ohhh_yeah

wow! it bothered you enough to start a new thread???

TWO new players could make debuts for Bolton in the St James's Park hothouse tomorrow. Gretar Steinsson and Matt Taylor could make their debuts after signing for Sam Allardyce's old side this week. Steinsson, a right-sided defender, arrived in a £3.5m deal from Dutch side AZ Alkmaar and Taylor finally completed his protracted move from Portsmouth. Gavin McCann is doubtful after sustaining a minor injury in last week's 2-1 home defeat by Blackburn, while Gerald Cid has returned to France with Nice and El-Hadji Diouf and Abdoulaye Meite are away on African Nations Cup duty. Team (from): Jaaskelainen, Hunt, J O'Brien, A O'Brien, Gardner, Michalik, Steinsson, Taylor, Campo, Cohen, Guthrie, Nolan, Davies, Giannakopoulos, McCann, Samuel, Wilhelmsson, Braaten, Alonso, Al Habsi.

Source: Shields Gazette

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Time To Bring Back The Noise... for those making their way to the match can you PLEASE bring your camera!!! PLEASE!!!

Written by Les Ferdinand on Wednesday, 16 January 2008 Kevin Keegan is a great man-manager. I've always said if you can manage players properly then they will respond for you. He was able to get the best out of the players he brought to the club and the players he had there with his unique style of playing. He wanted to attack. We were going to lose games but we won more than we lost. We'd score four if they scored three. It's going to be a major task and he'll know that more than anybody. He'll have got his sights set on who he wants to bring in and the way he wants to play. He may need to get rid of some players and bring in some new blood and he'll get time to do that. No other manager would probably get that time as we saw with Sam Allardyce. Kevin will get time and hopefully be able to turn it around. It'd be great to see him win them something. Kevin's used to making some pretty big decisions. One of them was selling Andy Cole and I always remember him coming out onto the steps appeasing the supporters and saying: 'Trust me'. It will be a massive circus surrounding him, right from the first game against Bolton, but he knows how to deal with it and cope with it. He'll be looking forward to getting going. The scary thing was he came so close last time but he left not through footballing reasons. People say when you go somewhere you will always find it difficult to go back and replicate it but it's a special, unique place and the pull proved too difficult for him to turn down. I certainly think he's the best man to do it. He came very close before, even if it was over 10 years ago, but if there's anyone who understands what needs to be done and the way it needs to be done, it's Kevin Keegan. As long as he brings the right people in alongside him, I'm sure he'll make a success of it. I wish him all the best, I really do.

wait... what did i miss???

Photos from the match I found on soccerart.uk

bullshit...

