Well it kills me to say it, as i am one of the minority hoping to give the big fella time to get it right, but it doesn't look like he's going to do hiomself any favours.

He certainly cannot blame his squad of players as six of the starting 11 on Sunday were his signings (not quite sure of todays line-up).

It'll be interseting to see how much money Mr Ashley allows him next month, if any at all!!!

I'm still hopefull and would love to see him turn it around but his fundamental tactical errors are quite laughable.

Jose Mourinho's black and white army - just doesnt have the same ring to it!

When Allardyce was at Bolton, they only played one way and it wasn't good football. As I see it he's turning Newcastle into more of the same. I do see some of the players playing better than last season but maybe thats because they want to look good in the transfer window.

At least Newcastle aren't in the bottom 5 at present.

Not yet!!

there is a lot of games over the xmas period and a lot of league table moving about can occur- Sam needs to sort it out before this weekends game or all the public shows of loyalty from our owner could soon turn sour.

Wor lot are stuck in mid table obscurity (whey what's new, like). The mackems are gannin doon, so aals reet wi' the world.

CaptainHook's gooners aren't looking so chipper either tonight, are they, though?

nice to see all the usual christmas stuff going on.
santa arrives, people eat and drink too much, you spend far too long in the company of relatives you have not seen all year and do not particularly like, but feel obliged to talk to as its christmas, man u are top of the table after handing out a thrashing, newcastle lose and then all the fans talk about sacking the manager who has only been in post for 6mths, ho ho ho ho ho ho ho.

You, my friend, are needlessly abrasive. Get back to your prawn sandwiches before Keano comes along to bite your ass.

oohhhh thats a bite, and not out of a sandwich either. never mind mate there is always next year and the intertoto

Wahey, fighty-fight time.

So you beat the mackems. Well done. Even I appreciate that. Thanks.

There is indeed always next year. This is the difference between us. With you buggers it's always last year. And when did you last win the Intertoto?

No we don't Novo, but we're still looking better than Chelski and Liverpool, aren't we. We're also higher in the table than any of the teams north of the M62.......

True enough. Given the current state of affairs north of the M62, I'm a closet gooner fan too. Anybody but Cheshite or Manure.

Hmmm. Do you spot the pattern here?

Toon Boxing Day away results:

2007/08 Wigan (a) lost 0-1
2006/07 Bolton (a) lost 1-2
2005/06 Liverpool (a) lost 0-2
2004/05 Blackburn (a) drew 2-2
2003/04 Leicester (a) drew 1-1
2002/03 Bolton (a) lost 3-4
1997/98 Derby (a) lost 0-1
1996/97 Blackburn (a) lost 0-1
1995/96 Man U (a) lost 0-2 (played on 27th)
1994/95 Leeds (a) drew 0-0
1993/94 Chelsea (a) lost 0-1 (played on 28th)
1989/90 Stoke (a) lost 1-2
1988/89 Sheff Weds (a) won 2-1

You're sure?

"Some of our players have not lived up to their reputation.
The front players have not held the ball up and the creative players have not created. Today the appetite to beat the opposition was not there. I'm not happy to have my future in their hands."

BSA quoted on nufc.com today.

Hmm? Rat. Ship. Sinking.

Two patterns I can see. All away games and all dropped points except for Sheff Weds (and didn't they get relegated that season?) How did you guys do in the seasons you haven't listed, or were you not in the league during those seasons?

This list is from nufc.com (an unofficial, but to my mind excellent site, quite different from nufc.co.uk). I think they just stopped at the last win to make a point. 18 years ago. As to the missing years, we were at home then.

Joey Barton is in jail at the moment. I wonder if this is a bad thing?

On balance, prolly not.