Newcastle and the unpredictable opening fixture.

Posted on August 12th, 2010 | 99 Comments |

Martins - Scorer in our last match at Old Trafford.
Martins - Scorer in our last match at Old Trafford.
It’s getting close, very close, to kick-off time for the new Premier League season. Once again we will be Old Trafford bound, where it is fair to say that our record has less than impressive over the years.

It’s been 38 years since our last league win at Old Trafford, and I don’t see that run coming to an end this season. You never know though I suppose, stranger things have happened at sea and all that.

Anyway, Manchester United away is probably the toughest away fixture out there to be honest. It isn’t often they lose at home, but they have picked up a reputation for being slow starters to the league campaign. That is a bit of a myth in fairness, but I’ll go into that a bit later. First, lets take a look at how Newcastle United tend to kick-off the new season.

2000 – Away – Man Utd – Lost 2-0.
2001 – Away – Chelsea – Drew 1-1.
2002 – Home – West Ham – Won 4-0.
2003 – Away – Leeds – Drew 2-2.
2004 – Away – Middlesbrough – Drew 2-2.
2005 – Away – Arsenal – Lost 2-0.
2006 – Home – Wigan – Won 2-1.
2007 – Away – Bolton – Won 3-1.
2008 – Away – Man Utd – Drew 1-1.
2009 – Away – West Brom – Drew 1-1.

Those are the opening fixtures and results from our last ten seasons, nine of the in the Premier League, so what can we gleam from them?

Well the first thing that sticks in my mind is the amount of times we have been away from St James’ Park on the opening day of the season. Eight of the last ten opening games have been randomly generated to be away from St James’, which possibly explains why we don’t have a better opeing day record.

We haven’t done bad though as we have only lost twice on the opening day of the season in the last ten years, and there is no shame in losing away to Man Utd or Arsenal in fairness. What Newcastle appear to be are opening day draw specialists having drawn five of the last ten opening league fixtures.

So Newcastle appear to be steady starters then, but what about Manchester United, who have been tagged as ‘slow starters’ for a number of years now. How do they fare in their opening fixtures?

2000 – Home – Newcastle – Won 2-0.
2001 – Home – Fulham – Won 3-2.
2002 – Home – West Brom – Won 1-0.
2003 – Home – Bolton – Won 4-0.
2004 – Away – Chelsea – Lost 0-1.
2005 – Away – Everton – Won 2-0.
2006 – Home – Fulham – Won 5-1.
2007 – Home – Reading – Drew 0-0.
2008 – Home – Newcastle – Drew 1-1.
2009 – Home – Birmingham – Won 1-0.

Well one of the first things that jumps out at me from that list is that Manchester United are anything but ‘slow starters’ and have won seven out of their last ten opening league fixtures. They generally start the season at Old Tarfford, and that isn’t going to change this time around either.

It’s quite an impressive list to be honest, although if you look at the last few years it is clear to see that they have stuttered into the new season rather than hitting the ground running.

Does it mean anything for this year though? Probably not, but I just thought it would be nice to have a look and compare the record between the two clubs given the fact they are facing each other on the opening day of the season.

Four days to go!

NUFCBlog Author: toonsy toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.

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99 Responses

  1. Think we can cause an upset Monday let’s hope ben arfa. Is wit us as he has gone AWOL so sounds good to me

  2. He is refusing to play for them again n is demandin a move to toon player power alwys wins

  3. Davy, mate, let’s hope you’re right!!

    Ben Arfa to score the winner against Man U :D

  4. The Ben Arfa story is all over the French press, they have put a block on his proposed loan move to us as it’s not in the interest of club. So he refused to train and has claimed he won’t be back. The plot thickens…

  5. jay jay-

    sweet, man. I’m jealous. If I didn’t have to make a 6000km journey, I’d be right there with ya

  6. OHurley

    We can do a swap, i’m on a 12 hour nightshift till 6am and would love to be 6,000km away!! :lol:

  7. Well I’m pretty sure we will get him as we know player power wins anyway I’m new on here so hello and who else thinks this transfer window is lookin promising

  8. just heard from the marseille fan at work that deschamps has pulled ben arfa from the transfer market after his france performance and he will remain an OM player since they’ve sold on mamadou niang

  9. It’s not in Marseilles interest to keep and pay a player that doesn’t want to stay just give him to us for a year and wel give u £5 million nxt year.

