The Toon Army thread

[ShearMagic9]

I think the only way we could keep tige happy is to win 38 out of 38 games

I don't blame him for his negativity though, I mean he does support Richmond too

Oh and DT, we're not even in the Champions League running at the minute anyway, a UEFA cup spot is the best we can hope for.

 

[tige19]

I think the only way we could keep tige happy is to win 38 out of 38 games

I don't blame him for his negativity though, I mean he does support Richmond too

Oh and DT, we're not even in the Champions League running at the minute anyway, a UEFA cup spot is the best we can hope for.

I support Hawthorn dude, I have had a bad week!!

 

[ShearMagic9]

I support Hawthorn dude, I have had a bad week!!

Ahh... thats right, its TigerBob who is the Richmond dude.

I feel your pain, last week the way you guys beat us.... just, uhh, don't go there.

 

[tribey]

Oh and DT, we're not even in the Champions League running at the minute anyway, a UEFA cup spot is the best we can hope for.

That was the point. You're not going to finish top-4 if you drop 5 (count 'em, 5!) points to Championship heavyweights Boro and Derby.

 

[wellsy]

NEWCASTLE United will pay tribute to Academy starlet Jordan Thompson at Sunday's game against West Ham United after the 15-year-old sadly passed away following a long illness.

Jordan, from West Denton, was part of the club's Under 16 squad and had been with his hometown club since the age of 11.

As a mark of respect, Newcastle United's players will wear black armbands for Sunday's game and will celebrate Jordan's life with a minute's applause before kick-off against the Hammers.

Jordan's family will be at the game and his U16 Academy team-mates will also join United's senior team on the pitch for the minute's applause.

Chairman Chris Mort said: "Jordan was an excellent young player in our Academy and the staff were very pleased with the way in which he was developing, both as a player and a fabulous young man.

"Our deepest sympathies go to his family and friends.

"As a mark of respect, the Club will be holding a minute's applause before Sunday's game."

Sad, 15... Apparently was fighting cancer. If our players arent inspired to play this week then i dont know what will inspire them.

EDIT - NUFC.com say it was from leukaemia.

 

[ShearMagic9]

Sad news.

Good to see the club giving him a minutes applause

 

[tige19]

Great game today, our class shone through in the end as it should against sides like West Ham when we are at home. Owen going off injured again isnt good, his groin looks like it may need an op which is no good, Martins however is as good a replacement as we will find. The back 4 where solid again although at times West Ham got in behind us quite easily, Cacapa was injured so Taylor will have to come into that central defender position.

In final, what a game the big Dukes, his first touch is fantastic, he causes so much headaches for defenders, fantastic game.

 

[Chainsawchaddy]

Go Newcastle!!!!!

 

[ShearMagic9]

VS.

Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce will be without striker Michael Owen and defender Claudio Cacapa for the Carling Cup third-round trip to Arsenal.

Both men were due to undergo scans on groin injuries on Monday after limping out of the 3-1 Barclays Premier League victory over West Ham.

Mark Viduka is expected to be fit after picking up a minor knock, but Joey Barton (fractured metatarsal), Emre and Peter Ramage (both knee), Damien Duff (ankle) and Stephen Carr and Celestine Babayaro (both hamstring) are still out.

Poland goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski looks set to make his Arsenal debut in the Carling Cup clash.

Midfielder Lassana Diarra is also in line for his first start since arriving from Chelsea, while Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner could lead the attack.

Wenger's men reached the final last season, where they lost to Chelsea at the Millennium Stadium, and could be boosted by the return of Emmanuel Eboue from an ankle problem - but captain William Gallas (groin) is still out.

Teams

Newcastle (from): Harper, Given, N'Zogbia, Rozehnal, Taylor, Enrique, Faye, Edgar, Beye, Milner, Geremi, Butt, Smith, Pattison, Viduka, Martins, Ameobi.

Arsenal (from): Fabianski, Traore, Senderos, Song, Hoyte, Diarra, Denilson, Diaby, Walcott, Eduardo, Bendtner, Mannone, Randall, Gibbs, Lansbury, Merida Perez, Eboue.

 

[apollo_creed]

where has the abuse for Big Sam gone FC? that seemed to stop pretty quickly.

 

[tige19]

where has the abuse for Big Sam gone FC? that seemed to stop pretty quickly.

If BSA continues to play the ball a bit shorter and faster as he did agaonst West Ham then the abuse for BSA will end, if he decides to go back to the style we played against Aston Villa and Derby where we just pumped the ball at every chance then he will cop it

 

[apollo_creed]

seems a little too coincedental for my liking.

the two games you didn't score, you didn't like?

well go figure.

it's the same with Villa fans, fail to score and not win and all is falling down.

the facts are. you're unbeaten and performing well.

the squad as is stands isn't good enough for top 4 and the most realistic finishing position is 5th. and it would be a very good achievment and a stepping stone to finish there.

as it stands, that's looking very possible.

not every game will be perfect. you're not going to score three times in every game and sometimes the players (not only the manager) will run out of ideas and be well beaten.

