The Importance of Being North East Top Dog

Posted on January 16th, 2013 | 171 Comments |

Toon Top Dog.
A recent sighting of the currently missing Toon Top Dog.
It’s always intrigued me how individual NUFC fans see their club’s relationship with our eternal rivals down the road.

I mean we all chant ‘we hate Sunderland’ on match days but does the rivalry mean different things to fans living where they hardly ever come across the great unwashed such as the North bank of the Tyne or in the Milan area for instance; to people like myself who live on the proverbial front line in South Tyneside?

Not only is my local area positively crawling with them, I also had the great misfortune of  attending the University of Sunderland (which ironically very few Mackems attend as they have little concept of higher education) the high point being me and my mate walking across the queermouth bridge the day after the 5-1 derby with Newcastle tops on. Yes, we received a good mixture of cheers and death threats. So, as you can see I’ve had more than my fair share of exposure in recent times.

The more you interact with the other side, the more you get to see they will point to anything that indicates the Sunderland are superior to Newcastle in some way. Maybe its their endemic selective memories kicking in again or maybe, just maybe, its the fact that as of Saturday they are now 4 points ahead of us in the Premier League. My question is that while it’s obviously important to be successful as a club and attempt to win trophies; but is it also important to get ahead of and finish above Sunderland as well, or would many be happy to just take six points off them every season?

The season before last was the latest time Sunderland finished above us when West Brom came from behind to draw 3-3 with us at home on the last day of the season. Boos quite rightly rang out at the final whistle and the team was criticised for failing to realize the significance of the result. Was the negative reaction mainly because we were overtaken by our rivals or more simply that we had lost a lead? Does being behind Sunderland in the league effect the morale of the supporters and in turn effect the players and put more pressure on them and the coaching staff to return to the natural order of things?

Is currently being lower than our rivals on of the main problems Pardew has to deal with if he wants to remain in his job until the end of the season? For me the day that Sunderland moved ahead us of was a watershed moment and in fortunes of this season in particular, will you feel finishing the season as second best in the North East constitute another failure of an already poor season? With a home derby looming on the horizon many feel that we are in the most vulnerable position to defend our home record against Sunderland for years. We have an important run of games coming up which might determine our fate and if Pardew isn’t given the chop after them, how will he fair if the unthinkable happens come April 13th?

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NUFCBlog Author: FarmerG I'm a 22 year old unemployed media graduate from Hebburn (yes, that Hebburn), South Tyneside. Long time Newcastle United Fan, some time season ticket holder. Generally skeptical about most things NUFC. All opinions are mine not yours, though most are correct :) Follow me @TheRealFarmerG FarmerG has written 4 articles on this blog.

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171 Responses

  3. It’s funny because when I was younger it was of massive importance that the first goal of a season would be to finish higher than Sunderland. Being from Newcastle I think it was important to most people back in the day…I think the only difference now is that as the years have gone by (especially recent years)I feel so much more removed from the club and my feelings since the MA era have completely changed-I think I am to preoccupied with agent fees,profit and loss,spin etc so the Sunderland thing doesen’t feel that important anymore.
    I wish Pardew,llambias and MA would just leave pronto so we can look forwards it feels like we are being strangled.

  5. Of course it’s not important. It’s never been important in the scheme of things. What is important is finishing as high as you can in the league and even more important, avoiding relegation.
    I find the above article quite childish and inaccurate and won’t put too much sore by it.
    A fellow graduate of the University of Sunderland but a graduate in Physics not media hence I’ve got a job!

  9. “University” of Sunderland? Is that a real one or is it like the “City” of Sunderland? Whatever it is, I can’t believe they do Physics there.

    Farmer, I would guess that “Media Studies” in Sunderland is where they teach you how to read newspapers? ;-)

    OK, sorry. I’ll get me coat now.

  10. If you are serious about a career in the media, I would remove this article as soon as possible. It does you no credit whatsoever and makes you appear like a small minded bitter idiot and these are not character traits that your average employer will find attractive.

  12. Peter says:
    January 16, 2013 at 12:44 pm

    “It does you no credit whatsoever and makes you appear like a small minded bitter idiot and these are not character traits that your average employer will find attractive.”

    Bollocks Peter, if he had those qualties he’d get a job at Thomson House nee botha!

  13. That’s what you think Lee. Most people who are familiar with your ‘work’ think otherwise.

  14. The only things this blog serves is to remind me how moranic football fans are, esp those who cant see that fans from their club are probably the most moranic. It really is very petty.

    All the best with the job hunting, I wouldnt attach this to your CV mind.

  16. A semi-serious point to consider. If you’re happy being below the Mackems, you’re happy not occupying the top spot in the prem (I’m not suggesting that the Mackems will finish top).

    I want us to be above the Mackems for many reasons, but a simple one is – if they finished second, I’d want us to be the team at the top.

  18. Judderman says:
    January 16, 2013 at 1:07 pm

    “Even the knuckle dragging mags find you an embarassment.”

    Judderman, at least we “knuckle dragging mags” know how to spell “embarrassment.” ;-)

  19. Here is how the moronic and deluded mind of a NUFC fan works:

    “We have a massive stadium therefore we deserve success and silverwear. We have the devine right to be classed as a big club just because we have a massive stadium and have intelligent blokes who wear no shirts in the Winter to get on television. Even though we have no history to really speak about we are still a BIG BIG club”

    In reality NUFC should be classed as a club like Peterborough but only with a “massive” stadium.

  20. “Alan Shaw says:
    January 16, 2013 at 1:02 pm
    The only things this blog serves is to remind me how moranic football fans are, esp those who cant see that fans from their club are probably the most moranic. It really is very petty.”

    Oh, cruel irony. The word you were failing to find was “moronic”. Moranic sounds like the slogan for the Alnwick tourist board.

  21. Bill Shaw says:
    January 16, 2013 at 1:17 pm

    “Here is how the moronic and deluded mind of a NUFC fan works:

    “We have a massive stadium therefore we deserve success and silverwear. We have the devine right to be classed as a big club…”

    Bill, before you start dismissing Geordies for being “moronic” I would suggest a few adult literacy classes (there’s a huge need for them on Wearside) where you could have a bash at improving your spelling.

