S-Clarke

I think it's the timing that's shocked a few of us, after a 4-0 away win! As he didn't go last season i thought he'd be given at least 10 games this year.

After thinking about it for a bit, There were also rumours that Pardew wasn't even Nicola and Markus's first choice, so it's within the realms of possibility to believe that Pard's has been under-review from day 1. Our start last season wouldn't have helped matters, and with us threatening to have a similar start this year i don't think Nicola could hold off. I'm still angry at the timing of the decision though, if he really wasn't happy with him he should have gone last season so we had a new guy in ready for the start of the season. What a truly surreal season this is, and we're not even a month into it yet.

thats from may...way old.

yikes..

....+1, that's the crux of it for me. And he was close to doing it too, but was talked out of it then. Not sure hes' really given him much chance this year to do anything.

I think it's thrown our season into doubt now. We'll now be treading water for a few weeks until the new manager comes in.

Not sure how it works, but Pardew didn't really sound or look like a man giving his last interview on Saturday. I expect the timing has come as a shock to him too. I don't expect us to get a new manager for a couple of weeks, Wilkins will oversea things as the OS states.

Unfortunately there's no chance we can attract a manager of that level to L1. We did well to get Pardew in all honesty.

Something has not been right for a while, probably after we failed to secure promotion after spending over 1.5m in January, and i would also assume this is why we've been so ''quiet'' in the transfer market this summer. We needed a quick start this year or he was standing on a tightrope, we didn't get it. The win over Bristol rovers should have given him a reprieve though, the timing of this decision is totally wrong.

It would be a step backwards imo. Zola seems a good fella, but he just hasn't got any real experience - especially at this level which is critical for us.

I'm apprehensive.

I really do not trust Cortese anymore Pilch.

no more signings for us - might as well close this thread.

It stinks to high heaven along with the other decisions cortese has made. this has really really ****ed me off, it's such a critical time and i can tell you for a fact that the players loved playing for Pardew and Wally Downes. This is going to completely unsettle the team and we'll struggle now, after such a promising result on saturday.

what on earth is cortese doing he's been waiting to do this for a while, but the timing utterly beggars belief. what an idiot. This will now probably cost us any chance of a top 2 spot, it's ruined our season.

You go into win every game. As pards says - it's only about the next game. At the end of the day these are professional football league players, they should be able to cope with Saturday > Tuesday games. I say go all out to win it with our best avaliable team, losing cup games isn't going to improve the confidence of the players. We should be good enough to cope with the demands. (+ it's our trophy, we want to retain it!!!)

Without him we're much weaker and less potent. He's an exciting player to watch and is a fantastic talent at this level. Yes he'll frustrate, but he'll also counter-act that by producing moments of magic. Just enjoy him as when he plays well, i think we're lucky to have him as he could easily go up a level.

You'll be surprised to hear this but he's....injured, for a change.

Looks like Charlie Austin could be leaving our league....millwall have made a bid. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11688_6345836,00.html

what the heck is the guardian doing reporting from that website?

Knee injury, pardew is very concerned.

Thought it was his ankle, real shame. they've been putting off an operation and nursing him through, i think it's now time for the op.

Apparently it's Adams knee which is his problem, and it's a ''big big worry, and not all is rosy today''

ditto, the interviewer actually asked if the 2 players wanted to come and Contrill said ''yes, they both want to come here and everything on that front is pretty much done.'' bizzare moves for both, seeing as Lawrence was set for a move to Celtic at one point.

Liam Lawrence and Kitson set to sign according to Contrill. not sure how they should be allowed to get away with that tbh.