Scottish Mag

Spotting aside, does anyone "know" any famous people?

Bastards....

I can't believe I'm backing this bloke up, but I saw it happen. His original post (responding to Sima, I believe), some distasteful remark implying that all immigrants were scroungers, was replaced by something about a blowjob for 20 Benson. I was quite interested until I noticed there was no edit tag and that it was, therefore, unlikely to be a genuine offer; and that an admin must have done it... EDIT: A direct access to the db probably wouldn't be in the logs you're looking at, and that might be why there was no edit tag. Just guessing. 150431[/snapback] Feck knows All I know is, as Shaggy (no not the one from Scooby Doo) once said, "It wasn't me!" Either way Leazes post over on N-O has made me laugh.

see ya, divnt let the door bang ya arse on the way oot. If this is the case then where is it? when did it happen and why the fuck has it taken you til now to raise it? Oh and which other board members have you spoken to? LM? HTL? 150388[/snapback] Well I have just went through the mod and admin logs and have found nothing. Still trying to get my head round Leazes going away bitching about it though, especially as its bullsheeeeet...

Congratulations..

Jesus fucking wept!

1-0 to France - Henry. Thats me had both a draw for the Japan match and both Adriano and Henry as first scorers today. Wishing I had put the three bets on as a treble now..

"Right lets see, which one of you sneaked your mobile into training...?"

Mick Quinn is hoping that Newcastle United's long list of successful No 9s continues next season and believes that only a proven goalscorer will fit the bill. Since the goalscoring Scouser pulled on the special black-and-white shirt back in 1989, United have had a succession of class acts donning the famous jersey, with David Kelly, Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand and Alan Shearer leading the line in style in the last 17 years. Quinn admits replacing Shearer won't be an easy task but feels that in Michael Owen, Newcastle are already half-way to a dream partnership that will strike fear throughout the Premiership. He said today: "United know they need to go out and buy, even though Shola Ameobi finished the season quite strongly. "I think Shola still has room for improvement, and we are still waiting to see him at his very best. "But I would love to see someone like Fernando Torres come to Newcastle; he would be perfect to fill the void. "For me, United need a striker who is available, and although he would cost a bit of money, at 22 he would be a great investment. "I would snap Atletico Madrid's hand off for him, the lad is pure quality. "And when it comes to replacing people like Shearer, you cannot just pull them out of a hat! "Another player I feel would be good for Newcastle is Toni, the Italian striker who has just scored 30 goals for Fiorentina. "If he can do that in Serie A then God knows what he could do in the Premiership. "Yes, replacing Shearer will cost money, but I know the chairman has always backed his managers." Merseysider Quinn, however, believes that United will feel that they have a new striker on the books come August when Michael Owen returns from the World Cup. The ex-Liverpool man has netted seven in 11 games for Newcastle since his £17m move from Real Madrid and Quinn reckons the best is still to come. He added: "Michael Owen will be back for Newcastle and will be a big asset for them in the early rounds of Europe. "At the minute people are saying he isn't sharp or sluggish but he isn't getting the service for England. "At Newcastle he will get that and will add to his goals tally. "If Owen doesn't get service he may as well be sat in the Milburn Stand."

Saturday June 17, 2006 The Guardian Craig Bellamy will join Liverpool next week for £6m after Rafael Benítez chose to activate a get-out clause for that amount, due to expire at the end of the month, in the striker's contract with Blackburn Rovers. The Wales international, a Liverpool supporter as a child, has proved a controversial figure in recent years, not least after his very public falling-out with the then Newcastle United manager Graeme Souness when he was at St James' Park. He will replace the outgoing Djibril Cissé at Anfield, as talks continue with Marseille to loan the injured France striker to the French club with a view to a permanent move. Bellamy's desire to leave Ewood Park since his £5m purchase from Newcastle after a season of relative resurgence under his former Wales mentor Mark Hughes will disappoint Rovers, who had hoped to persuade the 26-year-old to remain in east Lancashire. But the clause in the striker's contract was due to expire at the end of June, after which Blackburn could have demanded a higher fee for their leading scorer from last season, with Liverpool finally choosing to make a move after months of deliberation. The striker had made it clear he would favour joining Liverpool, who will offer him an immediate return to the Champions League, and Hughes was unable to persuade him otherwise. Even so, Benítez needed convincing that Bellamy, who scored 17 goals last season, was the right man to partner Peter Crouch on Merseyside. Indeed, Benítez's initial plan was to pursue the Charlton Athletic striker Darren Bent. But once it became clear that Liverpool could not sell Cissé for about £8m - as had been hoped until he suffered a double fracture to his right leg in a friendly for France - those plans quickly shifted. Although Bent has enjoyed only one season in the Premiership, Bellamy actually represents a cheaper option in terms of his transfer fee and undoubtedly offers more proven pedigree.