  23. What an apposite piece by the young Media Studies Graduate.

    Encore Sir, you freshen the tarnish on Newcastle’s already sullied Media Image.

    As for the Newcastle spelling police ‘check your linen before it hits the street’.

    Prima Canis indeed!!

  24. @ Lee Ryder

    Don’t know how you have even got a job.. You write a load of bollocks and your ITK seems to come up hours after it has been reported in at least 5 different papers.

    I’m a Newcastle fan too. I think you have been doing some under the table favours for your position and I’m not talking about money.

  25. Derby matches are the only time I really take much notice of Sunderland. For the majority of my lifetime, I am in my 40’s, Newcastle have usually finished higher than Sunderland, so finishing above them is nothing special. Although neither team has won a major trophy for decades I have had the excitement of seeing my team challenge for the Premiership title, play teams like Barcelona on memorable european nights, and regularly win derby matches. The ONLY thing that Sunderland fans have had to get excited about is being higher than Newcastle, and that is why so many of them would rather see Newcastle lose than Sunderland win.

  26. LALALEERYDER says:
    January 16, 2013 at 1:51 pm

    “I’m a Newcastle fan too. I think you have been doing some under the table favours for your position and I’m not talking about money.”

    LALALEERYDER, are you suggesting that Ryder used his good looks and fine, chiseled physique to get where he is today?

  27. To the OP, you couldn’t have picked a worse time to have a go at them down the road.
    You are making us look even more of a laughing stock than we already are.
    Have you failed to notice the events of the last few weeks?
    ‘Media graduate’?!? You’re having a giraffe aren’t ya?

  28. It’s always a good sign when you see the mags rattled.
    Shows they know what’s coming next… :)

    Let’s be honest here, when I was a young un Newcastle were always a yo-yo team more often than not in the old second division and their actual ‘glory’ days didn’t produce any glory at all, just humilation and much mirth for the rest of the country.
    NUFC will always be a joke club and 1% of supporters who went to the match before 1992 know this.

  29. Geoffrey Boycoutt says:
    January 16, 2013 at 2:14 pm

    ” their actual ‘glory’ days didn’t produce any glory at all, just humilation and much mirth for the rest of the country.”

    The glory days weren’t the times you are referring to. Granted we have to go back quite a while, but even discounting the Fairs cup, our real glory days were the days of the Robledo brothers, of Jackie Milburn, and many more. The days that we won the FA Cup 3 times in short succession (indeed, our history is 6 FA Cups – how many have you lifted)?

    And yes, we were a yo-yo team. Who can forget the joys of going to see Newcastle play Tranmere in the depths of winter? Happy days.

  30. Geoffrey Boycoutt says:
    January 16, 2013 at 2:14 pm

    Touche Geoffrey, very funny. I have to give you that one! :-)

    As for being a “joke club”, at least we were the titans if the Edwardian era, I beleive it was only the late Victorian period for your lot?

  31. pete_toon says:
    January 16, 2013 at 2:25 pm

    Geoffrey Boycoutt says:
    January 16, 2013 at 2:14 pm

    ” their actual ‘glory’ days didn’t produce any glory at all, just humilation and much mirth for the rest of the country.”

    The glory days weren’t the times you are referring to. Granted we have to go back quite a while, but even discounting the Fairs cup, our real glory days were the days of the Robledo brothers, of Jackie Milburn, and many more. The days that we won the FA Cup 3 times in short succession (indeed, our history is 6 FA Cups – how many have you lifted)?

    And yes, we were a yo-yo team. Who can forget the joys of going to see Newcastle play Tranmere in the depths of winter? Happy days.
    ——————————————————
    Or going all the way down to Bournemouth to be kept in the ground for half an hour after the game in the pissing rain with no cover.

  32. @Workyticket

    I’m suggesting he used his mouth in under table deals to get where he is. Probably why his eye is so messed up, taking to many salty shots to the eye.

  33. LALALEERYDER says:
    January 16, 2013 at 2:44 pm

    “@Workyticket

    I’m suggesting he used his mouth in under table deals to get where he is. Probably why his eye is so messed up, taking to many salty shots to the eye.”

    LALALEERYDER, I was just about to take a late lunch there. Thanks for implanting that image in my head beforehand!

  35. Stop it right now children!

    Whats wrong with you people, the minute NUFC @ SFC are mentioned in the same sentance, you all revert to a twelve year old mentality.
    It’s embarrassing.

  37. So, I was in this pub in that London, like. And I asks the bartender where he’s from in the broadest Yank that I can do. He says Newcastle. But he was a dirty stinking Mackem. So, in this one case at least, even Mackems are ashamed of being Mackems.

  38. Tripe like this shouldn’t even get put up on the blog. No point or purpose to it other than filling space. Even the bollocks spouted on the .com is better than this.

  39. I think he was having a bit of fun. Plus, life is too short to bother with Mackems. Living in Chicago, i dont see that many as the furthest they go is North Shields. Lighten up.

  40. Soh!
    No way Loic Remy was going to sign for a rumored forty grand a week, when Arry was offering twice that amount, with a get out of jail card, if QPR went down.

    Of course you got the usual childish, calls of mercenary etc., get over it.

    Though IMO we lost a good layer, ah well.

    Aint the end of the world, we got other forwards out there.

    De Jong, nah! aint gonna happen, he’s the driving force and captain of a championship bound side, immpossible to prise him from Ajax before the summer.

    Erding, no way, not good enough.

    Lyons, Gomis ? nah! the guys all of 28 (rated as too late to sell on, dont ask)

    Aubameyang at St. Etienne, nothing special, nah!

    Having watched Workys videos of Bony, looks good.
    But so does everyone else on their videos, they only show the highlights.

    Dont hear much about defenders, other than Haidara at Nancy.
    Bit young, but cheap, well actually there appears to be a million and a half evaluation difference, between whats being offered and Nancy’s demands.
    A possibility IMO.

    Then there’s Yang Mbiwa 23 year old, versitile, proven defender, got competition here, but would be a good buy IMO.

    Tomkins, not a bad player, but aint gonna happen.

