At the start I dare say that was the aim for most of us, but now we’ve achieved that we can also look at some other, perhaps more surprising, targets.
It would have been catastrophic had we slipped straight back into the Championship. It was bad enough the first time around and to go back to it so soon would have been hard to stomach. Thankfully that has been averted and we can now look forward to next season with a sense of cautious optimism and anticipation.
However, there is still something to play for this season – pride. Not just the professional pride of the players who will no doubt want to win every game despite their sometimes glaring technical failures, but also for the pride of our fans.
I’m talking about finishing above Sunderland of course. Those inbreeds from down the road have been giving it large ever since we were relegated. They had one season out of our shadow and the silly little tramps have caught sunstroke and let it go to their head.
As things stands, even if we get humped at Stamford Bridge later, we’ll still be above the tramps. After all of the money they have spent they are still below us, they still get **** crowds (despite Quinn’s Working Mens Club tour) and they still have pink seats in their ground. Look up sad in the dictionary and you’ll see a Mackem next to it.
They have spent massively in comparison to us, yet they are no further in front of us. They are floundering and are lucky that the season is nearly at an end – one more month and we’d be laughing at them going down such is the run of form that they are in at the minute.
I look at them and laugh. They need to spend an absolute fortune over the summer just to stay at the same level. Nearly half of their first-team aren’t actually owned by them and nearly all of their income is spent on paying those players. They never quite found that next level despite the claims that they will be pushing for Europe. At one stage they even mobilised the caravan site in preparation of a trip abroad. Settle down tramps.
All it’s going to take for us to finish above Sunderland is three points from our last two games. They could swing it if they can score a shedload of goals, but they don’t actually have a fit striker in their expensively assembled megasuperstar-squad so I can’t see that happening. It’s all a bit…… embarrassing for them really.
They bragged, and we beat them 5-1. They moaned about how classless we were during the celebrations and vowed to repay us at the Stadium of *****. That never happened as we played them off the park and were denied another win by a last-gasp Gyan goal that had lucky written all over it. Still, it gave those that remained a chance to have an FA Cup winning style celebration.
So thank you Sunderland. Thank you for putting a smile on my face despite all of the misgivings at my club. You really have made me smile this season. From the bragging to the desperation, keep it up. I enjoy it.
Tossers!
I would have saved that post til we know the final standings! Ouch! It could come back and us! 🙄
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Not really. They can only finish three points above us, which is **** all considering how there were giving it large…
toonsy(Quote)
Really looking forward to tonight’s game.. I hope a couple of younger fellas get a run out. I’m thinking a draw and hopefully that and a win next week will see us finish above Blunderland.
All in all a good year really… There was a few nervous moments regarding getting dragged into the relegation zone, but in truth they were only that.. moments. Been a fairly stress free season compared to our last couple of PL outings.
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Great article, stirs some emotions and pity isn’t one of them.
Moreno(Quote)
I half agree with bobby, though as you say, the money they’ve spent (for half a team) and their “Euro” ambitions and the abuse they hurled in our general direction and us being a newly promoted team then surely them being owt less than 9 points ahead of us should be classed as a failure in their eyes 😉 😆
richietoon(Quote)
We were top dogs when Kevin Nolan netted his third and we sent those mackem b*stards home with their heads thoroughly between their legs!
pearceet(Quote)
Best article in a while toonsy great read.
My mackem mate’s already said we will finish above them after their defeat to Wolves, lets hope we beat West Brom on the final day and West Ham are playing for their lives.
If we finish above them it tops off a great season for us, we’ve had some fantastic ups as well as downs – already looking forward to reading season reviews 🙂
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
I just love it that Steve Bruce is falling on his plastic geordie ****….
How much money has he spent ?….and as someone mentioned on an earlier post, half of his first team are loanees anyway….
