The Secret Diary of Lee Ryder (aged 44 and a half)

[Craig 6700]

Quality grammar check going on.... (not hard to miss!)

Some excellent responses like. "Not fit to shine Alan Oliver's keyboard"....

Come in number 9 you're time is up

It's a debate that won't go away but as talk grows on whether a new bearer of the number 9 shirt is about to emerge the question is just what does Chris Hughton do with the legendary black and white jersey.

Andy Carroll would probably take it, if offered but today has claimed that scoring goals is the most important thing to him next season.

Filling it with a new signing would also be a popular option to many Toon fans yet with funds supposedly limited at St James' Park, the question of finding a big name signing with the town halls to grace it may well be a hurdle for Hughton.

No matter who gets it, it could turn out to be a burden or it could turn you into an absolute superstar.

Alan Shearer, Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand and Oba Martins are the only players to wear it during the Premier League years for Newcastle and since Martins - by far the worst of the foursome listed above to don it - the shirt has disappeared.

Before those we had number 9s such as Wor Jackie, Supermac, Mick Quinn and even Mirandinha.

Last summer, I perhaps naively asked Carroll if he wanted it with Newcastle in the Championship.

His answer was a mature one, responding: "I don't decide things like that."

A fair answer, after all, he had only scored three goals for Newcastle at the time.

In the end he was handed number 24.

It later emerged that Hughton had deliberately withdrawn the number for the season with Newcastle trying to avoid any hype or sideshows on what was already a testing stay in the second tier with every man and his dog queuing up to take pops at the Magpies.

But what now, is 19 goals last season in the Championship enough to warrant Carroll the shirt?

Or are we making too much fuss about it all?

Certainly from a marketing point of view it makes sense to have an established number 9 at Newcastle.

Or if superstition is anything to go by perhaps we should just leave it and concentrate on winning matches and staying up.

The more controversial thing to do would be retire the shirt, however, the time to do that should surely have been when all time record scorer Shearer hung up his boots.

In doing so you would abolish the dreams of millions who yearn to be United's next number 9.

Giving it to Carroll could place too much expectation on his shoulders with the youngster still at developmental age.

That said, Hughton has already stated he thinks Carroll could handle it which may be the largest indication that a new number 9 is about to be born.

It's just one of the tasks for Hughton to decide this summer.

Source: http://www.blogonthetyne.co.uk/2010/07/com...-time-is-2.html

 

[Happy Face 29]

 

I never thought I had it in me to become a professional journalist. Ryder gives us all hope.

[khay 10]

Without reading that crap.

 

I guess Big Andy is the new number 9?

[Kevin 1]

Without reading that crap.

 

I guess Big Andy is the new number 9?

Fail.

[Guest alex]

Can't argue with regard to his view of Martins mind.

[Sima 0]

What difference does it make? It's only a shirt. Far worse players than Carroll have worn it in the past.

[accadacca 0]

What difference does it make? It's only a shirt. Far worse players than Carroll have worn it in the past.

 

 

aye, 30 years ago this week, Ray Clarke was signed for £180,000 and he was a pile of crap !

[The Fish 10978]

I like that the number 9 shirt is held in high regard. It has, for me, a special place in football. In a similar way (but obviously not to the standard) of the Brazil 10. I like that we expect a good goal scorer to wear that shirt. To dismiss it as "just another shirt" is to demean the talented footballers who have worn it with pride.

 

There have been players who've worn it, who clearly weren't worthy of it.

 

I don't see any problem in holding a shirt in high regard. To be miserable and say they're all the same and who cares is yet another step towards apathy.

 

Who cares where we play, it's only a ground, who cares what colours we wear, it's only colours, who cares if we ground share with Sunderland it makes financial sense, who cares if we change the name of the club to suit Sky Sports rebranding of the Premiership it'll make no difference if we're the Newcastle Marauders.

 

 

the Newcastle Number 9 shirt is special, if for no other reasons than the great player's who've worn it.

[Howmanheyman 34029]

I like that the number 9 shirt is held in high regard. It has, for me, a special place in football. In a similar way (but obviously not to the standard) of the Brazil 10. I like that we expect a good goal scorer to wear that shirt. To dismiss it as "just another shirt" is to demean the talented footballers who have worn it with pride.

 

There have been players who've worn it, who clearly weren't worthy of it.

 

I don't see any problem in holding a shirt in high regard. To be miserable and say they're all the same and who cares is yet another step towards apathy.

 

Who cares where we play, it's only a ground, who cares what colours we wear, it's only colours, who cares if we ground share with Sunderland it makes financial sense, who cares if we change the name of the club to suit Sky Sports rebranding of the Premiership it'll make no difference if we're the Newcastle Marauders.

