Archive for category: Demba Ba.

No.9 shirt – 17 year wait of expectation?

September 5th, 2011 | 18 Comments |

Camden Council: Scuppers No.9 hunt, for now.
Camden Council: Scuppers No.9 hunt, for now.
Right, so now as the dust settles on another tansfer window, where we made some great early progress with players such as Cabaye, Marveaux, Obertan, Abeid and Ba, and a couple of late window acquisitions in the shape of Elliot and Santon, we’re all set for the next big game in the stop/start beginning to this Premier League campaign.

The squads have been handed in to the FA and ‘set in stone’ until the January window creaks open for another round of harem scarem frittering of perfectly good cash on journeymen three-time losers and other teams ‘deadwood’. Can’t wait! (well, maybe I can as I can’t stand the way we have to do business these days).

Anyhoo, Yes, we could’ve done with a new striker to amply fill the legendary No.9 jersey here at Toon towers. But, it is what it is, so we have to just pick ourselves (jaws included) up off the floor, dust ourselves down and go with what we have now.

It’s a real pity actually, ‘cos i’d ’employed’ Mrs. FLiCK to ‘find’ us a new NO.9. A job she totally came up trumps with.

Alas, we couldn’t quite make the deadline in the registration of the ‘Great Black ‘n’ White hope’ in time for the squad lists. I put this down to the inefficiency of Camden Council and their collective inability to speed up the registry service down here in London Town. We were told that we had to form an orderly queue outside the Camden Town Hall and it could take as long as 6 weeks. I said:

“6 weeks? But the Toon need this lad now!” (more…)


Bargain hunting for top strikers won’t work Derek

September 3rd, 2011 | 27 Comments |

Llambias: Understands fan's frustrations?
Llambias: Understands fan's frustrations?
Most of you will be aware by now that yesterday, Newcastle United’s Managing Director, Derek Llambias, issued a statement on the club’s performance in the latest transfer window. It read:

“Now that the transfer window has closed, we have had some time to reflect on the business we have conducted over the summer.

“Our aim was to secure young players who represented value for money and could add real strength to the squad. The majority of our transfer dealings were completed in the early part of the window and we feel we have signed some players of exceptional quality. Yohan Cabaye, Sylvain Marveaux, Mehdi Abeid, Demba Ba and Gabriel Obertan were all brought in early and we have seen these players settle quickly into the squad and perform well on the pitch.

“Earlier this week we were delighted to sign Davide Santon from Inter Milan to fill our left-back position after the departure of Jose Enrique. Davide is an excellent young prospect and we’re sure he’ll be another superb addition to the squad. We also welcomed young goalkeeper Rob Elliot from Charlton Athletic who will help us retain healthy competition for that position after loaning out Fraser Forster to Celtic. (more…)


Toon to announce excuse later – Best to plug the hole for now

September 2nd, 2011 | 68 Comments |

Leon Best now Newcastle United's first choice striker?
Shush, just like the club
Newcastle United must now face post-transfer window life and we’ll just have to get on with it. Apparently the club are due to make some sort of announcement today to explain their transfer window failures.

Newcastle United Limited has so far remained silent about the club’s failure to recruit a much-needed striker during the transfer window. Even Alan Pardew – a man not known for being backward in the tongue-wagging department – has had nothing to say.

However, they will apparently make some sort of official statement later today.

Presumably they’ve now had sufficient time to think up an excuse, probably along the lines of “we tried our best”, “we’re not paying over the odds” and “last minute rejections by other clubs”. I think we pretty much know what it’s going to say. (more…)


Surprise, surprise! No striker for Newcastle United

September 1st, 2011 | 85 Comments |

'Trying is the first step towards failure'
'Trying is the first step towards failure'
Seven months after the sale of Andy Carroll, Newcastle United have, to the surprise of no one, failed to sign a suitable replacement to fill the void up front.

A day of deadline drama, in which saw United lodge a “bid” for FC Twente’s Bryan Ruiz, has ended up falling flat on it’s face as Newcastle, for reasons unknown, decided to try and bring in a striker by submitting a bid 4 hours or so before the close of the transfer window.

Mr. Ashley had a helicopter ready to swish our man from the clutches of Martin Jol’s Fulham waiting in the capital, but (shock horror), the inevitable news from David Craig was that “unfortunately” United just couldn’t quite seal the deal for Ruiz, and also defender, Liam Ridgewell.

This ‘bid’ seems slightly reminiscent of last January’s “attempt” of bringing in a player (Charles N’Zogbia) just hours before the window closed. So after fans have endured a summer of rumours or “smokescreens” as I’d prefer to call it, Newcastle have failed in their quest to find a striker.

I’m afraid this is totally Unacceptable. (more…)


The NUFC Blog Live Transfer Window Countdown!

August 31st, 2011 | 43 Comments |



Hello, good evening and welcome to the NUFC Blog transfer window countdown conundrum!

With the Summer tranfer window ending at twelve this evening. Of course, Newcastle United have already brought in new recruits such as Yohan Cabaye, Sylvain Marveaux, Demba Ba and most recently, Davide Santon and Rob Elliot as well as youngsters such as Mehdi Abeid. However, we have also lost a few key players such as Kevin Nolan, Joey Barton, Jose Enrique and more, with many fans feeling that the club should still be bringing in some new faces in certain areas.

One things for sure now, If Newcastle United were to bring any more players into the squad, it will have to happen this evening or not at all, so stay Tooned to keep up with the events live! (more…)