    Sissoko, the one midfielder we have been linked with (i think)like the ever-ready battery, just runs and runs, a good addition, but unlikely.

    Dont hear much abot CD’s other than Tomkins, and this is a critical area that should be taken care of first.

  41. Chuck: this might be scary, but we are in agreement. Of course, that might be because I had already said the same things on this very same blog. So much for original thought, eh?

  42. GS says:
    January 16, 2013 at 5:41 pm

    “Chuck: this might be scary, but we are in agreement. Of course, that might be because I had already said the same things on this very same blog. So much for original thought, eh?”

    GS, Oscar’s done that with me before, then had the gall to suggest it’s the other way ’round.

  43. Chuck says:
    January 16, 2013 at 5:21 pm

    “Dont hear much about defenders, other than Haidara at Nancy.
    Bit young, but cheap, well actually there appears to be a million and a half evaluation difference, between whats being offered and Nancy’s demands.”

    Well spotted Chuck. I also noticed that there’s the old confusion between €s and £s in the UK reports too after reading the French reports they’re nicking their stories from.

  46. tunyc says:
    January 16, 2013 at 6:18 pm

    “Is that really Lee Ryder?!

    And is the slap-fight over?”

    Well if it isn’t, they’ve got his e.mail address right tunyc.

    The custard pie fight between Geordies and Mackems is perpetual tunyc, even you should know that by now!

  47. Of course, I remember one particular game Sunderland played in the Champions League….

  48. farmer g you have got every one at each others throats again well done mate keep it up but please try to insult the scum a bit more next time, I cant believe they have a university it was a polytechnic in my day. All power to you for going out in the shirts after the 5-1 win wish I could have been there with you.
    Chuck tottaly agree on the Mbiwa front
    Darthbroon you are showing your age not many on here will know who syd barret is lol

  49. Sunderland are BY FAHHHH the greatest team the world has ever seen.

    Top three greatest players evah:

    1 Ian Porterfield
    2 Jim Montgommery
    3 Pele

  52. sammy d says:
    January 16, 2013 at 6:31 pm

    “I cant believe they have a university it was a polytechnic in my day.”

    I can’t believe it’s called a “City” nowadays either Sammy. Where the hell is Sunderland Cathedral for a start?

    When I was at Art College if you were useless, if you’d given up all hope of finding a place at one of the decent degree courses, you hung your head in shame and filled out an application to go to Sunderland Poly to play with crayons for three years.

  54. Benny Munchausen says:
    January 16, 2013 at 6:34 pm

    “Sunderland are BY FAHHHH the greatest team the world has ever seen.

    Top three greatest players evah:

    1 Ian Porterfield
    2 Jim Montgommery
    3 Pele”

    Well I’m a Toon fan and I’ve met all three, and Stokoe, and Kerr, and Watson, and most of the rest. Stokoe was a really canny old gadgie I seem to recall, though I was a bairn at the time. Then again, he was a Geordie. ;-)

  55. GS
    You may have though it, but obviously forgot to enter it on THIS blog.
    An illusion , no doubt!

  58. Ah Chuck: you even used the same words as me, I remember because I wrote them :) it is probably a total coincidence, really, yes really.

    The second half of your Chuckotribe made llttle sense, so that obviously didnt come from me :)

  61. sammy d says:
    January 16, 2013 at 7:46 pm

    “who tf is joe stokoe?”

    Sammy, back in the seventies, an evil genius tried to create a North East supermanager in his lab, a hybrid of Joe Harvey and Bob Stokoe. However, the experiment went horribly wrong and instead of producing Joe Stokoe as he intended, the evil genius ended up with Steve Bruce instead.

  62. @61: that explains his face then. I always thought it was a science experiment. But, how do you explain Peter Reid?

  63. Think I’ll “boycoutt” this thread now.
    I can’t bear to read the ramblings of the mags who spat on Sir Bobby near the end of his tenure.
    Animals.

  64. Worky: is Chuck from Newcastle? He doesn’t seem to get the Mackem thing? Ah! Second, and more meaningful question, is Chuck from this planet?

  66. Judderman says:
    January 16, 2013 at 8:21 pm

    “Think I’ll “boycoutt” this thread now.
    I can’t bear to read the ramblings of the mags who spat on Sir Bobby near the end of his tenure.
    Animals.”

    Judderman, sometimes both Geordies and Mackems alike tend to take this rivalry thing a little too seriously. Try and develop a sense of humour and take that chip off your shoulder. ;-)

  67. GS says:
    January 16, 2013 at 8:29 pm

    “Judderman, what are you talking about? Make some sense.”

    GS, when Bobby Robson dropped Kevin Keegan from the England team, there were reports that some Geordie fans spat at Robson when he was at St James’ Park.

    Judderman’s got it a bit wrong though. The alleged incident supposedly happened early in Robson’s career as England manager, not nearing the end of his tenure as Toon manager.

  68. i love the derby games, and the biggest thing we have in common, we’re both p*ss ants who think we’re bigger than we are lol.
    i’ve got to say, we go way over the top, and i can see why some other fans think we’re a bunch of rajpackets.
    i never thought i’d say this, they keep the ball on the deck, more than we do.
    we are always two games away from the championship, or two games away from relegation.

  69. GS says:
    January 16, 2013 at 8:21 pm

    “Worky: is Chuck from Newcastle? He doesn’t seem to get the Mackem thing?”

    He goes back to the early Jurassic period GS, when Mackem’s and Geordies used to live in peace and harmony, and even stand on the same terraces as fans of their respective clubs.

  71. joe @ 68: solid comment! I really can’t get animated by this now. Seems we have more pressing concerns.

  73. Goal for Ba. He now has as many league goals as our entire squad.

    But hey, MAYBE our captain and best defender won’t demand to leave for nothing…

    Yeah, it’s hard to worry about the mackems right now.

  74. Tunyc: after watching the Norwich game it is good to have a change of subject. What i have been seeing this year is not football, so we may as well talk about something else

  75. tunyc says:
    January 16, 2013 at 9:15 pm

    “Goal for Ba.”

