Date: Saturday, 21st July. Venue: Káposztás Utcai Stadion, Sopron, Hungary. Kick off: 7pm local time / 6pm UK time Tickets TBC. UK TV: Live on ESPN UK.
This one sees the Magpies making another step up as they take on last years runners up from the Turkish Super Lig.
This one against the Istanbul club will be another “battle of the birds” as Fenerbahçe, like Norwich City over here, are known as the Canaries back in their native Turkey.
Formed in 1907, the Istanbul giants have been Turkish Süper Lig champions no less than 18 times, also winning the Turkish Cup five times and the Turkish Super Cup eight times. They feature a few names which will be familiar, including ex Liverpool forward and winger, Dirk Kuyt, who tranferred to the yellow Canaries at the end of last season. Another name from the team is Demba Ba’s mate from Senegal, Moussa Sow, who was the subject of Newcastle United transfer speculation when he was a Lille player in the past, with him being Ba’s mate and Yohan Cabaye’s former team mate and such. (more…)
Newcastle United’s series of pre season fixtures starts this evening in Chemnitz, as the Magpies kick off their European tour, playing six games (if you count one against the Dutch Den Haag which is yet to be officially confirmed). Two of the games will be played in Germany, one in Hungary and two in Portugal, though not necessarily against local sides.
The teams will be Chemitzer at their place in Saxony, AS Monaco in Bavaria, Fenerbahçe in Hungary, Olympiacos and SC Braga at Braga’s unusual Estádio Municipal de Braga, which has a huge rockface at one side of the stadium instead of the usual terracing. Finally the as yet unconfirmed one against ADO Den Haag will be played at Den Haag’s Kyocera Stadium in the the Hague. Although not officially confirmed by NUFC, the game has been definitely been confirmed by Den Haag.
Finally (for the moment), back in the UK, there will be another “Battle of the Birds” as the Magpies take on the Bluebirds of Cardiff City at their place, and the reserves / bairns will also take on Gatesheed at the Intenational Stadium. (more…)
The Premiership fixture nerve centre today.Well, the Premier League fixture list was released this morning, with Newcastle once again taking on the might of North London in our opening fixture.
Last time it was Arsenal at home in our opening fixture, but this time the Magpies will be greeting Tottenham at St James’ Park on the 18th August. Tottenham, of course, drew 2-2 in the corresponding home fixture at St James’ Park last season, with our opening game against the other North London titans ending as a 0-0 draw. The London theme will continue after that with the Magpies making the trip to West London’s Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea in their second Premiership game of the season.
Other salient points include the fact that the Magpies will be playing no less than a visit from Chris Hughton’s turkey pluckers of Norwich on the 22nd September. Another point of interest is the games taking place during yet another African Cup of Nations, which will be taking place for a second year on succession. This time the competition will be taking place in South Africa between 19 January and 10 February. This will almost certainly see us without key players, Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse and Cheick Tiote, if indeed they are still at the club by that time! Hopefully, the unstoppable force that is Shola Ameobi will be inexplicably passed over by Nigeria once again for this competition. (more…)
