Pardew on probation.Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle. Date: Sat 24th Aug, 2013. Kick off: 3.00pm. Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffs). UK TV: None.
Hello, good afternoon and welcome to our “match banter” for today’s first home fixture of the Premier League season, which sees the Magpies taking on Fat Sam’s West Ham.
Pardew on probation.
In Alan Pardew’s last 12 competitive games with Newcastle United, his record is Won 2, Drawn 3, Lost 7, Goals For 7, Goals against 26. With a record like that, the sharks should be circling, and I don’t mean the loan shark from Wronga, who, incidentally, will be staging their first Wronga “experience” at sunny St James’ Park today. One of their new half time pursuits for this season is called “Straight walking football,” where “two fans will race head to head through a course packed with obstacles to test their balance and skill. Whoever keeps their cool and finishes past Teenie and Tynie will take home £150″ (quote from the Hearts website). Think I’ll give that a miss next time I’m at St James’ Park. (more…)
Manchester City v Newcastle.Venue: City of Manchester Stadium. Date: Mon 19th Aug, 2013. Kick off: 8.00pm. Referee: Andre Marriner. UK TV: Sky Sports 1.
Well it’s finally here!
Another season, and it’s straight into the deep end once again for the Magpies with the club whose name sounds like a Gay Anthem or a night at the Powerhouse, Man City. It’s away too. Last season it was Tottenham, the one before that, Arsenal, then Manchester United and so on. No one could ever accuse us of getting easy starts!
Today has officially been designated as ‘Bert Trautmann Day’ at the City of Manchester Stadium after the great German City goalkeeper who famously kept on playing after breaking his neck in the 1956 FA Cup final as substitutes weren’t allowed back in those days. Sadly, Bert died very recently on July 19th in Valencia, though at 89 he did have a respectable innings. (more…)
Toon: Bragging rights over Braga.Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle. Date: Sat 10th Aug, 2013. Kick off: 6.00pm. Referee: Lee Mason. UK TV: None.
Welcome to our ‘match banter’ feature for this evening’s game against Portuguese side, S.C. Braga. Although this is the last in Newcastle United’s series of pre season frindlies, it’s the first to be held at St James’ Park.
This game will take part on what is now officially “Sir Bobby Robson Football Day,” with as many as 150 event taking place nationwide to celebrate football in general, and one of the game’s greatest Ambassadors in particular. Of course, Bobby had close links with both English and Portuguese football, managing both Sporting and Porto in the Primeira Liga between 1992 and 1996. in his time there, he picked up 2 League titles and a Portuguese Cup with Porto.
Newcastle United go hunting beaver!Venue: Estádio da Mata Real, Paços de Ferreira, Portugal. Date: Tues 23rd July, 2013. Kick off: 8.00pm. Referee: Jorge Sousa. UK TV: None.
Well this lot will certainly be no pushovers, and should be an even stiffer teat than our last Portuguese opponents, Rio Ave, and they beat us 3-1!
Although they only play before around 5,000 fans at their own stadium (and that’s for a big game), Pacos de Ferreira, or the “Beavers” as they are known were third in last season’s Portuguese Primeira Liga behind Benfica and Porto. Although the latter teams were miles ahead (23 and 24 points) of this evening’s opponents and the rest of the chasing pack, it is still some achivement to beat the likes of Braga (our next opponents), not to mention the fading giants of Sporting. Hence, if they show up and decide to really have a go, our Silver Supremo is going to have to up his game somehow.
A tough climax to a tough season.Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle. Date: Sun 19th May, 2013. Kick off: 4.00pm. Referee: Howard Webb (Sheffield). UK TV: Sky Sports 1.
Hello, good afternoon and welcome to our final match banter of the season!
Of course, this game sees us facing Arsenal at St James’ Park. Thankfully, it will not be a do or die game for Premier League survival against very stiff opposition thanks to our previous 1-2 victory against the not quite so stiff Queens Park Rangers – That would have been just too much to bear. Even so, the fact that we have been teetering on the abyss so close to the end of the season is indicative of what a disappointing season we’ve had.
Before I carry on though, just a quick note to let you know that I will actually be at the game this time. Hence, I might not be posting the team sheets, links to watch the game online etc as I usually do. I will try, though if some of you regulars could help out by posting the teams, that would be most appreciated! Alternatively, they can be found on the club’s official website