 

[ShearMagic9]

where has the abuse for Big Sam gone FC? that seemed to stop pretty quickly.

I still disagree with starting Harper ahead of Given, even though Steve Harper has performed admirably.

I also disagree with Martins not starting. IMO we look a lot more dangerous with him up front than we do with Owen.

Also, our game plan against Derby was atrocious, but full credit to BSA, he got the tactics spot on last game.

I'm just hoping in our next away game (Man City on Saturday) that he doesn't resort back to the long ball crap.

Are you telling me you wouldn't have any complaints about MON if he played the same style and lost to Derby?

 

[ShearMagic9]

Owen needs surgery.

Newcastle and England striker Michael Owen is to undergo a hernia operation in Germany on Friday, according to Sky Sports News.



The news comes as a major setback to both Magpies manager Sam Allardyce and England boss Steve McClaren.


Owen must now be rated very doubtful for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia on 13th and 17th October.


The former Liverpool forward was instrumental in the recent Group E victories over Israel and Russia at Wembley, scoring three times in the back-to-back 3-0 victories.


Owen has been dogged by injuries since moving to St James' Park from Real Madrid, suffering a broken metatarsal in December 2005 before damaging his cruciate knee ligaments in the World Cup.


McClaren is already expected to be without Emile Heskey after the Wigan striker, who impressed on his return to the international scene alongside Owen, underwent surgery on his metatarsal injury.


But Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is available again having recovered from the foot fracture he sustained on the opening day of the season.


Concerns over Owen's fitness arose when he was substituted in Newcastle's Premier League defeat at Derby.


An initial scan showed no serious damage and Owen started the following fixture against West Ham, but limped out of the action moments into the second half after landing awkwardly following a challenge with Anton Ferdinand.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11678_2755268,00.html

 

[ShearMagic9]

Without takeover, we could've folded:

THE COMEDIAN at the black-tie dinner deep in Geordie territory glanced back towards the top table.

“So you’re the new Newcastle chairman,” he said. “Got a lot of money?” Quick as a flash Chris Mort, beaming widely, replied: “No, but I know someone who has.” Cue for wild laughter and thunderous applause. Bonding mission accomplished.

So it came to pass that when Mort arrived in the private box at St James’ Park for our interview he should immediately reveal that Mike Ashley has sunk another £45m of his personal money into United.

Yes, he certainly does know someone who has! Ironic that so far Ashley has spent a whopping £133m to buy the club, followed by an initial £30m injection to steady a rocking boat, and now a further £45m to pay off the hungrier debt collectors clamouring at the door.

That’s £208m it has cost Ashley in a matter of months, when he was originally portrayed by some in the City as a quick buck merchant who buys companies in need of maintenance, knocks them into some sort of shape in no time, then sells them off at a healthy profit.

In view of Mort’s £45m revelation, two obvious questions sprang to mind.

Were he and Ashley surprised not only at the size of United’s debt once they got inside the club, but also at how it was structured?

And are they in this for the long haul?

United’s new chairman ducked neither.

Indeed, Mort went on to admit the financial position was so dire that Newcastle could have folded “like a pack of cards,” a thought which will send shivers through the Toon Army who witnessed the mighty capitulation of another well-supported club, Leeds.

“Yes, we were surprised at precisely how bad the financial position was. We didn’t fully realise it from the outside,” admitted Mort.

“If the old board had not been successful in re-financing the club by the end of the financial year it would have folded like a pack of cards.

“They were in big trouble because, if you remember, Mike bought United in the May and the club’s financial year was up on June 30.

“No doubt this crisis looming on the horizon was one reason why they wanted to sell.

“We have addressed the situation, met it head on, which is why Mike initially put in £30m of his own money and has now committed a further £45m to pay off the big debts that had people clamouring at the door.

“What we also found was that the club had spent sponsorship money before it actually came in. For example, all the cash from Northern Rock, which should have been paid annually, has already gone (said to be used to help buy Michael Owen at £17m). Money was also borrowed against a deal with adidas.

“We prefer to invest as the cash comes in, not before it does.

“I’m not criticising the previous regime. Their heart was in the right place because they were doing what they could to bring success to the club, but we are approaching things in a different way.”

There’s no question that the rich boys’ club which is the Premier League has moved from a playground for millionaires to billionaires.

In view of Ashley’s willingness to repeatedly put his hand in a bottomless pocket, United must represent a long-term investment I suggest.

“Absolutely,” replied Chris. “I don’t think you could turn United into a quick profit even if that was your intention.

“To make money out of a football club of this stature you must have a long-term strategy. Several consortia ran a slide rule over Newcastle before us and didn’t go there because this is a big job.

“Mike developed Dunlop and Slazenger, two other companies he bought, over a period of 20 years. He does small investments like adidas which he then sells on, but that was not a whole business, it was a minority stake. This is an entire asset.”

While Freddy Shepherd, Douglas Hall, Allison Antonpuolos, Bruce Shepherd and Tim Revill were heading out of the exit, Mike Ashley, the 25th richest man in Britain with a personal wealth estimated at £1.9billion, was ushering his small band of merry men through the revolving door.

