PaddockLad

Cant disagree with any of that. The last 8 weeks have changed the way I think, I've been pleasantly surprised and I'm encouraged. We still shouldve signed a centre back mind. And I cant force myself to beleive Ashley won't fuck it all up or sell us to a money launderer for a fat profit now weve stopped losing money

A poor season? The signs to me are theyre all in decline and the reasons for that are pretty clear and as youve pointed out they are all mangerial. And not a lot that can be done quickly about it at any of theses clubs when you look at the personalities involved.Theres a chance for a changing of the guard at the top of the league in the next couple of seasons and we're well placed to take advantage. Doubt if we will, or I just cant beleive that Ashley is capable of getting it right for as long as we need to keep challenging. He'll fuck it up by letting too many players go all at the same time iyam. I hope to be proved wrong.

Wait a minute it was you who was claiming that it was easy in 93 but now we're challenging Arsenal,Chelsea and Liverpool "18 months after being in division 2" its difficult? I happen to agree with what you're saying, but giving that as an example earlier in the thread isnt the best thing you couldve used to illustrate your point because what has happened since promotion contradicts what you're claiming. It has been relatively easy. and correct me if I'm wrong but the club also operated at a loss in 09 and 10? We've acheived a lot quickly, and a lot of people share the credit for that including Ashley. But it was similar the last time we were promoted too. Remember we slipped back from 2nd to 7th in our second season in 95. This season barring a abysmal collapse our league placing will go up by about half a dozen places. Or is this part of your "its more difficult now" argument?

We've spent half a season in the top 4, 18 months after being in Division 2. Its like 93/94 all over again if we're to go with what Chez is saying With us its been undoubtedly down to the managers in the main part. Although we wouldnt have spent much time in the top 4 around the latter part of the last decade as it was virtually a closed shop at the time. Its in a complete state of flux now mind. Now is the time to strike when Arsenal and Chelsea look shadows of them former selves and Man Utd are up to their ears in debt and need to replace Fergie soon. Maybe we will be stronger in 18 months when we've sold a few and replaced a few. Bottom line is football is cyclical because humans control the finance of clubs, and humans often fuck it up, whatever the level of money sloshing around.

The Spurs "project" is interesting....I can see the similarities but at the moment I certainly don't trust the present club management enough to beleive that they'll see it through to the stage that Spurs are at as we see them now in 2012. When Redknapp took over they were bottom of the league but Comolli had recruited the basis of the present squad. Pardew has started from a much weaker posistion squad wise. Spurs have also waxed just as the (media) accepted "big 4" have dropped a level or two and have seen the incredible spending power of Man City blow everyone else out of the water. Now is a good time to be a team "on the up" and in a lot of ways now is one of the most interesting times to be following us in our recent history. Don't know what the financial fair play rules will mean for any club in the top division but if we take them at face value then we're going to be looking pretty strong. Theres so many teams with huge debts, ourselves included. I think if your debt is owed via a club owner to a bank then your pretty much fucked (strong rumours that if West Ham fail to go up then they're screwed too) Ours is a different debt, its all owed to one man who, it would appear, hasn't borrowed a penny since he bought the club. That may well be very important indeed when you look at the debt manu are carrying and they will also see Fergie retire sooner rather than later. Our present owners keep springing surprises (on me anyway, and I defy anyone who predicted who would have signed contracts with us in 2012 to say it was anything more than guesswork based on nothing in particular) so maybe we'll continue to progress for a couple of seasons until we reach where Spurs are now (maybe). But two of Spurs best 4 players are on loan and to move to the next level for them the other two will have to be sold. Will the replacements for Bale and Modric get them closer to Man Utd? It will be interesting to see them compete at the top level with that policy and build a new stadium like Arsenal have. As far as we're concerned I think we've gone from being incapable of making two good decisions/moves in a row to getting two out of three right. Thats progress as far as I can make out. We'll see.

I learned at the weekend that Pat Heard is now a stage hypnotist and illusionist. Which is a natural career progression as the fuckin useless prick only gave the illusion of being a footballer. No wonder Waddle and Beardsley fucked off.

What is it? Teams who have played in the premier league?....work server says no to sporcle

I think the fuckwits in the media just like to compliment him becuase he's been to university. Doesn't stop him from being just about the biggest wind up merchant out there (although Pardew is running him close ) A mate reckoned he ordered everyone on the Sunderland bench when they scored on Sunday to run up and down the touchline celebrating like a bunch of teenaged fanboys. Didn't see it myself, but he reckons he used to pull shit like this all the time at Celtic. Isn't he heavily into criminology? No wonder he's been seconded to those scabs.... He apparently attended the trial of the Yourkshire Ripper as a "interested spectator".......probably went to offer support thinking it was Wearside Jack

