NJS

Shepherd: 2 consortia have approached him about being the "name" on bids as of now but wouldn't give any more details. Ashley is a "cry baby" for whinging about the debt - he paid a market price and with the stadium, training ground and club it should have cost him twice as much. He still loves us (ahh) and we deserve success.

The question I'd like to ask him is whether he came up with stability plan before or after he looked at the books? If he thought his initial £130m would get him a debt free business would he have spent £110m on players? The reason I ask this is because as I've argued before his much vaunted plan is very sensible but for me it needed an initial splurge to get us 5-6 places up the league as a starting platform. I think his lack of football knowledge shows here in that he thinks 5 years of this steady progress would get us anywhere at all. I also think he doesn't deserve any sympathy if he expects to make a large profit on the deal - reasonable return yes - £100m+ then that shows his true colours.

I think Ant said this but it certainly occurred to me as wll - there would be absolutely nothing stopping him taking his kids into a directors/private box.

I would also ask where the £20m per season investment (aside from his initial outlay) has gone because it hasn't gone on players in the last two summers.

It seems reasonable but I don;t like the implied insults - the possible assault and the idea that we almost demand bankruptcy in pursuit of success especially. As many have said I don't think anyone thought that the general idea of the structure was flawed - the problem is that either because of failed bedding in or the personnel involved (or both) it hasn't worked well enough. I'm sick of being told we've signed some good players - we have - but nowhere near enough. If he thinks fans would rather have seen us sign Berbatov than say 4 more defenders and midfielders then he has badly misjudged us to a huge degree.

It's our fault - we demand too much don't you know. 5 years of that will see us emulate Leeds - we'll be in the championship at best.

My thoughts: 50,242 my hairy arse. The ultimate irony was that the player who did the most in terms of effort to lift the team and the club wouldn't be here if the cunts had got their way on deadline day. Xisco - nothing player but of course I'm glad he scored. The ref - usual choice - incompetent or corrupt. Guthrie - momentarily entertaining but desperately stupid. Shola - please no, not ever, again, please. The protests were well meaning but I sensed beneath them a very sad apathy. So the squad isn't good enough in terms of quality and quantity. Will the person whose task this is take responsibility for it or will he continue to never attend games. Get the poison out of my club now.

Our friend Louise reckons they met this afternoon to discuss compen but then decided to chat about a return which was why another session tonight took place.

The lad on Sunkers who has had good inside info in the past reckons Ashley was desperate to have him back but wouldn't meet the demand of removing the 3 idiots.

Flying up tomorrow due to arrive at 9:25 so need to kill an hour pre-beer - anyone got any recommendations for a good breakfast (probably English)?

Conversely if he was going to talk about something serious, I don't think mobile phone would be appropriate. Also why would there be the urgency of a Friday evening meeting for something that could be settled at any time - surely the game tomorrow is the imperative.

Ambani: "The club's in turmoil - you can fuck off" Ashley: "What if I could get Kev back?" Ambani: "Hmm...."

Being ludicrously imaginative for a moment - maybe he's selling up/getting investment in and the deal somehow involves Keegan coming back.

The Prophet Mohammed as an outsider with divine intervention.

Feel free to disagree but did anyone else think the bloke's foot didn't touch John Terry for their goal (though probably a free-kick) and that he should be held up as the odious cheat he is for claiming injury to the ref and going as far as to have "treatment" from the physio?

Perfect!!!

Beckham should be absolutely shot with shit for introducing the repeated use of "you know" into current speak.

I see France won which as I understand it means Deschamps won't be under pressure to take that job. I'm warming to the idea of him coming here (now that I've realised we have to get on with life however painful). Anyone with an insight into his CV/track record/temperament/style?

I've had 2, one was great, the other one was pissed. Genuinely never met/seen a black woman that I find attractive, not even Bouncey and her crew. What? It's true, just like I tend not to fancy girls with ginger hair. I'm failing to see your problem Tori Amos? Nicole Kidman? I thought Ron Atkinson was bad when he wrote off 700m chinese women but all blacks and all redheads/ginges is very fussy.

Anyone with an IQ over 50 knew that was a complete load of , at least with this one no one is entirely sure, just almost certainly sure. There was a lot of hysteria but there was also a shit load of work done in the run up to it which actually prevented problems.

Alex you needlessly implied that the west end was the only shit hole in the NE - Stevie can't have that ST doesn't haven't anywhere near as shit as the west end of course but we're mackems which is a whole different level of deprivation.

FYP

Lad at work confirms what Stevie said - would have to be seriously shit not to win the league in Turkey given their financial dominance - did once but failed last year - champions league was good however and made him liked.

although statistically, he may be correct. It's one of those things (a bit like immigration) that we should be able to discuss without going all Rebrov - there are too many black kids who commit crime and some of it may be cultural but discussing the real reasons is okay imo.

Tottenham is a crime-ridden shithole though so the warning isn't too far off - I'd argue due to poverty and neglect rather than because of dark skins.