January transfer window now closed.Many Toon fans had a certain amount of unease about the prospect of the January transfer window. Given the previous few windows under Mike Ashley, and a seemingly ruthless intent to slash the wage bill since our relegation, optimism wasn’t exactly flowing!
Add to that a glut of injuries that started to pile up, loan players returning to their respective clubs, and a series of uninspiring draws on the pitch, and you could see why people were starting to feel like the bubble had burst! So just what has happened in January?
We kicked off the month losing Marlon Harewoodand Zurab Khizanishviliwho both moved back to their original clubs, leaving us 2 players lighter. However,with interest in highly rated Leeds striker, Jermaine Beckord, things looked a bit more positive. Beckford handed in a written transfer request at the start of the month, adding fuel to the fire that he could be on his way to Tyneside. A sequence of bids up to the value of £1.8 million were subsequently knocked back by the Leeds board, with Ken Bates adding that manager Simon Grayson didn’t wan’t to sell the striker. The move pretty much died there.
Danny Simpson, on a 6 month loan from Manchester United limped out what seemed to be his last game for The Toon against West Brom, recieveing a fantastic ovation from the fans for his efforts at Newcastle as he was bing replaced. Simpson had always maintained that he loved playing at Newcastle, that the fans are fantastic and that he wanted to stay. A deal was agreed with Manchester United to make the move permanent but the player couldn’t agree personal teams and we looked resigned to losing him. (more…)
Best regards Leon!Amid hopes of a last-ditch attempt at acquiring Jermaine Beckford from Leeds or a more proven goal-poacher, Newcastle have opted for the less likely choice of Coventry City’s Leon Best. The official site has confirmed what Sky Sports had been reporting this morning, and after passing a medical, Best takes the No.20 shirt after signing a three-and-a-half year deal for an ‘undisclosed fee’.
The Irish international will go into the squad for Friday and assuming there are no more departures from St James’, Hughton will be spoiled for choice in terms of numbers. Quite what Best offers us in comparison to the current target-man style range we currently have, is open to debate. And there have been as many grumbles as there have been open-minded optimism.
Certainly, he seems to have offered Ashley the more prudent financial option, while still suggesting that we are sticking with our ‘younger player with potential’ model. It remains to be seen if Best can repay him by performing and realising some potential at St James’. (more…)
Williamson: It's official!Mike Williamson has been formally announced as a Newcastle United player.
As we exclusively revealed on NUFC Blog early yesterday morning, the player had already signed a 3.5 year contract. However, procedural hold ups regarding the player’s sell on clause at Watford meant that the official announcement had to be delayed until now.
The player will also be eligible for this evening’s clash with cash strapped Crystal Palace, and Mike will go staright into the squad, providing much needed cover for the wounded Magpie backline, with injuries to Danny Simpson and Steven Taylor, and also the suspension of Ryan Taylor for a straight red from radgie ref, James Linnington, in the West Brom game. (more…)
Routledge: "Geared up for promotion"Newcastle United’s latest signing, Wayne Routledge, has been spilling the beans on his latest move.
Interviewed by ex Magpie, and now North East football correspondent for Sky Sports News, David Craig, the pacy ex QPR winger talked about his reasons for coming to St James’s Park.
After observing that Routledge was “a bit of a hot property and sought after”, Craig asked the new boy:
“There were a number of clubs chasing your signature. Why did you change to Newcastle?”
To which Routledge replied:
“Newcastle`s Newcastle, everyone knows what they`re about.”
“It`s a massive club and obviously the fan base here is unbelievable. So, as soon as I got the call, the decision was made for me,”
Craig then touched on some of the great Toon widemen of the past, asking Wayne how he felt about following in the footsteps of such “true legends” as David Ginola et al, to which he diplomatically replied:
“Like you said, there have been absolutely true legends playing for this club,” continuing: (more…)
That's him there...Out of the blue, and out of the blue and white hoops comes a surprise transfer deal which brings Queens Park Rangers, Wayne Routledge, to Newcastle. Announced at lunchtime today on the official site, we’ve signed up the winger on a three and a half year deal for an undisclosed fee.
As the official site mentions, he impressed on his travels to St James’ early in the season and was one of a couple of diminutive and creative players seen on the hallowed turf in opposition colours, which had us hoping for similar styled recruits in the coming months. Routledge has completed a half century of appearances for the Hoops, scoring seven times since signing for from Aston Villa.
Having started his career at Crystal Palace, the fleet-footed wideman was courted by many suitors but following the relegation of Palace, Spurs snapped him up in 2005. Despite the obvious potential, he was unable to hold down a regular place, partly due to the unfortunate timing of injuries, and he joined Aston Villa three years after loans spells at Porsmouth and Fulham. While at Villa, and struggling to get in the first team, a loan spell at Cardiff City alerted QPR to his availability and he signed for them when his loan deal was ended. (more…)
