Geordie Boys

been chatting to a bloke tonight – a Leeds supporter as it happens – who mentioned that Alan Shearer may have thought he made a mistake by not joining Manure.

He’s a canny bloke, but this sort of talk pisses me off.

Shearer might, but it depends on him.

I pointed out something to this bloke, which was – consider the cases of Steve Bruce, and Bryan Robson.

These 2 shitbags may have won medals playing for the disneyworld equivalent of football clubs, but when you listen to or read Bruce’s pathetic attempts to gain and court affection among his “own people” by spouting the shite he spouts, does Alan Shearer think that he would have preferred to have resorted to this sort of bollocks rather than captain the club and beat their goalscoring record ?

Likewise Bryan Robson, and I’m not even going to mention Bobby Charlton, the man who cried when his boyhood team beat his adopted team 5-0. Wanker.

His brother is more of a geordie than he will ever be, ( even though he was shite as manager when he had the chance )and if he was in my family I would be ashamed of him for such an action, even though his brother in my opinion did a shite job – and allegedly uncommitted job – as manager of Newcastle when he had the opportunity that most of us only dream of.

Anyway, would Bryan Robson and Steve Bruce swap their medals for a statue outside St James Park, the freedom of the city, the clubs goalscoring record, the stature of being in icon forever in the city of Newcastle Upon Tyne, the celebrity status of being able to walk down Northumberland Street with his head held high – not to mention his daughters and son when they go through their own life, as opposed to the scorn and ridicule that stands alongside the comments that his plastic Geordie compatriots spout now and again when they feel the need to suit their agendas ?

Whenever I see some southern cockney journalist spouting their gloryseeking bollocks – like a typical manure fan that doesn’t come from Manchester – I think this. Strangely nobody actually mentions the scenario that their own heroes may regret not doing for Newcastle United, the city and the people, what Alan Shearer did. But I am also not really surprised.

Because one thing is absolutely nailed on.

And that is, Alan Shearer will forever be held in more regard and affection among his own people, and what’s more, they know it.

 This post is by NE5.

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Joining Together of East and West

It’s a Monday evening, and I’ve been asked to make a contribution to what I am told is a new [ish] publication. As it is going to go out in the NE6 area of the city, I’m racking my brains to think of something that a westender from NE5 can say that is remotedly interesting, other than something on the one thing that binds us all in this grand city of ours.

Newcastle United.

Aye, Newcastle United.

I could go on about the years I spent working at Longbenton when I was younger, and the Friday afternoons spending my dosh in the Newton when i took a half day. Well, thats about all I could say, because apart from one visit to the Chilli, many years ago, I’ve hardly set foot in the East End, unless you count the Corner House last Saturday night.

So. Newcastle United. Where do I start. Who is a season ticket holder for this unpredictable, erratic, annoying, heartbreaking, heartwarming, loveable, team of ours who despite spending all of our lives cursing the day the bug of supporting them was inflicted on you, simply can’t let go ?

Slight deviation here. Can I talk about Freddie Shepherd. You know, that east end lad who runs the club ? Or is he an East End lad ? Some people say he’s from Cumberland ? Where do they mean ? Carlisle ? Barrow ? Keswick ? Well, is he or isn’t he ? He doesn’t sound like it anyway, if he is. My suspicion is that someone is telling porkies, and not of the Cumberland sausage kind.

Back to Newcastle United. What a roller ride the last 15 years have been. From utter depths and despair and then all aboard the Keegan express, all the way to [almost] the league title of the best team in England. Some people argued that we were, unfortunately though results only say we were the 2nd best. The whole country outside of sunderland, manchester and the beasts down the A19 when they removed their gas masks wanted us to win the premiership that year. Those from Teeside removed any half decent feeling I ever had for them, the day they cheered on the manu gloryseekers to the last day victory which clinched their title win over us, when we had to settle for 2nd place. How sad can you get. I don’t think any NUFC fan could ever want to see us lose a football match, even if it meant the mackems winning the league. Or would we ?

