Wallace

He tried to leave the pitch but Shearer made him come back to applaud the fans which he then did but he was still one of the first to leave the pitch.

With that Short bloke taking over, does it mean all the Irish investors have left now? Have they still got all the Irish supporters or have they moved on as well?

I think he is still very raw and makes a lot of mistakes but has shown great promise. Arsenal need an experienced centre-half so I am not sure if they would splash the cash on him at this stage especially if they don't have much money to spend as to me, he would be more of a squad player there. There have been rumours about Lescott going to Arsenal - if that was the case, then I could imagine Moyes wanting him as a replacement and turning him into a top player in time.

This piece blames the fans but not for the same reasons as others - says we don't protest enough!! But there are just so many things wrong in it. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/newcastle/5356282/Newcastle-fans-part-of-the-reason-for-clubs-plight.html Newcastle fans part of the reason for club's plight Anyone spending time in Newcastle will attest that its inhabitants are a breed apart; warm, generous and able to laugh at themselves. By Brian Moore Last Updated: 5:33PM BST 20 May 2009 These are laudable characteristics when applied to the business of everyday life; they are not beneficial when applied to sport. Shakespearean tragedy is the inescapable consequence of a flaw in a person's personality; witness Macbeth's demise. Transposed to Tyneside this could be the potentially ruinous relegation of Newcastle United FC to the Coca-Cola Championship this coming weekend. For too many years the Geordie faithful have witnessed the club remain without silverware, save for the Kirin and InterToto Cups. Though laudable, their aspirations of a principally English team, with a Geordie captain and manager, are so far from reality as to be fantasy. Similarly, a tenet that requires attractive or sexy football is so nebulous and subjective that it is unachievable, even if capable of definition. The above aims were out of kilter as far back as the mid-Eighties and are woefully outdated when today's imperatives are considered. The desire for all things Geordie flies in the face of practical things such as demography. In the hyper-competitive world that is now the Premier League, what are the odds on there being sufficient footballing, coaching and managerial talent of the very highest calibre being produced from this small area? You will have difficulty even getting a price and if you do it is likely to be one even longer than one which is placed on Rafael Benitez and Sir Alex Ferguson taking their next vacation together. It may be asserted that the near misses of the club, under Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson, refute this claim, but that depends entirely on the standpoint from which they are assessed. More objectively viewed, they are occasional departures from a litany of poor results; whatever the supposed attractiveness of the football. Save for Glenn Roeder, since 1992 every manager appointed has been a celebrity name; none adequately addressed the first requirement for a successful team – that it is solid tactically and has a well organised and miserly defence. While Manchester United are synonymous with an attacking brand of football, it is no coincidence that their periods of recent omnipotence have been when their defence has included Schmeichel, Bruce, Stam, or Van der Sar, Ferdinand and Vidic. The acclamation accompanying Alan Shearer's appointment flies in the face of logic, given that he has no previous managerial experience and has not yet obtained all his coaching qualifications. Though the experienced Iain Dowie has been brought in to assist, can any Newcastle fans say with conviction that had Dowie been appointed alone they would have been happy? The Everest of charismatic football has obscured the more important goal of winning; in whatever way it takes. From that foundation it is possible to mould a squad which has a greater focus on one particular facet of its play, with the proviso that the others are not neglected. The numerous Geordie callers to the nation's phone-in programmes that opine that they would rather lose 5-4 than grind out a boring 1-0 win are as much part of the club's problems as aught else. Do they really mean this? If so they are the archetypal example of the English trait of glorying in noble defeat and celebrating losing and losers. Moreover, this preference for style of play over the substance of victory is to the province of the West End theatre-goer, not any true competitive sports fan. With the seminal comforts of Julie's Nightclub and the Tuxedo Princess available, the faithful have continued to turn up at St James' Park whatever the standard of football and however bad the results. To many football followers this is the definitive proof that they are indeed true, not plastic, fans. Assessed strictly on this narrow front this is accurate, but when applied to Newcastle United FC, the effects of this loyalty have not all been positive. Voting with your wallet is the most severe demonstration of disaffection that can be shown by a supporter, but the persistent take-up of season tickets has shielded the Newcastle management and board from the harshest protest that could have been visited on them for their continual failure. This lack of success is actually worsened by the fact that the availability of money has not been as acute at Newcastle as many other Premier League clubs. Although there have been demonstrations at the club gates against Mike Ashley, the chairman, for his perceived lack of investment, and Dennis Wise, for being a Cockney, the level of rage and hostility has been nowhere close to what it would have been at other clubs with a similar following. Until fans demand more, expect less, accept something different and are prepared to boycott in the face of further underachievement, they remain part of the problem as well as the ultimate buffer against the club sliding the same way as Leeds, Southampton and Norwich.

