I know the very basics of FFP, PSR and APTs but it became clear our new friend knew a lot more | OneFootball

I popped down to Whitley on Thursday to catch up with some of my mates. Dag and Keith were in the Fat Ox, two good old Newcastle fans from Seaton Delaval.

All the lads are basically out for one thing apart from an early morning drink, that is companionship. Luckily the Ox was back open at 10am after a few days of later opening.

Dag was ower the moon because his black and white cat Tommy had returned after another one of his long vacations.

We were joined by Auld Ellas, JP and our West Brom supporting mate Jim.

I often like talking to Jim about the West Brom team of the 1970s. They played some very entertaining football and had players like the great Tony Brown, John Wile and Alistair Robertson, as well as the popular ‘Three Degrees’ of Cyrille Regis, Laurie Cunningham and Brendan Batson.

Another lad had settled on one of the high chairs near one of the big bay windows drinking a soft drink. After about a half an hour he went to put his empty glass back on the bar, before stopping and asking if I wrote/sent articles into The Mag. I confirmed that was the case, shook his hand and asked if he’d to join us.

He insisted on buying the beers and told us his name was Alan, so that made it three Big Als at the table and another one framed on the wall behind us.

Alan said he enjoys reading The Mag and likes interacting on the comments section, he also told us that he has contributed the odd article down the years.

After our Delaval mates got ready to get the bus back hyem, the rest of us decided to head on down to the Three Brass Monkeys and our new pal Alan was more than happy to tag along.

What struck me about him was how astutely he explained the financial position at Newcastle United. I know the very basics of FFP, PSR and APTs etc, but it quickly became apparent that Alan was ahead of me in the game.

He enlightened me further on the amortisation over players contracts and gains that can be made when structuring deals. He gave his views on how the business side of the club could be improved through their links to the City, with ideas and notions that I had never thought about or contemplated.

I’m not going to go into everything, because these were his own ideas, but I have asked him to send an article into The Mag.

The drink was now going down well and we all hopped into a taxi to go to Tynemouth Club. A few more pints ensued and I’d had enough by about 1.30pm. I could tell that Alan had enjoyed himself.

I hope Alan got back to Seghill safe and sound and that he also reads this.

Also, hopefully I’ve convinced him to write that  article. I reckon it would be a good-un.