Jonas takes pro-Ashley stance.

Posted on November 9th, 2009 | 141 Comments |

Pro-Ashley?
Pro-Ashley?
Newcastle United’s Jonas Gutierrez did not celebrate his goal on Saturday with his trademark ‘Spiderman’ mask. This has already been covered, but it also appears he wasn’t too keen on the anti-Ashley demonstrations.

According to report in the Telegraph, Jonas did indeed leave the mask behind because he was unhappy about press speculation related to him wanting to leave the club, but he went on to say:

“We know the crowd were shouting out something to the owner but we try not to think about that because it can be difficult for us.

“The only thing we can think about is to win and get the three points. We know if we do that the crowd will be happy.

“We try to win for the crowd. When they are shouting to the owner we don’t think about it. I have met him and I think the owner is doing really good things for Newcastle. They want to stay. The team is good.

“It is good for Newcastle.

“We are going about things in the right way. We try to win all the games and the owner is now doing the right things. We know Chris Hughton is the manager now and that is very important.”

That’s probably as strong an endorsement for Mike Ashley as I’ve seen from one of our players. It is of course rare for players to launch into strong criticism of an owner – who, after all, pays their wages – but most just keep their thoughts to themselves or possibly hint very subtly at their stance on matters.

Jonas’s stance is unlikely to go down too well with the hardcore anti-Ashley fans, who demonstrated outside the ground on Saturday and left no doubt about their feelings towards Ashley with some of the chants during the game.

NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10). Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.

Related Posts:

Posted on by Hugh de Payen in category: Hugh de Payen and Interviews and Jonas Gutierrez and Mike Ashley and NUFC gossip and speculation , with tags: , , , ,
Comment on this post

141 Responses

  2. I suppose from his point of view its not as black & white (sic) as it is to the fans, for the players, he’s made CH permanent – they’ve been on about him getting the job for weeks & weeks, he’s made a solid decision about the ownership – removed the speculation that’s been floating around and said he’ll back signings if he can – strongest statement of supporting the club he’s made so far
    maybe I just find it hard to slate the lad, he’s not been the star we all expected but he’s worked hard whenever I’ve seen him

  3. “We know the crowd were shouting out something to the owner but we try not to think about that because it can be difficult for us.”

    There you go – a player saying demo’s can make it hard for the team. Another of a recent set of statements telling you the fans helped get us relegated last year. And again if they persist – they will have played their part in ruining our promotion charge – scumbags – each and every fan chanting anti-Ashley songs at the ground should be ejected immediately – two offences and their ticket should be taken from them.

  4. protests before , during and after the game & it’s the best i’ve seen them play in about 18 months – we really need to continue with the protests if this is the effect it has on the team.

  5. Yawn!!!
    Another senseless tirade against the great United fans from Stardust….your extrapolation of crazy views gleaned from that one sentence from Jonas is laughable.
    Stardy – you don’t like United fans, you don’t like Alan Shearer, you don’t like Kevin Keegan, You didn’t like Glenn Roeder, FFS, Sir John Hall, the tea lady…..
    FFS you don’t even like Andy Carroll!!
    So……..Why do you hang around our club like a bad smell??? 

  6. UTD111 – I like the honest players, the honest fans, the loyal fans – you know – the ones that support the club not hate it.
     
    I understand you love your hate filled world – I dont choose to be part of it. I prefer to be with my good friends in Iskcon – and generally very happy.

  7. The difference is, Stardust, that you love Ashley and the mockery he has made of our club. Therefore you are happy with what is currently happening at the club. Therefore you won’t protest or make a noise.

    The rest of us aren’t particularly pleased with how the club has been ruined. Therefore we have something to say about it. That means protests, as there is no other way of doing it.

    You do confuse me by blaming the fans all the time.

  8. Stardust – I risked the wrath of my good lady in sneaking away after my daughter’s birthday party on Saturday to get to the game. I supported the team and let Ashley know what I thought of his latest decisions. Am I honest and loyal? Do I support the club and not hate it? I didn’t feel angry or hate-filled before, during or after.

