The Fish

My clearest earliest football memory came when I was 15. I'd been going on and off with my mate when his dad couldn't go, or just his dad when my mate couldn't go. This time we all went for the Leicester game in 1997. Jim took us to the Union Rooms, found a corner and snuck me a pint which he'd never done before. We walked up to St James and got something from Greggs on the way, and stood watching the crowds on Strawberry Place and eating the sausage roll. Vividly remember Jim saying he thought we'd lose, but then he always thought we'd lose. Took our seats in the east stand nearish to the Gallowgate. Elliott put us 1-0 up early doors, but it wasn't a great game and when Matt Elliott equalised there was a sense in the crowd around us that it'd been coming. By 3-1 Jim was fed up and wanting to leave "to beat the rush" and it was only because my mate was moaning on that he wanted to stay that we got to see Shearer's hattrick that won us the game. I couldn't see his second at all and just went off the crowd noise, but when our 4th went in I only missed who put the ball through for Lee. Ended up two rows down and no idea how many seats across. Think it was the first time I properly bruised my shins on the back of the seats. All the way home on the Metro Jim was saying how he knew we'd pull it back I'd been to games before, but none of them stick in the memory as vividly as that one.

If this takeover fails, can you see Ashley spending the kinds of sums Benitez will be happy with? If Benitez isn't happy can you see him sticking around? If he doesn't stick around can you see another manager doing enough with this squad to keep us up? Within the context of a niggardly owner. If we go down again will Ashley throw the kind of money he did last time? We don't have the saleable assets we did then to fund it. and so on. fwiw, I do think the takeover will happen.

One of those that improves the players around him too. Just by taking up good positions, timing passes well and being calm under pressure.

Can't find a "final version" for the 15/16 season, but yeah he only managed 40 odd days outside the bottom three and zero days outside the bottom 4. by comparison, this was them in 2016/17

Mark Douglas suggested that the 2 month prediction may be over the top.

Aye, I'm a big panicking princess Gan suck off a spud.

I'm just hoping there's some new news during the International break. Even if it's just evidence that the takeover is actually happening and nothing else. We're at a real tipping point; if the takeover doesn't happen I expect Rafa to leave, if that happens I expect us to go down and doubt we'll bounce straight back. If the takeover does happen Rafa will stay, bring in some new players in January and we'll kick on and not be worried about relegation for quite some time.

And he hardly left them safe and secure, he left them in a similar state to the managers that preceded him.

To be fair, Gullit didn't take a pay out when he was binned off, unlike Dalglish.

Is that all he does? He doesn't hold up play, lead the line, bully defenders or owt? Weird how your eyes are different to mine.

Booze probably?

Shut your noise you old cunt.

How about an NSFW Spoiler, you massive bellend.

I respect people will have differing opinions to me, but you're just offensively wrong.

Gomez is one of those 'keepers that can win you games on his own with spectacular save after spectacular save, or lose you them because he's a bellend. I'd rather have Deeney than Joselu, Gayle or Mitrovic. Haven't seen enough of Gray, but he's highly rated and a Gayle that isn't afraid to stretch his legs is a better Gayle than the one we've got.

It was a source of great frustration that she was so covered up during her stints in the Thor films.

How long does it take him to sort it out?

https://twitter.com/i/moments/898113062615605252?lang=en Has someone done this for Newcastle United yet?

Anyone get past the bit in bold without sniggering?

I lasted about 3 minutes before the signposted boob jokes and canned laughter ground me down. It's fucking shit.

No return date on Physioroom, just says it's an ankle injury.

Nah, he was accepted into the NUFC Hall of Fame last night. He's just clearly emotional about the honour. Some on twitter still calling him worse than shite because... well I guess because he's a cult hero and that divides opinions? People seem to think you can't like a player unless he's Messi.

I meant he allowed Benitez to sign players for the now, rather than for the resale. Last Summer and this. You're right though, imagine a) what Benitez could have done with McClaren's side, or 2) what Benitez could have done with that money.