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This is a podcast from The Times. Go to The Times. Go to the Times, the podcast that mans up after an easy midweek trip to Socialist Europe and delivers at the weekend too.

Well, on a Monday anyway.

And joining me this week it's Stuart Robson, Tom Dart and Matt Dickinson.

Later on we'll be talking some more Sir Alex Ferguson. Yes, hopefully we can put a new spin on him, but first Newcastle United and Ebertones.

We gotta start with this Dicko. Is it time to take Newcastle seriously? They're still

unbeaten. The last time that happened was some 16 years ago in the original Kevin Keegan era.

They're up there.

Can you ask me again in about three weeks time once they've played the United City and Chelsea?

Look, we don't want to sort of prick the balloon

...