Archive for category: John Carver.

Toon meet the Green Army for New Year bash.

January 1st, 2010 | 156 Comments |

Plymouth Argyle's Home Park Stadium.
Plymouth Argyle's Home Park Stadium.
What better way to recover from your post new year celebrations than an 800 mile round trip down to the West Country, when Newcastle United face Plymouth Argyle in the 3rd round of the FA cup this Saturday?

As a previous six times winner of the competition, albeit the last time over half a century ago, the FA cup still brings out a sentimental streak among many Toon supporters. Who could forget that 1974 cup campaign when Tyneside well and truly had cup fever? Despite being a child at the time I remember the highs (Supermac’s goals, amongst others) and lows (team performance in the final) and the excitement of the build up to Wembley.

Sadly the competition no longer has the same kudos, and of course successes and failures in other areas can have such a dramatic financial impact on football clubs today. With so many teams willing to sacrifice progress in the FA cup to a greater monetary god such as promotion / avoiding relegation / Champion’s League success etc. Who can blame them with the cash implications of any of those having such a major impact on their football clubs? (more…)

JC looking to halt Toon’s Wembley trail?

December 17th, 2009 | 131 Comments |

Old boy makes Pilgrimage
Old boy makes Pilgrimage
Our path to FA Cup glory could be thwarted by an old acquaintance, if reports are true that former Newcastle United coach John Carver is back in football. It’s been mentioned on .com that JC is going to be assistant to Paul Mariner at Plymouth Argyle, who has taken charge after Paul Sturrock was removed from the Home Park hotseat.

Carver coached our reserves and academy sides, before being promoted to assistant to Sir Bobby Robson, and stepped in as Caretaker when Robson was sacked. When Souness got the job, he then moved onto Leeds as first team coach before once again stepping in as Caretaker for Kevin Blackwell, who he then followed to Luton Town before taking up the role of head coach at MLS side Toronto. (more…)