Carroll is the latest in the line of Newcastle and England strikers.

Posted on November 16th, 2010 | 116 Comments |

Same old Shearer, always scoring.
Same old Shearer, always scoring.
Andy Carroll looks set to start for England tomorrow where he will pick up his first senior international cap against France at Wembley.

Fair play to the lad as he deserves his chance. I just hope he doesn’t pick up an injury that will keep him out of action for his club!

Anyway, I digress. It’s been a pretty meteoric rise to the top for the Gateshead lad. Just twenty months ago he was a was a benchwarmer, a young whipper-snapper with a bad reputation. At 21-years-old, he still is a whipper-snapper, and he remains as controversial now as he was back then, but his stock on the football field has risen rapidly, to the point where he is about to become the next Newcastle player to lead the line for England.

Newcastle have been blessed with English goal-scorers, certainly in recent years anyway, and it’s those years that I am going to cover in this article. I will, of course, be looking for your input on this, which will hopefully lead to a good healthy debate about England forwards that Newcastle have had on their books in years gone by. So, where do we start?

Michael Owen – Owen is not the most popular player round these parts, but he did play for England whilst he was with us. Admittedly, most of his international prowess was displayed before he moved to Tyneside, but he was still an important player for England at points during his time with us.

It was England who arguably ruined Owen, in my eyes anyway, but they are only partly to blame. There was always a feeling that Owen cared more about getting fit for England than he did about playing for Newcastle, which is perhaps best highlighted by when he broke his metatarsal back in late 2005. It was a blow as he was scoring goals for us at the time.

He returned to action at the end of April 2006 where he featured for 28 minutes against Birmingham City. He ruled himself out of the final game of the season, with some sceptics suggesting that he was looking after himself for the forthcoming World Cup. It was in that World Cup that Owen sustained an injury that, in my view, finished him as an international player when damaged his anterior cruciate ligament – an injury that kept him out for nealy a full year. He was never the same after that. And people wonder why I am being protective of Carroll…..

Alan Shearer – Captain fantastic, for both club and country. Shearer made his debut, like Carroll will do, against France back in 1992, and he scored on his debut. Shearer went on to star in Euro ’96, and signed for his beloved Newcastle United soon after in a world record £15 million transfer.

Shearer only played in one World Cup for England, and that was back in 1998 whilst he was playing for Newcastle. He was England captain back then having been given the armband by Glenn Hoddle. He went on to amass 63 caps for England, scoring 30 goals along the way before retiring from international football after Euro 2000 in order to concentrate on his club career with his hometown club.

Les Ferdinand – Les was a fantastic player in his day, and his power and aerial ability is strikingly similar to what Andy Carroll has in his locker. Despite that though, he never really got much of a look in at international level, but the with an on-song Shearer and Sheringham ahead of him I can perhaps understand why.

Ferdinand earned 17 caps for England, scoring 3 goals, and was involved in both the Euro ’96 and the World Cup in 1998 England squads. Unfortunately he didn’t feature in either tournament, despite a succesful season with Newcastle in the run up to the 1996 tournament.

Peter Beardsley – The magician. Pedro started off his international career whilst he was in his first spell at Newcastle. He was predominantly a provider of goals, but played up top in and around the striker, which is why I am classing him as one.

Beardsley made his debut against Egypt way back in 1986, and he went on to feature in the World Cup in Mexico in that year. Four years later and Beardsley was in World Cup action again and was part of the Bobby Robson side that lost on penalties in the semi-final to West Germany.

Pedro moved back to Newcastle in 1993 and got recalled to the national side in early 1994 after a three-year absence. He ended his international career whilst still at Newcastle back in 1996 after making 59 appearances for England, scoring just the nine goals, but creating many more along the way.

These are just a few players that have played up front for England in my time, and Andy Carroll is set to be the next. I’m sure there are others that you have seen in your lifetime that perhaps others haven’t. Players like Supermac and the like immediately spring to mind.

Share your memories.

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

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Posted on by toonsy in category: Alan Shearer and Former players and General miscellany and Les Ferdinand and Michael Owen and NUFC 'Blog and Peter Beardsley and Thoughts and reflections and Toonsy , with tags: ,
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116 Responses

  2. And isn’t it refreshing that our last 3 out of 4 have been Tyneside lads and not a cockney import like down at 5under1and.

