Bombadil

Yes, because they will be our rivals next season.

Sounds better:

I hope that's not true, what we need now is a hierarchy that will be 100% behind the manager, and not a season like Chelsea had when Abramovich bought them.

If West Ham can really hold onto Tevez, they will be extremely dangerous next season. I'm just glad Roeder has gone, I would be suicidal at the thought of next season if he was still in charge.

£17m for Bent is utterly ludicrous.

Here's one: My great-uncle was chairman of NUFC once. And no, it's not Shepherd.

No Swiss should have to explain to a Brit the concept of betting odds anyway!

1 chance in 201 they reckon. Not that tricky really I got that one! But what does '13/8 Fulham' mean ? If I put £8 on them to get relegated, and they are relegated, I get £13 back ?? 13/8 = 1.625. You put £1 on them to get relegated and they are, you get £1.63. You put £8 on them to get relegated and they are, you get 8 x 1.625 = £13. Plus your original stake: £13 + £8 = £21.

Worse than Leeds tbh.

Greedy bastard. He obviously prefers to warm the bench at Chelsea rather than be a first-teamer for us.

Great news.

From the same article: "The appointment of Terry McDermott to the backroom staff was a very shrewd move." - Alan Hansen Jesus wept, I know I've posted this a few times before, but it's still a fucking brilliant read. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4347125.stm

"Newcastle's stunning transformation is a huge credit to manager Graeme Souness - and perhaps it is time for some of his critics to eat humble pie." - Alan Hansen

I'll jump for joy the day we get rid of that parasite. With the wages he's on though, he's infinitely more likely to do a Bogarde than go to another club where he would earn a lot less.

So you've had the last laugh... the fine is really only about £1700! That'll teach 'em! I'm in Switzerland and the license fees are not that high. The licensing authorities don't often hand out fines either, but apparently a neighbour contacted them about me (why would anyone do that FFS?), hence the ridiculous fine.

From what I've seen of him, he's definitely lost a yard or two. His finishing has improved though.

Gemmill is seething at the comments in this thread!

You don't earn £20k+ a week though?

I got done for having no TV licence a couple of months ago - I was fined £2000 which I still haven't paid. £2000 FFS. I hadn't paid any licence fees for three years though.

If he wasn't English, he would have been literally chased out of town by now. He's given us nothing on the pitch, but I'd hold onto him because he's bound to be an important factor when it comes to attracting other players (including his replacement). Most players would want to play in a team with Owen.

Fuck off Souness, you are a failure as manager and you have no credibility whatsoever, so just shut it.

That's the first time someone at the club has officially and explicitly confirmed Owen's release clause, isn't it? If his release fee really does drop by 25 per cent a year, we should consider selling him. He's not going to sign a new contract anyway.

Ridiculous.

Close call but I'd take Martins, rather than Bellamy. Martins can score all types of goals which, at the end of the day, is what a striker is for. Bellamy, who has better control and probably a better football brain, doesn't score the same assortment of goals that Martins does imo. Therefore, Martins can work on the other parts of his game whilst still scoring the different type of goals whereas Bellamy can never learn to score the type of goals Martins does already. I agree. Also, Martins is still only 21 (allegedly), whereas Bellamy is how old, 28? Martins must work on a lot of aspects of his game though.

What Keith Lamb had to say about Viduka: "We'll move on," Lamb continued. "Mark Viduka is part of our glorious past now, and it's not about what has happened in the past. It's about what we do in the future."