PaddockLad

We didn't even suspend parliament during ww2 after Westminster had been fuckin bombed. That'll be Johnson's alleged hero Churchill who made sure of that...

GEORDIE SPRINGSTEEN LATEST:

Did anyone know the existence of the word "prorogue' before this summer? 🤔

Bury gone. Bolton given a reprieve because they’re already in administration(?) FA silent. They started all this though. Them and fuckin Spurs...

My boss is a “cricket tragic”. No different to me with football but I’ve never really met one before. He phoned at 2pm on Friday, simultaneously demanding & predicting the end of Test cricket. I called him today to ask how he felt about it all after Sunday and he said “might as well abolish Tests anyway, fuckin Stokes turned it into a one day game anyaway”

Is The Athletic where Caulkin has gone? Seems to make sense to leave the print media which appears to be on its deathbed but that drivel appears to be written from the Waugh's imagination. He then phoned Chris Turner for a quote to back it up

Who did Fergie used to phone? 🤔

From The Athletic by Chris Waugh Fergie time: Steve Bruce knows better than anyone that one goal can dramatically alter the course of a managerial career. The former Manchester United centre-back was, after all, on the field back in January 1990 when Mark Robins scored that famous goal against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup third round — a strike that, legend has it, saved Alex Ferguson’s job. The Scot headed into that third-round tie at the City Ground on the back of a seven-game winless run and increasing fan unrest. A banner unveiled in the Stretford End during the run-up to that match had criticised Ferguson for what one supporter described as “three years of excuses”. Had Robins failed to score and Manchester United been knocked out the Cup, then Ferguson’s glorious reign — and knighthood — would not have followed. Unlike Sir Alex, Newcastle United head coach Steve Bruce is not on the brink of lifting his first piece of silverware with the club. Nor is he more than three years into his spell at Newcastle. Rather, Bruce found himself under immense pressure just two games in at St James’ Park. While the comparisons between the Newcastle head coach and Sir Alex cannot be taken too far, recalling Robins’ Cup winner certainly feels timely following Joelinton’s winning goal at Tottenham Hotspur’s magnificent new stadium on Sunday. After a summer dominated by stagnation, confusion and anger was followed by back-to-back defeats, including a pathetic performance at Carrow Road, raw shoots of positivity have now sprouted in Newcastle’s season. The fact this much-needed victory comes about just days after Bruce sought counsel from his mentor is fascinating. The Athletic can reveal that, following the Norwich City debacle, Bruce called Sir Alex and asked the legendary manager for advice — something a significant number of Ferguson’s former charges have done throughout their coaching careers. “You go to the people you trust and respect for advice when you feel it’s required,” explained Chris Turner, who played under Sir Alex in the 1980s before managing clubs including Sheffield Wednesday and Hartlepool United. “Steve will go to Sir Alex if he feels there is some advice he needs and can get from one of the most successful managers in history. Steve Bruce is his own man as well and he will have his own methods and ideas, but why wouldn’t you tap into that resource if you have it available?” Bruce has never been too proud to seek guidance from the 77-year-old. The former manager and his captain speak regularly and have done throughout Bruce’s coaching career, even back when the pair were Premier League rivals for a decade. While the Newcastle head coach might have ignored Alan Shearer’s advice about taking this job, he rarely opts against following Sir Alex’s guidance. As Bruce dissected last weekend’s disastrous display following a hastily-arranged additional training session, he pondered what he should do next given that the pressure was mounting and a daunting trip to Spurs was on the horizon. While deciding upon his next move, he dialled that frequently-used number in his phone. Rather than regurgitate his infamous comment of “Lads, it’s Tottenham”, Sir Alex told Bruce to “keep his head down and get on with it”. On the training ground, that is precisely what the 58-year-old did. He reverted to a 5-4-1 formation that saw Jonjo Shelvey drop out of his holding midfield role and ensured Newcastle arrived in north London driven and battle-hardened. He diligently worked on team shape and made sure his players understood their defensive roles. In the press conference room at Newcastle’s Benton Training Centre on Friday however, Bruce took the approach of doing as his former boss used to do so successfully, rather than keeping schtum as he had been advised. Bruce — quite within his rights following weeks of scrutiny, some of which he felt was unfair and irresponsible — gave an impassioned, and at times angry, media briefing in which he accused reporters of “over-sensationalised” coverage. He also dismissed Michael Chopra’s suggestion that senior players “don’t know their jobs” in his regime as “nonsense” and “blatant lies”. All of this seemed to be right out of the Sir Alex playbook. Bruce, by his own admission, was looking to create