OTF

I'd have him sniffing around the first team for certain next season. I look at us being in the Championship as a good way of blooding and ultimately hanging onto some of the promising young players that we have signed lately. From what I've read Vuckic seems to be well and truly the pick of the bunch, and wonderfully he plays in the position that we are weakest. Match made in heaven TBH, get him on the bench and coming on to get some first team experience. 16 is not too young in Football anymore, by the time the season starts he'll be 17 anyway. Rooney was playing and scoring for Everton in the Premier League when he was 16, Milner was playing the Premier League when he was 16. We're not in the Premier League, so it's even more reason why we can't afford to be precious about the age of our players. Not saying to put him straight into the first 11, but on or near the bench early in the season with a view to getting him on the field towards the end of a few games. Mix in our usual bevvy of injuried and who knows where he will be half way through the season. Look at Bassong as an example of that. Give him a chance and he just might shine.

He's a cert to leave so the sooner something is sorted the better. Agree with some of what is being said in here. Has the physical attributes to be exceptional, except missing a footballing brain (though he has become a better short passer since arricing IMO). The biggest issue though is that he's yet another player who is constantly injured.

I believe that figure would include coaching staff, manager, scouts etc etc.

Those numbers are hilarious. £43.16 million pounds for those 13 players for one year.

If he goes we could still play him and he'd do as much as he did for us against Villa.

Yep. If everyone else on the pitch put in the effort that he did I don't think we'd be where we are. I'm keen to keep a hold of him. If he was to go, there's absolutely no guarantee that they would replace him, so I'll stick with the bird in the hand principle.

Xisco number 9!* Seriously, wipe the slate clean and get him in the team from the start of the season. He was a good player for Depor last season, and he's scored a fair few goals and had some good performances in our reserves this season. If we sold him now we'll have blown a big wad of cash. We may as well try to get a return from our foolish investment, it's not as though his value on the market could drop anymore if he performs poorly. * - Actually don't give the 9 to anyone at the moment. But have Xisco as a starting forward.

Yeah, I definitely liked having him in the team and I'd keep him around for next season, don't get me wrong - but when you're playing next to Coloccini it's pretty easy to look like the quickest, strongest, best tackling defender in the land. The hype surrounding him doesn't help at all. When he came here he was talking about doing his best to try and crack it into the first team, now it seems he's reset his sights in line with the beat up media stories suggesting the likes of Arsenal are after him. Hopefully not N'Zogbia the second in that respect.

Can anyone honestly see them staying up next year? There's no way they'll have the sort of start to the season that they did this time around, and that was the only thing that allowed them to stay up. They'll play atrocious football, slog their way through the season then ultimately be relegated - I'm most certainly not jealous of the season that they face next year.

Surely it is standard fare to write a relegation clause into any footballing contract. Just about all the contracts of note* were signed before Mr 'Due Dilligence' strolled into town. If that's not the case for us it's a bloody travesty. * - Eg. High volume of notes. I'll be disappointed when Enrique leaves, possibly when Bassong does as well. Bassong though was too highly valued by many here, he was still what I would consider a raw talent - gave away some horrible fouls and got away with numerous grabs/shirt/arm tugs that should have resulted in penalties.

How fucking annoying is this image?

Yet another example of our pathetic attempts at player recruitment - didn't really have anyone else who could play ther. Edgar is a centre half first and foremost, with bugger all experience, looked out of it and a class below for the whole match. Everytime he got the ball just wanted to get rid. I guess next season he'll potentially be one of our first team central defender (or at least 3rd choice).

I thought Duff looked pretty pissed/annoyed/sad as well, which would have surprised me earlier in the season, but not so much given the effort he has shown of late.

Great, I cant wait for the same thing to be said next season. Great, hop in your DeLoreon and tidy up this mess then will ya?

Feel for you mate.

What's done is done. As fucked as it is, we have to accept it and move forward.

Don't give a shit about the Mackems. Helps that I don't have to deal with any of them ever. It's going to be a crazy off-season and a big eye opener of a season. I hope the fans stick behind the team and turn up to matches, it's not like they've been treated to attractive football this season (from us) so the drop shouldn't impact upon that much at all.

Part 1 of the 5 year plan complete?

That's me fucked for next season. From watching every game of the season to watching a half hour Championship highlights show and the occassional match on telly over here. As someone else said typical for it to be at the hands of an unfortunate deflection. As they say though you make your own luck. As soon as we started hoofing the ball upfield constantly we looked rubbish. All the strikers on the pitch just meant that we had no wdith. Made it easy for Villa tbh. Going to be interesting to see who hangs around. Going on the way we've played this season can't say that too many will leave that anyone will miss.

Any team news?

Actually, I'm a Perth lad. Cheers though ... Just down the road

Annoying about Aussie Mags site (atm). Waiting to here back from the owner. Where abouts in Sydney are you db?

Player for player I think that's better than anything that we can put out there. Somehow we totally outplayed them earlier in the season, what I would give for that to happen again!

Will be watching in my lounge room. Kick off here is at 1:00AM on Monday morning. Will be switching routinely to check results in other games (they're showing Newcastle v Villa, Hull v Manure, Sunderland v Chelsea, Wet Spam v Middlesbrough and Pool v Spurs live).

Fish, first time I've seen it. Quality work!