Are Newcastle fans now more realistic?

Posted on November 6th, 2010 | 65 Comments |

The 12th man?
The 12th man?
It’s an accusation that gets thrown about quite often, usually by the press in fairness.

The concensus of the media seems to be that we are a demanding bunch of fans who have aspirations that have been fuelled by a couple of years of heady heights under Kevin Keegan and a couple more years of heady heights under Sir Bobby Robson, and when they aren’t being matched we, apparently, turn against our own team, manager, etc.

Those nasty nasty Newcastle fans, eh?

But is there an element of truth in those accusations? The latest media frenzy regarding Chris Hughton’s position suggests that there might have been, to me anyway. Most of us are aware that the story started off in the minds of the media, and in particular a certain Anal Oliver, but it did get through to players and, rather ridiculously, some fans aswell.

Unfortunately for the media, the team rallied around Chris Hughton and got him two victories against West Ham and Sundelrand. Not only that, but also we have the fact that player after player has come out and said to the media that they are fully behind Hughton. That wasn’t part of their plan.

In answer to the title, in general our fans are more realistic and understand that there is a bigger picture, and as a result are also right behind Hughton, but there is also an under-current who aren’t that seem to add fuel to the fire by firstly, believing things that are printed in the press and, secondly, go along with it. It is these fans who the press are targetting. The vocal minority if you will.

I’ve read comments such as “If Hughton doesn’t get a result here then I reckon he could be gone”, or “If we lose against the Mackems I reckon Ashley will pll the trigger”. Why? Has Chris not done enough to be given time and perhaps get a bit of the benefit of the doubt?

That speculation has died down a the moment, but I’m waiting with baited for tomorrow, just to see what people are saying and to try and gauge what the genreal feeling amongst people who are commenting.

You see, tomorrow we face the very real possibility of tasting defeat, and that is where the real test of loyalty lies. I’m fully expecting another round of extraordinary remarks to come to light again should we suffer defeat, in much the same way they came to light when we lost at Old Trafford in our opening game of the season.

Now I’m not saying that anyone should be happy if we taste defeat against Arsenal, but do think that perhaps people should put things into perspective. Losing to Arsenal is no great shakes as they can make any team look like part-timers on their day, and that is something that we should bear in mind.

Likewise, our relatively high league position at the moment is something else that should be put into perspective. It mnay not last forever, in fact in all likelihood it won’t, but my concern is that people will see slipping from our current 9th position down to, say, 15th position, as a failure, and will react accordingly.

The bottom line is, I guess, ignore the press, or believe it at your peril. They are there for one purpose, and it isn’t to do us any favours, so why should we do them one and react to what they are saying?

We have stability at the moment, something we haven’t had for many a year.

Long may that stability continue.

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

Related Posts:

Posted on by toonsy in category: Anal Oliver and Chris Hughton and General miscellany and Thoughts and reflections and Toonsy , with tags: , ,
Comment on this post

65 Responses

  1. Canny article as per Toonsy, just a few points mate:

    -As you mentioned, it’s the media that portray us lot to be impatient, unrealistic and demanding. Newcastle fans have known for years on end now that we’re not the team we were back in the days of “The Entertainers” or SBR, yet the press like to have people believe otherwise. The most annoying thing, is that alot of other fans latch onto the press like idiots and buy into it 100%, yet they all probably know to ignore what the red top’s say about their club inparticular. Always find that strange and i’m guilty of it too. I’ll write off what the press say about Carroll as sh!te stirring rubbish, yet i’ll jump on the bandwagon slagging someone like Rooney when the press say he’s been doing the dirty with some little tart behind his wifes back, human nature i suppose!
    -You mention people talking about Hughton potentially getting the sack, had we lost to Blunderland etc. (Like it was ever going to happen?…Losing, I mean ;) )..I share the same view as you that they’re a bit silly and Hughton has earned the chance, the time in the job to really give it a go. However at the same time, I can’t really blame them for being nervous. Would you put anything against Ashley!? The man’s mental! lol

