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Lots of Newcastle United fans have flocked to a tweet about former manager Kevin Keegan after his throwback rant was mentioned on the BBC’s Match of the Day podcast.

In a weekly series, ex-England strikers Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Ian Wright discuss their top 10 in the Premier League of a selected category, and for this week they were given the task of ranking the top 10 most bonkers moments.

The outlet also gave the opportunity for readers to produce their own ranking, and arguably Keegan’s most famous moment made it to sixth place.

The 69-year old fell for mind games from Manchester United’s boss Sir Alex Ferguson in the 1995/96 title race, and consequently ranted on a live interview that he would love it if the Tyneside club beat them to the top flight title.

The three pundits also gave their views on the incident as three other moments featuring the Magpies made the list: Temuri Ketsbaia losing his temper, Alan Pardew headbutting David Meyler and Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer fighting on the pitch.

These members of the Toon faithful flocked to the tweet to voice their views on their ex-coach:

Missing football!? There’s still plenty of Newcastle discussion going on in the Vital Newcastle Forum! Click here to get involved!

The Chronicle journalist Mark Douglas has revealed some of the ideas that Newcastle’s prospective owners are keen to put in place once their takeover is confirmed.

What did he say?

The Magpies continue to play the waiting game as they wait for the Premier League to officially sign off on the takeover, but Douglas has intimated that there is already somewhat of a blueprint of what needs to be addressed in the immediate aftermath.

He said: “That includes contact between the group and executives at the city council over plans for the future, with at least two long conversations being held recently to discuss how United could be at the centre of civic life in Newcastle.

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“Possible renaming of the number nine bar – with the possibility of returning it to the original which bore Alan Shearer’s name – and the East Stand after a club legend have been among two “easy wins” mentioned but there have been other deeper discussions. Building on the club’s relationship with organisations in the city (which, to be fair to the current regime, has improved in recent years) is key to winning hearts and minds in the city.”

New era

If and when the takeover does get confirmed, it seems clear that the new owners are intent on changing the entire culture and atmosphere surrounding the club, and not just things on the pitch.

The scope for improvement is massive, and uniting a fan-base that has had to sit through years of failure under Mike Ashley holds the key to getting the Magpies into the elite in the Premier League.

Clubs from London, Manchester and Liverpool have been the most dominant during the majority of the Premier League era, but Newcastle look like they’ve got the right attitude to break that hold.

Former Premier League midfielder and now Sky Sports pundit Keith Andrews has praised West Ham winger Grady Diangana, who currently is on loan at West Bromwich Albion, and it looks like the Irons have a real player on their hands.

The pundit was emphasising how big an impact the 22-year-old was having on the Baggies’ promotion charge since he made the loan move in August 2019 as he said to Sky Sports: “I’ve been very impressed right from the off. His move happened quite late in the window last summer and I think that was much to do with the fact there was so much interest and maybe whether West Ham really wanted him to go

“I’m sure he was in the plans but I think they came to the right conclusion in letting him go out and then it was about finding the best possible environment where he could flourish and play enough minutes.”

It is hard to disagree with Andrews here – at the age of 22, it is important for Diangana to be playing regular football. His attacking statistics also highlight that he can offer an attacking threat for the Irons.

As well as scoring five goals and picking up six assists in 21 Championship games, he is averaging 1.3 key passes, 1.5 shots and 2.3 successful dribbles per game, which is more than Irons winger Andriy Yarmolenko (one key pass, 1.3 shots, 0.4 successful dribbles), albeit in a lower division. Meanwhile, of those three metrics, Felipe Anderson only betters him on successful dribbles per game, (1.1 key passes, one shot, 2.8 dribbles) via WhoScored.

If Diangana was in a squad that had Premier League quality like West Ham, there is every chance that his statistics would be even more impressive.

Hopefully West Ham look to utilise him next season and he can follow in the footsteps of fellow academy graduates Declan Rice and Jeremy Ngakia, who have held down starting positions in David Moyes’ first XI.

Hammers fans, could Diangana provide a huge attacking boost for the club? Comment below with your views!

Fresh news from the Telegraph this week has angered many Newcastle United fans as they took to Twitter to share their discontent.

It’s claimed that Spurs are willing to extend the loan spell of Danny Rose so he can complete the remainder of the campaign at the Magpies.

According to the report, the north Londoners are set to grant that extension in due course, and members of the St James’ Park faithful are far from pleased.

The 29-year-old agreed to join United on loan during the January transfer window and that move was set to expire next month.

It will now be extended following the delay to the Premier League season.

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Rose has gone on to feature six times under Steve Bruce but many hope that is the last they have seen of him, claiming that both Jetro Willems and Paul Dummett are better options – particularly if they have recovered from their respective injuries.

The Magpies fanbase all have their differing reasons for not wanting the Englishman at the club, ranging from his attitude to his performances on the pitch.

It appears as if plenty of fans would rather he stay at Spurs going by their reaction on social media.

Newcastle are set to be taken over by a Saudi-backed consortium and it remains to be seen if they see Rose as part of their future plans.

