think we spent £80m two years ago on McClaren...

Swansea actually did get Sanches. That's Ant done then...

Why are we doing Brighton a favour by loaning them Krul...

£10?

Yep, absolutely no fucker made that clear. One of the main arguments we were having across the nation was a) how suicidal such a thing would be, and b] how pointless Brexit would be without doing it. If Farage had come out and said that this was the plan, the latter point would never have been in the discussion.

We all know where this is going to end up

He's surely not going to go back to Sunderland though, they fucking hate the guy

Well I didn't actually read it ffs.

It was definitely a journalist but I didn't think it was Hardy. The journo in question later admitted he made it up... slightly concerning that Hardy still thinks it's true.

I can't wait until they're back on the map as a vaguely normal country. The stories those people must have...

I would have absolutely no problem with China just taking North Korea themselves. I suspect that'll be what happens in the end, one way or another.

Was an anti-aircraft gun wasn't it? Yep, I get what you're saying. Still though, hard to imagine there isn't some manner of domestic front. Human beings are not exactly compliant.

Yeah fair enough I suppose. Hard to imagine a state exists where he has absolute domestic control but I suppose that's how it is. Impressive regime, based on that. I wondered to a degree if he felt a need to pander to his generals, and put up a strong front - see off any potential coup.

Well if that's true then you're right. I don't see what he thinks he's gaining though, unless he's just hopelessly under-informed about US military power...

Pointless scaremongering... I assume that vote will go through pretty easily to be honest, although the bid to appeal to Chinese households there will likely be successful.

It's all to paint a picture on the domestic front though, isn't it? If it is, that suggests that he actually is under internal pressure on the home front, to some degree. I'm not sure exactly how, but it's there nonetheless.

I'm all ears if there is any. I'm just saying that I've not seen it - and keep in mind, I watch all manner of right wing shite in a bid to understand issues from all sides. If such people (who are always slating Corbyn) aren't setting up a convincing case for a cult of personality around the guy, then I'm really not sure there is one. He's popular, but I would suggest that's because of what he represents.