Chelsea chief Jose Mourinho has already begun The Premiership mind-games ahead of the new season - two months before a ball is due to be kicked. Even before the fixture lists are announced Mourinho claims he already knows his side will get a bad hand when they are confirmed by the Premier League next week. "I think in England you say, 'I have looked into my crystal ball'. So this is what I saw," he told The Sun. "For sure our first game will be away from home. "After international matches, Arsenal always play at home, Manchester United and Liverpool are 50-50, Chelsea always away. "So, with an international match on the 16th and the first Premier League game on the 19th, Chelsea will be away. "Players will arrive back from their national teams on the 17th in the afternoon and we travel on the 18th to play away on the 19th. "Last season was unbelievable. After the Champions League, Chelsea was nearly always away, especially after the group phase matches. "There is protection to some clubs, nothing for others. I don't know the intention but I know the reality, it is impossible to deny it. "Sometimes matches after Champions League can be on a Sunday or Monday to have one more day to rest. Never for us. "I am here for the third year, I still don't know who is in control but for other teams it looks like perfect fixtures. "In the Christmas period, one day between matches. "Again other teams have two days' rest between matches. But these situations make us stronger, because we know from the beginning, we are not in an easy position. "Last game of the season, for sure away, two years running for us at Newcastle. "Arsenal at home. Man United and Liverpool, we will see."

Shola Ameobi has handed Newcastle a boost ahead of their Intertoto Cup campaign, with the gangly striker informing manager Glenn Roeder he does not require surgery on his hip. The forward was plagued by the complaint last term and it was expected that the 24-year-old would head for surgery during the close season. Ameobi visited his consultant this week, with the surgeon informing Ameobi that the problem had settled down. With Ameobi now not needing to go under the knife, he will be free to spearhead Newcastle's push for a Uefa Cup place. "It will not be necessary for Shola to have any operation," Roeder told the club's website. "Instead, he has had a scan on his hip which highlighted the problem and, in the end, the specialist gave him an injection which we hope will clear everything up for once and for all. "That means that Shola will be available for our Intertoto Cup match in the middle of July, which is good news because if he hadn't, as things stand, we would have been left with just one recognised striker in Albert Luque."

Newcastle United have blasted stories that Stephen Carr has submitted a transfer request. Reports had claimed the former Republic of Ireland international had asked to quit St James' Park in order to return to London. Carr has endured an injury-plagued two seasons on Tyneside since joining from Tottenham and was purported to want a return to the capital. He was linked with Charlton Athletic and Fulham, while it was suggested he could be offered in part-exchange for The Cottagers' Steed Malbranque. But Magpies chairman Freddy Shepherd has reacted angrily to the rumours and insists Carr wants to stay in the North East. "Stories that Stephen Carr has asked for a transfer are complete rubbish and I do not know where they have come from," Shepherd told the club's official website. "I have spoken to both the player and his agent and the story is simply not true. "Stephen is a key member of our first-team squad, he is an experienced, international player, and he will be back with the rest of the squad when they return for pre-season training later this month." Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder was equally perplexed by the reports and has been reassured that Carr does not want to leave the club. Roeder added: "I have spoken to Stephen's agent and he assures me that he is going nowhere. "The stories that have circulated today have no truth in them whatsoever." Carr concluded last season by being sent off against Premiership champions Chelsea, although his red card was later rescinded.

Prepare for some major cut and pasting "5th best team in country etc etc etc ........"

