Natives are restless

Yesterday saw the start of the new Premier League season. On the pitch incidents involving every lazy journalist's favourite villain, Joey Barton, made the headlines. You do have to ask which other player would get stamped on and slapped and yet still come out as the wrongdoer, but then again, when it's Joey Barton on the receiving end you know that the handwringing press and other club's whiter-than-white fans will demand Barton to be strung up from the nearest lamp-post, despite him being the victim in this. Ok he shouldn't have pulled up Gervinho, but then again it was a yellow card offence and he got a yellow card. End of the story regarding Joey Barton for me!

What was more striking for me than any of the on-field antics was the goings on in the South-East "Strawberry" corner. I used to be in the Leazes corner, a part of the ground specifically given up to people who wanted to sing and make some noise in an ever quieter St James Park. At the end of last season Mike Ashley decided to disband the Leazes corner. Many speculated that this came about because of anti-Ashley chanting. The club put forward the point that they wanted to extend the away fans section, the family section and have a "Youth" area where young uns could congregate together.

Despite assurances from Simon Esland, the Head of Customer operations, that fans would be listened to, and groups such as United for Newcastle and another group fronted by Jordan Robinson, a lad who was behind the "Bring back the noise" campaign were given time to talk with Esland about the moves. We asked the club to consider moving everyone in a block to other areas of the stadium and the Level 4 corner was identified as the area which had the least season ticket holders, and therefore the ideal place to put those being moved.

However rumours came through at the Manchester United game that the previous thoughts of moving us to Level 4 were not going to happen, but that it wouldn't be announced until after the end of the season, leaving the fans affected no chance to voice their discontent at the end of the season. Sure enough, just after the West Brom game it was announced that fans from the Leazes corner would not be moved en masse to Level 4. I know that a lot of fans felt that Esland had strung us along, some going as far to say that they though that he had lied about the situation. What was clear was that the suspicion that Ashley was trying to split up the most vocal fans in the ground up, presumably to try and dissipate the anti-Ashley chanting.

I arrived at the ground at around about 5.10pm last night. After feeling like a total newbie trying to find my seat I finally made my way up into the Strawberry corner. It was obvious that the Leazes Level 4 corner had plenty of spare seats, which was bloody annoying! While Arsenal brought up extra fans, I can't wait to see empty blocks of seats up in Level 7 when the likes of Wigan and Fulham come to town.

There were already grumbles about people standing, before the match started. Once the game kicked off several scuffles broke out between the people who had been previous "corner" season ticket holders and the newcomers. Despite the majority of the newcomers being located in the back rows of the corner, there were some who are located further down.

People who wanted to sit were complaining about those standing impeding their views. People who were standing were complaining as, up in the Leazes corner we were allowed to stand. I saw an older couple who were in the block closest to the East stand get involved in a dispute and end up leaving their seats after about 10 minutes. In front of me, though, was the most shocking incident that I have seen in a long while in the stands of St James Park. A well built, middle aged man and his friends were sitting, two young lads, one aged only 16 stood up briefly as a free kick was taken. A comment was made by one of the men who was sitting and the young lad turned around to look at them. The well built bloke grabbed the young lad by the face and shook him, while his friends shouted horrendous abuse. These men had obviously been drinking, and their reaction to these young lads standing up was completely un-necessary.

Obviously I can understand that there are people who don't want to, or can't stand all match and that was why the Leazes corner was brought into existence. The stewarding up there was relaxed, the atmosphere was one where singing, chanting and (if you wanted to standing in front of your seat was, well not permitted, but tolerated).

There has got to be some give and take in the Strawberry corner, and I'm not talking about the standing really. We all know we are not supposed to stand, and it's against the club's licence, blah, blah, blah! People don't get hurt by standing in front of seats at a football match. They get hurt when fans are moved from areas of the stadium where standing was tolerated and put in to new areas where standing isn't. That isn't the fault of people who have been made to move, it's the fault of the man who orchestrated the move - Mike Ashley!

If the person behind me asked me to sit, I would sit down. Luckily the people behind me are people who have been relocated from the Leazes Corner who were standing too. But if someone behind you wants to sit, and asks you to sit down as they can't see I would say you have to sit too. What isn't acceptable is violence between fans of the same team. Whether it's middle ages fans, or young uns starting on the other it's just not on and it needs to stop.

Come on folks, it's going to take time for us all to get used to each other, but lets not see the kind of violence I saw yesterday. We are supposed to be supporting the same team, getting behind the lads, we are supposed to be Newcastle United!