    Doesn’t surprise me. I’ve been watching the Prince of Denmark taking on Arsenal. 1-0 to the Arsenal.

  76. I got some of those horse meat sausages from Tesco the other day, but I didn’t check the sell by date…. And they’re off!!!1!!

  79. Rob Lee’s youngun’s just come on as a sub for the Hammers.

    And Rooney’s just missed a pen.

    10 minutes to go. Hammers clinging on, one down. Worth a watch if you’re not looking in already.

  80. tunyc says:
    January 16, 2013 at 9:42 pm

    “That 29% really doesn’t seem like a mistake…”

    It gets worse tunyc. They also found phenylbutazone, a performance enhancing drug used on horses on your side of the pond which can give humans aplastic anaemia. The trail has led to the US, Mexico and Canada now.

  82. Seriously though, something as simple as a shitburger and they’re having to follow trails to several countries around the world to trace the contents. It’s just insane. Besides the health implications, it’s no wonder that there’s global warming with all the gas that’s being guzzled ferrying absolute crap around the world which should be sourced more locally.

  83. Oh ! i see everyone has had a great deal of fun at my expense.
    Yes i wrongly named Bobby Stokoe, Joe, confusing he and Joe Harvey, both half backs for NUFC in the day.
    Neither one a great player IMO, by the way.
    Frank Brennan dominated the Center half position and if i remember right Stokoe was a fill in, at either center half or right half.
    Harvey IMO was ok, but by then was getting past his sell by date.
    The clincher was when we came up against Portsmouth in the FA Cup, Jimmy Scoular, (who i based my game on as a right half in the day) showed what a defensive right half could do, lay on both the body and the perfect pass.
    You think Tiote is tough, looks like a pacifist when compared to “Dorty Jimmy Scoular” and thats what the home fans called him.
    Yeah that was a team you could believe in each week and be entertained by.
    Even when we played our neighbors down the road and we were all mixed in to gether, fifty odd thousand, with the banter going hot and heavy and never a thought of trouble.
    You guys dont know what you missed.

  84. GS
    See you are still just into criticising others.
    Is that your schtick ? certainly appears to be.
    As you seldom, if ever have anything original to say.
    Lets you and i just agree to ignore each other, as i have been trying to do for some time, as i find you to be a boring jerk, ok, deal?

  85. chuck says:
    January 17, 2013 at 4:11 am

    “Oh ! i see everyone has had a great deal of fun at my expense.
    Yes i wrongly named Bobby Stokoe, Joe, confusing he and Joe Harvey, both half backs for NUFC in the day.”

    So my guess was correct then, it was a conflation with Joe Harvey.

  86. I see that San Lorenzo have said they want a decision on Colo by next Monday. If he’s not going to be available to them, they’ll bid for Mauro Cetto instead.

    On an unrelated note, Danny Graham’s reportedly looking for a move back to the North East. http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11731/8401043/Danny-Graham-wants-a-move-back-to-his-native-North-East-Sky-Sports-understands

    Who knows, if fat Cashley gets desperate enough, we may end up putting in a bid.

  88. gs, i thought you were american?, if that’s the case, then you probably have never met a mackem, let alone a geordie lol.

  89. Worky I too have a lab and i am currently mixing genetic material from Ian Dowie and Beardo,what do you reckon the outcome will be?

  90. Jason-my thoughts exactly. What a bleak time. January and look at the bullshit we’re on about.

    As far as San Lorenzo go: they can fvck right off unless they’ve got 10M+ to pony up. MAYBE Colo will leave but they have NO say in it. And if Colo wants to force his way out with us knee-deep in it a year after signing a new deal, I see no particular reason to help him get a new gig.

  91. I think the board will possibly get Colloccini to buy out his contract with the help of that San Lorenzo,I reckon HBA will be sold £15-20M,Santon and Krul out the door-all we are under Ashley is a shop-BA was excellent business for Ashley and if the had seriously wanted BA long term then no contract clause would have been agreed in the first place.
    Rotten to the core this club and it is being Run (I use that term loosely) by a big fookin’ PARASITE.

  92. Slightly OT, but am I losing my marbles? Earlier this week, I’m sure that one of the rags wrote that QPR were amending contracts so that if they get relegated, player salaries half.

    Did anyone else see this piece, as I cannot find it? Cannot even remember which rag it was as I browse most of them online looking for transfer news.

  93. A conflation ?
    Sort of, but not exactly.
    They were similar in body types, played a similar game, though as i previously stated, neither were favorites of mine.
    Stokoe would fill in for an injured Frank Brennan or Joe Harvey, but i think Ed Robledo was favored as right half over Stokoe.
    But eventually Scoular, solidified himself as the regular right half.
    Had some pretty good players during that period, a competitive side, great entertainment value.

  94. Yeah ! looks like we could be facing a suitcase parade come summer.
    With all the come and get me’s plus the tapping up by clubs.
    It’s obvious to many, that there’s unrest among the players, body language etc.
    And if Pardew is not sent packing soon, could end up in the second tier.
    We need someone who can man manage and organize this side into a cohesive unit, playing the kind of football they are capeable of.
    Not someone placing blame on individuals or youngsters thrown out there obviously without a plan.
    Of course Ashley bares as much responsibility, for refusing to strengthen the side in the summer.
    And the chickens are coming home to roost.
    Now it’s panic time.
    Question is we have a couple of weeks to bring in the neccessary reinforcements, to save the season and give the rest a hope that the club is interested in becoming competitive, a top six side, otherwise as stated above, we could lose our best players, come the seasons end.

  95. Chuck@93
    Scoular was a favourite of mine built like a brick out house legs like tree trunks and played a mans game like a man.Also he was a regular in the hotel where I was a chef.Often saw him in his mack and crepe soled shoes.Nothing like the players of today cars, bling,and heads to go with it.

  96. Two football-related thoughts.

    1. That we’ve heard nothing about the results of the Colo talks seems bad, very bad. I’m guessing if they had gone well we’d have AP coming out and telling us how it eases pressure on the club during the window.

    2. Brendan Rodgers is a blowhard.

  97. chuck-I don’t think we have a couple weeks. I’m thinking anything less than 6 points from the next two games means we don’t know our fate until the last day of the season at best.