Newcastle United keeper Steve Harper has admitted that his St James' Park career is "very much up in the air". The 31-year-old keeper, who is easily United's longest-serving player, has 12 months of his current deal to run at a time when No 1 Shay Given has just committed himself to the club for the next five years. No-one can question Harper's loyalty, and that's why I believe Freddy Shepherd and Glenn Roeder would be sympathetic to the Easington-born keeper should he decide to leave before his contract runs out. I know of at least one Championship club who are prepared to prise Harper away from St James' Park before the season opens. But, not surprisingly, if he does leave United Harper would be looking to stay in the Premiership. And he told me today: "Really it's just a case of waiting to see what happens. "I am 31 now and it is not getting any easier sitting on the bench week-in, week-out. "What I do know is that I don't want another season like last season, which was one of my worst ever as I only managed to play one first-team game and that was in Slovakia in the middle of July." My view of Harper has not changed in the past three years: if he was playing regular Premiership football then he would be in the England set-up. It is something Shepherd agrees with and the United chairman has expressed his disappointment that his reserve keeper was not No 3 for England behind Paul Robinson and David James in England's World Cup squad in Germany. Before that can ever happen Harper needs a run in the United team and he must have thought he was going to get his chance when Given came off with a broken thumb in the game with Spurs at White Hart Lane on New Year's Eve. The respect between the United keepers is mutual and they are also big pals and that's why Harper can say: "Only Lazarus can come off with a suspected broken thumb and play two days later. "That time was probably the lowest I have experienced in the eight seasons I have had here since I got my first chance back in 1998-99." Despite that, and while there is some uncertainty about his future at St James' Park, the keeper is back to his typical up-beat self. He adds: "The fact that we were fantastic under Glenn Roeder at the end of the season and have qualified for Europe means that I might get more opportunity. "The only thing I'm not looking forward to is when we are slogging it out in pre-season getting a text from Alan Shearer saying he is on some golf course in an exotic part of the world. "But it goes without saying that Al is going to be a big, big miss both on and off the field next season."

Albert Luque has been told it will cost him £1.5 MILLION a year if he wants to end his Newcastle hell by joining Sevilla. Luque would welcome a return to Spain after a nightmare maiden season in the Premiership. United's new boss Glenn Roeder - who Luque holds partially responsible for his exclusion from Spain's World Cup squad - is willing to let the striker leave at the right place. And Sevilla are keen to challenge Atletico Madrid and Real Zaragoza for Luque's signature. But the 28-year-old has learned that the newly crowned UEFA Cup winners are only prepared to pay him half of his current £60,000 a week salary. It also remains to be seen whether any club will offer Newcastle a respectable return on their £9.5 million investment in a player who made just six Premiership starts last season.

Newcastle are willing to let Steve Carr leave St James's Park this summer. The former Tottenham right-back is unsettled on Tyneside and has designs on a move back south. And United boss Glenn Roeder could attempt to include Carr as a makeweight in a deal for Fulham midfielder Steed Malbranque. Jermain Defoe is another potential target in a cash plus Carr deal, but it is unlikely that Spurs boss Martin Jol will be interested in taking the Irishman back to White Hart Lane. Carr, now 29, arrived at Newcastle from Tottenham for £2 million in the summer of 2004 but has struggled to recapture his best form during an injury-affected two years.

Newcastle United have hit a cash stumbling block in their bid for Fulham midfielder Steed Malbranque. The Cottagers have quoted the Magpies a figure of £5 million for the Frenchman - a price the Magpies are unwilling to pay. United know Malbranque has just a year left on his contract and therefore value him at barely half the figure quoted by Fulham. But despite potential rival Premiership interest in him, Newcastle remain confident of getting their man and avoiding a repeat of the stand-off which saw them miss out on Malbranque's team-mate Luis Boa Morte last year. United's interest in Malbranque - revealed in the Sunday Sun two weeks ago - comes as sources in Glasgow link them with a shock move for Celtic striker John Hartson. The Magpies are considering offering the Welshman a one-year deal as they seek to fill the void left by Alan Shearer. United boss Glenn Roeder is hot on the trail of Dirk Kuyt, but knows he faces stiff competition for the Holland hit-man, particularly if he impresses at the World Cup. And a move for 31-year-old Hartson is favourably regarded as a viable short-term option.

