NJS

I think his admission that he didn't know anything about running a football club (proved by his praise of Kinnear in the same statement) was the most revealing/damning. If someone gave me a billion I'd certainly buy the club - but the first thing I'd do would be to appoint a Kenyon type person.

It's a strange one - if the mortgage pay-off clause hadn't existed and say he'd put a £100m in on players then I'd guess we'd have finished in a UEFA place with Keegan at least and everyone would love him. As it is if it does work out that we "come back stronger" from relegation then he'll still probably be hated.

Seems strange to me - you can't continually use the "I'm black and white" stance and then seem so eager to manage Sunderland imo - he'll be on a hiding to nothing with the fans as well. (And yes he is).

About the same as Moyes' new deal I think - of course you could argue that Moyes has already proved himself but Shearer would probably use the big name/ST sales argument.

Can't help thinking this was a frustrated response to Obama's call to common sense on the issue last week.

So for say £200m all in including a decent transfer kitty you could get a debt freee premiership club (assuming it works) with the 4th or 5th biggest turnover with the cliched "massive potential" - I still think it sounds like a bargain to the the right sort of person/people,

Sometimes I hate myself for being an optimist - if someone can actually buy the club for £80m with a £40m overdraft facility then that would surely leave someone with only a "modest" amount of money to get an absoilute bargain if they pump in enough for a quick promotion.

As long as they get someone who knows what they are doing to run it - even if that is you know who.

I'm struck by it being strange that he semingly talked to Shearer in "good faith" and then what- wakes up yesterday and says ah fuck it I can't be arsed anymore. He has demonstrated himself to be an impulsive arsehole but I think this tops the lot.

I meant that even if a sale took a while we'd still have time to do something - assuming its pre Ausust 31st of course. Another cynical view could be that as you say he's using a "sale" to avoid meeting Shearer's demands freeing him to go back to Kinnear (nice shout out in the piece) after Al has told him to fuck off.

Don;t understand the negativity here - did anyone really think he was going to invest/commit himsel? It doesn't mention what happens to the 100m loan but if if for a second he's writing that off as well then a price of 100m would allow someone plenty of room for major investment - even £200m would. As for Shearer he hasn't exactly got a job to go back to so apart from losing out on prep time I can't see a huge difference here. Remember when Keane took over the Mackems in August with a potful of cash he had enough time to buy enough to take them up.

Thing is your list all had other factors like not settling or being too big for their boots (Jenas) - I'd say a list of players who were sold against their will would be more interesting eg Stave Watson.

Dad/older brother - another choice never entered my head. I know I'm a hypocrite for slagging off religion for being an accident of birth/geography when that "choice" has been such a big part of my life - but at least it's not irrational.... Oh shit.

Went to see the Manics last night who were fantastic as usual but it reminded me of: People who go and see a band like them and choose to go in the seats - why? People who talk during quieter songs - if you're out on a date and want to chat then fuck off outside and do it. A kid in front of me constantly reading/writing texts even during stuff like Faster - utter, utter cunt - if I'd adopted Parky's suggestions I would have taken his phone off him and launched it as far as I could but cowardice won again.

For 8m for Martins I'd batter Gemmill in the rush to drive the fucker there.

What about Potuguese, Scouse, Argentinian and Bulgarian cheats though? It's Cheats against Cunts for me - either way around.

I made this point on N-O - his job title was Executive Director (Football) and he sat on the board - that means he is/was ultimately responsible for the football "results" of the club - on that basis he is more culpable than Llambias but imo not as culpable as the man who appointed and backed him. You can't give someone that title as a board member and then pretend his duties are limited to youth and/or other player recruitment.

I've been toying with the idea of going on a cycling holiday there - if I get fit enough I'll probably go to Turkey in September but if it takes me till the winter then Cuba goes back on the agenda (either Xmas or Feb). I think it would be interesting to go now before it gets "ruined" by warming relations with the US. I'd also say that having seen the Manics film of when they went you'd have to go there with a cynical but polite attitude to conditions. No doubt Rob will give us the low down.

Talking to a mate yeaterday and we agreed it will be more about control and vision rather than budget - I think this is where Shearer has impressed me the most with his "obvious" recognition of what the club is all about - something the manager needs in the light of the clueless other hierarchy.

You might as well get to work on the rest of our new "friends" for the coming months.

I said at the time Nolan was only signed because Barton got injured and Taylor only because it was Wigan that got N'Zogbia. The "real" window would have just been 2 out for £11m.

Yeah, oh goodey, trips to Scunthorpe, Plymouth, Doncaster and Peterborough. Joy. 2 great days out there in the past (actually 3 counting Peterborough twice). How many more times do people want to go to Wigan or Blackburn? Or to Old Trafford/Anfield knowing humiliation beckons? Obviously this is a separate issue to the actual football but as I've said elsewhere, maybe people just need to go and enjoy football again.

Two from this morning: People who get the shop to check their lottery tickets - if you're too stupid or too lazy to be able to do it yourself then you don't deserve to ever win a penny. I have to turn right at a mini-roundabout on a semi-main road to enter my bit of the estate and I've noticed for a while the number of people coming from the other direction who look like they aren't going to give me right of way. A couple of times I've even had to stop turning as the fuckers steam across.

Comparisons with last year when Keegan took over would be fairer - the players were so far down it took a while for "the magic" to work - Shearer (even if he did have it) just did not have enough time imo.

I've probably said this before but I met up with a couple of mates for West Ham in September who'd been talking to some Leicester fans ina bar at Euston. They were going to Orient and were absolutely loving being in League One and going to all these "daft" places though they obviously hoped it would only be once (as it turned out). That's my positive outlook for next year - okay I've been to quite a few of the places before but there are some new ones, some I haven't been to for years and familar great days out (eg Ipswich, Peterborough). Without a shit load of money or fluking a good manager (maybe Shearer who knows) we will never challenge at the top of the premier for the forseeable future. My only real hope for enjoying football again will be good days out with friends like it was years ago "when we were shit". People have already mentioned how next year everybody will want to beat us and most away games will be their "cup finals" - bring it on.