    But Pardew assures us he could have done no more on Remy.

    Hey, Alan-even if that’s true, some of us are sick of the fvcking excuses.

  98. tunyc says:
    January 17, 2013 at 4:04 pm

    “2. Brendan Rodgers is a blowhard.”

    Don’t upset Chuck, tunyc.

    tunyc says:
    January 17, 2013 at 4:08 pm

    “But Pardew assures us he could have done no more on Remy.”

    Remy said he signed for QPR because he shared a “special moment” with Tony Fernandes. This must have been the moment when he got his chequebook out.

  99. sammy d says:
    January 17, 2013 at 12:01 pm

    “Worky I too have a lab and i am currently mixing genetic material from Ian Dowie and Beardo,what do you reckon the outcome will be?”

    You don’t want to mix Pedro with Iain Dowie sammy. If you’re a mad Professor, it’s obvious that what you need to do is put him in a time machine that’ll make him 25 again! One thing I’ve never figured out about Beardsley is how someone actually managed to break that jaw of his once.

  100. i see pardew has crawled from beneath his stone, the todying coward has been quiet for the last couple of days, since the gruesome twosome, made him look like the usual mug.
    looks like he’s got his head together with his handlers, and come up with, “we did everything we could to get loic to sign for newcastle.
    why wait a couple of day s though, because he is the todying do what he’s told coward, that most people take him for.
    complete useless prick, what he is!!!

  101. tunyc
    I ment the window closes in two weeks, which should give us an idea of whether we can survive the drop.

    As for Rodgers, yeah he may be a blowhard, but he has Liverpool playing an entertaining style of football and one that i believe will be successful.
    We should be so lucky!

    Joe Hawkins
    C,mon Joe, quit hedging around and tell us what you really think of Pardew ?

  102. chuck, he’s absolutely fantasic, is wor alan, how we are not in the champions league, under his skilled tutelage, i’ll never know.
    look at how much backing he gets from one of the finest ownerships, in world football today.
    i cannot praise them highly enough, for their sterling efforts.

  103. Hey, we gotta forget about Loic Remy, he went for the money, and as far as i’m aware it’s perfectly legal.
    Given a choice of around forty grand or eighty grand per week, it’s a no brainer.
    Obvious Fernandez wants to have a PL side and is willing to pay for it, nowt wrong with that, same at Chelsea, Citeh, etc.
    Even Arsenal, (now the stadium is paid for), are getting into the market for big bucks again, at least according to Wenger.

    So where does that leave us?
    Last i heard we were trying to lowball a bid for Hidara the young full back and were one and a half million short of an asking price of four million.
    Whats new ?

  105. Yeah!
    that’s a bit more like it Joe, keep that shit up and your either gonna be offered a job at NUFC PR dept.
    Or the Chronicle.
    Thats if they are not one and the same.

  106. chuck says:
    January 17, 2013 at 5:16 pm

    “So where does that leave us?
    Last i heard we were trying to lowball a bid for Hidara the young full back and were one and a half million short of an asking price of four million.
    Whats new ?”

    Who’s saying that we’ve made a bid for him Chuck?

  107. chuck it was not directed at you mate I just thought if mixing two players together then what foul creature could be created from two of the most handsome chaps in football,and partly because I cannot find anything good or constructive to say about our glorious sport after the events of the last two weeks, so I intend to carry on being daft until something positive happens (which could be a fekin long time) or we get relegated.

  108. Oh well, whatever happens this season, there’ll still be Wonga’s half time fun and games to look forward to next season, where penniless Geordies can humiliate themselves in front of Mike Ashley, Derek Llambias and 50,000 others for cash. We Geordies are a proud people.

  109. Worky
    read it somewhere, cant remember where, two days ago where we had made an initial offer of two million pounds
    and talks are ongoing.
    However Nancy i believe have his value at around four million.
    Room for negotiation, but we cant afford to waste time on nickle and dimeing, as there are other fish to fry.

  110. chuck @ 101: right now I’m of the opinion that players coming in after the Reading & Villa matches may not matter. Win those and I’m confident we’ll stay up…if not, I don’t know where we’re going to find the points needed.

    worky @ 108: won’t be in front of 50K if we’re back in the championship. Silver lining?

  111. So! the WONGA deal is done?
    It’s not bad enough to have our players wearing shirts with VIRGIN MONEY written on them, now we are going to exchange it for LOANSHARK INC.
    Great !

  112. chuck says:
    January 17, 2013 at 5:59 pm

    “Worky
    read it somewhere, cant remember where, two days ago where we had made an initial offer of two million pounds
    and talks are ongoing.”

    Aye, so did I, but who was saying it Chuck?

  113. As i remember it was on some French blog, not sure if it was confirmed by either side, possibly not official.
    But sometimes we are not privy to certain negotiations, until there’s a decission made, either way.
    For obvious reasons, but Hidara has been associated with us by more than one source, so lets see what happens.

  115. chuck says:
    January 17, 2013 at 6:20 pm

    “As i remember it was on some French blog, not sure if it was confirmed by either side, possibly not official.”

    Aye but did you actually read the French media story in French, or did you just take some English herbert’s word for it?

    Haidara’s giving the Roma the glad eye ATM.

  116. As i remember, the names mentioned were reports from Italy ?
    and Sky Sports.
    Je ne parle pa Francaise.
    In which case i roughly translated what was mentioned.
    But i’m fairly sure i got it right for the most part.

  117. tunyc
    Erm, thats a cheap full back and quite young.
    And if his video was anything to go by , nowt special.

  119. chuck says:
    January 17, 2013 at 7:36 pm

    “Je ne parle pa Francaise.”

    Je ne parle pas Francais Chuck, but it’s better than most of your English on here! ;-)

    “As i remember, the names mentioned were reports from Italy ?”

    Chuck, in the Italian reports he’s saying that he prefers a move to Serie A, and also that he prefers Roma to Newcastle.

  120. chuck-this is the first time in years I look at the squad and don’t see a need at fullback.

    Now a central defender or two and a forward-those we could use.

