In today's Mail a character by the name of Nicholas(?) Hardman says that if Nobby is Greek then he (Hardman) is Nana Mouskouri. Well judging by his picture I can tell you that while they may have changed, Ms Mouskouri's looks have not improved.

Once again this disreputable newspaper takes a pot at Newcastle. It says the club's claim that they thought he had the passport by legit means is feeble. The Mail is notable for it's veiled racism (the front page headline is about the UK being a soft touch for refugees) and this is another despicable example. Thickman seems to suggest that NUFC should perform the functions of the Home Office in determining Nobby's status.

Thickman goes on to say that Newcastle should have points deducted for fielding an ineligible player. This is really too much. When Nobby came he had a perfectly valid work permit which was allowed to lapse because of the passport. If there had been no passport there would have been no problem at all in renewing the permit as Nobby is captain of Peru.

I could get very angry at this but as that is the reptile's intention I'll merely smile and resolve to continue not buying this paper.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Answers

Jonno - you could always buy it and use it for something useful. It's cheaper than the other stuff. Mind you, I hear the ink does tend to run a bit. Is this a lone crusade by the Mail or are other papers on the same bandwagon? I can't read so don't take a newspaper.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Anyone techies fancy opening a little black book website-database site thingy? listing all journos who have attempted to assassinate the toon, by being devious.

You know the devious bastards who got behind the SOS campaigners for their personal agendas;

Or some of the bastards at the NOTW for trying hard to ruin our revenue turnover by trying to get the masses not to buy our strips;

or the editor of the Sunday Sun for giving the mackems every back page (which has never happened before) South of the Tyne to North of the tees (despite the population being in the toons favour in South Tyneside and County Durham even a smog will tell you this), thus advertising Sunderland to be the number uno club, to anyone going in to a newsagents(this "advertising" strangely happened after Bob Murray and co. unbanned the Sunday Sun, mmmmm bent and sly bargaining me thinks). Imagine all the future generations instructed to support Sunderland South of the Tyne (65% of the population of Tyneside and wearside)!

And now this bastard trying to cut out our chances of europe qualification(doesnt he know we signed Nobby without him having a EU passport? He is a regular international etc).

Perhaps with this database we could draw up visual cues(graphs, stats and shite) as to who is sly and who isnt by finding the good, the bad and damn ugly? eventually?

Or is it a bad idea?

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Jonno - has he got any thoughts on Arsenal and being deducted points? Is Gary Speed really Welsh? Was David Kelly born in Northern Ireland? Is Michael Owen really English? Is Don Hutchison really Scottish? He wants to start applying his illiberal thinking to the international game.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

I would add that he wants to be careful of what he says before he's in possession of the full facts. I'm off to do some research on what the Mail has said about the Toon and what Hardman has said about us in the past.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

As far as I could see in that article, it was seemingly written - and spread over three fairly excessive columns - just so that Hardman could get a gag in at the end, something about Don't trust agents bearing Greeks ho bliddy ho, how funny was that.

Alright we've got a vested interest in the story, but as a neutral in the office (a Charlton supporter, but he's alright really) said, why was nothing like this kicking around when Jack Charlton was playing the likes of Tony Cascarino(sp) for Ireland and the joke was going round that if you had ever drunk a pint of Guinness or owned an Irish Setter you could play for the Republic.

Hardman is a jumped up little twerp, not quite in the league of my mate Ryan, but heading that way......but he's another one we'll have to keep an eye on. Bliddy hell, we'll end up spending more time watching the journo's that watching the footie at this rate!

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001