For a while after the marvellous Keegan, and the Messiah disappearing into the sunset forever until resurfacing at Fulham anyway, we stuttered along, riding on the crest of his wave, almost winning the FA Cup twice and emulating the ghost of Wor Jackie, and burying the memory of the 1974 where we may as well have stayed at home, but it was not to be. In the event, we only succeeded in repeating the 1974 experience, twice.

From a 100% winning record at Wembley and 5 wins out of 5, it now stands as a 100% failure rate during the lifetime of yours truly. I’ve seen us lose all 4 Wembley finals in 1974, 1976, 1998 and 1999. There is no tears shed from me for the passing of the twin towers. They hold only bad memories. I wonder if – or when – we will ever go back. Who among us will witness eventual triumph while sitting outside on the grass, without a ticket ?

The stuff of nightmares.

Focus on the FA Cup, people, and the League Cup. Because in my humble estimation, without the injection of American, Russian, or some other generous benefactors hard cash, we have no chance of winning the title in the forseeable future. Little did we know, back in 1996, that it would be our last chance, and just what an opportunity it really was.

Now however, the club is at a crossroads. A good manager is needed, and fast, to change direction and put the club back on the upward path which we all know is where they should be going.

Come back Kevin Keegan, we love you.

What I find most astonishing is that these billionaires have seen fit to put their money into the most detestable, plastic clubs you could think of. ManU, I can understand this one, but Chelsea ? I went to Stamford Bridge when there was a crowd of 8000 back in the old 2nd division. The Scouse bindippers and their despicable, arrogant supporters ? Aston Villa ? Howay man, whats going on ? West Ham ? Even worse. Now Arsenal are rumoured to be the next in line.

Good clubs, yes. But if there is ONE team in the WHOLE of England who is underachieving, has the biggest potential, the biggest army of fanatical supporters, that would simply kill for success, and produce the biggest rewards and adulation anyone could want, is right here. On the banks of the River Tyne. Everyone knows this. Sack their advisors, is all I can say.

This article has been written by NE5. Anyone who wishes to comment on this article, it can be found on the following website.

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Managerial Merry Go Round – Again ?

I write with a heavy heart. How that for a dramatic beginning eh ?

Todays mood of reflection, and dejection at yesterday’s performance caused me to sink a few more than usual last night. I’m not one for booing, never have been and never will be, and I think the booing minority should be run out of town, but this is a club that is not going to get back into the top 4 or so with the current manager.

It really pains me to say this. I’ve stuck by the appointment of Roeder for various reasons. One being that he deserved a crack at it – and call that misguided if you like – but I believe that. We have been down the road of appointing trophy winners at Newcastle. They got us to a couple of FA Cup Finals, not too bad, but with what they inherited and have been allowed, should have done better. In principle, there was logic behind giving the job to an ex captain of the club, on the basis of trying something different, that may have worked. And it might have. It’s not going to though, not now. It’s time to replace Roeder, sadly, and accept that he’s had his chance.

I remember thinking this about Arthur Cox though, and suddenly it all clicked and he came good, and what he had been working for stood in front of us. I would dearly like this still to happen, and its the main reason why, during the course of the season, that the improvement that we showed for a brief period was encouraging. It’s all back to square one after yesterday though. A few weeks ago, we were looking at fixtures against Wigan, Smoggies, Charlton and Man City as a springboard to get into the UEFA spot. We have taken 1 point from that little lot, and failed to score a solitary goal in all of them.

Worse still, we haven’t played well, or looked capable of beating these teams.

He has done alright. He has worked quite well with limited resources. I think this – now – not because the season has gone stale and we have had a bad run, or even on the back of the last 4 shit results. It isn’t down to his buying record either. Martins cost 10m quid and is alright, his goals have saved us from being relegated and following the injury to Owen, we needed someone to do this, despite his limitations. It isn’t the purchase of Duff either, because buying a quality player for 5m quid with his best years in front of him is hardly a crap buy, it has only became so because for some reason we don’t know he hasn’t performed like the player that he was when Chelsea bought him from Blackburn. Our problem is finding out why this has happened, and if we can rectify it. If he has a personal problem of some sort, or any problem which is going to prevent him playing like this for us, then we have to sell him and try to get our money back. Thats football, he isn’t the first player not to settle at a club and he won’t be the last.