Clearly, though, supporters hope that the veteran left-back won’t be featuring when they kickstart the resumption of the PL season against Sheffield United next month.

AND in other news, Lee Ryder blames Newcastle owner Mike Ashley for Matty Longstaff situation

Tottenham Hotspur are ready to raid Serie A again as Jose Mourinho is on the hunt for a new right-back this summer.

According to Football Insider, Tottenham are set for talks with Atalanta ace Timothy Castagne. Spurs had been in line to sign Thomas Meunier before he joined Borussia Dortmund instead.

A source told Football Insider that the Lilywhites are closely monitoring Castagne’s situation after he admitted: “When a team like PSG or Tottenham come knocking on your door, you can’t say no.”

Spurs have arguably failed to fill the void left by Kieran Trippier and this latest development spells bad news for Serge Aurier.

As any good manager will know, sorting out a solid defence is equally as important as having a strong attack. Mourinho is well aware that he will be strapped for cash in the summer and will have to resort to signing free agents or organising swap deals in order to improve the squad as a result.

While Meunier has snubbed Spurs, the club have now turned their attentions to his international teammate instead.

Castagane has established himself as one of Europe’s brightest talents ever since he arrived at Atalanta from Genk for £5.85m in 2017. The 24-year-old has made 17 appearances in Serie A this season, scoring once, supplying one assist, winning 1.3 tackles per game and earning a pass accuracy rating of 85% so far (WhoScored).

As it stands, the Lilywhites are looking to offload Aurier and Kyle Walker-Peters, which will leave Mourinho short of options on the right wing. While Castagne won’t come cheap, as his contract with the Nerazzurri is set to expire next year, Daniel Levy could use the funds generated by their sales to cover the costs.

Tottenham have grown tired of Aurier’s issues on and off the pitch, as the board feel that he has embarrassed Spurs with his actions during lockdown. Although Aurier holds a higher WhoScored rating than the Belgian, he has struggled to convince the critics he deserves a spot in the starting lineup.

It seems logical to replace Aurier with Castagne instead, as he can also play in midfield, and his versatility could be an added bonus.

Even if a move doesn’t work out as well as planned, Levy will still have gained a valuable asset to sell for a greater profit if Tottenham can entice the Atalanta defender to north London.

Tottenham fans, should Daniel Levy sign Timothy Castagne in the summer? Let us know in the comments below!

Liverpool’s 100% winning record at Anfield in the league this season came to an end on Saturday, and while the Reds can’t have been too happy with the result against Burnley, the fanbase had at least one reason to be pleased.

With the league title all sewn up, Jurgen Klopp used this game as a chance to experiment with a couple of youngsters with both Curtis Jones and Neco Williams starting against the Clarets, and it was the midfielder who caught the eye.

Burnley are never an easy team to play, and if you’re a young lad their physical style can be quite daunting, but Reds supporters were very impressed with what they saw from Jones.

The 19-year-old was heavily involved in the game, having 87 touches, which is more than any Burnley player managed, and that stat looks even more impressive when you consider he was taken off in the 68th minute.

He was impressive in the middle of the park, taking three shots and making two tackles, and he came very close to netting in back to back appearances, firing just wide with a fierce shot just after the hour mark.

Unsurprisingly, social media was filled with Liverpool fans praising the teenage talent.

Liverpool have reportedly been looking to bolster their midfield in the upcoming transfer window with Thiago Alcantara supposedly being a target.

Despite Thiago being a regular for one of the biggest teams in Europe, fans seem to be more than happy without him, with some going as far as to say that they don’t need him due to the emergence of Jones.

You can understand why fans would rather see an academy product come through than spending big money on a 29-year-old, and if Jones continues playing like this he could save the Reds a lot of money in their hunt for a midfielder.

West Bromwich Albion have sealed their return to the Premier League following after their 2-2 draw with Queens Park Rangers proved to be enough on the most dramatic final day of the Championship season.

Slaven Bilic’s men entered the match knowing three points would guarantee promotion following a long and testing campaign, but anything less than a victory would have them relying on results elsewhere with Brentford sitting just one point behind them.

However, Brentford fell to a last-gasp defeat against Barnsley who ran out 2-1 winners at Griffin Park, and this result in West London meant West Brom sealed second spot after their draw against QPR created a two-point margin ahead of the Bees.

It was certainly a tense finale for West Brom who have been indifferent since the season’s resumption, but their triumphant outcome is still wholly deserved given Bilic’s men have been in the promotion mix since the very start of the campaign.

So, how much can you remember about Albion’s promotion-wining 2019/20 campaign? Take our quiz to find out…

It was revealed earlier in the month that Bongani Zungu is interested in joining Glasgow Rangers and there is now an update on the possible transfer as it looks more likely that the player will be making the move to Scotland.

According to The Scotsman, the ‘Gers have now taken transfer negotiations a step further as the club are able to discuss personal terms with the midfielder, who currently plays at Ligue 1 side Amiens.

The report suggests that Gerrard’s side would need to have made an offer of around £3.6m in order to persuade his current French employers to sell. It appears that an offer of roughly this value has been presented and possibly accepted as the ‘Gers are being allowed to discuss terms with the player.

