Just having a wonder over the past dismal performance this weekend and the support shown by us the fans. We are well known as the best supporters going, but do you think it's possible the team know this is so and don't really care one way or another? In other words do you think the majority of the lads care what the fans think about them?

-- Anonymous, February 13, 2001

Answers

I think the great majority of them do care. Doubtless there will be one or two who couldn't give a toss, and are happy to just turn up and collect their pay check, but they are in the minority and I reckon they have already been sorted out, and eased to the side for the big move out.

There's a goalkeeper who ahs gone and a forward who is away on loan who immediately spring to mind as falling into that catergory, but that would be about it.

I know we are all pretty pissed at recent performances and especially the one on Sunday, but even though they have had a few bad games, I honestly don't think any of the 'main squad' are so cynical as to have the kind of attitude you suggest sparxx.

Peopl will probably disagree, but that's my threepennorth for waht its worth.

-- Anonymous, February 13, 2001

The main squad do seem to care. Best example I can personally cite is how every last one of them(that hadn't been sent off!) came over to applaud us at Spurs. It's entirely possible that one or two may have needed a bit of urging, but from my vantage point they were very genuinely appreciative of our support. I was amazed to see even subs come off the bench along with John Carver. Harper looked like he would have personally shook the hand of every man, woman, and child in the stand if he could. The problem may be that they get so wrapped up in their own heads, they sometimes do take us for granted.

-- Anonymous, February 13, 2001

i think there's a big difference between caring what the fans think of you and caring what happens to the club.

Professionalism dictates the latter approach. Too often this season we've been conned by players pretending to care, when performances don't just suggest, they scream, otherwise.

-- Anonymous, February 13, 2001

Sparxx, >>Best supporters going, on what criteria is that judged ??/ we are emotional , yes , new player scores in a friendly, a star is born, 2 mill from lower div and we have the biggest snip since sliced bread,( lua lua¬)¬, We still call players of 20 bairns , they should be mature young men, other clubs have 20 yr olds as skippers Nah we like our football, but I work on as others see us , and the concensus is "Apart from a brief spell how can we be so ordinary considering the money we spent, this goes back years, bliddy disgrace

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2001

Another voice in the wilderness Buff.

Underachievement down to a fine art, apart from the odd blip of brilliance that scared the sthi out of them, and even then, they couldn't see it through

Think either (any ?) of us will live long enough to see something worth dying happy for ?

Ah hai ma doots.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2001

You know the ones that care. They are the ones that will always come to you at the end of a game regardless of their performance and the score.

Ones that care:. Beckham, OGS, G. Neville Ones that don't: Keane

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2001

We have had apologies at this club for seasons - we have overlooked public humiliations in two Cup Finals and in bring beaten at home by the Makems. Not to mention incidents like Birmingham City. There is a lot of rhetoric spoken about loving our passion etc and wanting to win something for us but I'm afraid a great number of performances suggest that they care not one bit. I think we are the soppiest, most easily taken-in bunch in the whole of football. Do any of our players care enough to gee each other up? In fairness, you do hear examples of individual caring - like Gary Speed giving his Pink money to the RVI bairns ward and Aaron being so nice to the fanzine people. But things like the whole team going to the General to meet some bairns is a contractual arrangement about which we should wake up and smell the decaff cap. Sorry, but Bobby was right, there was something that stank about Sunday and all the patronising hands over the head clapping won't take the stench away.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2001

Sorry but Sunday is still hurting. I may have been a bit harsh there. However, I recall niall quinn being interviewed and talking about what hard working area the North East was and how important it was that the lads worked hard too. He referred to Thatcher closing the pits and replacing them with nowt and said that he feared for the player who didn't pull his weight at Sunderland. Would any one of our squad be that perceptive?

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2001

I'd give any one of the first team till the end of the season to prove that they are prepared to give absolutely everything in every aspect of their footballing life for this club, and if they fail they are allowed to walk away from this club.

This new transfer system could benefit us as well. Robson can say, "If you don't perform between now and May you'll get the sack!" See how many of them start to bust a gut then.

Something Houllier said last week was how many of the players he has got rid of, apart from want away Macmanaman, have gone on to play at a higher level. Most of our first team, apart from Dyer, should be worried that if they cannot succeed at our club they will have to play for someone like Coventry.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2001

That's another point, DB. We get so emotional about players pledging their careers to us (hardly surprising since it's by far the biggest club any of them could ever play for. I mean Warren is hardly the envy of the Nou Camp).

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2001

My mate is a part-time Manure fan (No offence meant LR, he really is a fairwaether) but he often says that Dyer is the only player he would have from Newcastle.

You couldn't say the same about Leeds, Arsenal etc who all have players that would be coveted by other teams.

Any clubs interested in our players are normally first division or Premiership durge.

Do the players realise that this is their dreamboat? Perhaps a few home truths have been exposed to them this week and especially after the Charlton game.

Supposed statements from Robson about his Blue chip brigade perhaps give players a false sense of job security.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2001

1. Injuries = no competition for places 2. No money to spend = no danger of being replaced

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2001

All adds up to what we get........complacency.

We've seen performances against Leeds (2), Liverpool and Man Utd to suggest that many of these players are BIG TIME CHARLIES and not real winners.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2001