One running theme of the week is of course the man, the legend (Article) that wears the number nine shirt.  Finally breaking Jackie Milburn’s goal scoring record in the home win over Portsmouth.  (Article) (Article) (Article).  “Swallowed up by the fans’ love” (Article) pretty much sums up the outburst of emotion in SJP.  Indeed a “great day to be a Geordie” (Article) and the “moment we’ve waited for” (Article).  I know we touched on this last week but really you can’t run out of things to say about Alan Shearer.  Certainly there have been plenty of opinions voiced.  The re-energised Shola Ameobi who set up his record breaking goal (Article) and Peter Beardsley and Rob Lee (Article) with the better and more sincere comments.  FFS hailed both Shearer and the team (Article), Shearer for his part was open in his pride (Article) as he sets yet another target in his sights (Article).   As if we needed reminding he has already cemented a place in history (Article) alongside Jackie Milburn as the question is asked should he have a statue in his honour like the great man before him (Article).  I would suggest he needs something more than a bar for starters.  Thursday saw a Shearer double of sorts, a nice, if a little beige in it’s content, interview with Mick Lowes on Radio Newcastle (Article) and a well put together bandwagon jumping hour long TV special on Sky, complete with post-Grimsby split lip and everything.  Were you watching Mark Halsey?  At least he had the grace to shake the great man’s hand as he broke the record.

The second major talking point of the week is, of course, the ongoing search for Sourness’ replacement, as his photos are seen on sale in the club shop at 10p a pop.  (Article)  There’s plenty of names being linked still and plenty of opinion on who should go where as we seem to be short listing the same candidates as the FA (Article).  While FFS maintains there has been no approaches made to any party, interested or otherwise (Article) (Article), the media favourite to be the next in charge is Martin O’Neill.  (Article) (Article)  Who we may or may not have made a move for just yet (Article) (Article).  For the record, and for what it’s worth, I am in the O’Neill camp.  I don’t particularly like the guy and find his track suited touchline rants leaping up and down like an angry leprechaun bordering on sectionable but his track record is unarguable and he may just be the strong type of character we need to get the best out of the club, our board and the money we are rumoured to be prepared to offer him in the way of a transfer kitty.  There certainly may well be a lot to lure MoN here (Article).

At one point during the week the odds on Glenn Hoddle shortened to a ridiculous level, so much so 2 bookies stopped taking bets.  (Article)  All down to a typo apparently (Article).  Thanks fuck for that!  Then again we could have done with a faith healer at one point earlier this season…

Meanwhile Ottmar Hitzfeld has the backing of many, notably the fashonista section of the tf bunker and Allan McNally (ex-Bayern Munich if I recall correctly) (Article) and Paul Jewell remains linked as well and he seems to be subtly sending out a “come and get me” if all the comments attributed to him of late can be interpreted correctly that is (Article).  We’ve been warned off Allardyce (Article) (Article), fair enough, and Steve Bruce (Article) (no thanks!) by their respective chairmen, leaving us to exercise a loophole in the rules that will see Roeder and Shearer take us to the end of the season (Article).  Possibly.  Shearer for his part has been quite open in saying he will not interfere when it comes to the next appointment (Article) (Article) and that he has faith in the board appointing the right man.  (Article)  Ever get the feeling he knows more than he is letting on, or is that just the creeping paranoia of the tf bunker catching up with me as well?

Players have made plenty of copy this week.  Emre in getting a 6 game international ban after his involvement in the tunnel fracas following their play off exit (Article) (Article) and seen in for extra training in midweek which is a positive to say the least (Article).  Also in for extra training was Albert Luque who, following omission from the squads to play Portsmouth and Villa (Article) (Article) luques (he luques, geddit?) set to leave in the summer (Article).  How much we lose on the deal is anybody’s guess.

Everyone seemed happy for Kieron Dyer on his “return to fitness” © The Journal (Article) and he was delighted with is reception at St James’ (Article).  But here’s another one dreaming of the world cup (Article).  How about just repaying some of the salary you have received whilst injured by putting in some hard graft until the end of the season and if that is good enough you’ll go to Germany.

Speaking of which, the “Parker for England” campaign gets stronger with each all action performance (Article) (Article) (Article).  Parker remains focussed on the job in hand however, delighted with the spirit in the camp under Roeder (Article)  So too is Lee Bowyer, (Article) who says the laughter is back.  Is it just me that finds that comment ironic?

Team spirit (Article) and sorting out the defence seem to have been Roeder’s key areas of work over the last 2 weeks (Article) (Article).  And they appear to be paying off if an all action display that saw us take 3 points at Villa is anything to go by.  (Article) (Article) (Article)  David O’Leary’s whinging about our luck made out for the spiteful outburst that it is (Article) (Article) (Article).  I wonder if he will beat Alan Pardew’s 3 week moaning record.  I wouldn’t bet against it.

I’ll leave you this week with David Conn’s article in this week’s Guardian about the Halls, the Shepherds and the commercialisation of the Geordie nation.  Essential reading (Article) even though we might be just a little bit biased within the tf bunker.  Finally just who are player A, player B and musician X?  And what connection does one of them have with NUFC (because they usually do don’t they!  Come on admit it you’ll be almost disappointed if they didn’t…).  (Article)  Answers by text message only please and I promise I’ll not set it to vibrate.  Honest.