Benwell Lad

Read an article last night and was surprised to learn that Jackie Milburn scored goals in the European Cup (now re-branded Champions League) Could be good quiz question - Against who did Jackie score his first goal in the European Cup ?

Remember a few matches mentioned on here, the Ayr match I remember following two transit loads of Ayr fans who caused mayhem including turning a car over on (the non pedestrianised) Bath Lane. In those days it was regarded as an integral part of being Scottish to cause as much bother as possible once south of the border. Was 7 at my first match.

you've beat me by a few months mate. April 8th 1964, won 5-2 at home to Rotherham. Hat trick by Barry Thomas, and goals by Stan Anderson and Ron McGarry. Same season mate so lets call it a tie. I can recall that 5-2 scoreline of your first game and going to school really happy next day. Amazing isn't it how they have affected our moods over the years/decades. Barry Thomas was probably the first hero. Simply being centre forward made him a hero although I remember a couple of great diving headers he scored. As an 18 year old I actually played with Ron McGarry, who had returned from playing professionally in South Africa. He'd got a job as a Chronicle van driver at Thomson House when he returned and was turning out for a bit of beer money. A pro footballers life was a bit different back then.

Dead true. Anyone younger than 20 will probably not know pre-Keegan. Thats life things move on. The next generations will hear of the Shearer legend just as my generation were brought up on stories of the Milburn days.

Had a quick look through thread hoping someone would have been at match before me, sadly so far no one has, only HTL and bobyule are close. First match Grimsby Town at home January 18th 1964 won 4-0. Second match Bury at home April 11th 1964 lost 4-0. Sums up 40 odd years of supporting NUFC really. Please someone post to say they went to a match before me. P.S. Thanks to stats on nufc.com so exact date could be found.

A disappointing betrayal of trust. Mind he probably needed to swindle all those thousands of pounds so he could buy a few beers in Oslo.

"Remember how Owen's close friend and SFX stablemate Alan Shearer was lauded as a true Geordie hero for turning his back on England at the age of 29, so he could fulfil his destiny of winning diddly-squat at St James' Park?" As opposed to our national side who have won.........err........ nothing. We (NUFC) have won something (1969) more recently than the national side (1966) and that says a whole lot about why many players will no longer flog themselves to death for the sake of so called "national pride". To be worse under achievers than Newcastle takes a bit of doing. International football ? - totally over hyped a decent league one game is normally more exciting to watch.

Unacceptable is the right word. Whatever the circumstances and whatever has happened in the past, such an insipid, lame and gutless performance is totally unacceptable for a club with our prestige and fan base. SA is reputed to have teams which outfight the opposition and use state of the art methods to achieve super fitness. Derby looked fitter than us and were certainly more up for it last night. Perhaps Sam should forget about the modern practices for a while and practice basics like ball control and passing. It was a totally shapeless team and a performance which was as bad as recent manager's showings at Wigan and Man City. Truth is the Bolton fluke aside we've been pretty uninspriring and very shapeless in all the games so far, and those were against non of the league's better sides. The present manager's philosophy and team construction are the antithesis of the Keegan philosophy and team, i.e. defensive grafters and try not to get beat as opposed to players who are comfortable going forward and lets go out and win. I know which type of football I'd rather be watching.

Taylor loves Newcastle and wants to play for no one else, that is until another club offers him more money probably. The quotation from his father is somewhat contradictory “He is not playing for Newcastle for the money, but because he loves football and the club – but it is a short career and the financial aspect is still important" A decent young player but error prone and by no means top class. £500K p.a. seems pretty fair for someone his age and an offer on the table to improve on that. Maybe his father is slightly deluded where Taylor's importance to the club and standing in the game (beyond Tyneside) is concerned.

I also heard he walked past the Navigation shouting "Come and have a go if you think your hard enough". Top guy.

Not just that but the mackems had a nailed on penalty turned down. And Wigan had 3 definite ones turned down on Saturday as the macums defended like the Keystone cops. A 6-0 defeat and 5 penalties - now that would have been something to laugh at.