I don’t believe that nobody else wanted the job, in fact I think its a load of bollocks to be honest, but I think Roeder was given the job with the best of intentions and it was looked on as a calculated risk. But 99% of appointments by most clubs are precisely that, we took the biggest one we’ve made in our history – arguably – when we appointed Keegan 15 years ago.

Like many supporters who saw Roeder play for and captain Newcastle, I held him in high regard. Watching him react to the pressure he is now under, and hearing some of the things he is saying, is painful. I don’t want my memory of him to be ruined by hanging on until things become worse, so I hope he goes now.

The club has a big summer ahead. They have to look for a manager, I’ve no doubt that they have a little black book with names in, well now is the time to target these names and the man they want the most and go for him, within reason, you have to accept that an illegal approach is in fact, er, illegal, and we don’t want to get points deducted or owt like that do we ? Like our cockney friends the hammers for signing 2 players illegally, hehe.

Get down you cockney bastards, and stay there.

I digress. Back on topic.

Who to bring in ? Well, as Alex Ferguson is clearly out of the equation, why not Wenger ? If he is out of the equation, then Roy Keane

Aye, you get my drift….. we may not get the number 1 choice, but we have to target a proven manager. Oh dear, Dalglish was a proven manager with a track record second to none.

Here we go again, all aboard the NUFC managerial merry go round.

So who is it to be then. Who are the 2 people who turned us down in the past I wonder ? Will Fred go for one of them and give him another chance ?

Is Alan Shearer hovering in the backround ? Does he have influence ? How much ? Is he really a manager in waiting ?

Personally, when Bobby Robson left, I said on here that I wanted Big Sam. I still do. He may not be the best manager in the world – and yes of course if I knew who that was and thought we could get him then I would – but I think he would bring new methods to Newcastle, we all know how much attention he pays to modern fitness, training and medical techniques.

What impresses me the most, and always has, is not just this but the fact that he has players at Bolton who have been cast off by other clubs for various temperament and personality problems, or players who have ability but need “managing”. You know, the thing that Souness couldn’t adminster, so he just chucks them out of the club instead. This is important for a club like Newcastle. None of these players ever want to leave Bolton, and none of these players express anything publicly about him, fall out with him, in fact they all look like they would run through brick walls for him. He is in total charge of all his players.

On the playing side, he has been at Bolton for a long time now, and season by season they improve. He’s a stayer. What he does is long lasting. The momentum of the Keegan years is over, the last remaining player from it retired last year too.
We have came a long way since Keegan walked through that door, and it happened so fast people with justification sometimes claim that it was a new foundation built on sand, and was insustainable, but the time has arrived for this club to put down some good solid foundations, a new direction.

There is no guarantee that Allardyce will repeat what he did at Bolton. He may get it spectacularly wrong, but I doubt it. He would be my choice, among the British managers anyway.

One last thing also – if he is one of those 2 managers who turned the club down – then its irrelevant and he should be asked again. I would, because he is my choice and because I would put the club first. If the current chairman, board, major shareholders etc can’t also put the club first and write him off on the basis that they have been turned down, then they should go too for the simple reason that they are not putting the club first.

I am not against giving them one last attempt to get the right manager, because if they get it right, they would back him and we would be successful. By far the worst scenario is to appoint the right manager and lose him through having a board that chickens out of competing with the other top clubs.

Maybe Alan Shearer is next in line. If he is, and he is the next Brian Clough then we are made. If he is the next Terry Butcher we are buggered. Whoever they choose, it is their last chance, and it is too, because if they get it wrong this time, the ground will be half empty again in 2 years time.

by LeazesMag

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UEFA Cup – Are We Daft Enough To Win It Again

We last won this cup – or should I say it’s predecessor, in 1969.

