Football 2026-27

[MilkyJoe]

7 minutes ago, Ryan1984 said:

Any other lower league/non-league supporters on here? It’s all change at my team, Aldershot Town. We’ve released 25 players and the new manager has brought in 21 or 22 completely new players. Going to be an interesting gamble.

 

There’s a little video here on the reasons why: 

 

 

Lifelong Carlisle United supporter here.🤦‍♂️ Good luck for the coming Season and see you in October!

[charlierc]

1 hour ago, Ryan1984 said:

Any other lower league/non-league supporters on here? It’s all change at my team, Aldershot Town. We’ve released 25 players and the new manager has brought in 21 or 22 completely new players. Going to be an interesting gamble.

 

There’s a little video here on the reasons why: 

 

Lower league football has this more regularly, no? Quite often I'll see League 1/2 sides have signed a whole new 11 every summer. 

 

Admittedly, changing the entire squad is different. 

[thetime]

1st game of the season Friday, Wolves v Port Vale in the league Cup. Will be my 8 year olds first ever  game live and he is a wolves fan. ☹️

 

Fair to wolves the pricing is great. Adult £12 and under 16 £3 for the game. 

[charlierc]

2 hours ago, thetime said:

1st game of the season Friday, Wolves v Port Vale in the league Cup. Will be my 8 year olds first ever  game live and he is a wolves fan. ☹️

 

Fair to wolves the pricing is great. Adult £12 and under 16 £3 for the game. 

That's not bad tbf. I know it's a hard sell with the aftermath of a dismal season last year and a League 2 side but it's still cool to check these off for kids as milestones. 

 

I seem to recall my first football game was in 2001 at around 9/10 at a non-league side whose ground hasn't been used in 20 years and which is a bit of a sad sight every time I drive past it. 

[kaosmark2]

Yeah credit where it's due, that's a really good price to try and help get people in.

 

Most of my early football games were to see West Brom as my uncles are Baggies. Did a few trips to the Hawthorns, Luton, MK Dons, did most of the London grounds between Championship + Prem.

[balti-pie]

6 hours ago, Ryan1984 said:

Any other lower league/non-league supporters on here? It’s all change at my team, Aldershot Town. We’ve released 25 players and the new manager has brought in 21 or 22 completely new players. Going to be an interesting gamble.

 

There’s a little video here on the reasons why: 

 

 

Ive always had a lot of time for the mighty Shots, a pal of mine used to commentate on their games for Sussex Counties radio and he'd sneak me into the ground for midweek games, and we'd even nick a tea and a plate of sandwiches. This is back in the George Borg days, so um . . a little while ago now 

[thetime]

1 hour ago, charlierc said:

That's not bad tbf. I know it's a hard sell with the aftermath of a dismal season last year and a League 2 side but it's still cool to check these off for kids as milestones. 

 

I seem to recall my first football game was in 2001 at around 9/10 at a non-league side whose ground hasn't been used in 20 years and which is a bit of a sad sight every time I drive past it. 

 

1 hour ago, kaosmark2 said:

Yeah credit where it's due, that's a really good price to try and help get people in.

 

Most of my early football games were to see West Brom as my uncles are Baggies. Did a few trips to the Hawthorns, Luton, MK Dons, did most of the London grounds between Championship + Prem.

 

Took my now 12 year old to old Trafford couple of years ago, for his 1st game. He fell asleep during the game, no replies needed. 😃

 

He is also a Wolves fan, my parenting skills are as good as Onana's goalkeeping skills. 

[gary1979666]

I take my lad to the local non-league club - Royston Town - not he's 13, he goes there with his mates and he plays in their youth team.  Not many people there - lucky if they hit 800, but lovely supporting the town team.  I've took him to some league clubs too - Cambridge and Stevenage are great to visit and not crazy prices - his first one was Cambridge v Sunderland (I'm a mackem) when they were in league 1, so a great experience for him.  The England matches aren't too bad value either at Wembley - it's just the parking that stings you.

Problem is, he's a City fan, so at some point have to bite the bullet and get him up to the Ethiad. Have done the tour, but he'd love a proper game....my wallet, less so!

[thetime]

4 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

 

Most of my early football games were to see West Brom as my uncles are Baggies. 

 

My dad was never into football, my uncle took me to the midlands grounds. Baggies, Wolves, villa and Walsall. Then Rangers up in Scotland every other week. 

