Robert didn't have his golden boots on on Sunday, so he played badly. I think that's why we lost.(!)

I was also just thinking - this live chat on line with Neil Farringdon of the Sunday Sun, I think I'll ask him if he feels personally responsible for Nobby Solano's non-performance at West Ham. Publishing a story saying he is going to get deported would hardly have helped his confidence would it? Nob (Farringdon that is)

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

Answers

I reckoned it was the lack of gold boots to :o)

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

Does Nobby buy the Sunday Sun? And didn't the team travel down on Saturday so he wouldn't have read it anyway? Or is there someone back at Newcastle reading the headlines down the telephone to the team?

Rather ask Farringdon if he thinks his paper is taken seriously by anyone outside their newsdesk. And, if he really thinks Nobby's passport is dodgy why there hasn't been a campaign: a) to get him deported as an illegal immigrant; b) as to why international frontiers have been crossed time and again by someone with a false passport; c) to investigate why the government's department of employment continually renewed his work permit / accepted his Greek nationality for all these years.

Unless of course, the whole story is cobblers from start to finish, and the Sunday Sun is taking a poor lead from a tired old routine in the national tabloids...which, after rattling the pot, even they are bored of.

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

Bobby,

You put things much better than I do, perhaps you should be the chosen one to put the questions about Nobby to Farrington.

I think I would also add " Did anyone at the Sunday Sun contact Solano, his wife, his agent or the club prior to printing the story asking them for a comment on the situation?"

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

Philately gets you everywhere :-)

Sadly I have no Net access this weekend...but I would be interested in hearing his replies to those questions.

I would probably add a question as to how far is the paper willing to take the story. If they have anything concrete and independantly researched they could make their name in the international footballing world with a giant expose of a great player. But if not, are they really just re-hashing a tired story to make a quick sale with selacious back page headlines aimed at panicing Joe Geordie from Byker into spilling his pint? In other words, will they put up or shut up?

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

> Philately gets you everywhere :-)

Didn`t know you were into stamp collecting Bobster ???

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

Oh aye, Green Shield stamps, passport deportation, Esso Tiger Tokens...

Actually used to collect stamps when I was at school - then I discovered sex, drugs and rock & roll.

-- Anonymous, September 26, 2001

Well drugs and rock n roll bob ;)) as meatload said "2 outta 3 ain't bad".....

-- Anonymous, September 26, 2001

Cheeky f*&ker ;-)

Meatload? I know he's supposed to be a big feller, but...

-- Anonymous, September 26, 2001

.... I got bored with sex, drugs and Rock & Roll - so I took up philandery collecting stamps! ;o{)

-- Anonymous, September 26, 2001