Archive for category: Jimbob.

Newcastle United Vs Aston Villa Match Preview

August 31st, 2012 | 135 Comments |

Old Aston Villa fan.
Villa sign a younger replacement for Shay Given?
Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle.
Date: Sunday 2nd September,2012.
Kick-Off: 4:00pm.
Referee: Lee Probert.
UK TV: None.

Sunday brings Premier League football back to St James’ Park as Aston Villa provide the opponents for a 4pm kick-off. There will be no UK TV broadcast of the fixture so it will be time to scour the internet for links if you’re not attending the match.

Newcastle will look to bounce back from last weeks defeat at Chelsea. While Villa have lost both their Premier League fixtures to date, a 0-1 loss to West Ham, and a 3-1 defeat to Everton last week at Villa Park. Historically Villa have struggled at St James Park, with only one win in the last twelve years. So the omens do look good if you believe records mean something.

Newcastle United Vs Aston Villa History

The way in which the Villans goaded the Magpies back in 2009 when Newcastle were relegated still strikes a nerve with many Toon followers. On Newcastle’s return to the Premier League in 2010 / 2011, Villa provided our first opponents at home, so a chance for some kind of retribution presented itself. Joey Barton, a Kevin Nolan double and an Andy Carroll hat trick helped to inflict a 6-0 mauling for the Magpies. Last season, Papiss Cissé introduced himself in style, controlling Jonas‘ left wing cross and lashing a volley past ex-Magpie Shay Given to secure a 2-1 victory. The last time we lost to Villa at St James’ Park was during the 2004 /  2005 season, where we witnessed Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer fall out very publically and get themselves sent off for fighting after Bowyer felt that Dyer was refusing to pass the ball to him in the game. (more…)


Chelsea Vs Newcastle United Match Preview

August 24th, 2012 | 129 Comments |

Chelsea v Newcastle United.
♫ "Blue is the callah, football is the game!" ♫
Venue: Stamford Bridge, London.
Date: Saturday 25th August, 2012.
Kick-Off: 5:30pm.
Referee: Phil Dowd.
UK TV: ESPN / HD.

Roberto Di Matteo’s Chelsea await the Magpies this Saturday, as Newcastle United return to Premier League action in the capital for another live ESPN scheduled encounter.

Alan Pardew will look to build on last weeks 2-1 home victory versus Tottenham Hotspur at a ground in which we are now undefeated for four games. This stretches back to the 2008 / 2009 season where we left with a point after a 0-0 draw.

You can’t help but reminisce about last seasons fixture, where a certain Papiss Cissé opened the scoring with a sublime flick and volley in the first half to put United 1-0 up. Unfortunately for that particular strike, it was completely overshadowed by what he managed to do late into injury time, when he smashed a right-foot volley at an insane angle past Petr Cech, securing Newcastle the three points in a 2-0 victory. If you haven’t witnessed that goal, then I seriously suggest you scroll straight to the bottom of this page right now and watch it before reading any further. (more…)


Newcastle United Vs Tottenham Hotspur Match Preview

August 17th, 2012 | 65 Comments |

Spurs match preview.
Fighting cocks? Or headless chickens?
Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle.
Date: Saturday, October 18th, 2012.
Kick-off: 5:30pm.
Referee: Martin Atkinson.
TV: ESPN / HD.

After the euphoria of a 5th placed finish, a disappointing yet much improved England showing in the Euro’s, and an Olympics that actually was really rather good, the Premier League and Newcastle United are finally back for another season.

Pre-season has been pretty unspectacular, but slightly more steady than last years showing. There wasn’t any crowd trouble to kick things off, or a José Enrique and Joey Barton ‘Twitter’ blast at the club’s hierarchy. On the actual footballing side, a massacre of Hartlepool United (5-1) was Newcastle’s best result and performance. This was sadly followed by our worst though, a 4-1 reverse at Cardiff City.

Four new arrivals in the shape of Romain Amalfitano, Gael Bigirimana, Curtis Good and as of yesterday, Vurnon Anita, have been introduced into a squad that will be competing in four competitions this coming season. We have had to say our farewells too, most notably to Danny Guthrie and Leon Best. Peter Lovenkrands has also gone, a player who was very well liked and will always be remembered with fondness from most including myself. Sadly we lost Alan Smith too…

But I digress, on to Saturday and our opponents… (more…)


Newcastle United 2011 / 2012 Season Review – Part Two – Conclusion.

May 18th, 2012 | 22 Comments |

Papiss Cissé scores another one!
He scores when he wants, apparently.
NUFC Season Review – Part One.

Following on from part one of Newcastle United’s 2011 / 2012 season review, we begin at the start of the new year with a home tie against Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United.

January – Man Utd humbled / A Nightmare at the Cottage / The new number nine…

A stunning display from Pardew’s team saw champions, Manchester United, comfortably beaten 3-0 at St James’ Park. Two brilliant goals from both Demba Ba and Yohan Cabaye put United on course to victory, with Phil Jones putting through his own net to complete the rout. It was a tremendous start to January, and helped eradicate the previous month’s below par performances. Pardew got the tactics spot on, knowing that Man Utd’s centre backs Rio Ferdinand and Phil Jones couldn’t handle the physicality of Magpies front men, Demba Ba and Shola Ameobi. (more…)


Newcastle United 2011 / 2012 Season Review – Part One

May 18th, 2012 | 9 Comments |

Ba celebrates hat-trick against Stoke.
"Make mine a treble!" - Ba gets his revenge on the Potters who shunned him.
NUFC Season Review – Part Two.

The end of the season is finally upon us. A season in which defied all expectations. A season where even the most optimistic of Toon fans would have struggled to predict what would be.

Newcastle United gate-crashed the top six, and also knocked on the door of the Premier League’s top four. As it turned out at 5pm on Sunday the 13th of May 2012, Newcastle United were confirmed as finishing in 5th place, above Chelsea, above Liverpool, and above the majority of peoples expectations.

The Europa League awaits the Magpies next season, a new chapter or perhaps a new beginning is on the horizon. But before we look forward into what might be, I’m now going to relive the season that was. Cast my mind back and tell the tale of Newcastle United’s 2011 / 2012 season. I hope you are all sitting comfortably… (more…)