    I imagine there were many thousands just like me.

  9. Stardust – I don’t know one United fan who “hates the club” as you put it. On the contrary – it’s their love of the club which makes them stand up for it.

    Ask them about the current owner of course and his mob and that’s different. You confuse the two.

    FYI – I personally don’t live in a “hate filled world” – I’ve got a great life mate LOL

  10. I agree.  We shouldn’t be even mentioning Ashley’s name during the game.

    We should have better things to be doing.  Like supporting the players.

    I’m getting bored of all this stupid St James’ Park crap.

    I notice Chelsea supporters aren’t making a massive fuss about Stamford bridge being sponsored.  They did demonstrate about the idea yesterday did they?

    I think the likes of NUST, (Of which I am a member) Steve Wraith and Mark Jensen need to stop whipping everyone up into a frenzy.  Their not helping anyone.

  12. “The chant of “Stand Up For St. James’ Park” which reverberated around the grand arena said everything about the love there is for Newcastle United”

    I don’t mind admitting, as I watched all four sides of the ground and some of their fans stand up as one and join in, that it was a pretty emotional moment. To me that ‘belonging’ and shared understanding is what makese me love my club so much.

    I stand in Level 7 and while it’s arguable that some lads could quite easily be misguided (let’s be polite),  you can sense how much it means to them, even the younger ones already. And as UTD111 says, there’s not a lot of room for hate, when there’s a whole lot of love for their club.

  13. There are other ways to show one’s love, aren’t there?
    I guess emotions can skew how it all comes out?
    Maybe, some need some bete noir to rail against, to get the blood, emotions etc going? Fair enough.
    ;)

  14. supporting the club GIVES us the right to protest against the current Regime’s antics, freedom of speech is the corner of enlightened society and if you’re an advocate of keeping your opinions to yourself Stardust then I would suggest you take your own advice, if you have nothing constructive to say, take the educated path and say nothing – better to be considered an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt someone wise once said…..

  15. and before any kind of bashing starts, I’m not an advocate of protesting – but I reserve the right to if I see fit

    sorry for the double post so quick, just trying to be clear

  16. danny-boy says:
    November 9, 2009 at 11:13 am

    You’re absolutely right.  But it’s then down to what you think protests in the ground will achieve.  Will it effect the players and their performance? 

    After all it’s my right to walk down Northumberland St with a placard saying whatever I want on it.  But would I do it?  NO!

    Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

  17. Jonas and Nolan have both came out supporting Ashley lately – maybe they are sick of our moronic element. (as sick as I am no doubt)

  18. Stardust You say you have good friends in Iskcon eh?

    By their nature, they are very tolerant and understanding people and yes I can see them putting up with you……. there’s never a lost cause as far as they’re concerned!

  19. and thats personal opinion Stu, nor should you be taking shots at those who choose to
    what will it achieve? if nothing else, it shows how big of an issue the NAME CHANGE is for the fans, if you do not voice your opinion, don’t be surprised or annoyed when nobody takes notice
    as i said at the start, Jonas has his opinion and that is fine, I have no umbrage with it or him for it, lets consider if it affects the players, on a sampling, there was chanting and we won 3-1, therefore, no I don’t think it affects the players, prove to me it does

  21. 20 – lol – got to admit Stuart – like your new style of posts – very objective. ( I even read them now lol)

  23. danny-boy says:
    November 9, 2009 at 11:31 am

    ‘Prove to me it does’

    Hull and Blackburn last season.  The atmosphere was poisonous and it DID effect the players, if it didn’t they weren’t human.

    But the results and performances in them too games said it obviously did effect them.

    Outside the ground I have no problem but inside NO.

    Why don’t we start supporting the team instead of clinging on to this ridiculous notion about history and heritage…

  24. Stardust – 40, 000+ people stood up, applauded the sentiments and in many cases joined in the chant “Stand up for St James’ Park”.

