PFree

As much as I try to always be positive, I too left the ground yesterday feeling totally disillusioned. I can deal with a lack of quality on the pitch, as in football, you generally get what you pay for, and there are far better players and teams in this division. That said I agree some of our players for whatever reason are under performing and lacking consistency. What I can’t deal with though, and I made my feelings very clear to the players as they walked around after the game, is the total lack of passion and effort - it’s a real privilege to be a professional footballer and nothing should be left on the pitch. Some hardly broke a sweat yesterday and it leads you to wonder if they actually care. I am starting to get concerned about NP, as there is clearly something wrong, some players just don’t seem to be playing for him. What I would say though is that we all knew this was his first real season at the helm, and right from the start, we were aware it was a three year journey - it’s tough for him as we are broke and continue to face difficult trading times due to the inept (very well paid) people who have created this mess. As hard as it is to hear, I appreciate his honesty, we have all wanted this but some now seem uncomfortable with hearing it as it is. I have renewed our ST’s as I am prepared to go with this and stick by NP. I would however say that if we continue to struggle well into next season, my opinion will have changed! I have been coming at AG for over 30 years, most of that as a ST holder, and believe me, there have been times worse than this, that’s for sure. Tough, but come on, stick with OUR side - COYR!

It’s a strange thing to say after a home loss but how incredible was that to see so many youngsters in City shirts, and not just representing us, they did so with such class! Okay, they made the odd mistake but that’s all part of growing in the game. So comfortable on the ball, not at all afraid to try things and not one looks out of place to be fair. NP gets a lot of stick, some justified, but well done him for developing and promoting our youth players this season - perhaps not all by choice but let’s give credit where it is due. And for anybody dwelling on ST renewals shortly, yes, we might be forced to sell one or two, but heck, with some experience being added to their potential, exciting times are surely ahead! COYR...

Completely understand your views, I just feel NP will be given time to change things - he is the level head we need. We need new players but can’t afford them. The fault (I.e. squad) here is mostly the failings of previous coaches and the previous leader sadly. I find NP refreshing in many ways, but like many, if we are in a similar place in 12 months time, I might well feel different...

Putting this another way, what will you gain by dwelling on and feeling down about the past (that you cannot change) or feel better about looking forwards to an improved performance against Reading?

We will get at least a point versus Reading, you’ll feel better soon and we will stay up..!

Why get so annoyed when we play the odd bad game and things don’t work? We aren’t going up, we aren’t going, we are a team in transition with a badly balanced, small squad? We have turned a corner generally speaking, haven’t we..? We were all aware what we were signing up for this season, okay, yes it’s frustrating on times, but this is season one of the three we have been told it is going to take before we start looking upwards again. Our finances are in a shocking state and it stops us signing quality players. There are lots of positives if you care to find them, and whilst it’s disappointing, there really is no need for knee-jerk reactions when things don’t go our way. I enjoy listening to NP’s honesty and am prepared to support his longer term aims... We’ll get there!

But they have played four more games than the team above from memory?

Think I am correct in saying he has never managed a side to Promotion? Sunderland are drifting away from automatic so I guess they feel he has taken as far as he can perhaps?

Think Max has better distribution than Bents but that’s about it for me unfortunately, if NP suggests players must play well to stay in, he should get dropped after two bad games..

Just wait for when we play Ipswich next season, will be interesting ?

Agreed and I always try to find the positives, my only concern is hearing NP saying we are where we are and then seeing players like O Dowda marking Mitrovic during set pieces today - that’s missing basics surely? We are progressing but I sometimes wonder tactically how strong our management team are..

Perhaps I wasn’t on drink or drugs after all and it’s time for some to start to believe again! Onwards and upwards.. COYR

Clearly not many people are feeling positive ?

Come on then all, there’s too much negativity around, so post a response that adds some positivity...?! For me, we have turned a corner and performances have got much better lately.. Its great to see the kids coming through and playing so well, they certainly don’t look out of place.. We have cleared a number of high earning pro’s from our books and hopefully a couple more will go soon.. I remain confident we will not be relegated.. We have a very stable, experienced Manager at the helm, who for me in due course will deliver ongoing improvements on a much more solid base than the last few we have had.. With the HP centre and our great stadium, we are ready for the Premiership, and let’s hope it’s one day soon? We have SL, and therefore have strong financial stability - some just need to be careful what they wish for here! Finally, after some tough times over recent seasons, we have hope, and hopefully many of us still believe! HNY fellow reds, and here’s to a better year in 2022.. Cheers..!

Might seems a strange thing to say but what’s the betting the points are all important when the end of season shake up becomes reality? I am hoping we have just about enough to stay up but starting to a bit more worried as each week goes by! Lets hope we strengthen in January and start improving for there though hey..?

