Scottish Mag

Heres another... Since their arrival - Who have you been most impressed by: Owen or Martins?

Started a game as Leeds United. League 1 and a -15 points start, but my seasons going pretty well so far...

Happy Birthday dude

I should be going to the Scotland game today but did not get a ticket. Have been to most of the other games but because I never joined the SSC (which is a rip off) I never got one for this game.

Runrig - Loch Lomond (Hampden Remix)

Might well be for the best, long term anyway, for the English game (in several ways) if England don't qualify. Other than perhaps lower the expectation levels how would it be good for the English game?

To be fair I have heard those stairlifts take a while...

Looks a right laugh at Torquay games....

Not all of them don't bother. I used to even double back with some parcels/packets if I seen someone return home in car etc whilst I was further on in the run to save them having to go pick the item up. Mind you I used to deliver to an area that was full of home alone Navy wives...

SYDNEY (AFP) - Santas in Australia's largest city have been told not to use Father Christmas's traditional "ho ho ho" greeting because it may be offensive to women, it was reported Thursday. Sydney's Santa Clauses have instead been instructed to say "ha ha ha" instead, the Daily Telegraph reported. One disgruntled Santa told the newspaper a recruitment firm warned him not to use "ho ho ho" because it could frighten children and was too close to "ho", a US slang term for prostitute. "Gimme a break," said Julie Gale, who runs the campaign against sexualising children called Kids Free 2B Kids. "We are talking about little kids who do not understand that "ho, ho, ho" has any other connotation and nor should they," she told the Telegraph. "Leave Santa alone." A local spokesman for the US-based Westaff recruitment firm said it was "misleading" to say the company had banned Santa's traditional greeting and it was being left up to the discretion of the individual Santa himself.

I see some of the sites are running with this story again today.

Anyone doing anything interesting over the weekend?

I got one from Scan yesterday for £39.99 and free next day delivery.

Carrie Underwood - I know you won't

I am looking to buy one myself mate. The newer version is meant to be better but I can't decide between the two with that ones price. Stuff Magazine rates the other one highly - http://stuff.tv/review/roku-soundbridge-m1000/default.aspx

Sam Allardyce has been dragged into Kevin Bond's £250,000-plus courtroom battle with Newcastle United. Bond is claiming wrongful dismissal after he was dismissed as assistant manager to Glenn Roeder at St James' Park in September 2006 because of what he said to a Panorama documentary investigating corruption in football. But he believes that the subsequent recruitment of Allardyce on a three-year contract shows that Newcastle used his responses to an undercover reporter as a pretext for dismissing him. "Newcastle entered into a three-year contract appointing Mr Sam Allardyce, the principal target of the Panorama programme of September 2006, as its new manager," Bond claims in documents lodged with the high court. "Upon his appointment Mr Allardyce stated that the Panorama programme 'didn't come into the discussions when we were talking over the Newcastle job.' It is averred that [Newcastle] used the Panorama programme as a pretext for dismissing [bond]." Newcastle responded to Bond's contention by saying that Allardyce's role as manager was "irrelevant" to the 50-year-old's sacking. "If it is [bond's] case that the hiring of Mr Allardyce is in some way indicative of a tolerance by [Newcastle] for dishonest behaviour, [Newcastle] will contend ... that the allegations against Mr Allardyce were based purely upon hearsay statements whereas the claimant condemned himself through his own words and conduct," the club stated. It added that Bond "was recorded in his words [in the Panorama programme] agreeing to consider being a part of a dishonest arrangement with third parties which included the receipt of unlawful payments by him". Bond denies ever having sought irregular payments, stating that "the BBC obtained no evidence that [he] had ever received or solicited any corrupt payment in relation to any transfer or otherwise". He believes he is entitled to £253,860.83 "plus unliquidated damages" after losing his £150,000-a-year post as Roeder's assistant. His terms had been topped up with 10% pension contributions, a £1,500-per-game win bonus and a £750 bonus for every draw. There was also a car allowance amounting to £743.83 a month, which is also included in the claim.

Letting Tommy Craig go was probably more of a factor then Shearer.