  3. I stand corrected, make that 3 out of 5, or you could just forget about Micky Owen like I did. ;)

    Toonsy think you’ve left the cap lock’s on somewhere!

  6. … and the votes keep going up on the poll saying we’ll only get 3 points in November……we already have 4 ya eejits :lol:

  9. Interesting points about Owen and his injuries Toonsy. Some people point back to when he was at Liverpool, the trainers there bulked up the muscles in his legs, I don’t know if it was to make him stronger and more physical or whatever for the prem. But anyway it made him slower and more injury prone than when he was a teenager. I also think Owen was just one of those players who had a few miles on the clock as he was playing at such a high level at a young age. Carroll is 21 and has only just started playing regularly for about a year now.

  10. Haha, its a fun game thinking of talentless donkeys weve had over the years… carl serrant is another one who makes me smile!

  11. DJG – It’s just that if you look at his career stats, ever since that injury his appearances dropped off, quite dramatically aswell.

  14. Toonsy – How have you got Ferdinand on this list, but not Macdonald? He deserves more than a little line at the end, surely? He scored five in one game!

    Anyway, good look Andy and I hope you have a great game, score a couple of goals and Henderson has a complete mare!

  15. Stuart – Check out this little line at the end….

    “These are just a few players that have played up front for England in my time, and Andy Carroll is set to be the next. I’m sure there are others that you have seen in your lifetime that perhaps others haven’t. Players like Supermac and the like immediately spring to mind.”

    Engage brain before typing. Or read the article. Supermac was before my time. Scored five against Cyprus, then just the one other goal…..

  16. richietoon says:
    November 16, 2010 at 9:04 pm

    “Mark…ya’ve probably got most of us laughing to ourselves now”

    He has that effect on the ladies aswell :D

  17. DJG often thought about injurys at toon,a few past managers have said they thought it was to high some blamed the state of training pitch,another got in a whole new staff (SAM)but nowt really changed,players like s.carr always oot hardly misses a game for b/ham,others went abroad with nee trouble.
    then theres the greedy lazy shit owen

  19. ice,
    y’dead right mate.
    The term ‘injured’ can simply mean: ‘doesn’t fancy it’, ‘is a lazy get’, ‘the gaffer doesn’t fancy them’, ‘they don’t fit’, ‘who? Have we got him here still?
    Etc.
    :)

  20. Toonsy – Any chance of you engaging your eyes before typing?
    I alluded to your little mention of Supermac in my comment.

    If you were only talking about players in your time, why mention Supermac at all? As you mentioned him I thought he should have had more than a little line for him.

    Not to worry.

  23. think frank dumas is a coach now, he only played a couple of times for us didn’t he, I remember him clearing one off the line at Highbury.

    Going to google him to find out why he left…

  24. CLINT i could name a canny few who “wanted” to play come what may and did,even A,S.said he often played with only one good leg

  25. icedog

    With S Carr, he said something about being asked to play for Newcastle when he was carring knocks and basically it just aggrivated his injuries, I’l try and find it but he deffo said something along those line.

  28. He said this aswell.

    Carr’s frustration with Newcastle is salient. “It was stop-start. Every year I had an injury. They were silly injuries that took a long time to diagnose and then I was out longer than I should be. And the last year, when I pulled my hamstring four times, summed it up. Basically it was a case of people not looking after you properly. Unfortunately you’re the one that looks like you’re injury-prone but the rehab was shocking. That’s the bottom line.”

  30. DJG he may have said that,but at the end of the day did he want to be here i have my doubts,words are cheap mate,owen said the medical staff at m/u are the best hes had (dig) when he played a couple of games,now whats the git doing now,bloody horse raceing the little shit

  33. I remember singing ‘Albert for England’ back in the 60s.

    Now, who is Albert, you wonder?

    I don’t think he ever made it to an England squad.

  37. It was a guess mate, just thought that if he was on SGT. Peppers cover he might be later than that.
    Go on then, Albert who?