i do not remember seeing this in the previous 15 pages... and then there is this... Keegan sees Newcastle overwhelm Stoke By Henry Winter Newcastle United (2) 4 Stoke City (0) 1 Kevin Keegan's training sessions are traditionally packed with shooting practice and his Newcastle United players certainly caught his attack-fixated bug at a delirious St James' Park last night. Echoes abounded of Keegan's last spell here, certainly the good times when visitors to St James' Park were blown away by a black-and-white-flecked hurricane, with goals flying in from all angles, before the usual wobble, witnessed here when Liam Lawrence struck a late consolation. Tougher assignments lie ahead, notably Arsenal at the Emirates in the next round, but Newcastle fans will not hear any words of caution, not with the ultimate cavalier, Keegan, back in town. The Keegan effect seemed to have worked its magic on Newcastle's players even before he took up his seat in the directors' box to rapturous applause after 18 minutes. From Rennie's first whistle, Newcastle sensed that their Stoke guests, so riddled with injuries, most damagingly at full-back, were there for the taking. Newcastle went for the jugular. James Milner was terrific down the right, constantly troubling Danny Pugh with his pace and skill. Luis Enrique, a good attacking left-back if suspect defensively, took up residence in Stoke's half. Within eight minutes, the pressure told: Owen struck his first goal in 12 games for club and country, making the party go with even more of a swing. Surprisingly, it was the languid Mark Viduka who began the move, winning the ball 40 yards out. Damien Duff, impressing in the centre, took up the running, racing forward and lifting a cross to the far-post. The ball was cleverly weighted, designed to clear Stoke's tall centre-halves. Milner rushed in and turned the ball back across. There was Owen, the master poacher, doing what he does best, swivelling, shooting and beating the keeper. Steve Simonsen had no chance, the ball disappearing past him in a blur. His Stoke colleagues refused to be downhearted at this concession of such an early goal. Liam Lawrence, whose Sunderland connections earned him many catcalls, tried to make headway down the right. Stoke's forwards, the deep-lying Jon Parkin and frontrunning Ricardo Fuller, began charging about, seeking to impose themselves on Cacapa and Steven Taylor. Just as Newcastle's centre-halves were being examined, Keegan chose a fitting moment to arrive. Flanked by the chairman Chris Mort and Newcastle's beaming owner, Mike Ashley, Keegan acknowledged St James' emotional salute. Familiar faces in the smart seats stretched out hands of welcome. Eyes lit up with delight. Keegan felt home again. A reminder that match-day life is never simple here soon arrived. A duel was developing in midfield and tempers were rising. Stoke's captain, John Eustace, sought to disrupt Newcastle's rhythm, particularly targeting Emre. He caught the little Turk with one fierce challenge unnoticed by Rennie but clearly remembered by Emre. Pumped up with anger, Emre went looking for revenge, and launched himself into Eustace, flying through the air like a slightly plump pigeon. Emre made only limited contact with Eustace, who fell to the ground but, in fairness, quickly jumped back up. Rennie initially appeared to be contenting himself with a booking but then, continuing a familiar theme this season, paused as if taking a second opinion. To St James' disbelief, Rennie then drew out a red with all the flourish of a matador despatching a bull. Emre departed, his face moistening with tears, an inconsolable figure despite the tender ministrations of Milner. A man down, Newcastle did not let up in their ambitious intent, a credit to Nigel Pearson's preparations. Keegan certainly will have admired the commitment to attack, the sight of a midfield formed from three wingers, and especially the overhead kicks from Viduka and Owen. Both efforts were blocked but such attempts at the spectacular will have delighted Keegan. Newcastle's new manager saw the team double their lead on the half-hour. The busy N'Zogbia whipped in a corner, again aimed to avoid the oaks at the heart of Stoke's defence. Cacapa had nipped to the near-post, meeting N'Zogbia's corner with a flicked header that sped past Simonsen. Having survived a slight scare when an unmarked Rory Delap headed Lawrence's cross into the side-netting, Newcastle added a third midway through the second half. Viduka was again involved, heading a clearance into the path of Milner, who was hurtling down the inside-right corridor. The England Under-21 international, who has been in such dynamic form this season despite the team's travails, chested the ball down and darted on. Brimming with purpose, Milner brought his right foot down, and sent the ball skimming low and true past Simonsen. With 15 minutes remaining, Newcastle added a fourth, and one half-expected St James' announcer to credit it to Keegan. The catalyst was N'Zogbia, outstanding all evening, who charged down the right before cutting the ball across to Duff, who finished unerringly past an exposed Simonsen. Duff went close to adding a fifth, unleashing a shot that Simonsen tipped over. But there was a slight sting in the tale, a warning of defensive frailties when Lawrence curled in a riposte. The noise of celebration from Stoke's large gathering was soon drowned out by chants of "Keegan, Keegan". Match details Newcastle United (4-4-2): Given; Carr, Taylor, Cacapa (Rozehnal, 70), Jose Enrique; Milner, Emre, N'Zogbia, Duff; Viduka (Carroll, 72), Owen. Subs: Harper (g), Edgar, LuaLua. Sent off: Emre. Goals: Owen 8, Cacapa 31, Milner 68, Duff 76. Stoke City (4-4-1-1): Simonsen; Zakuani, Cort, Shawcross, Pugh; Lawrence, Delap (Dickinson, 77), Eustace (Pulis, 77), Cresswell; Parkin (Diao, 62); Fuller. Subs: Hoult (g), Pericard. Booked: Delap. Goal: Lawrence 89. Referee: U Rennie (South Yorkshire).

interview with shay: "The hairs stood up on the back of my neck," he told Sky Sports News. "It gave everyone a huge lift before tonight's game. "You dream like the fans dream that Kevin Keegan would come back and maybe Alan (Shearer) would come back as well. "But until it was announced today, you thought it was just a dream. "Everyone's pinching themselves around the north east tonight. The dream's come true. "Kevin Keegan has a lot of work to do with the squad and the team but hopefully there are exciting times ahead. "We hope to get back to where we were the last time (he was in charge). He nearly won the league. "Everyone remembers the entertaining football we used to play under Kevin Keegan. Hopefully we can do that and get the right results as well." "With him in charge I think we are heading in the right direction."

dailymail

i rate zigic... but there are so many other players i would like to see brought in before him...

not the best effort but hey...

keegen, shearer, and coleman... oh my...

any takers???

attacking football??? yes please...

oh well... news is that he has flown across the pond to sign with fulham...

Newcastle Agree £5.5m Diarra Deal - Report A report in The Sun claims that Newcastle United have reached an agreement with Arsenal over the transfer of Lassana Diarra. However, they have yet to convince the player. Diarra, 22, has made no secret of his desire to leave Arsenal in search of regular football after being benched in favour of Mathieu Flamini and Cesc Fabregas, despite Wenger's suggestion that he should stay on and fight. Newcastle have emerged as the latest club interested in him, and have reportedly agreed a £5.5million deal with Arsenal for the French international. However, they have yet to get the player to agree to a four year deal worth £35,000-a-week, as Diarra is more keen on a move to Tottenham. Juande Ramos sees Diarra as his defensive lynch pin, but Spurs have yet to strike an agreement with Arsenal, who are obviously more keen on a deal with the Toons. A January move, however, is looking near certain now, particularly after he was left out of the Carling Cup semi-final squad so he could be available in Cup competitions. Tottenham are, of course, still involved in the Carling Cup, while both they and Spurs have FA Cup third round replays lined up for next week.

looks like robbie savage is joining him at derby...

i wonder what .com photoshopped out of the photo...