  10. This deal will happen player power always wins they can try n keep him but he is refusing to play now

  11. I hear ya, the only reason he went on the market was to free up money and get cash in to try and buy luis fabiano I believe. Mamadou Niang and Ben Arfa were there two left side players, since they sold on niang they need to keep ben arfa and don’t need to sell him at such a cut rate price to us, they’ll probably hold out and get more than we could offer. unfortunately i think it’s done boys, but its just further proof of us dragging out feet in the transfer market arguing over pennies and getting screwed

  12. Highly likely he will leave but its just if he moves to us or another team I worry about…

  13. I’m sure he will come to us as we will offer him 1st team football I think by Sunday he will be in a toon shirt along with someone else i’m sure there will be 1 more wow signing we need more good vibes

  14. God only knows what is going on and how it will all play out but im hopefully we will get him as we need this type of player

  15. here toonsy,
    what happened to that lad who asked you on here when you think we will be signing Ben Arfa, you said Friday and he said, nah your wrong, it will be Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.
    hahaha your a tool whoever you are

  16. cant believe im having to work tonight rather than doing my own stuff at work.

    Currently en-route to blackburn driving a hgv for the first time in ages and ages. Still, guess it shows willing on my part and shows the staff that im prepared to do their job i guess

  17. Didnt think OM were selling niang now ?? deschamps says hes buying a striker to play along side him ,many say its Fabiano frm Sevilla .Ben Arfa could buy himself out of his contract ,that way Fat Man cansave his pie money .:)

  18. MARSEILLE: The French club have sent officials to Seville to discuss a possible move for Brazil international Luis Fabiano. (L’Equipe)

    MARSEILLE: Hatem Ben Arfa has reiterated his desire to leave the French champions. Marseille have also reached an agreement with Fenerbahce over the sale of Mamadou Niang – reportedly €8million. (L’Equipe)

    let’s hope they can’t convince him to stay

  19. Sevilla coach Antonio Alvarez said he won’t lose any sleep if Marseille’s interest in Luis Fabiano leads to the Brazil striker leaving Spain. Marseille president Jean-Claude Dassier said this week luring Fabiano to Ligue 1 was a priority and Spanish media have reported the French club would pay 15 million euros (£12.4 million) and offer the 29-year-old a three-year contract. Read more here

  20. As I said earlier,ben Arfa was always gonna leave L’om.He doesn’t want to be there regardless of whether they wish to keep him(which they dont).They are only trying to get other buyers in.If they attract other prem clubs then he may well not come here,such is life.Marseille want fabiano and will sell to finance it(prob Niang)Ben Arfa will leave too,Deschamp said he also needs to get rid of 10-15% off their wage bill,Niang and Ben Arfa going will contribute to this.Believe nowt coming from Marseille thats the way French and some Spanish clubs do their business.As proved when L’Oms president said a deal had already been reached with the Toon the other day.believe nowt and wait until an official announcement…….of course I could be wrong ;-)

  21. CC not blind faith,as I’m not sure he’ll end up here.Just that he won’t be at Marseille.

  22. @toonsy – whats happened to the site man, it’s dog slow to load – you prob need to sort the database out and put some caching in there or summat

  23. He’d be a great signing but the longer this drags on the less confident I am that he will sign :(

  24. stevep…….meant to ask,whats ya avatar.I cant make it oot with these old eyeballs I’m using?

  25. NUFC to draw or win on Monday 16/5 with Paddy’s – I put a score on it last week but my confidence has wained somewaht since!

  26. STEVEP site has had probs see worky on last thread m8,toonsy at work on the moterway at mo

  27. Toonsy’ll be in a little chef by now Ice,he’ll take some getting out as well ;-)

  28. stevep – youll need worky to answer that mate. Its been slow on my pc but is fine on this here mobile device thing

  29. Is the article picture the Nigerian the one that was messing about with the server? :lol:

  30. Should we really fear this league??

    Stoke are moaning because Salif Diao has turned down a new deal, Benjani is having a medical at Blackburn and Steven Carr has signed a new contract at Brum…These are the sides that finished 9th, 10th and 11th last season FFS

    Andy Gray and Robbie Savage can shove there opinions up there fu cking arses, If we go down i’ll eat me bollocks

  31. aye true ice….if we put the house up for sale I reckon it’ll tek a year to sell here………….by which time the pound will prob go down again :roll:

  32. I can remember gray at the start of a season being asked who would win the league, his reply was “who do I want to win the league? I would love Newcastle to do it. Who do I think will win the league? Manchester united.”

  33. jay jay…………was that pre-ffs sacking Sir Bob when everyone loved us tho even tho us “deluded” fans had higher expectations then? ;-)

  34. This Arfa Daley saga is a complete shambles – Typical NUFC.

    Why NUFC think they hold any cards is beyond me. If Marseille don’t want to let him go on loan they won’t.

    We have no money and were desperate for new players, they know this.