    As for Tomorrow, I reckon it’s just a case of going to the Emirates with the attitude of “do our best, see how it goes”, I think we can nick a draw personally, but i’m not expecting it. Should we draw I would be incredibly pleased, yet not too surprised, given the fact that I think the ability for us to do so is there. However, I also wouldn’t be surprised should we come home on the end of another 3/4-1 battering. Give 100% and see what happens. If lady luck is on our side, we could all be celebrating one of the best weeks i’ll have ever had being a Toon fan come 4pm tomorrow. HWTL :D

  2. spot on toonsy. I think for the most part toon supporters are optimistic, in the face of reality. There are some supporters however that are stubburn and would actually hope for failure in our club to say that they were right, e.g. Still boycotting the club against cashley, slaggin off players they don’t like at the first sight of drop in form.
    But like i said, most toon supporters just want a successful club with a squad that will play for the front of the shirt.
    Realism? Pfft… Our mags are world beaters!!! ;)

  3. May Mickey Mouse(Mike Dean) be on our side tmr. ;)

    HWTL.

    I may sounds being bad in the following comment but that’s what i feel atm.

    CH main job right now is slowly re-building Newcastle club again In epl.

    But Is he the manager for the long-term and the manager to challenge Europe in next few yrs?? I don’t feel he is capable of doing that. Since Basically he has no prior experience,and the fact that NUFC is his first official job as a manager.

    So in conclusion,i will support CH till the time when we are capable to challenge Europe,then i guess he might have to go by that time,but who knows,he might be gone way earlier.

  4. Great post toonsy,I beleive that this position that we have achieved and the brand of football we are playing in itself merits ch to be given more time even if things go bad for a while.for a toon fan like me living thousands of miles away and supporting them through everything for the past 10 or so years,even when we went down and couldnt see a single match on tv,deluded and foolish are words which are used a lot around me by others.but i beleive that it is just the passion and loyalty that i feel for this club that enables me to support it and it is the overflowing of this same passion and loyalty in some fans that make them sometimes miss the bigger picture….

  6. In before ppl start questioning about the “no prior knowledge”..

    i meant was he has not experience in for Europe or higher cup honors as a manager.

  7. spot on jerseygeordie..why would any1 hope for failure in are club.just to make a point…always get behind your team full stop..u can talk about tactics or which player to play..but dont slagg the players..yes ch has got tactics wrong in some games..to me he is getting it write..with subs laterly as well..his pals acts didnt make the bench last week..and he also bought ranger on b4 the other striker..

  8. In my head i would say Arsenal 6-0 Newcastle.

    In my heart i would say Arsenal 1-3 Newcastle(**with the help of Mike Dean**) :lol:

  9. AOD – Keegan had no managerial experience, yet he took us to Europe…..

    I know it’s different, but I’m just highlighting that it isn’t unprecedented.

  11. What the fcuk are those 3 flying lights together in the sky?? can anyone else see them?

  12. Well,Money does plays a part too if we aim higher. ;)

    Anyway,I will support CH in the mission to make NUFC being stabilize once more in EPL,Since that’s our main priority at the moment for the next 2 or 3 seasons.

  13. no manager had europe experiance until he got there. Hoots had no experiance as a manager yet guided us to top of the fizzy and bounced us back after a season in which it looked like we might drop farther than the championship. He also has almost that same squad playing great footy (most of the time) in his first year in the epl. If he gets us to europe, that would be yet another first for him so why stop him? Maybe at some point we’ll say hoots has taken us as far as he can but until that day comes i’ll support st. Hoots and have confidence that he is not finished acheiving his firsts. He hasn’t given me any reason to doubt him, so i’ll let time show just how good he is and can be as a manager. Maybe he’ll be average, but maybe he’ll be the first for an acheivement that has eluded us for a long time.

  14. Well said Jersey. I’d rather do it your way than say “sorry Chris, but you’ve taken us to eight and I don’t think you can take us any firther so I’ll stop supporting you now” like other have said they will do.

  15. toonsy- i don’t see the point simple as. It’s like telling a 5 year old he’ll never be a good footballer because he’s too short and weak. It’s too early to tell.
    How can anyone deny the success hughton has had this year. We beat the scum with the same squad we had in the fizzy plus tiote. He has us in 7th after spending 5 mil in the summer after promotion! Compare that to the 30 mil down the road that gave up 5 goals on the weekend…
    That sounds to me like someone worth supporting, but maybe i’m just a deluded toon fan…

  16. Off topic but it sounds like Blunderland got all the decisions going for them this week, lucky buggers.

  17. In hughton I trust….

    One of the problems for me is that so many decisions (not just in football) are based purely on perception which then becomes the reality but who corrects that perception…the media! A bunch of tossers the lot of them….