[Ryan1984]

8 hours ago, charlierc said:

Lower league football has this more regularly, no? Quite often I'll see League 1/2 sides have signed a whole new 11 every summer. 

 

Admittedly, changing the entire squad is different. 

There’s normally a high churn but to only have one bit-part player left from the season before is very strange - unless you go into administration. Our new manager made his signings early - mainly from the league below - so interesting to see what happens.

[Ryan1984]

3 hours ago, balti-pie said:

 

Ive always had a lot of time for the mighty Shots, a pal of mine used to commentate on their games for Sussex Counties radio and he'd sneak me into the ground for midweek games, and we'd even nick a tea and a plate of sandwiches. This is back in the George Borg days, so um . . a little while ago now 

George Borg - now he was a character. Both terrifying and endearing, often in the space of 5 minutes. Entertaining times back then!

[kaosmark2]

So we've signed a Horny Czech, and Bruno's turned up the training camp instead of doing Isak's nonsense.

 

Still not sure I believe Bruno's staying mind, but glad he's not doing the sh*t Arsenal are asking him to do to lower the price. If they want him they can stump up.

 

My suspicion is that whichever of Madrid/Man City don't start next season with Rodri will go for Bruno, and one of them will come in while Arsenal have f**ked about trying to get him cheap, which while I absolutely want to keep him, would still be good enough bants and a nice middle finger that I wouldn't mind it so much. I just wish we'd report Arsenal for tapping up.

 

If rumours are to be believed, we're after 2 more defensive signings, and an attacking player, on top of a replacement if Bruno leaves, having already signed a LW, 2 CMs, a GK, and some youth players. Huge churn, but apart from a couple of Bazou Toure's games for Ivory Coast at the world cup, I've not seen any of them play. Over 2 summers we've basically changed our entire team aside from the CBs.

[charlierc]

21 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

So we've signed a Horny Czech, and Bruno's turned up the training camp instead of doing Isak's nonsense.

 

Still not sure I believe Bruno's staying mind, but glad he's not doing the sh*t Arsenal are asking him to do to lower the price. If they want him they can stump up.

 

My suspicion is that whichever of Madrid/Man City don't start next season with Rodri will go for Bruno, and one of them will come in while Arsenal have f**ked about trying to get him cheap, which while I absolutely want to keep him, would still be good enough bants and a nice middle finger that I wouldn't mind it so much. I just wish we'd report Arsenal for tapping up.

 

If rumours are to be believed, we're after 2 more defensive signings, and an attacking player, on top of a replacement if Bruno leaves, having already signed a LW, 2 CMs, a GK, and some youth players. Huge churn, but apart from a couple of Bazou Toure's games for Ivory Coast at the world cup, I've not seen any of them play. Over 2 summers we've basically changed our entire team aside from the CBs.

I'm bemused why Jaissle hasn't been confirmed yet. If he and his coaches are already there, surely the paperwork to send this through must be somewhat sorted and confirmation imminent, no?

 

Feel like clubs are soft on tapping up now as an industry, right? I swear most deals seem to be a case that personal terms are agreed beforehand. In an older life, this Bruno deal has a potential case imo given the use of intermediaries to plant a seed in Bruno's mind this was a good idea (much I'm prepared to accept last season's mess would likely have had Bruno doubting if he wanted to stay regardless) but the industry seems more forgiving of this stuff at present. Wind seems to be picking up that a deal is about to happen regardless. Shame as I'd have been more willing to accept a move to Real Madrid but it is what it is.

 

Would be nice if we could show some more balls with this stuff tbf. Feel like the owners are taking a strange lesson from Isak last year in that now, we just have to let everyone go at the first sign of trouble, even though other clubs in a similar boat to us are seemingly more willing to turn back and tell pursuers to f**k off.

[kaosmark2]

17 hours ago, charlierc said:

I'm bemused why Jaissle hasn't been confirmed yet. If he and his coaches are already there, surely the paperwork to send this through must be somewhat sorted and confirmation imminent, no?

 

Feel like clubs are soft on tapping up now as an industry, right? I swear most deals seem to be a case that personal terms are agreed beforehand. In an older life, this Bruno deal has a potential case imo given the use of intermediaries to plant a seed in Bruno's mind this was a good idea (much I'm prepared to accept last season's mess would likely have had Bruno doubting if he wanted to stay regardless) but the industry seems more forgiving of this stuff at present. Wind seems to be picking up that a deal is about to happen regardless. Shame as I'd have been more willing to accept a move to Real Madrid but it is what it is.

