spongebob toonpants

Tell us more... 74939[/snapback] Nothng exciting unfortunately.We both used to hang out at Probe Records in Liverpool in the late 70s. No internet or playstations in my day. We both shared an obsession with T.Rex

I used to know Pete Burns

Nearly matches the old one from Skol : "I want Coventry to beat us" 74666[/snapback] shameful tbh 74668[/snapback] Agreed, and he got plenty of stick for it back then. 74675[/snapback] Take your empty hook back lads - I'm not biting.... And you all knew what I meant you pedantic tossports! 74733[/snapback] not biting - but wriggling

Nearly matches the old one from Skol : "I want Coventry to beat us" 74666[/snapback] shameful tbh

I was never actually backing the bloke, I just maintained that I think he needed time to prove himself - and the Wigan result was the final straw. I couldn't give a shit if we won the FA Cup, I'd still want him replaced. 74647[/snapback] An chance you could make your New Year resolution to avoid posting drivel like this

What odds though? 74190[/snapback] Evens 74191[/snapback] Current odds from Billy Hill.... 20. Sunderland 1.00 19. Portsmouth 1.61 18. West Brom 1.66 17. Birmingham 2.20 16. Everton 5.50 15. Fulham 7.50 14. West Ham 8.50 13. Charlton 11.00 12. Nappy Rippers 17.00 11. Newcastle 41.00 So, Hills have us at 40/1 to go down, having us finishing in 11th place. Best odds for a bottom 6 finish from Hills is 13/2. Looking at that list from the experts, what odds are you offering on us finishing in the bottom 6, Alex? Anybody think this 40/1 from BH is huge given the circumstances? 74254[/snapback] Evens 74425[/snapback]

Don't agree, Spongebob 74248[/snapback] I would take Parker over Butt, Owen over Bellamy, Luque over the version of Robert that we were left with and Emre over Jenas every time. I would also take Boumsong for all his faults over OBrian or Hughes

Though possibly not as fit

I reckon whoever we get as manager is getting a better group of players than Souness did

Nonsense Its completely predictable that I will never see us win anything

Jebus. Never mind sacking Souness, I think we will have to play the fucker

I am fully with Renton on this one. Batty is the worst signing Newcastle ever made. We were never the same again after he came. I know its an oversimplification but his one paced sideways passing destroyed the tempo which made us so entertaining and succesful

I remember starting a thread on the Toontastic of the time which stated that it seemed like I was the only one "happy". Of the candidates at the time I stand by that. That doesn't mean I still think he's the man for the job or think that he's done well overall but the alternatives still don't appeal. 73926[/snapback] I wasnt as unhappy as everybody else, and failng bringing back Keegan I would still wait til the summer to get rid, and try and get a decent mnager after the World Cup when there will be a bit of managerial merry-go-round

No, I just can't be arsed to go to Kingston Park, if you want to go there and host your own private protest, go ahead. 73211[/snapback] But if you love the club you would be there

turns down Sunderland Come on back kev and deliver us from evil

A bit full of youself kiddo

And you Pilchy. 10year old Bowmore for me

great news. happy new year

you started it

I too have only seen this today. Keep strong. Good luck to the little fella

I understand what you're saying, but I think you're wrong to say the previous 3 seasons are an irrelevance. The team and squad had been good enough to finish in the top 5 over a fairly lengthy period, that means Souness had a very sound, established squad on which to build. This is a lot more than some previous managers. I know the performances were slipping, I started pointing this out in 2002-03 and it needed addressing then. It wasn't. But the fact remains, Souness had the core of a pretty good squad that was of an established top 5 standard. Regarding the clubs money. I don't believe Souness has spent money wisely, and he has certainly undermined the value of players released, so the club has brought less in than should have been the case. This has been said before by others and it remains true and really can't be refuted. There is more to saying money has been spent wisely than thinking player 'x' is a good player, you have to ask yourself, "did we need that player?" Leeds spent millions buying the wrong players, a lot of them were good players but it didn't do them the least bit of good really. For myself, I think we needed to strengthen at the back before completely rebuilding the midfield, but Souness decided to rebuild the midfield. I think he's spent a lot of money on players we didn't need ahead of other areas where there was a more urgent need. It's ok that Parker is proving so far to be a good player, and so is Owen, but the £17m on Owen should have gone on a player to actually replace Shearer in the team, not to partner Shearer. Owen is an out and out goalscorer, just like Shearer is and in that respect I believe he is Shearer's replacement, yet we still need someone to take Shearer's place in the team and that will cost a lot more money again. Some of Souness's signing have a lot to prove, although some have already shown they aren't good players, Faye, Babayaro and Shrek in particular. Q. How much will Souness need to spend to get a top half finish from a team/squad that had finished in the top 5 for the 3 previous seasons prior to his arrival? I think it's a relevant question. I don't think he can get the best from players he signs, so I don't think it will really matter much who he signs, we won't go forward imo. 71775[/snapback] To an extent this transfer window will show whether the £17m on Owen was money well spent or not. If there is further money to strengthen and expand the squad then I think it was money well spent. If he realises we need a bigger squad and is aware there is money to spend that is OK. If the money is all gone then it is a bit all your eggs in one basket. If we are going to compete at the top then we will need players of the ability of Owen though. This will say more about the ambition of Freddie than anything else. As to strengthening the defence as opposed to the midfield, well Taylor Bramble and Boumsong were looking pretty solid toward the end of last season, and the midfield was barren. Again though is there any long term thinking going on, who knows? I dont know about undermining players values. With Bellamy I think the price was more due to his perceived attitude, and ongoing fitness problems as to anything else. If it was just down to ability then we would have had a queue of clubs biting our hands off at any price. And we got £7m for that plank Jenas aswell Fergeson a ManU built his succes not on tactical innovation, but by getting the best players, and playing simple football well. Im not saying hes a Fergeson(obviously) but I think he could get some success by building a decent squad. I would prefer Wenger/Mourinho or some other genius, but atleast I reckon Souness wont take any sht from Freddie and might be able to build a squad. By the end of this transfer window I may be proved hopelessly wrong mind

