More Nolan reaction.
No doubt the reaction will roll on, but so far the outlook has generally been negative.
Is this however, as many are predicting, a return to the dark days of three seasons ago? Or is this the real beginning of the new Newcastle?
Kevin Nolan has two main strengths – leadership and goal-scoring ability. These are two commodities that are very difficult to find never mind in a sole individual. Can they be replaced?
The leadership - The leadership Nolan provided was priceless. Looking at the current squad I see no candidates who we’ll look to when the going inevitably gets tough. Judging by quotes attributed to Cheik Tiote he has seemingly set the standard for what is expected of new players and helping to bed them into an already tight knit group and has also found himself offering a helping hand to the youngsters. Carroll took notice, Ranger didn’t, and the results are clear on that.
Goal-scoring ability - He has a real knack of being in the right place at the right time. His hat-trick against Sunderland is testament to this. Just looking at the goal scoring charts for last season shows his quality – more than Lampard and Rooney. His ability to get into these areas creates problems for defenders as even if he doesn’t score he has to be watched.
Looking at ‘positive’ reasons for his departure, Pardew has stated many times since he came in that the two main traits he would be looking for in his new players are pace and energy. With all due respect to Nolan, he puts more work in than he’s given credit for but he possesses neither speed nor real energy. Would he be a starter?
Looking at the depth in midfield we have Cheik Tiote and Hatem Ben Arfa who immediately stand out, and we have the returning Dan Gosling to compete. We are also being linked with several other midfielders although I’ve left out Yohan Cabaye as I’ve never seen him play.
Was the writing already on the wall? – A point I feel many have missed, In January Pardew’s sole signing was the loan capture of Stephen Ireland, a player who would be brought in to directly compete with Ben Arfa/Nolan for our attacking midfield role. Had Ireland caught fire and turned in some top performances would there still be the same feeling amongst fans over Nolan’s departure?
The contract wrangle - I think it’s pretty clear that there is one lord of the manor at St James’, Mike Ashley. Mike has shown now with Carroll, Barton and Nolan that he will not be tangled with when it comes to new deals. Nolan has unfortunately attempted to do just that and there can only be one winner. I believe Ashley was right with this deal; would Nolan have been worth a large deal until he’s past 32?
Hughton’s fabled senior player committee - Alan Pardew has said that he wants to put his own stamp on the side and what better way is there than to get rid of the power four of Smith, Nolan, Barton and Harper. Add this into Pardew’s new, stricter approach to punctuality that he has been talking about it makes you wonder whether there was some friction to these new rule changes?
For me this situation could easily have been avoided with delayed contract talks but it’s happened and here we are. For me the balance of weighing up his merits against his drawbacks is too hard. I feel that the hole left by Nolan in the leadership department alone may be too big to fill but I’m not sure if we’ll miss him as much in terms of performance.
It is as we have come to accept with the Mike Ashley regime a gamble. He’s got some wrong and he’s got some right. Will this be a return to the dark days of years gone by? Or is this the phoenix finally rising from the flames?
I personally have no idea, but we will all soon find out… « Demba Ba set to sign for Newcastle? | Last chance! Enter our competition before it closes! »
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132 Comments
great article!!
generally speaking AP seems to say something and then the opposite happens … i want to rant on about it but at the minute i just cant cos i honestly think – and maybe foolishly, that we might get some decent players in.
AP neck is on the line with the toon now… he simply has to deliver or his is done for. Thats a fact. he seems to think that we will be getting in the tools to propel us upwards..i hate to say this, god i do.. but………i am going to be ‘jurys out’ for a while.
AP is so two faced it`s unbelievable! The guy was singing the praises of Nolan and saying how important he was to the team not so long ago. Now, well let`s just move on, you two faced swine, you have`nt even got the b-lls to stand up to the fat man. If you had any backbone at all AP you`d resign!
SSN reporting Nolan signed for West Ham…..
Yeah, five year Nolan, talks about how Westham gave him security of a long-term deal.
Very short sighted from Westham in my opinion.
Craig- I’m with you there mate.
If he makes all these changes and we drop deeper in the table… Well I just hope that for once things start to click again on tyneside.
Partridge is employed by MA to be the fall guy and to weave lies and spin yarns to appease the fans while the raping of a football club continues at great pace.
Wonder who is next out the door Joey?Collo?Jonas?Krul?Jose? it seems anyone in the 1st team could be be sold and replaced with freebies,crocs and international nobodies.