Smells like team spirit

On May 24th 2009 I travelled to Villa Park, with the hope that Newcastle would claw enough of a result to see us avoid the drop into the championship. The day did not start well, with me locking myself out of the house, with my match ticket inside, and cutting my hand breaking in through the back door to retrieve said ticket. Almost missing the bus, in the resultant panic, was something I almost wish I had done. Had I known the lack of passion, fight and heart that the lads in black and white would show down in Birmingham on that day then I would have settled for a lie in instead.


We all know how that match panned out. A pathetic showing from the professional footballers representing our club, a deflected own goal off Damien Duff to shatter the hearts of the Geordie faithful who not only travelled to Villa Park that day, but sang their hearts out for over half an hour after the final whistle to show that we still love our club. I saw one lad crying that day, just one, and he was told in no uncertain terms to man the fuck up!


The journey back up from the midlands seemed never-ending. A bus full of lads and lasses who were sombre, unsure of what the future held, lads and lasses who had been dreadfully hurt by the club they adored.


What happened on that day though, and the subsequent weeks and months later, was that a new team was reborn. Like a phoenix out of the ashes. The mercenaries, Owen, Viduka, Beye, Martins, Duff, and others left the club. A core emerged of players, who on paper appeared less talented, but more gritty, more determined. These lads literally stood up in the dressing room and declared that they wanted to stay at the club and bring it back to the premiership.


Steve Harper. Alan Smith. Kevin Nolan. Joey Barton. Jose Enrique. Fabricio Colocinni. Jonas Gutierrez. This group of lads literally stood up and said that anyone who didn't want to be at the club could fuck off, but that they were staying. This group of lads formed the bedrock of a team that decimated the championship, unbeaten at home and impressive away. When the championship trophy was presented at St James Park 12 months after the agony of relegation these lads knew that something had fundamentally changed at the football club.


This group of lads had become a team in the real sense of the word. I, for one, sensed a change up at Gallowgate. During 2010-2011 many expected Newcastle to struggle, when Hughton was unfairly sacked, when Carroll was sold. But they hadn't bargained on the strength of the core of lads who made up the team.

In Kevin Nolan we have a proper captain. Michael Owen couldn't have motivated cement to set when he was given the armband. His lacklustre, gutless, selfish attitude meant that he was unable to think beyond himself both on and off the field. Owen was invisible for most of his time at Newcastle, both on and off the field and in a team which is so deeply involved with the people of the North-East, which belongs to the area, that was unforgivable.


Kevin Nolan is polar opposite to Michael Owen, leading by example. He is a captain in the true sense of the word. He famously had a special relationship with Andy Carroll, taking him into his home when the young lad ended up in trouble. He and Joey Barton are close friends, who have holidayed together. He has offered to work with Nile Ranger after training to improve the youngster's game. On the field his goals have proved vital.

Joey Barton is infamous, for his previous off-field antics. However, the work he has put in, not only to improve himself, but also for Newcastle United in the last two years off the field, should be recognised. This lad asks for nothing but 100%, not only from himself but from his team mates too. He is a catalyst in the team on the field, his football being at times sublime this season. He also acknowledges that he has a lot to give back to Newcastle for standing by him when he was imprisoned. Joey truly has made fundamental changes to himself. But his heart belongs to the team. Joey has offered to take a substantial pay cut to stay at Newcastle United, in the days of greedy footballers, how many others could you name who would do that?


So it has been hard to hear that Nolan and Barton are being told they have no future at the club. Joey Barton's agent, Willie McKay, said recently about Barton's contract negotiations:

"I had a meeting this morning with [managing director] Derek [Llambias] and [football secretary] Lee [Charnley] and there was no offer on the table."

and over recent days rumours of Nolan's contract negotiations stalling have been muted. 

I don't think anyone wants to see Newcastle United to stagnate. But for too long we have had a team that has lacked strength in depth. We also have a team spirit that no amount of money can buy. So why would the club wish to take two extremely important cogs from the machine? Many of us hope for a repeat of the Steven Taylor situation, which saw the defender sign a contract after he was reportedly told he was no longer needed at the club. I've also heard others say, well these lads will be 31 and 32 if we give them 3-4 year deals, but I feel that this is short-sighted on their part. Nolan and Barton offer far more than an on-field presence. 

Llambias refuses to speak about important issues regarding the club, making pointless comments instead about Michael Owen's previous wages. It's about time that Llambias recognised that if we dismantle the foundations then the structure will come tumbling down and we will end up back where we were in May  2009, and may not have the passion and guile to rebuild. 

Embarrassment of riches

This weekend Alan Pardew has admitted that he has a huge decision to make in the summer. Our current goalkeeping situation sees three men fighting for one place and Pardew has come out in the press to say that he has to decide whether to let one of the young 'keepers leave the club.