In every round, our opponents underestimated us.

In the first round, we beat Feyenoord, who promptly went on to win the European Cup the following season,
And even wondered ourselves how we did it. Zero pressure and expectation in the great unknown resulted in Geoff Allen playing the game of his life, or sadly his short career anyway, terrorising the Dutch as we won 4-0.

They had probably never even heard of Newcaslte, and who could have blamed them, as we finished a paltry 10th in the league to qualify. No back door entries into europe in those days, eh ?

Shaking themselves out of their lethargy, they dusted themselves down and made a fist of trying to pull the lead back in the 2nd leg. A powerful fist of it. The mighty JohnKnackmeKnee and the Mighty Wyn lived up to their huge frames and led us to survival of the Alamo, holding onto the lead and going through on a 4-2 aggregate. Although I saw the first leg I was far too much of a spring chicken to be allowed to travel to Rotterdam and have had to rely on match reports of this game, which has became the stuff of legends and the day some of our boys became men, so they say.

The 2nd leg brought a trip to Lisbon. Sporting Club are a club with a big reputation in europe. I would expect that most people thought this would be the end of the line, and we had had our moment. We drew 1-1. Once again, our opponents found it difficult to break down a resolute defence, and couldn’t cope with the threat and courage of the magnificent Wyn Davies. In the 2nd leg, a spectacular and brilliant volley from Pop Robson won a tight affair.

In the 3rd round we played Real Zaragosa. They were rated as the best side we had came up against so far, none of them easy slouches, although going back to Feyenoords imminent success which was to come, suggested more than a few poor judges around in the press box in those days. Nowts changed there then !!

Goals by Pop Robson and Wyn Davies couldn’t prevent us from going down, on New Years Day, by 3-2. As in most european ties though, a 3-2 away defeat in the first leg is far from over and gives you a very good chance of going through.

The 2nd leg was a 2-1 win, and we were through on away goals. The rest of europe may have been taking notice of us by this time but so far as I was concerned and I’m sure most other NUFC fans, was just enjoying the ride. Somewhere around this time, Lord Westwood was said to have uttered the immortal phrase “we are daft enough to win the Fairs Cup”, as we went merrily on our way.

In the quarter final, Leeds, on their way to the league title, were doubled by Ujpest Dosza, who Don Revie described as the best team in europe. More about them soon. Newcastle however, were drawn against Vitoria Setubal, an unknown quantity and another opposition like ourselves but supposedly a team of genuine footballing quality and possible worthy winners of the trophy.

If Setubal didn’t get caught out by us, they certainly did get caught out by the weather. A snowstorm preceded this game, and I think the rumour was that Newcastle fought tooth and nail for this game to go ahead, such was our own particular selfish agenda. It transpired that when it did go ahead on schedule, on a snowbound pitch, the Setubal players had never seen snow before. As most of them entered the lions arena sporting tights and gloves, while shivering in sub zero temparatures previously unknown to them, and totally unable to come to terms with the conditions, we proceeded to make the most of it and won 5-1.

The return leg, resulted in a 3-1 defeat with the talented Portuguese, having recovered their poise, unable to pull back the deficit. The same fate as Feyenoord in Rotterdam in fact.

Come the semi Final, and Rangers were favourites, and we were underdogs, as had been the case in every round. At that time though, Scottish teams were genuine european contenders, Celtic having won the European Cup 2 years earlier, and Rangers too being as usual their closest rivals and fated to win the Cup Winners Cup a few years later. A tense game at Ibrox saw Iam McFaul save a penalty from Andy Penman, and us hold out for a 0-0 draw. Highlight of the pre match build up was KnackMeKnee, an ex Hibs and Celtic player, and Celtic supporter, tell the world he could play Colin Stein – the current Rangers and Scotland Centre Forward – “on one leg”.

Cue uproar among the Glaswegian hordes. I bet our own Big Bad John had a canny few after that night.