Craig Chisholm that is.
No offense generic Craig
Craig “AP’s neck is on the line” who from? maybe the fans but certainly not the owner and as we have seen he is the only one that matters.All the time AP does as he is told and toes the line he will be ok.
Dan if he scores 15-20 goals from midfield next season and the hammers get promoted I think that will be very longsighted don’t you?
Agreed Mick….Partridge is the Puppet-MA is the Master.
I agree with craig chisholm @1
Rorycn-great article mate, think it covers all the bases really. Like you said, we should have held off till next summer and told Nolan we’d discuss it then, that way we would have known whether he was still needed and whether our transfers would have worked out…as for now we’re just left waiting and wondering.
Jason, of course he will do well and get them up but the time they come up he will be 30 and not a young 30 at that.
To give him 5-years at a reported 55k a week is just plain daft, he wanted a long contract and it’s no coincidence that no other PL club would offer him that.
Also how can you international nobodies, makes no sense.
BA at training ground..
I doubt Pardew has any say in anything really….he is Ashleys puppet after all, his contradictions baffle me….I agree Nolans leadership quality will be very difficult to replace but i think a bit harsh on Nolans playing abilities. His ability to be in the right place at the right time, which he is great at, must show that he has the energy to get there in the first place….i dont have any faith in Pardew bringing players in, seems like he is looking at medi-ocre foriegn players purely for there lack of demand in wages….I have watched Yohan Cabaye and he isnt up to much and isnt an improvement on Nolan, nothing to get excited about, and Gosling isnt going to get us any further forward…..Seems like ambition at Newcastle is a thing of the past…..would be nice to tally up the cost of all of teh players we buy/ or are looking to buy and see if it comes anywhere near the £35 million that was promised to be re-invested!
how can you say*
In all seriousness, who the f*ck would take on the managers roll at NUFC…. You would have to be a mad man!!
Hitman, are you going off what’s been reported or have you or someone you know seen him
?
Sirjohntoon- what’s the point of spinning those conspiracy theories in your head?
Does it make you feel better?
Will it affect anything going on at the toon, other than lower morale amongst the support?
Aussie
Aye
Completely bonkers
You’d have to wear a pitchfork proof vest
@ Moreno
ChrisyYatesITV Chris Yates
by Jobey07
Breaking news demba ba is now at newcastle united training ground #nufc
Aussie- I for one am starting to feel happy that fatsley doesn’t listen to the fans….
Confirmed by official NUFC site now…
Aussie Magpie Fan
Posted June 16, 2011 at 2:15 PM
In all seriousness, who the f*ck would take on the managers roll at NUFC…. You would have to be a mad man!!
Or a desperate footballing nobody that wants to be a well paid fall guy and do what he is told maybe?
JG- LOL, me too
Moreno- :Lol:
Cheers, I needed that laugh
Wonder who is pushing Demba Ba’s wheelchair?
http://www.whufc.com/articles/20110616/hammers-nab-nolan_2236884_2376751
Here you go fella’s Nolan signing on….
**
So I see the doom & gloom group are out in force today..
Yes we sold Nolan but it was his choice to leave in the end, he wasn’t pushed, he still had 2 yrs left on his contract, which mean he could have stayed but no, he wasn’t happy at the contract offer he was gien, so decided to leave… so what will he do if the Wet Spams fail to get promoted at the end of next season, he’ll be fine, 55k/wk for the next 5 yrs, sod the fact that only a week or so ago he said he wouldn’t drop down into the CCC again, just shows doesn’t it, money talks….
Will we miss him, probably yes but only for the 2 things that have been mentioned, leadership & goals… both of which can be replaced by buying some decent strikers & giving the armband to either Saylor or Colo, after all, Saylor scored 3 in 3 at the end of last season & is almost a born Geordie & still young enough too…
Personally, I think we should keep Barton, make him Capt & if he produces on the pitch, give him a new contract in Jan for another 3 yrs….
Sirjohntoon- do you want some cheese with that whine???
I see Nolan has the same sad look that Carroll had we he left for Liverpool
There we go, Kevin Nolan, no doubt the best captain since Shearer is a West Ham player. In fact i just got deja vu……remember Sam Allardyce coming to Newcastle and selling Scott Parker, then-newcastle-captain to west ham ???
Thats two great leaders and hard workers we’ve flogged to West Ham, whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy ??? 
