Note the bold. Only when it is (was) true.

No need to use judgement there. The tale (excuse the pun) is indeed about Hartlepool. As every Geordie would know.

You could be talking about Swansea and Cardiff here.

Sheffield Utd/Wed. Leeds/Huddersfield. Burnley/Blackburn. Rochdale/Bury....


It's called local rivalry.

And so Burnley make it to the Premier League............rather glad the hoof and hooligan style of Sheff Utd didn't make it again

If it's any help I think you might be able to listen to Championship football on the radio next season. There might a fee for doing so but I' sure it can't be much.

Agreed. It's nice to see Burnley back in the top flight. I just hope Toon make it back a bit quicker than them and that they don't sink quite so low on the way.

But hoof and hooligan is pretty much how Championship football is played. The central defenders sharpen their boots before each game, a mid-field tackle isn't really a tackle unless ALL the studs are showing. Above all, the objective is to get the ball up to some big lump of a center forward who can hold the ball up, while having lumps kicked out of him, until support arrives.

Fancy, skillful players don't worry championship defenses. They will kick them out of the park. The one thing they do fear is speed.

The main characteristic of a successful Championship team is commitment. That is the one characteristic that most relegated teams (whose payers think they are too good for this level) lack. I hope Shearer can get some toughness in the spine of the team, and some speed on the wings, than Newcastle will have a chance to get back. I can't see too many of the current squad making the grade.

So you think he'll stay on? I'm not so sure.

The footie played in the Championship now is reckoned to be way better (technically) than that played in the old second division. Better playing surfaces are one of the reasons.

The style of play I was watching involving Bristol Rovers before I came to Canada was far superior to the old third division.

I think this is true of most levels. You don't see players carrying beer bellies anymore and there aren't the bogs of pitches that there used to be.

I have no idea. I hope he does, and proves himself as a manager.

I think I agree with that, but he'll insist on complete control and I'm not sure Ashley and Lambias have really learned their lessons. There's a meeting later in the week I hear....

It may be better technically than it used to be, but it is very different to Premier league football.

Although I was born and brought up in the North East I watched Crystal Palace for most of the 20 years before I moved to Canada. Plenty of chances to see Premier/First and Championship/Second in that time. In the Premier the quality players have time and space to show off their skills. That doesn't happen at the lower level. Players are shut down much more quickly and with less finesse. The only skill players that thrive are those with the speed to play around the carthorses that pass for defenders in this league.

Just look at the three relegated teams this year: Charlton, Southampton and Norwich. All three teams recently in the Premiership but didn't learn to adapt. Like Leeds and Nottingham Forrest, they will learn in the first division.

Does he want to be a manager, does he like the job? I've not read anything (not that I've looked far) about him saying he wants to go further in this new career (or go back to the easy life on MoTD) but these are important considerations..

I dunno. I can't imagine it's been much fun for him so far...

True the footy is different but there are teams that play attractive attacking football that succeed, alright they are in the minority because the easiest way to get promoted is to be hard to beat and play a physical game but the same can be said of the Premier League............Bolton, Stoke, Blackburn spring to mind. Burnley play a skillul attacking style and got promoted, WBA did the same but couldn't adapt to the EPL.

Perfect grooming for the England job, then