"the lack of honour required and expected from professional footballers"?

Could have the sharp edge of irony/sarcasm, there, Vole. Which sometimes doesn't read right when looked at coldly.

Wasn't Owen's contract up anyway? So he was free to negotiate a move relegation or not.

Not sure why these two players are singled out (technically, can you single out two? Anyway...) when the entire malaise that has enveloped St James' Park over the last few years is to blame. This relegation is not the result of a few players' lack of motivation/effort or an untried manager's (in)ability to get results in 8 games, but rather the outcome of several season's mismanagement by current and previous owners.

Fair comment, ian.64.

I wonder at what stage of the season he stopped bothering to put the spidey mask down the back of his shorts?

Hope he takes Coloccini with him...

Sorry, harsh maybe? He arrived at a club who project frequently messianic hopes on every foreign player that comes through their door, and if they don't suddenly become the new Alan Shearer/Jackie Milburn/Kevin Keegan all rolled into one they are immediately labelled the new Asprilla/Marcelinho or any shorthand for "money grabbing foreigner". The facts are he wasn't both to score goals, he's a winger who has only scored six goals in his career, which btw has seen him win the league in his native Argentina and Mallorca and win ten caps for the national side. He's a player from a different culture trying to adapt to a different style, the unique style of the Premier League, which is not as suited to wide players as La Liga. He was also lauded by pundits during his early performances for the club and only lost his place in the side initially because of injury. He played 30 games for the club, much more than the likes of Xisco, Barton, and Geremi, all players who commanded high fees as well. If he was such a bad player, why are Roma, a team who finished 6th in Serie A, coming in for him?

Jst realised, didn't mean to say he won the league in Mallorca, they never finished higher than mid table during his time there

Did you mean Mirandinha and not Marcelinnho? Assuming you did, they weren't particulary good examples as both are still held in affection at Newcastle, Mirandinha scoring some excellent goals (overhead bicycle kick on his debut) in the single season he played, currently acting as a scout for NUFC in Brazil, and Asprilla forgiven his inconsistent league form for his Champion's League peformances including - majestically - his three headed goals which beat Barcelona at SJP.

And "money-grabbing foreigners"....pur-lease! Credit Newcastle supporters with the common-sense to realise that an Argentinian winger is coming to Newcastle because he's being handsomely rewarded and not because he's supported them all his life from afar!

Gutierrez has decided - despite his contract - not to go back to Newcastle...did he say "It's because the supporters projected Messianic hopes on me I had no chance of fulfilling and when I failed to do so, they turned on me as a 'money-grabbing foreigner'"?

No, he was sold a pup - he came to a club without a plan, bought by Chuckie Wise for Keegan when he asked for a left-back. He hasn't made any kind of impact, the club's been relegated, he's going elsewhere to play, as it's not his 'dream' to play in the Championship. And good luck to him, no-one bears him any ill-will - he's been a bit-part player in a season when we've (Gutierrez included!) had far greater villains to contend with.

So what's your point exactly - are you Gutierrez's agent? Or did you just fancy having a vague pop at Newcastle supporters for no apparent reason?

No I meant Marcelinho, that'd be the Spanish centre back who was troubled with injuries when he came to Newcastle and got villified by the fans for having the temerity to get injured. What a freeloader (sic)! And I think you'll find a sizeable proportion of Newcastle fans will point to both him and Asprilla (and, incidentally, the afformentioned Mirandinha) as foreign players who flopped at the club. The point i'm getting at is that there is undue focus on the likes of Guttierez when a club with a large support base like Newcastle don't do well. I disagree with the idea that he hasn't made an impact, I think he's been one of Newcastle's better performers this season. How can he be described as bit part when he has played 30 games for the club this season?