Newcastle Thread

Such a loooong way though. And there's a running track around the pitch like the Don Valley. Fuck the Don Valley.

Did you come up to Newcastle a couple of years ago?

That was before my time supporting Argyle I'm sad to say.

One way or another with Pardew, a decision will probably come out of the end of season meeting next week.

I stand by my earlier thought - while results since Boxing Day have been ludicrously unacceptable, the minimum expectation was top 10 and as he met it, Pardew will be sticking around. Not that this has stopped speculation beginning - Christophe Galtier of St. Etienne has been linked with us by L'Equipe.

Saying that, I'm pretty sure L'Equipe are meant to be hideously unreliable so we can ignore that rumour.

True. Other local newspapers do it as well - Stoke's papers weren't amused after Port Vale banned them for doing a story on where missing overdue replica shirts were, and I seem to recall after Billy Davies and his superiors banned a number of journalists and publications from Nottingham Forest games, some titles seemed to be almost cheering Davies out of the door.

Don't forget the Chronicle was embarrassing before they got banned.

The 'fans' turned on the local media, for not being anti-Ashley enough. (Turning on the local media seems to be quite common). NCJ then got fucking desperate and started printing as much anti-Ashley bollocks as possible.

NCJ are a joke though, they're completely malleable. They spent most of the past 20 years writing what they were told, by Keegan, Hall and Sheppard. I think their main issue is Ashley doesn't want to use the local media as an unofficial mouthpiece for the club, ergo their sports section is completely redundant, and now they are seemingly attempting to ride the tiger as long as possible.

Also hilariously ironic how the 'fans' protest groups, get annoyed whenever a journalist has an alternative viewpoint. "They don't understand the club, they don't realise how hard it is being 9th etc."

And don't forget the club went hard on the Telegraph when they printed a story about Newcastle fans being anti-semetic. And now they're lying about Pardew saying 'fans are disloyal"

They banned the Telegraph for saying something about dressing room divisions. It was the Independent who did the line about fans chanting anti-Semitic stuff about Ashley, although I haven't heard anything about that story since it first appeared.

I swear fans of every team have some people that say "these journalists don't understand the club". Lower league clubs and even the bottom 10 of the Premier League to an extent frequently seem to fill comment boards with this shit.

To my view, journalists are analysing our season as a whole and the results game over it, which largely paints a reasonable campaign by virtue of a top 10 finish. But that's one way of looking at it, and most fans, or at least the vocal ones, view other ways of seeing the year - either that the second half of the season has been fucking dreadful, or that we're still continuing the mistakes made since blowing the advantage of 5th in 2011-12 by ignoring much-needed investment, or that Ashley is still blundering as he always has done. There's no real way one way of looking at it.

My mistake.

Pretty good summary tbf.

Quite.

So... what's next?

I don't think Pardew's going to be shown the door but he has to improve or else next season is going to be unbearable. No matter who is manager, investment has to be made and given we got almost £79M in TV revenue and prize money for a top 10 finish (apparently), plus the profit of transfers, there really is no excuse for not providing a transfer budget this time.

At the very least we need a top striker and a top midfielder.

We need some wingers too, if Pardew wants to play 4-4-2, and we need someone to replace Ben Arfa if he goes. We also need a few squad players, and probably a new centre back.

Twittersphere seems to be going to town on a rumour Pardew's getting a £60M transfer budget.

Seeing as we didn't even spend 60 million pennies on permanent signings this season, I doubt it.

I dread to think the damage he could do with that if he's allowed to buy 'British' like he wants.

Graham Carr could hopefully work wonders with it.

In fairness if Norwich/Cardiff/Fulham signed Remy on loan instead of buying VanWolfswinkel/Hooper/Cornelius/Jones/Mitroglou/Bent they would have easily have stayed up.

Seems to be stemming from Luke Edwards in the Telegraph, who iirc is the banned one?, never mentions a figure in the article, but claims first signing will be in the 'next few days'. Almost certainly bullshit imo

Tbf Norwich could probably have stayed up if they'd kept Holt and left Van Wolfswinkel in Portugal. Holt & Hooper may well have been the ultimate battering ram partnership.

