Barbarism begins at home

[Scottish Mag 3]

http://www.true-faith.co.uk/html/tbawe.htm

 

Bristol C h 3-0 (won)

Blackburn a 1-3 (lost)

Barnsley h 1-1

Port Vale a 1-0 (won)

Brighton h 0-1 (lost)

Cambridge a 2-0 (won)

Swindon h 3-1 (won)

Grimsby a 1-1

Sunderland h 1-0 (won)

Wolves a 2-6 (lost)

Tranmere h 2-3 (lost)

Ipswich a 2-3 (lost)

Millwall h 0-1(lost)

Derby a 1-4 (lost)

Portsmouth h 1-0 (won)

Leicester a 2-1 (won)

 

P 16 - W 7- D 2 - L 7

 

Anyone recognise that series of fixtures and results? No? Yes?

 

Well, they are the first 16 games after Ossie Ardiles was sacked and Kevin Keegan appointed until the end of the 91/92 season. KK's first 16 games. I don't know about you but as one who fretted, gnashed teeth and stotted my head off the concrete barriers in the Milburn Paddock in frustration at the time, I don't recall our new manager and players being slaughtered by supporters as they have been this season at SJP. It needs to be said that back then the quantity of our support on that last day at SJP when we faced Portsmouth (25,989) staring potential relegation to the old Division 3 and possible oblivion (Hall has told us he wouldn't have put any money in) in the face is less than 50% of the current attendances but I can't be the only one who rates those who attended that show-down at SJP as at least twice the quality of what we've had at SJP this season. At least twice.

 

After the Pompey game this season, I had the good fortune to have a bit craic with a Portsmouth lad. He was sound as a pound. He kept his delight at an excellent away win for them in check and just cracked on. The conversation turned to '92 and Portsmouth's visit to SJP, which he had attended. There was no holding him back as he waxed about the support from the stands. To paraphrase him he referred to the usual ends in grounds where the most vociferous gathered to give it big licks in support of their team. On that day in '92 every corner of SJP was bang up for it. Our Pompey pal recalled seeing old boys in the Milburn up and out of their seats and into the referee when he gave something against us, SJP's baader-meinhof wing in the mental benches just going off it at the drop of a hat - the East Stand starting off the singing, joined by the Milburn-Leazes Wing lads and the Gallowgate providing a relentless wall of sound Phil Spectir would have been proud to call his own, whilst our section of the Leazes howled down anything from the visitors. This isn't self referencing vanity from Mags about our support that day, it was one of the opposition. I recall Jim Smith and John Beresford later describing how they couldn't pass instructions to each other because of the noise.

 

Were we angry at where our club was languishing then (bottom of the old Division 2)? Of course we were, did we have misgivings about players on our books - bang right - were there some who wondered about KK's lack of managerial credentials? Of course. Did we believe in the just and righteous cause of Newcastle United? Well, only with every fibre of our being. We were united. Together. One Nation Under A Groove. Ya Bastards! Those in SJP that day shared a complete love for the club. Jesus, we've all cursed the B&W bastards down the years for letting us down and '92 was no different. We just didn't hear conversations about "lack of entertainment", "I never wanted this manager" -yap-yap-yap - we just knew the club 'kin well really needed us and if NUFC was going to go down it would go down with us, doing everything we could to give the players hope, encouragement and make life as unbearable as we could for the opposition and officials. Fifteen years later and the memory of that day is still with me but still with a lad who was in their end. He confesses to having realised what Newcastle United was all about at that match. Newcastle United is all about the supporters, our love for the club, our good humour, our defiance and our pride in our Geordie community, our city and our region. That's not Tory twat Sir John Hall Geordie Nation bullshit, its the real deal. Pure gold.

 

Have a look at those results 1-1 at Grimsby, losing 1-0 at Millwall, 4-1 at Derby, 6-2 at Wolves and 3-1 at Blackburn. I can remember how we all felt - desperate, heartbroken but at the same time absolutely committed to Newcastle United Football Club. Committed despite having never seen NUFC win a fucking spoon let alone a cup - nothing changes. I can't remember the players being booed off at HT in any of those games - home or away. Perhaps I'm wearing rose tinted geps.

