I suppose it depends on whether you asked one mind…
Peter Williams, a Blog Liaison for the trust, kindly offered to answer some questions that many Newcastle United fans were asking and some of you lot on the blog wanted answers to. Having gathered a number of questions via the blog, I passed these on to Peter.
However, I must confess that Peter provided the answers in 2009. The tardiness of the response is entirely my doing, and owes probably to some intoxication on the day I read it and filed it away, then promptly forgot about it. As a result, some of the information is now outdated, but I’d like to point out that shouldn’t be taken as any indication of my views of NUST or the people who asked the question. So I say again, sorry for being p*ssed at Christmas.
Anyway, rather than me prattling on, here’s the response in it’s entirety – (more…)
James Linnington before the game?I only caught this on Radio Newcastle so whatever follows is partly second-hand but…
Amidst some baffling officiating, Newcastle’s ‘Wembley Dream’ was shattered by a strong West Brom team who went two better than their plundering at St James’ last Monday, to take them through to the next round of the FA Cup. But the matchday officials can expect lifelong infamy round these parts, as they more than played their part in the fortunes of the victors.
Chris Hughton made expected changes from the 2-2 draw earlier in the week, which saw Tim Krul replace Harper between the sticks, Ryan Taylor come in at right back for the newly-acquired Danny Simpson and Tamas Kadar slot in for Steven Taylor, who appears to have suffered a serious knee injury following a shoddy challenge from Bednar in the previous game. Fabrice Pancrate and Andy Carroll also started, with Lovenkrands understandably being given time away to spend with his family and Ameobi dropping to the bench. The shape of the team changed as we elected for the 4-4-1-1 approach with Pancrate allowing Guthrie to move into the middle with Smith, Gutierrez in his usual wide left role and Nolan pushing in behind Carroll.
West Brom manager, Roberto Di Matteo, had suggested he would also make changes to protect his squad for the priority of promotion, but it was a very familiar starting eleven which ultimately trotted out. And yet despite that, it seems like they lacked the quality and drive on display in the league game. However, in a first half where Newcastle players were again found wanting for some creativity and where a number barely applied themselves, it was West Brom who took a deserved 2-0 lead into the break. (more…)
Wearside bound?It looks like suitors, Newcastle and Everton, may have been pipped to the signing of Matt Kilgallon. Some horrible rumours abound that Toon target, Kilgallon, is about to sign for Sunderland and printed speculation can be found in The Journal. Luke Edwards is reporting that a £2m offer has been accepted by the Blades, and suggests the deal will go through, and the mackems will make an announcement on his signing today.
Having been on our radar since the summer, the defender decided to stay put when all the signs were that he was keen to come to Tyneside. The reasoning was that he was keen to stay with Sheffield United and gain promotion and look at his options in the summer. The more cynical view was that he was running down his contract, to get a better signing on fee, and that we was waiting to sign for Everton.
It looks like both of those opinions are redundant now, because Edwards seems fairly confident that the deal is going to go ahead, although other sources suggest a fee of £1.75m. It remains to be seen whether Bruce pulls off the deal or not and there are no quotes from either clubs, the player or the player’s agent. But if the announcement does come today, then we haven’t got much time to wait. (more…)
Perfect Peter‘Tell me ma, me ma…’
Well maybe not yet, but after Newcastle cruised to a 3-0 win over Plymouth in our FA Cup 3rd Round replay, it’s hard not to get a little carried away. But then again it’s hard to imagine the opposition being such pushovers in the next round. And the hardy group of Argyle fans, perched in Level 4 of the Leazes, looking for all the world like the last, unwanted one in a box of Milk Tray, amongst a sparsely populated Leazes, must have been bitterly disappointed with what their side offered, or didn’t as it were.
But however horrible Plymouth were, Newcastle’s win was emphatic and the scoreline should really have been more damning, though it benefitted yours truly that it wasn’t, as 3-0 pocketed me a nice little return on my modest flutter. And tonight it wasn’t just about the result, which was impressive, but the way we went about the game.
Hughton made seven changes to the previous game, as Danny Simpson was left out of the squad and made way for the returning Enrique. Steven Taylor replaced Tamas Kadar, although he was due to replace Coloccini, until Kadar picked up an illness close to kick off. In came Nolan and Gutierrez, as Guthrie and Smith made way, the latter apparently not passed fit after coming off in the original tie. Carroll and Lovenkrands replaced Ameobi and Ranger upfront.
After a slow five minutes, we started looking hungry and determined, and Peter Lovenkrands marked his comeback, after just ten minutes, chipping the ball over the keeper after a clever run onto a lovely ball slipped into the box by Gutierrez. (more…)
So who fancies living up to this then?Well here it is, the third and final chapter of my mid-term player review. And a topical area for discussion, as speculation remains over a move for Leeds Utd’s Jermaine Beckford, or A.N. Other should we fail in that bid.
The No.9 shirt is almost as synonymous with Newcastle United, as St James’ Park, the black and white stripes or that deed funny accent we’ve got. It’s been made particularly special in this part of the world because it’s been worn by some of the best players this country has seen. The likes of Gallacher, Milburn, MacDonald, Cole, Shearer have graced that shirt and it will undoubtedly always be a big shirt to fill.
Ironic then, given that the No.9 shirt and the prestige it carries with it is currently up for grabs, that we have a group of strikers who fall somewhat short of the standards we’ve come to expect from our centre-floorboards, and that none of them look like earning that honour just yet, particularly in this current barren spell…..
I suppose it depends on whether you asked one mind…