The Telegraph was banned as a whole, but Edwards was the one who did the article. I think he's been let back in.

I do think we will spend money on permanent signings because if we fail to spend this time, it'll be a problem. But maybe not £60million worth.

EDIT: Edwards has Tweeted saying NUFC themselves have told him to say the budget is not £60million and is rather an "undisclosed" figure. So, nothing then.

As Poe alluded to earlier, I fear what Pardew could do with that money. Surely given the structure of the club and past successes it'll be given to Carr with Pardew yes/no-ing.

As for the £60 I'd say at best that would include wages and the like so really for the level of wages we'll be paying we're probably looking at £30m cash for players and then big ass wages on top. Rumours that up to 7 players could be released (inc. De Jong and Remy) and so for the amount of players we'd need, that money will be spread very, very thinly

In other news, I'm gracing the pitch of SJP on Saturday morning

Aye.

The exodus is reportedly beginning already - BBC are reporting Dan Gosling is set to conclude a free transfer to Bournemouth. Although given he barely played anyway, he probably won't be missed that much.

I've seen a Tweet Tom Ince should be attempted but given Palace barely played him, maybe not.

Journalists seem reasonably confident players are brought in soon.

Just fucking hope the twitter rumours list is bullshit. No way Newcastle should be spending stupid money on Shelvey, Delph, Zaha etc.

I had a Twitter exchange with a Swan who said Shelvey would be worth the money we got for Cabaye. Fuck that.

I'd love Shelvey for about 8m, he's a really good player imo.

Not too keen on Zaha mind - Delph and Ince would be good though.

Ince would be a free and might work, even if I'm a bit reserved after his misadventure with Palace. He must really regret that mystery tour he did in the week leading up to January deadline day. Delph would be good and would certainly work as an upgrade on Anita, while Shelvey is alright but I think Swansea will want too much for them. I like the idea of signing one or both of Jordan Rhodes and Ross McCormack, but maybe there's cheaper out there. Zaha was shite at Cardiff so not him.

Whats the craic with Zaha? Loan or buy? Probably would be a decent loan, even if I don't think Pardew could get the best out of him (or what his best actually is, or if anyone can, or if he's actually any good at being anything other than a show pony) but a buy would be a ridiculous risk.

Purchase I assume, although Newcastle probably aren't really after him. Delph? Last thing we need is a DM. And I thought Gosling had the better of Shelvey the other week.

Aye Williamson had the better of Suarez on the last day too - means nothing.

Shelvey is a good player, Gosling is average at the very best.

Shelvey would be aces. I still proper hope we sign that Grenier cos those three goals I saw him score in a youtube vid were class.

Gosling is cack.

Anyway, the Dummett red card got overturned. Thoughts on him? I think he's been rather average, with some shocking performances at times. Dunno what's happening with Santon, is he even injured or just out of favour? Haidara seem our best bet for LB at the moment.

Yeah, I assume its bollocks then. We only signed him a year ago for about £15m, so I doubt we're keen on letting him go for a price that any sane football team would actually pay for him despite the fact that his attitude looks to be utter shite and a complete barrier on him ever becoming good enough.

Zaha's attitude does seem pretty poor

Judging from the rumours, we're still expecting an English influx then? I'd love Grenier but it's highly unlikely, Cabella has been mentioned again but he's similar to HBA who is used incorrectly, what's to say Pards would then know how to use Cabella?

Given Grenier is going to Brazil, I daresay if he impresses, we'll be outbid by teams with a coherent transfer policy. He would be good but Ashley doesn't do £10million+ on players, which is why Remy is not going to be a permanent. Well that and (according to Tyneside papers) his attitude off the field has been poor.

We need a lot, no matter what nationality. Its just actually a case of whether or not the incompetent rabble that run the joint actually buy anyone.

Remy was in Life of Riley in South Shields a couple of weeks ago. Absolutely hammered.

The fans forum minutes confirmed Pardew will stay on.

Much as I had hoped not, at least it's been confirmed early. But we really have to press on now or we will be up shit creek.

Ffs.

Might have a bet on us being relegated.