I just love it to be honest, early season they threatened to be rubbing shoulders with the big boys, and now the wheels have really come off in makkemland… A run like that would have gotten wor manager fired, and in fact it did… 😥
Still agree with BobbyS@1…we could have waited with the post…but there again, why not start the mud slinging now…we are safe….we can contemplate eating humble pie later if the unwashed finish above us…which they won’t…. 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆
Well done agent Bruce, long may it reign….the makkems must be gannin radge, having a plastic mag in charge…and he’s taking them and there money doon the drain…I love it ! 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
On another well discussed subject…regarding player purchases, it only goes to show from the cup final yesterday, you don’t need to spend zillions of quid to buy good players…at the end of the day with tactics and discipline you can always overcome the big spenders….or at least avoid defeat.
It may not be pretty, but it works…
Invariably the big difference is the “big money players” i.e. Rooney, Tevey, Ronaldo have that something special which can win a game…..thats why they cost so much, cos they score the goals…
I think Hernandez at Manyoo was a 6 million quid signing, but only cos he was coming to the end of his contract and his club new they had to take what they could get for him…his head had been turned. That’s the same tactic wor lot will be using, scouring the world for players coming to the end of there contracts to pick them up on the cheap… But wor lot naively think they are the only ones on the case looking for players on the cheap… It’s gonna be a frustrating and long close season as far as signings go I fear… 👿
Munich Mag(Quote)
“It’s gonna be a frustrating and long close season as far as signings go I fear”…..isn’t it always tho Munich 😉
richietoon(Quote)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/15/alan-shearer-newcastle-england?CMP=twt_gu
Still a legend!
Stuart79(Quote)
If we beat West Brom we are more or less guaranteed 10th min!
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Dunno is anyone cares but here’s a predictor on the bbc.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/predictor/default.stm
I’ve got us 8th to finish on 47 points with Blackpool, Wigan and West Ham to go down.
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
Fantastic article and thanks for that Stuart. A legend indeed he is!
Ahmed4nufc(Quote)
If they need to spend an absolute fortune just to stand still I assume have to do the same as we’ll probably only three points ahead?
Stuart79(Quote)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/15/alan-shearer-newcastle-england
quite an interesting little read with big Al. Not necessarily illuminating good nonetheless
DevonMag(Quote)
beat me to it, Stu!
DevonMag(Quote)
5under1ands pr and charm offensive with the media was papering over the cracks and even when they were on a terrible run, they were still at it lowering their sights from CL to Europa spot, 6th, top 10, above the Toon, now they have escaped the drop by the skin of their *******.
Funny how quiet the mackem press is, Louise Taylor and Colin Young in the Mail in particular, can you imagine the howling headlines if we had gone on a similar run, winning 3 games in 14 and getting humped at home off Wolves?
We have achieved our target this season, thye have missed theirs by a mile, cant see Brucie baby being there next season but i will shed no tears for him after his crass comments after the 5-1 anihalation and also before their home derby when he said he had a special song ready for when they howked us, never did find out what it was though.
bobby(Quote)
Stuart79…your post at 15 is a bit difficult to understand, but did you fully misread my post @9 mate ?
If “they”…maybe you mean Sunderland ? have spent an absolute fortune just to stand still…why do we have to do the same. Makes no sense. We haven’t spent a fortune, haven’t spent anywhere near what Sunderland have spent, and will probably finish above them…
Granted…Stoke have spent quite a bit of money and reached the cup final….
My point is that squillions being invested doesn’t always get you anywhere…prudent and careful signings of “round pegs in round holes” is what we’re after.. Hope Carr can come up with these players though… 🙄
Munich Mag(Quote)
bobby@18….spot on there mate…..
Brucie will soon disappear to the big managers grave yard in the sky…. Brilliant career as player…achieved nowt as manager….and he’s had a few chances too in his succesful management career….
and spent a few quid along the way…
The boys at Sky will need to find him a pundit chair and a nice comfy cushion alongside Phil Thompson and Chris Kamara…
Munich Mag(Quote)
Stuart79
Posted May 15, 2011 at 10:12 AM
“If they need to spend an absolute fortune just to stand still I assume have to do the same as we’ll probably only three points ahead?”
No, because at least we own our players. They don’t, so will need to spend money just to replace them or buy them which is what I meant by staying at the same level 😉
toonsy(Quote)
Richietoon@10…I wish I could stay away from the internet and footy rumour mill during the close season, but I cannae 😥 😥
It does me heed in…but I need my fix of the toon I’m afraid… 😥
Munich Mag(Quote)
Mensah, Onouha, Muntari and Welbeck all probably won’t be signing or if they do it would be well over £20 million.