  19. Ross

    It seems Stoke are having a torrid time with officials and it is costing them a lot of points. Too bad it couldn’t cost them some against us.

  20. Ross – I watched the scum game and they were awful. Whenever you see MOTD or whatever have a look for Twatermole’s handball on the line. Outrageous that either a goal or a pen and a red card wern’t given.

    As it happens, Stoke got the man sent off and Sunderland capitalised.

  22. I don’t think anyone wants Hughton to get the sack. I believe they think Ashley will sack him cos of the rumours of Kinnear being mentioned.
    I think you’ve got the wrong end of the stick.

  24. Stuart – What? In this season? Or as a greater goal over, say, a few seasons?

    To aim for Europe/win the league this season would be deluded in my opinion.
    To aim for Europe/win the league within a few years would be ambitious, again in my opinion of course.

    It’s like me saying that I want £200,000 in my bank by next christmas. It would be deluded of me to think that. But give me three years and I could do it. It would be ambitious but I could do it.

  25. BS9 – But doesn’t that come down to people giving credence to press reports? Why? They aren’t doing it for our interest, and nowt was mentioned about Kinnear or Hughton at all until Alan Oliver stick his bill in and got involved.

  26. Was i the only one who saw the similarities between us from from a couple of years back and West Ham today.

    2 up against an average side and still failing to win, Relegation form me thinks…

  27. CC – West Ham dominated it aswell, and still came away with nowt.

    I remember we had a few games like that when we went down.

  28. Toonsy – It was really a point to people who think we’re deluded. Even when we were the biggest spenders in the league and had every right to think we should be winning the thing people thought we we’re deluded idiots.

    Its all relative in my opinion. Personally I think we should have had a real crack at getting into Europe this season. People might think that’s ridiculous but I felt we had a chance to steal a march on a few clubs who weren’t spending much. After all we do have an incredibly wealthy owner to do that for us.

    On another note, I’ll be really interested to see what happens if we stay up. We will be in a great financial position but still won’t make enough money to spend decent amounts on good players. Will Ashley put good money in to fund a few good players or will we only spend what we generate? It will be quite interesting.

  29. Toro-Im sure Pulis said he can count something like 6 decisions in 11 games that cost them. I would say tough luck but I know how they feel given the fact that we’ve got the short end of the stick a few times already this season aswell.

    Toonsy-I’ll have a watch mate. From what I’ve read from numerous sources, It was a quite blatant handball and Kenwyne was lucky not to bag a couple given the fact he seemingly terrorised them all afternoon. Obviously struggle with big front men!

  30. CC

    West Ham have been sliding down for years now mate. They took our old players, they are like us 2 years in delay. And like us 2 years ago this season is the one where they finally run out of petrol methinks.

  31. Ross – Don’t read too much into Jones as he was largely shite most of the afternoon. Certainly not the Kenwyne Jones that we had to deal with a few weekns back.

    Stuart – Ah, I get you now. I agree with it aswell.

    As for next season, who knows? We’ll be coming off the back off PL money (if we stiop up) and into another season of PL money so I would hope that we have more to spend.

    I don’t think the days of wild spending will be back, and the club will still look to deals. Like more Benny’s and Tiote’s instead of Perch’s and Best’s for example.

  32. Toonsy-Cant forget the nicking of Bent from the unwashed down the road when we finish higher than them and he realises he’s currently playing against, the real team of the NE as opposed to playing for them, :D

  33. I’m glad some can look to our potential actions should we survive. I’m having problems looking past Christmas. It really is going to be any 3 of the bottom 10 to go down.

  36. Off topic but that lass Rebecca on the Xfactor is lovely like. Canny singer aswell, could win it easily. Shame she’s a scouser!

