NJS

Its always been a massive thing for the smogs and at times they're as sad as the mackems in their obsession with us (check the bitterness on their messageboard!). But for toon fans its never the same, some couldn't give a toss about Boro and some like me think of it as more than just another prem game but not the same as a derby against the mackems. And most of it comes from their annoying fans and wanting to see us give them a good kicking every time we play them rather than a local rivalry. 118122[/snapback] Spot on - my dislike of Boro has to do with off the pitch antics in the same way I dislike Millwall rather than any "local rivalry" bollocks.

Yes he is a fat aussie bastard but he's also a good player.

I think the sexiest feature a woman can have is her smile - pretty but miserable is pointless. Recently I've realised I have a thing for thickish eyebrows - see Keira Knightly and Kate Winslett and I'd also echo the "english rose" sentiment. Don't worry though - I like nice arses as well

He's had a lot of injuries you know.....

You don't think "Jenas takes it up the arse" was sang with vitriol, you don't think it was intended to be an insult? Do you think the chants would stop if he came out and admitted he was gay? You can't tell the difference between taking the piss out of someone's race or sexuality and the fact they are tall? I wasn't surprised by some of the posts on N-O as I kind of expect it over there, but I have to say this coming from you surprises me. 113565[/snapback] But REALLY what is the difference, why is someone's physical appearance different in the slagging league than their sexuality ?????? 113568[/snapback] People aren't descriminated against on the basis of their appearance (at least not overtly). They aren't beaten up in the streets because of it, or refused jobs, or murdered. The problem I can see with these chants is that it reinforces prejudice already present in a small minority of idiots who can't cope with people having a different sexuality. I can't see much of a difference between it and racism; using your logic do you think it's OK to insult someone on the basis of their race? But as I said, I am also wary about over-sanitization in the game, and share LuckyPierre's reservations to an extent. 113573[/snapback] Thats why I'm so up for arguing about this - taking the piss out of Dennis Wise etc, etc can be nasty but in comparison with re-inforcing an attitude that actually gets people murdered its completely harmless. THere was something on the SMB yesterday about the president of Levski Sofia calling Mike Riley "a british homosexual" to which the FA said they found it deeply offensive. In my view thats put badly as if he was gay (or even if he wasn't) then it shouldn't be "offensive" to be called that as theres nowt wrong with it. What is wrong is that there is an intent with the statement to cause offence which comes from the bigotry that drives it and can lead to violence

I've always thought that Spurs were the last "good" team we play - not counting Chelsea as I'd thought they'd have won it by then so would be playing like they did last year. Can - yes, will - probably not.

"It is not clear how the plane will be removed" - fly the fucker out?

But it's not bollocks that he has set the club back by a number of years with his bad buys and selling of squad players for nowt. 110786[/snapback] I'd agree to an extent but I'm not a "years" man - I don't think theres that much wrong that couldn't have us back top 6 (but a bit of work from top 3) which is where we were when he came without a good appointment and a couple of decent buys.

Robert should have been booted out in 04 - he only "won back" the fans by becoming a flag-bearer against Souness. Hughes and Ambrose are nowhere near being even good enough to be fringe players. Bellamy is the only good player we've lost. Boumsong and Luque are probably write-offs but I'd anticipate getting a fair proportion of the money back on the latter at least and probably the former if he has a good world cup (france are happy with him). Parker and Emre are good players - better than Jenas and Butt. I'm not defending Souness that much but the idea that he has cleared out a squad of top players and replaced them with nothing is bollocks.

Zog has had a dead leg - I know the old one about being fit enough for the bench etc but why play someone probably still feeling an injury?

Worldwide TV audience - publicise city of culture and Gerrard sums up the place - perfect.

I think Pud means that you drag and drop the files into a "target" which mirrors the size of the DVD-R and Nero then burns it to the disk. I've only used DVD-RW/CD-RW in a similar fashion to -R - ie I haven't formatted them as a "drive".

you're as deluded and as naive as him 110480[/snapback] Thee was a statement of thanks on their website yesterday before the general spoke. He has not spoken to a journalist yet. I agree he's an idiot for going there but this "thanks" story is utter shite. I'm sorry it doesn't fit your worldview but thats the truth. Edit: now he has spoken and surprise surprise thanked them whilst making his point.