    A ground full of morons?

    Chris Hughton doesn’t seem too fussed and also speaks for his squad –

    “We have got a totally focused group of players who, from minute one, saw an opportunity for us to stay on top of the division, and very much took that opportunity.

    “We have got used to getting on with the job. There are things we can’t affect, but I am very lucky that I have got a group of players who are focused on one thing, and that’s on staying where we are at the right end of the table with the ultimate aim of getting promotion.

    “We are focused enough and it certainly hasn’t taken anything away from the victory.”

    That’ll do for me.

    My loudest shout of the day went to Gutierrez when he scored (fickle?? me??) and then on a “We are the Geordies…..” rendition.

  25. bowburnmag says:
    November 9, 2009 at 11:36 am

    Bowburn, come on man!

    You know as well as I know that Hughton has to be non comittal on all these sensitive issues.  He cannot condem the protests for fear of being hauled over the coals by the supporters and he cannot condone them for fear of the same by Ashley.

    Catch 22 for him so he won’t commit either way.
    But you can rest assured he would rather there were no protests in the ground.

  26. just 1 fairly major point – we are neither Hull nor Blackburn

    even in our current predicament, i am 100% confident that the players know full well that they have the 100% backing of the crowd

    this is NOT the first game that there have been protests at and still the players continue to push for promotion

    support for the team is not and never has been the issue, and heritage & history is a ridiculous notion? you sir, are an idiot – I said name calling is a childs game but there is no other explanation for that comment, learn from the past or else you are doomed to repeat it, which is part of the problem, the mistakes regarding the fans that both Ashley & Llambias have made are continuing as they have both learned nothing

  27. Stu – I think we’d all prefer there were no protests in the ground. What I’m trying to say, is that a squad of players just got on and did the job on Saturday. They looked more determined than ever. The atmosphere was decent from where I was standing.

    The Hull and Blackburn games were not the same issue, the club was in turmoil, the manager gone, everything uncertain and nobody had a clue what was going on.

    I would like the old Stuart back please. :)

  28. that sentiment is precisely what this is all about BBM, this is about St James’, not only is it part of NUFC’s heritage it is part of Newcastle’s, the cathedral on the hill has no voice of it’s own, so the voices of 40,000+ have to suffice and if anyone chooses to ignore that then they have no place in football or the city

  29. Ok, there are alway going to be people who moan inside the ground, no matter what.  From the person I sat next to during the 3-2 win over Barca complaining that Tino was a show pony and was a dead cert to miss the penalty to the father and son duo I have the “pleasure” to sit behind during a visit from Arsenal, constantly having a go at the team for a full 45 minutes, until they went for a slash at half time.  They then continued their rant for all of the second half.  We actually played really well that day. 
    However to insinuate that the ground is just full of hate filled supporters is rediculous even for this blog.  Regular posters will know that I think that people like Stardust only come out with these statements for effect, to try and wind people up.  If they aren’t then why associate yourself with people you quite clearly can’t stand to be near?
    Questioning heritage and history is possibly one of the most transparent wind ups ever to appear on here.  I’m all for progress and improving on what has gone by in order to make sure we learn from our mistakes, but to just dismiss what has gone in the past is at least disrespectful and at the most a very dangerous road to take.
    Fans I’ve spoken to from other clubs really do empathise with us.  They just don’t know how we can keep turning up week after week to support the team.  They all think Ashley is a muppet and he has ruined the club.  Now these aren’t kids or “hate filled morons” from Newcastle, they are intelligent fans from other clubs.  If they can see what has happened to NUFC under ashley is nothing but a disgrace, then there must be something going on.