  121. Sunderland target Danny Graham when asked who he would support if his favourite club ceased to exist:

    “Put it this way, I would stay as far away from Sunderland as I could. It would probably have to be Gateshead.”

  122. tunyc I think we all know what we need and I totally agree that a fullback is not one of the must have positions but however many names are put forward for any position we are going to struggle to get them across the line because we are on “a sound financial footing”,and you get fek all for ten bob and a spuggies egg, so other clubs who are not on “a sound financial footing” will get the proven players and some will even spend stupid money on them!
    all of my anger has gone now I am numb and bored with it all,why dont any of the russians want to buy the toon we have got the weather and drinking habits to make them feel at home.

  123. I have “Location, location, location” on the telly in the background here, and there’s a Geordie Mike Ashley on there, a tight c**t. He’s looking for a place in very expensive oil boom town, Aberdeen, and they’re fishing out house after house after house for him, but he’s constantly whinging about how they can’t find a “bargain.”

    The poor programme makers must feel like Graham Carr.

  124. Exactly, sammy. AshleyCo won’t “pay silly wages”…now they may just fiddle as we go down because there are absolutely no goals in this squad and our defense looks awful, but no “silly wages”. Priorities, don’tcha know? Becoming numb myself.

    Nobody wants to buy this club because they’d immediately have to pay back AshleyCo for that money that big Mike has graciously pumped into the club…

  125. Worky you need to chill, your anger is still with you. You are watching house hunting programmes and getting mad with the bloke and cashley at the same time as in your mind they have morphed and are one. Take my advice mate do not watch any programmes that involve money and stay especially clear of any programmes that involve transfers even if they are just houses.

  127. sammy d says:
    January 17, 2013 at 9:49 pm

    “Worky you need to chill, your anger is still with you. You are watching house hunting programmes and getting mad with the bloke and cashley at the same time as in your mind they have morphed and are one.”

    Sammy, I’m a Newcastle United fan so it goes without saying that I have acute psychiatric problems. There’s another house show on now, that middle class one, “Grand Designs.” It’s Geordies once again. Some Geordie couple are deein’ up Rothbury Mill. Very nice.

  128. I think sky sports news had a quote from haidaras agent saying he had held talks with Newcastle and Roma, but no quotes about a bid, just “sky sports understands” wed bid.

    Also what’s this story about Remy says it wasn’t the money that made him choose QPR, but cos Tony fernandes played Fifa with him!

  129. Actually with Simpson about to run out his contract, all we have of any quality are Debuchy and Santon.

    Dont rate Ferguson, Perch, Raylor or Anita as FB’s
    so a versatile someone who could play across the back four would be helpfull.

    Then appears a few clubs in Italy are looking at Santon, who has come on a lot lately, too bad Pardew sat him for so long, lost all confidence, but now looks great bringing the ball forward.

    But thats expected of to-days wing backs.

    Which leaves a lot for the CD’s to contend with.

    Then again of we had a manager he would employ the tactics that would cover such runs, already in place.

    Unless we are negotiating a deal/s for a CD/s and keeping it quiet, seems to be no movement in that direction.
    Which should with the Colo situation, be our main cocern right now.

    Two weeks to bring in the players we need to save the season, the tension mounts !

  130. Thought for the day.

    “Let us say that you and I coach two teams with kids that are 10, 11, and 12 years old and all are about equally good. You try to teach them to play good football, a passing game and with tactical basics while I tell mine to only play long balls and try to shoot. I can assure you that [at first] I will always win against you, by using your mistakes. Break a bad pass and goal. If we however continue with the same training methods during a three year period, you will most likely win every game against us. Your players will have learned how to play while mine haven’t. That’s how easy it is.” – Laureano Ruiz (the world’s greatest youth coach).

    http://lrsa.us/laureano-ruiz/

    http://lrsa.us/uploads/lrsa_philosophy.pdf

  131. L’equipe is reporting this morning that Nancy have accepted our bid for haidara,so now its down to dell boy to bollox it up.

  132. Pardew in the Journal today
    “I think we shouldn’t be lost to the fact that we could be relegated,” he told reporters.

    No shit Sherlock….and it’s you and your cronies that are to blame,what a total TOSSPOT!

  133. Pards:

    “We definitely need a player or two in this window to make sure of our Premier League status.”

    That was the case at the beginning of the season, esp starting a season with 3 CB’s – one of which is very often injured, and no true cover at right/left back.

    With Demba now gone, and Colo at best looking like playing for 6 moths more, I’d argue we need SEVERAL new signings, of GOOD QUAILTY* in order to stay up.

    If we make 5/6 signings, then they can learn and understudy Colo until he departs in defence, plus improve our squad’s chance of survival this season – meaning there’s no danger we get relegated and then have to try and recruit for a championship season ahead!

    *NOT N’gog as some reports today suggest.

  134. And with Premier League revenues due to increase 70% this year, it’s THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME TO GO DOWN – it’ll be a lot harder to get back up and stay up with other clubs so wealthy.

  135. Although I was following yesterdays blog, I thought it wise to keep well back in case I got hit by a stray handbag, looks a bit safer now!

    I’m wondering about Boswinga, as QPR seem desperate to offload him. I always thought he was a classy defender, well suited to our flowing cultured passing game, oh hang on!!

    As for the Aladier rumours, he looks to me like another Lovenkrands, ie one who threatens to play well but never quite makes it somehow. I reckon we already have squad players better than him, so it would be a waste of MA’s “precious” coins.

    I’m still waiting for the suprise amazing signing similar to Cabaye to happen, got to be some players just off the radar out there.

  136. Gourcoff and Yanga-Mbiwa

    they’re the ones i’d like – a top quality centre half and a classy attacking midfielder.

    a couple of years ago the French were over the moon because they thought that they’d found the nearest player ever to Zidane …..Gourcuff

  138. tattyheed they are two quality players therefore we have more chance of knitting snow than getting them!

  139. sammy d says:
    January 18, 2013 at 8:05 am

    “L’equipe is reporting this morning that Nancy have accepted our bid for haidara,so now its down to dell boy to bollox it up.”