Manchester United will sue England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson if striker Wayne Rooney suffers an injury breakdown at the World Cup. (News of the World, Sunday Mirror) Tottenham have told Manchester United that they will have to pay £20m to land midfielder Michael Carrick. (News of the World) However the deal could have already been done, with Tottenham accepting £12m. (Daily Star Sunday) If Carrick does sign for Manchester United, Tottenham will join Liverpool in the race to sign Chelsea winger Damien Duff. (Daily Star Sunday) Former Newcastle and Chelsea boss Ruud Gullit is a candidate for the vacant manager's job at Crystal Palace. (The People) Liverpool are after Real Zaragoza midfielder Alberto Zapater. (News of the World) The Anfield club have also had an £8m bid for Sevilla winger Daniel Alaves turned down by the Spanish club. (Sunday Mirror) Liverpool are keen on Middlesbrough striker Mark Viduka, who is available for £1.5m, as the club look to replace the injured Djibril Cisse. (The People) Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has been told that he can make a £12m bid for Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe. (Sunday Mirror) Although that figure could be nearer £9m. (The People) Newcastle are poised to make a £10m bid for West Ham striker Dean Ashton to fill the void left by Alan Shearer. (Daily Star Sunday) The Magpies are also lining up a £500,00 swoop for Celtic striker John Hartson. (The People) Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is to end speculation over his future by signing a four-year deal with the Stamford Bridge club. (News of the World) Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is prepared to play a waiting game in the chase for West Brom defender Curtis Davis. (Daily Star Sunday) Reading are to make a surprise £2m move for Manchester City keeper David James. (The People) Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is wanted by Barcelona. (Mail on Sunday) Real Madrid have stepped up their interest in Manchester United target Mahamadou Diarra of Lyon. (Daily Star Sunday) Everton duo James McFadden and Gary Naysmith could be offloaded in the summer to make way for new signings. (The People) Charlton are closing in on the £2.5m signing of Reading skipper Steve Sidwell. (Daily Star Sunday)

Violent confrontations involving up to 200 people that left 16 people injured have marred a screening of England's opening World Cup game in London. Several arrests were also made at a showing in Liverpool after what was described as a "mini riot" broke out. As a result police shut down the transmission, on big screens in Clayton Square, Liverpool and Canary Wharf. Six people were taken to hospital in London, but police in Liverpool said the disorder resulted in no injuries. Police said 2,000 people had turned out to see the match in Clayton Square. Up to 6,000 attended the outdoor screening at Canary Wharf. Fans began hurling bottles, cans and other missiles at the screen, the crowd and officers during the second half of the match in Liverpool city centre. Stores surrounding the screen locked their doors as police attempted to restore order. Officers said there were "small pockets of violence" as people were dispersed and further incidents were swiftly dealt with. Supt Andy Fisher, of Merseyside Police, said: "In the most part, it was good-natured, however a minority of people decided to spoil the event for everyone else by throwing missiles. "This kind of behaviour will not be tolerated and individuals can expect to be arrested if they are involved in violence and aggressive behaviour." John Rowland, who works in a shop in the area, said a number of people had sought refuge on the premises. "Everything just kicked off into a riot and so we had to put the shutters down on the shop," he said. "It is an absolute disgrace. This is the start of the World Cup - is this what we've got to look forward to? People were terrified." Police said they were continuing to monitor the area and promised to crack down on any drunken violence.

And that was without the mighty Jason Scotland...

I agree but it seems hes already been made the scapegoat, regardless of how well, or badly, England do.

Newcastle United have offered a trial to 15-year-old Scandinavian starlet Saif Kadhim. The promising striker has been unearthed by Magpies scouts whilst playing for Ersboda SK and will travel to St James' Park. The North East club are now under the permanent guidance of Glenn Roeder and if the former West Ham boss is impressed then Kadhim could be offered the chance to further his education in The Premiership. Indeed Kadhim insists he will be offered a two year deal to star in the club's youth academy should he catch Roeder's eye. "If Newcastle want me I will go directly," Kadhim told Vasterbottens Folkblad. "In case I do well during the trial, I will get a grant to study at the football academy for two years."