They’ve signed Elmo for £2 million which is ok but when you consider Gordon, Turner, Cattlermole, Meyler and Campbell will miss the start of next season so therefore have no pre-season and be constantly be playing catchup, it’s put into perspective how much of a rebuilding job they need to do…
dan4toon(Quote)
200 Facebook fans now 😀
toonsy(Quote)
Munich@22…. ditto 😀
Dan….I just pray to god they don’t get rid of Bruce 😉
richietoon(Quote)
Richie, they better not like, he’s doing a fine job 😉
There starting XI if everyone was fit this season would be someone like;
Gordon
Onouha Turner Bramble Bardsley
Henderson Cattermole Muntari Sessegnon
Welbeck
Gyan
That’s six out of their starting XI who want be there or ready for next year, at least 😆
dan4toon(Quote)
They could always go and get replacement loans. They might not move forward long term, but short term may get better loan players in.
Flawed strategy in my view though.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart…or get worse and go backwards 😆
Don’t quote me on it but I think alot of their loanees have been their better players too, Muntari apart 😀
richietoon(Quote)
….of course the other side of the coin is their owner may get rid of Bruce, get a decent manager in and give him a £100m to spend 😥
richietoon(Quote)
definitely a flawed strategy. They’re a flawed footy club though. I spose when they reached light-speed when traveling ahead of us they must have taken a few nicks to the body-work. It’s invariable when you’re going so fast 😆
DevonMag(Quote)
DevonMag
Posted May 15, 2011 at 11:08 AM
“It’s invariable when you’re going so fast”
😆 😆 😆
toonsy(Quote)
right off out for 5-a-side then back in time for the 1:30 KO. C’mon United! Would love to see Vuckic start but doubt he’s fit. I reckon we’ll get trounced but a battling display is all I’m after
DevonMag(Quote)
Didn’t know for an adult ticket today it was £50 😯
You would have to be mad to go.
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
Just got back from Footy . Am I barred ? Again?
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
maybe we should start a “Keep Brucey” campaign…. 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
I’m not? Please clarify toonsy.
I was picking fault with riches view this morning but just like I’ve offered praise in the past .
That’s a debate.
I may think I’m always right but that’s for you’s to decide and I don’t take offence when yous disagree with me.
No offence rich. 😉
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
AndrewNUFC@33…therein lies the problem mate. 50 squids for an adult ticket to watch a depleted toon 2nd team go through the motions against a Chelski team with nowt to play for.. 50 quid…way out of order in my opinion.
Wor lot should charge the Chelsea punters the same for our home game next season, just to even things out… 😈 How many away tickets will Chelsea get ?…3000 ?…we have got 1500 for the Bridge I believe…
A few months ago this game could have been looked upon as a relegation threatened toon up against champions elect Chelsea… now there’s only pride to play for…thank goodness…
Munich Mag(Quote)
bobby i thought you and rich were having a good debate 😕 have you been banned agen 😕
batty(Quote)
Toonsy – please ban Booby – the blogs better off without him 😆
Stardust(Quote)
Bobby…I think within reason, intimidatory and opinionated statements should be allowed on Blogs …as long as people aren’t being personally insulted then it should be ok in my opinion.
Munich Mag(Quote)
bobby… 😉 nae offence, I post a comment feel free to agree or disagree, as I do with yours and everyone elses…..at the end of the day I know deep down you think I’m right 😆
richietoon(Quote)
Rich – Boobys mocking you – he is a nasty piece of work – please ask Toonsy to ban him – I’d really appreciate it 😆
Stardust(Quote)
@batty
I think toonsy is looking for any excuse to ban me. I think it’s cos I never agree with opinions. 😆
He did mention he woke up with a bad head as well. 😥
I think he was banging stardust last night and it was a long session. 😆
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
I think it’s cos I never agree with Toonsys opinions , I meant to say.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Oi oi radgies!