Oh yeah, as for the moron who said Pardew should have some b@lls & resign… get a grip of reality will yer, who would take over the Toon on the same basis that Pardew runs it… no one!!!!
So until Ashley sells up, we’re stuck with who we have unless Ashley decides otherwise, oh unless you want to act like a complete tool & do what the Vile fans are doing, what a bunch of frakin idiots…..
Toon69, agree!
I just read Nolan is going to cost Westham £16 million of the next five years
“The be all and end all was that the club actually wanted me and the owners put faith in me and have given me a security of contract. Now it’s my time to repay them and hopefully I will do that”
The be all and end all was that you wanted a few extra K you fat fook. What idoit would pay someone 50k a week up to 35?
West ham a making a big gamble splashing this much cash imho.
It is good deal for both NUFC and Nolan… Love to see Taylor or Collocini be club captain…
http://www.whufc.com/articles/20110616/hammers-nab-nolan_2236884_2376751
Its official… Nolan to WHU on Five Year Deal…
Aye Spencer….
Why does Fat Sam care, he only stays in jobs for about 18 months anyway? He is just giving an old friend a nest egg.
So negative! I bet most of you were slating him for being lazy, slow and fat! I’m growing tired of this anti-Ashley cr*p, hang fire til the season starts and we see our new squad before you start burning your tops and having a cry.
Not glad to see him leave or anything, but players leave. They’ll be replaced, seemingly with younger, fitter, more energetic players. That’s football lads.
Nolan = Next seasons Smith if he stayed here, worth 50k a week? You pay it. For 5 years.
fine point Moreno
Faye, Ricardo Gardner and Nolan.
All good signings for now and will defiantly get them up but after that….
5 year deal at near 60K?
I would have lambasted our club if we signed him for that
As ever it depends on who comes in
Swansea LB – hardly exciting
Jonathon Spectre – you are boiling my p!ss
Ba – maybe if he can stay fit (tho terrible first touch)
Cabaye – yes, if he can adjust to prem quickly
Barnetta – on the fence
Zogs – yes, proven
Oh…and coming off ankle surgery. Madness
At least i know not to get Nolan 4 on my shirt for next season, as i did on the one for this campaign
i was also considering getting it done before september but forget that, who knows who will follow Nolan out the door ???!!!
@47, these days it’s best to leave it blank or go with a club legend
Yesterday I was really angry about it. But now I have calmed down and had a think about it, I dont really care that he has gone. He wouldnt have got into my first XI next season. He’s not getting faster and more mobile, hes getting slower. He wanted 50k a week until he is 34, you are joking arent you kev? You wont even be able to speed walk by then
Despite that, I would still like to thank him for what he has done over the past 2years, and hope we find a adequate replacement.
In Pardew We Trust!
dave at 41. Stop making sense- it’s silly season
Spencer, I could give you a high five for that mate.
Cheers mate
Hey, how come the Nolan transfer happened so quick?…. f*ck, our incoming players take for ever..
Sorry MDS, Ashleys filling his pockets again! That’s his weekend casino trip sorted, him and his puppet Pardew. I can’t believe were all standing by and letting him sell our best international-class players to championship teams. I bet we end up with David Dunn as a replacement. Cry.
Jersey Geordie
I completely agree. Thank goodness Ashley doesn’t listen to fans…
Nolan has been brilliant but is would be madness to give him five years at 50k.
He wouldn’t accept less and so had to go.
Ashley is a good businessman. And is slowly professing this club. Like any busimess. There are fluctuations. But overall, we are now on the rize.
My only concern is the replacements. Because I don’t like too many foreigners. Unless they are experienced Premier League players.
MDS @ 48, that may be the best way to go actually
i did that when we were in the championship, i didnt know for sure we would have a squad at that point 
then again, Ben Arfa has got a huge contract ??? 
4-4-1-1
Personally I think it will be;
Matuidi
Erding
Barnetta
Izaguirre/M’bengue
Cabaye
N.Taylor
Ba
But I am eternal optimist
Some real crap on here today. Nolan went because he found a club stupid enough to commit to daft, unsustainable numbers. His judgement, imho, is pretty poor – what’s an extra year on £2.5m when you’ve already earned £10m? How is that more important than stability, loyalty and all the “helping NUFC back to the good days” stuff he was waxing on about just a few weeks ago?