  39. one I clean forgot about was ronnie johnsson. 3 games n’all for the toon. I’d love carroll to get his debut goal, don’t want the cockney chavs on his back saying he’s not up to it. Fancy stevie g could help him with a couple of his trademark rangey diagonals reet on to wor lads nut.

  40. oh aye toonsy, you missed alan smith. I remember an england friendly when both strikers were mags, smith and owen. Needless to say, they were awful together and substituted at half time.

  41. reckon simpson has a clear run right through to the squad too. Real lack of options at RB for england these days.

  42. Andy Cole and Alan Smith another two England centre forwards we’ve had in recent times……I still think Smith would be better up top, a remember a few years ago agaisnt Arsenal he played well up there and never let their defenders have a minutes peace.

  43. Boater – Do you honestly see Simpson as international class? The amount of times he has all the time and space in the world to cross the ball into the box and it goes out for a goal kick. I hope CH has him and Gutieriez just practising crossing a moving ball all day everyday this week

  46. And so the unsettling campaign against Carroll and the Toon has begun with Hughton backed into a corner by the meadia after he asked England not to play him with the clubs interests at heart.
    I cant see them stopping now, which ever way it goes, injury or good performance, he has replaced Rooney as the main target for gossip and they will apply maximum pressure until he moves to a bigger club or crashes and burns.

  47. Anyone else heard a rumour that the club have asked England not to play Carroll tonight? Haven’t heard that myself but a workmate says it was reported on talksport.

  49. Whats the point of playing Carroll when hes not fully fit.
    People will criticize him if he performs badly
    Worse still, he might return with a further aggravated groin injury.
    Lose lose situation really, despite how much he wants to play for the three lions
    There’s always next time, he himself knows best, whether or not to start tonight.

  50. Oh dear. The paper’s are all over this and will be whatever happens tonight. The Sun is reporting that Newcastle wrote a letter to the FA demanding Carroll be sent home because he is injured. There are other papers claiming that Carroll is the best thing to happen to England for years. I can just see this all ending in tears whatever happens. The press have got it in for us for some reason. Do well, poor or get injured the paper’s will get Carroll and Newcastle for this. Their also quick to jump on the bandwagon that Carroll and Henderson will next season be playing for Chelsea and Man City because of one England cap. :roll:

  52. Can’t really blame England, if they’re medical staff can’t find owt on the scans and AC says he’s ok then hes fit….unless AC is so keen to play he’s telling a little porky :-)

  53. England v France: Andy Carroll is different – and deserves his starting place
    Once it became clear he was fit, there really was no other choice. Andy Carroll simply had to play against France. Why? Because England haven’t been able to call on a centre-forward like this for a very long time.

    Handy Andy: Alan Smith believes Andy Carroll offers something unique to England Photo: AP By Alan Smith 7:00AM GMT 17 Nov 2010
    Alan’s Twitter

    Comments
    ‘You can talk about Peter Crouch, Emile Heskey and Bobby Zamora. You can go back to Alan Shearer, Teddy Sheringham or even Gary Lineker – all of whom served their country in different ways – but none offered quite the same qualities as the big, bustling, rumbustious striker’

    ‘Mainly left-footed, his right one isn’t bad either and he covers the ground quickly once in his stride.’

    Howay man steady on. Can’t be comparing him to England legends like that, nevermind saying he has ‘more’ to offer. Plus I wouldn’t say he had pace, he isn’t slow for a target player but he’s far from quick. Plus he’s tottaly one footed. lol. When have you ever seen him strike the ball with his right foot. :roll:

  54. had a dream that we signed Robbie Keane last summer on loan, totally the type of player we need like isn’t it, someone who can link up the midfeild and attack but also an eye for goal.

    That’s what I think we should go for in the summer
    Second striker – pacey, tricky, important they can link up midfeild to attack.
    Left winger/attacker
    Right winger attacker

    And sign Benny of course, he can play in all of the above places but at home I fancy him to have a Beardsley type role.

    If we add four players in these possitions, players of real quality, I honestly believe next season we could be around Europe.

    For me, the back 6 , Krull/Harper, Simpson, Willo, Coll, Enrique, Tiote are certain to play if fit and are players of real quality, if you dont think so, here is the team that played Inter in the Champsions league in 2003, which ones would you replace? For me I wouldn’t replace any!!