The 2nd leg is better remembered for all the wrong reasons, and will forever be remembered as such. Another tense affair, deadlocked at 0-0, was finally broken by Scotsman Jim Scott who scored at the Leazes End in the 2nd half. This was followed by another from fellow Scotsman Jackie Sinclair. The Rangers fans had had enough and promptly decided to invade the pitch. Whether they intended to get the game abandoned we don’t know, but the scenes as they forced the game to be stopped for 17 minutes is something I have never witnessed since.

The Notts Forest game in the FA Cup 5 years later, when Newcastle fans also invaded the pitch, was in my view, not an attempt to get the game abandoned.
How could it have been when the precedent had not been set in 1969 ? Anyway. Eventually the game restarted, and was played out in an eerie atmosphere as Rangers knew they were beaten and we knew we were in the Final.

Ujpest Dozsa did underestimate us in the Final. Having beaten Leeds, emphatically, according to Revie, they must have thought they could not go wrong.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Bob Moncur is still the last captain to lift a cup as Newcastle Captain, but the story of this final is truly the stuff of fairy tales.

You’ve all read and heard about it, so I won’t go through it again, but what he did in both of those games will never be forgotten.

The next day, my headmaster gave us all the afternoon off school to go and see the victory parade, from the airport to St James Park. I didn’t bother lining the streets, I went into the ground, and stood in my place in the middle of the Leazes End to see the trophy being shown from the old wooden stand by all the team and Joe Harvey.

We truly were “daft enough to win the Fairs Cup”. Whoever would have though, looking back a year ago, that we would even qualify for it this time around. We now stand 90 minutes and one major game away from a team who underestimated us, as Louis Van Gaal also did when he brought Barcelona to St James Park in 1997.

Survive this 2nd leg, when I think we will be tested to the limit by a quality, athletic and talented team, and who knows. Maybe we are daft enough to win it again.

by NE5

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Safe From Relegation

yeah I know, its not exactly setting your sights very high. However, back in October we all feared that it could be possible. The defeat by Sheff Utd was the lowest ebb for some time.

 That particular game for me summed up the damage done by Souness. Yes I know Roeder had been in the job for some time, but he’s doing a rebuilding job and these things take time. The only way from there was up, and for anyone with rose tinted specs  ©   who had kidded themselves that the club had been seriously damaged, that was the point at which they could take them off.

 As it is now, we have a chance of qualifying for europe again. Having been outpassed by Liverpool on Saturday, and had an occasional “blowout” ie the Birmingham match, it is obvious we have a fair way to go yet to be where we want to be, or where we were only a few short years ago ….

 There is promise though. A partner for Martins – which is necessary along with backup for both players – is essential. With more quality will come better possession and the ability to dictate games and get results in the right way, which is through quality football, rather than coming from behind and fighting which is good but can’t be done all the time.

Wouldn’t it be nice to top off a good second half of the season by finishing in the top 6 or 7, qualifying for europe by virtue of a league position, and winning the UEFA Cup by drawing inspiration from Michael Owen playing in the last games ? What price then Roeder being the unlikely man in charge of our first trophy win in 38 years.

You never know, nice guys sometimes do win, and it couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke.

by NE5

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Treading Water or On the Breadline

No players in, save for a loan. Did we expect anyone in ? Rumours of Crouch, SWP on loan, a left back – any left back ! – would have pacified most of the toon army, or rather have saved the expected criticism and frustration since hte passing of the transfer deadline.

Are you worried that Martins may be injured, and we have no one else ? Personally, I would be if we weren’t sitting on 33 points. Quite how we have amassed this total, looking back to how we felt after the home game with Sheff Utd is probably a surprise to many.

Certain players can be thanked for that. Martins adapting to the premiership. The input of Butt, who has been our best player in the last few months. One thing which has stood out has been the spirit of the team. How long will it last ? Is the quality there to sustain the better results ?

I suspect the lack of activity is due to the fact that we have – almost – climbed out of danger and reached the magical 40 points generally regarded as the safety figure. Looking at the meagre points total of the 3rd bottom club today, I would say we currently stand 2 or 3 points short of the amount needed this time round to ensure survival.