  37. Ross – Nah man, Cher for me. I reckon she looks a bit like a smack rat so I reckon I could abuse her for a fiver :lol:

  39. Talk about being on the big dipper, shit luck, overspending, bad management, FCBs but delusional we are not and never have been.

    Anyway, only southeners and mackems think we are deluded and I don’t give a monkey’s chuff what those frannys think – been on their message boards and seen them in their cages, banana skins and excrement aal ower the place. :lol:

    O NOOOO, it’s Susan Boyle – I thought halloween was last week!

  40. The players certainly have a huge incentive to win tomorrow. If we do we’ll be in a Champions League spot. Even a draw takes us up to fifth.

  41. Toonsy-My phone lit up when Cher appeared in full adidas tracksuit. “she’s clearly a dirty little tart” was the general consensus of the messages, haha.

  42. i’d doubt a top 4 spot at this stage of the season is a real incentive to any of the players. they’re not as stupidly deluded as (some of) the fans. it’s 3 points towards safety, and after that’s secured who knows, that’s their incentive…..

  43. “Genius substitution” by Mick Mcarthy there according to the commentator on MOTD. Didn’t realise putting another striker on when you’re a goal down was classed as football genius. Pay me to manage a team, i’ll go 3-3-4 every week and cement my legacy as a footballing legend inside months.

  44. It’s a possibilty that we might win but I wouldn’t put me pension on it.

    I’d just be happy with a good display and even happier if we drew but I’d be jizzing over Subo if we won like!

  48. does my breast in, i feel CH is doing a better job right now than fergie did at the same stage of his Man U career, the guys a gent and a star. ill give him his contract by feb and i reckon ill bet its 5 time the amount he is on now. hes doing great for me, the team and our fans. i dont want anyone else managing my club

  50. Whats with the carroll and nolan story on NOTW guys?need to be registered to read it.more attempts by the pathetic media to derail us?

  51. Anyone want a crack before the game , just read this.
    More sh*t from NOTW.

    .
    .
    .

    …….Toon stars’ cocaine and sex orgy
    Carroll romps with two girls in Nolan’s home……..

    NEWCASTLE stars Andy Carroll and Kevin Nolan went on a 14-hour bender that ended in a drug-fuelled orgy.

    Bad boy Carroll yelled “Ride me! Ride me!” as he romped with a blonde and a brunette in a catsuit in the bedroom of club skipper Nolan – who is supposed to be taming the wayward England prospect.

    And as the orgy went into full swing at Nolan’s luxury home, downstairs cocaine – used by the girls they had picked up on a crawl of Newcastle’s clubs – lay scattered across a table.

    Neither player is believed to have snorted the drug – but our revelations today take football to new depths of shame.

    Because only three weeks ago a court entrusted Nolan – a married family man – to keep an eye on wayward Carroll while he was on bail accused of attacking his ex-girlfriend.

    A source said: “I can’t believe Nolan was so stupid to get dragged into Carroll’s mess.”

    The 28-year-old Liverpudlian took Carroll, 21, into his home, bragging that he could “control” him. But things soon went badly wrong.

    First his wife Hayley – furious at having the player imposed on her as a lodger and upset by anti-Carroll graffiti scrawled on her garage door – stormed off to her family back in Liverpool with their two children.

    Then Newcastle thrashed local derby rivals Sunderland 5-1 last weekend – with Nolan scoring a hat trick. The scene was set for a debauched “celebration” that would continue through the night.

    At about 6pm Nolan and Carroll started boozing at the Diamond Inn bar not far from the skipper’s luxury home in the Ponteland area of Northumberland.

    They were accompanied by a pal of Nolan’s from Liverpool called Carl who had come up to watch the game. There was also a “close protection officer” hired to provide security for controversial Carroll after his £70,000 Range Rover was torched while parked on Nolan’s drive weeks ago.

    After a few warm-up drinks, the group took a cab for the eight mile ride into the centre of Newcastle.

    Their first stop was the city’s Floritas Bar near Central Station where they boozed for two hours among celebrating fans before moving on to the Baby Lynch bar and then the Tup Tup Palace nightclub.

    Here they partied until 3am and got chatting to three girls, aged around 20, from the South Shields area. One dressed provocatively in an all-black cat suit.