If Ashley had shown a bit of backbone and some leadership after Keegan left, the protests would probably have been quelled quite quickly. The silence that followed then that stupid fact statement just inflamed things.

When were the following? The FA Cup game that Barratt got locked up at. The protest by NUSC at the Monument. The Hull game in January when the banner came out at half-time and full-time and not during the game. Players probably knew nothing of a rally at the Monument. Can't see how these affected performances and little was reported of them.

It is a kneejerk reaction from Ashley that worries me as he seems to act on instinct. You can't get rid of all the players just like that as they will all need to be replaced. Anyway, surely they will need to consult with the manager first. If Shearer is the man and they just go out and sell players behind his back, he won't be here long.

Newcastle isn't a big club but half the country will be glued to their sets to watch us go down. The only consolation is that everyone involved with SKY will be shitting their pants at the prospects of mass monthly debit cancellations. Well you can't have it both ways...enjoy the show. Sky have been waiting for a big club to go down for years, and they don't come any bigger than Newcastle United FC. They'll regret it afterwards though (if we go down) they will lose LOTS of subscription money. Well Sky show Championship matches so I imagine we will be on TV as much as they can get away with. Will be cancelling my Setanta subscription though.

Don't think any of the players have a relegation clause - even the new ones. At least that is what the media say.

Eh? All the matches kick off at 4pm don't they? Probably just the difference in build-up to the game and then Sky go multi-screen at kick-off.

I have heard a couple of interviews with Schwarzer where he has insisted Nolan fouled him and had his arms all around him but the TV evidence doesn't show this. When the interviewer said this, he just said it was before then but I have not heard one person able to say why the goal was disallowed other than Webb expected Nolan to impede the player and so blew in anticipation of a foul that actually did not happen.

Same as every other club's supporters. We think we're a big club, deluded fans blah blah blah ...............................

Great post. Agree with every word.

There was definitely someone wearing a Newcastle shirt in the Director's box yesterday and they were sat near Ashley. If it is true that they had that on the back of the shirt then I hope someone took a photo of it just for further confirmation about what idiots are running this club.

Too many unknowns at the present. Who will be the manager next season? What players will we have? Who will own the club? The present squad would be unsuited to the championship and other teams will up their game against us. Of all the teams in the relegation zone, we would be the least equipped to come back plus there are the also-rans from the CCC who may improve next year. If we were to splash the cash, then I would see us as a more attractive proposition to players in that league than other teams but no doubt as usual, prices would be inflated for us. Very pessimistic I am afraid.

If we are to get relegated then I would prefer it to be away from home than at home where it would have turned nasty. Obviously, the gloating from the Villa fans would be irritating but hopefully, the hardcore away supporters will be a bit more stoical and not give the world the pictures, the cameras will want. Mind you, it will mean Ashley gets off lightly. But whilst there's hope .....

