Scottish Mag

Newcastle United are out to sign David Beckham in a plan hatched by Mike Ashley and backed by Kevin Keegan. Billionaire owner Ashley is making contact with key figures behind the scenes to find out whether Beckham would fancy a move to the Tyne - despite the problems it would cause in his new career with American MLS outfit LA Galaxy. The shrewd Toon supremo knows that the former England skipper would sell shirts by the thousand at his club and also make them a world-wide brand. Ashley is not afraid to back his hunches - as he knows all the right people. He also paid £180million for a stake in adidas recently. Newcastle's shirts are made by adidas and Beckham is the face of the brand, so it would be a commercial masterstroke as well as a sound deal for footballing reasons. Beckham, who was on good terms with Keegan when Kev was England boss, has signed up for a lucrative spell in US football and is committed to it. But Ashley hopes the lure of Newcastle, Keegan and a better chance of staying in the England side will swing a transfer or loan deal. Ashley would have to compensate LA Galaxy and the MLS handsomely if he wants to take Beckham on a long-term contract.

KEVIN KEEGAN is set to test Gordon Strachan’s resolve to keep hold of his top stars with a £8-million bid for Scott Brown. The Toon Army idol has swept back into St James Park on a tide of emotion. And in a determined effort to ensure the feel-good factor continues, the club’s billionaire owner Mike Ashley has promised to give his manager the cash he needs for an instant rebuild of the team. It’s understood Brown, who cost Celtic a record £4.4-million fee in the summer, is near the top of Keegan’s wish list. But having seen his 22-year-old midfielder lead the champions to a 1-0 win over Kilmarnock yesterday — his shot was deflected in by Martyn Corrigan for the game’s only goal — the Celtic boss insists he doesn’t want to sell anyone. “I don’t want to have anyone going out the way,” he said. http://www.dcthomson.co.uk/MAGS/POST/sport.htm

Portsmouth have denied that Sol Campbell is on his way out of the club after the England defender missed the 3-1 victory at home to Derby County on Saturday. Local radio reports suggested that Campbell had been spotted shopping in Winchester instead of watching the game at Fratton Park, and, although Harry Redknapp, the manager, claimed that his captain had suffered a back injury on the morning of the match, there was speculation that Campbell could be bound for Newcastle United. Campbell has questioned the club’s ambition, which is not a commodity lacking at St James’ Park, where Kevin Keegan, the manager, said after the goalless draw at home to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday, that an experienced central defender was among his transfer priorities. Peter Storrie, the Portsmouth chief executive, has rubbished the rumours, but if Campbell is unhappy, then his mood was unlikely to have been helped by a public rap on the knuckles administered by Storrie last week. After Sylvain Distin had joined Campbell in expressing concern over a lack of signings since the opening of the transfer window, Storrie made it plain that he believed that players should be seen ? on the pitch ? but not heard. “We don’t talk about how the players play, so they shouldn’t talk about the money the club has spent,” Storrie said. “We are puzzled as to why [Campbell] keeps making these statements.” http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle3221997.ece

I nearly never got home last night because of it. Hundreds of commuters shut outside central station with no sign of any police or rail staff and no explanantion either. I was on the verge of just meeting back up with those at the piss up and making a night out of it.

44 million on Berbatov and Carrick....