Then it’s summer. And the time for action. I am pleased the club hasn’t gambled on players and is leaving its options open while looking for the right players, so they say. Which is obviously the right policy for any football club. Do we have the money ? Will we have the money ? The huge amounts being dished out to clubs this summer mean we will, but remember all the other clubs are also getting huge amounts of money, so the players will go to the highest bidders. Expect transfer fees to be quite high ie higher still – for the top players.

Its the moment of truth though. A good couple of signings will see the club moving forward, Roeder sustaining his position as manager, but the wrong ones and we will surely see more unrest and possibly bigger changes at the club.

By NE5

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No Trophy Signing For The Toon

David Beckham is to join LA Galaxy after Real Madrid have said they will not be renewing his contract.

He follows a line of numerous past stars who will finish their careers in the states including George Best, Rodney Marsh, Pele and many other football greats – with the money, razzamatazz undoubtedly a major appeal along with the opportunity in his case to further his career and image in the US.

Many NUFC fans will be happy the club have not signed another “trophy” player though, although how many shirts he could have sold to offset the transfer is not known, one thing that is known is that this is a player who would have walked straight into the team and improved it, providing he played on the right side of the midfield and not thinking he is a central midfield player, because he isn’t.

The fact that he still thinks he has a few years left in his playing career is echoed by the fact he is reportedly signing a 5 year contract, albeit the US is a less demanding league, or is it ? if you consider the strides the US have made and their performances in the latest World Cups have shown.

It might be better than the Scottish league though.

By LeazesMag

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Timing

Success ? What is it, in football terms, in Newcastle United terms, in the eyes of supporters. Do you think if we don’t win a trophy we have failed ? Do you think that playing in europe and being one of the clubs capturing the focus of fans all over the country is success or failure ? Or do you expect it ? If you expect it, why do you expect it ? And therefore if you do expect it, why do you think we haven’t always expected it ?

Remember the night of 27th September 1994 ? It was our return to Europe, or rather our first match at home in europe for almost 20 years. Having won the first leg 5-0 away in Antwerp 2 weeks previously, it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that we would go through. In such circumstances, most clubs would probably play the game in front of a half full stadium, however the novelty of qualifying for europe after so long, since November 2nd 1977 to be precise, the fact that for many supporters it was their first taste of such a thing, and the awareness that the club was at the beginning of a bright new era ahead, ensured the stadium was full of happy, smiling faces.

This european run only lasted 2 rounds and so was disappointing but it didn’t really seem to matter as it we all realised we would be back next year. However a shock was in store, that year we finished 6th and didn’t qualify for the UEFA Cup the following season, sparking recriminations and blame, chiefly centred around the collapse of the team in the 2nd half of the season, and/or the sale of Andy Cole which undoubtedly played a large part.

Keegan Out ? Sack the Board ? Some supporters on the steps of St James Park thought so. Only 2 years previously we almost went into the old 3rd division. So much for the memories, such is the disgrace of not qualifying for the UEFA Cup.

We regrouped though, re-stated the clubs intentions and put our money – and ambition – on the line. The momentum of the club re-established itself and for most of the following season we were top of the league but suffered massive heartbreak surrendering the title in the last few games. By now, everybody knew we meant business, because we had said so, proved it and had the right manager buying the right players to back up the words. Success breeds success though, it also breeds new supporters, and younger supporters who
knew nothing other than challenging for titles and cups.

Imagine the situation of taking over from someone who has built up a fantastic momentum like this, and been a big success, in any walk of life, not just football. Just think of the advantages, how can you go wrong?
All the big titles, the prizes, the recognition, are all yours, within your grasp. You can almost touch them, they are so close. Then you find the manager who made it all happen for you departs.

I think its pretty obvious to say the club hasn’t reached the Keegan heights since, at least on the playing side of things. But its not for the want of trying though, the club has spent the entire time since trying to get back to that situation, throwing money galore at it.

