80-2

Those who guide Bolton plan their strategy around one central fact - they guide Bolton. As Maynard Keynes said, "When the facts change, I change my mind - what do you do?". Should the people at Bolton come to Newcastle, they would, in all likelihood, approach things in quite a different manner, applying their financial nouse in ways appropriate to their new surroundings. There would be greater income, greater natural momentum and, generally speaking, greater potential. 29433[/snapback] Sorry, I meant the Newcastle fans who went to the Reebok Stadium and were singing those songs. 29650[/snapback] Looking back, I realise I mis-read what you said - sorry Still, I stand by what I was saying above about not thinking us spending X amount of money was inherently a good thing.

That wasn't their money though was it. It was our money that we've ploughed into the club through ticket and merchendise sales, and via Sky Sports for our subscriptions. 29290[/snapback] It isn't. If you buy a pair of jeans, it's the shops. If you buy a fridge, it's the shops, ultimately the company. If you buy a ticket for the match, it's the clubs ! They are supposed to re-invest in top players befitting Newcastle United, and run the football club at a high level and compete for top quality players with the money, which they have done. Although, they don't have to. The old directors didn't and there are plenty of other clubs that don't, or don't take risks. There is one 12 miles down the road who are run by a bunch of utter crap directors for instance. 29320[/snapback] I don't think he was doing anything other than making it clear that the £17m or so that has been spent this Summer (a net figure, based on transfers in recent times, ignoring various other sources of revenue) were not personal funds injected by the Halls and/or Shepherds. Phrases like "getting his wallet out" only further establish a mis-conception/falsehood that money outlayed is something we should be particularly thankful for, when those in charge are merely doing their job of spending the club's money (money which has recently departed our pockets - arguments about whether we're consumers, donors or spiritual owners of the club are for another thread). Whether they spend the money spend, horde or invest the money wisely is left for us individuals to judge. Those who guide Bolton plan their strategy around one central fact - they guide Bolton. As Maynard Keynes said, "When the facts change, I change my mind - what do you do?". Should the people at Bolton come to Newcastle, they would, in all likelihood, approach things in quite a different manner, applying their financial nouse in ways appropriate to their new surroundings. There would be greater income, greater natural momentum and, generally speaking, greater potential. 29433[/snapback] You could equally apply that criteria to the directors of the likes of Villa, Leeds, Everton, mackems, Spurs, for instance, over the years. They all have greater potential than Bolton too. In fact, how many of those have spent the money we have and attempted to compete at the level we have done in the last decade ? Whether or not they spend the money wisely ? Now that is a question that should be aimed at the managers, unless you think it is the chairman who chooses who to buy and sell, which he doesn't. 29555[/snapback] Villa - astonishingly cautious and conservative in style, support depressed for years as a result. Leeds - Well, they did spend far more than us, as we all know - with no means to account for it. Everton - Massive debt, conscientiously dealing with it for several years now. Ze mackems - Even more talk and less walk than us for a long time - didn't have the means to back up much of what they did do, those crowds bringing in deceptively little money. Spurs - Well, nowadays I think things appear to be going quite well for them. They've had a variety of problems under a few administrations - some of which included flailing about, throwing money at problems in a similar way to us. However, now they seem to be in what I'd call a civilised state. I don't know as much about their finances as ours, but I understand there has been a modest injection of cash, allied to wider examination and reform of the way the club works. My point about Bolton's management is, basically speaking, if you know how to run a football club, you know how to run a football club. In a different situation, they'd turn to different solutions. The clubs you mention are, or have been, badly run. That one or two were badly run but aren't now should give us some hope for the future. Also, at this time, I'd like to point out that I don't necessarily think throwing money around in the transfer market is good management. Taking stock of things, improving the infrastructure of the club (including who manages and deals with team issues) and steadily advancing the cause could be fine by me. "Spending the money wisely" - I didn't actually mean transfers, particularly. I'm talking about the wider situation in the club, from our academy set-up, to our managerial appointments, to our bricks and mortar rennovations, to our general conduct (i.e. less of the "Geordie team, Geordie Manager, Geordie Chairman, Geordie money" bollocks, the slagging off of women, our attempts at flattering to decieve the rest of the country that we're, at this time, just as big as Manchester United, Arsenal, etc.), to our marketing, to... just about everything you can think of. To focus on you, briefly, you say that the main area you back Shepherd (not so much necessarily the Hall spawn) on is his backing of managers. Now, obviously I don't quite agree with you on that, but the trouble is that we (as a support) often end up focusing on a small portion of our club's governance. What surrounds it is, frankly, more important. Its no use throwing good money after bad when you're giving it to dodgy managers (though one thing I have been "pleasantly suprised" by is the general quality of what Souness has brought it - I'm sure most of us had images of Corrado Grabbi) and letting them bring in players who are then systematically crippled by our medical staff.

That wasn't their money though was it. It was our money that we've ploughed into the club through ticket and merchendise sales, and via Sky Sports for our subscriptions. 29290[/snapback] It isn't. If you buy a pair of jeans, it's the shops. If you buy a fridge, it's the shops, ultimately the company. If you buy a ticket for the match, it's the clubs ! They are supposed to re-invest in top players befitting Newcastle United, and run the football club at a high level and compete for top quality players with the money, which they have done. Although, they don't have to. The old directors didn't and there are plenty of other clubs that don't, or don't take risks. There is one 12 miles down the road who are run by a bunch of utter crap directors for instance. 29320[/snapback] I don't think he was doing anything other than making it clear that the £17m or so that has been spent this Summer (a net figure, based on transfers in recent times, ignoring various other sources of revenue) were not personal funds injected by the Halls and/or Shepherds. Phrases like "getting his wallet out" only further establish a mis-conception/falsehood that money outlayed is something we should be particularly thankful for, when those in charge are merely doing their job of spending the club's money (money which has recently departed our pockets - arguments about whether we're consumers, donors or spiritual owners of the club are for another thread). Whether they spend the money spend, horde or invest the money wisely is left for us individuals to judge. Those who guide Bolton plan their strategy around one central fact - they guide Bolton. As Maynard Keynes said, "When the facts change, I change my mind - what do you do?". Should the people at Bolton come to Newcastle, they would, in all likelihood, approach things in quite a different manner, applying their financial nouse in ways appropriate to their new surroundings. There would be greater income, greater natural momentum and, generally speaking, greater potential.