    Our source said: “Everyone out in Newcastle that night was jubilant, the team had beaten Sunderland and the players were heroes.

    “Nolan had scored three goals so he was obviously over the moon and the girls were completely starstruck by him and Carroll. They just didn’t want to stop partying.”

    I am not a slut you know.. I’ve got a boyfriend

    So the group moved on to Aspers Casino in Newcastle’s Gate Complex where they stayed until 5.45am before having breakfast at a McDonalds and then all going back to Nolan’s home.

    Here exhausted Carl and the protection officer fell asleep on sofas while Carroll and Nolan partied on until dawn with the three girls in Nolan’s luxury cinema room. At around 7.15am, Carroll tapped one of the girls – a blonde in a Hell’s Angels top – on the shoulder and beckoned her upstairs.

    As she followed him, she said: “I hope you’re not going to treat us like the other girls.”

    Nolan was heard saying; “I can’t believe Carroll has brought these girls back to my house.”

    Just 15 minutes later, the catsuit girl went up to join the pair in the bedroom. The striker could then be heard yelling: “Ride me! Ride me.”

    Scorers… Catsuit girl and a pal are snapped coming down stairs at Nolan’s house

    While his teammate romped upstairs Nolan was left downstairs with the third girl.

    In the cinema room, cocaine had been left strewn across a table along with one of the girl’s leather gloves. Our source says: “There was a bottle on the bar in the cinema room and there was cocaine poured on the table from a bag.

    “They had been up all night but they were in no mood to stop partying. Even in his room Carroll could be heard having a wild time with the girls.”

    Nolan’s pal Carl woke up at one point and went upstairs before coming back down again five minutes later and falling back to sleep.

    At 9.45am one of the girls yelled that it was time to order a cab, but wary Carroll – still bedding the catsuit girl – yelled: “No cabs at this house.” Carl, now awake, volunteered to drive them all home.

    As the girls were leaving, the catsuit beauty collected the cocaine and said as she left: “I’m not a slut you know, I’ve got a boyfriend.” She then shouted to one of the other girls: “Have you been snorting again?”

    After a couple of hours sleep Carroll was up and out at midday on Monday to visit his new house in the Dinnington area of Ponteland.

    Nolan’s wife was due home that evening – but he didn’t get up until 6pm, three hours before she arrived.

    That afternoon flowers were delivered to their £1million home for her. But it will take more than that to hide his guilt. Loyal Hayley’s first blow came on October 18 when Carroll appeared at Hexham Magistrates Court charged with assaulting his ex-girlfriend. He was bailed on condition that he lived with Nolan.

    Two days later, Carroll’s Range Rover was torched while parked in the driveway at the Nolans’ home. Graffiti targeted at Carroll was daubed on the garage door.

    Nine days before the North East derby Hayley took the children to Liverpool. Six days before the big game, Carroll was in court again and ordered to pay a total of £5,000 in fines, compensation and legal costs after admitting assaulting a man by throwing a pint glass at him outside a local nightclub.

    Our source said last night: “Hayley was angry at Carroll coming to live with them. Then came the firebomb attack while she and the kids were in the house. Now there’s the sex party.

    “All the reports that Carroll has been tamed by Nolan and he has become part of the family are nonsense. I can’t believe he has been stupid enough to get dragged into Carroll’s mess.”

    Both players will face the wrath of Newcastle boss Chris Hughton before today’s crucial clash at Arsenal. Hughton trusted his skipper to take Carroll – tipped to be in the next England squad – under his wing and keep him out of trouble.

    Nolan even said the striker had become part of the family at the home he shares with Hayley and their children aged four and ten months. He claimed Carroll had read bedtime stories to the youngsters and added: “What I’ve learnt is that he’s always asleep at the wrong time, so I’ve been getting him to bed early. Andy knows he’s got to be in for 10.30, and then in bed for 11.”

    Nolan also praised his wife of two years, a former nurse at Liverpool’s Alder Hey Hospital, for coping with the terrifying arson attack. In an interview with BBC’s Football Focus, he said: “My wife’s been fantastic, to be honest, with what’s happened.”

    A source told us: “Nolan felt he had been pressured into taking on Carroll but he was determined to make it work.

