NufcBano

Player power is key for this move ever to to be made. That much is certain. Andy Carroll will have to be pro-active in making it happen. If it were purely down to Liverpool & Newcastle to thrash out a deal between themselves, it wouldn't happen. We're the last club Liverpool would choose to sell Andy to as it would make them look more than a little silly. They would much rather ship him off to an Aston Villa or a West Ham or even an AC Milan (good luck with Mandy) just to save face if nothing else. Also from NUFC's point of view, there is no chance of us paying anything over £15million or the kind of money LFC would rather be scrambling for if they had it there own way. AC has to make his feelings known that he will only move from LFC, back home to us and nobody else, for this deal to be pulled off. If that sounds unlikely, than I cant help but look at the Robbie Keane fiasco Liverpool went through not so long ago. They signed him from Spurs for £20million, he was considered a flop and loaned back to Spurs within 6 months, only to sign for them permanently another 6 months later for a lower fee. Keane forced that move through and the scousers played ball. History could well repeat itself on a slightly higher scale, so it isn't as unlikely as it may seem. Whether Andy Carroll fitting in our current squad and playing style makes sense is another issue altogether & to be honest, is only worth going through if this transfer does indeed move forward and look apparent. Where this also leave's Demba Ba is another story. The July 31st deadline in his release clause continue's to tick down & I have no doubts a story or two will come about for last season's top scorer until then. What's clear in my eyes is that any kind of a deal for Carroll coming back would be a job well done for NUFC. He is a player that came through our youth system, was class in the first team & then sold for a ridiculous record fee. All of which was pure net profit. The net gain we made would reduce slightly with whatever fee we give back to the scousers, but to have the deal come full circle would be very sweet indeed. We shall see.

well imagine how many games he will start next season if he stayed. Every league cup, early FA Cup and some Euro games. Plus like i said, you could argue in the 4-3-3 system, he could actually be a starter sitting alongside Tiote. He's making a mistake.

I dont get what Guthries thinking is. He wont get to play for a club as big as us ever again and being 3rd choice isnt bad. Plus if we stick to the 4-3-3 next season, you could argue that he is actually in the first team, or at least worthy. Stupid boy.

When the Swansea manager turns down the chance to go to Liverpool....you know they're a joke.

I'm absolutey devastated. Theres going to be a lot less laughs next season

Keegan...?

Yea, sorted that.

Kenny's been sacked! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Man City may have won the title in the most dramatic style you have ever seen and have proven that they are the best team in the division, but looking at this season as a whole, it's got to be said that using a boxing analogy, Newcastle United are the Pound 4 Pound kings in the Premier League. Citeh have spent a £1billion, that's ONE BILLION, in creating the title winning squad over the past 4 years. Within that same period, NUFC have been relegated and have a net spend of -£30million. So we have been selling where other teams have been spending. To finish 5th in the league is one of the most remarkable achievements in Premier League history. No question. Other teams like Man Utd have been spending £16mil on a new goalkeeper, we have brought ours through the youth system into the first team. Where Chelsea have been spending £50mil on Torres, we have been signing Papiss Cisse for £9mil with much better results. Where Spurs have one of the largest net spends in the division and a Champions League season to use to attract the likes of Adebayor on loan, Newcastle have to sell first to spend and have a wage cap of £50k. Where Liverpool are spending £100mil on players to finish 8th, we are spending only what we can afford with free transfers and small sums like £4mil on first team players to finish 5th. The only club that can rival NUFC with regards to net spend to league position are Arsenal. But lets be totally honest. Arsenal have had 15 years of continuous Champions League football and can attract the type of player the Toon can only dream of. For NUFC to recruit the likes of Yohan Cabaye & Cheik Tiote who both won there domestic leagues, for nominal fees, after being a Championship club 2 years ago is incredible. NUFC fell just short of 4th place which is a shame but not unsurprising. The fact we were even in a position to qualify for CL going into the 38th game of the season is a minor miracle in itself. Champions League football could have changed our football club going forward but it wasn't meant to be. None of us can really complain. However, looking at both sides of the coin it has to be said that Alan Pardew resorting back to the 4-4-2 hoofball tactics is strange if not plain baffling. I hope he doesn't have plans to have this as our Plan A next season. We all witnessed the glorified success of the 4-3-3 system which seemed to suit our front 3 and allow them to attack at will, with Yohan Cabaye able to express his creativity in the hole and Cheik Tiote and Jonas holding the fort was solid as a rock. To look for an explanation for his abandonment of this system must be aimed at Demba Ba and Pardew's seemingly desperation in pleasing him. If this is true, then it's a disgrace. Demba Ba quite frankly has been a donkey over the past several games. The only reason he has been in the team is because of his flying start to the season where he scored 15 in 15 games. Looking at his last 10 games, his goals tally is nothing short of unbelievable. He has hardly looked like a 20 goal a season striker in recent months. However, if there is an underlying aspect to why Demba seems 'undroppable' no matter how poor he plays or where he wants to play, than it will probably be his contract. Or more specifically, the infamous release clause. Every man and his dog knows that he has a mediocre figure of a release fee in his contract that any club could easily activate without breaking any bank accounts. He has sulked, refused to shake the managers hand whilst being substituted and has been unable to hit a barn door ever since being asked to play out wide on the left. His toys have been very much thrown out of the pram. Craig Bellamy and Keiron Dyer both refused to play for NUFC on the wing in there time here and both were sold. If I were Alan Pardew I wouldn't be as desperate to please Demba as I would be in showing the Prima Donna just who is boss. If you don't wanna play for NUFC out wide, then don't play for NUFC at all. Goodbye. Thanks for the memories. This season has been incredible. Pardew has worked miracles on the whole and deserves his manager of the season award. Some of the goals we have scored is a goal of the season competition all by itself. Almost every signing we have made has been a success. We still have money left over from the Carroll sale and will earn a fair coin from finishing 5th in the league. We will increase our matchday income with Europa League games next season. So we should only get stronger. Keeping our key players is imperative. But even if we don't, they will only go for top, top dollar. In which we will use to find another Ben Arfa, Cabaye or Cisse. I already can't wait for next season. If it's anything like this season, then..... ...Bring it on!!!