Got it here, and its fucking slow...

And the 10s of millions they will make upon selling the shares they purchased, of course.

Not even slightly suprising. Did they sound like they were giving you a blood test for a reason, or was it just a "well, I'm fucked if I know, let's give this a try..."?

Oh yes, and another thing that I didn't say previously - though your age would make it unlikely. It's also a bit reminiscent of sleep apnia, what with tiredness and raised heart rate and such. I don't suppose anyone really sees you sleep much, but just on the off chance, has anyone commented on you stopping breathing in your sleep - possibly for reletively long periods (15-60 seconds, say), before suddenly taking a deep intake of breath?

Aye it did, I actually live near what was seen as the common boundary between Northumbria and Mercia in Sheffield, at the moment, Meer's Brook. It was something of a No Man's Land, but both Bramall Lane and Hillsbrough are North of it. I, unfortunately, am South of it...

It also doesn't explain how the fag flew across the room and landed on the baby as she slept, leaving him dead and her un-burnt. It also doesn't explain how she had the presence of mind to tie wire tightly around her wrists and then break it.

That just doesn't sound plausible. Aborting a child is one of the huuuuuge no-no's in the Catholic faith. Far worse than having a child out of wedlock I would say. 27839[/snapback] Quite right, which is why either the woman is an utterly nasty liar, or Nobby is a psychopath. For the time being, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt

Being described as a "humourist" who takes a "sideways look" at things is never a good start.

In a way, I quite like the pictures. They remind me of those photos you see of child thieves from the 1880s.

I did read it because... well, I couldn't not read it. The alleged reason for him wanting the kid aborted was that he's "a Roman Catholic, and therefore can't allow it to be born out of wedlock" - Superb logic!

I'm reticent to say anything, as I don't really know anything about this stuff, but the sleepiness thing makes me think of an interupted flow of blood (and with it, oxygen) to the brain. Don't worry yourself about it, but I think a trip to the Doctor's is in order.

The Sheffields can sneak in there, too.

Aye, Munchausen's-by-proxy is about getting attention, not having to look after the kid - though those two things may walk hand in hand.

The Latter-Day Saints? What total bastards.

It dates back to a radio interview, 5Live, I think. But in actuality, he said he was in the Gallowgate around the time just after Milburn had departed. So he wasn't even a glory-hunter, we were starting to get shit then...

Surely the conclusion was putting colour-tinted see-through plastic sheets over text can improve some Dyslexics' ability to read it 27316[/snapback] Aye, aye, ho ho ho etc. Nah, it was neurological in nature. Which part of the brain handles what and such. Its already known that things like Dyslexia, ADHD, Asperger's and such are linked one way or another - something of a continuum, after a fashion.

The tsunami wasn't as bad as this for various reasons. It came, did losts of damage to coastal villages and went away again. Here, the water won't even drain away, it stretches far further inland, into industrialised areas, and, to put it simply, modern Western civilisation isn't too robust at dealing with things like this, nowadays. We're raised in a society which relies on everything relying on everything else. People drive along smoothly paved, sign-posted streets to eat ready-made food out of containers. Now, large parts of the South of the USA are in collapse. As much as I hate to ruin this legendary anecdote, its been proven that he never said this when he was said to have.

It was originally offered to Sean Connery, apparently. The funny little man with the funny little voice - The funny little bad man with the funny little voice in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

IIRC, putting colour-tinted see-through plastic sheets over text can improve some Dyslexics' ability to read it. Some conclusion was drawn from that, but that I don't remember...

Also, as I've said previously, the fact we haven't looked like scoring or had any mobility up front this season has put a lot of pressure on the back four. Hopefully that will change now. 27095[/snapback] Correct, alot of the stick aimed at our back four ignores the pressure they have been put under by whats going on (or not) in front of them. I'm more than happy with our 3 main centrebacks + Given and the fullbacks can do their bit as well if they stay fit! And with Parker in front of them we shoudn't struggle defensively if we catually get our football going in the other direction. 27097[/snapback] And I will third it. 5 (inc. Goalie) defenders can't be expected to hold out under solid pressure for an entire match, every match. As our swollen (4-5-1) midfield sinks deeper into our own half, it just makes a mistake an ever greater likelihood - there's no opportunity for re-grouping and such. Teams can't score against us nearly so easily if they're camped in their own half.

In principle, I agree. You did read my post, didn't you? Rehabilitation through appropriate means is the goal, and if that doesn't involve prison - great. Edit: I recall some scheme in South Wales, which basically involved taking young offenders out into the woods, teaching them some skills, and just letting them see parts of the world they would never normally have seen. The results (re-offense rates, etc.) were miraculous when compared to kids who were treated as usual. Ann Widdecombe was on saying that despite that fact, they shouldn't be taken off to do such things, that crime doesn't entitle you to a holiday etc. Now, perhaps there could've been some refinement, but her arguement (and I think her side won, in the end) essentially just involved wanting to cut their noses off to spite their respective faces.

They often do now, aye. Thats what happens when you throw a group of lads in a complex together, make every effort to ignore them and let them form a society styled on Lord of the Flies.