Wes Saunders nicking a pair of gloves from Fenwicks and then getting caught by the security guard when doing a runner - illustrating how good the fitness levels were at SJP at the time ! (allegedly)

The refereeing error which allowed Sunderland's equaliser against Birmingham to stand last week was more blatant than Styles error but hardly a squeak was heard about it. Is it another example of it only being important if it involves the high profile "big four" teams. I don't suppose the ref at Birmingham had to step down at the weekend did he ?

I think the main point is that it seems to have taken him a long time to realise what everyone else in football knew already - if a half decent player has options he will not be going to Sunderland. His and Quinn's earlier outburst are pretty pathetic - they should just accept it - despite their blarney Sunderlund is not a particularly attractive proposition for anyone (or their wife!)

Bloody hypocrite. Never trust a man who would walk out on his country ! http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1013/1013607_roy_blasts_wags_from_hale.html

So the man who made mass player protests to referees the norm, and intentionally ended the career of a fellow pro now thinks it's not fair because no one wants to play for him - what a shame ! Following on from his boss saying it's not fair that some clubs can pay more money for players than them - shouldn't they just get on with running their own club and stop whingeing. Yes Mr.Keen you have brought attention to the fact which everyone in the country already knew - Sundlund is a sh**hole and no decent player with any realistic option will want to go there. However - truth is - Salford, Merseyside, North London not to mention Turin and large parts of Milan are pretty grim too but it doesn't seem to deter good players and their wives from going there to play. So maybe it's got a bit to do with football too. Heres an idea, why doesn't Keen move his family into the "city" of Sunderland, and Niall Quinn could too to set a good example. Get some of their star players to live there as well and how about they do their socialising around the bars and restaurants of Wearside for good measure. Truth is no player or senior member of their management team would dream of living in that cesspit and who can blame them. Cut the hypocracy Roy.

Mine too Oz. Seen a few games abroad but nothing to compare with Sankt Pauli, love the ground the special atmosphere and the partying that goes on around the ground. Also in a really cool part of town (Schanze viertel) so plenty to do afterwards. A bit like St.James' in that respect. Football has been a bit ropey of late, but it's looking up again and one thing for sure at St.Pauli they will party win, lose or draw.

He's not good enough to either justify his wages, or make up for 8 years of mediocrity. Fucks sake, some people still seem to think he's some kind of world class player. Who does? So no-one then? There are plenty who even last season saying he's worth keeping, a great player, yadda yadda, in the face of all available evidence. There are even some now who want to keep him, despite his wages being 3 or 4 times greater than his ability. Then there are those who are happy to see the back of him but who also think that acting like a panto crowd is the sign of being a truly sad t***. Tell me, who is the next villain in the piece? N'Zogbia? Owen? Viduka? Since you are such a sage-like expert on the game, which one is next for the pantomine high jump? There has to be some bad apples in our current bunch ripe for booing? So true - you can be assured the idiots who support Newcastle will soon be demoralising another one of their own players and doing their best to force him out of the club. As one goes the focus merely moves to another, it's like they physically need someone to pick on.