What’s gannin on wi Shinton and Toonsy these days? Pure dodgy craic like!
He’s alreet yi kna that Shinton. He grows his own tack man!
A was roond his ken the other day watching the tele. Pure 56 incher flat screen nicked from Currys! Anyways you couldn’t see the screen for cannabis plants man!!
Woo hoo hoo hoo!
He’s doesn’t like Big Mick and Dekka Owl Heed like, so it makes it a bit awkward when he drops the tack off at wor ken and they are both there.
Big Mick and Dekka are always off their boxes like so a divvent even think they kna Shinton is slagging them off to their faces!
Pure mental craic like.
Anyways, Toonsy man, look after wor Shinton man. He means nee harm man and a kna he would deal any gear you wanted at special rates if you asked him.
Chill oot charva’s!
Laters Gaters!
Toon ! Toon!
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Bobby Shinton number 9
Posted May 15, 2011 at 12:14 PM
“I think toonsy is looking for any excuse to ban me”
To clarify, I don’t need an excuse 😉
toonsy(Quote)
Toon being linked again with a move for Nzogbia…. for all the fact that the lad is totally radged, him and HBA marauding down the left hand side isn’t too shabby a thought ?…Maybe the gallic connection would appeal to them both..? 6 million aint too bad a deal either for a young player who can score goals…..
Munich Mag(Quote)
@Toonsy
I think you like those crawling emails I send. 🙁
Good to be back. Listen to what Troy is telling you.
Me and ye against the world kidda!
The Toonsy and Shinton television show! We could be big. The next Saint and Greavsey! Lawrenson and Hanson!
I can see us Toonsy! I can see it! 😀 😀
That’s got to be better than any crawling email. Our friendship is out in the open now. 😛
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
@Munich mag
For me, zoggy is a good player to have but I think he would be a disaster for dressing room morale. He’s a petty sulk and couldn’t get away quick enough.
It’s a no from me.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
“They had one season out of our shadow and the silly little tramps have caught sunstroke and let it go to their head”
Brilliant! 😆
Stardust(Quote)
😯 Bobby’s back 😆 bobby you were badly missed mate, but thats what happens in the cut and thrust world of the wide awake club. 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
BSNr9…..I don’t think that would be a problem, we could just have a “huffy corner” specially built in the dressing room especially for the french contingent….HBA doesn’t smile ower much either like ! 😆 😆 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
Munich-There’s no questioning the lad’s talent and purely on that I’d love to have him in the team for 6mil. Problem is he’s a c*nt as we all well know, and I’d want a statement of genuine apology from him if he came back which definitely wouldn’t happen. Not to mention packing out a team with Frogs is a good way to crush team spirit in a team.. 😆
NewkieBrown(Quote)
Big D…yalreet mate…? 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
@big Dave
Thankyou for your support.
The bring back booby campaign worked. 😀
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Has Zog caused any bother at Wigan?….maybe he’s grown up? 😕
richietoon(Quote)
NewkieBrown@53…I agree 100% there does seem to be a c*nt side to his character. I suppose I would question whether the punters are still there at the toon who brough out the c*nt in him ?….
If the toon are genuinely tracking him, then your excellent point of dressing room morale will have been factored in….hopefully 😯
As a footballer I rate him….as a person hmm… maybe the poor soul is just misunderstood… 😯
Munich Mag(Quote)
Richie-To be fair to him I think he’s been pretty clean at Wigan. Thing is he’s top zog there and everyone knows it including him, which is maybe why he’s not too fussed. Here though..
NewkieBrown(Quote)
richietoon@56…..good point mate, would be curios what the thousands and thousands of Wigan supporters make of him ? Didn’t he win awards and stuff there ?
