[BigBmad]

I am now happy we didn't get 4th...as strange as it sounds.

Don't think I would have made it all the way through pens last night then for Chelsea to have won. Would have been heartbroken

[lordOfTime]

Whatever happens next season we have a bit to live up to anf it'll be harder to stay with the other top 6 pack.

City and United will again dominate first and second spot.
Tottenham have had a set back but they won't be any less dfficult to beat.
Arsenal will spend. But they need to keep RVP.
Chelsea had an absolutely huge night last night and their stock will have improved massively. They'll bring in quality to replace the "old guard".
Liverpool I'm the least sure about but they will start afresh. Perhaps follow our model of bringing in quality but not spending a billion to do it.

I can't wait.

[BigBmad]

Originally Posted by lordOfTime

Whatever happens next season we have a bit to live up to anf it'll be harder to stay with the other top 6 pack.

City and United will again dominate first and second spot.
Tottenham have had a set back but they won't be any less dfficult to beat.
Arsenal will spend. But they need to keep RVP.
Chelsea had an absolutely huge night last night and their stock will have improved massively. They'll bring in quality to replace the "old guard".
Liverpool I'm the least sure about but they will start afresh. Perhaps follow our model of bringing in quality but not spending a billion to do it.

I can't wait.

It will appear harder but this time last season people were saying it will be harder for us staying out of a relegation fight in our second season

I totally agree with all of that though.

I think Chelsea will probably stock up very well and the top 3 will be set early on.

It then gets interesting, if Arsenal lose Van Persie thats massive blow for them. Will Bale and Modric move for champions League football.

Then you have Liverpool, unpredictable, think they are less likely to lose a big player, but how long will Suarez stay without CL football for too?

All interesting scenarios and I haven't even started on the merry go round at our club . I can't remember the last time we have a nice well rounded pre-season. Few players in, hardly no one out and win all our pre-season games? Is that too much to ask

But I can't wait and the season has only just ended

[lordOfTime]

Originally Posted by BigBmad

It will appear harder but this time last season people were saying it will be harder for us staying out of a relegation fight in our second season

I totally agree with all of that though.

I think Chelsea will probably stock up very well and the top 3 will be set early on.

It then gets interesting, if Arsenal lose Van Persie thats massive blow for them. Will Bale and Modric move for champions League football.

Then you have Liverpool, unpredictable, think they are less likely to lose a big player, but how long will Suarez stay without CL football for too?

All interesting scenarios and I haven't even started on the merry go round at our club . I can't remember the last time we have a nice well rounded pre-season. Few players in, hardly no one out and win all our pre-season games? Is that too much to ask

But I can't wait and the season has only just ended

The good thing is more football won't be too far away this summer. Internationals, Euros, Olympics.

For the pre season i think we'll have to prepare for at least 2 or 3 departures, not necessarily the big names.

The ones i'm thinking about most are Ba, Tiote, Simpson, Guthrie who could all easily leave. I think we could cope with that as we're thinking about adding 2 new full backs anyway. I'm sure there will be worthy players who will want to sign for us, but we'll have competition.

It's going to be a very interesting pre season. Not sure how i'm going to cope till it all begins again though

[madanglian]

Lest we forget ....

Three years ago today me and my lad downed the rest of our pints and left the Rose and Crown wondering whether Newcastle United would ever play in top flight football again.

The fresh start worked though few of us thought it would at the time. Having seen our local team Coventry go down in 2001 and struggle to put together any realistic run for promotion since, it just looked like the start of a long ugly battle to get Newcastle back in the top flight.

With that in mind, to finish 5th is a triumph, and a credit to all involved. Even .........





Sports Direct Man

[lordOfTime]

Just been watching the season review DVD today. Makes the season seem even more awesome in retrospect.

Without a doubt our most "difficult period was December in which we only picked up a point and looked like we were going to fall away. Only we didn't. All the games bar one are on it. I'll leave you all to work out which one

The crucial points in the season for me are...

Beating Sunderland away
Everton 2-1 at home creating a new unbeaten record.
Winning on Boxing day for the first time in eons.
Shola`s last gasp equaliser against the mackems giving that extra belief for the rest of the Springtime.

New fixtures coming out Monday. Can't wait

[SamGamgee]

Originally Posted by lordOfTime

New fixtures coming out Monday. Can't wait

Lets hope the first derby is mid-winter. I need a nice long break from those

[BigBmad]

Originally Posted by lordOfTime

Just been watching the season review DVD today. Makes the season seem even more awesome in retrospect.

Without a doubt our most "difficult period was December in which we only picked up a point and looked like we were going to fall away. Only we didn't. All the games bar one are on it. I'll leave you all to work out which one

The crucial points in the season for me are...

Beating Sunderland away
Everton 2-1 at home creating a new unbeaten record.
Winning on Boxing day for the first time in eons.
Shola`s last gasp equaliser against the mackems giving that extra belief for the rest of the Springtime.

New fixtures coming out Monday. Can't wait

ooooh might have purchase this.

The Man Unt game always sticks out for me, only game I missed in the season because I was working and then we wont 3-0

[BigBmad]

Something I have just realised....don't know why I ain't heard this before or figured it out before. The finishing positions in the previous season of the 5 teams Alan Pardew has managed

Reading- Promoted to Premier League
West Ham- Promoted to Premier League
Southampton- Promoted to Premier League
Charlton- Promoted to Championship
Newcastle- 5th place in PL and Europe League spot.

I'm sure he has a soft spot for all his previous clubs, season couldn't have gone much better for him

[BigBmad]

''Development: Sky Italia are now reporting that Galatasaray have signed #NUFC striker Demba Ba for a fee of €11 million.''

Even if this proves to be untrue I think he will be gone this summer. If we can sign Luuk de Jong as a replacement I will be happy. Might prove to be a more dynamic partnership with Cisse.

