I mean, tbf, I would say they were right to call this off, but this is also very darkly hilarious. GMP have confirmed this was a device being used to train sniffer dogs, which really does raise questions as to what the hell they were playing at.

No doubt. They can't take the risk really, it was left by an external company who were training sniffer dogs so for all intents and purposes it would have looked 100% real. Once you find it, even if you're 99% sure that its not real I don't think they have any choice. The worry is that it wasn't found in the 4 days between it being left by the external company and whoever left it somehow didn't realise.

Shola

16 years ago

5 years ago

2,708

15 May 2016 22:03:58

What the fuck is Shearer talking about?

He's saying if Newcastle had been quicker and given him more time we would have stayed up. - Kinnear had a heart attack .

How does Shearer find a way to be a bigger moron every week. Can we go back in time and not sign the absolute walloper?

Also it was a penalty? Vertonghen did the foul not Eriksen.

BR.

17 years ago

2 years ago

1,896

16 May 2016 00:19:33

By Shola | On 15 May 2016 - 23:03 PM BST

What the fuck is Shearer talking about?

He's saying if Newcastle had been quicker and given him more time we would have stayed up. - Kinnear had a heart attack .

How does Shearer find a way to be a bigger moron every week. Can we go back in time and not sign the absolute walloper?

This is Alan Shearer you're talking about..

You're laying into Shearer and you were on Rafa's back after a couple of games yet you've never said a bad word about Mike Ashley or Pardew - doesn't make sense?

Plus I'm sure it was just Lineker who claimed that Shearer said that (probably ages ago), unless I misheard all Shearer said tonight about his reign was that he was the 4th manager that season.

Ninja

14 years ago

6 years ago

5,341

16 May 2016 15:37:12

• The contractor had signed the device as having been recovered along with the 13 other devices at the end of the exercise.
• That device could not have been detected by sniffer dogs on the routine matchday search of the 100 Club, as it contained no explosives and was used in an exercise training handlers not dogs.

Somebody's getting suuuuuuuuuuuuuuued.

Shola

16 years ago

5 years ago

2,708

16 May 2016 16:37:26

By BR. | On 16 May 2016 - 01:19 AM BST

This is Alan Shearer you're talking about..

You're laying into Shearer and you were on Rafa's back after a couple of games yet you've never said a bad word about Mike Ashley or Pardew - doesn't make sense?

Plus I'm sure it was just Lineker who claimed that Shearer said that (probably ages ago), unless I misheard all Shearer said tonight about his reign was that he was the 4th manager that season.

I've said several bad words about Pardew and Ashley.

Shearer implied twice yesterday that this relegation mirrored the last one perfectly. With him in the Benitez role. Kinnear is a far better manager than Shearer and had a heart attack. Was Ashley meant to stop him having a heart attack?

Benitez has thankfully turned the corner since the Southampton game - but his weeks of dithering has relegated Newcastle. I hope Benitez stays as I'd rather him have control than the board - and I think he's the best bet at getting towards the upper echelons of the League. - He's shown hints of his class.

But Benitez has still made mistakes; two points from Villa, Norwich and Sunderland isn't good and 'serenading' him for being unable to overturn a one point deficit and achieve a 30% win ratio whilst for example this was being written about Pardew two years ago;

So under Alan Pardew it is an overall record of played 147 matches and won 55, a win percentage of 37% (around 14 wins per season).

The general belief is that Mike Ashley simply wants Newcastle to survive in the Premier League and bank the TV money, with Alan Pardew you can claim that overall the manager has delivered that, though it has been a management spells of extremes, fifth in 2011/12 leading to a close call with relegation the following season

If you are happy with just surviving in the Premier League then maybe Alan Pardew is the manager for you.

However, if like me you believe that Newcastle have punched well below their weight under Pardew and are capable of challenging for more than survival, then you have to accept that the stats ‘prove’ that Alan Pardew is not the man for Newcastle United.

Number 1

16 years ago

10 months ago

3,650

17 May 2016 17:05:47

I think the whole thing with 2009 was less the unfortunate health issues JFK suffered - although his loss was a bow as he would've kept us up that year IMO - and more the fact that an inexperienced Chris Hughton and Colin Calderwood were left to struggle solo for 2 months while the suggestion that Kinnear may or may not return was not really solved. Don't know if they received a prognosis or not, but there was an unwillingness to commit.