In sheer football terms perhaps it is shite but for as far as how I feel about the team ive loved for 40 years it is the most depressed and demotivated ive ever been. This is because of Souness, trot out all the excuses I just hate the bloke and the football I am having to endure after my expectations were (falsly) raised by the last 10 years of actually having a team to be proud of. 71727[/snapback] I feel your pain Chops, but as one (only slightly) younger I feel a bit different. I think I went through what you are feeling now under KD, I hated the man the football I just couldnt bear it. I didnt hate Gullit with the same passion, but I was as depressed, and after Wembley farce part 2 I thought I was done. SBR rekindled the hope, and it hasnt quite gone for me. I cant argue for Souness being a tactical genius, and Christ knows its hard to see any merit in a lot of performances we've had to endure, and the squad is plainly far too theadbare. But he can identify a player, persuade him to sign and most importantly get Freddie to put up the cash, something that SBR was failing to do by the end of his time. If he can improve the squad again during the window I still think we are on course for a decent finish this season. I'm not trying to change your mind here Pilchard, you and most others have already decided, and fair enough you are probably right, but I still thinkthere is a chance he can build a squad who could do something 71763[/snapback] yet more money for a lower finish than before he arrived. Congratulations on also having your expectations successfully lowered by fuckwit, as some of us predicted 71769[/snapback] SBR's team finished 5th but seemed to be going backwards. They finished the season so badly they were booed of the pitch. He failed to improve the squad the previous season and the players he brought in before his sacking couldnt be considered money well spent. Talking about lowered expectations and saying the team finished top 5 for three seasons is an irrelevance. Yes he has spent a lot of money, its a vital part of being a manager and mainly I think he has spent it well. I am very interested to see what happens in the window, because obviously our squad isnt big enough. If he continues to bring in the quality of players and builds a bigger squad I will be pleased.

so we are doing well under Sounes then... congratulations on having your expectations successfully lowered.. as clueless as ever 71760[/snapback] I missed the bit where Rob said we were doing well under Souness, I cant spot any lowered expectations. Needless insulting post on your behalf.

In sheer football terms perhaps it is shite but for as far as how I feel about the team ive loved for 40 years it is the most depressed and demotivated ive ever been. This is because of Souness, trot out all the excuses I just hate the bloke and the football I am having to endure after my expectations were (falsly) raised by the last 10 years of actually having a team to be proud of. 71727[/snapback] I feel your pain Chops, but as one (only slightly) younger I feel a bit different. I think I went through what you are feeling now under KD, I hated the man the football I just couldnt bear it. I didnt hate Gullit with the same passion, but I was as depressed, and after Wembley farce part 2 I thought I was done. SBR rekindled the hope, and it hasnt quite gone for me. I cant argue for Souness being a tactical genius, and Christ knows its hard to see any merit in a lot of performances we've had to endure, and the squad is plainly far too theadbare. But he can identify a player, persuade him to sign and most importantly get Freddie to put up the cash, something that SBR was failing to do by the end of his time. If he can improve the squad again during the window I still think we are on course for a decent finish this season. I'm not trying to change your mind here Pilchard, you and most others have already decided, and fair enough you are probably right, but I still thinkthere is a chance he can build a squad who could do something

why do you lot always wait until we got thhrashed and then shout for souness's head....never hear none of this shit on the occasions ( rarely latley) when we draw or win ???? 71656[/snapback] To be fair to HTL one thing he cant be accused of is inconsistecy.