The only way is up!Wherever you were tonight, it was a very special occasion if you were a Newcastle United supporter. Even before our 2-1 victory over Sheff Utd, when Nottingham Forest failed to beat Cardiff City at home, it meant we were guaranteed an automatic promotion place.
But when Sheff Utd took the lead through Richard Cresswell with a sloppy goal from a corner, it looked like they were intent on being party poopers. However, when Chris Morgan gave a ridiculous penalty away in front of the referee just before half-time, after drawing attention to himself and his man-handling, Peter Lovenkrands confidently dispatched the spot-kick to bring us level.
And despite some sloppy and frustrating play at times, it was perhaps fitting that Kevin Nolan should step up to put the icing on the promotion cake. After scoring some crucial goals this season, it was he who was in space to brilliantly convert a Lovenkrand’s flick on, and his overhead kick flew past Simonsen to make it 2-1 and send us all a bit mental. I’m sure there hasn’t been noise like that at St James’ for a long time. (more…)
Too Posh for promotion push?The first of many big games for Newcastle kicks off today, with the very real prospect of promotion making it’s first outing of the season. Today’s visit to London Road to face struggling side, Peterborough United, could result in guaranteed automatic promotion, should we come away with the three points and Nottingham Forest fail to take anything from their game at Bristol City.
On the flip side, depending on results, this game could also seal Peterborough’s fate and they could be facing the reality of life in League One next year. So despite a poor run of form, you can be sure that they’ll be fighting tooth and nail for this one.
You can check out Toonsy’s excellent match preview for all the usual pre-match speculation, gossip and such. It doesn’t look there’s any TV coverage, but if anyone finds any video links , I’m sure that would be much appreciated. Or alternatively, there are always lads and lasses looking for radio links as well. I’ll be making do with Lowes and Ando on Radio Newcastle. As ever, this can be the place to come together during the match and p*ss and moan, as we usually do… (more…)
All we care about is NUFC.Level 7 was undoubtedly in fine voice last night as the natives played their own part in Newcastle’s crucial victory over promotion hopefuls, Nottingham Forest. By the time Jose Enrique scored to make it 2-0, the appropriate volume which would have been fitting for such an occasion deserted me. I was so hoarse it came out as a whisper.
Each new ditty seemed to spread further and further round the ground, and when the last goal went in, the roof lifted off to ‘Jose’ ringing around the ground. And yet one song which has become less and less popular in recent weeks is the ‘Get out of our club’ song aimed squarely at our much-maligned owner, one Mike Ashley. This isn’t yet another excuse to dredge up the past because my feeling is that for now, supporters have almost, more or less, accepted an agreement to disagree on the current incumbent. Because not once did I hear the song being aired from my lofty perch, not even a whisper of it. The closest we got was the more neutral ‘All we care about is NUFC’ song. (more…)
'Pop'ular goalscorer!“Make it real” was the Coca-Cola slogan for 2005, and while that was arguably the year we began a slippery slide to Championship oblivion and the league that bears that famous brand name, tonight Newcastle United stepped three points and one game closer to making promotion back to the big time a reality. On a wet, windy but wonderful Monday evening, the 2-0 defeat of Nottingham Forest all but ends their hopes of overhauling us and barring a disaster all that should be left is a battle with West Brom for the title.
The Championship journey has been a humbling and perhaps necessary journey for some Mags but one season is just about enough, cheers all the same. While we’ve had some difficult games, none more so than tricky tests against the Tricky Trees, our lads have come through the test and are so close to a victorious 90 minutes which should culminate in a mathematically certain return to the top flight and a silent two fingers at those that wanted us to fail miserably. It would take a monumental 7-Up, if we were to fail to realise the dream of going back up at the first time of asking.
On a greasy surface and with the wind and rain driving across the pitch, Newcastle weathered both the elements and a determined Forest attack. Despite good possession for both sides though, neither side looked like breaking the deadlock and this Level 7’er is fairly certain he didn’t see a save from either keeper until after the hour. And when the deadlock was broken, to bring effervescence to both players and fans alike, who other than Shola ‘Offside’ Ameobi, returning from injury, would be more appropriate? With a neat turn, great control and a tidy finish to make it 1-0, proving yet again that if he can stay fit he offers us something our other strikers don’t. (more…)
Brilliant despite that awful strip.On a day when we could all but cement promotion back to the promised land of the Premiership if we emerge victorious from tonight’s titanic Tyne-Trees battle, perhaps we should look at who has put us within touching distance. Chris Hughton has been widely praised by fans and press (or at least until a certain journalist decided to pick up her poisoned pen) and rightly so. But for all Hughton’s good work, it’s the fellas out on the park who have and will continue to determine our future.
We ran a poll recently (on the right) for .org readers and contributors to vote on their ‘player of the season’ so far. Of course there may be yet more defining moments to come but even though there were some decent candidates, there are two clear front-runners at the moment. Which is perhaps not surprising, given the vocal support for these two players, with chants aimed at them being two of the loudest you’re likely to hear at games lately. (more…)
