Gazsimm, Jan got it just about right here on the first page. It has every bit to do with money and nothing to do with football.

Yes yes yes yes yes. If arsenal win the champions league and finish outside the top four then fourth spot is only good enough for the UEFA cup. Newcastle have been lingering there for a while and a few weeks ago I think a few of us were pretty worried about them, we pulled away again but after 2 points from 3 games a couple teams were always going to put themselves back in with a chance. We still have to be happy with the last few weeks though, we've gone from being in a position where we needed other teams to slip up to being in a pretty comfortable position. I know it doesn't feel that way, but with most teams having at least one tough game left and sitting three points ahead with a game in hand and only three games left you would put us as pretty safe bets. We certainly wouldn't think we could catch a team if we were in their position.

As has been previously mentioned it will most probably be because of the fact that they will help fill the stadium.

Ask them where they keep the porn stash.

It isn't. He was linked with them when the job first became available.

Sad end, but also in the way the perfect end. He scored in a win over the big rivals. It is just about the greatest thing Newcastle have achieved while he has been there and there really isn't a better team for him to bow out against.

If you are going to do that you may as well just get rid of the entire thing. Just go back to the simple two men between you and the goal. If the ball goes anywhere near you and you don't have that going for you then you are offside, simple as. I don't know why the governing bodies have to play around with the laws, but it would be nice if they just realised they weren't up to it and went back to the old rules.

At least it would be a change. I'm now no longer looking forward to the Chelsea game, I have the fear that we may not even have the chance of winning the match.

I totally disagree, show me where the points we've lost have been made up. I'm sure you'll point to the Wigan goal (where we should have had the lead before we went behind anyway) and the game against Newcastle. Big deal, we've lost tons more points than that and it is getting boring. It's regularly been the case now for the past few seasons, ever since we have been promoted really, and it is actually one good reason why I would stop watching football, not that I can. Coming away from a game feeling like you had it taken away from you, rather than making mistakes yourselves or being outplayed, is a horrible feeling and just makes you dislike those running the game. I can't remember a season before where I've seen so many poor decisions made by officials. It is time that they really start being punished for poor performances, not through the empty threat of being demoted, but rather through having substantial cuts in their salaries and even being fired. There seem to be a large number of untouchable officials in the Premiership, very few of them who actually deserve their status. As for us not being up to Champions League standard, as others have said, take a look at Liverpool today.

Well it has all been said really. We were robbed. Liverpool had been the better team but I didn't know that it meant that you would be given goals. He was certainly active, certainly offside and there is no way that the goal should have stood. On another note, we didn't really look much like scoring. Apart from one brilliant move that ended in Savage's volley going wide, a couple good crosses and the odd half chance we never really created anything. Much of that had to do with the fact that Liverpool stuck 11 men in their own half and defender their lead, I would like to think that in that second half we could have done more had the score been level. Once again poor officials though, it is just getting so boring. 4th place gone, but hopefully we can pick up enough points to hold onto this 6th place, I think we can.

I agree with you greggyk, but at the same time, if we can actually build on this and consolidate this position then more chances will come. I don't think it is a conincidence that in the past two years one of the big four has struggled. I think it will continue to happen and the opportunity will present itself again. I also disagree with people saying that we don't need or aren't ready for the Champions League. I can't see us ever really being ready for the Champions League without qualifying for it. If you don't get what I mean it is this: without the extra income and exposure how would we ever put together a squad that we can actually say is one of the best four in our league? Get ahead while you can, anyone who says otherwise is either foolish or just trying to rationalize for us not making it, probably both. I am not saying that it won't be a great step to make the top 6 and that I won't be upset if we don't make it. I think it is impossible to consolidate a top 6 place, to really secure your spot at the top we need the top 4, if we make it it could change the entire future of our club. Personally I don't think we will, though I could see us making 5th and the extra 500k will be most welcome, but I can only hope that we do.

Finished 2-0, put us in a great position for UEFA cup. Come on Everton and West Brom!

Can't really see us winning either, see us losing by two.

I think Sven can take some credit for what Rooney has achieved, not the main figure but he has certainly played a part. Also, people are harsh on Sven saying this team fell into place and anyone can do it, it obviously isn't true. As for the England team only being able to win playing British football I totally disagree. Most of the players playing in the England squad don't play British football at club level really, even if they do we are talking about World Class players, surely their ability doesn't limit them to the "British" style. Sven has been hard done by in my opinion. He has made some mistakes both on and off of the pitch but overall he has done a good job. England are going into this World Cup as second favourites and that is behind a Brazil team many consider to be one of the best ever (I disagree, but it is the common thought). That in itself says a lot about the current team and what the manager has done with the squad. You may well say look at the squad of players he has there, but then there are a lot of top nations with a similar glut of quality players, it is what being a top footballing nation is all about. I do wonder what will happen if England win the World Cup, surely we can't take Sven back, but surely we can't let the manger who won our first trophy in 40 years simply walk away from the job?

No, that was the game. The keeper was sent off after a very late tackle on Jansen late on in the game. Riera was the other player who was sent off.

If he scores tomorrow I think we will all be surprised.

If Allardyce becomes England manager I don't think I will be able to watch an England game. To see his massive head chewing gum with a headset on everytime international football comes around would just be too much for me.

4-0 They had two sent off and Reid, MGP and Kuqi (2) scored for us.

Andy Cole Rio Ferdinand

The club football record Pat Kruse of Torquay, not sure about the England record.

Not really a game that was going to suit Tugay in my opinion. We need the fight of Savage and Reid to try and win the midfield battle, shame we can't have him on the bench though.

Each person is free to spend money as they like so please, don't think I'm having a go, I can understand if you choose to spend your money on other things apart from tickets to Rovers games. However, you were always opening yourself up by saying that on a Saturday you spend nearly twice as much on alcohol as it would cost you to go to a Rovers game, I don't think you'll get much sympathy.

Nelsen for me as well.

The only good news of the week for us so far has been the Arsenal draw and one other grain of hope. In amongst all those figures of how much Premiership players earn I think there was a stat that said around 53% (I think) of the players would be in favour of a salary cap. Now of course I'm sure these are the 53% outside of the top clubs who stand to lose nothing if a wage cap was put in place, but if there is any hope of the Premiership ever moving towards a league where at least half the league go into the season with thoughts of possibly winning it then this would be the way.

Wishful thinking 3rd Pillar. Sky own the broadcasting rights, if they see this coming they will simply cut off the option of cheap foreign broadcasts by increasing charges. The money is in football now and I'm afraid to say any situation in which money drops out of the game will simply lead to clubs like us going under. The dream of a time when the money will be removed and suddenly we will all be on a level playing field simply isn't going to happen. I dread to think what would happen if decisions like this became the norm and we started losing TV money and fans to foreign broadcasters, there is no way we could survive.