Several words describe this signing; Unbelievable, Brilliant, Ambitious, Surprising, Suspicious. Unbelievable: This kid is a genuine wonderkid of European football. He has been dubbed the new Maldini and could genuinely step into any Serie A club he wished, including most European giants. Brilliant: We obviously need a left back so to replace the wantaway Enrique with a player with the potential to be better than him, for a lesser fee, is truly incredible. He can also play at right back so Simpson better start upping his game because Raylor is on fire. Ambitious: This signing sends a message loud and clear to European football; NUFC are still a big club. Any future signings will look twice at NUFC as a genuine possibility to play their football just by looking at this signing as well as Ben Arfa and Cabaye. Signing a 20-year-old wonderkid is nothing but ambitious and very impressive for all the NUFC fans to lick their lips over. Surprising: As I have already said, this kid could genuinely make it in any team he wanted in his native Italy, he is this highly praised. 'New Maldini' is a tag given to him by the highest of pedigree such as Jose Mourinho and Marcelo Lippi, which is high praise indeed. Also given the fact 99% of Italians usually stay 'home' within the Serie A and if they were to leave it would only be to a European Giant like Man Utd, Barcelona or a Bayern Munich, the fact NUFC have pulled this off is very surprising to say the least. Suspicious: Not to put a downer on this but you have to ask the question 'Why?' has a young Italian 'wonderkid' decided to leave one of Italy's giants to come to NUFC. The obvious answer must be; The Premier League. Our league is genuinely the biggest in Europe and can draw the best of players to it. Another answer must be 'Wages'. You can assume we have gave this lad the maximum we can in regards to wages which is widely accepted as £50k a week. So for a 20 year old lad to get this for 5 years is an obvious pulling tool. It's worth noting that if this kid is to fulfil his potential then their is a threat he will outgrow our football club if we continue to be a mid-table side. So he could be using NUFC as a stepping stone in his career for a bigger move later on in his career. It is known that he was dropped from the team at Inter and has been criticised in certain games so he may need this fresh new challenge to resurrect his career. To be honest, even if he is just using NUFC as a stepping stone....I am not complaining! If he matches his potential in a Black n White shirt (that isnt Juventus) I am more than happy. Bring it on. It's also worth noting that NUFC have 'invested' in this boy. They know full well given his age, reputation and the transfer fee, that if he does leave us one day.....he will leave for a hell of a lot more than £5million! I am glad we have finally got a full back in and the fact it is Davide Santon who all Football Manager players know is something very special indeed, I am surprised but over the moon! Finally a signing that matches the 'policy' NUFC insist on feeding us. Now, a striker needed please!! You have 24 hours!

davidsedgwickNE David Sedgwick via Twitter spoken to Barton, says he's talking to QPR as #NUFC dont want him so he has to go somewhere. He's on train with SSN's David Craig

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Sky Sports News has been claiming breaking news that Joey Barton has permission to talk to QPR. Now this isn't really news as Joey can speak to anyone he likes because he has been given the option of a free transfer. However, if he were to move to QPR it would actually make more sense then you may initially think. They have a new rich owner willing to invest in the team, he can get himself the 5 year contract he wants, he can get wages of at least £50k with this new rich owner, he will probably be given the captaincy, he will get to play in the Premier League still which if he were to go to West Ham he would obviously be dropping down a league, which he isn't going to do. So it all actually makes sense the more you think about it. None of the top teams want him and interest in him since the free transfer revelations hasn't exactly been smoking. Its also worth noting that Joey Barton has not been included in the squad that will travel down to Scunthorpe because of apparently a 'slight foot injury'. Now if anyone knows anything about pending transfers, fake injuries and being left out of squads is the norm. Also, worryingly adds to the fire of this rumour. If history has taught us anything, then if our Captain Kevin Nolan can go to West Ham then Joey Barton can go to QPR.....especially when he has a Fat Man and his croney literally pushing him out the door! I hope it's all bollocks, but with NUFC you just never know!