He was made a good offer; he put yet more cash ahead of us. End of. Gutted to see him go, but it’s not the club’s fault. Wet Spam, like Liverpool, are unlikely to ever see a return on such a daft investment.
so how do you think pardew will spend the 40 mill from the judas and nolan sales..
And while I’m having a go a player loyalty: Barton’s comments today. Does he not realise that saying how much he loves the club is totally incompatible with ‘except if someone offers me champs league’ afterwards.
So basically: “I’d never cheat on my missus. Unless the other bird was really fit, of course”.
I want Joey to stay. But I also want him to SHUT THE F##K UP!!
Whumpie,
This was a man who packed our best players bags to go join his own boyhood heroes remember
Yaay, whumpie too! Come on sausage, hopefully the common sense perspective is contagious!
Dave
@58 Pretty much summed up what I said, without being a cu’nt towards Nolan
Couldnt agree more.
Anyone think signing Demba would be a Ba-d move?
TAXI!
Hitman,
I don’t think he will spend 40m, and I don’t think he should or even needs to. Why cling to that figure? 45m could buy you ten Tiotes though. Or 10 Cabayes..
Too much common sense on an NUFC blog is dangerous. Oh, yes, it starts as just some people making a point that has reasoning and logic, oh, yes… and before you know it everyone is making reasoned arguments, and then agreement follows, and before you know it you’re having to run endless stories about Larsson, and then, oh, yes, the WORLD EXPLOOOOOODES!!!
Sorry.
I suspect that the only way Ba will end up on the payroll is if there is a hyaaawwwge clause in the contract that protects us against paying out for him when injured. Let’s face it, we are getting a very clear message that the club know how to protect their interests.
So on that assumption – no, I don’t think signing Ba is a bad move. 13 goals in 21 appearances, wasn’t it? At that rate he could be injured for half the season and still outscore Nolan…
Lots of articles about this Erding guy, i’ve established he’s an attacker, anyone know much about him ? Starting with the knowledge of whether he is any good ??
Colm,
PSG are turfing him out to make way for Gamiero. That’s all I really know
Never thought I’d say this, but…
Quite a good article on Ed’s:
http://www.nufcblog.com/2011/06/16/newcastle-have-paid-barton-221k-for-each-game-played/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nufcblog+%28The+Newcastle+United+Blog%29
Summary: Barton is EXPENSIVE.
True Whumpie, I’ll have to mitigate my posts with comments on how Ashley is lining his pockets, cutting corners and buying crap players and selling our top ones.
I heard he’d removed the grass at the training ground and replaced it with shredded tents. Sick of paying for the water apparently.
Moreno spot on mate I dont expect our leader to convince our best player to go to the bindippers. His job was to convince him to stay.
As for leadership on the field lts hard to show leadership when you are awol for lots of the games.
I hope the door smacked him on the way out.
On the subject of Ba, I think he’s a great signing, provided we get another striker in this summer. His knees are a concern, but if we’re planning on playing a lone striker up top, a depth chart of Ba, Erdinç, Best, Shola, Lovenkrands, that’s a lot better than the second half of last year. While he’s still not proven over a long period of time, I think Best could be quite good next year. I wouldn’t feel comfortable with him as our first option, but he could certainly come in and score some goals, especially with Ben Arfa and some of these other guys behind him.
Colm, Erding is a striker who likes to drop deep, he’s small but stocky with pace, a bit like Tevez.
He can play on the left wing as well so could drop into a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 but if he were to play upfront he’d need a partner, preferably tall…. Ba!
@ Moreno, he doesn’t sound too great if PSG are offloading him for sace in their squad hehe
@ dan4toon, that certainly changes my limited opinion on him
we could do with utility attackers who can switch positions, and yes that sounds like that would work with Ba and maybe Ameobi or Ranger now and again up front !! 
Nolan is only good when you play long ball, aka houghton style blast the ball upfront to carroll knock down for Nolan.
This notion of Nolan being a prolific goalscorer is nonsense, how many did he socre without Carroll? Answear is 2.
