To echo the sentiments of many this is a quality, interesting read.
I understand the disillusioned members on here and for what it's worth I too have been under Ashley until Rafa came to us. I've been actively involved since around the age of 16 with virtually all new fan initiatives / groups and despite my disillusion I feel it's given me a good scope of our fan base, as well as this forum has. My main interest has always been the preservation of Newcastle United as it is to anything I love. So there have been times I will battle against the club and show it tough love but I will equally back them when the time is right. Fickle as it may be...
Our fan base concerns me if I am honest but then I believe ours is no different to any other British clubs'. It's what i like to call the Sky generation that come through. More interested in thr entertainment aspect than the sporting achievement or pride in your home town. That's not to say they aren't proud or whatever mind.
Without rambling too much I 100% agree that modern football is pretty wank. English football needs to be modelled on Germany's and fast.
Interesting that this subject has come up. After our Cardiff victory I debated with a friend of mine that English football will implode when fans collectively become too disillusioned to subscribe to sky sports and stop going to games because they're sick of overpaid players who have no link to the people they're paid to represent and because the sport is just another corrupt, capatilist business. He argued totally for Sky and even suggested it took more ownership. Maybe that's a difference from being a ST holder who goes away occasionally to being someone who opts to watch from home. Gladly this thread seems to suggest it's not simply just that.
I have so much to say on this subject but for me the below is as best as I can summarise before I fall asleep with a Samsung attached to my cheek...
For me, a best mate of mine summed it up for me around 10/12 years ago now when we were out having a curry with our Dad's (long time friends and ST holders) and all the other lads after a home game.
As always (at a post match curry) we had a discussion that was thought provoking and insightful despite being maybe a little bit drunken.
The question was something like what does NUFC or the match mean to you? (Not too different to the question being asked here.)
His reply was perfect and will forever stay with me:
"The players don't matter a toss, nor do they manager or the directors but what matters is that every Saturday (or whatever day the match is now on) those 11 men in Black and White stripes don't just represent my team, my club or my city. They represent me for 90 minutes. So all I expect is pride, honesty, hard work and respect what they represent.
We now have that under Rafa. So for me...as long as the fat fuck in charge stays out the picture we can once again be proud and enjoy.
"We don't demand a club that wins we demand a team that tries"
