TheMoog

I see the old "Mike Ashley wants to sell up" story has surfaced again in some quarters, will they ever give it a rest?

Sorry but Eh? Hehe, maybe even as far as the kitchen T-Keith.

If they ditched the Messiah I'd walk away aswell.

I've seen him play, POSH is the local team where I am but tbh I really don't think he's better than Harps - He's good but not THAT good

Perfect for them

Hull in the Prem? It's a crazy world we live in

We should really be considering trumping Man City for Arshavin, what would be amusing is if we bought Dunne off them so that they had half the money to do it then nab Arshavin while City were waiting for Ireland to be sold to Sunderland.

So it was all planned to happen anyways, I can't believe that the media didn't get all the facts before reporting on it in a negative fashion...

Aye, deffo SWP ... oh hang on, you mean the kid to the left, aye, deffo Ameobi

To be fair the Spuds have probably got more pull than us in the transfer market in this coming season and being that it's a new thing to them it's only fair that they try and flex that over us and make the most of it. Personally I think we'll be looking to be on par in the league with them next season providing Kev makes some sensible buys, the following season I'd expect us to be back above them again. If I was picking players from them I'd struggle from the list provided, we don't need a right back, we don't need a central defender who needs babysitting. Lennon 'might' be worth having but I don't see him any different to Milner in the long run.

I wouldn't fancy it either but to be honest I'm of the opinion that prisons should be dank, stone built cells with a straw mattress and bucket as the only furniture... and breaking rocks for exercise

"We'll have none of your nonsense here Barton"

"Joey Stanley Barton, you have pleaded guilty to the charges brought by this court, and it is now my duty to pass sentence. You are an habitual criminal, who accepts arrest as an occupational hazard, and presumably accepts imprisonment in the same casual manner. We therefore feel constrained to commit you to the maximum term allowed for these offences — you will go to prison for 6 months." Cue the Porridge theme...

So it's worth getting then is it? Might grab a copy at the weekend if it is... only thing is, how complicated is the control set up? I mean I really am used to playing on the PS2.

I think that probably are reading far too much into the situation. The season has just finished. Transfer dealings are just starting at the moment and we already were (unsuccessfully) involved in one attempt to sign on of the biggest prospects of football in Modric. I think it is a case of wait and see what is about to happen during the summer. If there has been no action until August then is the time to start to worry, but definitely not now. I also don't see any need of making a public statement of intention. The best statement of intention will be when we are finally successful in signing a good player. But I don't think a statement saying that there is the amount of xy million pound available necessary. It probably would only be counterproductive as then clubs from Europe know they can try to hold us to ransom. All that matters is that Keegan etc. know that enough money is available, which I think does now since the meeting in London the other week. Aye, you're probably right, I must admit I'd be the first to moan if the club came out with figures on how much we have to spend as it'd end up with us being held to ransom like you said. Just a bit nervous I guess, seems strange not having the media circus reporting on every rumour going where we're involved

I've never heard of this guy, is he really worth £10m? I must admit I'm a little underwhelmed at present, we've had no real statement of intent from the board and that hasn't been helped by the press stirring the shit. Since Kev returned I'd been on a high but I'm starting to wonder whether that was the plan by Ashley to calm the fans down while he didn't spend any money. It's alright saying we were after Woodgate in January or we were after Modric just recently but it's got us no where other than being poor relations to a half-baked bunch of turds like the Spuds - yes they have European footy but christ it doesn't half bite being second choice to a team like them. I'd like to think that Ashley is aware that you need to spend money to win things and make money but the impression I'm getting right now is that we're just not in it. I know, I know it's only two weeks in to the silly season and there's a major international tournament between now and the beginning of next season but wouldn't it be nice to be getting some decent players in where possible before (1) the prices go through the roof and (2) other teams don't swamp the market for the bargains. Something else, while it wouldn't bother me to see Smith or Duff leave us I'm a bit concerned that our squad is soooo thin. Losing any of the players would add to that problem, so unless we're bringing in quite a few new players for the main positions and for cover I don't see the logic in it. We need some squad players, we need some first team players and in particular we need a midfield playmaker. I guess I'm just a bit anxious that the board aren't keeping the momentum going while the feelings are good.

Aye, and Petrov maybe

Hey, less of the 'armchair fan' comments please

I always thought Taylor was a good manager until his stint at Leicester let him down. That said I don't know the full ins and outs of his time with them so I guess there could be more to it, he certainly seems to do well enough wherever else he's been from what I've seen. Maybe a youth coaching role for him here would be good for us in the long run with future players.

It would be nice if we could go through the summer without losing any of our decent or even half decent players for a change, maybe then we'd end up with a good sized squad again one day!

I just can't get past the guy's name being 'Arse-Shavin' - or am I mis-pronouncing it? Looks quality though, even if he was playing against a pub team last night.

I know it's from Fans FC but what IF it was true?

I think I agree with it all tbh, not a bad report considering... the Taylor comment is odd though.

Pardon?

First and foremost I still think the majority of guff reported on last week by the press was exagerated beyond what was needed - however, IF even the slightest scrap were true about Mike Ashley then in my eyes he might as well pack his pags and fuck off right now. Keegan is the Messiah on Tyneside for a very good reason, that reason is no different now than it was all those years ago. I must admit after watching that BBC post-match interview today I really don't like the sound of that meeting or the fact that Kev said it was 'needed', makes me think Ashley's sticking his oar in too much and hampering things more than helping. I hope, for the sake of the club and all of us that there really isn't a power struggle between Kev and Ashley because Kev will win everytime for me - if Ashley wants success he needs to button it, stay in the background and be the silent financial backing for us otherwise it will ruin everything... and the Toon hasn't had anywhere near as much possible momentum to do great things as it has right now. Currently, I'm very nervous about our future.