a “siege mentality”. He wanted Newcastle players to feel like it was them against the world and, just eight days after accusing his players of failing to “put their boots on” in East Anglia, he was able to herald a “brilliant” display in north London. From the very first minute it was obvious that this was a very different Newcastle. They harried Spurs and did not let the home side have an inch of space. With Shelvey dropped from the midfield, Isaac Hayden and Sean Longstaff dominated the engine room and Newcastle suffocated Mauricio Pochettino’s side. It was as if every player had a point to prove and they were determined to give it all for the shirt — even if that jersey was garish orange as opposed to black-and-white stripes. It had all the hallmarks of a Sir Alex team talk. As Gary Neville famously wrote in his book, the mentality in the home dressing room at Old Trafford was: “United’s everything, fuck the rest.” Perhaps a similar motto was used in the Newcastle dressing room. Despite enjoying just 20.2 per cent of possession in the capital — the second-lowest figure for a victorious side in the top flight since 2003-04 — Newcastle were ruthlessly efficient when they did have the ball. Joelinton, fresh from heading wide when the goal was gaping at Norwich, used that miss as motivation. The £40 million Brazilian was immense and was arguably the pick of a very impressive bunch. In the 27th minute, Christian Atsu curled a delightful pass into the centre, dissecting the Tottenham defence, and allowing Joelinton — who had been afforded far too much space in the penalty area — to calmly control before slotting past Hugo Lloris with an astute left-footed finish. The away end erupted. Finally there was a moment for Newcastle fans to cherish and something for the players to hold on to. There was less than a third of the game gone, but Newcastle had some welcome momentum. As Sir Alex wrote in Leading: Learning from Life and My Years at Manchester United: “Losing is a powerful management tool — so long as it does not become a habit.” It is something Bruce was repeatedly reminded of during his Old Trafford days and, while winning week-in, week-out has not come as regularly throughout his managerial career as the Geordie would have hoped, he recognises the value even a solitary victory can have. Crucially, this Newcastle squad know that as well. Last term they started the campaign with a 10-game winless run before a triumph over Watford in November transformed the complexion of their campaign. It is a message that was conveyed to player after player during last Sunday’s additional training session. It was repeated in the dressing room at half-time against Spurs as well. “I know Steve will utilise the skills and managerial tools he witnessed under Sir Alex and that he has learned himself throughout his own coaching career in order to lift Newcastle out of this tricky start,” Turner said this week. “He’s taken on a job that others wouldn’t have taken, but that’s because he believes in himself. Steve has the character and the drive to make a success of things at Newcastle – I saw it in him every day at Man United.” While it is far too early for Bruce to start believing that has happened, the performance of his side in north London will bolster his self-confidence. To a man, every Newcastle player was outstanding and, crucially, they responded to their manager’s message. The kindest compliment that can be paid to Bruce is that Newcastle defended like a Rafa Benitez side. Paul Dummett in particular was gargantuan at centre-back, delivering a performance Bruce would have been proud of in his prime. The Welshman threw his body in front of shot after shot, including nodding away a dangerous Heung-min Son cross before Lucas Moura could head it home. Throughout the second half, Newcastle were pinned on the edge of their own box for long periods but their disciplined banks of five and four frustrated the likes of Harry Winks, Son and Moura, and ensured Harry Kane had a very quiet afternoon. By full-time, Jamaal Lascelles had departed after tweaking his calf while showing ingenuity to deny Kane a goal-scoring chance by tackling the forward with his head. Joelinton had “run himself into the ground”, according to Bruce, and Christian Atsu was visibly shattered. Physically and emotionally this performance had been draining for everyone at Newcastle United. Assistant coaches Stephen Clemence and Steve Agnew clenched their fists in the technical area once the final whistle blew and Newcastle players ran off the bench in celebration. But Bruce calmly shook the hands of his backroom staff before walking over to Pochettino and then heading down the tunnel. Back in 2011, Ferguson was asked about the resilience it requires to manage a top-flight team. “It is a natural thing,” he said. “The personality of a manager is the most important thing at a football club. That personality can inspire the players to be better, to believe and to trust.” Just as it was too early to judge Bruce after two defeats, it is premature to draw conclusions after this solitary victory. But this win felt significant and it felt timely. Sir Alex has always been thankful for Robins’ Cup winner. Perhaps Bruce will look back on Joelinton’s first goal in English football as the moment he finally gained some positive momentum at Newcastle.

