Chaser

The only issue with buying home grown players is whether or not clubs would be willing to release them for realistic prices. I wouldnt be surprised if Cox was a daft price, even for a league 1 player. The players who we are looking to recruit, dont have to be capable of winning the Premiership, or even challenging the top 4. They need to be good enough to bounce us back up in the shortest possible time (1 season hopefully) and with a bit of luck, they will have something about them which can be developed to form a nucleus of a side once we do get back in the Prem. If you look at a lot of the clubs who havent returned to the Premiership, they have been clubs which maybe haven't had the cash to invest, and havent been able to restructure. I am concerned that we dont have long to turn it around, and we are going to need a total rebuild as some of the players we have wont have the energy required for the Championship, and the others wont want to drop a division.

I will come at this from 2 angles. We are the biggest draw in the Champioinship without a doubt. Any player who cannot attain to Premiership standard or is looking for a club on a free could be tempted to join us in a hope to spring back up and get premiership status again. The only flip side of that is the like of Leeds/Sheff Wed should have done the same as that and it really hasnt worked out. The benefit we have over the likes of Leeds is that it looks like we might be able to afford players therefore being an attractive prospect.

It is a dark day for me. Ive been quite flippant about it the last few weeks and although I did predict that all 4 sides would be beaten, I never thought about the prospect of relegation as a reality, and now that its been confirmed, Ive felt numb, angry, total disappointment, disillusion and disbelief. This club has danced with the greats in the last few years and now needs to turn up at the likes of Scunthorpe, Bristol City, Plymouth, Peterborough to name a few. The general standard of the Championship isnt that high, although at the top it is pretty tough to climb out of it. We need to restructure, galvanise and regroup for next season in the hope that we can spring back up. A club the size of Newcastle (similarly Leeds) should not be in the second tier of football and we need the players who can back that up. Its going to be a long season next year, but I hope that we can kick start early and carry the momentum as the season progresses.

The thing I like about Shearer as a manager is that when he says something, he really means i and he tells it like it is. He doesnt shy away through soundbites and isnt scared to tell the public what is going wrong. I think he did well to restrain himself today as he was about to name and shame at one point. If he can identify the problems, he gets my vote for next season

Im in a Quandry. I only have Setanta at home so bar watching it via a stream, i need to go to the pub. Trouble is, the pub will be full of Boro fans and therefore if a miracle happens and we survive, ill be only one happy in there (for about 5 seconds before I get lynched). Other option is to go to our lasses place however her dad and brother are Man Utd fans so ill just have them sitting gloating on the sofa.

I reckon Butt would do us ok for another season in the Championship. Alongside Guthrie, who I fully expect to stick around, they could be quite a decent midfield pairing down there.

I wouldnt be adverse to FFS coming back with some wedge, provided that he didnt send us to financial ruin trying to make us great again.

Reading his book at the moment. Only into his youth days at the moment but ive been told its an interesting read.

We've been crying out for pace for the last couple of seasons with only Martins with any speed. Lovenkrands doesnt cost us anything, has already settled at the club and he is a different option to what we have. I'd keep him. Theres others i'd remove before I'd let him go.

As soon as we offer him a new deal, he'll get injured again.

To go: Cacapa, Geremi, Owen, Barton, Gonzalez, Ameobi, Viduka, Butt To stay: Harper, Taylor, Martins, Bassong, Enrique, Guthrie Not too bothered whether the rest stay or go, cant see the likes of Colo leaving after 1 season, god knows whats going to happen to Xisco and dont know whether anyone would take Smith. Still dont think we'll do much in the market this summer. Tweaking rather than overhauling (the latter of which is what is needed)

Great escape ftw. And this was just too good an opportunity to pass up... struggle nugget

I think Faye came in for quite a bit of criticism whilst he was here. Steven Taylor isnt the answer to CB, but he'll do ok as a utility defender when required.

Funny that as every contract draws to a close, Viduka suddenly shows that he is different class. Another fat contract and watch him head straight to Greggs via the injury table.

Harper was at fault for balls coming into the box and not calling for them. They dipped a right sided cross right in front of one of theirs which fortunately they missed. Taylor left it and it should have been Harps ball. Maybe another who is devoid of confidence. I said to my smoggy mate after this game that I think we could now go on to beat Fulham and put ourselves safe. I'd prefer to see the Mackems go down over the Boro but looks like they are doomed.

Im certainly not getting too carried away. Still 2 games to go and its not over yet. What took the shine off tonights result was seeing the fat controller sitting with the biggest smile on his face, obviously pleased that his Sports Direct flags went down well and he's been saved from financial ruin. Survival means nothing without completely overhauling the team in the summer to make sure that this doesnt happen again next season. A vital 3 points, but its against a team which looked very much like a Championship one.

There definitely needs to be a limit on investment of players. I guess theres nothing wrong with spending on facilities, but when you have teams who just can't compete before the competition has even started is when the game begins to die. Its been going downhill for a few years now with Billionnaire owners and the wealth being concentrated at the top of the league. The more successful they are, the further they stretch the gap between them and the rest of us. Sour grapes? Maybe, but I dont think the league or even world football can sustain much more growth in money. I think we're nearing a point where theres a potential implosion going to happen.

There are many other clubs which should be in the PL which are languishing in the lower leagues. Leeds being the biggest casualty but the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Coventry & Forest all have pedigree in the top division yet have spent quite a few years now in the 2nd or even 3rd tier of football. I think if we do go down, I cant see why we couldnt restructure like the likes of Reading & Birmingham have and bounce back up. If relegation is more or less confirmed on Monday night, I guess we'll have to look to try to take positives from it in that it could allow us to clear out the deadwood the club has been storing for too long. There are honestly about 4 or 5 players which I'd look to keep from the whole squad which says a lot about the players and provides the reason for us being in this position.

I think AS will be the only manager who does get time at this football club at the present time bar KK coming back again

Its got the makings of the worst premier league match 0-0 terrible play and both supporters to end up crying at the final whistle.

Mine would be Harper Beye, Colo, Bassong, Duff Guthrie, Barton, Nolan, Jonas Lovenkrands, Carroll. Subs: Krul, RTaylor, Smith, Martins, Geremi, Viduka, Gonzalez (nothing to lose) Scary looking team to put out against a side running for the championship. I reckon that side could do no worse than the side that was put out yesterday.

I thought we looked far too narrow, the midfield wasnt linking at all with the forwards, and when the forwards dropped deep, there was no one up top to put it across to. The only time we threatened was from a wide position yet we were trying to put the ball through the middle without success. Martins kept hold of the ball far too long at times and broke up attacks.

I didnt mind the idea of scarves, flags or cards, neither did I mind the rendition of Blaydon Races when it was on the telly. It was after that when Danby was singing songs to get the fans going, it was then I thought it was tinpot.

To stay Harper, Beye, Bassong, Jonas To go The rest of them. There is a too much deadwood in the team, the likes of Geremi and Cacapa amongst others who should be collecting their pensions.

Oh and we do?