David Kelly

I can't really understand why anyone would get a cup ticket next season but I bet that there's plenty who will. This is what makes me certain that there will never be any mass bouycott of games. They've put it in writing that they aren't going to try in the cups at all yet there will still be thousands of people go to the games. Those who go aren't really fans, they could as easily be going to the cinema, theatre or whatever. They are just out for a nights entertainment (although how anyone could consider the shite that we've been serving up for the last few years entertainment is beyond me).

Existing to exist again then. For the first time ever I'm really wondering why I bothered renewing my ticket!

No problem, I'm quite happy to have a bit argument when it's someone not talking bollocks. I agree anyway, Watson was a good player (as were Clark, Howey and Elliot) just not great and I think the point you make about him not cementing a position cost him in the end. I would say that there are four great local players from recent(ish) times. Waddle, Pedro, Gazza & Shearer. Of those only Gazza played in our youth team (unless I'm mistaken and Waddle did) so that's why I mentioned him.

Are you trying to suggest Steve Watson was a great player? If so, hello Steve.

Certainly but with Pardew as head of our coaching team it seems to me that it's even less likely to succeed. He can't get anything out of full internationals so I have no faith in his ability to bring it out of youngsters.

That's the sad truth. You have no confidence at all that we have the conditions to bring young lads through who can develop into quality players.

I think we over hype every young striker that comes through. Brayson, Robinson, Coppinger, Chopra, Campbell and Armstrong all come to mind (possibly Joe Allon and Anth Lormer too back in the 80's). We're just desperate for a local lad to come through and be a star. Gazza is really the only great player that has came through our ranks probably since something like the 50's? For me, in what little we've seen of him Armstrong already looks like he's got a bit more about him than Campbell. In one of the games he came on he sprayed a very nice cross field ball to someone and he had a bit dribble in another. Campbell only ever seemed to lay off little passes. Armstrong also seems to be able to score a variety of goals. Some of the goals he's scored for England have been belters from 25 yards (yes they've been against poor opposition but that doesn't change the quality of the strike). I fear though that like Campbell his size will hamper him at the top level so I'm miles away from getting my hopes up yet.

I think both Colo and Mbiwa need cloggers next to them to play effectively. They are without doubt our best defenders but both have looked poor when played with each other and both have looked good playing with our (imo) worst defender, Williamson (not that I'm rating Saylor as much better mind). Of course you're right, the Pardew effect will no doubt have harmed both of their games regardless of who they play with.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if he wasn't here next season (along with pretty much all of the other players we sent our on loan)but even given our current lack of options I don't think we'll see much of him at all.

I'll take that as fair point. You're right there's many other reasons that may have stopped him getting game this season. I'm willing to bet right now though he'll never make it as a premier league striker.

Would they have had to pay to sign him at that point? That would surely make a difference on whether a club would take a risk on them. And your also talking about Arsenal not thinking he was good enough to play in England as oppose to St Mirren not thinking he's worth a game in Scotland/ It's still a valid point though. But it doesn't make it wrong for me say that Campbell looks like he won't make it based on what's happened when he's gone on loan to Scotland. Campbell's size is also going to work against him. You have to be very good to make it at the top level while having the disadvantage of being a dwarf.

My attention to detail is obviously not at it's best today as I completely missed you saying championship counted. I thought of Holtby too but isn't he just on loan from Spurs? I'm surprised you've put Mbiwa and Colo together. I don't think they can work as a pair at all which is why I would have Shawcross who I think is a very steady defender. I would probably have taken Huth as well if I was working with more than 6 players.

I took it that Remy and De Guzman weren't available since they were only on loan at any of the teams that were being included.

Interesting but not at all surprising to see that Gouffran stat. I bet his stat for getting crosses in is equally as bad. He puts the graft in but (like Jonas) offers very little in attack if he's not scoring. Of course him being a striker might have something to do with his winger stats being poor!

Begovic Krul Debuchy Colo Shawcross Mbiwa Santon Haidara Tiote Sissoko Anita Gouffran Ben Arfa Arnautovic Benteke Bony Carrol Cisse If I'm honest, the hardest part was coming up with 12 of our players.

I don't see any logic from you there at all. All the clubs you mention there are premiership clubs (with the possible exception of WBA at the time Vela was there. I can't remember if they were still in the Championship). St Mirren are a struggling team playing in the Scottish Premiership which is, as I stated, approximate to the quality of League 1. My logic is that at the age of 19, if a player is going to make it in the premiership, he should be able to get a game for St Mirren. Newton has played more minutes than any other player in that league this season for the same club and yet we have agreed to release him and no one expects to see him in our league next season. The other problem with your logic is that that all of those other players (with the exception of HBA) were either young lads from other countries or foreigners in their first season in this country. None of them had been brought up in our way of football so it follows that they would take longer to settle into starting elevens here (especially for Arsenal and Manure).

He can't get a game for St Mirren which is about the equivelant of League 1. There's no way he's going to make it.

I know people who have taken on new season tickets for next season who haven't had them in the past. Those of us who have had to sit through season after season of no investment and turgid football are up in arms but the fact remains there are a lot of casual supporters who take up spare tickets if they have the chance.

I've reduced that list to players who might have a chance of being good enough for anything other than the bottom five. That's not even a full eleven and Colo and Mbwia can't play together. And I don't really buy Gouffran as a starting player either.

There was no way he was going to be sacked. If you do well enough in your job to get a bonus that was target based then you aren't going to get sacked. The only hope would have been for the headbutt.

It'll be interesting to see what interest there is in Villa especially at that sort of money. If there's a few potential buyers then there might be hope yet for us.

Eat your heart our Wayne Rooney. Class

He did have a go at the chronicle for having a go at Pardew though so clearly they all thought that was enough for him not to look like a yes man and for the chronicle not to look like they're censoring him. Obviously censoring was exactly what the old fool needed.

Claims he's a Newcastle fan but he shows with this bit that he hasn't got a fucking clue about what the rest of us are thinking. No one is protesting about finishing 9th or 10th, it's the complete lack of ambition shown by those in charge. No effort at all in the cups and settling to be an also ran simply isn't good enough. Clubs with far less resources than us still try and win the competitions that they enter. Championship clubs start the season trying to get promotion. Yes when they go up they know their resources mean they are not going to win the Premier League but they give everything they can to do as well as they can. With our resources we should be looking to compete. Yes we will expect that over a season the bigger resources of the likes of Citeh and Chelski will mean that they will no doubt overcome us but just give it a go ffs. Also the bit about always supporting the manager because he's the manager makes no sense at all. So because someone has a position we should always just blindly accept them in that position no matter how badly they do in it? Utter nonsense.