Because that's what the Guardian reckon we're trying to do. Fulham manager Jean Tigana has rejected Newcastle's offer of a straight swap deal between Lee Clark and Alain Goma.

Smacks of absolute madness to me and I reckon the hacks got bored and combined two speculative stories and came up with this pile of junk.

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2001

Answers

I don't think it will happen. Tigana rates Goma around 3£ and Clarke 5 £. Personally, i like Clarke a lot and; he'd love to play for Newcastle.

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2001

3m£ and 5m£ that was

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2001

If Goma could be persuaded to stay I'd like to keep him. If he wants to go I'm coming round to the idea that Lee Clark would be good to have in the squad.
Besides being quite a canny player, I reckon he brings more to us than just his football ability and his love of the club would help build on the impressive team spirit shown recently.

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2001

This one is quite a puzzler.

Personally I would prefer to keep Goma, but what's the point of holding on to someone who isn't settled - his game is never gonna be quite on the mark is it. But then the question is, would he be able to settle more in London that in Newcastle......lets face it, it an hour flight from NIA to CDG, and it is forty five minutes from LHR to CDG so the connections are not that much faster.....so if it is homesickness that is his problem, then West London ain't much better than Hexham (or wherever) surely.....alright there may be a few more French restraunts in Fulham than Benwell, but it's not exactly Paris is it.

Lee Clark was a great player for us under KK, and he apparently wants to get back north...his wife and family have already moved back to Wallsend apparently, but as far as the club is concerned the question has to be - is it a retrograde step, or does he return a better and more rounded player than the one who left?

On reflection......go for the swap only, and then use the 'excess money' saved to pay for Quinn.....he's gonna be good.

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2001

I've read in an article on this that it is our Board who are interested in bringing back Clarke not Robson. I think Clarke looks a beter player than when he left but he has been out of the Premiership for a while now and it remains to be seen whether he can show the same form.

Last time I was in Hexham I saw no French restaurants by the way!

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2001

Before we got the two South Americans I would have said buy Clarkie. But we don't need any more midfielders other than a PRPPER pacy left winger, which Clarkie is not.

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2001

Saw the Fulham/NH cup match and wasn't too impress with him to be honest. Got the ball stolen from him by Solkjaer for the first goal.

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2001

No.

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2001

clarky, your postings are shrinking...any more of that and I shall be writing to my MP.

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2001

Softie, Your so sharp - you'll cut yourself one of these days. (LOL);-{))

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2001

No. Sorry and all that, Lee.

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2001