 

And that spirit - the Portsmouth game where we took to the barricades - is still there. It's still there in the 6000 Mags who signed up for the trip to Ewood Park and gave a master class in how to support a football club. And its still there in the 50K+ attendances we pull in despite the mismanagement of our club over the last ten years which has brought our club near to its knees. For a club which has lost more than half a century of achievement, that has spent too long nowhere near the top of the game - those attendances are a perfect illustration of the devotion there is to Newcastle United Football Club - a club solely reliant on Tyneside and the North East for its support. We'll never be a day-tripper club. Never. The support, in terms of numbers is unprecedented. Manchester United has long been the club with the largest following in the UK but in the 80s when they were losing their way on the road to capturing an elusive Championship, they weren't getting 50K for all but the biggest games. When Liverpool went through a dip in the Souness-early 90s the gaps on The Kop opened up for midweek games when the day-trippers didn't fancy it. Celtic and Rangers - when nowhere near a bit of silverware have fallen well short of the full houses at Ibrox and Celtic Park.

 

But some of us have lost the plot. There has become too much of the "I've-lashed-out-for-my-season-ticket-and-I-demand-results" way of thinking. A misplaced pass will bring mass sighs and woe betide anyone who has a bad game. They will have the equivalent of a public disembowelling.

 

I think I know the reason. Disappointment. We've just been disappointed far too often. Premierships blown, Cup Finals lost and the piss taken by disinterested players (the Marcelinos, Luques, Viana et al) and charlatans in the dug-out (Graeme fucking Souness for fuck's sake) and directors just getting it wrong with managers time after time, but taking fortunes for themselves whilst we pay top dollar - bumbling from one balls up to another. That disappointment has curdled in some souls and its turned poisonous. At an ordinary club, supporters would stay away. But Newcastle United is no ordinary club. The punters keep coming and by and large we keep getting disappointed.

 

The burden of historic failure is placed on new managers, new players - so when a new man calls for time and patience, there is mass scowling and a bitter recanting of "50 odd fucking years of being patient" as though our new full-back is responsible for Lord Westwood, McKeag, Shepherd et al when he wasn't even born when Malcolm Dix was doing the rebel rousing, God bless him. Its a nonsense.

 

Does Allardyce deserve time? Of course he does. Will he fail with the current mood at SJP enveloping him and suffocating the life out of his players. Damned right, he will. And who then in their right mind would touch Newcastle United Football Club? Don't write in. We'd be the eternal poisoned chalice and only the seriously deranged would touch us. Fact.

 

Joey Barton is spot on about our support at SJP this season. He isn't the first to clock it - we've been saying the same thing for weeks online and in print and bemoaning the boo-ers and those flouncing off like spoilt children when things have gone wrong. We're not the only ones - The Mag and nufc.com have both been shifting about uncomfortably at the bad heads some of us have turned into. Joey Barton and the new players haven't had the benefit of a big bad Gallowgate crowd behind them. Joey Barton is right to wonder if all the rhetoric about our support is simply empty words. Right now, it looks like it is.

 

That said, although I'm not personally arsed either way that Barton expressed a few home-truths I do wonder at the wisdom of him expressing such views to the vermin in the football press which has clearly got the knives out and sharpened for everyone associated with NUFC and is all to ready to lie, distort and spin in order to destabilise our club. Had the comments came from someone with a bit more of a record at NUFC then I think it would have been more justifiable than from a lad I really rate but who is yet to have played well in our colours. And so it was entirely predictable that The Chronicle should populate its billboards with a hysterical and in my opinion misleading banner headline: "Barton attacks United fans!" on its hoardings and Wheyse Keyes Louise of The Guardian spin in her usual fashion as she glances longingly at a pic of her heartthrob Roy Keane and wipes the saliva from her chin.