Its a occupational hazard. Being a footballer means much more than kicking a ball about, something Dyer in ten years here hasn't learned, well maybe he did, just took him years to figure it out. I'm sure for the millions he's earned for nothing i'd take a few eggs But it wouldn't happen to me, as fans would never have a problem with me, i'd respect the club paying my £80kpw far too much to fuk them about. End of the day, his past has caught up with him SLIGHTLY, and if that's all that ever happens to him he's got off lightly. I'm not condoning any of it, but can understand why someone would want to abuse him before he left. I have to agree, while not condoning what happened and agreeing with Mort in a way that this is not the right type of image we want when trying to lure players here, we also have to take a step back and be a bit sensible about this. Ok his house got pelted with some eggs - it shouldn't have happened, but no one was killed, maimed, decapitated, caught the plague ect. Some people have very short memories when it comes to Dyer, not so long ago he was dragging our clubs name through the dirt with his handbags crap with Bowyer. Everyone wanted to lynch Bowyer, but Dyer seems to have been conveniently forgiven. What about his part in Bobby Robsons departure, yes the details are open to debate but he definitely didn't help matters. Plus there's all his off field shanahans, like getting his cock out, burning money in front of fans' faces, home movie debut ect. Like it has been said before, if this is SO distressing for poor old Dyer, why hasn't he handed in a TRANSFER REQUEST? Why? because it's got fuk all to do about his family, it's all about him and his agent getting one last big payday. To think of all the money that the club's spent on sending him all around the world getting the best doctors to try and sort out his career (not to mention his 60k-80k a WEEK wages). Think of all the games (about 90%) he's played when he looks like he doesn't give a s*** (apart form sunday when he was in the shop window, funny that isn't it?), and what does he do when it at last looks like he might be clear of his injuries? He want's out. And to think of all the people who were calling for Owen to be sold and criticising him for the amount of games he's played for us. At least when he's played he's done the business for us. Ramage get's slated everytime he plays, fair enough he's not good enough but at least he's honest and tries. Dyer HAS the talent, but just uses it when he feels like it and that is worse than any of the others. I do think that out squad is dangerously thin and I thought that we should keep dyer to make up the numbers, but the more I think about it I would rather have Harper playing than him (ok, slight eggageration). Seriously though this parasite has bled us dry for 8 years and I think now, enough is enough. Bye, bye. Dyer is about as responsible for the incident with Bowyer as he is for having some cretins chuck eggs at his house tbh. What the f*** are "off field shanahans" btw? People have wanted him out of the club FOR YEARS. Now he finally acquiesces and admits he wants to leave and we get "Eh? But what about all the money we've spend on medical fees, you ungrateful b******?" He can't f****** win. As for Dyer's performances, I think it's pretty clear that for the vast majority of his time here he's been playing injured. Even when he was brought back into the team, he was never fully fit. It's only last season that we finally had him at a decent level of fitness for a prolonged period, but by then the damage was done and people have made their mind up to despise him. And he's been nowhere near as bad as people try to make out when he has played. Not even close. I think it's a shame he's leaving because he can be a good player for us, but I totally understand him wanting to go. Especially in light of recent incidents and the fact that he must know that trying to win the fans back over is a pointless exercise. Aye, sorry, it's all the fans' fault. Saint Dyer's so hard done to. Ungrateful? For what? For the money spent on medical fees? I was playing the part of the idiots who, having wanted the bloke to leave the club for years, are now slating him for finally succumbing to the pressure and wanting to go himself. As for "Saint Dyer", he's done a LOT less than people make out. A couple of regrettable incidents that I'm sure he wished he hadn't been involved in, and then being a long term injury sufferer. Oh and he got well paid, big deal, he's a professional footballer Ask yourself this though - if he HADN'T been injured as often as he has, if we'd got 40 games a season out of him over all these years, would people still despise him like they do for an incident with the captain's armband, and for having a piss in the street? I bet they f****** wouldn't, which just shows how ridiculous the whole thing is. In the main he's despised for having been injured. The other incidents are nothing in the grand scheme of things. So would you also say that Owen should have left as soon as he recovered from his injury or were you one of the people who thought he should show us some loyalty, because by your account Dyer has never been fully fit, so surely he should show us some loyalty too? Nope, I said at the time that Owen was perfectly entitled to leave if he wanted to. In fact, in the immediate aftermath of last season I said that if I was him I'd be telling my agent that his holidays were cancelled as he was going to be working his arse off finding me a way out of the shambles that is NUFC. Which slightly messes up your point. Not really, fair enough you don't think loyalty should be part of a footballers character, I however think it should. I thought Owen should show us some loyalty, and I thought Dyer should as well. But as soon as he's fully fit he want's out. Fair enough that's his decision, I don't personally agree with it. Do you not think he knows that most of the fans want "the dirty skank/f****** w******/little arsehole/etc etc" out though? Do you think that might have some bearing on his decision? He gets booed by his own fans, and you then expect him to show them loyalty? How much loyalty would you feel like showing under those circumstances? I'm not painting him as the victim in all this btw, but it's preposterous to suggest that he should show loyalty to a crowd that (in some cases, literally) is baying for his blood. Yeh but mate, what came first? Dyers inept displays? or the crowd getting on his back? I've never know the crowd to boo a player unless they feel he's not giving everything he can. And you can't say for one minute that Dyer has giving 100% in all the games he played for us can you? Youve oviously never been in SJP when Ramage, (or Tommy Gibb or Frank Clark decades ago) were playing then. Ramage never gives less than 100% but some morons booed him vs West Ham last season. So truth is fans do boo players who give 100% and that sums up the mentality of supporters who would boo any player.