    Given
    Griffin, O’Brien, Bramble, Bernard
    Speed

  55. DJG….aye its funny mate, a few weeks back people were saying he had no pace, like ya say he’s not the fastest but he’s quicker than alot of people made out.
    I take it you mean Heskey and Zamora for the England legends ;-)

  56. To me this has the impression of the papers building him up to even greater expectations than the public has, so that they can knock him down again even harder and throw in all the dirt they have on him. I mean I can’t see England doing anything tonight, or even getting him decent service when looking at the crap Cappello has selected and french players they are up against, some are world class.

  57. Anyone think the papers are using this hype in the short term to sell their rags? Then in the longer term to blame Carroll for not performing when really the whole England team is sh!t and has been for some time now.

  61. Oh dear!
    AC on a one way ticket to palookaville?
    More interested in himself than his gaffer, his club…
    He’s a f***ing PR liability.

    DJG,
    aye mate,
    Not exactly blessed with searing pace, & no right foot.
    Great in the air & er, tall, er, perfect for 40/50 yard balls into the box, er…
    Should suit england then, on all counts.

  62. Sad as fck!

    The club are so fcking worried that they’ll have to spend money in January their asking the FA not to play Carrol. Utter fckin disgrace.

    This club is a complete laughing stock!

    Basically their saying to every potential signing if you’re an international, don’t bother signing because we don’t want you to play for your contry in case you get injured.

    Imbeciles

  64. Stu – you’re the laughing stock man.

    Only you could put 2 and 2 together and get 3.14159265

  65. Just in case you didn’t know, we have 7 games until the January window opens.

    That’s 21 potential points.

    Did you even stop to think they might want our best striker and top scorer fit for those games too?

  66. Carroll’s not gonna get injured for 2 months. He’s not Micky Owen. Anyway Ameobi will be fit again soon. The England doctors wouldnt play him unless the scan was ok. Sit back relax, crack open a beer, enjoy the game, sorted.

  67. Lets not deny the guy this opportunity. He has worked friggin hard for us for the second part of last season and all of this season, his goals got us promoted and now safe in the prem again. He deserves this glory and recognition. If he feels ok to play then thats up to him and Mr Cappello. Its got f all to do with any of us. Im sure he wouldn’t play if it was bad enough to put him out for us. This is the sort of thing that players have every couple of games it just isn’t publicised as much, so whats the big deal.

  68. DJG,i think england would play him m8,at 70% fit,i agree hes not a owen,but i think back big dunc started with groin tweaks and tryed to play through them which lead to constant thigh and hamstring problems,its silly to push it,plus andy will want to play his heart is ruleing his head at the mo,which he has let happen before in his private life,just have to keep our fingers crossed m8

  70. He’s undermining CH’s & the clubs authority.
    He doesn’t care/listen/learn.
    But so long as a ‘nothing’ england game is more important, carry on.
    At least AC’s ego will get a nice stroke, if he does well.

  72. For people like Terry it is a ‘nothing’ game yes I agree. But hold on it’s not a ‘nothing’ game for Carroll is it. I mean the result isn’t important from and England perspective, but personally for Carroll, it is many things. It is an opportunity to meet and get to know Cappello and the seniors, it is a chance for him to get his first cap. It is a chance for him to put himself into the managers thinking for when Rooney andd co. are back. It is a very important opportunity for him actually, not a ‘nothing’ game.

  73. Howay, CLiNT – that’s a bit harsh, man.

    I’m sure Andy just wants to play footy at the end of the day.

    It shouldn’t be forgotten that, friendly or not, when it comes to football there is no higher honour than representing your country.

    Now I know you don’t give 2 sh1ts about England and prefer to think of Geordieland as your country – and I’m not knocking you for that at all – but most people – AC included it seems – are incredibly proud and passionate about their country, so you must be able to see where the lad is coming from. I doubt very much “ego” comes into it – not in this instance anyway.

  74. Clint – if every player did as their club wanted when it came to internationals there wouldn’t be international football as nobody ewould turn up.

    You’ll like that though, given your intense hatred of all things remotely more proffesional or more successful than NUFC

    Give the lad a break. You obviously have no idea what it means to him to represent his country.