FFS he hasn't made any statement yet. His organisation did say thanks so the general or whoever was talking shite. Since when has anything generals said been 100% truth? Daily Mail journalism at its best (I saw it in the Standard which is the same thing).

South Shields: Geordie had a pigeon.

When Ramage was booked I'm sure Wanock was saying that if he'd have given the foul and yellow when the cheating scouse bastard dived earlier on then Ramage would be off - I was then surprised Riley din't say "you're right" and change it to red.

It was the same on Boxing day - okay the better team won but the officials did all they could to help. I still hark back to Riley not sending Sorenson off last year and then his eagerness to send Babayaro and Boumsong off this year Shearer has only been having one good game every now and then for the last 2 years at least imo. I think the write-off of Emre and Parker above after two admittedly poorish games is very harsh.

I stayed in Cologne like, but saw nowt. What was all that about? I was lucky enough to be too young to do the Belgrade number 1 trip like. You're right about daft lads 'n aal, cannit fail to spot them in Europe. 107604[/snapback] Irish bar in the cobbled square - we'd been in ages when it filled up with a full complement of you know who. Cologne had been at an away match (night before our game) and when they returned they turned up outside - cue mass exodus to the classic "the Jormans are outside, howay" and a return 10 minutes later to a resounding "that was fun" (We didn't bother being sensible/soft). Funny thing was we were talking to a good mate of ours at the match who is one of the daftest who reckoned we should have been in Dusseldorf as evry lunatic on the planet was there and had a great time. I think the fact it was our first chance to visit Germany meant an extra special effort all round. The thing about Belgrade and the like is that even though they are shitbags you tend to "trust" the coppers in Italy, Spain etc but in Easten Europe it seemed more "foreign" to me. Having said that, thats also what made the trips as a whole lot more interesting.

I've been to most of the euro trips apart from the last two UEFA seasons when I only went to a couple but I've seen a few isolated incidents almost everywhere. It has to be said that if Boro are like us then all their daft lads see Euro trips as a must - I know a few of ours from years back and they all seem to make Europe. A couple of places have had potential for a "Roma" but mainly through luck have turned out okay - Cologne (for Leverkusen) and the first Belgrade trip were the dodgiest I've seen.

Thats where we drank when we played Roma in 99 (Campo Di Fiori) - saw no bother. I've found on our trips there that they are shitbags who are happy to use weapons and spend 90 minutes chucking things at you but when faced with anything like even numbers revert to being cowards who don't want to know.

I had a holiday in Torquay when I was about 12 and remember the daft hills - how much do those flats on the cliff top go for these days?

I think all of the fixtures after the next two ae quite winnable so I'd be a tad more optimistic though I'd agree that 1 point from the two would leave us with a bit to do. Last year I thought we were comfortbale before Rooney's wonder goal which is why I'm quite hopeful this time around (famous last words etc, etc)

Didn't Rangers build their "platinum club" and other improvements during that period? Not saying they spent as much as Celtic but its not as simplistic as you make out. I could also point out the last day title loss the other year as a "negative". I also have concerns over his wife - as I 've said before I admire what he's done but the thing about cancer is that 6 months/1 year/2years down the line she could become ill again and we may face a Celtic situation again. I do think O'Neill is a better manager than Souness but not by much. I think as I've also said before that if we get him we would become a paerennial top 6 team again. However I think the ambition that LM mentions of going higher would be beyond us. I also feel we'd have to endure less "proper" football. I'd rather have him than the usual Bruce etc suspects but I think they're out of the equation now anyway.

The mackem thing doesn't bother me in the slightest - what does is the absolutely terrible football that Leicester played and I've read a couple of comments that suggest that it was no different at Celtic. I've always thought it would be "interesting" in a car crash style to see how Newcastle fans would react to a "basic" but relatively successful style of football - I think I'll find out if we get O'Neill.

Nothing more than Souness without the FA cup and shitter football.