- a few impressions. Their immediate equaliser looked like the usual Shay special, but Kanu looked miles offside, MOTD. That's why none of our defenders carried on chasing him down. Still think Shay should have stayed on his line - he might not have stopped it, but Kanu would have had to work a bit harder.

I liked the look of their kid Cole.

Kanu is the bees nees. Only the Geordies would give a standing ovation to an oppo player when he was subbed. He must have wondered what the hell we were playing at.

Same for Rob Lee. Nice touch taking him off so we could single him out for special appreciation.

From being an ardent hater of Warren Barton, I've come complete circle. He also is the bees nees. He must be one of the gutsiest players in any league, never mind just our's. As was discussed in the Strawberry, he might even be an ideal alternative to AS as manager.

Jury's still out on Speed

And what a great way to end a season - a bliddy good game, a bliddy good result. Thoroughly enjoyed it, pre and post match included. Another one to go on my list of lifelong highlights. Honest, that's how good it was.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2000

Answers

That new medication is working well then ;))

13 goals for Speed and the jury is still out.....bugger me but you're a hard lot to please!!

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2000

Gav,
Jury's 11 to 1 for, at the moment, (no majority verdict in this one), so it may not be too long before I'm feeding my face with another huge helping of humble pie.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2000

Absolutely, Bill, an exceptional day. From the moment I looked outside my door and saw all the shirts it was always going to be special. Bright sunshine, but not too hot. Pub full, but not bursting at the seams. The Bolton v Ipswich game was an absolute cracker (our boy Guddjonsson scored a 'Sheareresque' goal but then went onto miss a sitter: Screacher kept a teletype-style commentary on his fluctuating price-tag throughout.

The match was every bit as good as it sounded on the webcast and the ITK-o-vision. The only sour note was someone shouting: "Bollocks! There goes me team pick!" when Griffin was announced. Even the party- a*sehole who turned up bladdered and insisted on lambasting everyone for being too quiet (he was clearly deaf - best atmosphere in months) and singing the words to one chant in the tune of another (perhaps the main reason he was unaccompanied, and amused the Hell out of everyone by leaving 5 mins early - clearly giving the team a big thankyou doesn't feature in the itinerary of 'The Most Hardcore Fan in the World'.

Otherwise the bonhomie in the stands and in the pub was everything that supporting this club is supposed to be about. I didn't notice any SOS demos, but my section of the crowd stood throughout which helped us to sing louder. The whole day was glorious until we went for Pizza: it was then that I realised that my so-called mates had been slipping alcohol into my beer all day ;-) and I was a bit tired and emotional. You can't trust anybody these days.

What a day! That's what you need to kick start a new season, a stonking good finish to the last one to get everyone hurrying back again.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2000

'our boy Guddjonsson'

Which reminds me, are Bjarni and Eidur related at all? I know Bjarni had a footballing brother, but I don't think it was Eidur was it? Where's Bjarni playing these days, anyone know?

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2000

Bjarni is now playing for Stoke (I think). The manager saw something in him (namely that he's his son).

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2000