As long as we replace him then I am not to annoyed

[lordOfTime]

Originally Posted by BigBmad

''Development: Sky Italia are now reporting that Galatasaray have signed #NUFC striker Demba Ba for a fee of €11 million.''

Even if this proves to be untrue I think he will be gone this summer. If we can sign Luuk de Jong as a replacement I will be happy. Might prove to be a more dynamic partnership with Cisse.

As long as we replace him then I am not to annoyed

It's not true. The club know nothing about it. And until otherwise he remains a toon player.

I was fooled too but it seems the story is a fake.

[BigBmad]

Originally Posted by lordOfTime

It's not true. The club know nothing about it. And until otherwise he remains a toon player.

I was fooled too but it seems the story is a fake.

Yep seems untrue now, thought it was funny for a story about a Senegalese player in England moving to a Turkish club....having breaking news in Italy .

Ba's brothers just posted

'I just want to tell everybody that demba has signed nothing ...'

probably just looking too much into it but I recon this is possibly his agent trying to push through a deal for a big pay day

[lordOfTime]

I very much dislike Agents

[frost]

Originally Posted by lordOfTime

It's not true. The club know nothing about it. And until otherwise he remains a toon player.

Clearly that story was nonsense.

But, and I have been wondering about this for a while now, if a player has a release clause in their contract (which supposedly Ba does, though who knows for sure), then does the club he plays for have to "know anything about it" in regards to a potential move?

If Ba has a clause in his contract thats says a bid of £x will enable him to leave, then for example Man Utd could go to him, negotiate a contract with him and once that was all done and Ba had agreed to sign their deal, Utd would contact Newcastle, say "his contract stipulates he can be sold for £X, here is £x, finalise the deal".

There would be no actual need to obtain permission to talk to the player surely?

[TheToonArmy]

Originally Posted by frost

Clearly that story was nonsense.

But, and I have been wondering about this for a while now, if a player has a release clause in their contract (which supposedly Ba does, though who knows for sure), then does the club he plays for have to "know anything about it" in regards to a potential move?

If Ba has a clause in his contract thats says a bid of £x will enable him to leave, then for example Man Utd could go to him, negotiate a contract with him and once that was all done and Ba had agreed to sign their deal, Utd would contact Newcastle, say "his contract stipulates he can be sold for £X, here is £x, finalise the deal".

There would be no actual need to obtain permission to talk to the player surely?

I would have thought they would still need to seek permission.

first and foremost he is still contracted to Newcastle, one of the clauses in that contract states he could leave if a certain bid is achieved, only then talks with the player would begin.

[frost]

Originally Posted by TheToonArmy

I would have thought they would still need to seek permission.

That's what I was wondering, but surely the clause negates needing to obtain permission as it automatically gives it on a bid of that amount.

first and foremost he is still contracted to Newcastle, one of the clauses in that contract states he could leave if a certain bid is achieved, only then talks with the player would begin.

Thinking about it, I would suppose most clauses are not public, so since you dont know the exact amount, you would need to discuss it with the club first and negotiate a value, but if you did know how much it would cost to get the player, I dont see why you would need the club to give you permission.

[SamGamgee]

If the rumours are true its Arsenal Vs. SAFC first day which means youre at home first.

[Heavenly]

Your first fixture is home to Spurs.

Second fixture is away to us. (Chelsea)

[lordOfTime]

Originally Posted by SamGamgee

If the rumours are true its Arsenal Vs. SAFC first day which means youre at home first.

Which naughty critter has been leaking the details from the fixture computer then?

[BigBmad]

Originally Posted by lordOfTime

Which naughty critter has been leaking the details from the fixture computer then?

He also said Newcastle are at home first game and Tottenham away. I thought he was just stating the facts but in fact he just give a massive hint

I'm not one to be fussed at the fixtures, we have to play everyone at some point anyways. Drew with Tottenham and beat Chelsea last year, easy

[lordOfTime]

Originally Posted by BigBmad

He also said Newcastle are at home first game and Tottenham away. I thought he was just stating the facts but in fact he just give a massive hint

I'm not one to be fussed at the fixtures, we have to play everyone at some point anyways. Drew with Tottenham and beat Chelsea last year, easy

I think we're in for a tough year. But will be a lot of fun as we have a lot of good things going for us.

My biggest early concern is that Cisse, Ba and Ben Arfa will be fasting for Ramadan. One of them might score goals through the spell but they will not be at their best.

[SamGamgee]

Originally Posted by lordOfTime

I think we're in for a tough year. But will be a lot of fun as we have a lot of good things going for us.

My biggest early concern is that Cisse, Ba and Ben Arfa will be fasting for Ramadan. One of them might score goals through the spell but they will not be at their best.

Ba will be gone IMO.

Cisse- African Nations Cup in new year?

[lordOfTime]

Originally Posted by SamGamgee

Ba will be gone IMO.

Cisse- African Nations Cup in new year?

Yup, which is another worry.

Rumour has it though we've bid £8million for Luuk De Jong which is a fair bid. We get him in, we cover ourselves for both scenarios.

Unless he turns out to be a muslim too

[PDS1985]

Originally Posted by lordOfTime

Rumour has it though we've bid £8million for Luuk De Jong which is a fair bid. We get him in, we cover ourselves for both scenarios.

It doesn't look like we will sign him now , we definately need another striker though with Ba and Cisse off to the African Nations Cup in January, Lovenkrands released and Best now almost gone to Blackburn.

[JordanT91]

Originally Posted by PDS1985

It doesn't look like we will sign him now , we definately need another striker though with Ba and Cisse off to the African Nations Cup in January, Lovenkrands released and Best now almost gone to Blackburn.

It's looking more likely that he WILL join now.