    Aye Sammy. People are saying that according to L’Equipe, Newcastle United have had a bid accepted for Haidara, and yet there didn’t seem to be anything on the L’Equipe website about it when I looked. Has anyone seen anything from L’Equipe about it?

  140. Grumpy Old-Toon says:
    January 18, 2013 at 11:48 am

    “I’m wondering about Boswinga, as QPR seem desperate to offload him.”

    Aye, for a very good reason Grumpy. He has some severe attitude problems and even his teammates want to see the back of him.

  141. @worky post 137: I got to agree with you there. Carr is taking the piss if not being god damn lazy. We missed out on Michu who was £2 mill. Whats worse is we are missing out on his damn targets.

  142. If Remy says he went to QPR because he liked Fernandes & Droopy better than Dekka & AP, I can believe that.

    chuck-right now, we have 5-6 players who can do a job at FB and the starters are good. Whereas have 2 senior forwards, with 5 league goals from 22 matches between them. What would you say our priorities should be? A versatile someone playing across the back would indeed be helpful-but does our survival hinge on that? I don’t know. I do know we need to score goals and nobody currently in the squad looks capable of that.

    Going forward, I’d say we need 2/3 CBs, a FB, a wide midfielder, another creative/attacking center midfielder and a couple forwards. As many as 8 players. That’s IF Krul & Santon stay. Our bench is too weak to deal with the kinds of injuries a team gets in any PL season.

    Bosingwa is also the player Droopy was referring to as making more than anyone at spurs. No thanks!

  143. Remember when Maiga from West Ham was a target? I would take him over Graham. Diame apparently has a buy out of 3.5 million as well.

    Some one call West Ham and Big Sam.

    Still can’t find a realistic CB target. Hangeland?

  144. tunyc says:
    January 18, 2013 at 3:44 pm

    “Bosingwa is also the player Droopy was referring to as making more than anyone at spurs. No thanks!”

    And he refused to be a substitute too and hasn’t played since. He’s supposedly on around £65,000 per week but I would have thought there were one or two players getting a bit more than that at Tottenham.

  145. YankToonFan says:
    January 18, 2013 at 3:45 pm

    “Remember when Maiga from West Ham was a target?”

    He never excited me a great deal when I was watching him and Cisse from the time when we were first linked with both players, and I was absolutely over the moon when the club signed Cisse over him. I understand that you’re comparing him with Danny Graham though.

    Villareal’s Mateo Musacchio for centre back, along with a few others I’ve been looking at. It’s been hard to follow Musacchio though because Villareal have gone from Champions Legue to second tier Spanish football. Then again, that’s also one of the reasons why he might be a good target. Villareal’s relegation wasn’t his fault and he’s a very classy technical defender.

  146. michael12 says:
    January 18, 2013 at 3:10 pm

    “We missed out on Michu who was £2 mill.”

    I can understand that one Michael as Laudrup is very well connected in Spain, but I do think we should be looking there, and Germany and several other places too.

  147. Agree we should be looking to Spain more, a lot of those teams are trying to cut costs. Could find a good deal there…

  149. yank-there are realistic CB targets like Musacchio or Yanga-Mbiwa. But they won’t come here for peanuts in wages. Same for Hangeland but at 31, he’s right out anyway. Too old for AshleyCo (only Shola’s good enough to play for the Toon at that age).

  150. To those of you criticizing Carr, you’re insane. He’s unearthed gems for us before, and will do again. Plus, I believe he goes where the club sends him does he not? (Therefore may not be his decision to spend all his time in France vs. Germany/Spain/Holland)

  151. Worky @119#
    Dont bother with spell check, …Parle pas, Typo…as i just figured most Geordies would’nt know the difference.
    Lighten up guys just joking.

    tunyc sez @ 142#
    Right now we have 5 or 6 guys who can do the job as full backs.

    We got Simpson, Santon, Debuchy and our new guy Haidara.
    But i would bet that Simpson is on his way, gonna run out his contract.
    So in fact at the time we had only Debuchy and Santon, unless you are suggesting either Ferguson, Perch, Raylor and possibly Anita are adequate FB’s, which i dont.

    Tattyheed @ 36 #
    “Now that’s what i’m taking bout”
    Two excellent choices, though it’s thought Gourcoff is off the boil, but i dont believe good players become
    bad player (no quotes please, there are exceptions to every rule, i’m generalising)
    As for Yanga-Mbiwa, just what we need.

    Yank Toon fan @147#
    No we should be covering South America, especially The River Plate area and Brasil, the area that has developed some of some of the worlds best players.
    Instead we leave it to the continental and even Russian side to pick these guys up cheap.
    This is an arrogant (stupid actually) EPL attitude and time we woke up to the fact.

    Michael 12 @141#
    Dont blame Carr , he goes where he’s told and has no input during negotiations.

  152. anybody see todays riveting edition of the chronic?, “alan pardew, i’m the only man for the job”.
    i’ve never p***ed myself more, than a geriatric, wearing kanga’s.
    the bloke is severely deluded, he should seek professional help.
    the gruesome twosome, nearly killed one manager, with a heart attack.
    they latest stooge shows all the symptoms of needed to be sectioned!

  153. chuck-the starters, Santon & Debuchy, are good. We have Simpson, Ferguson, Perch, Anita and in a pinch, Saylor to fill in at RB/LB. I would LOVE depth at every position but fulfilling a plan for future development should not motivate our actions in the market now. Dealing with the CRISIS at hand should. Do you really think this ownership is going to get the center back we NEED, the forward we NEED and a fullback to get in line behind Santon? Or do you think we’re interested in this kid because he’s 20, coming from a league with a low wage structure and has sell-on value? It’s a waste of time, like when we wasted time on Barton and let other targets go (like Jagielka to EFC for 4M-talk about getting a gem for a song).

    To clarify something else: Rodgers is a great coach. He’s far superior to AP. I would take him here in a heartbeat. But to go out and put before the press the conceit that he didn’t realize Suarez dives before the player admitted it-that makes him a blowhard. It takes some stones, for sure, but it’s still a blowhard move. Suarez intentionally cheated in the WC. Suarez kicked a player and when that player turned and asked why he kicked him, Suarez said “because you are black.” Then he tried to play that off as the same thing as when Central & South Americans call anyone with dark features “negro” as a term of endearment.