 

The challenge however is obvious - get behind the lads and I'd suggest reminding those around you what they come to SJP for - to support Newcastle United - not to cry-arse on we aren't winning the league.

 

***

 

Blackburn was better but it still wasn't good enough. We are shipping far too many goals and look way short of being what a Sam Allardyce team is all about - well organised at the back (I'm sorry but although Bentley hit a nice free-kick, that wall was a shambles and maybe its time to consider someone on the line given Gerrard scored with almost an identical free-kick last week), strong from set-plays - our free-kicks and corners are woeful but Blackburn did feel a more ferocious level of competition from our players which was great to see. Where Sam is unfortunate is in his inability to put the same side out twice - particularly in defence. Our best defender is Faye and the challenge is to see who can get next to him and form a decent partnership. All of these new players, new to the league, in and out of the team due to niggles here and there isn't helping and we desperately need some stability throughout the spine of the side.

 

***

 

Anyway, John Gibson of The Chronicle gave us all a laugh this weekend as he wrote about the new players not understanding the intensity of Newcastle United. Hmm. Could he mean Mark Viduka with spells at Dinamo Zagreb, Celtic and Leeds behind him? Habib Beye from France's biggest and most passionately supported club, Marseille? Those in the Stade De Veledrome for the UEFA Cup SF might suggest it was a bit intense. David Rozenhal would have seen a bit from the Parisian radges at PSG and Alan Smith might have an opinion from his time at Leeds and Man Utd not to mention Geremi with experience of Real Madrid and the high expectations of Chelsea. Still, nice theory.

 

***

 

We have a big week upcoming. On Wednesday we pay hosts to Arsenal, who are without question one of the best sides in the world right now and coached by a genius. Newcastle United will need every hand on deck - and that includes in the stands - if we are going to have a chance against a dream of a football team. Saturday is no different with McLeish visiting with his new team and doubtless they will be on something of a high with a new face around the place and players looking to impress the new boss. A different challenge but we have to be up for it.

 

Newcastle United - Where Is The Love?

 

Keep On, Keepin' On ...

[Jimbo 175]

A poor argument in my opinion, its the performances that seem to be getting the fans backs up rather than actual results, and how can you compare a Newcastle team that were probably favourites to either struggle or go down against a Newcastle team that were many people's "dark horse" for a European place at the start of the season.

[kciM 0]

Nice read and contains a lot of truth but I can also remember sitting in the East Stand for the first time in a friendly against Sheffield United and going mad the day Jack Charlton walked away from the club and I can remember screaming Westwood out and Westwood is a pirate from the Leazes. We did support the team better than today but we also gave as much stick when required.

Edited December 2, 2007 by kciM

[LeazesMag 0]

over dramatisation from True Faith, who seem to think they represent the view of all the fans. As usual.

[Ketsbaia 0]

A poor argument in my opinion, its the performances that seem to be getting the fans backs up rather than actual results, and how can you compare a Newcastle team that were probably favourites to either struggle or go down against a Newcastle team that were many people's "dark horse" for a European place at the start of the season.

 

Bollocks.

 

If we'd been playing pish and getting results there'd be a collective tug-a-thon on here. If we'd been playing well and losing just as many people would be picking holes in the side.

 

As for the last part then you need to stop talking to these 'many people' because they're quite clearly nutters.

Edited December 3, 2007 by Skol

[Jimbo 175]

A poor argument in my opinion, its the performances that seem to be getting the fans backs up rather than actual results, and how can you compare a Newcastle team that were probably favourites to either struggle or go down against a Newcastle team that were many people's "dark horse" for a European place at the start of the season.

 

Bollocks.

 

If we'd been playing pish and getting results there'd be a collective tug-a-thon on here. If we'd been playing well and losing just as many people would be picking holes in the side.

 

As for the last part then you need to stop talking to these 'many people' because they're quite clearly nutters.