SAM Allardyce has blocked a loan move for Shola Ameobi by former Newcastle United boss Glenn Roeder. New Norwich City manager Roeder wanted to take his former striker to Carrow Road to freshen up his attack, as he bids to stave off the threat of relegation to League One. But his assistant Lee Clark was told by Allardyce that Ameobi – who was pulled out of the squad for Saturday's derby against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light because of illness – was going nowhere. Ameobi has been just a bit-part player this season for Allardyce, making just one Premier League start and two in the Carling Cup. And a lack of football is clearly frustrating the 26-year-old, who believes he is now at an age where he needs to be playing week in, week out. However, Ameobi – who has scored 46 goals for the club since making his debut against Chelsea in September 2000 – could have a big part to play in the second-half of the season, with top scorer Obafemi Martins leaving for the African Nations Cup in Ghana in January. Fellow forward Mark Viduka has also missed a number of games through injury. And Allardyce – who tipped Ameobi for England honours at the start of the campaign – feels he can bring a physical presence to the front line in Viduka's absence. Roeder, meanwhile, could return for midfielder Matty Pattison, who has not played yet played a game for Allardyce.

The Football Association are trying to establish whether referee Martin Atkinson saw Joey Barton's controversial challenge on Dickson Etuhu during Saturday's 1-1 draw at Sunderland before deciding whether any disciplinary action should be taken against the Newcastle midfielder. Atkinson did not award a foul when Barton went into the tackle with his studs high on the Sunderland player, with both men squaring up afterwards. It is understood there was no mention of the incident in the referee's report, and the FA will seek clarification over whether Atkinson did indeed witness the clash at the time as well as reviewing television evidence. Under FIFA guidelines, a retrospective charge for violent conduct can only be laid down in instances where the match official does not notice the incident at all. Should disciplinary proceedings eventually be forthcoming, Barton - who joined Newcastle from Manchester City during the summer - could be facing up to a three-match ban.

This has to be up there, surely?

Winger, striker or holding midfielder? Stuart Rayner watches a player struggling to find his place ONCE upon a time Alan Smith was viewed as a potential successor to Roy Keane. As Keane’s playing days neared an end, the then-Manchester United player was asked to prove he could become the dominant midfielder his team-mate had been for a decade. A broken leg at Anfield ended the experiment and although Keane had left Old Trafford by the time Smith regained full fitness, he was never asked again. While Smith was unable to convince Sir Alex Ferguson he was any better equipped than the long line of midfielders who tried and failed to replace Keane, he made an impression on the man himself. When the 27-year-old’s Red Devils career ended in the summer, Sunderland’s manager was towards the front of the queue of suitors. Had Smith chosen Wearside over Tyneside it would have been interesting to see how Keane would have utilised him. Seven years after a winning goal for Leeds United in Lazio’s Olympic Stadium which had many talking of him as a top England centre-forward in the making, Smith is still searching for his best position. In four months working with Smith, Sam Allardyce has done little to answer the question. “I see him as a utility player,” Allardyce said after Saturday’s Wear-Tyne derby. “It’s all about commitment, passion and energy with Smudger. He’s not bothered where he plays as long as he plays.” Whenever the Yorkshireman pulls on a pair of football boots, commitment comes as a guarantee. It is a quality too few Magpies players of recent seasons have possessed, and perhaps a reason why he ended Saturday’s derby with the captain’s armband around his left arm. Smith’s very obvious passion endears him to fans, the club owner who wears his shirt and team-mates, but what is less clear is how best to channel it. A week after only his second Newcastle start in his preferred centre-forward position, Smith was asked to reprise his anchorman role for the first time since the horrendous injury at Liverpool 21 months earlier. With Nicky Butt suspended, Allardyce’s 4-1-3-2 formation needed someone who could protect a back four increasingly conforming to the Newcastle United stereotype. It says much for Kenwyne Jones’ rapidly-growing reputation the Magpies manager also had an eye on dealing with the striker’s aerial ability. Smith was given the nod over Abdoulaye Faye and club captain Geremi. Holding midfield is a position which requires discipline. Smith showed plenty of positional restraint, generally stationed between or behind the full-backs when Newcastle were in possession and on top of Faye and David Rozehnal when Sunderland had free-kicks within range of Jones’ head. But more widely, discipline is Smith’s weakness. He became only the second Premier League player this season suspended for reaching five bookings and on Saturday committed more fouls than anyone. One of Butt’s underplayed strengths is his passing. Too often Smith was wasteful in possession despite adopting the same unadventurous approach that used to be a hallmark of his St James’s predecessor David Batty. Smith’s job was not to be a Dwight Yorke-style playmaker, but a little cutting edge would have gone a long way. Smith was unwittingly involved in Higginbotham’s opener, and while he did nothing wrong in collecting a throw-in from deep in Black Cats territory and passing back to Faye, he could have done more when the defender’s brainstorm caused a corner. That Jones could take it short was in part due to Smith standing off. By then, though, he was in credit having cleared Leadbitter’s first-half shot after it beat Steve Harper, again demonstrating an ability to sense danger. Some people are just good utility players and many successful teams have had cause to thank a jack-of-all-trades with an uncomplaining dedication to the team. But those who fill the role generally aspire to be better, preferring to be outstanding in one position as opposed to adequate in many. For Smith to finally reach the heights his goal in Rome hinted at he must settle on a role, then make himself undroppable in it. Whenever the Yorkshireman pulls on a pair of boots, commitment comes as a guarantee

