TheStagMan

That's the spirit!

Just checked my tickets - it is DEFINATELY on Sunday 11th September at 13:15

Well, this morning's dilemma was should I go to work in the Jag, or take the SL? I went in the Jag, which turned out to be a good call as it did rain on the way home, so I would not have been able to put the roof down in the SL. Mind you, back when I lived in Kingstanding I had a mini. It was rusty. Don't know her, (Not a Throner) haven't lived there for 20 years. Jenny Wager was around when I lived there.

Hey, I'm from Kingstanding!

I think if this team clicks, and gels quickly, we could absolutely destroy this league with the team we have assembled. And in fairness we have looked good against the teams we have played even though results have not gone our way. We do still have a mental frailty and we need to fix that. Ideally we need a couple of good results and can then start to string a run together. I think that the international break has come at a good time for us, RDM will have time to at least integrate the new signings into the squad and have a look at how everyone plays together, much better than if there was a game this weekend. Now, realistically I think we are going to be top 6 - but I would hate to predict whether that is automatic promotion or play offs. It all depends on how quickly everyone moulds into position. I would have hoped that we could get all our business done a lot earlier, but appreciate that was close to impossible, so we are playing catchup. We have basically lost 5 games. If we were going into a pre-season with this squad, I would expect us to muller this league. As per RDM - it may even be next year that we get promoted, but I do think that towards the end of the season we will be flying. Hopefully we will have stayed in touch up till then.

It took me a while, but I got there. Well played sir, well played. :-)

Don't need to look for an excuse with Gabby - He provides them freely and regularly. I was referring to the reply to the deluded fan that referred to Gabby as a legend and compared him to Messi and Ronaldo. Interesting. You criticise me for getting "offended" (i'm not, I am bemused), then you advocate violence??? well done!!! Again, I cannot understand why people defend this guy. seriously??? he offers NOTHING to this club, do you SERIOUSLY want to see him playing for us again??? Why????? Maybe I am just old fashioned. I expect someone who is paid to do a job, to do that job to the best of their abilities. I expect people who are in the public eye, who are role models, and supposed leaders, to behave and act beyond reproach. I expect the captain of a football club to be the one who fights for the team, who the supporters can rely on, who the team can look to to provide inspiration, to be a man who will give his all for the cause. Now I realise that doesn't sound like a footballer, and is one of the reasons why I despise the modern footballer - BUT, there are still a large number of them that do abide by these principles, and frankly, as Leicester proved last season, these are the types of players (and people) that we want at the club.

If objecting to someone being paid £40K per week and basically taking the piss out of the people paying him makes me a Scrooge then I say this: "Bah Humbug!"

^Its not the fact that he has a cap... its the cap itself as that particular brand is all about MONEY and being loaded. Y£NOM. Some people may consider that an insult based on the fact he is prepared to sit on his arse and pick up his extortionate salary. The day after refusing to move to a club with an opportunity to prove himself. Jesus Christ, I just cannot understand why people still love and adore him. If he wasnt "a Villa boy" (huh!) and we had bought him in from somewhere else for say, £5m he would receive the same dogs abuse that Westwood gets, but at least Westwood is a professional and tries (and probably has more ability). Its Hilarious the love he still gets from his fan club. The sort of people who would presumably take back a girlfriend who slept with the entire rugby team. PS Respect to leightoncastle. Good lad.

I like Tonys tweets.

its a different level of money though. I am sure Fox and co was a million or so - Gabby is potentially 5-6m and I get the impression that Xia wants to make an example out of him.

Exactly my point - From the tone or Dr X's tweet, it sounds as if the are going after him, does not sound like they will be paying him off - certainly not in full. I hope they can do this, hopefully something has happened to give them the means to.

Well, with Xia tweeting that you cannot get away from mistakes of the past, sounds like this was coming for some time, just cant understand why he was kept on until now. Excellent that the last of the management link to last seasons disaster/comedy management committee is now gone.

yes, that's the bit that is of concern!

I would be so happy if we could sack him. Not sure how we would do it, but it sounds like Tony has a plan up his sleeve, and I would trust that he knows what he is doing. Interesting about Reilly as well. Seems odd that he would have been kept on until now - maybe he ran over Steve Round's cat in the past or something?