    “Yet there was tension from the start and Hayley feared it was not a good idea to having him around.

    “And when she went away it meant Carroll had more opportunities to lead Nolan astray.”

    A spokesman for the players said: “Both deny any knowledge of drugs being brought into the property. They abhor the use of drugs and the people that deal them. They are considering reporting the matter to the police.”

    The last bit is sum it up , atleast I hope.
    Don’t want this kind of story to f*ck it up again.

    .
    .
    .

    And atleast this journalist make me chuckle a bit

    ‘I am not a slut you know.. I’ve got a boyfriend’

    Nolan was heard saying; “I can’t believe Carroll has brought these girls back to my house.”

    These two much be so closed to call each other second name , eh !??

    If I want to hire some detective , surely this ‘source’ is on my list. He/She is bloody good that would make me sure no one bit of detail will go unnoticed.

    And you have to be appreciated for the effort this jouno put in , eh eh. It’s bloody long lol

  52. My god!!!I just cant beleive the s**t that some ppl come out with.outrageous to say the least.any further ‘evidence’ with the report other than the trusted sources like photos or anything like that magpie may13?

  54. My advise about NOTW , If you haven’t read it yet , just leave it that way. It’s just a bullsh*t non-story which I’m stuupid enough to read it lol

    The headline can’t be real !!!
    “Toon stars’ cocaine and sex shame”

    and the detail go like this …

    Neither player is believed to have snorted the drug – but our revelations today take football to new depths of shame.

    Is there no f*cking moral of journo anymore !!???

    It’s totally ridiculous

    The whole story is Carroll had the cracking night after derby win which end up with him had a three some in Nolan’s house. yeah naughty, naughty boy.

    Yeah right , no footballer doing that , Nolan and Andy , you two are idiot. No player having sex and have a drink after a very good day you stupid. No f*cking people having sex and have a good night out, don’t you understand !!!!!!

    thank journo for a cracking read !!!!

  55. @deepak is a indian toon

    someone on the internet said ‘ there’s a pic with white dust on the table in luxury room somewhere in this world ‘

    or it’s white baby powder or salt lol

  56. oh , and I almost forgot to mention that you have to subscribe NOTW for free trail that cost £2 to enable to read that bullsh*t story. Luckily I find it elsewhere but I’m stupid to read that though lol

  57. wtf is wrong with u guys this is the f…… English press that would go as far as they could to ruin and create havoc out of thin air lets say thay r right carrol had a threesome and if so whats wrong with that???? there are probably only about 10 percent people in the world who wouldnt so whats the fuss tell these sick jurnelist to get a life

  58. Guess so,magpie may13.gotta love the creativity of these journos.this is the same paper that exposed the cricket match fixing scandal,right?that makes me quite disturbed…

  60. I hope to god there is no truth in that! And if there isn;t I hope to god that they take the paper to court.

  61. If and big IF story is true the only problem I can see is about Kevin Nolan. From the story he really done nothing wrong but for him to let ‘ORGY’ in his house while his missus were away that might create an issue.

    So I dearly hope the story in not true and wish the club , players sue the press into debt , administration.

    I f*cking hate this kind of sh*t from the press.

    They just ruin by their freedom to publish whatever they want and make sh*t up to create some havoc among other. Someone need to step up and take action to prevent these kind of thing.

    They just love to spread all the f*cking sh*t about NUFC , right !!!??? and lately is beyond than just worst.

    Sue them !!!!!!!

  62. MM13 – If you’re still around, I’ve picked a load of holes in the article. My article will be about 5 mins :)

  65. Jersey Geordie I wouldn’t say a fan who boycotts the game because of Cashley was deluded just has their own principals, and I wouldn’t say a fan who has a go about a player who is in a bad run of form is desperate for the club to fail, they are just expressing an opinion. However I do agree withe the sentiment of your comment that all Newcastle supporters want the club to be successful. At the end of the day all I care about is seeing a team that goes out there and gives 110% every game, we as fans can’t ask for anymore but in my opinion we should not expect any less. I think if the team does that they will always have 100% of the supporters behind them and I am glad to see the team has been doing that so far this season. I love N.U.F.C with all my heart have done all my life and will until the day I die. HWTL !!!