Maybe it was a case of dithering then, but this season was a worse example of dithering. It might have been better for Benitez to be appointed during La Manga, as that would've given him around 2 weeks to get familiar with the team on neutral territory, plus a friendly with some Norway-based team and games against Stoke and Bournemouth would've been an easier baptism/interlude to find a system and players that worked then games with the eventual champions and a pair of six-pointers.

8 games may well have not been enough in 2009, but I'd say the position was more favourable then. That year, we went down by one point despite being ahead with two games to go, given a pair of winnable fixtures, and with a better GD. In comparison, we always had an inferior GD, and Sunderland only lost two of their last 13 (that being to West Ham and Leicester). I agree we should've got more than 2 points than we got from the Sunderland/Norwich/Villa trio, but it feels as much like those 2 wasted games at the Britannia and against the Cherries while McClaren was in a full dead rubber place cost us badly.

Although then again, you could say the same about Bobby Madley giving Sunderland a cheap penalty that Adam Johnson scored and handing Coloccini an incorrect red. And yes I know its the domain of the sore fucking loser to lament that incident from 7 months ago, but damn it why the fuck not?

I'd say the worst case of too little time was Norwich in 2013/14, given they sacked Hughton months after it became apparent they couldn't score for shit, and gave Neil Adams five games to keep them up (a six pointer with a Fulham team they never seem able to beat, then Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal)

As for Benitez staying, I still remain thinking he won't, but we'll see. Early signs are good at least.

Ninja

14 years ago

6 years ago

5,341

17 May 2016 17:38:10

Tonights going to be a fun game of 'How big a difference is there between the official attendance and how many actually turned up?' I reckon at least 40,000.

chokosc

14 years ago

3 weeks ago

1,041

17 May 2016 17:47:58

Why would anyone even bother turning up? I guess there will be no away fans?

Ninja

14 years ago

6 years ago

5,341

17 May 2016 17:54:26

By chokosc | On 17 May 2016 - 18:47 PM BST

Why would anyone even bother turning up? I guess there will be no away fans?

Probably not much better to do on a Tuesday night if you live nearby and had a ticket than go and watch us ~~draw 0-0~~ win 19-0 for free. Only so many times you can go to the War Museum, and the Lowry's a bit of a dud.

Ninja

14 years ago

6 years ago

5,341

17 May 2016 18:04:18

Full strength side in a meaningless game 4 days before a cup final hahahaha we deserve to get 47 injuries tonight and have to play 11 random people out of the stands at the weekend.

Sam

17 years ago

1 year ago

5,092

17 May 2016 18:15:40

Haha, fuck sake.

Dan

13 years ago

5 months ago

16,964

17 May 2016 20:26:27

BREAKING NEWS: MANCHESTER UNITED NOT ONLY SHOOT BUT SCORE IN THE FIRST HALF!!!

Sam

17 years ago

1 year ago

5,092

17 May 2016 20:44:05

Lovely pass that Wazza.

Dan

13 years ago

5 months ago

16,964

18 May 2016 05:38:56

Cech won the golden glove!

Had Smalling not of scored past De Gea last night then De Gea would of shared it with Cech

Deleted Account #151676

18 May 2016 19:26:12

Villa have been purchased by Chinese billionaire Dr Tony Jiantong Xia;

Aston Villa Football Club is pleased to announce that an agreement has been signed today for the sale of 100% ownership by Randy Lerner to Recon Group owned by Dr Tony Jiantong Xia subject to the approval of the Premier League and the Football League. Once those approvals have been granted and the new board members approved under the fit & proper rules of both leagues, Dr Xia will become Chairman of Aston Villa. The Club will announce the appointment of a new manager shortly.

Randy Lerner has sought the right new owner for Aston Villa who would take great care of the Club and restore its fortunes. He believes that Tony Xia is an excellent choice.

Recon Group is Dr Xia's privately owned holding company that owns the controlling interest in five publicly listed companies on the Hong Kong and Chinese stock exchanges and many other private companies employing 35,000 people in 75 countries.

Dr Xia played football as a striker until he finished at college and football has remained his passion. Dr Xia decided to buy an iconic football Club in England as the cornerstone of his Sports, Leisure and Tourism Division. He became a fan of Aston Villa many years ago and is delighted at the opportunity to become the new owner.

Dr Xia's immediate objective is to return Aston Villa to the Premier League and then to have the Club finish in the top six, bringing European football back to Villa Park. He plans to make Aston Villa the most famous football Club in China with a huge fan base.

The last bit is slightly hilarious, but all encouraging stuff.