Sad day today for football. Johan Cruyff passed away from Cancer age 68. For me growing up he was a football hero. I was just too young for Pele, so Cruyff was the first superstar for me. Maradona was just a shit Jimmy Neighbour. Spent ages perfecting his Cruyff turn. RIP

with the clamour for tickets outstripping demand the club have now been given the go ahead to increase our capacity on matchdays to 60 thousand which is fantastic news and all of us who were at the play off final when we beat blackpool and showing half of Wembley full of hammers fans we always new that the new ground would be filled easily
its the other clubs around us like spuds/gooners/chelski who mouthed off that we wouldn't and could never fill it well how they must be trembling with fear worried about our meteoric rise....but the point I would like to make is who should get these tickets? of course you cry out the people on the priority list should get them which is a fair point having paid £10 for the right to hopefully get a seat but what about the academy supporters who cannot go to games regular but still support the club through the academy scheme....how about making a few extra seats available for those supporters on a matchday I think currently they reckon 4thousand available on the day or book online(ha that's always a laugh!)which is not very many....season ticket holders are of course to be applauded for there support and rightly so but for those of us who it is impossible to be one for whatever reason be it cost/work commitments we are equally as passionate about our club don't we deserve a little bit more?

Anyone watch the true Geordie on you tube? I find it quite funny at times especially when he talks about Newcastle defeats. If you are interested watch the one titled Steve mc clown is taking us down and the latest report on the Newcastle Sunderland 1-1 draw. Made me laugh anyway. Who hasn't felt like that at some point about their team? Just beware a lot of swearing.

As it is i ternational week just using it as a time of reflection at the club. How many years ago (2 maybe) we had a team of Gary oneil, Jarvis, obrian, Nolan, c Cole, jussi, and some right bang below average player. Anyone remember the full team? A mere 2 years later there is a word of differance at the club. Take the team Slav probably prefers when fit

Adrian
Byram, ogbonna, Reid cresswell
Kouyate, noble
Antonio, Payet Lanzini
Sakho

Ok no big deal the team has got a lot better but look at what would probably be regarded as our back up team

Randolph
Obrian, Tomkins, Collins, Hendrie
Moses, song, obiang, Valencia, Oxford
Carroll

Plus kids like Samuelson, Burke Payet and Cullen.

That huge progression in my book. Even villa would be doing better with our second string/youngsters!

So which season is/was the most crucial to us, this summers transfer window or last summers? I can't help thinking it was last summers! The world and his wife will be flashing the cash this summer so the is unlikely to be bargains and more likely to be wasted millions! Most of our squad has been well constructed so with millions to spend we still have to get our homework done or itl soon go to pot. Inside our first team we need a decent striker that can stay fit and get at least 15 prem goals if we can get tore that would strengthen us too. So all we need is to strengthen our back up which maybe relatively cheaper. City paid 42 mill for
Mangala and I wouldn't be happy with that so just picking an easy option for our striker isnt on for me. What do you guys think?

Apparently Lanzini has just signed a permanent deal. Sullivan dropped the news on us whist talking about Europe. So it's from the horses mouth right m6 ;-)

The club spends all this money on players but they can't communicate to fans or populate a call centre for fans to purchase tickets without costing them additional money, and it's out of order! I have spent countless phone calls and money, like many others, being held in a waiting list of 100+ and have got down to -10 in the waiting list but then am cut off. I have also spent time waiting and been diverted to a call centre after waiting and spending money, only to be told that the call centre can't deal with my enquiry as this has to be done by the normal 9-5pm number? This week the club website communicated the dates for sales of the replay with Manure and if you happen to sit in the Sir Trevor Brooking stand then you will be relocated from 9am Thursday 24th March. I was told tonight by a friend that he bought his tickets to be relocated in the Bobby Moore stand on Saturday? I called the telephone booking line tonight and was told that there were hardly any tickets left and the best tickets we can get are in Row Z at the back of the West Stand, we normally sit in the front row of the STB upper stand. I have tweeted a message to David Gold tonight as this is unacceptable in this day and age that a website is so bad that you can't book tickets and that a call centre can be so 'under-manned' to deal with bookings. To be fair, the guy 'Aiden' at the call centre was fantastic and professional in his approach to me but the club need to answer the fans as to why this is such poor form? Why should this be so difficult to manage in this day and age? I brought additional season ticket holders to this club this season and they even made this a nightmare as I spent £50 over the phone and got nowhere, and ended up having to take the train to Upton Park to pay in person!!! It will get better when we move, according to the chairman, but we are trying help you move so why isn't it better now???

Well I have just been looking at the next few weeks fixtures. This would have been scary in the past but now there are little fears as we are capable of beating anyone at the moment or at least not losing. It is still going to be a tough few weeks as Palace home on April 2nd, Manure home April 6th and Arsenal home 12.45 on the 9th. It could also be another three games in a week with Leicester on the 17th, Watford home on the 20th and hopefully Everton on the 23rd. Out squad is better but still quite an ask and it will be interesting to see how Bilic picks the squad. Does Bilic want the FA cup or top 4 as a priority? He may want both but I feel he would love the cup this year. COYI

I could be wrong but I don't think we have started with the same eleven for two matches running. Injuries have hit us hard again this season, but unlike other seasons we have had the strength in depth to carry us thru. So I got to thinking if it ever came to pass that the physio room was empty what would be your ideal starting 11?
Here's mine for what it's worth
Adrian; Cresswell, Reid,Collins, Byram; Payet, Noble, Kouyate, Antonio; Valencia, Sacko.

Comments,suggestions,abuse welcome.

Last night it was being reported in the Turkish media that West Ham have tied up a deal for tore. The English media have now latched onto the same thing. I heard months ago we were being given first refusal on this guy. Sounds exciting Slav knows the guy at at the reported 8.5 million could be yet another steal if true.

A quick word for England and the red rose becoming Grand Slam Champions, our first for thirteen long years. Well done all and hats off to Eddie Jones