Archive for category: Excelsior.

“Is it a bird? Is it a plane?… no, it’s…”

October 7th, 2009 | 130 Comments |

Here to save the world!
Here to save the world!
With the air thick with takeover talk, real or imaginary, now feels like a good time to throw in a spanner, or two. It is widely acknowledged that, under impossible circumstances, Chris Hughton and his staff have done an astounding job thus far managing Newcastle United. With a pre-season filled with doom-laden mutterings of “Doing a Leeds”, crashing though the divisions and into financial meltdown….while nothing of the sort has transpired. There’s still time yet, of course, but to the untrained eye all in the garden looks rosey.

Let’s make an assumption. Let’s assume that Barry Moat’s bid goes sailing through and, within minutes, we have the mighty Alan Shearer at the helm. How do the collective feel about that? Is he a white knight riding in to save us or an egomaniac sating his need for attention, and doing us more harm in the process? As Stardust (and David Frost on ‘Through the Keyhole’ ) would say….”Let’s look at the facts”.

His managerial record:

Played 8, Won 1, Drew 2, Lost 5.

….it’s not great, it’s not even mediocre. But, is he really to be judged on eight, end-of-season, scrambled bunfights with a dispirited squad, and a ton of behind-the-scenes pressure? Arsene Wenger said, at the time of Shearer’s appointment, that any manager coming in, with 8 games left, and expected to turn things around. Well that man wouldn’t be a manager, he’d be a magician. (more…)

Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias: One for the cheap seats…

September 24th, 2009 | 4 Comments |

ashley_llambias_cartoon
After reading Stardust’s “Red Bus” post recently… I had in mind to do a moment by moment de-construct of Ashley’s two year term. Then Hugh posted, what I consider to be, one of the finest, most considered, most literate blogs I have ever read on Ashley’s tenure, making most of what I’d planned to say redundant.

The problem I now faced was I had a lovely image with nowhere to, legitimately place it?

In order to bring down the maximum amount of rhetoric from all posters (who have me down as some kind of belligerent, bigoted, nightmarish, ignorant lunatic)…I thought I’d post it here….with no proper justification whatsoever.

The reason being…..I thought I’d captured a likeness, of both Mike and Del, that really did them justice. (more…)

Sir Bobby Robson – There is a secret to immortality…

September 21st, 2009 | 61 Comments |

Sir Bobby Robson 1933 - 2009.
Sir Bobby Robson 1933 - 2009.
Today we mourn, once more, the passing of greatness from us. We must also make room for some joy amid our sadness. The joy of his achievements, the joy of his words, the joy that we knew him at all. Tears will come, as they did that awful day in July, and their sting will be just as harsh…but smiles will not be far behind them.

If he were to hear the praise and plaudits, that will fill today’s service, doubtless he’d dismiss them humbly, quietly. He considered himself nothing special…just plain Bobby. “Plain”? Not to us, never to us. Not to the people he inspired, not to the people whose lives he changed forever with his honour, dignity and fortitude. While many others would have crumbled, when faced with the mountains he had to climb, Bobby did not. He set about every challenge with an unfussy stoicism that confounded circumstance, and inspired love.

He’s been written into legend now, and that is where he will remain. Not just a legend written in black and white…but one blazed across the football firmament like a glorious comet. He’s everyone’s Sir Bobby, a legends legend. To see him greet the players, at the charity re-enactment of England vs Germany, was to witness a hero battling unbelievable pain to fulfill a promise. The players faces said it all, barely able to contain their love and admiration for this colossal man. (more…)

“Geordies?” “AYE!!”

September 18th, 2009 | 123 Comments |

alan_shearer_300I make no apologies for this image (a “Scene’s we’d like to see” sequel to my previous one) despite the fact my first one seems to have upset as many people as it tickled. The movie “300” is one of my favourites and it’s no stretch, for me, to imagine Shearer as Gerard Butler’s King Leonides; leading us into battle against insurmountable odds.

Wednesday’s battering by Blackpool was either a blip or the end of the world (depending on whose advice you hold sacred); but whatever it was it was a reminder that this league will still take some winning, whatever the odds say. Chris Hughton (target for too much vilification) and the backroom staff have worked a minor miracle to get us in ANY kind of shape to face this season. Our great start has surprised everyone, including ourselves, and we can only pray in continues. Standing on the edge of tomorrows game with the “Green Army”, we mustn’t allow ourselves the luxury of too much introspection. If we succumb to that vital momentum will be lost, and with it whatever confidence we’ve been able to muster. (more…)