September 2018, so end of next season, sadly. (shocking admission here:) At one point I also liked him as a player, though he could have been great for us, but he has shown himself to care about nothing but himself and now I wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire. and also..... WTF is he doing posting pics of that cap....???? wow, either he is deliberately being a prick or is incredibly stupid/badly advised.

Basically he is a poisonous influence. Unfortunately we need to pay up his contract one way or another in order to get rid. As has been suggested we could make him train alone, although we would have to pay someone to supervise his training, but I'm sure we could get someone to do that, hell, I am sure some of the fans would do it for free - making him run round a pitch on his own. He either has to be put on gardening leave for the rest of his contract, paid up or made to train alone. Regardless of whether he could "do a job for us" he must not be allowed back, he must not be allowed to influence the kids, or the new signings. We need to create a culture of togetherness and one where people know they have to perform - giving him another chance sends entirely the wrong message. The damage his presence would have to the team spirit and club culture is far more than any favours he could do us on the pitch. I would much rather see the likes of RHM getting a chance on the pitch than see Gabby huffing and puffing with his hands on his hips in the centre circle, and I think that this is the reason that his loan move was blocked by the club. My personal viewpoint is that we offer him a reduced payout to leave, he then has the opportunity to go and resurrect his career, or if he rejects that, he is either put on gardening leave for the rest of his contract, which means that when it ends, he will not have played for 2 years and is very unlikely to get a new club (the easier option from our point of view), or is made to work for his salary in terms of training, alone, and on our terms - the downside here is that there is then a sliver of a chance that he might be offered a contract elsewhere at the end of it . I think that he is so dim that he still believes that he has some influence at the club and just needs to see out the new manager, not realising that the OWNER does not rate him, or respect him, or want him anywhere near his project, and that the owner will not be going away. I don't think that Gabby realises his one supporter (the completely misguided Learner) is gone, and he has no-one in his corner. I took a look at his instagram feed and the sycophantic "hero"-worshipers who are blowing smoke up his arse on there are part of the problem - he must be believing his own hype as there are a small number of vocal fans who believe it. His Agent must also be a total idiot as he must see that he will make no more money out of this dead duck A sad end to a career that could have worked out so differently. We have to move past him and move on with seeking promotion.

I think it is absolutely necessary *edit* just caught up with the rest of the thread. I have no issue with Xia calling out a player like this. Gabby (and others) need to know that the shit that has gone on over the last few years is over now. They either pull their weight for the club or they ship out. If that message needs to be sent publicly until our thickest player(s) cottons on, then so be it. There is only one Billy Big Bollox at the club now. His name is Dr Tony Xia. There is a world of difference contractually between players and staff - players are pretty much untouchable, any normal member of staff who was unable to fulfil their duties, or frankly didn't give a shit would be out on their ear (please don't tell me that Gabby losing the flab and buying an excersize bike means he suddenly gives a shit) - public shaming may be the only way. Now, if Xia had come out and said John in the upper Holte burger shop was a clearing in the woods then that would be a very different thing.

Yep, I will bring the bin liner

I really really hope not.

So, interesting that we pulled the plug on his loan to Coventry. I would have imagined that we were loaning him out for six months to get him match fit and sharp so that he could be bought back into the fold for the second half of the season/January when we lose players to the ACON. Im hoping that it was something like us being after Hernandez and Kodjia both being wanted, but with Hernandez being a dick, we have now decided to go with Kodjia and RHM. Good luck to the lad. hope he does well.

Excellent work. Net spend of £35m or therabouts - for the Championship that is awesome. Must be the highest net spend. *edit* Just checked on transfermarket and it is BY FAR the highest net spend. Next highest net spend is about £9m. Newcastle are roughly even between sales and purchases, if they do sell Cissokho tonight it will be a £30m profit for them this window (into Mike Ashley's back pocket) We have also spent (Net) more than most of the premier league clubs!

9 players in 8 players loaned out 10 players sold or given a free transfer 9 players released Astonishing activity!!!!

No, basically what has happened is that we have started saying his name with a Brummie accent.