On board
As ordinary members of NUST, we've joined the pledge scheme as outlined further below.
As ever, we don't claim to speak for anyone else, but think it's worthwhile outlining why we signed up.
We've had some brilliant days watching this club, from Barrack Road to Barcelona and most points in between. At present though, Burton and Bristol look back on the itinerary in the short term, with oblivion on the horizon.
To misquote a line from the Likely Lads, the only thing to look forward to currently is the past. Stay up this season for the chance to go through this miserable charade once again, or drop down and stay down.
It's been a long time since we held optimism for those in black and white, but struggling to rekindle any sort of enthusiasm for the club is something that's becoming dangerously common. Indifference is the greatest threat.
The Athletic ran a "state of the Geordie Nation" piece recently, which included Biffa's view of NUFC in 2021:
"This is the lowest since we looked into the abyss in 1981. There was desperation and alienation and the only thing I had then as a 14 year-old was stuff in books.
"I had no direct experience of this club in any way being successful or ambitious. It was content to play dreadful football in a half-derelict, sparsely-populated ground.
"Forty years later you find yourself with similar feelings of alienation and desperation. You can only pity 14 year-olds now.
"Obviously the lockdown has amplified things but as an individual I have never felt less enfranchised, never known such a wilfully constructed gap between the club and supporters.
The pledge scheme may not succeed - and may only truly become relevant if NUFC emulate the downfall of the mackems - but the significance of achieving some sort of fan unity outside the confines of the club cannot be underestimated.
It's not quite Millwall's "no one likes us we don't care"mindset, but multitudes are happy to insult our intelligence and abuse our support, starting with those within the club itself.
There has to be some rallying point, some common ground to be established. We have never been a militant fanbase, never a crowd of "joiners" - witness the small number of domestic supporters clubs when compared to our contemporaries.
Nobody, surely can be content with the current reality of following a club though who barely seek to exist, let alone prosper or excel. If NUFC was a racehorse, both barrels of the shotgun would be loaded.
Exasperation with the state of some clubs caused groups of fans to found their own alternative of the FC United variety, but that chimed with us. Far better to try and change the current face of thing that brought those fans together initially.
No other business would wilfully watch as customers with decades of service reach their own tipping point and walk away - yet do nothing except remain silent.
In the absence of ambition or leadership, this is a fan-led attempt to arrest that decline and ensure that the club exists in a viable form for future generations to support.
In our eyes, the statement of raising a significant amount is as valuable as the actual cash - it proves that there's still a pulse round these parts, despite the perpetual mismanagement that we're subjected to.
Someone at least recognises the plight we're in, shares that frustration and cares enough to try to do something about it. That's good enough for us to buy a few less beers every month and set up a direct debit.
It's got to the point where we've got nothing to lose.
PS: Among those pledging their support on opening day was the son of a sheet metal worker from Gosforth (initials AS), who tweeted: "Well done. I'm in."
(From .com, in case it wasn’t clear.)