  34. lets not turn this over to a witch hunt, not a wisee choice of wors Stu but the sentiment from most is right, Heritage & History is important in football, rivalries, past glories etc. all make us what we are today, stealing that from us in the name of free advertising is what has upset so many and rightly so, whoever buys the rights to the stadium name could do masses of repairs to the relationship with the fans by simply saying ” call it St. James Park and put the logo somewhere else on the ground”

  35. Howay lads, i know you don’t like people having opposing views n’all that,
    but get off Stu’s back.
    He’s making a valid point about trying to allow the players to be
    free of off putting protests. He, like us, just wants the Toon back in the prem asap.
    With the minimum of fuss.
    His ‘argument’ is not ‘idiotic’.

  37. Clint – only an idiot thinks his argument is idiotic.
     
    And as for Micky Toons “Now these aren’t kids or “hate filled morons” from Newcastle, they are intelligent fans from other clubs” – I disagree, many others hold this view too, I speak to them, spend time in pubs with them, I think many for reasons of madness follow this mob like mentality without thought – they damage our club far more than the away supporters, or mackems could ever do. It does depend on who you mix with though.

    Why on earth would “fans” damage the thing they support and then try and claim the right to be a supporter. Its akin to smashing a mate in the face and expecting all to be well and for your mate and others to respect you.

  38. stardust, the sheer amount of attempted wind-ups on here lead me to believe that you’ve never seen the inside of a pub on account of not being old enough to drink
    so you believe that History & Heritage are a ridiculous notion then? seeing as that’s what the idiotic argument debate has been over
    you really are pathetic & that is as much as I have to say to you

  39. No Danny – you misplace the argument and reshape the rationale behind the statement to suit your own ends.
    History and Heritage are the foundations of the club, tomorrow is the future and without a future you have no history to reminisce x amount of years down the line.
     
    Stop the demo’s or your history and heritage will be a downward spiralling club, support it and untold success including promotion will be ours.

  40. For the record, Stu should know I’m unlikely ever to fall out with him. I am surprised that he’s taken such a strong stance against this ill-feeling towards Ashley. But hey, he’s his own man.

    Stardust – I definitely have to say that you draw some really exagerrated parrallels and describe some ugly analogies. I really don’t know whether that’s the way you see it but for me, this sort of situation is fairly unique and I’m not sure if there’s a fitting analogy I can think of.

  41. stardust – threatening to smash someone in face seems to have done the trick for you though – you and stuart79 are now like two peas in a pod – yuk !

  42. personally i see it as the people who protested are standing up for our history and identity and realise that even if the protests did cost us promotion some things are more important they also realise that if we dont win promotion its unlikely to be because of the protests as you may have read enrique thought the support for the team was brilliant claiming our support is better than madrid and barca(to be fair thats not hard)

  43. I don’t buy any of this ‘hate’ nonsense.

    What we have are a bunch of people who love their club with disparate views about what’s best for it. It’s as simple as that.

  44. I made the argument in the first place – read the posts before commenting

    Stuart79 says:
    November 9, 2009 at 11:35 am

    Why don’t we start supporting the team instead of clinging on to this ridiculous notion about history and heritage…

    danny-boy says:
    November 9, 2009 at 11:46 am

    support for the team is not and never has been the issue, and heritage & history is a ridiculous notion? you sir, are an idiot – I said name calling is a childs game but there is no other explanation for that comment, learn from the past or else you are doomed to repeat it, which is part of the problem, the mistakes regarding the fans that both Ashley & Llambias have made are continuing as they have both learned nothing

    using big words doesn’t make you clever, nor is any of that spectacular sentence even relevant, the club is in no immediate peril so talking about the future is moot, there is a future whether we protest or not, and, as the results show, the protests are having no effect on the teams performance, as macas pointed out from Enriques comments, neither is it effecting the morale
    as you’ve obviuosly missed, support for the club is not the issue, we do support the club, the protests are about OFF-field antics, primarily the renaming of the stadium – to generate funds, which Ashley is not paying for

    why don’t you sit down & shut up like a good little boy….

  46. bowburnmag says:
    November 9, 2009 at 1:17 pm
    For the record, Stu should know I’m unlikely ever to fall out with him. I am surprised that he’s taken such a strong stance against this ill-feeling towards Ashley. But hey, he’s his own man.

