Quote of the day

"What I try to teach the players is to be responsible for your actions – don’t try to blame anyone else. And so I’m going to go somewhere else to try to be a great coach."

No, not the Silver Fox, but recently departed reserve team manager Willie Donachie, who resigned last month after a post-match confrontation with Remie Streete got out of hand. As some on Twitter have pointed out, it's hard to see why Donachie was suspended when the Silver Fox was only fined and given a formal warning for his own dust-up at Hull on Saturday. One difference is that Donachie's disagreement was with one of our own players, whereas the Silver Fox's aggression was directed towards someone in the opposition ranks, and an ex-Mackem to boot. That hardly makes it any less serious, and indeed the fact that the Silver Fox's moment of madness was beamed into pubs and living rooms around the world on Match Of The Day arguably makes it more so.

As for Donachie, he was effusive about the welcome and support he'd had on Tyneside, and commented: "They’re really the club – the fans." A subtle dig at Jabba and his fellow suits on the board?

Willie walks

First it was JFK, now Willie Donachie's left - and under a dark cloud. It's been reported that a physical altercation with a player (rumoured to be defender Remie Streete) in the wake of the U21s' 2-0 defeat to the Mackems on Monday has led the Scot to tender his resignation. The Silver Fox has hinted there will be big changes at the club in the summer - but at this rate there are going to be plenty taking place well before then, at least in terms of non-playing staff.