  154. canadaTOON says:
    January 18, 2013 at 5:20 pm

    “To those of you criticizing Carr, you’re insane. He’s unearthed gems for us before, and will do again. Plus, I believe he goes where the club sends him does he not?”

    Carr’s favourite club, Lille, is the first stop on the Eurostar Canada.

    “It’s easy to get to northern France because only 60 miles from Calais are three teams, Lille, Lens and Valenciennes, and you find that you can take in two or three matches with one visit.” – Carr.

  155. tunyc says:
    January 18, 2013 at 6:53 pm

    “To clarify something else: Rodgers is a great coach. He’s far superior to AP.”

    Just because he’s better than Pardew, that doesn’t necessarily make him a great coach. Swansea used to bore the shit out of me until the Great Dane showed them where the goal is.

  156. Grumpy Old-Toon says:
    January 18, 2013 at 4:37 pm

    “Also the championship, there are few likely lads there.”

    Grumpy, I’ve kept an eye on the ones they usually talk about (Ince, Zaha, blah blah…) but the one I’ve looked at more than any other down the last few years is probably Peter Whittingham. Technically he’s a very good player who knows where the goal is who I’m sure could have thrived in the Premiership. He just keeps getting passed over somehow though and now he isn’t getting any younger. I think it’s daft that he hasn’t been snapped up by some Premiership side or other.

  157. worky @ 155: LFC are incomparably better than last season though, no? I don’t find BR a savory character but he’s a quality coach. I don’t feel any need to split hairs between good & great. As I’ve said before: the main difference between Swansea last season and now is Michu. They had no cutting edge last season (or the few before that, going back to the championship; they were a defense-first side). We’re seeing now at LFC how the system Rodgers uses (picked up at Swansea) can be effective if you have a good forward.

  158. Good shout about Whittingham. Strange, that. Also odd to me that no PL side wants to give Ambrose a second look. Twenty-nine league goals from midfield over three seasons, largely as a sub, is nothing to sneeze at even in the championship.

  159. Worky, I was thinking more about our defence and the players I had in mind, who I have previously mooted with little reaction, are Roger Johnson and Curtis Davies. I reckon either could flourish in the PL.

    I wouldn’t mind us getting in quick and picking up the Bradford kid, Naki ????. Looks a star in the making.

  160. Whats happened have I killed the blog? Or is it so cold everyone has gone to bed.

    Good idea actually.

    Goodnight anyone still up.

  161. Grumpy Old-Toon says:
    January 18, 2013 at 9:26 pm

    “Worky, I was thinking more about our defence and the players I had in mind, who I have previously mooted with little reaction, are Roger Johnson and Curtis Davies. I reckon either could flourish in the PL.”

    Both slightly old for Ashley’s grand blueprint Grumpy. I know about Curtis Davies the most I suppose through following Hughton’s Birmingham. Decent defender but he wouldn’t be that cheap for a Championship player and Johnson would probably be a bit more still. I suppose you didn’t include Nat Clyne in there because we’ve just got a Right Back?

  162. tunyc says:
    January 18, 2013 at 8:43 pm

    “worky @ 155: LFC are incomparably better than last season though, no? I don’t find BR a savory character but he’s a quality coach. I don’t feel any need to split hairs between good & great. As I’ve said before: the main difference between Swansea last season and now is Michu.”

    It’s all about how they develop this season but “incomparably better?” they were 7th last season and they won the League Cup. This season so far they are 8th and were knocked out of League Cup by Swansea.

    On the subject of Swansea, Michu has scored a large proportion of their goals just as Ba did for us, however it’s about more than that. They’re more vertical with less fannying around in their own half.

  163. Worky

    C’mon get off the hero worshipping trip you are on with “The Prince of Denmark”
    The guy inherited a club that was built by two of the leagues best young managers, first Martinez and followed by Rodgers.
    Ok, perhaps he has a better knowledge of players in the Spanish leagues and lucked out with Michu.
    One player among eleven.
    Hell if it comes to that, then where would you place Pardew, following NUFC’s acquisition of Ba or Cisse, who’s scoring record’s makes Michu no more than an also ran.
    I notice you have knocked Rodgers a number of times and really dont give any of our up and coming managers much praise, or recognition.
    Whats that about?

  164. Worky
    Are you the new erm, what was his name now ?
    Ah yes, “Tom Toon”
    You must remember the guy? who on Ed’s blog used to recommend the most obscure players , from teams most of us had never heard of.
    Then mention Ince,Zaha, bla, bla, two of the best young talents we have seen lately and put up a name that i will bet few on this blog have ever heard of and for that matter may never hear of again.
    Namely Peter Whittington, who has been passed over year after year, as a candidate for the PL.
    Why do you think that is ?

  166. A few reports today that montpellier have accepted a bid for Mbiwa, apparently we are negotiating a package to bring him to the toon! Oh well never mind there has got be someone decent out there who will work for minimum wage.

  167. sammy d, we’ll negotiate for the package, get the package, and mbwia will go to one of our rivals.

  169. rumour has it we are in for gourcoff now joe, if we get both through the door I will bare my arse in the club shop window!

  171. worky-I know where LFC finished last season and all. But when I watch them play this season, they look much better-as I said recently, on the verge of being a top side again in my opinion. The way they ripped WBA apart a few weeks ago, I don’t think they had any performance like that last season.

    Again, hair-splitting aside, Swansea by and large play the same as they did under Rodgers and Martinez before him. I have to swallow hard and say I agree with chuck on this one.

    But chuck, worky does lavish plenty of praise on Hughton, no? I’d say he & Rodgers are your best up-and-coming young managers.

    Haven’t seen that report about Yanga-Mbiwa in any of the sources I usually look at, sammy. Considering sky is willing to print the rankest of speculation…

    Rumor does have it that Stoke are considering a move for US international CF/winger Brek Shea. I’ve been suggesting him for the Toon for two seasons. He will be cheap and has high potential sell-on value too. Flatly, he’s a better player than Amalfitano and a couple years younger. I don’t think big Mike is as good at anything as he thinks he is.