    Get over it!.

  76. News on R.Taylor out for 12 weeks has been confirmed on the official site

    Fingers crossed Carroll wont be the next one on the sidelines after tonight :/

  77. CLINT i love watching england,old vids of 66 final like,since wor bobby stopped being in charge,i dont watch the over payed dicks “i love me who do you love”crap

  78. Oh yeah, it is a chance for him to play at Wembley stadium in front of 90,000. With millions watching. Something he will probably never experience in 15 years at Newcastle.

  79. clint – would you be so kind & furnish me with your views on yesterdays news regarding prince william’s engagement to the lovely kate middleton.

    thanking you.

  81. ROY CROPPER ill give you mine mate.

    i couldnt give a shit,they divnt buy my loaf of bread,and wouldnt give a monkeys toss if i didnt have one

  82. thanks dog but i was looking for sumthing a little bit more aggresive m8.

    i think clint would probably say – i’d shoot the lot of the f@ckers – or words to that effect like :)

    but we may get a day off work & get sum cheap beer oot of it so it’s not al bad like..

  85. no allegience to the saxe-coburg family full stop , they have been in dereliction of duty to the interests and governence of the british people for years.
    they let traitors like douglas heard , sign away sovreignty to the common market in 1972.this was an act of sedition , and last year gordon brown signed away our remaining sovreignty to the european union.
    these people are going against the british constitution , we are slowly becoming a satellite state for an even bigger european superstate.
    every british citizen,and i mean citizen not a subject,should walk into a police station and report all these criminals for treason.
    INVOKE MAGNA CARTA article 61,before it’s too late
    lawful rebellion.

  88. DJG says:
    November 17, 2010 at 1:21 pm

    “Where has Gordon Brown gone by the way?”

    DJG, I heard on the radio the other day that he has a book, ‘Before the Crash’ coming out in a month. I also heard that he has been in the House of Commons moaning that Aircraft Carrier maintainence has been handed over to the Frogs when they could have done it in Rosyth, which is very close to his constituency.

  89. TOON CHICKEN,not footy but on your post,said y/day my son is at some point going to live in malta,they have brought a new law in,no immigrant/prop dev,can purchase a house for less than 100 grand,there are a lot of houses at 50grand or so but only for local people to buy,not a bad idea imo,why dont we try it,malta is in E.U.like us or am i being raceist?

  90. Roy,
    Down with the monarchy,
    6ft down.
    They ain’t even english, whatever that is like?
    :)

    TC/Stu, (oh! that looks nice together)
    Did you think there was anything in my angle?
    The undermining of CH etc.?

    Trojan,
    was it hurd back in ’72?

    More human/workers rights being in the EU than the oxymoronic ‘constitutional monarchy’ malarky.

  91. Ice – I don’t know mate, but I don’t really blame asylum seekers.

    A lot of them do the jobs that keep this country ticking over – jobs that a lot of workshy, dole-claiming charvers refuse to do!

  92. CLiNT – I do see what you’re saying – I just think that’s the other extreme of what Stu was saying.

    Personally I think AC is caught somewhere in the middle, and looks like he just wants to play footy for his country, which is perfectly understandable, especially as it would seem that he has been declared fit.

    I wasn’t having a dig tho mate. Not sure I can say the same for Stu.

  95. TC,
    y’right, he was never ‘injured’.
    CH is just trying to do what other managers do, pull him from a meaningless game, so as not to risk him.
    AC has gone against that attempt, which, to me, is undermining him.
    & it all smacks of his attitude generally.
    I’m not saying he shouldn’t wanna play for ‘his’ country, that’s his prerogative. & if it was a ‘proper’ game, then knock yerself out Andy.
    I’m not having a go either mate.

  96. Haha – Ice :lol:

    batty’s not as bad as that man – he claims dole AND works flogging big mike’s seconds doon the market. ;)

  97. icedog says:
    November 17, 2010 at 1:42 pm

    “said y/day my son is at some point going to live in malta,they have brought a new law in,no immigrant/prop dev,can purchase a house for less than 100 grand,there are a lot of houses at 50grand or so but only for local people to buy,not a bad idea imo,why dont we try it,malta is in E.U.like us or am i being raceist?”