Colm, yeah even Best as well. Looks like we will have Benny, Jonas, Barnetta and Erding who will be rotating between attacking positions
@77 and one of them was a flick on from Ameobi from a long ball, other was thanks tiote for working his balls of to keep the ball in play.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cETnkGXnkB8
Get them both snaped up
Im sad he’s gone but 4m in is a good deal considering he could leave for nothing in 2 seasons. almost pays for cabaye too who someone said isnt up to much? i watch ligue1 and hes a great player, fews recent caps for france too and they have quite a decent midfield! he may just take a bit to get used to PL
I saw Ed’s article on Barton’s cost per game also and he is expensive… Taking out my emotion (and slight shock) of seeing Nobby Nolan leave, I say fair game. I believe, or at least would like to think, that this is the start of a new era for the Toon. Many times in the past we have been infuriated by the board, but all in all, we are better off than we were two years ago and I believe we will be better off than we are now in another two years time. HWTL.
Spencer, I would go for Erding, not too keen on Erdinc
Lots of articles about this Erding guy, i’ve established he’s an attacker, anyone know much about him ? Starting with the knowledge of whether he is any good ??
——————————-
I’ve heard what Moreno/Dan have; PSG getting rid to cover the Gameriro fee, pacey, likes to drop deep, best when paired with another striker. We were linked with him in january and pardew says the club’s been following him for some time.
Not the “world class” striker people seem to want but seems to be an improvment over what we have. Still only 24 or 25 years old too I think.
84 was @ dan4toon by the way
Looks like we will have Benny, Jonas, Barnetta and Erding who will be rotating between attacking positions
i like the looks of that
———————–
Thanks for making my day
Well MDS age seems to be important for us this year, Ashley is apparently keen on dropping the wage bill AND the age of the squad, so if Erding is young, no doubt we will be looking close
dan- I dont care who we get, aslong as they put the ball in the net at least 20 times a season
Lads etoo wants to come to the premier league…..cashley lining him up
dear oh dear if only
MDS
Spencer, so you want Berbatov or Tevez
Erdinc is a good technical player but i dont think he scores enough goals, one article said 12 last season in all comps. i saw that PSG thought gameiro would score more so thats why they got him. erdinc starts for turkey maybe he could be more suited to prem
Daverism – happy to have some fellow rose tinted glasses wearers with me. Have tried to be positive for weeks!
Dan – I think you should stop reading what I write then spouting it off as your thoughts and getting credit for it
Just wait for BSN9 to be on – then us positive souls are done for
Raffo, were a team, your the brains, am the pretty one
God help us when Bobby does come on, I’ve got my bucket of sand ready for when he does
Daverism said everything I wanted to. I remember all of us bit*ching about Nolan during and after every game on this very blog, all of us were so sure Nolan wouldn’t hold a place down when Ireland was fit. Give Pardew a chance. Everyone wanted a huge transfer window with lots of changes, well, we can’t just bring players in, we have to get better players and let the replacees leave. Maybe we’d all have felt better if we got 5 players in first and then let 3 players leave, but no one can dictate how that happens.
I still think it’s going to be a great transfer window, maybe I’m nuts, but I want a very happy next season.
Craigcoozy just posted this on twitter:
Player has left hotel vua bck door, club are keepin all these transfers disceet this yr, room has been kept open so must be away for medical
Also wheres toonruz, thought n’zogbia was having a medical today? Unless this player is N’zogbia but from my understanding its Barnetta / player from bundesliga
If you look at the nolan deal as 3 mill + 1 on promotion + demba ba, the deal looks a bit better.
I must say like, the journo’s seem to think we are going to have a blinding window as well….it’s a collective feeling as well, surely they all can’t be wrong…
can they..?
Dan – well ive got my big vat of coffee with me ready too!
You seen my pics on Fbook?!
Hydeous – funny you mention that…. I’ve been scuttling through some old match threads digging out some choice opinions on Nolan. Some of the more vocal protesters are either going to look like idiots or have to do some impressive backtracking when I publish said article
seems Nolan has gone from benchwarmer elect to superstar starter now he’s been sold
HITMAN could it not be BA?
only one decent comment made between the lot of them, young guy saying he’ll support the club not the manager, the rest aren’t proper fans, says it all, skumbags deserve all the grief they’re (apparently) getting
http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,26691,16426_6992051,00.html
Moreno, I know I was saying that Andrew earlier, not only that they seem to have the same players down for us in; N.Taylor, Matuidi, Barnetta, Erding, Ba.
God help us when Bobby does come on, I’ve got my bucket of sand ready for when he does
—————-
I actually think BS supports the Nolan sale…
Raffo
parker cleaning everything up and
nolan bombing forward and
destroying yet another championship
defense with his death defying
passing and his net busting goals
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Moreno – maybe just maybe there is a decent window ahead and Ashley and Pards et al do actually know what they are doing.