AT every turn in this throwback of a city, you are reminded that it is unique. "It's a very special club," said Kevin Keegan, working on the theory that if you repeat it often enough, sane people might actually start believing it. "It is not a normal club. The Geordie fans have worked hard all week and they want to come and enjoy their football." Because, of course, those layabouts from the East End doss around for a few days and then wander off to Upton Park not really bothered what is put in front of them. And car plant workers from Liverpool just sit on their idle hands, waiting for their weekly outing to Anfield or Goodison where they are not bothered how their team plays football — they just want them to win. "You don't understand," Keegan went on, slipping effortlessly into the patter that tickles every Geordie's black-and-white striped tummy. "And people outside the area never will." Sentimental drivel. It's a hoary old caricature that should be treated with the contempt it deserves. All Scousers are funny, all Cockneys are spivs, all Scots are tight, all Welsh enjoy the company of sheep, all Geordies are the epitome of the true fan. No. All Geordies are stuck in a football land that time forgot. The football land of 1996. A land in which Arsenal had entered the brief, ill-advised and ill-fated Bruce Rioch era. A land in which Chelsea could finish no higher than 11th. A land without Continental managers. There were only two non-English bosses in the Premier League at the start of the 1995-96 season — Joe Kinnear and a yet-to-be-knighted Alex Ferguson. And does anyone in their right mind seriously think that the level of sophistication, the level of athleticism, the level of tactical awareness has not risen dramatically enough to render Keegan's approach ineffective? Anyone outside the deluded Geordie nation, that is? Over a decade has passed and only Keegan's dress sense has stayed remotely the same. These people ARE football-lovers. Just like Mancs, Scousers, Brummies and Londoners are. And they DO deserve to see entertaining football. Just like Mancs, Scousers, Brummies and Londoners do. But if Keegan loves this club so much, then jacking them up with a quick shot of gung-ho football should not be his aim. Undeniably, Arsenal and Manchester United play the most attractive football in the Premier League, if not in Europe. But their entertainment is based on a long-term philosophy laid down by two managers who don't consider quitting at the first sign of turbulence. It is founded on a footballing mentality that is instilled in the youth teams and reserve teams — levels of football that Keegan appeared to consider worthless during his last tenure at St James' Park. Earlier in the week, chairman Chris Mort spoke of the qualities they wanted from a new manager and they included developing a top-class youth set-up. A few days later and he is sat on the podium next to Keegan, the man who did away with Newcastle reserves and employed Mark Lawrenson to coach the defence in an experiment which lasted all of four months. This was clearly a Mike Ashley appointment. And unwittingly, Keegan let slip exactly what sort of owner Ashley is. "I wanted to see the guy whose toy-set it was," said Keegan. Toy-set. Spot on. Got the mansion, got the boat, got the plane. What next to amuse a bored billionaire? What next to try and buy happiness? A decent shrink might see a psychological reason why Ashley mixes it with the masses out of whom he has made his obscene fortune by selling over-priced replica shirts. And a decent shrink might not be wrong. He's got all the tangibles enormous wealth can bring. The great intangibles are being liked, adored, hero-worshipped. In these parts, dragging Keegan away from a Mickey Mouse business venture and delivering him to the steps of St James' Park guarantees those. He has bought the club on a whim and he has bought Keegan because his legion of new-found mates in the Quayside boozers asked him to. "My round again, boys. What's it to be?" "Mine's a King Kev, Mikey boy." "No problem!" Despite the fact that Keegan — for all his genius as a player and for all his coaching jobs — is a man who has never been besotted with football management like Fergie is, like Arsene Wenger is, like Rafa Benitez is. Of course, he was given a Messiah's welcome yesterday. Of course, he has lifted spirits. But if these supporters really do believe that Keegan and Ashley are the saviours, then the man himself was right...this really is a place no outsider can ever understand. http://notw.typepad.com/dunn/2008/01/geordies-stuck.html

Go to lolcat builder and do your worst http://mine.icanhascheezburger.com/

An £890,000 loss on his "5 worst buys". Aye shocking spending that like...

"Cum fae"

How much of a clown is this guy...

No video unfortunately...

If he was to come he would bring Steve Kean with him.

Good man

If it wasn't for the fact that Martins and Owen are shortarses I wouldn't have been surprised to see him interested in Defoe.

Good shout. 2 chances of Man Utd selling though. None and fuck all....

http://www.soccercircus.com/

I have sorted a ticket for you...

Oh look another weegie..

Van Buyten on loan

When you think how shit we have been even at home against the likes of Derby, how low morale is and well Stoke are doing just now this is a fucking great result.

Keegans welcome home party. Trent from 3??

What a waste of 5k