    No, of course you aren’t, but Malta is an island with less than 1/2 million people on it, and hence very different from the UK with over 60 million. The main problem with foreign property development is with rich euros like the British, Sausagemunchers, Frogs etc gannin’ to poorer places like the Baltic states and buying investment properties there, making a fortune and pricing the locals out of the market. What the anti immigration people don’t say is that for every immigrant coming into the UK, there is a British person emigrating overseas as an economic migrant.

  98. Roy,
    included brother.
    :)

    But hey, it’ll take all of our poor little minds off the swinging cuts that’ll be biting hard by that time next year.
    Who can be cynical about a lovely royal wedding though, hey?
    Looking forward to the riots mind.
    :)

  99. CLiNT – I could be wrong but are players not obliged to play for their country when called upon (a bit like national service)??

    I’m pretty sure they can’t just say “na – I don’t fancy it this time”.

    Or if they did, I’m sure they wouldn’t get the chance again in a hurry.

    I know old red nose seems to pull all his players all the time – but that’s generally before they meet up with the national team. I think once you’re there and have been assessed that’s it – nee going back.

  100. TC,
    aye, that sounds about right like.
    That’s why CH was trying to get in early.
    AC wouldn’t have it though, would he?

    So long as the fa cough if he gets injured, a la owen.
    Jobs a good ‘un.
    Just wonder where AC’s loyalties lie now though.
    The Toon, his manager, his country, him?

  102. Toon Chicken says:
    November 17, 2010 at 1:57 pm

    “batty’s not as bad as that man – he claims dole AND works flogging big mike’s seconds doon the market.”

    All of Big Mike’s stuff looks like seconds to me, TC.

  104. CLiNT – aye, course you are mate.

    The way a lot of people are talking it’s like he’s already snapped his ligaments tho.

    It’s just another game, a friendly at that. I’m sure he’ll get an hour or so without much hoo-ha and all this will be forgotten about.

    Knowing him – there’s probably more chance he’ll pop his groin roasting a couple of young wenches at Stringfellows or wotnot later the neet.

  105. I meant “aye, course you are” making a valid point btw – not saying you’re right! ;)

  107. TC,
    no doubt mate.

    It just highlights a pattern to the lads nature.

    Which doesn’t bode well for future ‘run ins’ with any kind of authority.
    Not that i’m one to talk, but a lot of Toon fans are relying on him, they pay his wages & wanna see him play for us, week in, week out.
    Actions speak louder than words, n’ all that?

  112. CLiNT FLiCK says:
    November 17, 2010 at 2:04 pm

    How ridiculous do you sound, asking where his loyalties lie? Just because he wants to play for England. Ever thought he’s been assessed by England’s physio and he’s been given the all clear and feels fine? No of course you haven’t, you would rather see him as taking on his manager and undermining him.

    Hughton/the club lost all rights when they allowed him to join up with the squad. If Hughton didn’t want him in the squad he shouldn’t have allowed him to join up. Once he’s with the squad it’s up to the England medical staff.

    You probably feel as though they would happily pass him as fit even if he wasn’t just so he would play.

    To think some people call me cynical!

  115. Stu,
    read my posts mate.

    I’ve clearly stated several times that i know full well that AC IS NOT INJURED & NEVER WAS.
    That’s not the issue & you as well as anyone know it.
    CH DOES NOT WANT HIM THERE.
    Most players that claim injury at friendly int’s ARE NOT INJURED.
    Not cynical, just obvious as a mackem at the opera.

    It matters not what any of us think, AC will play, cos he wants to, regardless of what his manager wants/thinks.
    You’re happy with that, fair play, i’m not & put my thoughts up here for everyone’s edification & reading pleasure. I don’t think you sound ridiculous, just blinkered cos it suits your agenda of watching england with a Geordie/Toon player playing.
    Again, fill y’boots.
    We don’t all think the same stuff & i accept that on here, a forum for view points & opinions.

    A bit of reasoned debate is good craic, all for it.
    Freedom!
    Also,
    i don’t make any assumptions about medical staff in the england set up, cos i don’t care.
    People may call you cynical, whatever.
    Anyone can call me cynical & i’ll agree with ’em, it’s not a dirty word.