Mark Albrighton

Can’t you disagree with me more please? I quite enjoyed that

But they were linked with Hart....you’re saying Adam Davies....can only mean they’re going for the best of both worlds...

Well Kodjia hadn’t played too many times for us before Bruce took over, but ok. He did have an effect on Grealish’s game, but was still prone to sticking him out wide. I don’t think anyone is debating we didn’t improve under Bruce, but I just disagree that the squad he inherited was a complete disaster. It had weaknesses, notably in midfield but Bruce himself relied heavily on a lot of those players he inherited.

Why haven’t you included Kodjia, Grealish, Chester, Baker, Jedinak or Adomah in your squad summing up? They were all players that Bruce called on at various points. All good players that he had at his disposal. You’ve otherwise summed up reasonably well, I don’t agree with it completely but it’s more or less on the money. I think Elphick proved he could step up and play for us, I think Westwood would be an ok squad player for us, Ayew too. I was always supportive of Gollini and wouldn’t have minded seeing him being given more time, but I get why he was ditched. But it’s not an accurate summing up when you miss out half a dozen players, two of which were our top goal scorers in the first two seasons, another was our stalwart captain for most of our time here, one trusty defender, one useful defensive midfielder (and occasional defender) and the other literally our best player.

Well I could discuss the rest of the post further, but this last bit has completely thrown me. Jordan Amavi being lumped in with and being described as being worse Richards and Lescott?

Things is, was it an “absolute monstrosity” of a side he took over? Before the start of last season, Bruce gave an interview when the squad were abroad training. I thought he spoke fairly well and was fairly realistic in how he saw things. He also said something along the lines of how he’d love to be in a position where he could keep Chester, Grealish and Kodjia but was facing the reality that he couldn’t. Those were the three he highlighted. Interesting they were three players that were already at the club, he didn’t highlight any of his signings. It suggests to me that the squad wasn’t that bad when he took over. Yes, there were notable gaps, which he filled admirably with the likes of Hourihane and Elmo, but it also wasn’t a “monstrosity” either. As for the lowest ebb in the past 40 years. I would say following the play off defeat when we looked like going under was far worse than the final weeks of RDM. I’d even say on a personal level that the terrible run we had in Bruce’s first January, possibly the lowlight being played off the park by Brentford, was a lower point for me than RDM’s reign (terrible as that was). That is not me saying RDM was better, of course he wasn’t. But talking from a “lowest point” perspective, those two spring to mind more than the opening 12 games of the 16/17 season.

Derby, Forest and so we can party like it’s 1899....Preston North End.

I don’t think people would go on about wages or how much Hogan cost, or buying Bree and not playing him (well probably not as much) if Bruce hadn’t regularly gone on about having to “box clever” with the finances and the general hard luck stories.

Yeah I’m coming round to being more positive than I initially was (it’s partly all these big numbers, I’m still struggling to get to grips with them on occasion). Ultimately if Dean and the club want him, that’s good enough for me. Like I said earlier, I don’t think this would prove to be a bad signing, my concern is more just is he absolutely the right signing. But people seem confident in him, he kept a lot of clean sheets in a Stoke side who had a hard time last season (I read 18 from 45 games), he’s young, knows the area, he’s “a name” which is always nice to see us attract. There are plenty of positives. I know people would ask the same question about Grealish, but how come he stayed with Stoke when they went down? Loyalty? A belief they’d come flying back up? Does anyone know if there was much serious interest in him before now?

So Woodgate confirmed as Boro boss. I don’t know what else I can say about that one.

Hadn’t seen that one...I have now. Interesting character Louis Le Prince, appears to have been ahead of the competition in film making. His disappearance is a curious one too.

Directed by a Frenchman admittedly but as it was filmed in England, “Roundhay Garden Scene” should get a mention. I guess it drags a bit in the middle, but otherwise it’s pretty epic.

To be fair there’s a few seasons at the start of his career and a few recent seasons missing from that list. It’s a good record, but I only care about the zero promotions with Aston Villa. On the subject of squad morale, I think there was a togetherness in the side during 17/18, not as great as last season, but it was there. I remember thinking it in that 1-0 away win against Sheff United. There seemed to be a real bond between them. In some ways that was one of my favourite wins under Bruce. But in terms of the mental strength of the team when the chips were down, I’m not sure. I’m trying to imagine what might have happened if we had missed a penalty, seen Terry receive a red card and go into halftime away at Rotherham. Would we have seen the same turn around, I don’t know.

And it has a gift shop too?

It really surprised me when I found out that the distance between Newcastle and Boro, the club most would say are the Geordie’s “other derby” is nearly 40 miles. It would be like saying that our other local derby would be...well, Derby County.

Hmmm I’m not feeling 100% enthusiastic about this one. Not against it, just not on tenterhooks watching the saga unfold. I think I liked the sound of Etheridge for around the £10m mark more than the proposed deal of Butland for £20m+. Think that’s part of the reason. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it would be a bad signing, just wondering if the difference in value is the England tax in effect, rather than a reflection of their respective abilities. Happy to be persuaded otherwise.

Yeah I remember the Juninho one like it was yesterday. I really (really) wanted us to sign him. He was pictured going into VP to have talks, looked nailed on. In hindsight it was probably for the best it didn’t happen, if I remember rightly his second spell at Boro wasn’t the dream return to England they had hoped.

There is actually some truth to it. I remember seeing this picture a couple of years ago. It also features Dr Tony who always brings an extra legitimacy to things.

Bloody loud alarm then.

When I was looking at transfers from that time, I saw Steven Fletcher being bought for £14m/15m and shuddered at the thought of what that cost would be now.

Added to that the £7m or £8m we agreed for Benteke was 7 years ago. Like you say, prices have changed. To give it some context, a quick search suggests that the same summer we bought Benteke, an exciting young player called Eden Hazard was bought by Chelsea for £30m+. He’s now apparently worth 4 times that. Now ok, his performances over that time will have increased Hazard’s value, but my bet is the market has had an equal, if not greater impact on the increase in his value.

A quick look suggests he took one penalty last season and scored it. Schrijvers took four of their penalties. So no, he’s not been their main penalty taker.

For my own part, it’s because I don’t know that it is record breaking. Don’t know how much we ultimately paid for Bent, not 100% on the fee for this signing either (I’m going with £22m approx.).

Yep, was thinking this earlier. I can’t pretend I didn’t enjoy it at the time, I really did and it got me (and a fair few others) properly excited for what we were in for. Complete antidote to the non interaction from Randy. But you’re right, it was amateurish. I guess time will tell, but this approach feels so direct and professional.

It does feel like it’s a roll of the dice. I guess we were always going to be gambling either way - not investing significant funds could be even more of a gamble. I think as long as the majority of players brought in are potentially sellable assets if the worse was to happen next season, I think we’ll be ok from a financial point of view. I don’t like to think of negative outcomes but it’s going to have to be a consideration.The influx of new faces to the club and hoping they find their feet at the club is something I’m more wary of, rather than the money that will be spent.