    My stance is that I think the only way were going to get rid of him is if we get promoted.  Our best chance of promotion is if he invests in January. 

    Do you really think he will be happy to spend an extra few quid if were protesting at him all time?  There’s a bit of hypocrisy there.

    I want him gone, he’s divided our club more than anyone but we need to be in the PL for that to happen.

  47. BBM – look put it simply – if you tell someone you hate them – why would he put his hand in his pocket and pull out more than the bare minimum (when your interests are aligned).
     
    If you like someone or something you are doing you are far more likely to give more than expected not less.

  49. Because I genuinely don’t think he cares. Perhaps I’m wrong on that. This is just damage-limitation to him. He will sell when the price is right. If he believes the price will be right when we get promoted, and that to get to promoted we need to invest, he will spend. Whether we have the right people in the right places to ensure he realises that we need to spend, I don’t know but I have my doubts.

  50. BBM – just logged onto Google translate – I asked for BBM to English “Because I genuinely don’t think he cares. Perhaps I’m wrong on that” – it came up with the translation “I guessed”

  51. bowburnmag says:
    November 9, 2009 at 1:59 pm
    Because I genuinely don’t think he cares. Perhaps I’m wrong on that. This is just damage-limitation to him. He will sell when the price is right. If he believes the price will be right when we get promoted, and that to get to promoted we need to invest, he will spend. Whether we have the right people in the right places to ensure he realises that we need to spend, I don’t know but I have my doubts.

    Now there we agree.

    I think this is damage limitaton for him.  I think he does want out and when he gets a good offer he’ll be gone.  But where’s he going to get that offer? Championship or PL?

    He must know it will be the PL.  But I also thought that last year and he didn’t invest in January and we suffered the consequences.

  52. BBM – can you not see Stuarts approach is the right one – he hates the regime and wants change but goes about it in the right manner – support first.
     
    Liverpool are an example of why we dont want buying by the wrong owner. If they fail to qualify for the Champions League this year – god knows what carnage will follow – certainly player sales which will damage their future chances of the CL. More player sales etc BUT that is to pay interest on their debt only – they simply will not be able to pay the debt off – they could literally drop off the face of the earth.

  53. for clarity, that wasn’t aimed at you Stu, meant for Stardust in response to:

    39

    Stardust says:
    November 9, 2009 at 1:14 pm
    No Danny – you misplace the argument and reshape the rationale behind the statement to suit your own ends.
    History and Heritage are the foundations of the club, tomorrow is the future and without a future you have no history to reminisce x amount of years down the line.
     
    Stop the demo’s or your history and heritage will be a downward spiralling club, support it and untold success including promotion will be ours.
    as much as you and I don’t see eye to eye Stu, this one wasn’t aimed at you

  55. For crying out loud, all the protests in the world are not going to reverse what Ashley’s done in rebranding the ground and juding by the looks on the faces of him and Llambias, he doesn’t care a monkey’s chuff for the  protestations.

    It’s happened,  done, no turning the clock back and that’s on top of all the harm that’s been done to the club by Ashley et al.  All the protests are doing are giving oxygen to the promotion of the brand and future marketing and revenue raising opportunities.

    Just bite the tongue when thinking of protesting but continue to support the players in magnificent style, see the team promoted and hopefully sold to a buyer that’s got a bit more sense than the present regime.

    The point about renaming the ground’s been made so let’s just live with it and hope for better things to come.

  56. massively flawed argument stardust, comparing us to any other team is a mistake, part of liverpools problems is the manager, been there 5 years – so it’s HIS squad, bought in roughly 60-70 players and sold a large percentage at a loss to what he paid and paid over the odds for most of his squad who fail to function when Torres/Gerrard are unfit
    I said it before, if you choose not to voice your opinion on the terraces then fine, just don’t try to bemoan those who do
    I don’t advocate protests but if it gets the message over then I support it

  57. Just reding the mention of the Premier Leagues greatest striker.
     
    Just a one for debate – in this article 2 years ago Rob Smyth argues that Andy Cole could well be a better player than Shearer. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2007/feb/01/1
     
    Certainly when penalities are taken out of the equation (Cole never took them) Cole comes out on top.
     
