£15 million bids apparently. Who are they? Makems and Villa, I'd guess...

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

Answers

He'd fit in at SOS but I can't believe they'd stump up that much money. We might. W.Ham?

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

Actually, you know, this could just about be us...

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

Probably not Villa. Gregory was whinging (again) the other day about not being allowed to spend.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

I can't believe any one would want him?

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

I wonder how Chopra would feel?

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

Spurs are one of them according to radio5

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

Hoddle will presumably baptise him into a born again Christian to deflect criticism.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

Liverpool of course. Don't care who they sign or how they go about it.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

According to Foorball Unlimited, Ridsdale is backing down. Somebody said on here yesterday that this would happen. Spooky the number of acurate predictions there have been over the last couple of days.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

i predict i will suddenly be very very very rich tomorrow and buy everyone a pint or 40

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

Got to be the unprincipled ones - Liverpool and Spurs.

Houllier would sell his granny's @rse for a bike stand if it was worth one point.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

As a player he'd be perfect for us. As a man - well obviously there seem to be serious shortcomings.

I'm disturbed by this whole business. Our system of justice (rightly or wrongly) says that a person is "innocent until proven guilty". But Bowyer has been guilty before (banned from internationals) during and after being found innocent. I'm not going to stick up for the man (or condemn him either as I know too little about the case) but there's something badly wrong with either the judgement or the way he is being treated. I suspect the former. Hopefully the damages case will get nearer the truth.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

You're echoing my concerns over this business, Jonno. The whole thing is a mess, a royal bugger's muddle.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

I reckon Leeds will sign him, they're always interested in anyone who costs more than £5m. The fact that he already plays for Leeds doesn't bother O'Leary.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

I'd get him in if I could. The blokes a quality footballer - a quality footballer that we need - not just one of these "he's good pound for pound" players, he's a real winner, a top class player. Fair enough the guy has got a bit of an iffy background, he's never been to jail, Duncan Ferguson has and noone mentioned that he was a bad man and shouldn't be at the club. The Leeds lads were in a fight, race doesn't come in to it, the fact they were fighting asians doesn't matter at all. Thy did not go out in search of asians to beat up, a fight happened, it went too far and look where it's got them. I'm half speaking from experience with this one so it's kind of coming from the heart.

Bowyer has obviously got loads of mates at Leeds so he can't be that bad to have in a team. He was imense last year and he's just the sort of player we need. Get rid of Lee and Speed and play Dyer with Bowyer.

We would win things, that's what counts

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

A recent Panorama special didn't give the impression that the fact the victims were Asian had nowt to do with it. You're right, they weren't out looking for bother with Asians, but the incident flared up and got a helluva lot more out of hand than it would have if Asians hadn't been involved. I think you're kidding yourself if you think it wasn't racially motivated TJC.

I'll be very disappointed if we go anywhere near the scumbag. Bollix to the Champions league and the rest of it if we have to rely on sh1thouses like Bowyer.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

I'm with Pit Bill, I hope we don't go near him even if he is a fantastic player (and there's no doubt that he is).

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

Either Chewsee or Spurs I reckon - he is a London boy after all

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

Everyone is entitled to their opinions but I stronly believe that the attack wasn't racially motivated, the lads got in to a fight and to put it bluntly, won. Anyway, what has it got to do with Bowyer - he wasn't even there (allegedly). If people are happy getting players who are good value for money who are being touted as 'good potential - might make it' then fine, I'd prefer some top class players (if we have the money - we did have but have spent it on crap like Bassedas, Cort, Gavilan, Marcelino - by them I mean players costing about 2-6 million who are only maybes) I can name a few players, as I have done in the past, who would cost that who are proven players).

Surprised that noone has mentioned Bridges in all this. He was there, I know that cos I know the bloke.

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

how's it going TJ? is it celd in the toon?

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

TJC - how do you reckon Micky Bridges was there, according to his dad (I play golf with his uncle) and him he was at home in Newcastle.

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

Micky was with for the nightout but didn't go clubbing. He was the one who Duberry (I think, maybe it was Woodgate - not sure) called when all the shit had happened. Seriously, not calling anyone a liar here but he was there beforehand. This is literally from the horses mouth.

Doing fine Swifty mate, been a long time! Yes, it's bloody frozzen in town!

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

What about Bowyer's previous conviction for affray TJC ? The lad's a complete prick and I'd far rather we picked up a David Dunn, Matt Holland or even Mark Kinsella than that smug twot

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

For me, what makes Bowyer particularly odious is he isn't showing any kind of remorse for his behaviour in this case or in the past and doesn't appear like trying to change. I give more credit to Woodgate who is accepting his punishment without complaint, though he probably realizes things could have been far worse. If Bowyer had any brain cells, he'd have done likewise, let things die down and concentrate on his football. He'll hardly starve for losing 4 weeks wages at his level of pay. Working in the community never did anyone a bit of harm.

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

Not unnaturally, views on Bowyer's desirability to the Toon are highly polarised. For some, success is worth having whatever the implications - and, of course, that is why there will be no shortage of takers if Bowyer leaves Leeds U.

For others, the values of the Club they support are still important. It's an old-fashioned view I guess, but there are still people around for who "how" you achieve success is still an important consideration. This is totally at odds with the "success at all costs" camp.

What is likely to be the most important consideration in the real discussion with the Toon corridors of power over Bowyer - assuming he will indeed be sold - is how Bobby Robson will view this issue.

My instinct is that Bowyer would be a desirable commodity to FS and DH, but that BR wouldn't touch him with the proverbial barge-pole - and that if there were moves to sign him, that this could even become a resignation issue for Bobby. Purely guesswork, of course!

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001