Baggio

It's when I'm posting articles off my phone I presume, I can read it so I can't tell if it's a white background or not.

Top 4 is what we need, anything other than that is likely to be not worth it financially. Fuckin sad state of affairs, but there you go. Thats UEFA for you. Fulham made £12 million from their UEFA cup run the other year so it's definitely worth it. A similar run should generate us more than that if the fans get behind it and go to the games.

Our league position didn't improve for more than 2 seasons running in the Premiership. We either stayed still or fell backwards spectacularly.

Arsenal done it for years to be fair to them and I can't remember the last time they finished outside of the top 4. I don't think we're in that much of a different position to most Premiership clubs who would sell if the price was right, the thing we have done different is come out and admitted that and I think that is down to the Carroll sale where nobody expected us to be offered that much. The other thing to remember that in the background to this we've gone from a club losing a lot of money every year to one that is close to break even with cash available if we need it, what they should be looking to do from here is to make the club more profitable so they can sign players out of that and not rely on selling players to finance transfers.

This is spot on. If we can't enjoy it while we're competing for a champions league place then what is the point of it all? I think everyone is enjoying it, I certainly am. I can't imagine any Newcastle fans are not enjoying this season. But it shouldn't stop us talking and debating where the club is going in the longer term. Its possible to enjoy it and still be very concerned that the excellent season we are having will not be sustained with the current policy of selling your best players and replacing them with lower cost alternatives. What does it matter if the players coming in are lower cost to the one's going out though? Lower cost doesn't always mean inferior, look at the players we've brought in for proof of that and while people think it can't go on forever I don't see why not, it's not as if the players we've signed over the past 2 years have been playing in unknown leagues is it. What we've done is sign good players and given them the stage to perform on, that's what has pushed their value up that they're doing it in the Premiership. Someone touched on a point yesterday that if we had paid £70 million for Cisse, Ba, Tiote, Cabaye and Ben Arfa pretty much everyone would be content, not only that but they would feel more secure in how we've done it rather than thinking we've got lucky.

It's a tough one, it's easy to romanticise about Sir Bobby's team looking back while the good and bad performances of this current side are fresh in our minds, both sides had a mix of excellent players and weak links but Pardew having 2 goalscorers to choose from makes the attack in the current one more appealing. It really is a tough one to pick.

We're on the same points now as Man City were after 33 games last season.

This is a good site: http://www.statto.co...2011-2012/table Use the drop downs to select the table at different stages in the season. Bookmarked. So 11 points over us 2 months ago.

Looking at the last 10 games next to the league table on the bbc site we've made up 10 points on them in the last 10 games.

Anyone know how many points Spurs were ahead of us earlier in the season?

Currently working my way through the Oz box set I had bought for me. Up there with the Sopranos for American tv shows for me, excellent stuff.

Melbourne Heart defender Curtis Good has been handed a trial by Newcastle United. The Australian youth international is already a regular in the A-League with Melbourne, and is regarded very highly in Australia. A former captain of the Australian Institute of Sport, Good joined Melbourne last year and the left-footed central defender has impressed. Now Newcastle have invited him for a trial and he has flown to the North East of England to train on Tyneside with a view to earning a move. "I always wondered what it was like compared to Australia, but I didn't expect it to happen this early, so I'm just going to enjoy the experience," Good told the club's official website. "It was organised through my manager. They saw me play, though I'm not sure if it was in the A-League or with the national team, but it just happened to come about. "It's just a short trial. I'll just train and play games, and if they're happy, I'll hopefully get an offer, but if not, then I'll just enjoy the experience." http://www1.skysport...11095/7679141/?

If Man Utd can win the title at Eastlands it will give us a game against a team with nothing to play for rather than a shot at the league too. They will be getting my support that night.

This is spot on. If we can't enjoy it while we're competing for a champions league place then what is the point of it all?