    So who was the Premier Leagues greatest striker, Thierry Henry for me as he brought more to the team than Shearer did – particularly in his later years.

  58. Stardust says:
    November 9, 2009 at 2:26 pm

    Shearer for me. 

    To come back from the injuries he had in his career and still be as good as he was in my opinion was unbelievable.

    Also taking into account that Shearer didn’t play in a successful team Balackburn apart for one season.

    Shearer had to carry a team for years, Henry was part of many great Arsenal teams – That reduced the burden on him imo.

  59. for once Stu, I agree, you cannot quantify what Shearer bought to the team, you can count the numerous goals, the lay-off play and the sheer dogged determination, but not the talismanic presence that everyone in the EPL can tell you about

  60. Well argued Stuart.
     
    Danny – would you rather we got bought in a leveraged buy out (and have say a 200m debt hovering over us that could fold the club at a moments notice) or would you rather have Ashley.

  61. i think its close and betwen shearer and henry shearer  was a great goal scorer but i dont think his general play got the credit it deserved he was brilliant at holding the ball up leading the team and great for defending set pieces and in fact defending in general(atleast for a cf anyway) i remember him coming out wide at  times to put some decent crosses in aswell

    henry is my fave non nufc player in the epl history and he was a genius personally i cant pick between them

  62. We banter about this all the time though Stardust. I always support the club first and never claim that you guys don’t, even if we’re opposed. And I’m not alone in what I do.

    I have waited two years to finally jump down from my fence and declare that Mike Ashley is nothing but bad news for our club and that I want him gone. I’m not going to threaten him, I’m not going to tear the place down.

    However, because I haven’t got him on speed-dial and can’t just ring him up and say ‘Hey Mike, that’s a bit out of order’, whenever he drops a major clanger, and I get the chance, I’m going to let him know what I think of his ridiculous decision when I’m in the ground. No more and no less. If he stops making them or at least begins to prove he cares, I wouldn’t have to say anything.

  63. Off Topic – cant get the Black Eyed Peas performance on XFactor last night out of my head lol – had to watch it 10 times today on You Tube lol.

  64. Sorry, I meant to partly address that to you Stu, and add that as consquence, I’ll feel better for not just biting my tongue as I would normally do. But that, in my opinion, I’ll do it because it won’t harm the club. Otherwise I would behave differently.

  65. if you’d bothered to read anything I’ve previously written Stardust, which just points out how your sole reason for adding anything is as a wind up, you’d know that personally i don’t have an issue with Ashley, having always been a supporter of the club I can look back to when he bought it, the first season under him and Chris Mort went fine, nothing spectacular but no major problems, my issue is Llambias, and I firmly believe all of the major decisions that have alienated the fans are straight from him, the main thing that Ashley has done wrong in my eyes is to refuse to acknowledge or try to amend his mistakes
    still using those big words in an attempt to seem intelligent, shame its so transparent

  67. Well argued Stuart.
     
    Danny – would you rather we got bought in a leveraged buy out (and have say a 200m debt hovering over us that could fold the club at a moments notice) or would you rather have Ashley.

    ashley in general but if we had an owner that new how to amnage that debt then i would have him

    isnt liverpools debt way more than that though ?

    also i worry about the liverpool  owners intentions



  68. Both legends.

    Heart says Shearer, head isn’t so sure but Stu makes a couple of good points.

    Imagine them in the same team?……

  69. Danny Guthrie outside having a barny with his missus.

    Folded arms, she doesn’t look happy like. :)

  70. Summer – its currently 245m plus player contracts/payments etc – nearer 400m than 300 no doubt – they made a loss of 46m last year – if they drop out of the CL – it could spell the end as even to buy the club – it will take 400 just to break even!