The South African international has made 57 appearances so far for his current club, scoring twice and assisting three goals, per Transfermarkt. He has also played in the top tier in Portugal, making 27 appearances for Vitória Guimarães.

The 27-year-old has also scored twice for South Africa in 24 caps for his country, with both goals coming in last summer’s Africa Cup of Nations as he helped them to reach the quarter-finals, per Transfermarkt.

This experience in two of Europe’s top leagues as well as on the international stage highlights that the ‘Gers could be acquiring a very good player; and the more quality they add to the squad the better, as it should help them to present a greater challenge to Celtic for the Premiership title in 2020/21.

Zungu is apparently keen on the move, which bodes well for Gerrard as that should help to tip the scales in favour of him completing a deal at Ibrox.

‘Gers fans, would Zungu be a good signing? Comment below with your views!

Key information about the Hive

The Hive stadium was opened in 2013 even though it first broke ground as early as 2003 and is now the home of Barnet FC. The ground is located in Canons Park and actually lies on the former site of the Prince Edward Playing Fields in the London Borough of Barrow.

Its current capacity stands at 6,500, but with 5,356 of those being in the seating areas, and it has a pitch that measures 102m x 65m. The surface is covered with grass and it has no running track surrounding it.

The record attendance of 6,215 at The Hive stadium was set on 28 January 2019 for Barnet’s 3–3 draw with Brentford.

A history of The Hive 

Between 1907 and 2013, Barnet were playing their football at the Underhill Stadium but the idea of potentially moving away from their long-lasting home first appeared in the 1990s when the facilities at the old ground started to become obsolete and just outright poor. Their first attempts, however, were both denied and for a long time, no further plans were put forward.

Still, the construction of a new stadium that was to be located at the council-owned Prince Edward Playing Fields in Canons Park had originally begun in 2003 but interestingly enough, not for Barnet but rather it were Wealdstone FC who were building their new home. However, Barnet were able to take over the project after the original tenants-to-be had to back out due to financial difficulties.

Of course, things didn’t exactly move as quickly with no work being done on the stadium for two years and it wasn’t until the site was up for tender in 2006 that Barnet decided to bid. In the end, it would take them until 2013 to finally move to The Hive stadium and this was also caused by a dispute over the lease for their old ground with the town Council.

But even then, the initial idea was to make the new stadium their temporary home until a new and improved ground in the London Borough of Barnet was built. However, those plans changed entirely as early as 2015 when they announced they wouldn’t be looking for a new site anymore.

As for the Hive itself, that’s actually a training ground and centre of excellence for Barnet which was opened in 2009 by Trevor Brooking and Fabio Capello. Over the years, the Hive stadium, as well as all the surrounding facilities, were further improved and expanded, including the opening of the new East and West stands.

The stadium, however, is not only used by Barnet since both Tottenham Hotspur Women – since 2019 – and London Bees – since 2014 – are using the ground for their own purposes. Between 2014 and 2015, it was also used by the London Broncos Rugby League Club but they wouldn’t really stay for too long before ultimately moving on the very next year after their arrival.

Tickets to watch Barnet FC at The Hive 

All tickets to watch Barnet FC play at The Hive stadium can be found on the club’s official website. The prices vary depending on the age group of the buyer and the stand chosen but the cheapest adult ticket can be purchased for £15.

The club also offers a season ticket scheme as well as memberships and family discounts that can save you money on single fixtures or over the course of the whole campaign.

Related links

https://www.barnetfc.com/ – Official website of Barnet FC

https://www.barnetfc.com/club/the-stadium/ – Information about The Hive 

For quite a while now, it was believed that Everton and Watford had a gentlemen’s agreement in place for the transfer of Abdoulaye Doucoure.

Various reports stated previously that Carlo Ancelotti has managed to convince the midfielder to make the switch and it was just a matter of time before the deal was indeed sealed.

However, despite that growing optimism and positive first signs, the Toffees could still lose their target in the ongoing summer transfer window. According to the French journalist Manu Lonjon, AS Moncao have made a bid in the region of €25m (£22.3m) in an attempt to snatch the player away from Everton’s grasp.

But at the moment, that’s all the source is telling us and we don’t know whether it would indeed be enough to turn the club’s head and make them reconsider their dealings with the Toffees.

Not only that but it’s also questionable whether Doucoure himself would rather return to Ligue 1 instead of getting the chance to play at Goodison Park in the Premier League.

However, at the very least, this could force Everton to up their own offer and splash a bit more cash to land the midfielder ahead of their French rivals. We will have to wait for further updates on the matter to have a clearer picture of where the saga-to-be currently is but Doucoure is becoming a more wanted man by the minute.

Verdict

Monaco’s offer is pretty impressive but Everton do have a couple of clear advantages. Firstly, the pull a Premier League outfit has is significantly bigger than the notion of the player returning to France. Of course, the other advantage is Ancelotti himself who was said to have convinced Doucoure to make the swap in the first place.

But, this new offer might mean more money will have to be involved in order to get the deal over the line.