    Beckford and Killgallon all over again.

  35. missin out on Kilgallon was on was one of our better pieces of business imo………Beckford remains to be seen but still think Everton tapped him up with the offer of a signing on fee…hence the withdrawn transfer request.

  36. richietoon says:
    August 12, 2010 at 10:29 pm

    Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

    As for Beckford, he wanted to come to us so he handed in his transfer quest. When it was clear we weren’t going to negotiate with Leeds he got the offer from Everton.

    If we’d have stopped fckin about (Like were doing now) we’d have had him.

  37. Evening Lads I think we should ban all talk of players coming in as its starting to get real depressing. Especailly after the latest one Arfa Daley has been dragging on and on and on like an Ariston, We need to wake up and realise that we wont be getting anymore in, and be grateful that the Fat Controller has allready got us 3 top players.
    Admittedly the 1st will be like a fish out of water, the 2nd might play this season IF he makes a full recovery and the 3rd is an OAP, FFS lads what more do you’s want

  38. I thought the Leeds chairman stepped in to block the beckford move? He wanted to come to us and they were resigned to the fact he was moving and then the board stepped in and said no. Leeds say “look, just stay with us until the end of the season and you can go wherever you like”..we assume it isn’t happening and everton step in immediatly. Either way i think he’ll do well for them

  39. nowt to do with hinsight mate..never thought that much about Kilgallon but like I say jury out on Beckford….bit concerned that I never read about a single Leeds fan sorry to see him go tho.I also reckon Everton would probably have gazumped us anyway……..tho would have preferred to get him than Leon and for a small fee was defo worth a punt………….but agree about Ben Arfa,bollox to the loan deal,just buy him.

  40. anyone got a link to andy gray saying we will be relegated? Woulndt mind giving it a once over

  41. Admittedly the 1st will be like a fish out of water, the 2nd might play this season IF he makes a full recovery and the 3rd is an OAP, FFS lads what more do you’s want………….whey when ya put it like that Dave thing dont seem to bad ;-) :lol:

  42. Lads I would be surprised if we see anyone in the door before Jan now. I was going to give Fat man the benefit of doubt till the end of the window but now I have just give up hope of getting anymore, I thought it was good to secure promotion early to give us a headstart to prepare for this season but I cant see what they have done apart from the 3 amigos thay have brought in.

  43. Dave…I’m getting that wat myself,I’ll wait til the end of the window tho………then cry into me pint ;-)

  44. richie,
    like the effort put in, good audio recording, nice touch!
    :)

    Excellent lyrics :)
    Harsh but not silly.
    :)

  45. Clint that was good mate just hope I will get to see another Toon team as exciting as that before I pop my socks :)
    Reet lads take it easy and be good, catch you’s tomorrow ;)

  46. Big D,
    might take 2/3 years, but if we build, can’t see why not like.
    Get through this season, stay in the league, build from there.
    Night mate.

  47. Sky Sports is reporting tonight that Marseilles President Jean-Claude Dassier is saying that midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa will not be signing on a season long loan deal for Premier League club Newcastle.

    well that was fun

  48. Could it be he isn’t signing a season long loan deal, but coming on a perm one?

    If it was somebody other than Ashely in charge, we maybe could think that way

  49. Night lads. Lets not get too down after monday. I fancy us in the Stanley game, following wind permitting. :)

  50. What are the rules on a player walking out on his contract? Does his new club have to pay compensation or is he banned from playing until the contract expires?

    French.

  51. im a French toon and I’m sorry to inform u guys that ARFA IS CERTAINLY NOT COMING! U can see the reason why hugton was Solent over this rumors and never admit, he knew Newcastle had a thin chance, and it happens, arfa is not coming to Newcastle, so here he goes, explains the we are not or WEREN’T interested in him in the first place, so fans can’t blame them.

  52. I think we will sign ben arfa i think they(marseille) are just playing hard ball and we will get him eventually hopefully b4 we play man utd but its highly doubtful at this rate. Also ive read tht we are 2nd favs to get robbie keane i highly doubt tht would happen al he would be immense but his wage demands are extremly high for our current financial situation + spurs dont want to sell him, I wouldnt mind seeing Charlie Austin could get him for around £1million and hes only 19/20 and got so much potential could be worth a punt because of the sell on value if he succeeds.

    I also wouldnt mind seeing a few players leaving my ins and outs would be:
    IN/
    Ben Arfa,Austin,KP Boateng
    OUTS/
    Ameobi,R.Taylor,Best(Loan after injury),Smith

  53. More uoinldfng information on the Justin Bieber water bottle conspiracy?Not really….I just wanted to see how many would click…HI!