 

 

I'm not suggesting folk would be happy, but they'd be showing damn sight more patience, of course you'll always get the boo boys, but no one was baying for Sir Bobby's blood in those first couple of tentative seasons in the manner that they have under Allardyce, mainly because fella wasn't taking the piss out of the fans with his team selection, and players clearly wanted to play for him, do our rabble look like they are playing for Sam ?

[Ketsbaia 0]

A poor argument in my opinion, its the performances that seem to be getting the fans backs up rather than actual results, and how can you compare a Newcastle team that were probably favourites to either struggle or go down against a Newcastle team that were many people's "dark horse" for a European place at the start of the season.

 

Bollocks.

 

If we'd been playing pish and getting results there'd be a collective tug-a-thon on here. If we'd been playing well and losing just as many people would be picking holes in the side.

 

As for the last part then you need to stop talking to these 'many people' because they're quite clearly nutters.

 

 

I'm not suggesting folk would be happy, but they'd be showing damn sight more patience, of course you'll always get the boo boys, but no one was baying for Sir Bobby's blood in those first couple of tentative seasons in the manner that they have under Allardyce, mainly because fella wasn't taking the piss out of the fans with his team selection, and players clearly wanted to play for him, do our rabble look like they are playing for Sam ?

They did against Blackburn.

 

You honestly can't claim that half the side that Allardyce has brought in have decided they don't fancy playing for him anymore. It's a load of fantastical bollocks drummed up by the papers.

 

Funny how when we were doing well the likes of Martins were coming out saying they'd "Stay as long as Sam stayed" yet today in the paper I read a drummed up bit of shite from Oba, originating from an interview months ago saying he was going to up sticks.

 

Get behind the side and the manager rather than helping L.Taylor and her pals from the Sunday papers stoke the fucking flames.

[Jimbo 175]

A poor argument in my opinion, its the performances that seem to be getting the fans backs up rather than actual results, and how can you compare a Newcastle team that were probably favourites to either struggle or go down against a Newcastle team that were many people's "dark horse" for a European place at the start of the season.

 

Bollocks.

 

If we'd been playing pish and getting results there'd be a collective tug-a-thon on here. If we'd been playing well and losing just as many people would be picking holes in the side.

 

As for the last part then you need to stop talking to these 'many people' because they're quite clearly nutters.

 

 

I'm not suggesting folk would be happy, but they'd be showing damn sight more patience, of course you'll always get the boo boys, but no one was baying for Sir Bobby's blood in those first couple of tentative seasons in the manner that they have under Allardyce, mainly because fella wasn't taking the piss out of the fans with his team selection, and players clearly wanted to play for him, do our rabble look like they are playing for Sam ?

They did against Blackburn.

 

You honestly can't claim that half the side that Allardyce has brought in have decided they don't fancy playing for him anymore. It's a load of fantastical bollocks drummed up by the papers.

 

Funny how when we were doing well the likes of Martins were coming out saying they'd "Stay as long as Sam stayed" yet today in the paper I read a drummed up bit of shite from Oba, originating from an interview months ago saying he was going to up sticks.

 

Get behind the side and the manager rather than helping L.Taylor and her pals from the Sunday papers stoke the fucking flames.

 

Since when can we believe what Martins says !

 

Trust me, I want Sam to be a success, I was delighted when he was appointed, I've just started having some serious doubts as whether he's the right man for the job, and I've been arguing the point that getting rid of the wrong man early, deserves as much kudos as giving the right man enough time.

 

Time will tell.

[The Fish 11080]

Since when can we believe what Martins says !

 

Trust me, I want Sam to be a success, I was delighted when he was appointed, I've just started having some serious doubts as whether he's the right man for the job, and I've been arguing the point that getting rid of the wrong man early, deserves as much kudos as giving the right man enough time.

 

Time will tell.

Only if he gets it.

 

[Guest Patrokles]

What would the TF writers do without miserable 80s bands? They'd have to come up with their own headlines. And change the fanzine title.