No. 9 shirt

[Craig 6700]

none of the current squad are anywhere near good enough to wear it....

 

Utter tosh IMO - it's just a fucking number. You don't have to be any better to wear the #9 shirt as you do the #23! It's attitudes like that which create the ridiculous stigma about the shirt.

 

Theres a nice table here on Newcastle Online and it lists Number 9's down the years. Having Man Flu I aint sure if this is all the number 9's but if so, it surprised me when you look at it how few there have been in my time.

 

My time starts with Peter Withe and goes on like this;

 

App Goals

 

Peter Withe 1978-1980 83 27

Imre Varadi 1981-1983 90 42

Chris Waddle 1980-1985 191 52

Paul Goddard 1986-88 70 23

Mirandinha 1987-1990 63 23

Mick Quinn 1989-1992 133 63

David Kelly 1991-1993 79 38

Andy Cole 1993-1995 84 68

Les Ferdinand 1995-1997 83 50

Alan Shearer 1996-present 395 201

 

My favourite without doubt was Andy Cole. The team, the time, the rollercoaster. His reign had everything and I'll will always remember him for his goals against leicester (7-0) and the hat-trick against Liverpool.

 

The link to the full table is below.

 

http://www.newcastle-online.org/nufchistor...ber9stats.shtml

 

Hmmm couple of observations:

 

1) N-O have only seemed to bother with those who were any good in it. No sign of any of the crap that have adorned it over the years - what about Rob McDonald, Gary Brazil, Billy Whitehurst & George Reilly to name but a few?

 

2) I presume the reference to Cole's goals against Leicester was the 7-1 game - don't remember a 7-0. Anyways, he scored those goals in the #8 shirt. David Kelly (who also bagged a hat-trick in that game) was wearing #9.

[NJS 4442]

George Reilly

 

Fucking hell I think my brain had conveniently wiped the memory of him until you mentioned it.

 

I have to admit to actively disliking Reilly which isn't the case with many Newcastle players and is even stranger considering I think it was just that he was so shit - a not uncommon "quality" in players over the years.

[Craig 6700]

Actually whilst we're at it, didn't the likes of Tony Cunningham & Dave Mitchell wear that shirt too?

[tinofbeans 91]

none of the current squad are anywhere near good enough to wear it....

 

Utter tosh IMO - it's just a fucking number. You don't have to be any better to wear the #9 shirt as you do the #23! It's attitudes like that which create the ridiculous stigma about the shirt.

 

nope. its my opinion craig. a fucking number but for me the no 9 shirt should go to the best centre forward we have on our books. unfortunately we don't in my opinion have one that is consistent or will punch their weight or above at this or a higher level. theres no stigma, because those of use who remember football before sky and squad numbers remember that certain numbers always had a place in the hearts of fans.

 

why does ( for example) ibrahimovic or et'oo get the number 9 at the 2 biggest clubs in their countries?

[Dr Gloom 22373]

it's just a number. we've had some good number 9s but it's not that sacred to me. if it's going to give carrol a lift, give it to him.

[maggiespaws 0]

I'm on the fence for this one. I can see where people are coming from in respect to it just being a number. Over the years we;ve had some quality no9's and some bloody awful ones too. However, perhaps sentimentally, I'd like to see the no9 continue it's elevated status. Local players will understand the significance moreso than many foreign players, but that's not to say that it has to be exclusive to them. I think it should be used as a reward to the best CF. SOmething to aspire too.

 

I know Shola has had his eye on it for years, but to be honest, he's never bothered his arse to justify it. I think he just assumed he'd get it after Shearer retired because he was his understudy.

 

If Carroll continues to put in the effort like the last game (and not behave like he has in the games before) then I think he could work his way into it.

 

It could be something thats awarded at the beginning of a season, but something you have to work to keep the following season.

 

After writing this, I guess I'm not quite centrally on the fence for this one, more leaning to one side

[khay 10]

Change the number each year, you better hope fat mike is not reading this.

[Craig 6700]

Seriously we need to go back to 1-11 to stop all this sentimental shit about the number.

 

Its cult status is because of two people - Milburn and MacDonald. Every single incumbent since then has had to deal with the stigma associated with it because of those two. Shearer demanded it because of the history but who else has? Sir Les grumbled a bit but I reckon it was more because he had to change rather than the significance of the number itself.

 

As for Ibrahimovich, I guess he has his favourite numbers - much like Aaron Hughes does with the #18 shirt.

[Guest alex]

Not to mention Vitor Baia.

[LeazesMag 0]

Seriously we need to go back to 1-11 to stop all this sentimental shit about the number.

 

Its cult status is because of two people - Milburn and MacDonald. Every single incumbent since then has had to deal with the stigma associated with it because of those two. Shearer demanded it because of the history but who else has? Sir Les grumbled a bit but I reckon it was more because he had to change rather than the significance of the number itself.

