Noelie

Don't know why the 'f' is missing and why 'course I don't' is on a different line. It wasn't like that when I typed it and I even tried to edit it and make it right but it came out the same way again.

Would I like Luque to have a major impact this season?........................................Of course I would. Do I think he can , and will? ...............................................................................O course I don't. In regard to him wanting a Magpie chance I can't help but believe that he has been given enough chances to prove his worth and has failed to do so. Big Sam may want to see if he can make a silk purse out of a sows ear and I hope he can but I just don't think it will happen. And as for Luque not fully recovering from his early calf injury sounds like a load of shite to me.

Aye an' so do I and a lot of others, and rightfully so. I've already said I was worried about other clubs signing defenders when we are not except for Rozey and maybe Geremi if he's played at the back and not the middle. Carr, Taylor, Rozey, Damage, Hunty, Edgar, Babayaro and maybe Zoggy, Geremi, and Nobby to choose from does not present a very formidable defense in my opinion.

I'm getting a little worried at seeing other clubs bringing in defenders and none coming our way in the past two weeks. I'm also getting worried about Sam's comments about the player-market for defenders when it doesn't seem to be affecting the other clubs. I'm worried too about the talk of Ashly's money to spend but no figures mentioned so is it a problem and is it having an effect on our buying power.

Don't you just love the nice way Mr.Gemmill quickly answers questions.

Tinge of regret in a way when one of our own depart the ship for whatever the reason but hopefully with foreigners at the helm we'll soon be sailing to a new world full of booty and pleasure.

Wheyebugger, now I see a topic on optomism or the lack of it for the coming season due to injuries and lack of new signings. C'mon Sam, dee summat, sign sum bugger, put a smile on me face afore aa gan.

If Dire has been with us for 9 years wouldn't he be in line to benefit from a testimonial match when he's been with us for 10 years? Surely that could be an incentive for him not to want to move as after all at 28 he's not going to be at another club for 10 years as a player and be eligible for a testimonial.

I always thought and am still of the same opinion that Ameobi would never be the striker we would love him to be. As tall as he is he does not win enough challenges for high balls. Too often he plays the ball too far ahead of himself to keep control. He sometimes has decent control in his dribbles but they often come to naught with no finish. Does not appear to have that agressive nature we like to see in strikers. He is not what you would call good at holding the ball up. Starting eleven I hardly think so, good squad player for sure, but I hope he can prove to be a starter.

It's aalreet fer you young 'uns like but any day above groond is a good day fer me an' aa'd like te gan wi a smile on me face an' new left & right fullbacks in the hoose chop-chop would dee that fer me.

When are we going to sign another defender ffs. Other clubs are signing defenders WHY AREN'T WE. I'm getting tired of all the 'fact or fiction' mysteries printed in the papers, but then again at my age you'd think I would be used to it by now, BUT I'M NOT FFS!!

Hey Stevieintoon, have you been talking to LeazesMag? Sounds like the things he used to say about this old fart, and I mean old, old enough to have watched Stubbins in a black n' white shirt.

I hate to do this but I concur with Mr.Jimbo. Regardless of the amount of football shown on television it comes down to choice, you choose to watch it or choose not to watch it, it's as simple as that.

Fact is though he wasn't born a Geordie he was born in Greenwich which is Thamesside not Tyneside but I reckon a Geordie by choice is as good as a Geordie who didn't have a choice.

A little sour grapes eh Stevieintoon, they certainly fucked us up in our first World Cup in 1950 but that's probably before you were born or old enough to remember. I agree that their approach to most things is to try and change it to suit them and television but I think when it comes to football they have realised it's on a World stage and have conformed to playing it the way the rest of the world does. When they tried professional leagues before (which all failed) they tried different points systems, shoot-outs because they had to have a winner as they do in their other sports with OT's and extra-innings, but now the MSL which has been going for 12 years plays it the way we do and a draw is acceptable, sometimes hailed. Inccidently, there are more kids today, boys & girls, playing "soccer" in organized leagues than there are playing Baseball, Basketball, and American Football. Most high schools and colleges have boys & girls/men & women teams. More and more is getting on TV but the problem seems to be that they can't, as yet, get a big enough spectator following at games. I think the number of Yanks playing overseas in Britain and other nations is indicative that the sport has shown massive growth in recent years among its youth.

Hoy Jimbo, if you're getting sick of the hype over there you'd be ready for the last rites if you lived over here It's awful but as you say, some comfort in him being British but don't think I can stomach much more of his missus.

If you count West Ham that makes 8. Bradford P.A Norwich Coventry Newcastle Celtic Blackburn Liverpool West Ham?

Perhaps because the British have always had this thing about not been called European, I know I have and still do. Had a hissy-fit when they changed the passports and put European Union on the front cover, called the British Embassy in Washington DC and lodged a complaint.

I may have missed earlier info in another topic but I am a little confused about Geremi needing a work-permit. Surely if he spent a season on loan at the Boro courtesy of Real Madrid then spent time at Chelsea after they bought him would indicate that him getting a work-permit is not an issue. If he was on Chelsea's playing staff before transferring to us he must have had a work-permit, surely that didn't become voided by the transfer?? Or is there a time-limit on work-permits and his has lapsed and he needs to get another one.

Well for me it has to be wor Jackie's nephew Bobby. Played for England schoolboys. World Cup winner. 106 games for England. 49 goals for England, more than anyone else. European footballer of the year. Had a good football brain, had a good amount of flair and was more than capable of scoring cracking goals. In the days of 5 forwards played in all positions except outside right. Gained fame as a midfielder both for Man.Utd and England. Bobby Charlton is the greatest player I ever saw in an England shirt.

I think it's that minty stuff you can buy on the sea-front at Whitley Bay.

Yes I saw it on an Hispanic channel so I couldn't understand what was being said about anything. Reality was though, we were not the best team on the pitch and as the match went on couldn't help but feel Serbia would end up winners and would have had Carson not made crucial saves. Milner was at his best!! in other words his crosses were 'orrible. Lita had hard-lines with a bicycle kick, saved by the keeper. Nugent did not impress, in fact in my opinion no one did except perhaps Carson.

Oh dear, I'd best hang onto the cards til then.

Inccidently, Bobby Sibbold is from the Tyneside, came over and played for the Los Angeles Aztecs. He was team captain for a while and was playing with the Aztecs when both George Best and Johann Cruyff were also playing there. He got into cosmetic sales and did very well, and also had a big win on the State lottery. Haven't seen him in years.