Completely agree, that along with the stands now being lit too absolutely spoil the atmosphere at night games. The players look like they are playing in the dark down on the pitch..

Just perhaps Nige has something more serious wrong with him and they naturally cannot say anything as it absolutely is nobody else’s business. Fans are naturally bothered about the shit the team is in and the possibility of relegation but just perhaps people should just try and understand the difficult position the club finds itself in. We follow a game, health and life should never be brought into the same sentence or equation. Get well soon Nige, your health is all that matters!

So, the transfer window opens again soon. Just a thought but on the positives, might we be able to get a decent loan or two in..? On the negative, and as we will most certainly have to sell to help balance the books, imagine what’s left of our side if we sell Bents, HNM or Kalas, or more than one, now that’s frightening..!

So Nige, come and build us a wonderful new house please... We are a bit short of mortar and the only tools we have are a fairly short ladder, screwdriver and hammer sorry. That said as you’ve built a few nice new houses before and therefore have great experience, I am sure you’ll be fine. We don’t have a spirit level as we can’t afford one but, just use your eye, you’ll be fine. Oh, and that nice new shiny hammer you’ve been given, it might be that if we get the right offer, we might have to replace it with an old one with a dodgy handle, we need the money sorry. You have some labourers to work with but all the decent ones have gone sorry, we had to trim costs hence we’ve been left with those who like to cut the odd corner and are a little work shy sorry. Good luck with the build. Yours Faithfully, A multi-millionaire owner ?

This isn’t aimed at the club, it’s Manager, SL or anybody officially connected to our club for that matter, it’s aimed at many of our so called ‘fans’. I too am disappointed at where we are as a club BUT we all know how we have arrived at this point. Significant numbers this season renewed ST’s knowing full well that we have a small squad lacking general quality. We were always destined to struggle this season and anything above the relegation zone was acceptable come the end - we are where we expected to be, surely? What really annoys me though is the awful, highly personal vitriol spread by many. Football fans now seem to demand instant success and don’t seem to appreciate players and Managers are doing their best plus that they are people after all! They too feel shit after losses and it hurts them badly too. Why do people bother posting negative rubbish on a regular basis, all it seeks to do is help people spiral into even more of a negative world. Life is hard enough without continually slagging people and situations off. People underestimate how important confidence is in any worker and that includes footballers, imagine being told by many people on a regular basis you are shit at what you do, and they then wonder why you aren’t performing. Are some not aware some of our players are actually kids? One window into a three year development journey, all aimed at a much needed rebuild exercise and fans are singing about ex players and that NP is getting sacked in the morning, wtf..? We go again on Saturday when OUR team needs you, and remember if you keep screaming at people that they are shit, they will quickly believe you, I think with the title ‘supporters’ there’s a clue in the title ?.

Does anybody know how much we could actually spend on a striker and wide men if we wanted to? I have just read an article suggesting that based on Newcastle’s finances / profit / returns etc., the new owners can spend a maximum of £198M on incoming players without breaching the rules. I read regularly on here that we can’t spend even if we wanted to because of FFP but what are the facts please, does anybody actually know?

Are you pleased with our league position at this point, better than you expected..?

Okay, let’s be honest, we got stuffed today and had we lost 5 nil, it would have been appropriate. That said they are pretty much a Premiership side and started this season with a £20 odd million parachute payment. It’s disappointing as for whatever reason, there was no press, commitment or apparent effort from some but there we go, it happens. I would however comment that we are most certainly going the right way - just 4 losses in 12 games this season, a minus 1 goal difference, just 4 points off the play offs? Is NP not what we have been asking for for a long time, so can we not just get behind his honest approach and give him the three seasons he suggested he needs to turn us around? I never bet against City but, if I did, today would have been the day, just about everything was up against us, and B’Muff did really well, fair play to them. Their quality in depth is incredible to be fair and I have no doubt they will go up this season. I am glad we have Tuesday to come when we go again. Okay today was always going to be hard but, let’s be honest we will have some much easier games to come, the home win will come. Finally, how wonderful to see all fans join together for the minutes applause in the 7th minute - let’s hope the young lad Brooks responds well to treatment and is given the all clear in the near future, well done to all who quite rightly joined in, so nice to see and hear!

We are delighted to confirm Omar Mouneimne as the club’s new defence coach with immediate effect.? Another world class addition to the coaching team ? Let's hope City don't now take the cheap option..!

I see he has left the Gas then, shame, looking at the league table it appears he was doing a good job! More seriously, think he's done well over the years on very limited resources, always comes across well.