Is back with us and at pre season training today.

I think he will spearhead our promotion with Compton brought in to supply the crosses.

Still think its a bit early for him myself, he came back way too soon.

3 or 4 years time he's gunna peak.

Hope he enjoys his reception.

Must be a shock being at training with all them other lads there as well. I wonder if Cooper had to explain "This is your TEAM Stevie, you train with them, not in a bar in Jesmond".

We need him off the wage bill. The clubs highest paid player (allegedly) and in all honesty he's only good enough for 20 minute cameos.

I was hoping cooper would take him up Kilimanjaro and leave the big fucker there

Unless someone comes in for him then it simple he'll be on our books for the forth-coming season. We cant afford to pay him off. Hopefully what will happen is that a team will come in for him a week or so before kick off when he's got fit with us and they've saved having to pay his wages for good few weeks

i guess all these clubs after him must have been a load of bollocks

I don't really see how, the transfer window doesn't even officially open until July 1st, plenty will happen between now and the start of the season.

It would be great if he hadn't turned up for training we could have sacked him for breach of contract but I'm still 99% sure he won't be playing for us come August.

I think Sheff Wed might be waiting for the result of this:

Preston North End are hopeful of signing striker 36-year-old striker Kevin Davies, but the former Bolton man is also attracting interest from Sheffield Wednesday, Blackpool, Burnley, Millwall and Brentford.

Could you forgive Howard? Personally I hope he's gone by the season starts if only to free up wages . However a realist if we have him still on the books then he might as well play- Cooper and Hignett might well know how to both use and manage him, Howard could be an unexpected asset ?

You never know maybe hes up for one last hurrah with a promotion on his cv ...unless we can bin him off first although with all the bunker resident hate figures released in the summer we need somone to take up the mantle. There again we've still got Peter Hartley and Big Sam to pick on.(this doesn't take away the fact that I still reserve the right to refer to him as the traffic cone).

Bugger off with that nonsense.

Howard should be drummed out of the club.

He didnt want to be here last season, after playing a big part in our demise. But talked and acted like it had nowt to do with him.

He is a big lump striker that deserves no second chance.

Cant stand him, and his style of football.

The thought of him being here this season, just makes me think I might be the first to say Cooper out.

What he said.

I can't believe that someone who clearly didn't want to be here last season hasn't just been paid off or sacked for his comments to the press.

It would cost nigh on the same to pay him off as keep him here so not much point. If I was Cooper id say, "you can go if we receive an offer of £50k/£100k for you. But till then your training with the reserves/youth team and wont be anywhere near the first 11. Or you can take mutual termination and go sign for someone else on a free you lazy, fat fuck"

As a lazy fat fuck I refuse to be lumped in the with the likes of Howard.

Me too. Tree out.

IF he does play for us again, I will be interested to hear the reception he gets. Would it still be wrong to boo one of our own players

He might think we are saying booerns?