Its a occupational hazard. Being a footballer means much more than kicking a ball about, something Dyer in ten years here hasn't learned, well maybe he did, just took him years to figure it out. I'm sure for the millions he's earned for nothing i'd take a few eggs But it wouldn't happen to me, as fans would never have a problem with me, i'd respect the club paying my £80kpw far too much to fuk them about. End of the day, his past has caught up with him SLIGHTLY, and if that's all that ever happens to him he's got off lightly. I'm not condoning any of it, but can understand why someone would want to abuse him before he left. I have to agree, while not condoning what happened and agreeing with Mort in a way that this is not the right type of image we want when trying to lure players here, we also have to take a step back and be a bit sensible about this. Ok his house got pelted with some eggs - it shouldn't have happened, but no one was killed, maimed, decapitated, caught the plague ect. Some people have very short memories when it comes to Dyer, not so long ago he was dragging our clubs name through the dirt with his handbags crap with Bowyer. Everyone wanted to lynch Bowyer, but Dyer seems to have been conveniently forgiven. What about his part in Bobby Robsons departure, yes the details are open to debate but he definitely didn't help matters. Plus there's all his off field shanahans, like getting his cock out, burning money in front of fans' faces, home movie debut ect. Like it has been said before, if this is SO distressing for poor old Dyer, why hasn't he handed in a TRANSFER REQUEST? Why? because it's got fuk all to do about his family, it's all about him and his agent getting one last big payday. To think of all the money that the club's spent on sending him all around the world getting the best doctors to try and sort out his career (not to mention his 60k-80k a WEEK wages). Think of all the games (about 90%) he's played when he looks like he doesn't give a s*** (apart form sunday when he was in the shop window, funny that isn't it?), and what does he do when it at last looks like he might be clear of his injuries? He want's out. And to think of all the people who were calling for Owen to be sold and criticising him for the amount of games he's played for us. At least when he's played he's done the business for us. Ramage get's slated everytime he plays, fair enough he's not good enough but at least he's honest and tries. Dyer HAS the talent, but just uses it when he feels like it and that is worse than any of the others. I do think that out squad is dangerously thin and I thought that we should keep dyer to make up the numbers, but the more I think about it I would rather have Harper playing than him (ok, slight eggageration). Seriously though this parasite has bled us dry for 8 years and I think now, enough is enough. Bye, bye. Dyer is about as responsible for the incident with Bowyer as he is for having some cretins chuck eggs at his house tbh. What the f*** are "off field shanahans" btw? People have wanted him out of the club FOR YEARS. Now he finally acquiesces and admits he wants to leave and we get "Eh? But what about all the money we've spend on medical fees, you ungrateful b******?" He can't f****** win. As for Dyer's performances, I think it's pretty clear that for the vast majority of his time here he's been playing injured. Even when he was brought back into the team, he was never fully fit. It's only last season that we finally had him at a decent level of fitness for a prolonged period, but by then the damage was done and people have made their mind up to despise him. And he's been nowhere near as bad as people try to make out when he has played. Not even close. I think it's a shame he's leaving because he can be a good player for us, but I totally understand him wanting to go. Especially in light of recent incidents and the fact that he must know that trying to win the fans back over is a pointless exercise. Aye, sorry, it's all the fans' fault. Saint Dyer's so hard done to. Ungrateful? For what? For the money spent on medical fees? I was playing the part of the idiots who, having wanted the bloke to leave the club for years, are now slating him for finally succumbing to the pressure and wanting to go himself. As for "Saint Dyer", he's done a LOT less than people make out. A couple of regrettable incidents that I'm sure he wished he hadn't been involved in, and then being a long term injury sufferer. Oh and he got well paid, big deal, he's a professional footballer Ask yourself this though - if he HADN'T been injured as often as he has, if we'd got 40 games a season out of him over all these years, would people still despise him like they do for an incident with the captain's armband, and for having a piss in the street? I bet they f****** wouldn't, which just shows how ridiculous the whole thing is. In the main he's despised for having been injured. The other incidents are nothing in the grand scheme of things. So would you also say that Owen should have left as soon as he recovered from his injury or were you one of the people who thought he should show us some loyalty, because by your account Dyer has never been fully fit, so surely he should show us some loyalty too? Nope, I said at the time that Owen was perfectly entitled to leave if he wanted to. In fact, in the immediate aftermath of last season I said that if I was him I'd be telling my agent that his holidays were cancelled as he was going to be working his arse off finding me a way out of the shambles that is NUFC. Which slightly messes up your point. Not really, fair enough you don't think loyalty should be part of a footballers character, I however think it should. I thought Owen should show us some loyalty, and I thought Dyer should as well. But as soon as he's fully fit he want's out. Fair enough that's his decision, I don't personally agree with it. OK looks like you've worked round to where you think he should show loyalty and pay back some of the (huge) investment we've made in him. Totally agree, get all parties to work together, tell Dyer he's staying, get supporters to actually "support" and try and get the best out of him on the park. Personally I think any desire to leave has more to do with the treatment he receives from sections of our support than it has with family reasons. Hypocracy is it seems to be the same people who want "the lazy little f*cker out" who now seem to be questioning his loyalty for (allegedly) wanting out ??

