Hughton and his trusty sidekick, Calderwood.A short twelve months ago we were a club in turmoil. Whilst we were surveying the wreckage of relegation from the Premier League, and the subsequent fallout in the next couple of months, one man had the chance to grasp an unlikely opportunity and turn it to his advantage – Chris Hughton.
Of course, we had already seen Chris in charge of the first team a couple of times in brief spells as a caretaker whilst the managerial doors were flapping open and closed all around him. He just got on with it, and whilst it probably wasn’t the most successful stints anyone has had as a caretaker, few can blame him for having any part in what was our departure from the Premier League. He was thrown in at the deep end with a bunch of players who didn’t know if they were coming or going, or indeed who else was coming or going above them, yet he just got on with it. (more…)
Next up in my series of modern classics involving Newcastle United is the trip to Elland Road, home of Leeds United, way back in December 2001. A total of seven goals were shared that night in a pulsating encounter with the table toppers, but we had the last laugh this time..
It’s match that will be remembered for it’s slick attacking play rather than defensive fortitude, which obviously added to what was a great spectacle. (more…)
Robson: LegendBefore the season started we found ourselves in the unfortunate position of having to say goodbye to one of our greatest managers and one of the games all time greats, Sir Bobby Robson, who sadly lost his battle with Cancer back in July.
The entire football world paid tribute to the man that had such an effect on the lives of so many, even people that never had the opportunity to meet him. It’s been an honour and a privilege to have him manage the team he supported as a boy. Whilst Bobby would rather have seen us challenging at the top of the Premier League rather than the second tier of English football, he would have remained equally as proud of this current team that had just spent the entire season defying critics and winning the title at a canter. Not much has been done by way of a permanent reminder of just what this man meant, not only to Geordies and fans of Newcastle United, but to England fans, Barcelona fans, PSV fans, in fact football fans all over the world. I think the time has come for that to change. (more…)
Geremi: Mystery still unsolved.Well, the great Geremi, double Champions League winner, double Premier League winner, double La Liga winner, double African Cup of Nations winner and Olympic gold medallist has gone. Now that African Cup of Nations is over, a deal has finally been completed with Turkish side, Ankaragucu, and thankfully for Mike Ashley, the burden of his £58,000 per week wages is no more.
When he signed from Chelsea in 2007, on a ‘free’ too, it may have seemed like a great coup for Newcastle United to land such an esteemed and decorated player. However, all was not what it seemed. Why would Chelsea let him go so cheaply when he still had years of his contract? Why had he been moved to right back at Chelsea, instead of his preferred midfield position? The answer came from Sir Bobby Robson. On the subject of the great player joining the club, he said in his own initimable fashion:
“Jose Mourinho told me last season that Geremi’s legs had effectively gone.(more…)
Howay the New Year!This time ten years ago, we were staring into a brand new millenium and the late great Sir Bobby Robson was halfway through the first season of his popular reign as manager at Newcastle United. The slightly uninspiring capture of Diego Gavilan was the only January transfer that Robson made and the little Paraguayan never made the impact he would have hoped for at St James’. Sir Bobby, conversely, went on to create one of the most exciting sides of a Toon generation.
Despite falling short as Keegan had done back in the ’90s, with his wealth of experience, Robson played a brand of football that the supporters could once again get behind. And the football wasn’t just good to watch but effective as we flirted with European and domestic success. But of course, the end of his reign was somewhat soured by it’s nature as many fans welcomed the decision feeling he’d lost the dressing room, and he was unceremoniously dumped by Freddy Shepherd.
2000 actually saw Robson get rid of one of our most infamous and old-fashioned bad-boys, Duncan Ferguson, but the new millenium brought the advent of a new type of bad-boy. The ‘noughties’ became the decade of the ‘naughties’ as Robson built his side around ‘bling boys’, such as the likes of Keiron Dyer, Jermaine Jenas, Titus Bramble and Craig Bellamy. (more…)
