Craig Bellamy: Controversial as ever.Newcastle United old boy, Craig Bellamy, has a long and insightful interview on American site ‘EPL Talk.’
Given while Bellamy was in Orlando, Florida last month, coaching the youngsters at the 2011 Disney Soccer Academy, it covers quite a few topics from Bellamy’s time in the game. This included recollections of his five years at Newcastle (including a spell at Celtic on loan), and working with then manager, Sir Bobby Robson. This section has been transcribed for your reading pleasure below. As usual, Bellamy pulls no punches, accusing the Newcastle United fans for playing a big part in the Sir Bobby’s exit from the club, and saying that there is “no chance” he would ever play for Newcastle again because “there is no one else to play for up there”.
EPL Talk:“Lets talk about Newcastle United. What was was your greatest memory of playing there?”(more…)
Geordie runner, Mark Allison, at the Columbus game.At my request, site user ‘Geordiedug’, a Geordie currently living in the New York, has very kindly agreed to write about his time at the Columbus Crew game, and also with the lads at their hotel. Below are his impressions of both the game, and meeting the players. Many thanks Geordiedug! – workyticket.
As an expat geordie living in NYC for the last 9 months ‘soccer’ and supporting NUFC from the ‘States has taken a whole new meaning for me. After becoming a member of the Toon Army NYC fan club when I arrived, I have met a lot of different Newcastle fans from around the world and I’m very impressed with the knowledge and passion of the boys out here.
So with the Toon coming to the ‘States it was a perfect chance to get a summer fix of seeing Newcastle United live. Some made the trip for all 3 games; others like me could only do 1 so I met up with the gang in Columbus. (more…)
Win real money!NUFC Blog’s score prediction competition is back with a vengeance. Cash prizes on offer to aspiring pundits who can successfully predict Premier League scores.
All you have to do to enter is be a signed up member of this ‘blog and cash prizes are available:
First Place: £100
Second Place: £50
Third Place: £25
The first week’s games are already up there, so you can start making predictions now if you like, although you might want to wait until we’ve bought an expensive striker before you predict Newcastle United’s score against Arsenal for the first game!
Scores can be made and changed up until midday on the Saturday before the games take place.
Can’t you just taste the excitement? No? Well please yourselves, but have a crack at it anyway.
Are you Mark Lawrensen? (If so, beat yourself up with a brick).
Pardew still wants Jose to stayNewcastle United hit back at Jose Enrique with a fine and a telling off after his recent renegade comments on Twitter.
This Jose Enrique nonsense is a sour old kettle of fish and no mistake. The player is clearly upset by the way the club is being run but whether or not Twitter is the way to go about expressing that is another matter.
In response, it seems that Enrique has been hit with a £100,000 fine for his comments. According to reports in such esteemed places as The Sun, Pardew was ready to leave Enrique with a mere slap on the wrist for his digressions but Ashley insisted on a two-week fine. There is no substantial evidence that Ashley did in fact make such a command of Pardew and it could easily just be the press stirring things a bit, but Pardew has responded to Jose’s Tweet by saying:
“Jose was wrong to put those comments up and I told him.
“It’s a good offer which we have given him and maybe the frustration of the situation got the better of him.
“I want him to stay, he’s a good lad but this didn’t reflect well on him. It was a mistake, he knows it and so do I.” (more…)
Barton acted as peace-makerTrouble at the Darlington v Newcastle United pre-season friendly receives condemnation from the press and the clubs themselves.
It seems the Darlington nonsense has (rightly) received a fair bit of condemnation. Pitch invasions are never welcomed these days and it does nothing good for the reputations of either Newcastle United or Darlington.
From what I can gather it started as a ‘light-hearted’ invasion with smiles all round and then turned nasty. The rozzers reported it as follows:
“There has been a crowd of more than 9,700, which is significantly more than expected based on ticket sales.
“Everything was peaceful until Newcastle scored their second goal and a pitch incursion occurred which was high spirited but not violent.
“A further pitch incursion of around 20 to 30 people followed – a Newcastle supporter being escorted from the ground and three Newcastle supporters were arrested for pitch incursion.
“The game ended without incident and crowds have subsequently dispersed.” (more…)