What would you do to get back to it ? Firstly, they appointed a man who had experienced the winning feeling, the winning situation, handled the big players at the big club and this was without doubt a statement of intent, which nobody can say didn’t show their genuine ambition to keep the momentum of the Keegan years going. Dalglish unfortunately, appeared to decide he wanted to be the first man to win the title with 3 different clubs, but wanted to do it with his own players. So he set about ripping up the team, too much, too soon. He also played an ultra defensive system, but at least reached the FA Cup Final, our first visit since the League Cup Final 22 years earlier. If we had won this one game, he would not have been sacked and replaced with Gullit, a reactionary appointment who would play “sexy” football rather than the negative stuff before. “Let Me Entertain You” became the order of the day. Another FA Cup Final came, amazingly, on the back of another mid table inconsistent campaign and a manager who appeared to spend more time home in Amsterdam than at the club. He certainly lost the respect and backing of his senior players, and left the club in disarray.

Bobby Robson followed, another reactionary appointment. The grand old man of football with his man management skills came home to restore morale and stability to the club. With immediate effect, the club moved up the league and reached the FA Cup Semi Final, outplaying Chelsea, scoring their first goal at Wembley since 1976 but lost courtesy of 2 opportunist goals by Poyet.

The Bobby Robson era was a good one, Champions League football came, after almost entering the title race right at the death. During this period the club also expanded the capacity of the stadium and opened a new state of the art training complex. All good moves designed for the future well being of the club, and all made while the opportunity was there to capitalise on success, increased revenue and a higher profile.

Eventually the Robson era stagnated, and in came Souness. The disastrous appointment. He has set us back a lot. The board have to take the blame for this, the appointment was crass, foolish and for the wrong reasons. Supporting managers is the remit of any good board, and they backed their manager to the hilt, but as he was the wrong one, and it has resulted in a lot of money wasted, and players sold who should not have been sold. The mood since he came among the clubs supporters, has largely been one of frustration and looking for scrapegoats.

Since 1993, and promotion to the premiership, this club has finished 3rd, 6th, 2nd, 2nd, 13th, 13th, 11th, 11th, 4th, 3rd, 5th, 14th and 7th. We have qualified for europe 9 times, played in 2 FA Cup Finals, buy major international players and fill a 52,000 stadium every home game. Not bad, especially put against the fact that in the previous 30 years we only finished in the top 10 of the top league 5 times, and spent the majority of the remainder either fighting relegation or in the old 2nd division.

Despite having largely the same board and major shareholders, the first 3 years of the above were with Sir John as chairman, the remainder with Shepherd. The time of SJH also co-incided with Keegan as manager.
We have never had a manager like Keegan since, so have not matched that success. This firmly establishes this era as the best chairman and manager we have had at Newcastle since the mid to late 1950’s at least,
however lucky an appointment Keegan was, because you can’t say it was good planning or forward thinking, it was an inspirational gamble which hit the jackpot.

However, we have remained a top club, attempting to win things, competing with the top clubs, playing in europe, and today still stand in that position. Yet they remain unpopular. Would they like to turn the clock back to 1998 ? Will Shepherd learn to keep his gob shut like he might do at home …. !!!!

How does having the 2nd best record in over 50 years – the 3 consecutive top 5 finishes in Bobby Robsons time as manager is the first time the club have done this since 1949-1951 – equal unpopularity ?

The club have made mistakes. You can say in 2003 we should have bought players, but the club spent a lot of money on the stadium, and also invested heavily during Bobby Robson’s time to get back into europe. They also bought Woodgate in the January, where we were the only club to spend money in January. This transfer was actually a forward thinking transfer because it is without question that, in view of Woodgates ability and Leeds demise, he would have moved to someone else and in the summer there would have been a queue of clubs in for him.

Freddie Shepherd and Douglas Hall didn’t do themselves any favours when they were caught out in 1998 slagging off the fans, nor making comments about the “Geordie Nation” which make him look daft and encourage the Southern Press to take the piss out of us, along with comments about ManUtd being a “rudderless ship” when they win trophies galore, that do the same. People don’t forget these things. They don’t mention them when you are winning though …. a bit like the missus remembering you didn’t buy her a card for your wedding anniversary one year but always forgetting the weekend in Paris the year before.