  71. stardust im not sure it will spell the end of them maybe just the end of their dominance unless they can get citeh style owners where money isnt an object on a side note i just watched the black eyed peas performance and have to say it was impressive

  72. summerof69 says:
    November 9, 2009 at 2:39 pm

    “henry is my fave non nufc player in the epl history and he was a genius personally i cant pick between them”

    Terry Henry has scored even more goals, without relying on so many penalties, is more versatile, using his incredible technique to provide many, many more assists and is still ranked ranked as the world’s no1 player. Being unbiased, I’d have to pick him.

  73. Henry is the only footballer I’ve ever seen live that would fit the description ‘poetry in motion’.

  74. bowburnmag says:
    November 9, 2009 at 3:25 pm
    Henry is the only footballer I’ve ever seen live that would fit the description ‘poetry in motion’.

    BBM – What about Messi?  Now that is poetry in motion IMO.
    Henry isn’t in the same galaxy as him.
     

  75. I haven’t seem him in the flesh mate but yes, of course he’s awesome.

    Fabregas too but I’ve never seen him live either.

  79. workyticket says:
    November 9, 2009 at 3:29 pm

    Unfortunately you kick a ball with your feet, not your brain – Otherwise Stephen Hawking would have played for Real Madrid.

    George Best – Now there was a player.  The old vids I see of him are just incredible.  Great feet, strong, quick and his brain was twenty times quicker than anyone else on the pitch.

  86. There’s an argument, mostly from me, that Henry isn’t really a striker in the same way Shearer, Milburn, Supermac, Cole, etc.. are strikers.  To me Henry is an attacking midfielder, like Beardsley and Rooney.

  88. Micky Toon says:

    November 9, 2009 at 4:43 pm

    “There’s an argument, mostly from me, that Henry isn’t really a striker in the same way Shearer, Milburn, Supermac, Cole, etc.. are strikers.  To me Henry is an attacking midfielder, like Beardsley and Rooney.”

    Aye, it isn’t just you though Micky, it’s alot of people. But, he’s scored more goals than all the strikers you mentioned since he changed his game at Arsenal. Before that he really was a midfielder, and his midfield skills have helped to create loads as well. That’s why he’s so good.

  90. summerof69 says:
    November 9, 2009 at 5:47 pm

    “i disagree worky i think maradonna has to be the best ever”

    69, Maradona is the greatest footballer ever like Ben Johnson is the greatest sprinter ever. He would use ephedrine to have a sensational impact late in games when the other team was knackered and he looked at his best. He was a complete and utter cheat and a fraud, so he doesn’t count. Even on drugs, he still wasn’t as innovative as Cruyff anyway, and he wasn’t as beautiful and mesmeric as Garrincha either.

  93. summerof69 says:
    November 9, 2009 at 6:23 pm (Edit)

    “fair enough worky”

    You’re supposed to argue back 69! LOL

    Maradona WAS an amazing player, but if you study his ‘finest moments’, you’ll find that many are late in the game, there’s 21 knackered players on the pitch and him doped up to the eyeballs on speed, so it’s an unfair comparison.

    BTW, if you’re really into brilliant footballers and crazy eccentrics, read Garrincha’s biography. You won’t regret it as there’s really is no one else quite like him. Also read Rinus Michels and Cruyff on football, they revolutionised the whole game.

  105. Greatest foreign player to play in the EPL was Zola, closely followed by Bergkamp than Henry.

    Best centre forward I’ve ever seen was Shearer in his prime, but my favorite will always be Sir Les.

    Now if we really want to start a row, who is the best ever Newcastle player?

  106. starkadder – based on who i’ve actually seen play for the toon i would go for beardsley (obviously)  closely followed by shearer and watching a youthful gascoigne was also a bit special. and all local lads !

  107. I’m not saying he’s the best Toon player ever or anything like that, but no-one seems to mention Chris Waddle at all anymore, and he actually played far more games than Gazza in a Toon shirt.

