Our magnificent support.Manager Chris Hughton has today called on the Newcastle fans to help push the team over the finishing line, starting on Monday when we go head to head against promotion rivals Nottingham Forest at St James’ Park..
Nottingham Forest have sold out their ticket allocation for the top of the table clash and the sheer importance of the game should mean that Newcastle have a crowd near to 50,000. Whether it will be enough to topple our record of 49,644 set against Middlebrough earlier in the season remains to be seen but either way an electric atmosphere can be expected. The only reasons I expect this game to not sell out are because of the Monday evening kick off and because of live Sky TV coverage. That said though, a crowd of around 50,000 on a Monday night will be magnificent and flies in the face of critics who claimed that we would struggle as crowds desert us. (more…)
Displaying leadership.Mystery continues to surround the recent bust-up between Toon team-mates Steven Taylor and Andrew Carroll as manager Chris Hughton chose to keep quiet on the situation that marred the build up to the Doncaster match. Those looking for any juicy bits of gossip emanating from his post match interview were left disappointed as Hughton yet again showed amazing professionalism.
The fact that the spat is currently under an internal investigation at the club probably helped in his decision to stay mute about the details of it, but his silence says more than the many column inches filled by the press about the debacle and is the strongest hint yet that something has happened.
There have been many different versions of the story over the past couple of days, Taylor started it, Carroll started it, it was about money, it was about women and so on, none of that really matters. What does matter is keeping the team on track and keeping their minds focused on the promotion run in. (more…)
Unassumingly efficient?If anybody looks back and wonders when the tide of discontent finally turned, then last night’s game might well have been it. When the third Newcastle goal went in, there was a hearty and sincere rendition of ‘Walking in a Hughton Wonderland’ ringing around Level 7. For those who aren’t aware of the significance of that, it implies a form of acceptance from the most vocal part of the ground and arguably the most vociferous. Not perhaps, acceptance of those on the board but a firm nod of appreciation at the man who probably deserves it above anybody else.
The singing was spontaneous not contrived. It was a natural response to a moment when we ultimately put yet another win beyond any doubt. There was a relief in that chant, from fans who you sensed were previously ready, willing and able to let the manager know they had his back but unwilling to break ranks from those who lumped him in as part of the Ashley crew. It almost happened against Preston and there was a spattering of pro-Hughton singing but it was half-hearted and almost through gritted teeth. (more…)
Hughton: "Nothing in it".Newcastle United manager, Chris Hughton, has reacted to specious tabloid stories stating that Newcastle United players were to be rewarded with a pay cut if the club achieve promotion at the end of the season.
Somewhat ironically, the interview appeared in Newcastle rag, the Journal, which is a sister paper of one of the tabloids that were spreding the false story in the first place, The Mirror. The club’s Managing Director, Derek Llambias also came out to scotch the rumours, saying that there was “no truth whatsoever” in the story.
Hughton meanwhile, who as most Newcastle and Tottenham fans know is usually a very calm and measured character, was reported to be “clearly annoyed” by the media guff, and his words indicated that it was a distraction that he would not allow to affect the squad as they chase a return to the Premiership. He said:
“That financial story is not particularly helpful,” (more…)
Routledge: Back for the Smoggies game?News has come in from Newcastle United’s official website that right winger, Wayne Routledge, will be back in training on Thursday, and could even be in line for a return for Newcastle United’s next trip to the dystopian land that is Middlesborough.
Routledge, 25, who has so far made a significant impression in his handful of games for the Magpies so far, picked up a strained calf in our 4-1 victory over Coventry City. Until then though, he seemed to have added some much needed balance on the right hand side since his arrival from QPR, though it can hardly be said that he hasn’t been desperately missed in the wake of some emphatic victories and excellent team performances since that time. Nontheless, it would be great to see him back to improve the squad even more.