 

As for Ibrahimovich, I guess he has his favourite numbers - much like Aaron Hughes does with the #18 shirt.

 

 

MacDonald achieved status because of Milburn. Milburn is the biggest icon, probably because he was a working class Geordie and he scored FA Cup Winners etc but the number 9 goes back further than that. I have a book called Cult Heroes and Gallagher, Veitch, Stubbins were all cult heroes of their time. You can only go by what the author says about some of these players but he paints a picture that Gallagher was almost a one man team and Veitch too was the Alan Shearer of his day, simply the best.

[Guest alex]

Seriously we need to go back to 1-11 to stop all this sentimental shit about the number.

 

Its cult status is because of two people - Milburn and MacDonald. Every single incumbent since then has had to deal with the stigma associated with it because of those two. Shearer demanded it because of the history but who else has? Sir Les grumbled a bit but I reckon it was more because he had to change rather than the significance of the number itself.

 

As for Ibrahimovich, I guess he has his favourite numbers - much like Aaron Hughes does with the #18 shirt.

 

 

MacDonald achieved status because of Milburn. Milburn is the biggest icon, probably because he was a working class Geordie and he scored FA Cup Winners etc but the number 9 goes back further than that. I have a book called Cult Heroes and Gallagher, Veitch, Stubbins were all cult heroes of their time. You can only go by what the author says about some of these players but he paints a picture that Gallagher was almost a one man team and Veitch too was the Alan Shearer of his day, simply the best.

Read somewhere Gallacher was arguably the best player in the world at his peak. I assume Len White wore the number 9 as well.

[Craig 6700]

Aye you're right LM, I know the legends of both those, particularly Gallagher but as you rightly point out, the legendry status of the shirt was born out of Milburn's days...

 

I think it's just as insulting that we're not using it at all than giving it to someone who perhaps is not 'worthy of it' in some people's minds.

[Craig 6700]

Not to mention Vitor Baia.

 

Fucking hell man, let's not go there...

[LeazesMag 0]

Seriously we need to go back to 1-11 to stop all this sentimental shit about the number.

 

Its cult status is because of two people - Milburn and MacDonald. Every single incumbent since then has had to deal with the stigma associated with it because of those two. Shearer demanded it because of the history but who else has? Sir Les grumbled a bit but I reckon it was more because he had to change rather than the significance of the number itself.

 

As for Ibrahimovich, I guess he has his favourite numbers - much like Aaron Hughes does with the #18 shirt.

 

 

MacDonald achieved status because of Milburn. Milburn is the biggest icon, probably because he was a working class Geordie and he scored FA Cup Winners etc but the number 9 goes back further than that. I have a book called Cult Heroes and Gallagher, Veitch, Stubbins were all cult heroes of their time. You can only go by what the author says about some of these players but he paints a picture that Gallagher was almost a one man team and Veitch too was the Alan Shearer of his day, simply the best.

Read somewhere Gallacher was arguably the best player in the world at his peak. I assume Len White wore the number 9 as well.

 

think he did, he also has a chapter in this book and is a player who I never saw but people who are 5-10 years older than me all say he was one of the best players never to be capped by England. Incidentally, I mention the book "cult heroes" but another book springs to mind that I looked for first, it is called something like "number 9's" but I must have borrowed it or got it out of the library.

[LeazesMag 0]

I think this is the book I mentioned above

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shirt-Legends-Newc...mp;sr=1-3-spell

[Guest alex]

Seriously we need to go back to 1-11 to stop all this sentimental shit about the number.

 

Its cult status is because of two people - Milburn and MacDonald. Every single incumbent since then has had to deal with the stigma associated with it because of those two. Shearer demanded it because of the history but who else has? Sir Les grumbled a bit but I reckon it was more because he had to change rather than the significance of the number itself.

 

As for Ibrahimovich, I guess he has his favourite numbers - much like Aaron Hughes does with the #18 shirt.

 

 

MacDonald achieved status because of Milburn. Milburn is the biggest icon, probably because he was a working class Geordie and he scored FA Cup Winners etc but the number 9 goes back further than that. I have a book called Cult Heroes and Gallagher, Veitch, Stubbins were all cult heroes of their time. You can only go by what the author says about some of these players but he paints a picture that Gallagher was almost a one man team and Veitch too was the Alan Shearer of his day, simply the best.

Read somewhere Gallacher was arguably the best player in the world at his peak. I assume Len White wore the number 9 as well.

 

think he did, he also has a chapter in this book and is a player who I never saw but people who are 5-10 years older than me all say he was one of the best players never to be capped by England. Incidentally, I mention the book "cult heroes" but another book springs to mind that I looked for first, it is called something like "number 9's" but I must have borrowed it or got it out of the library.

