Tyne Bridge

As well as a lack of press, and direct movement off the ball, we have seemingly stopped moving the ball quickly. Last season we had runners surging forward and going in behind on the overlap. Other than Trippier we seem to just drift in and it fizzles out in a crowd of players or the player turns back and the ball goes backwards. Slow sideways passes along the back four allow the opposition to drop back into shape too. Early days but the midfield doesn't seem a coehesive unit conecting with the front three at all. That said Man City are different class, an experienced Liverpool managed the game far better than us and Brighton look like last season's Newcastle.

The 80s silver shirt finally arrived after 7 weeks. I must admit the quality is excellent. Hopefully the badge and umbro logo will survive the washing machine,

I ordered it in mid November for my nephew's birthday, they took payment and no sign since. I have contacted them and they have blamed Royal Mail. Royal Mail say ... "Who?"

I was in Bilbao on a football tour a few years ago and can confirm that the hospitality was amazing. We felt like royalty from the moment we arrived until we left. We (veterans +35) played two games over a weekend and the people were first rate. We had a weekend planned for us and rarely had to put our hands in our pockets. They are very proud and genuine people and their city is both beautiful in architecture, atmosphere and warmth. I can understand and appreciate the link between the two cities. I had to buy my boy a Bilbao away kit though, couldn't have him play in red and white stripes. We all have limits.

My Under 8s had a heat map like that though. All of them, in a Key Stone Cops press / follow the round thing.

I woke up this morning thinking we were playing Arsenal at 8pm tonight. Upon learning from my son we were playing on Monday, it was like waking up on on Saturday morning thinking it's Wednesday and then realising it's Saturday. Weekend saved!

The Vanishing is the film based on Eilean Mor Lighthouse https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4131496/

Never in doubt. Sports Direct United ad infinitum. Oversized mugs in the shops, oversized mugs in the ground. NUFC is dead. RIP.

Seriously though, who else are we going to attract? Name a coach that will turn 'like a new signing' Colback into a footballer, will be able to transform our U23 kids into Premiership quality immediately and attract loan signings of calibre to make a difference, under the current constraints? Even if this unicorn of a manager exists and we do stay up, it is rewind and repeat next year. 17th the target and don't even talk about cups runs. Don't get me wrong, I don't want Bruce, Hughes, Pullis, Pardew or Allardyce but under the current administration I don't think it matters. Might as well pull some punter out of the crowd each week, or worse - bring back JFK. We are going nowhere under Ashley.

Given that we can expect that there is no take-over, no real expenditure on the squad and no expectation other than we fluke 17th place, I don't see Steve Bruce as bad appointment, other than any compensation will come from the transfer \ loan budget. No one can succeed given the constraints placed on this club. Rafa struggled, touted replacements Wenger and Mourinio wouldn't do any better with this squad and the limited budget. We need to go down and stay down. We won't get rid of Ashley whilst there is an income to be had from the club. We need to be a financial problem child to him. He can withstand negative publicity, he doesn't care that the fan base hates him, he will laugh off protests and demonstrations with gleeful contempt. But I guarantee he will be off like a shot if the club stops making him money. I hate to say it but we need to rebuild from ashes. Ashley is here to stay as long as we are a top flight club parading Sports Direct adverts to a global audience, whilst he trousers TV money.

We are no longer Newcastle United Football Club but Sports Direct FC. Might as well change the kit now. The algorithms have been calculated and 17th place in the Premier League gives the optimum return on owner investment, given the owner budgets only for 17th place in the Premier League. There is no take over. There never was. There never is. We have seen these deflections before. Why would he sell. This club is an income and he strikes me as a guy who would celebrate finding a pound coin in a gutter, like he's won the lottery. Why would he sell? He has it all worked out. He has all important brand exposure. Somehow, he has the ear of the national media when criticised. He doesn't need Rafa, in fact aspiration and ambition will mess with the spreadsheet. Stay up, pick up the TV money, trouser the profit. Get relegated, spend some of the trousered cash, get back up again. Ad infinitum. We are not a football club but a very tenuous business model which is very much worth the risk to Mr Ashley. He knows we won't stay away from games. He know we won't stop buying his tat. He has stumbled into the perfect market for peddling his low rent business model. We will not change, nor will he. Expect another ten years of tragedy. I do hope I am wrong.

Who puts their kid in a suit for a football match? Mike rubbing his hands at the prospect of sticking a cheeky Sports Direct poster on the vacant board in front of him.