The demands of European football will not catch Newcastle United unawares. Chief Sports Writer Mark Douglas investigates the positives and pitfalls of United’s probable Continental adventure. DEREK Llambias was back at the Newcastle United training ground yesterday afternoon. Where once these whistlestop visits from United’s managing director would have prompted anxiety from a Tyneside public permanently braced for the next bad news story, now they can allow themselves to dream a little. Llambias’ presence is no longer a reason for Newcastle’s long-suffering support to presume the worst, and yesterday’s informal summit with boss Alan Pardew is a sign that United are alive to the possibilities their terrific season presents. Inevitably, plans have been changed now that Andy Carroll – the Geordie gift that keeps on giving – has scored the goal that all but guarantees Europa League football for his former club. The Journal understands that United’s probable European adventure means the club will now be plotting a different route this summer – one that opens doors to substantial squad strengthening as opposed to the “one or two” blue-chip performers they were originally looking to recruit. For a start, plans for pre-season are on ice until United know where they are with regards to Europe. A long-haul tour is on the cards but the Far East will have to wait if Newcastle are saddled with pre-qualifying for one of the Continent’s two knockout competitions. Then there is the recruitment drive that has been months in the planning. Newcastle are aiming to bring in “four or five” players capable of challenging for a first team spot, with a number in the Mehdi Abeid mould to bubble away under the first-team squad. What hasn’t been finalised yet – and what might well have been the subject of yesterday’s detailed discussions – is what happens if United’s brilliant season reaps a top four prize. Quite simply, no-one had made detailed plans for a Champions League campaign at this point. Even at the start of the month it seemed no more than a pipe dream, but Newcastle’s spring surge, combined with the collapse of Tottenham, has made it necessary for United to start assembling a contingency. It offers brilliant possibilities, of course, but also some pitfalls that United – in the age of sensible stewardship down at St James’ Park – are eager to dodge. Any estimations need to be couched in caveats. Newcastle sit fifth and even though the portents might look positive they remain outsiders in the chase for the Champions League, their inexperience a possible problem against opponents who have done all of this before. But United’s new trinity of Llambias, Graham Carr and Pardew are not the sort to leave anything to chance. Along with finance director John Irving they will be crunching the numbers and assessing where Newcastle’s new-found status at European contenders will leave them before this summer’s transfer scramble. One respected football finance expert believes that Newcastle would be in line to bank at least £17million of extra revenue if they made it into the group stages of the Champions League. That figure could rise to an eye-watering £20m if United land one of the big guns and ensure full houses for all of their home fixtures. Vinay Bedi, of highly respected investment management firm Brewin Dolphin, believes that earning a place at Europe’s top table would be a bona fide game changer for United. “The premise of football is Champions League gets you everywhere and the rest are nowhere,” he said. “If you can consistently be in that group it completely changes the whole perspective of the business. Even just a one-off visit is very nice. It really does just kick on the whole football club and bring in some serious amounts of revenue. “If you can get there and get a couple of wins in the group stages you are talking about substantial amounts of money. It is £600,000 for a win in the group stages – and that is just prize money. “Newcastle will actually make more money from winning a couple of games than if they win the Europa League, which is a sobering statistic. It is a massive, massive difference. “Rangers made something in the region of £17.5million by making it through to the group stages a couple of years ago. “Now with Newcastle and the potential for full houses, it is realistic to say they could make £20million by qualifying for the group stages and winning even one or two games.” An extra £20m would be huge for a club that recently posted turnover figures of £88.4million. To put it in perspective, their entire match day revenue in 2010/11 was £24.3million. Of course there is a flip-side, hence the club’s main men starting to discuss the ramifications of completing their supposed Mission: Impossible. Leeds United remain the elephant in the room when it comes to the Champions League – proof that chasing the dream can be extremely costly. A squad strengthening programme must be a managed process, and if players are recruited on long and costly contracts that cash must be accounted for. It is difficult to see Mike Ashley deviating from the current path, however. Beday thinks it unlikely. “Newcastle, like any club, have got to be extremely careful,” he said. “I bow to the knowledge of my friends who are Newcastle supporters who say they would need to strengthen their squad if they were to get into the Champions League but practically, that creates issues. “There is the burden of extra wages and of course, Leeds managed to bankrupt themselves signing players with money they thought would be coming in from the Champions League. “It looks as though Mike Ashley is running things prudently though, so I would not see that as a problem.” Read More http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2012/04/17/newcastle-united-ponder-how-euro-cash-can-be-used-61634-30773717/?#ixzz1sIYod8g0

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It's around this time that Leazes goes in the creche for a few days, Ant then comes on to tell us he's had a word with him about keeping it all in one thread and to not bite because Leazes thinks it's all our fault he is like he is. Then we have a quiet week where he's not very active before he starts off again in one thread before spreading to the whole board. Repeat and off to go again.

What a great gesture. http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20120417/cisses-visit-to-young-fan_2281670_2738122?

He's not in there yet but he's going into overdrive with his usual repetitive offerings in the majority of threads on here. As I said he knows no other way of behaving and he just can't help himself.

A quick look back shows that under the old board we didn't progress in terms of league position for more than 2 seasons in a row, after that we stayed still or fell away spectacularly.

In a move that indicates a growing confidence that they can steal a Champions League qualification berth away from Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, Newcastle are keeping their options open in the transfer market in the event that they qualify for European football’s money-spinner. Vertonghen, who is valued at £10 million, has already said a move to Arsenal to play alongside his fellow Belgian international, Thomas Vermaelen, would interest him. Manchester United and Manchester City have also taken a look at the Ajax captain, but his main priority is to sign for a club in the Champions League and Newcastle feel they are still in the running to land him. Newcastle’s chief scout, Graham Carr, has been monitoring Vertonghen for at least two years and Pardew, the manager, has also been to see the 24 year-old play on a number of occasions. However, their interest appeared to have ended as a deal for FC Twente centre-back Douglas has virtually been agreed, which should mean that the Brazilian defender moves to Tyneside for around £5 million in the summer. Pardew, though, is keen to bring in two players in that position, as well as Holland left-back Erick Pieters from PSV Eindhoven, and as Newcastle’s push for a Champions League gains momentum, Vertonghen remains a viable option. Newcastle believe they will be able to make two quick signings when the transfer window opens — expected to be Douglas and Pieters - although they know they remain vulnerable to losing players as well after doing so well this term. Chelsea are interested in goalkeeper Tim Krul — surprisingly not on the shortlist for PFA Young Player of the Year — and Demba Ba’s £7 million release clause means he will not be short of offers after such a successful first season at Newcastle. Managing director Derek Llambias has also indicated that Newcastle anticipate bids for defensive midfielder Cheick Tiote. Newcastle would want at least £15 million for the highly-rated Krul, who has been one of the key players behind the side’s resurgence this season. Spurs have also show interest but would baulk at the fee. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united/9208004/Newcastle-United-manager-Alan-Pardew-to-consider-signing-Ajaxs-Jan-Vertonghen-after-going-Dutch.html?

Arsenal Pts 64 G+24 Wigan (h) Chelsea (h) Stoke (a) Norwich (h) West Brom (a) Spurs Pts 59 G+19 QPR (a) Blackburn (h) Bolton (a) Villa (a) Fulham (h) Newcastle Pts 59 G+8 Stoke (h) Wigan (a) Chelsea (a) Man City (h) Everton (a) Chelsea Pts 57 G+18 Arsenal (a) QPR (h) Newcastle (h) Liverpool (a) Blackburn (h)

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