 

 

the Newcastle Number 9 shirt is special, if for no other reasons than the great player's who've worn it.

Well said that man!

[LeazesMag 0]

I like that the number 9 shirt is held in high regard. It has, for me, a special place in football. In a similar way (but obviously not to the standard) of the Brazil 10. I like that we expect a good goal scorer to wear that shirt. To dismiss it as "just another shirt" is to demean the talented footballers who have worn it with pride.

 

There have been players who've worn it, who clearly weren't worthy of it.

 

I don't see any problem in holding a shirt in high regard. To be miserable and say they're all the same and who cares is yet another step towards apathy.

 

Who cares where we play, it's only a ground, who cares what colours we wear, it's only colours, who cares if we ground share with Sunderland it makes financial sense, who cares if we change the name of the club to suit Sky Sports rebranding of the Premiership it'll make no difference if we're the Newcastle Marauders.

 

 

the Newcastle Number 9 shirt is special, if for no other reasons than the great player's who've worn it.

Well said that man!

 

 

it IS special, but not to the extent that several thousand wax lyrical over it and hang their hat on it at the expense of having a good team. Which happens. When Malcolm MacDonald played for us, I found so many people who were content to play 2nd fiddle and accept mediocrity because they had a hero number 9, which personally totally did my head in.

 

Gordon Lee was right to sell him.

[Kitman 2207]

Some excellent responses like. "Not fit to shine Alan Oliver's keyboard"....

 

Looks like they've been deleted now....

[Craig 6700]

Some excellent responses like. "Not fit to shine Alan Oliver's keyboard"....

 

Looks like they've been deleted now....

 

Being selective about user comments? McKeith-tastic!

 

He's an even bigger tit than I first thought....

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

His latest written mumblings are about Andy Gray saying we're going to get relegated, I cant find this anywhere on the net, can anyone help?

[Happy Face 29]

It used to be called the Rothmans but when the bible of football was slammed on my desk on Monday morning - aka the Sky Sports football yearbook - the usual turn to the Newcastle United pages rubber stamped the achievements of last season.

 

The Coca-Cola Championship kings from last season are back in the Premier League.

 

Some sections in football have missed us, some won't be too glad to see us back - but whatever way you look at it, life will never be dull with Newcastle United around.

 

Already pre-season pull outs, such as the Guardian's laughable attempt to preview the season at St James' Park, have made their opinions clear - and Andy Gray has already tipped us to go down before a ball has been kicked.

 

But for me the start of the new season is the first step of finding our feet back in the big time.

 

We go back to Manchester United first as major underdogs and emerging from Old Trafford with anything will be a bonus in the eyes of some.

 

Yet, refreshingly, the mood coming out of the Toon camp is "why can't we get something from Old Trafford?".

 

Getting back to the footy bible, which when stacked upon previous volumes can block out awkward sunlight, or make a cracking doorstop, the stat that sticks out for me the most regards the potential that still exists at St James' Park.

 

It read: "In the previous nine seasons to the 2009/10 campaign, Newcastle United had been the only club to break into the so-called "Big Four" clubs on as many as two occasions.

"They achieved fourth place in 2001/02 and finished third the following season."

 

It doesn't seem that long ago and it probably seems a while away yet but getting anywhere near European positions next season would mark incredible, incredible progress - but the potential of such a massive fanbase and superb atmospheres at SJP makes it a tough place to come for ANY team when we're on a high.

 

And while many members of the squad that went down remain at NUFC, the attitude has changed within the camp.

 

For once going into the season, we're not a club in turmoil, for the 10/11 campaign and turmoil, read Aston Villa FC and James Milner - sounds familiar doesn't it?

 

The 2008/09 season featured a battle of opinions between Wise and Keegan before his departure rocked the entire city, Milner-gate didn't help and then Xisco-gate and Nacho-gate really polished us off by the start of September.

 

With Joe Kinnear in charge and Chris Hughton picking up the pieces in between before Alan Shearer handed the tough task of saving the Magpies, it's little wonder it ended in tears at Villa Park.

 

Changing attitudes in the squad have made it a much happier camp and the togetherness within the group is there for anybody close enough to the players to see, it's hardly surprising.

 

Andy Gray knows the game well enough to make his mind up before a ball is kicked.

 

But pundits aren't always right.

 

http://www.blogonthetyne.co.uk/2010/08/mor..._medium=twitter

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

It used to be called the Rothmans but when the bible of football was slammed on my desk on Monday morning - aka the Sky Sports football yearbook - the usual turn to the Newcastle United pages rubber stamped the achievements of last season.

 

The Coca-Cola Championship kings from last season are back in the Premier League.

 

Some sections in football have missed us, some won't be too glad to see us back - but whatever way you look at it, life will never be dull with Newcastle United around.

