Ask The Opposition: Newcastle United

The fan

Name: Michael Bates

Age: 21


The game

Scoreline Prediction: Manchester City 2-1 Newcastle United

One to watch: Ben Arfa

Sunday marks the return of Joey Barton to the ground at which he made his name. Do you feel he has finally put his problems behind him and what is the general fan perception towards him these days?

I still think he is rebuilding his reputation but has so far started to put his past behind him; lets just hope he doesn't go back to his old ways.
Generally I think he is a good player to have in the team, particularly in the premiership as he will battle and has a fiesty side to him, which you need at that level.

If you could sign a player from the City squad (wages etc irrelevant), who would you choose?

If I could have any player from Man City it would probably be someone like Adam Johnson or Carlos Tevez.


General Newcastle

What has been your favourite memory/moment from supporting Newcastle? - Would have to probably be being at St James Park for Alan Shearer's final game against Wigan, which he scored in.

And the worst - Being relegated.

If you could place a past Newcastle player into the current team, who would it be? Alan Shearer

Do you know more than Shearer about Ben Arfa? I would like to think I may do, but I couldn't honeslty say if I do know more about Ben Arfa than Shearer.

Robinho signs for AC Milan

It was a day which will live on in the memory of every City fan, we had become the world's richest club overnight and were chasing four or five targets around the world, as the clock approached midnight the news broke that we had signed long term Chelsea target Robinho.

Two years on and Robinho becomes the latest signing for AC Milan, joining Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front for the rossoneri, ending an eventful short spell at Eastlands.

Signed not by the manager, but by the owners, Robinho was, and always will be more than a player for us, he was a statement. As much as I love Pablo Zabaleta, he wasn't the signing to make the world take notice that there was a new major player in the transfer market and on the footballing map.

After a stunning first half of the 08/09 season, including a debut goal against Chelsea, his performances dropped off after allegations into his personal life and anonymous showings in a team struggling away from home.

A summer move to Barcelona never materialised and it appeared he would remain in Manchester for at least another season, but a stress fracture on his right ankle sustained whilst on international duty sidelined him early on and he was never able to force himself back into the team before joining his boyhood club Santos in the January transfer window in order to gain fitness for the 2010 World Cup.

He split opinions between City fans, some seeing a talented player who is in the team to create, not defend, others seeing a lazy player not putting in the same effort as he did for Brazil, seeking an exit at the first opportunity.

Personally I am sad to see him go, the team he played in was not set up for his style of play, I believe he would've thrived in what is now a more solid City side with a defensive base. It may have been a case of running before we could walk, but we can have no regrets with the Robinho signing, without the profile he brought to the club I doubt we would've been able to attract the calibre of players we currently can.

Good luck Robson De Sousa and good luck AC Milan. Although with a forward line of Robinho, Ronaldinho, Ibrahimovic and Pato I don't think they need luck. Some defenders maybe...