It wont stop alot of the doom and gloomers but hey lets just see. Enjoy the ride!
Toonsy, can you see the draft
BTW my last comment was by a hammers on one of their blogs…
Toonsy – another gypsy nicking all my good material. Its funny how noone comments on my insightful posts but people use them all?!? hhhmmmm
raffo – woah mate….let’s not push it too far!!!!
it might be ice
Nolan served us well and we got a decent price for him especially considering it’s hard to see how he would fit into our midfield next season. We might miss his leadership but that just means Pardew will have to step up his game, he is the manager after all !
Apparently he wanted some stability for his family…….. in that case he should jack in footy and get a job down McDonalds
Look the furore around nolan is merely to bring us down as a club again …. the press love it!
Lets face its not the best move in the world for us but its done settled and nolan has gone ..the press just want to label us as some degenerate bunch who moan every 5 seconds…
Lets face it we are better than that and IMO we can fill the void nolan left but by moving on and not dragging it up again and again.
Ill change my mind when david dunn comes in mind
@MDS
Too busy to get on but I’ve got my opinions on the sale of Nolan. Later though.
your such a tease BSN9
We’ll eagerly await them then
@117
To be honest if the club offered Nolan a £10K pay rise, another 12 months on his 24 month contract and £500,000 if he could guide the team to a top half finish and he turned all that down because he wanted a 5 year contract then good luck to him and see ya later as far as I’m concerned. This is exactly the sort of thing that has been our problem in the past, bowing down to the excessive demands of players. With the money we will recieve for Nolan and the saving in wages we will be able to afford Demba Ba, a proper striker. I think some of this is to do with Pardew aswell just because of his quotes there is a rabbit away. I think Nolan has been told that there is not even a gaurentee he will be a first choice player next season during the talks and that has huffed him. As good as Nolan has been during these last two seasons we don’t need players getting big for their boots and demanding stuff. Nolan has contradicted himself loads of times IMO first on the Carroll thing when he said he was happy for Liverpool and now when he said how much he cared for this club, just to snub our offer and sneek out the back door to a 5 year pension contract with Big Sam. Thanks for everything Kevin and hopefully we won’t miss your goals next season. Bring on Ba, Barnetta and the other 3 signings Pardew is on about and let the good times roll.
Exactly right DJG
Lets move on – we’ll bring in better than him.
I mean look at the players Big Sam has signed, Gardener, Faye, Nolan.
He told the West Ham fans he will be playing good attractive football and they believe him! He’s already signing the players for route one, kick and run rugby football. For what it’s worth I think Allardyce and the championship were made for each other and his tactics will do really well there but why does he go to places like Blackburn, Newcastle and West Ham where the fans crave a decent level of technical, attractive football! He is doomed to fail yet again, I give him 2 seasons tops!
DJG @ 120
A fair summary mate
Well Toonsy cant wait to see the thread you are going to do @ 101, see who all has changed their tune
DJG, clearly you don’t know any blackburn fans, bunch of mugs
Says on the internet that Pardew wants to sign Nigel Reo-Coker who is available on a free, and was Pardew’s captain at West Ham ! If he were to join us, perhaps Pardew might even consider giving him the armband again, after trusting him with it at the hammers when Reo-Coker was quite young ?
No doubt the club will cash in on tiote and ben arfa because fat ashley is a bad owner lol
Probably replace them with reo coker and jonathan spector haha cos he is a fat greedy man
COCKNEY MAFIA OUT!
Forgot to say I am a class A bell end lol
Great post. Sad to see Nolan go, but i thank him for his outstanding service and leadership.
As for talk about player power with the cabal of Nolan, Smith, Barton and Harper is a real head scratcher. What negatives can be attributed to their supposed power? They got us promoted, they saw us to safety this season. Smith barely featured, if they were running the show wouldn.t he have been starting? Harper, sat on the bench a few games with Krul’s form being decent. If he were running the show wouldn’t he have been starter when fit?
Hughton was our best manager since Sir Bobby, and was sacked, i think, because he refused to be Ashley’s puppet. To insinuate he was the players puppet does the man a disservice.
this guy with iffy knees seems to kna where the net is
2008/2009 goals 34
2009/2010 ” 13
2010/2011 ” 28
Ice your on the old thread me old bean
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