Hopefully it's more Dave Kitsons. We've got loads of players that bad if they're in the market for them. Maybe they've forgotten Shola's not good enough? Xisco's a real talent if they're breaking transfer records here. Damien Duff, Geremi and Alan Smith all have real pedigree, rubbish players don't get championship winners medals you know. There's life in Nicky Butt yet, and who's to rule out an audacious swoop for Michael Owen on a free? The world's their oyster, exciting times ahead. Well Tony Pulis was at the match on Monday as was Gary Megson. They can only have been there to watch players.

Boro fans seem to think he is quality and has great a future ahead of him but it won't be with them - the same as Bassong with us.

It is because of what happened at the match at Hull in January when he pulled the banner out at half-time and after the game. A lad took exception to it and a few words and punches were exchanged at the end of the game. Having witnessed it at close quarters, I would have been shocked if he had been sent to prison as a post above suggested he was lucky not to have been (unless something else happened that I am not aware of).

He took a couple of good ones in that England U21 shoot out.

The Times say Martins is a doubt - has not trained this weekend. Shearer apparently not impressed.

Bay win 2-0. Lee Kerr MOM.

Live commentary on Radio Newcastle

Whitley Bay winning 2-0 - just coming up to half-time.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/habib-beye-the-futures-bright-its-mangoes-1682201.html Habib Beye: The future's bright, it's mangoes Newcastle's Senegalese is a natural leader who has seen it all before, and he firmly believes Shearer's efforts can bear fruit. Michael Walker speaks to Habib Beye Sunday, 10 May 2009 When the first six minutes and 11 seconds of an interview are spent discussing the taste and variety of mangoes in Senegal, you know it's not going to be the average clichéd football conversation. Like every other Newcastle United employee, Habib Beye has much to concern him, not least a relegation derby against Middlesbrough tomorrow night, so a detour into mangoes could be considered deliberate idiosyncracy. But it was not, Beye is simply passionate about his subject. Thirty more minutes in his company, via Alan Shearer, a website named Beyewatch and "Yellow Submarine" by the Beatles, you discover Beye is pretty passionate full stop. This is a 31-year-old Senegalese Frenchman who has been at Newcastle for 20 months. Yet Beye talks like a club captain. His having held the armband at Marseille, an equally tempestuous club, is perhaps one explanation. Another would be that in Beye Newcastle possess a character the dressing room is not crammed with. The following flowing answer is Beye on Shearer's return. He did not know Shearer intimately but having played against the No 9 at St James' Park in the semi-final of the 2004 Uefa Cup, he understands Shearer's status. "I remember I swapped my shirt with him but he doesn't remember," he said of his manager. "I have his shirt at home but I think he maybe put mine in the bin. I kept his because I thought if one day I lose my money, I could sell his on eBay." The Beye smile soon gave way. He was serious now. "The most important thing for me is that Alan Shearer didn't come for the glory," he said. "He had the job on TV. If he didn't believe, he would have stayed on TV. I did not know him really well, but I saw him the first time and I knew he was not coming to save the club and to be the hero. He already is a hero. He doesn't need to do this to be a hero. It won't change. "If you are in the bottom three, it's for some reason. He came in and said we needed to change some things. It's not that before everybody was late, they weren't, it's just about respect. Everybody being on time does not mean we will win games, but it's about respect. He didn't click his fingers, he just said that he wanted to change some things. He wants us to enjoy our work. It's not like he's the police. "I think if he keeps the club in the Premier League and he has enough power and resources to bring something to the club, he will do it [stay]. I see him in training and he is happy to be here. It's not like, 'Ah, just three more games', he's really happy to be here. I hope, and I believe, he will bring something next season." Talk or time-keeping, as Beye said, does not win matches, but this is the strength of opinion required in the days building to a climactic encounter. Beye has the certainty of a believer and every Newcastle fan will be encouraged by his view of their club. "Newcastle is not a bad club," he said, "Newcastle is a big club. We have the quality to be in the top six, top seven. When I see Everton, I don't see a team better than Newcastle, I