Sports Direct United.As the post mortem on Newcastle United’s transfer window continues amongst fans, with Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias failing in their attempt to fulfill Alan Pardew’s bold prophecy of a new striker at St James’, comes the unwelcome news that the FA will be charging Pardew for making inappropriate comments about about referee, Howard Webb, before the 20th August Sunderland game.
The fan’s cup of bile has also been added to with the news that the iconic Newcastle United sign has been taken down, possibly to make way for yet more tawdry and sacrilegious Sports Direct branding at the Barrack Road temple?
Firstly, on our manager, he has been informed that he has been charged by the FA for “inappropriate conduct” for his comments about Howard Webb, and former midfielder Joey Barton in the run up to our last encounter with the vagrants of Wearside. The charges centre around the manager’s comment’s that Webb would have to be “neutral” and “astute” in dealing with Barton’s treatment by the team from the Neolithic side of the North East, the offending comments being: (more…)
Mike Ashley: No shame.I’ve been thinking about Newcastle United’s membership policy on away matches.
Now, I’m sure you remember our first match of pre-season, where a few morons decided to invade the pitch at Darlington, inciting trouble between both sets of fans. If you can’t remember what I’m referring to, check out Thump’s piece from July, when United announced the membership policy.
There was much debate at the time, as to whether this was the right thing to do. “The minority have spoiled it for the majority” was the cry from some fans. Now I understand there is no excuse to invade a football pitch and cause trouble, but I think this membership policy has many flaws and I’ve been questioning why the club have sanctioned it.
I’ve recently returned to the UK after travelling, so obviously I’ve not been able to see any matches while I’ve been busy enjoying the wonders this planet has to offer. I’m situated in Sheffield at the moment, where some of my family now live. While I’ve been away, Newcastle spent a season in the Championship, meaning certain members of my family could catch the local Newcastle away game.
Being down in Sheffield meant they enjoyed games such as Doncaster, Sheffield Utd, Sheffield Wednesday, Leicester City and Nottingham Forest. They also made a few trips up to St James’ Park also, but getting the chance to see United close by really does help considering not everybody can afford to travel across the UK to see every away game. It’s not that they don’t want to see them all, it’s just that there is a financial crisis going on, we live in a country where every penny someone earns could well be the last and many people’s jobs are not as secure as they used to be. (more…)
Gutierrez: Why not?News has come into the offices of NUFC Blog Interntional that an Argentinan International full back is currently on Tyneside and is ready to play for the Magpies!
His name is Jonas Gutierrez, he is currently 28, and is known for his daring and mazy runs down both flanks. Gutierrez is not entirely unknown to Newcastle United fans, having played for the club since 2008, when he was signed on a five year contract by well known double act, Dennis Wise and Kevin Keegan for an undisclosed sum. Since then he has become something of a fans’ favourite, playing in 115 games and scoring seven goals.
The player has already been helping current stand in, Ryan Taylor, and said of his assistance to Ryan:
“For him, it’s a new position and I know that, so I try to help him when I can.
“But I think he’s playing better game-by-game. He played well against Arsenal, but this was better than the last game.(more…)
Mike Ashley: Playing a dangerous game at NUFC?With the new season just a few short hours from kick off, Toon fans everywhere take stock of the events of the past few months and are no doubt wondering what kind of start we’ll have given the merciless squad upheaval.
Since the transfer window opened Geordies have sat around with baited breath hoping for some good news to pop up on the Sky Sports News Ticker. Needless to say, it’s been a rollercoaster ride. [Neil] Taylor, Gervinho, Gameiro, Cabaye, Erdinc, Nolan, Marveaux, Ba, Barton, Routledge, Enrique, Crouch, Defoe, Long, Beckford, Lovenkrands, Bendtner, Benayoun – and that’s just the players we’ve bought, sold, are supposed to be selling or been linked with that I can think of off the top of my head!
Toon fans are a rugged lot and we’ve put up with enough of the proverbial for us to be able to pick apart a rumour from a genuine story and gladly celebrate when we are linked to a top player; at least somebody out there thinks we can sign Messi for an estimated £8m.
Still, taken into account our outgoing transfers (Nolan, Enrique, Routledge) and comparing them to our incoming (Cabaye, Marveaux, Abeid, Ba, Obertan) – I’d usually say we’ve done pretty well! (more…)
Last to wear the number 931 players have been allocated squad numbers for Newcastle United’s 2011/2012 season.
As we haven’t posted it here yet, I thought I’d list the squad numbers for the 2011/2012 season.
31 players have so far been allocated a number but there are three gaps for numbers 3, 9 and 12 (and obviously an infinite number of gaps from 35 upwards!).
The word is that the number 9 shirt will remain free until someone earns it, or at least that was the way Chris Hughton ran things when he was manager and there is nothing to suggest that has changed. Presumably number 3 will be taken by our new left-back (Erik Pieters perhaps) and I have no idea why number 12 – worn by Danny Simpson last year – has been left free, although it could be speculated that that’s the number our fabled ‘new striker’ might take. (more…)