A partial acid test comes Saturday. Beat Watford with an attacking performance and that would go some way to silencing Rafa's biggest cheerleaders; a major criticism of him was not attacking the other also-rans at home last season. We"ll see...

From football 365: 7) One of the stranger attacks being levelled at Newcastle supporters is this ‘need for patience’ line which a small group of journalists continue to peddle; it only really makes sense if the last twelve years are completely ignored. Like any other coach, Steve Bruce will take time to have a proper effect on the first-team. But expecting supporters to clap along and sustain themselves on micro positives is, at best, ludicrously disingenuous. It pretends that Ashley – and by proxy all the decisions he makes – are deserving of goodwill and, ultimately, benefit of the doubt. Clearly that’s not the case. Especially so because this was an appointment made on the basis of geographical synergy, rather than any footballing merit. In that context, it deserves to be treated as a continuation of the past, rather than as the dawn of something different. Today was good, but let’s not make it more than it was or pretend that – suddenly – every Newcastle fan disappointed by what happened over the summer should be pausing for thought. He won at Spurs, that’s a brilliant result. But even Pardew did that. The real challenge is to be innovative and to infuse a neglected fanbase with the belief that their side is going somewhere. So defend like that next week. And the week after. Sometimes Newcastle will be outmatched, that’s their reality, but it’s right to expect more than competence. Applaud Bruce today, he’s earned it, but the conversation shouldn’t end here.

Fuck off

Lad stood behind us at WHL yesterday just knew Great day, pleased we weren’t fuckin humiliated on national tv. As much as I detest Ashley it’s difficult to not love the sheer joyful exuberance of a bunch of piss taking mags when the team wins away from home....

Never in doubt Brewcies mags

Last season after Rondon was fit and Almiron signed we played 3-4-3. Go back to that, drop Shelvey and bring Manquillo in

Quite looking forward to the craft ale concession and on site bakery too

In an utterly unpredictable move, the EU have rejected our new PMs proposals to get rid of the the backstop from the WA

If the fee is less than suggested by the club then I expect the FA compliance unit to have a look at it. Was there anyone else in for our record breaking 7 goal striker to push the price up to a club record 40 million?

The situation where tv viewers know more than the ref has been ridiculous since “action replays” were introduced. The situation has become increasingly untenable since the advent of pay tv. So I can largely accept that the tech had to come in. To change the rules of the game off the back of it though is really taking the piss. It’s all media driven. As if it’s THEIR game. What about helping the folk creating the atmosphere in the actual stadium to understand what the fuck is going on first?

There’s a reason Rafa didn’t pick him after he came back from injury last season...

Yes. I see that. How many in the stadium saw the handball though? Did the Spurs defenders surround the ref after Jesus eventually scored? It’s fundamentally changing the game for the sake of tv. Am hoping you can see that side of it too. Am also looking forward to the first attacker blasting a ball at a players arm to get a penalty this season 👍

He used to work for that cunt 🤣

The ground anorak is the most placid and reasonable fucker I’ve ever met. We went to Hibs pre season (another ✅ for him) and we’re going Sunday then after that even he’s giving up. 350 loyalty points. The chicken farmer I can’t say too much about as he’s usually under investigation by at least two different county constabularies simultaneously We’ve got midweek always v Everton & Sheff Utd pre Christmas. We might “get the band back together” for them but that depends we look like beating Derby’s 11 points or not..