 

Already pre-season pull outs, such as the Guardian's laughable attempt to preview the season at St James' Park, have made their opinions clear - and Andy Gray has already tipped us to go down before a ball has been kicked.

 

But for me the start of the new season is the first step of finding our feet back in the big time.

 

We go back to Manchester United first as major underdogs and emerging from Old Trafford with anything will be a bonus in the eyes of some.

 

Yet, refreshingly, the mood coming out of the Toon camp is "why can't we get something from Old Trafford?".

 

Getting back to the footy bible, which when stacked upon previous volumes can block out awkward sunlight, or make a cracking doorstop, the stat that sticks out for me the most regards the potential that still exists at St James' Park.

 

It read: "In the previous nine seasons to the 2009/10 campaign, Newcastle United had been the only club to break into the so-called "Big Four" clubs on as many as two occasions.

"They achieved fourth place in 2001/02 and finished third the following season."

 

It doesn't seem that long ago and it probably seems a while away yet but getting anywhere near European positions next season would mark incredible, incredible progress - but the potential of such a massive fanbase and superb atmospheres at SJP makes it a tough place to come for ANY team when we're on a high.

 

And while many members of the squad that went down remain at NUFC, the attitude has changed within the camp.

 

For once going into the season, we're not a club in turmoil, for the 10/11 campaign and turmoil, read Aston Villa FC and James Milner - sounds familiar doesn't it?

 

The 2008/09 season featured a battle of opinions between Wise and Keegan before his departure rocked the entire city, Milner-gate didn't help and then Xisco-gate and Nacho-gate really polished us off by the start of September.

 

With Joe Kinnear in charge and Chris Hughton picking up the pieces in between before Alan Shearer handed the tough task of saving the Magpies, it's little wonder it ended in tears at Villa Park.

 

Changing attitudes in the squad have made it a much happier camp and the togetherness within the group is there for anybody close enough to the players to see, it's hardly surprising.

 

Andy Gray knows the game well enough to make his mind up before a ball is kicked.

 

But pundits aren't always right.

 

http://www.blogonthetyne.co.uk/2010/08/mor..._medium=twitter

Aye I know that ffs, where's Andy Gray's crack.

[Tom 14021]

It doesn't seem that long ago

 

It really does.

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

It doesn't seem that long ago

 

It really does.

I think it depends on your age, life speeds up when you get past your mid 20's sadly. I can still remember like it was last week, meeting my Leeds supporting brother in law, off the train having about 5 pints before the game in O'Neill's and him saying they'd stuff us. We walked up the hill, him saying Viduka and Smith will do this that etc...aye pipe down, sure enough Smith scored after 15 seconds, 0-1 down. Then we played absolutely phenomenal, one of Dyer's best games for the toon, we ended up winning 3-1, met him in O'Neill's after "two poor sides out there today," aye do one you posh Yorkshire gimp. That seems like yesterday to me and it was over 8 years ago.

[Happy Face 29]

Aye I know that ffs, where's Andy Gray's crack.

 

Whey you should have been more clear ffs.

 

Andy Gray's crack extends north and south of his arsehole

[Guest alex]

Andy Gray never has a good word to say about us so I wouldn't read too much into what he says.

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

Andy Gray never has a good word to say about us so I wouldn't read too much into what he says.

To be fair I remember him saying that he used to love trips to SJP more than any other ground during the KK/SBR era's because the occasions and atmospheres were so special.

[Guest alex]

Andy Gray never has a good word to say about us so I wouldn't read too much into what he says.

To be fair I remember him saying that he used to love trips to SJP more than any other ground during the KK/SBR era's because the occasions and atmospheres were so special.

Ok then, make that rarely instead of never.

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

Aye I know that ffs, where's Andy Gray's crack.

 

Whey you should have been more clear ffs.

 

Andy Gray's crack extends north and south of his arsehole

How would I know what Lee Ryder's mumblings were without reading that piece. I think he's making it up I can't find his patter anywhere.

[Happy Face 29]

Aye I know that ffs, where's Andy Gray's crack.

 

Whey you should have been more clear ffs.

 

Andy Gray's crack extends north and south of his arsehole

How would I know what Lee Ryder's mumblings were without reading that piece. I think he's making it up I can't find his patter anywhere.

 

Because someone might have told you Ryder was spouting shite and you wanted to read it for yourself.

 

Other people might have wanted to read Ryder's shite anyway.

 

Andy Gray does tips for Betfair but he hasn't mentioned the relegation battle yet.

 

http://www.betfairfootball.com/andy-gray/

[Guest alex]

That's the thanks you get, HF

[Happy Face 29]

 

I've gone the extra step and used Twitter to ask Ryder where he saw it.

 

I'll report back.