Mort, a top lawyer and partner of international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, has been joined by commercial director Steve Hayward and Justin Barnes, who works on the brand side of Ashley’s companies.

“Steve is on the board with me and Justin will be joining,” explained Mort. “However, they aren’t up here on a permanent basis. I’m the only one day-to- day. I can tap in to the others.

“We didn’t want to rush headlong into things, introducing five new people at the top and whatever. We wanted to look at the club and its personnel from top to bottom to see what we had and what we could improve.”

The relationship between chairman and owner is what intrigues United supporters most. How do the top two men, both just into their 40s but hugely successful, actually organise the running of the most precious commodity in the lives of thousands of Geordies?

“Mike has two roles to play – to sign the cheques and to be a supporter in the normal sense of the word,” smiled Chris. “And that’s the way he wants it, which is why you see him at our matches in a black-and-white striped shirt.

“He has a very busy life and he doesn’t want to run yet another company. That’s the way it was from day one.

“I guess in some ways Mike is like Roman Abramovich at Chelsea – although Abramovich appears to have much more involvement these days than Mike has up here.

“I’m in complete charge of the buying and selling of players along with Sam Allardyce. Their salaries and so forth. We get on with that.

“Of course I tap into Mike’s expertise on the business side of the company, on restructuring the debt and plotting the way forward, because it would be stupid not to.

“And I’m heavily into the PR around the area, bringing the community closer to the football club. I want a better all-round image for the club.

“Frankly, there aren’t enough hours in the day, but then I’m used to working long hours. That isn’t a problem.

“I advised Mike on his acquisition of Newcastle United PLC but we knew each other before all this started. We were friends through business and I was happy to take time off from Freshfields to become chairman here at St James’ Park.

“That arrangement is open-ended. It’s flexible and I’m thoroughly enjoying what I’m doing. The Geordies are wonderful people who have made me most welcome.

“This is a one-club city, unlike say Manchester and Liverpool, so everyone seems with us. I know how much they love their football club and I’m aware of the responsibility I carry. I know they want success – but then so do Mike and I.

“That’s why we’re here.”

THE Shepherd family were unavailable for comment this morning.

Mike Ashley - What a man

 

[Masss#10]

lol very refreshing when you read that...

 

[Masss#10]

On Michael Owen it's bloody frustrating, if he cared about Newcastle i think he should consider quitting England because this guy is just injury prone, his the same on Football Manager...

Im not sure whats going to happen because you have someone like Obafemi Martins on the bench who was going to leave and it's probably still going to happen when he hasn't played 90 mins in the EPL...then you have Owen who is injured half the time...i wish our squad remained fit for the season but i know thats impossible and some clubs are worser off but it's frustrating....

I'm looking foward to seeing Duff, Barton and Emre come back soon and hopefully this talent can make up for a striker we may lose...

 

[Masss#10]

did jose enrique play well against arsenal????

 

[tige19]

did jose enrique play well against arsenal????

I think he done ok, will more than likely take up the LB role sooner rather than later to free Zog to the wing and Milner to the right.

We got beaten easily against Arsenal, I donteven think we really threaten them, besides Cacapa and Owen it was the same side that won against West Ham, where as the Gunners had pretty much an under 23s playing. No doubt fatigue would have set in for the lads, I think though Martins was dangerous again and Ameobi crap as usual lol.

Whats everyones thought on Given?? he let 2 go past him but was under alot of pressure, for me Harper was ordinary against West Ham, looked shaky at times and doesnt have the cool head that Given does in tight situations. Fairs fair I reckon, bring Given back, he is our number and has been for years.

 

[ShearMagic9]

Harper was ordinary against West Ham?

I think you only watched the first 5 minutes......

 

[apollo_creed]

Harper has been reserve keeper for 13 years. Is that correct?

If so, the fact he's deputised for Given and performed very well should at least grant him an extended run in the first team until his performances drop.

After waiting so patiently, for so long he deserves this.

Unless the 13 years thing is incorrect.

 

[tribey]

Harper has been reserve keeper for 13 years. Is that correct?

If so, the fact he's deputised for Given and performed very well should at least grant him an extended run in the first team until his performances drop.

After waiting so patiently, for so long he deserves this.

Unless the 13 years thing is incorrect.

We love Steve. In the world of megabucks European football, for Harper to stick around that long - 14 years - when he'd long since lost the battle for the #1 shirt to Shay is a testament to his loyalty as a club man.

And it's not as if his talent is too limited to be a starting keeper elsewhere either, Alan Shearer has previously said his ability was/is good enough to see him into England squads.

 

[Norfolk & Clew]

Hows Troisi been going in the reserves?

 

[ShearMagic9]

He has featured in all bar our first two friendly games and done pretty well from all reports.

The thing is, I personally think he is a better striker than anywhere else, but because our reserve squad is filled full of strikers he has had to play Right Wing on most of his appearances, and has even played at Right Back

He's scored two goals so far in 4 games.

 

[Masss#10]

eyy FC have u got fifa 08 on ps2 and if so y does it say Geremi when Martins has the ball... lmao