David Kelly

Anyone tried getting the magpie mover? Last season I included it when I got my season ticket but I don't think there was the option for next season. I'm trying to get one now and when I go to pay it just keeps saying declined by payment gateway. I've tried a few different cards and get the same message every time.

Yeah I meant just open the window and keep it open but only allow you to play new players in the CWC who you have signed before a certain point. Then the window stays open and you (and everyone else) can sign players, you just can play them until next season. From what I've read, pace is the problem with Cherki. Certainly looks like a talented player though.

Aye just say that the teams in the CWC can't play anyone in the competition that they sign in after a certain date. In effect that's exactly what it is anyway.

I really don't see how this mini window shit works anyway. It's not like everyone is just going to stop sorting out deals while the world cup is on. Surely everything will just keep going, they'll just have to wait a few weeks to confirm the deals.

Yes that was one of the ways I was thinking.

Well yes but wasn't there talk about him wanting to make Guehi a statement signing? Could well have seen Mbuemo as the same. I'm not sure he fits Howe's profile in a number of ways.

Wonder if that was Mitchel led (of course we'll never know). The other thing is that if he's looking to get close to £200k a week, then it's an absolute non starter. We'd immediately have several other players we'd have to increase their wage to keep them happy. I don't see us going to that level for anyone but Isak at the moment. Regardless of us being in a better PSR position now, we could easy fuck it up again if we start spunking that sort of money out on every new player.

Mbuemo always felt like he was more of a name put forward so much by supporters that eventually some of the reporters started linking him to us as well. I don't think we've ever seriously targeted him, his age and price don't fit for me and I'm not sure he provides for Isak in the same way as Murphy does. Murphy had an unreal last campaign and I honestly think Howe will start with him as first choice regardless of who we sign. So I think it's far more likely we will look for a younger player who can hopefully develop into a better version of Murphy. IMO we aren't paying £50m+ for that player. I think we'll probably spend more at the back but I'm still not convinced we're looking for any £50m players. I think we'll look considerably cheaper and bolster the squad more. Without considerable sales I don't see us spending more than £100m so we're going to have to be much smarter than spunking £60m on players like Mbuemo.

I think the long sleeve version of that was the last time I bought any of our kit. Been tempted by the white kit this season but never bothered in the end.

Some of the Bruce ones felt that long tbf.

Burn and Schar are both 33 now and we really don't have anyone else in the way of options in the centre of defence so I'd be extremely concerned if we lost Sven. I'm not convinced Barnes is going to be happy dropping back behind Gordon, even with the prospect of European football next season (there were noises about him wanting to be away in January anyway) so he's much more dispensable imo. Of course if we thought Botman will have ongoing injury problems then it might be more acceptable to move him on but it would certainly cause us problems.

Barnes shirley?

It's to be expected that player who has had such a big injury get's other injuries after making his comeback. The worry is that everything seems to be his knee(s).

Out for the season, or just over a week depending on how sensational you want to be.

Tbf that's miles better than the one that's supposed to be the clubs favoured. At least this doesn't look like something a five year old knocked up.

There was an offside given against Coventry in the second half against the tramps last night that was onside by about 7 yards. When you look at decisions like that it's understandable why this rule is in place. As Toonpack says players are at least as likely to get injured from any other phase of play. I guess it just looks bad when you see there was actually no need for the player to be there.

Apparently we don't have any need to do any deals like that this year though? From the noises I've heard, we're going to be trying to use FFP to our advantage this year by picking players from teams who need to do a deal.

£12m seems a pretty pointless amount to sell him for. How much would we have to pay for someone to replace him who actually contribute to the team? Unless this is one of those £12m converts to £60m spread across 5 years for PSR purposes.

Sorry their what?

Nah just said op. Hopefully not a Botman type situation.

He definitely looks pissed off when he doesn't do something well imo. That certainly doesn't scream a player looking to be away to me. He wanted to get the golden boot and he's not happy he's not scoring as many at the moment. Which is a good thing in my book.

I was told last night, and subsequently saw it mentioned on twitter, that he is having an operation in the summer. He hasn't looked quite right for a few weeks (but not in a disinterested way. Quite the opposite, he looks frustrated that he isn't doing as well) so this certainly stacks up to me. The person who told me is genuine and he has had information in the past that has been correct, and other stuff that has been wrong so I'm not saying it's 100% itk, but I can definitely believe it.

Stephen Warnock: "The centre-back does not jump. If the defender jumps, Jackson's arm goes into his chest. "I just think it is mistimed from Jackson and it's very unfortunate." I'm only getting this form the Sky Sports website so there may be context missing and he may still have said the red was correct, but this is one of the most ridiculous takes on a foul I've ever heard.

I think watching us win promotion with Keegan at the helm, and the following season back in the premier league were my two favourite seasons to watch us as a whole. We played superbly and it was such a joy to watch. This season we haven't always been great, the start was pretty poor and their was plenty of talk that Howe could be in trouble before we went on the run starting with the Chelsea cup game. But come on, we've won a fucking trophy. Regardless of where we finish now, this will be my favourite season possibly ever. If we win the league or champions league in the years to come, I don't think it will ever mean more to me than winning the league cup after waiting so long. When I lost my dad a few years ago, he died still thinking we getting relegated and missed the end to that season, the improvements since and the win at Wembley. The emotion of that is, I think, very similar to what a lot of our other supporters felt and I don't think it will ever be beaten. Champions league qualification clearly means a lot to the club to help in the goals moving forward but for me it's only the cherry on top of the icing on massive cake that this season has been.

Hope I haven't jinxed it but I had to put that on.