  109. aye worky i remember watching him – a poor mans ginola and twice as lazy , but then again most wingers are.still he used to get us all gannin with his mazy runs.

  110. Roy Cropper says:
    November 9, 2009 at 9:25 pm

    ” and twice as lazy”

    I know what you mean. He used to remind me of a Scotchie rogue skulking around looking for a car to TWOC sometimes, but his ‘lazy’ style concealed his effectiveness. Managers could see through it though, and he had a great career including succeeding in European football with Marseilles, something alot of other great English players have had problems with.

    Wor Pedro will always be my favourite from those days though. A versatile genius who could play all over the place.

  111. Solano deserves a shout like.
    But it’s still Pedro.
    Waddle was canny but sadly a m…
    Worky, i thought that was her, but i’ve been away from the area for many a year & me memory needed jogging. Ta.

  112. i think sum of u under estimate shearers all round game he was always there in defence unlike henry and shearer also made a lot of goals 

  115. hahaha nice one worky -your right he had a brilliant time at marseilles in fact didn’t he get the the european player of the year while he was there ? – i could be wrong like.

  118. Roy Cropper says:
    November 9, 2009 at 9:57 pm

    “hahaha nice one worky -your right he had a brilliant time at marseilles in fact didn’t he get the the european player of the year while he was there ?”

    I don’t think so but I think he was up for it. He was voted player of the year over here though, and he was voted the second best Marseilles player ever, just behind Jean Pierre Papin. He was like Keegan at Hamburg, they adored him.

    He also beat Kev for dodgy hairstyles and dodgy pop records (he made them in France too), which I think you’ll agree is one hell of an achievement!

  120. Aye,
    Andy Goal.
    & aye, just check the cross from Shearer for the Les goal in the 5-0
    hammering of manu.
    Like summer of 69 said, he could cross, defend, hold up, score-with his head, either foot, had the balls to take pens & carried the team.
    Shearer-Geordie Legend.

  124. If Shearer hadn’t got injured when Tomasson was here, they woulda been a killer partnership too.
    When you consider  the fact that he missed at least 2 seasons through injury, how many would/could he have scored?

  127. I think Tomasson wouldn’t have been a success over here, no matter how much time we gave him or who he played with to be fair. Perhaps at a different stage in his career? But he was lightweight and ineffective in our style of football (the English game). Not sure he would have made rapid improvements. Maybe just a mixture of wrong time and wrong place?

  128. clint  can you imagine how many goals he would have scored and how many trophies he would of won if he had of gone to man u

  129. Lost half my message again. Meant to say like Stu mentioned earlier, Shearer’s career is remarkable when you consider his injuries.

  130. bowburn,
    Tomasson was steeped in english style football, he’s scandanavian.
    They love english football over there.
    He was just young & needed time & as usual, we didn’t give him it.

  131. batty, a damn sight more trophies than he got with us.
    But hey, that’s part of what makes him a Geordie Legend, isn’t it?

  132. There’s been tons of players that can be considered small, lightweight, or what ever.
    When players bulk up too much they start having injury problems & lose speed & agility.
    Stanley Matthews was a teetotal veggie & he was amazing & played ’til he was 50.
    & like a spelk.

  134. Worky,
    the ‘package’ maybe wasn’t right or ‘in place’ for  him to go to manu, hey?
    :) ;)

  135. LOL. Fergie thought he was a greedy get. He had already tried to sign him before he went to Blackburn, but he gave up after being exasperated by his financial demands. Newcastle really had to push the boat out financially to get him to ‘bleed black and white’.

  140. CLiNT FLiCK says:
    November 9, 2009 at 11:10 pm
    batty, a damn sight more trophies than he got with us.
    But hey, that’s part of what makes him a Geordie Legend, isn’t it?<<<< yes it is mate  and worky stop acting like stardust because ur nowt like him hes a  patronising  gob shite<