Steve Harper has been with Newcastle United since 1993, after signing from local non-league team Seaham Red Star. As Newcastle's longest serving player, he has spent the majority of his career acting as back up to Shay Given. Some cite a lack of ambition for Harper not moving away from Newcastle in that time, personally I see it as loyalty. Whenever Harper has been asked to step up to the mark he has shown that he is worthy of the number 1 shirt and he could have walked into the goalkeeping role at a number of other Premier League clubs and possibly have gained some England caps.

Harper is the model professional. Having completed an Open University degree while playing for Newcastle reserves, Harper is also an FA approved referee. He attends reserve team matches and keeps himself well out of the media spotlight. He is also reported to be a big fan of darts and a joker in the dressing room. He is certainly a fans favourite and deserves his place between the sticks but as he celebrates his 36th birthday today time is not on his side.

Coming up fast behind Harper Newcastle United are lucky enough to have two superb young 'keepers. Tim Krul currently holds the spot on Newcastle's bench, after 19 appearances this season. Signed from his hometown team, Den Haag, Krul had a cameo role in the 2006-2007 season when he starred in the UEFA cup game against Palermo making some astonishing saves due. Since then, with the two 'keepers in front of him, Krul has spent time on loan at Falkirk and Carlisle before returning as back up when Given moved to Manchester City. Krul is highly rated by his country, where he has represented Holland at Under 17 and Under 21 level and is now involved with the senior squad and is tipped to be Holland's future number 1. He has also courted interest from the likes of Juventus and Feyernood, and if he was to leave Newcastle would have no trouble finding a club to play for.

Meanwhile Fraser Forster has not been resting on his laurels. The young, Hexham-born 'keeper has spent time at Stockport, Bristol, Norwich and Celtic on loan where he has impressed both fans and managers. At Norwich he kept an astonishing 50% record for clean sheets, which earned him the Macron Golden Gloves award. Norwich were promoted from league one, and Forster earned the Players Player Award and came second in the Fans Player Awards. Forster then joined Celtic at the start of the 2010-2011 season, and has so far made 30 appearances for the SPL club.

It will have been invaluable for Forster to have played in front of 50, 000 fans every other week, as if he is to step into the 'keeper's role at St James Park, it will be something he has to face up to. Nothing teaches a young goalkeeper better than experience, and Forster has played his role in the Old Firm games this season showing that he can withstand the high pressure matches.

Come pre-season training Alan Pardew knows that he will have 3 goalkeepers banging on his door to show them why he is worthy of the regular goalkeeping spot at Newcastle. Personally I would like to see Forster given a chance to show that he can step up to the Premier League, with Harper in a player-coach role, and Krul being given a spell on loan at a high-level Championship/lower Premier League club. It's an interesting dilemma for Pardew to have, and one which I will be watching closely.

Snood believe it?

We have seen a remarkable week in football. Since last Saturday we have seen air-rifles being shot at work experience lads, referees giving free kicks for incidents they didn't see, ignoring incidents they obviously did see, Wayne Rooney clattering opposition players, dodgy penalties being given, stonewall penalties not being given, Alex Ferguson saying referees are superb and then saying they are crap, dubious offside's being flagged, managers squaring up to each other, player brawls on the pitch, owls being kicked and subsequently dying and Kolo Toure facing a ban for chugging his wife's slim-fast or whatever it was.

Fifa are footballing's highest body. They control world, if not universal, football and this week they held a meeting. You would think that they had some serious footballing matters to discuss. However what they decided was that snoods, the things that aren't quite a scarf, aren't quite a hood but are definitely a fashion faux pas and definitely something that young men playing football shouldn't be seen dead wearing, are to be banned. Fifa, in their wisdom, have ruled that the snoods are a health a safety risk, and that players could be choked by opposition players grabbing their woolly neck protectors.

There is nothing more hilarious than a player wearing a snood! It's laughable when you see a professional footballer wearing a short sleeved shirt and gloves. I have tried to imaging players such as Brian "Killer" Kilcline or Ron "Chopper" Harris in a snood, but my mind won't let such a preposterous thought. A professional footballer should be running around, the body heat keeping him warm. Gloves? Snoods? What next? Legwarmers? 19th Century handmuffs? Bodywarmers? Earmuffs?

Newcastle United fans have a reputation of being completely mental at times. It's not uncommon to see lads, like those pictured at the top of the blog, with their tops off for 90 minutes of the game in the middle of December, bouncing like loons. Some of them could definitely do with a trip to Sadie the Bra lady but they manage to make it through the game without thermal vests despite not having the physical exertion of a football match to keep them warm.

It beggars belief though, that in a week where there has been multiple problems with referees not being able to control players, making huge mistakes on the field, where players have assaulted other players and where managers have incited crowd problems with their behaviour football's world governing body has nothing to say but to ban a stupid item of clothing that no self-respecting man should wear anyway.