see one more confident and with stability. I believe we will stay up and the manager will stay and he will bring this type of stability. "Instability? At Marseille if you have two bad results, whoosh, they change the manager. That is instability. Here it's not been the chairman just sacking managers, this season we've had bad luck, a manager who was ill, injuries. "But when you start to go down and when you change manager and then you change manager again, people say, 'Oh, come on'. You get tired. The confidence goes and when it is low it's hard to get back up. When you have confidence, like Michael Essien, the ball goes in the top corner. When people ask me about Newcastle, I say: 'For sure, this is a massive club.' But confidence. That is why I think if we can get out of this, we can breathe. Then next season the manager, if he stays, he will say, 'Come on boys'." An insinuation this week was that in the wake of the Joey Barton episode at Anfield, Shearer's increased discipline was affecting the atmosphere. Beye disagreed. It is about togetherness. "I think everybody is happy with the training. You look at Barcelona, they are the best example. They were under pressure for 90 minutes at Chelsea and didn't even have a shot, but in 93 minutes they score. This cannot happen if you are not together. If players are selfish, if [samuel] Eto'o says he is the best striker in the world, this can't happen." Beye was signed by Sam Allardyce three Newcastle managers ago. After the three games that will decide Newcastle's fate, Boro and Fulham at home and a last-day trip to Aston Villa, Beye will have one year remaining on his contract. He is minded to sign an extension – "If the club wants to keep me, we will talk together in a good way" – but there is uncertainty to be overcome first. While at Marseille he played in that 2004 Uefa Cup final, having eliminated Newcastle, with a team that included Fabien Barthez, Mathieu Flamini and Didier Drogba. With Senegal, Beye was a squad member when the 2002 World Cup quarter-final was reached. Valencia and Turkey were the respective opponents then but Beye says Middlesbrough tomorrow rates equally in significance. "Of course. Middlesbrough is not Chelsea or Manchester United but it's the most important game we have this season. We cannot afford to lose. "Everybody here must realise it will be the most important game for this club. If Newcastle go down, and I don't believe we will, it will be a problem for everybody here. It's not good for you. I went down with Strasbourg when I was young and I thought, 'Somebody will buy me'. But I ended up staying and played in the Second Division. It's not easy. Everybody here must understand that it's not about your contract, it's about the club. Now is not about anyone's personal priorities, it's about the club." Then, he said, everyone can have a holiday. One week of his is already planned. Paris-born, it will be a trip to his father's native Senegal. For the mangoes. Beye has set up a trading company called Mangoes For Goalposts – "because here you say jumpers for goalposts". The aim is not simply import-export, it is to make a profit that can be channelled into an academy in Senegal. Failing that, short-term soccer schools will be created. "I realised that when you go to a shop in England and you just want to buy a mango, it is really expensive. Not like a pineapple or an apple or oranges. I said, 'Why?' I realised they are from South America and I tasted it and it's not really good. It's good, but it's not like Senegal." It should come as no surprise that this is the sort of man who inspires affection. Beyewatch.co.uk is a website dedicated to him. Newcastle fans sing the theme tune of Happy Days to Beye's name but there are many more songs. "'Yellow Submarine' – 'No 1 is Habib Beye', that's my favourite," he said. Habib Beye is a different man. Who else can say: "When we get out of this situation at Newcastle I will be able to concentrate on mangoes." Beyewatch songs To the tune of 'Yesterday' by the Beatles "Habib Beye, the best full-back in the league today, I'm so glad you chose to leave Marseilles, Oh I believe in Habib Beye" To the tune of 'Get Back' by the Beatles "Habib is a man who is a great defender, no attacker can get past. Habib left his home in Marsailles a la Français, he now plays on the Geordie grass. Right back! Right back! Right back is where Habib belongs" To the tune of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen "Is this Habib Beye? Or is this just fantasy? Caught in a poor team, No escape to a victory, Open your eyes, Sack Dennis Wise and see, We're just a poor team, Beye needs some quality, Because he's left-footed, right-footed, With a pen, with his head, Any way the Beye scores, doesn't really matter to me, To me"