sweetleftpeg

Fucking hell. Stay classy mackems. I honestly believed it was the West Brom fans and the press were being naughty and stirring the shit.

Without Van Persie I reckon they're very beatable. Notice I didn't say by us by the way.

Sky Sports were trying to make out it was the mackems singing 'you're getting sacked in the morning' to him at the end but I can't believe that. Must have been the West Brom fans surely, can't even see that lot stooping so low to sing that at their own manager.

Don't worry, you've got another one. Oh, hang on, that's Kidneys.

I would still love to know what Pardew's half time team talks are.

Please let it be Alex McLeish.

Well, we said it would end in tears and it did. I was actually expecting the mackems to start quite well then massively implode pre-Christmas. Shame, he was doing a fine job.

Obviously I won't criticise Ben Arfa as I know it's not the done thing on here, so I'll leave it as the elephant in the room. As expected, we resorted to Pardew's Plan B of the hoof for the final 15 minutes, and having 'watched us lately' you could always see that coming back in the minute we're in trouble. Which is why I said we should have got a big bastard centre forward in during the window, because we're far too powder puff up there when we do inevitable return to the hoof.

If he does stay injury free this season then lets hope we do see the best of him, as he'll be flogged at the first opportunity in the summer I should imagine!

Nice try. But must try harder.

When he's good, the boy is genius.

Goes to show that a fully fit first 11 isn't too shabby, as we all probably knew. Start getting some injuries to any of that lot (Ben Arfa and Remy both have previous) then it could get a bit hairy.

I know. It was funnier in 2003.

Loving Killers pants.

John Anderson's testimonial was when we were on the up wasn't it? 1992. KK was in charge, him and Terry Mac actually played.

The Magpie Mover for me anyway has made a massive difference over the years. I worked out my travel would be £80 odd quid instead of a £10.

'He said, through gritted teeth whilst clenching a ball of nails.'

Agree with Gallagher. I met him in Shields just after this game when he was doing a signing day in the old indoor market (seriously!) so went and got his autograph. Injury pretty much fucked him over. I will also add my childhood crush Michael O'Neill to this as well. After that first season we thought we had a real star. Then an injury and he just fell away...

Rob Lee's was a bit of a fuck up as has been said. I was at John Anderson's which I thoroughly enjoyed, there was even a celeb game on before hand and Waddle brought over the beast that was Basile Boli from Marseille to play.

For once, I also agree with Savage, even though the no-nowt is just doing it as part of his 'zany' wind up act. I think Hodgson is doing a great job personally. I say this as a England fan as well, he's polishing a turd superbly.

Couldn't justify this and the Leeds game so chose the Leeds game in the end, which is just me asking to be punished really. Hope it goes well though, and I also hope Barton puts a reducer on Di Canio and he has to hobble out on crutches into the dugout at the weekend..

Great piece again. He's always been head and shoulders above any other North East coverage journo. Spot on with the use of the term 'disrespect' in regards to how the club is acting.

Just to add another story for balance for Sir Bobby which I think I've told before. My mam met him at Heathrow when she was flying back to Newcastle after being away with work and he was brilliant. Not only did he chat away with her and her work colleagues in the departure lounge for a good while, he also signed an autograph (which I still have) and when my mam said me and my dad were Newcastle daft he offered to ring me and chat. So, he did. But guess what? I was work and didn't answer my moblle as it was on silent. He did leave me a voice message though that was cracking. Worst moment to ever miss a call.

Just on that Di Canio clip, there is no doubt he was a cracking player like. However, I hope that next time he bollocks his players for not working hard enough they point out the bit of this game where he spat his dummy out and, instead of tracking back to help his team out, flounced off and tried to get himself subbed. Arsehole.

Funnily enough, yes.