Aye, my Dad only saw Milburn occasionally but saw Len White a lot and said he was an excellent player. Like you say he was never capped but caps were a canny bit harder to come by then (less games, no subs etc.). Incidentally Albert Stubbins went to my uncle's wedding (knew him from going to Newcastle Races loads), lived round the corner from my mate in Wideopen and is on the cover of The Beatles' Sergeant Pepper's album

[maggiespaws 0]

Seriously we need to go back to 1-11 to stop all this sentimental shit about the number.

 

Its cult status is because of two people - Milburn and MacDonald. Every single incumbent since then has had to deal with the stigma associated with it because of those two. Shearer demanded it because of the history but who else has? Sir Les grumbled a bit but I reckon it was more because he had to change rather than the significance of the number itself.

 

As for Ibrahimovich, I guess he has his favourite numbers - much like Aaron Hughes does with the #18 shirt.

 

 

MacDonald achieved status because of Milburn. Milburn is the biggest icon, probably because he was a working class Geordie and he scored FA Cup Winners etc but the number 9 goes back further than that. I have a book called Cult Heroes and Gallagher, Veitch, Stubbins were all cult heroes of their time. You can only go by what the author says about some of these players but he paints a picture that Gallagher was almost a one man team and Veitch too was the Alan Shearer of his day, simply the best.

Read somewhere Gallacher was arguably the best player in the world at his peak. I assume Len White wore the number 9 as well.

 

He did indeed - "By the 1957-58 season White was the club's regular wearer of the number 9 shirt" Source: Clicky

[LeazesMag 0]

Seriously we need to go back to 1-11 to stop all this sentimental shit about the number.

 

Its cult status is because of two people - Milburn and MacDonald. Every single incumbent since then has had to deal with the stigma associated with it because of those two. Shearer demanded it because of the history but who else has? Sir Les grumbled a bit but I reckon it was more because he had to change rather than the significance of the number itself.

 

As for Ibrahimovich, I guess he has his favourite numbers - much like Aaron Hughes does with the #18 shirt.

 

 

MacDonald achieved status because of Milburn. Milburn is the biggest icon, probably because he was a working class Geordie and he scored FA Cup Winners etc but the number 9 goes back further than that. I have a book called Cult Heroes and Gallagher, Veitch, Stubbins were all cult heroes of their time. You can only go by what the author says about some of these players but he paints a picture that Gallagher was almost a one man team and Veitch too was the Alan Shearer of his day, simply the best.

Read somewhere Gallacher was arguably the best player in the world at his peak. I assume Len White wore the number 9 as well.

 

think he did, he also has a chapter in this book and is a player who I never saw but people who are 5-10 years older than me all say he was one of the best players never to be capped by England. Incidentally, I mention the book "cult heroes" but another book springs to mind that I looked for first, it is called something like "number 9's" but I must have borrowed it or got it out of the library.

Aye, my Dad only saw Milburn occasionally but saw Len White a lot and said he was an excellent player. Like you say he was never capped but caps were a canny bit harder to come by then (less games, no subs etc.). Incidentally Albert Stubbins went to my uncle's wedding (knew him from going to Newcastle Races loads), lived round the corner from my mate in Wideopen and is on the cover of The Beatles' Sergeant Pepper's album

 

everybody knows that man

[Guest alex]

Aye, but not the other two

[LeazesMag 0]

Aye, but not the other two

 

how do you know that

[maggiespaws 0]

Aye you're right LM, I know the legends of both those, particularly Gallagher but as you rightly point out, the legendry status of the shirt was born out of Milburn's days...

 

I think it's just as insulting that we're not using it at all than giving it to someone who perhaps is not 'worthy of it' in some people's minds.

 

I get what you mean. This is where I appreciate peoples comments on the stigma attached to the shirt and the burden that would come with it.

 

Having said that though, looking over the years, the no 9 has been worn by our main (and therefore best) CF. At the minute, we dont have an out and out best and so I can see the logic in holding it until we have one.

 

I reckon part of the reason why Martins was given it rather than Shola (skill aside) is that Martins would not have succumbed to the pressure in the same way Shola would have, given Shola would be more understanding of the history/burden that came with it (and therefore more likely to be affected by it).

 

Still, Martins was the better striker, so by that logic he should have got it anyway. Owen took himself out of the equation when he wanted to keep his no10.

[Guest alex]

Aye, but not the other two

 

how do you know that

Were you at the wedding too like? Or do you know my mate? Or both?

[khay 10]

Owen might have gone for 9 if shearer was not here.

[Guest alex]

Ashley must be saving it for when we sign Thierry Henry in the summer.

[maggiespaws 0]

Owen might have gone for 9 if shearer was not here.

 

Shearer offered him it as part of the deal for him to move IIRC. Owen asked for 10.