Actually, when a player has a bit of a c*nt factor about him, it’s maybe cos he freakin hates losing….Maybe Zog is a combination of all those factors…. I mean, it’s the French way, I know for a fact. They are ALL opinionated and think they are always right…I mean Cantona was also a radge… 😆 😆 nowt wrong with him though… 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
Munich-It’s a good point that we had plenty of other tw@ts in the side back then so maybe it isn’t all zoggy’s fault, in fact we’re almost completely free of malign influences…I keep changing my mind on the zog, I see him score a brilliant goal on MOTD and think about taking him back and then I remember him jumping ship. Maybe Kinnear didn’t get on with him, but zogs excuse that it was because he called him Insomnia was a load of sh1te in order to get out….maybe he’s grown up though. Weren’t there some quotes from him a while back saying he was up for coming back? 🙂
NewkieBrown(Quote)
“Munich Mag
Posted May 15, 2011 at 12:49 PM
…I mean Cantona was also a radge… nowt wrong with him though… ”
Yeah, Cantona, Anelka, Robert, Zidane. When you look at it it really isn’t just a stereotype 😆
NewkieBrown(Quote)
New angle on things…looks like Zogs agent has been working overtime…
“According to reports Juventus are interested in Wigan Athletic winger Charles N’Zogbia.
The Daily Mail claims Juve scouts have been to several Latics games recently and are now ready to bid up to £10 million for the winger whose contract has just over 12 months to run.”….
See the important point – contract has just over 12 months to run…means he’s outahere…
The dominoes are being lined up for the last hours of the transfer window….Enrique to Liverpool, Nzogbia to NUFC etc etc …it’s all too easy this game…you just need to see the big picture… 🙄 …
Munich Mag(Quote)
Munich…When you throw being French,young, played out of position and Joe Kinnear into the mix there’s only one outcome I’m afraid 😕
If Pardew wants him, I guess we’ll just have to hope he’s matured. Afterall his move to the “big club” that is Wigan must be like undergoing shock treatment 😉
richietoon(Quote)
Newkie….yeah seem to remember him saying about the deadline bid that he wanted to but Wigan had said no.
richietoon(Quote)
Newkie…your words not mine, but I like it !! 😆 😆 😆 😆 ……”Munich-It’s a good point that we had plenty of other tw@ts in the side back then ….”
As you rightly point out, all the frenchies have a bit of edge about them, it’s part of there make-up ! But we would have any of those radgies in our team for sure…Ginola and Robert were kittens compared to some of those guys though !
Lets call back the forgotten man Didier Domi, canny left back by the way…doh…where is he now……doh…the term c*nt keeps cropping up again… 😆 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
Richietoon@63….spot on there mate….Joe Kinnear…there you go, the “c” word cropped up again… 😆
I mean Nzog could move to the toon, and still keep his penthouse suite in Wigan…it’s also in the north…sounds like a great deal to me like…
Munich Mag(Quote)
RT….maybe old shoite…but did you se owt of the earthquakes doon your way ? 😯
Munich Mag(Quote)
Munich…about 100km away mate, was in Murcia the wednesday before it happened tho, didn’t feel a thing here tho
richietoon(Quote)
MM alls good mate hows yersel 😕
Richie @ 63 spot on Lad I think Nzog would have learnt alot from then aswell 😉
Bobby @ 55 I was going to get banners made up but dont needd them now, but I might just go ahead with them as im sure they will come in useful again 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Richie-Aye that was it, the deadline day 12mil bid that made us look like tw@ts 😆 . Anyway, the other factor in is would Whelan ever sell a player to Ashley? I’d imagine he’d rather sell zog to anyone but us unfortunately, which means its up to the zog to choose us over whoever else the others might be.
Munich- 😆 Aye but for all their behaviour issues you can’t deny their brilliance with a football! Haha, good ol Domi, what a waste he was, isn’t he in America now? 😀
NewkieBrown(Quote)
Unlucky lads always next season
j.w(Quote)
Better luck next time sucka’s!
chebtastic(Quote)
How come spending becomes a factor when its Sunderland who’ve spent? We spent millions for years and still won ****** all.
And our team wasn’t that cheap, lets not kid ourselves.
In all, I think we’d have finished a lot higher had we kept Hughton as a manager. That’s history now and the club goes on, though.
And we’re pissing in the wind if we think we don’t need to spend to move forward. The sad thing is, Mike Ashley probably won’t spend.
Ben(Quote)
Top Dogs eh……
😆 😆 😆
Agent Ashley(Quote)
😆
AndrewNUFC(Quote)