He's not good enough to either justify his wages, or make up for 8 years of mediocrity. Fucks sake, some people still seem to think he's some kind of world class player. Don't be silly lad. Never heard anyone call him world class. One of our better players maybe.

I agree. Thing is you can have a crowd of 50K with a hundred people booing a player ( i.e 0.02% )when he touches the ball, and the Great British press will tell the world the player "was booed by his own fans". I also think you're right about best is yet to come - this could be the season he shows it with a full pre-season behind him and there are precious few matchwinners like Dyer available within our budget - so why not keep one we already have ?

No he has not. Truth is yes Dyer behaved like an odious tw@t at first, but as he's grown up he has shown much more respect for his position. In the last few years he has done nothing wrong - apart from being injured or ill. Dyer on his day - and this could be the season he shows it with a full pre-season behind him - is a matchwinner, and we need matchwinners. Look around there are precious few available within our budget - so why not keep and work with one we already have ?

The part of Ipswich Dyer was brought up in makes Benwell look posh, so while this incident causes embarrassment to our region through the press reports, I reckon he should be able to cope with it. True. But I don't think it causes particular embarrassment to our region - there are millions of toerags all over the country, and I doubt this will make people think Newcastle has the worst of it. This is just high jinks compared to what goes on in London on a daily basis. The rest of the country isn't that bothered what we're up to. I thought FFS used to cause embarrassement to the football club by turning up on Sky all the time to peddle his 'I'm a Geordie Me Ye Knaa' rubbish but this is nowt. Mind you, that story from a few months back about the family of gingas being hounded out of house and home by charvs... didn't know whether to laugh or cry... You're correct - much worse goes on elsewhere, but as we all know for some reason Sky and a few of the tabloids seem to want to have Newcastle represented by stupid charvas (Owens welcome etc etc) and this plays right into their hands.

The part of Ipswich Dyer was brought up in makes Benwell look posh, so while this incident causes embarrassment to our region through the press reports, I reckon he should be able to cope with it.