So would you prefer to take over a job from someone who did exceptionally well, and if you did would you have the sense to let your results to the talking ? Or would you prefer to take over a sinking ship where you have nothing to lose ?

Do you think the club has spent the last decade trying desperately to cling onto the love affair that was the Keegan era ? They haven’t been able to match it but credit for trying ……. the thing is…now Shearer, the last link, has gone, it’s over. We have nowt but memories, especially the last spectacular one, but now they, or we, are on our own.

By NE5

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http://z3.invisionfree.com/NUFCforum/index.php?showtopic=2156

Luque for PSV ?

Misfit Albert Luque may be given the chance to appear in the Champions League. Rumour is that PSV may take the 28 year old on loan for the next 18 months, according to Sky Sports News. My own feeling is that they are taking liberties with a player who cost us 9.5m quid only 18 months ago.

This would be quite a turnaround for the player, if he joins the ranks of United’s numerous big money foreign flops over the years.

On the plus side, it may get him off the wage bill, and lets face it, as Glenn Roeder doesn’t seem to keen to give him games in spite of our massive injury crisis, whats the point in keeping him when he could be in the shop window. Its a difficult decision, ideally we want some of our money back.

by httadmin

Newcastle – It’s Time To Dream Again

They say that everyone who wins the FA Cup nearly goes out at some stage. You can certainly say that about last years final, the bindippers a minute or so away from losing the Final and coming out on top in the end on penalties at the end of extra time.Whether this theory is relevant to Newcastle United, I don’t know. We haven’t won the FA Cup since I was less than a year old. Every year since we have looked like going out, and indeed have. On saturday we didn’t really look like going out, in fact we should be through to another home tie in the next round. Whether Birmingham go on and win the FA Cup and consider the late equaliser by Seb Larrsson that decided their own particular destiny for this year is not yet known, maybe they will look back at that moment if they are walking around the New Wembly with the trophy held aloft in May.Somehow, I doubt it. In fact its pretty much stating the obvious that I hope they come to a sticky end next wednesday at SJP.What price Man Utd ? An injury time winner, in the first minute of 4 extra minutes may not fit with the “on the way out” scenario, but such fortune may indeed indicate their name is written in the stars, again. Hopefully not. What a shame that having signalled for 4 minutes of extra time for some reason – does this happen often at Old Trafford if they aren’t winning ? – that Villa didn’t equalise in the remaining 3. I have no idea who I would want to lift the trophy if we don’t, at the moment my sights on firmly fixed on black and white ribbons of the striped variety.

2 years ago under the reign of Souness, all sorts of superstitions abounded. Chelsea won the league for the first time since 1955, and we hoped to complete a double by winning the first FA Cup since the same year. Especially after beating them in the 5th round courtesy of a goal by Fat Kluivert. It wasn’t to be. Everyone breaks a duck and a curse, apart from us it seems. Somehow it seems that it would have been a complete miscarriage of justice if the miserable jock had lifted the FA Cup as NUFC manager, and gone down in history, undeservedly, as a “legend”. The only legend deserved of such an accolade in the recent history of Newcastle United being a certain person by the name of Kevin Keegan.

Firstly, we have a replay. Maybe it is our year. Maybe we will be facing elimination with 5 or 10 minutes on the clock, equalise, come back in extra time and win, or win on penalties now we have broken our duck which began way back against Pecsi Dozsa November 3rd 1970 and ended at Vicarage Road, Watford on November 8th 2006. 36 years to the day almost. Maybe now we stand 180 minutes and 2 home games from the 5th round means it is our year. We have said this often, or I have anyway. The best scenario and finish being winning against ManU or Arsenal in the Final. Sweet revenge for our last 2 “performances” at the Old Wembley.

Bring in the New. Bring in change. And here’s to success.

by NE5.

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