Cheers, that means a lot. If we play with some derby day spirit we might nick a draw ;-) Captain and best player suspended (thats two different players btw) for Everton, who are doing their usual trick of looking like a relegation side before xmas then looking like a champions league side come springtime. Not easy.

real progress that we didn't get stuffed 5-1 aye atm for us that is progress. If sunderland had hammered newcastle 5-1 the season before hand would you not want your team to show some fighting spirit the next time around???? I read this tripe from pardew that you were dragged into a war....jesus wept were we supposed roll over and just let you have a nice stroll for 95mins??? as your messiah himself said at half time apparently only one team were playing football in the 1st half and that was sunderland. WE GOT TO YOU and you didn't like it one bit. Can not wait for next season :-) 4 seasons in the premier league and thats what youve acheived. Precisely fuckin nothing. I'm almost beginning ro feel sorry for you now mate

Pardew got it spot on, they sucked us into their kicking match in the first half and we looked shite. In the first 5 mins of the second half we had 4 shots on goal, after the manager had got inside their heads at half time and told them to play football instead.. If we'd scored around the 60 mins mark we'd have got 3 or 4. We didnt, they hung on and I have to say Turner was fuckin brilliant, but we've been mediocre since well before xmas apart from the Man Utd game. This was a test of how far theyve come since last season and theyve managed to listen to O'Neil telling them to come out and kick the shit out of us . Well done to everyone at safc, real progress that like.

Got tkts for the Saturday at V fest Hylands Park, headlined by the best band this country has produced in the last 30 years http://www.vfestival.com/

I think the fuckwits in the media just like to compliment him becuase he's been to university. Doesn't stop him from being just about the biggest wind up merchant out there (although Pardew is running him close ) A mate reckoned he ordered everyone on the Sunderland bench when they scored on Sunday to run up and down the touchline celebrating like a bunch of teenaged fanboys. Didn't see it myself, but he reckons he used to pull shit like this all the time at Celtic.

Too early in the day Tom. Being a goal down for three quarters of the game didn't help either. Fuckin mental when we scored mind

Great half from Ben Arfa. Nothing to do defensively because of the sending off though.

4231 isn't the same as 451. Spain won a world cup with that formation and a front 4 of Sturridge, Welbeck, Johnson and Young is hardly defensive minded Fuck me its Andy Townsend in his "tactics truck" Perhaps you'd like to pont out the salient differences between the two for the benefit of the unenlightened i.e. me

Like theyre in a posistion to judge....I used to hand our Sunday League score cards to one of the old fuckers, Peter Hough, head of Dorset FA. Run from a Portacabin in a car park. He was on Simon Jordan's disciplinary comittee when the Palace chairman was up in front of the FA...I think it was a bit like 3 christians v 1 lion....basically a bunch of amateurs running a professional game.

James Murdoch has stepped down as executive chairman of News International.

Anyone get the impression that Pearce has got it into his head (or someone at the FA put the idea there?) that he stands a good chance of getting the gig full time?...according to the press this morning he's changed some minor bits to do with the tournament later this summer eg warm ups etc. I think its pretty irrelevent whos appointed, weve tried every sort of manager out there and none of them can make the typical English season less physically demanding or motivate the players sufficiently to be able to shrug being knackered off and giving it their all. Would the current squad react well to the motivational techniques of a sort of cross between Churchill (the patriotic statesman, not the dog) and Vinny Jones? I don't think the Redknapp thing is a done deal, walking away from Spurs at this moment in time for a thankless job which will end in tears anyway seems a strange thing to do. And the job will almost certainly be open again for him in a couple of years anyway.

After Sundays exertions Gerrard must be a bit tired, or perhaps Dalglish has threatened to act as PR advisor for Stuart Pearce if Psycho starts him tonight?....maybe Dalglish could get Suarez in touch with Pearce's brother, a meeting of like minds.... Either way if hes fit Gerrard will have the armband in the summer.

Scott Parker has got the armband for Englands game v Holland tonight

You'll have to thank him for me when you see him next

I saw him doing it on the box, one of those "live from the Appolo" things, couldnt agree more. Didnt really get the Mighty Boosh either, him and his mate seemed to be 2nd rate Vic and Bob copyists. Thing is he comes across as to me as a natuarally witty bloke on Buzzcocks.

Going to see John Richardson tomorrow night, he's the dark haired northern lad from 8 out of 10 cats on channel 4. Anyone seen him before? Bit of a purple patch for stand up round our way (all at Poole Lighthouse) in the next few months, we've go Rich Hall next which am really looking forward to, then Rhod Gilbert in April and in May Mark Steel is doing his "towns" thing. Mrs PL has paid for tomorrow night and Rhod Gilbert and I picked up the tab for the other two, theyre all £15 apart from Gilbert which is £25, I take it he's considered a "bigger name"?... she now thinks he's a greedy Welsh twat

Oh and as we speak Barton hasn't been adequately replaced. We've little service from out wide to speak of.