Just a light hearted response, however... Having spent a former life in retail, most days are a pain, regardless. Working with people who think that they are always right, regardless, does take the shine off. Also have you experienced customer service in Sports Direct recently AH? I consider myself a pretty laid back sort, but I ashamedly created a scene in Harlow town centre after a particular incident. My children will not let me return to said shop. Harlow is probably akin to the Galleries of Essex. Yes - I let myself down. Sorry. However the guy in Enfield retail park definitely knows his stuff. He was the Rain Man of sports shoes. I'd give him an OBE. Living in Enfield, next to Donkey Lane Sports Fields, working in Fat Mike's Tat Emporium and excelling. I live in the south now, as you have probably noticed, but recently got lost in the MetroCentre Sports Direct, looking for football boots and a size four Mitre Futsall ball if anyone needs a northern reference to make my post valid.

Instead of a protest outside, why not all the protesters quietly queue up in both town centre stores, each to purchase an item costing £1.00, only for the till staff to find that the said customers have in fact brought only 99 shiny pennies instead of the required 100. Or perhaps employ the 'Charnley negotiation' stance in protest, where each protester tries to buy a home shirt costing £54.99 but offers a fiver and barters in increments of 5p until kick off time.

Not really, just means schools are centrally funded rather than through Local Authorities. It isn't the same as the old 'sponsored' academies system where the private sector took control of schools. Lots of pros, quite a few cons. It has worked for my school though. We have had the financial independence to grow, make key decisions and become highly successful, meeting community needs at the same time. The next two to three years will be crucial though as current levels school funding are crippling schools and many schools won't be able to balance the books without increasing class sizes, offering fewer opportunities for individualised support and cutting back on resources and facilities.

Anyone listen to audiobooks? I love a read but like to listen when running. Recent recommendations from friends\colleagues have been underwhelming.

After 20+ years working in schools, I have seen this more than a few times over the years. The school should be more supportive than you are describing. Politely press them on the strategies that have been put in place to guarantee that the lad will be safe whilst in their care. We would usually offer some sort of mediation between the kids to resolve underlying issues, assign a peer mentor or support teacher \ staff to keep an eye on things and to support your son. I would also ask his mates to look out for him in school, on the way home or when in the local community. Bullies rarely act when they think they might get something back. Security in numbers. I don't recommend parent to parent meetings - as previously mentioned, you don't know how amenable the other parents are and it could make things worse. I would also press the police for a response. If you have reported it as an assault then they should investigate and report back to you. As a minimum I would expect that they have visited him and his parents or have called them in for a good talking to. This will be logged on their system. I would worry about the older boys getting into bother if it kicked off. They will be deemed as older, more mature and putting hands on a minor never looks good. Similarly if your lad responded, he could get into trouble, so make sure that any physical response is a last resort, is in self defence and in view of people who could back him up and testify that he was acting to protect himself. Keep a log of events e.g. incidents, communication with the police, communication with the school etc. until this is resolved. Also Kidscape are pretty good. Sound advice on the website and you can give them a call too: https://www.kidscape.org.uk/advice/advice-for-parents-and-carers/parent-advice-line/ Hope it gets resolved soon.

Great. Thanks MF. Showing up fully booked for pre-payment but we will just rock up anyway and see if we can get a space. Regards, Steve

Premier Inn - New Bridge Street.

One last question and then I will shut up. I am travelling up in a minibus. Where is the best place to park? The hotel haven't been much help, recommending places with a height restriction. Anyway thanks for all the previous help and suggestions. Regards, Steve

Evening, Thanks for all the culinary suggestions. We are up this weekend and are playing two games at Gateshead Stadium on the 3G astro pitch on Saturday \ Sunday morning in a vain attempt to justify spending the whole weekend on the drink to our wives and partners. The team we are meant to face on Sunday are now short of a few players so if a couple of you fancy a run out against an aged, half-cut bunch of southerners I am sure you will get a game. The astro pitch has been booked for a 10 am KO, roll on roll off subs, top and shorts provided so you would just need to have socks, shin pads and astros or moulded studs. A contribution towards pitch cost and referee fee would be welcome. Can you let me know though and I will get contact details of the lad who is organising the 'home' side to you? Cheers! Steve

We have been twice before but tend to go out quite early. Service has been great and the food good on both occasions. That said mind, the southern boys are always in awe of the size of the Northern portions. Make your own gags here. Would appreciate any suggestions for a better alternative for a group of 14. Cheers.

Cheers lads.

Great, many thanks MF.

Evening, I am regular reader but don't post often as I have limited value to add to conversations! Anyway I am bringing my ageing veterans football team to Tyneside from Hertfordshire for the 3rd time in six years to play two games on Tyneside in April. We are booking Akbars on the Saturday night for a curry but need a recommendation for the Friday. There are 14 of us. We are staying in the Premier Inn New Bridge Street so a Central location preferable. Also last time we were up, April 2014, it was dead in town \ quayside until about 11pm. Any suggestions on where we should go as our football games will finish about 1pm. We are 40ish in age and are just looking for a laugh, some good beers and no bother. Thanks in advance. Steve