Number 6

Will always enjoy a Vardy goal. Hero.

The team who extracted the most value from good counter attacking football has since shunned it completely.

I agree - I think with a decent appointment we could still salvage this season. My gut says it would just be someone like Manning and more of the same though.

Sacking is the fix when you're in charge you absolute melt. Rangers 8th when you got the boot and they finished 3rd. We'll still end up having a disappointing season, but probably a mid table one rather than a relegation battle. Russell is a boil on the face of a cancer-riddled body. Sure, lance it, but the issues are so much deeper.

The one case for not sacking him is that I feel Manning is inevitable if we do.

Riis and Smallbone would both be decent Champ players I think. If asked not to worry about playing out from the back I think Souttar also should be playing above this level. Have that spine in place with a sensible style and some promising youth and I think we do alright.

It's absolutely a possibility. I think there were elements of the transfer window that do mean we have individuals who are too good for this level though. With a sensible managerial appointment, and freedom to play the football he wants, I think we end well clear of relegation.

For those less familiar with the story, this is the bit where we sack the manager we never should have hired, allow an interim to piss away 2-3 games, and then hire another absolute turd of a manager.

Everyone focussing on the scoreline but we have had a high number of shots.

I think this is actually a decent signing assuming fitness isn't an issue. But if a gamble with the contract length but he's a capable Champ midfielder. Downside might be seeing less of Braybrooke, but I hope not.

This is an indictment on the pyramid structure and too much of the wealth remaining in the hands of too few. We had a really dumb period under Sven, but the Pearson/Walsh/Shakespeare era demonstrated what could be done WITHOUT being financially irresponsible. Clubs like Brighton and Brentford (or any Bloom or Bentham club) are demonstrating that it is still possible too. What our ownership showed was that there was always a temptation to just spend spend spend. And not just under Top either. Vichai was also talking about 10 billion baht as soon as we got to the Prem. And yet our greatest success was built on the exact opposite approach.

Yeh the framing never made sense. If Newcastle owners input the fee and total wage value of a contract into the club, then how could any signings under that structure put the club in financial trouble.

It would be very messy. I don't think the rules would actually be abolished, but if they hand out a weak punishment here then financial rules will just be flouted going forwards. It's why I do actually think we're going to see a hefty punishment in this case.

I think it's probably just too complex to have been done within the same timeframe. Releasing the decision first allows the probable appeal process to occur in tandem with determining the appropriate punishment. I think if it were going to be a modest points deduction then it would have happened. Things like expulsion, dropping them through the leagues, or retrospectively stripping trophies will take more deliberation.