 

Would be nice if we could show some more balls with this stuff tbf. Feel like the owners are taking a strange lesson from Isak last year in that now, we just have to let everyone go at the first sign of trouble, even though other clubs in a similar boat to us are seemingly more willing to turn back and tell pursuers to f**k off.

It's very weird yeah. He's on the training ground supposedly starting the job but just can't be confirmed or on any official club stuff until this paperwork gets finalised, and... why hasn't it been?

 

Absolutely it feels like clubs are soft on tapping up. I do think there's a difference between "are you interested in the move" "yes, go negotiate" "we're close on a price how does this do" compared to the stuff around engineering a move to a specific club.

 

Reports today of £75m, which honestly feel embarrassing. Why can't we do what Bournemouth are doing with Alex Scott, what Forest did with Gibbs White, what Sunderland are doing with Xhaka, etc? I think the Gordon and Tonali sales were good for the club, and the right time to move on, but Bruno hurts. A reason I didn't think he'd go to Arsenal is I thought they'd be too tight to go up to/beyond £80m.... I didn't think we'd cave at less. 

[charlierc]

2 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

It's very weird yeah. He's on the training ground supposedly starting the job but just can't be confirmed or on any official club stuff until this paperwork gets finalised, and... why hasn't it been?

 

Absolutely it feels like clubs are soft on tapping up. I do think there's a difference between "are you interested in the move" "yes, go negotiate" "we're close on a price how does this do" compared to the stuff around engineering a move to a specific club.

 

Reports today of £75m, which honestly feel embarrassing. Why can't we do what Bournemouth are doing with Alex Scott, what Forest did with Gibbs White, what Sunderland are doing with Xhaka, etc? I think the Gordon and Tonali sales were good for the club, and the right time to move on, but Bruno hurts. A reason I didn't think he'd go to Arsenal is I thought they'd be too tight to go up to/beyond £80m.... I didn't think we'd cave at less. 

Yeah I've seen the news he's off to Arsenal and do have a lot of musings. As said, it really feels like if tapping up was something people cared about that this could have potential to be seen as such at least, but I also agree that this summer, the board have been too feeble in resisting interest in our best players and need someone better able to tell the big fish to do one like others have. It's particularly galling as it feels that Arsenal showed a lot of disrespect with the use of intermediaries to do dirty work and the first offer that was pretty much what we paid to sign Bruno from Lyon 4 1/2 years ago.

 

It's definitely grating as well that Bruno seemed to go all in on making out he wanted to be a hero then pretty much used some of Isak's tactics to force an exit. Which means he's probably earned boos when Arsenal come to Tyneside in November. I'm not saying that for grandstanding - players come and go and I have no doubt Arsenal are offering more money and more chances of trophies in the next 2/3 years. But the player hasn't helped himself imo. 

 

But it is what it is. This is a pretty extreme reset and means that every decision as far as incomings goes has to be flawless. Whether I'm expecting it to be so after last year's debacle is of course another matter. At the very least the belated new manager will have a lot to do. In a way I think it's a good thing it won't be Howe trying to replace Bruno though given our record without him was so bad and the tactical choices feel like they may end up leaning into a style that worked with him had Howe stuck around. 

Edited 20 hours ago by charlierc

[thetime]

Just seen Steve Bruce being interviewed about Newcastle. His answers were sincere, but looked like he was struggling not to laugh. 😎

[kaosmark2]

Just now, thetime said:

Just seen Steve Bruce being interviewed about Newcastle. His answers were sincere, but looked like he was struggling not to laugh. 😎

Cabbage face doesn't deserve to be interviewed about Newcastle. Awful manager, awful person, awful pundit.

 

2nd worst manager in my life time, worse than Kinnear, worse than Shearer, worse than Dalglish.

[thetime]

2 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

Cabbage face doesn't deserve to be interviewed about Newcastle. Awful manager, awful person, awful pundit.

 

2nd worst manager in my life time, worse than Kinnear, worse than Shearer, worse than Dalglish.

 

Who was 1st? Pardew or Rafa?

Edited 13 hours ago by thetime

[kaosmark2]

55 minutes ago, thetime said:

Who was 1st? Pardew or Rafa?

Souness.

[thetime]

1 hour ago, kaosmark2 said:

Souness.

 

Aahh yeah forgot about him. Although was great what he did at Liverpool in the early 90s. 

[charlierc]

9 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

Souness.

