manctoon

As padlock says, Enrique was so poor at tracking the right winger, the manager had to bring Geremi across from the right to the left in order to help him! If you think that is the sign of a good left back, then your football knowledge is about as good as your grammar and manners.

Yes, I was. I travel from Manchester for every game. I hope that's good enough for you. There were two occasions when he lost the ball while under pressure and a couple more when he didn't pick up his man, though there was one particular minute when he shielded the ball well when under pressure. He was absolutely shocking at times against Sheffield Wednesday. On one attack, he had to pick up one of three players. So he stood in the middle of all of them looking clueless. I just can't see what's so good about him.

Exactly! So we have have "zero interference" (I think you mean zero attention) from the stewards - so why antogonise them? I agree that we should deal with it at the point that they start telling people to sit down, but if they're just walking up on patrol, as they do occasionaly, we need to leave them be. On your other point, if you really think the council would allow a business/part of a business premises to stay open because it contributes to the local economy, you're pretty naive. Anyone who has worked with a local council would tell you that they are the king of the jobsworths. Here's an example:

You're totally missing the point. People who go to the games realise you can't fall out of Level 7. Jobsworth who work for the council don't give two hoots. The point is, the council has the power to close down stands/the stadium. Stewards/police have the power to force us to sit down. No amount of protest or aggressive posturing is going to change that (see the last 18 years of English football for examples). So let's be thankful we've actually got a standing section - unlike 99% of other clubs, and not look a gift horse in the mouth.

For me, Fatty is spot on. To be successful in football, you can't be too influenced by emotion. The fact is: Shearer is an unproven manager. It is grossly unfair to judge him on the eight games last year, as morale was rock bottom andit wasn't his squad - in the same way that I could take control of Real Madrid tomorrow and probably win a fair few games. You have to judge a manager on his merits as a manager and Shearer has none. I believe all managers have to earn their crust at a lower level and work their way up, Shearer hasn't done that. And, let's be clear, the reason Ashley hasn't brought Shearer in is because he doesn't want to be undermined like he was with Keegan. Ashley knows that, if there was ever a disagreement between Ashley and Shearer, the fans would always side with Shearer and you can't have that level of emotion overiding rational decisions. We need the right man for the job and I believe Shearer isn't it (yet).

I'm looking for a Blackpool away if anyway can offer one. It'd be a sickener to miss this one with it being the closest game to where I live this season!

Exactly. NUFC.com did a piece the other week showing all the quotes from players who went on to leave. They were along the lines of: "NO WAY AM I EVER LEAVING NEWCASTLE, MAN. THIS IS MY HOME. NO WAY, MAAAN, NO WAY." And, it's only my opinion, but I think Enrique is woeful. He was shocking in the Premier League and can barely cope at this level, though I will admit that he has had one or two flashes of competence this season. He just can't pass a ball or pick up a man.

So 20 lads shouting in a steward's face at point black range isn't provocation? Would you have been surprised if a whole army of stewards had come up and sat us all down? Stewards have been doing regular 'patrols' up and down the steps for years without telling people to sit down and there was nothing last night to suggest they were going to start.

That's what I don't understand though: It's been a million times more peaceful than it has been in the past...so why the sudden provocation? I agree with 1892 that we need a bit more colour up there and perhaps a way of getting everytone to learn the words to Geordie Sail and This Badge....

Unfortunately, the real world is not as straightforward as that, Tom: The law states that persistent standing is not allowed during the course of play. If a local council discovers that persistent standing is taking place they can, in theory close whole stands or even stadia. You cannot simply say 'the customer is always right, fans will do as they please'. As I said before, if the stewards really wanted to, they could make us sit down. But they let us off - and have done for years. So provoking them by singing songs right in their face 25 on one isn't a good idea.

Right, I understand that everyone up there loves to stand and the thought of having that taken away from us fills most of us with dread. BUT - why the hell were some of you singing "we'll never sit down, shove youe seats up your ass" to the stewards? I might be missing something, but I didn't see the stewards actually ask anyone to sit down tonight. If they did, I stand corrected. If I'm right and they didn't - don't you see that, when 20 lads sing that song to one steward right in his face, it won't do us any favours? You might have noticed from many away trips in the past that fans of most other clubs don't enjoy the same freedrom from the stewards as we do. Those fans would give their right arms to have a standing area. We've got one and it makes the match a million times better. Don't ruin it by provoking the stewards into showing you who is boss. Cos let's face it, if they really wanted to make us sit, they could.

Exactly. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Of course, it's great that our young lads can step forward and perform, but, it's a long 46-game season and we won't win them all.

Agreed. And, in a twisted way, it might be a good thing: If Moat comes in, it will have mean we will have sold three players at least to make it possible, resulting in a dodgy season. If Ashley stays, it will mean we don't necessarily have to sell anyone before Monday. And let's not forget, loan deals and the signing of free agents can be done until September 8. I honestly think we can bring in five or six players then that will add much-needed depth to our squad. Best case scenario - Ashley stays, we go up, then he sells and we're on a level footing. Worst case - We sell more players, Moat comes in, we go down....God knows. I really don't know anymore.

Absolutely no truth in the Nolan link to Bolton at all. Like the Carroll rumours, they have probably been spread by people within SJP to try to whip up interest and necessary cash for Mr Ashley. Besides, if you were Megson, exactly what about Nolan's recent form would make you want to buy him?

NJS is spot on. How can you say the FSF don't know the facts - how do you know what they know? The facts of the matter are: Police up in Scotland knew exactly who they wanted to be on that train. They put them on the train and rather than sending them straight back to mackemsville, took them to Central and let them act the big man on the platform for a good 10 minutes. There will be plenty of times this season when our fans happen to be crossing paths with mackems on the way to or from games and this is just a simply way of obtaining banning orders.