SAM Allardyce is confident he has got Newcastle’s stuttering season back on track after admitting that Saturday’s Wear-Tyne derby was a game he could not afford to lose. Having seen his side beaten in their two previous Premier League fixtures, the former Sunderland defender was under intense pressure as he returned to Wearside but, although the Black Cats were the better side, the spoils were shared. With chairman Chris Mort watching from the directors’ box and club owner Mike Ashley from the stands, Allardyce’s relief was apparent as James Milner equalised Danny Higginbotham’s headed opener. And although he last night insisted his relationship with both remains intact, the Magpies boss knows defeat on Wearside would have been intolerable for all at St James’s Park. “The most important thing here is not to lose the derby, we haven’t and, in the circumstances, we are pleased,” explained a manager whose team lost 4-1 at home to Portsmouth seven days earlier. “This was a game that we couldn’t afford to lose – that would be unthinkable – and a point is important for Newcastle and for me.” Allardyce endured an uncomfortable week following a damaging defeat and, although he feels the reaction has been disproportionate, the 53-year-old understands the demands for instant success. “You need to buy time with results, because this is an impatient business – that has been proved with the managers who have gone already,” he said. “Are Newcastle’s supporters impatient? Not if you’re winning.” Newcastle have not won since October 22, but Allardyce is hoping Aston Villa’s example hasn’t gone unnoticed within the St James’s Park boardroom. “Martin O’Neill didn’t win in 16 games last season (and he’s still in a job) and that’s what you need in your first year under new owners,” he said. “Mike strikes me as a man who is committed to the club – just look at what he has spent here. He also seems to want to be enjoying it – I wasn’t surprised he watched with the fans – and I’m all for that. It’s up to me to help him do that. I’m just glad we scored at the end he was in. I’m working on a day-to-day basis with the chairman and we’re building a great relationship at a rapid pace.” Salvaging a point during a frenetic fixture cannot have harmed such efforts and although forthcoming fixtures are difficult ones (Liverpool, Arsenal and Blackburn are up next), Allardyce is looking ahead with confidence. “We’re over the blip, we’ve steadied the ship,” he said. “We’re going okay, although football managers are never satisfied. We’ve had a rough time. But we’ve come back and not allowed it to escalate. This will help to lift spirits.” Although content to have drawn, Allardyce was not pleased at the manner in which Sunderland opened the scoring and the club’s defenders will continue to be worked hard. “Good defensive play in the Premier League doesn’t happen overnight when you’ve got new players,” added a manager determined to eradicate the errors undermining his efforts. “We’re working on them as a unit and as individuals and they’ll get better. The mistake we made might have cost us this game and it’s something that we’ve got to overcome.” Abdoulaye Faye, whose mistake led to Danny Higginbotham’s headed goal, later limped off. The Senegal international suffered a hamstring problem that could sideline him for several weeks. Faye has been withdrawn from the Senegal squad and will remain in the North-East to receive treatment.

Sam Allardyce believes Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given has become "uptight" about his nagging groin injury. Given has started just four of the club's 12 Premier League games this season and sat out the 1-1 draw with Sunderland on Saturday. He has undergone further scans on the injury, but Allardyce has suggested that the Irishman needs to overcome a mental block regarding his fitness. "The specialists say there should be no problem with it, but I think he's got uptight about it," said Allardyce in The People. "That's disrupted his technique and put a lot of pressure on those areas. "He's just got to forget about it, the specialist has told him to just keep doing his prevention work, his goalkeeping work, but not to overdo it. "I think he's overdone it by the will of wanting to get better and better."

6 points behind Chelsea and Liverpool with the same amount of games played FFS get a grip. I now cannot understand why I was arguing with the SKY Sports pundits yesterday who slagged us off saying we are far too impatient and a basically a fucking joke at times. But judging by the some of the posts on here and N-O its seems they are right. If you want to boo its nearly panto season. If you don't want to support the team you would be better off there. You need to get a grip on reality you fucking Rodent. The daft shite is playing players out of position all over the park for a kick off, we have no other plan other than to hoof the ball up front and we haven't played any of the top teams yet, thats why were sitting were we are. If you can't see that you must have the brain of a fucking haggis, were worse than Sunderland, I'll give the fat 'out of his depth man' 4 games from now because the majority of people I've spoke to are well and truly pissed off with his team selections, tactics and the football were playing. We are shit - fact Fuck off