Totally. Appointing him as Robson's replacement was a catastrophic choice. 

 

John Carver and Steve McClaren make my anti-podium. 

[charlierc]

10 hours ago, thetime said:

 

Who was 1st? Pardew or Rafa?

Nah we like Rafa. It was annoying he was there when the relegation in 2016 happened because he actually was on a 6 game unbeaten run at the end but the damage was done by McClaren's ineptitude. Plus he got us back up and kept us up twice despite Mike Ashley not being willing to spend. There's a slight sourness his exit seemed to be as much about getting a big payday in China as much as falling out with Ashley but his stint with us was positive on the whole.

 

Though it seems like he's been in a downward spiral since leaving us. He was a bizarre choice by Everton which went really wrong really quickly and it didn't go well at Celta Vigo or Panathanikos. 

 

Curiously he himself said he was open to the Scotland job. Which really would feel like we're living in a strange old timeline. 

Edited 3 hours ago by charlierc

[thetime]

22 minutes ago, charlierc said:

Nah we like Rafa. It was annoying he was there when the relegation in 2016 happened because he actually was on a 6 game unbeaten run at the end but the damage was done by McClaren's ineptitude. Plus he got us back up and kept us up twice despite Mike Ashley not being willing to spend. There's a slight sourness his exit seemed to be as much about getting a big payday in China as much as falling out with Ashley but his stint with us was positive on the whole.

 

Though it seems like he's been in a downward spiral since leaving us. He was a bizarre choice by Everton which went really wrong really quickly and it didn't go well at Celta Vigo or Panathanikos. 

 

Curiously he himself said he was open to the Scotland job. Which really would feel like we're living in a strange old timeline. 

 

Thought he was a very average over rated manager. Apart from the Valencia team, his success was very limited. 

[kaosmark2]

2 hours ago, charlierc said:

Totally. Appointing him as Robson's replacement was a catastrophic choice. 

 

John Carver and Steve McClaren make my anti-podium. 

Dismantling that exciting young attacking team Sir Bobby had built, driving out all our creative players, and replacing them with a bunch of old crocks and has-beens ruined us. I think he's as much responsible for our first relegation as Kinnear. 

 

2 hours ago, charlierc said:

Nah we like Rafa. It was annoying he was there when the relegation in 2016 happened because he actually was on a 6 game unbeaten run at the end but the damage was done by McClaren's ineptitude. Plus he got us back up and kept us up twice despite Mike Ashley not being willing to spend. There's a slight sourness his exit seemed to be as much about getting a big payday in China as much as falling out with Ashley but his stint with us was positive on the whole.

 

Though it seems like he's been in a downward spiral since leaving us. He was a bizarre choice by Everton which went really wrong really quickly and it didn't go well at Celta Vigo or Panathanikos. 

 

Curiously he himself said he was open to the Scotland job. Which really would feel like we're living in a strange old timeline. 

And yeah this. It wasn't exhilirating football under Rafa, but he understood the club and city and gave us hope again. Him and Hughton were the sparks of hope under Ashley (+1 of Pardew's years, lets ignore the rest of them).

[charlierc]

37 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

Dismantling that exciting young attacking team Sir Bobby had built, driving out all our creative players, and replacing them with a bunch of old crocks and has-beens ruined us. I think he's as much responsible for our first relegation as Kinnear. 

 

And yeah this. It wasn't exhilirating football under Rafa, but he understood the club and city and gave us hope again. Him and Hughton were the sparks of hope under Ashley (+1 of Pardew's years, lets ignore the rest of them).

Yeah it's been over 20 years and I still don't get the logic of how a manager who Blackburn were about to sack was the solution. I bet some in the Newcastle board at the time felt Robson was soft on our squad but the fact that by the end of that season we had a squad fighting one another on the pitch and players falling out with the manager and one another was a bit of a disaster. Even if the weird irony is that he got to an FA Cup semi and the UEFA Cup quarters made him on one of the closest to a trophy. 

 

Pardew having a great single season and immediately getting an 8 year contract is just hilarious in retrospect. It's amusing in some respects that Bruce tried hard to make a local boy come home angle work and yet Benitez was just a better fit with getting the fans on side. If Bruce was to have joined us, he arguably could've been a better fit in '04 - Birmingham to that point had done pretty well, he'd yet to get relegated or manage Sunderland and he seemed like a man on the way up. That's obviously different to now given his last job was a swift failure with Blackpool in League 1.