Wallsendmag

We probably lost best part of 10k fans when Refa walked away and Bruce was appointed, and that's in addition to all those who drifted away at various times during the Ashley era. Obviously a load walked away on the back of how Keegan was treated as well. Fortunately for the club they managed to replace most of those fans but in doing so attracted a different type of supporter. I know a lad who started going a few years ago with his son when previously he'd once said "I'd rather watch Coronation Street that a game of football". No doubt there's many more like him. In fact I'm certain there is when you look around on a matchday. There is still a core of what I'd class as genuine, traditional NUFC supporters go and plenty who do want to go and make a racket and get behind the team. Strawberry Corner, NE Corner, Gallowgate Upper and L7 near the away fans all have big pockets of like minded supporters but because they are dotted about it's more difficult to create an atmosphere. If there's a way of bringing all of these together it has to be looked into. As I've said previously I'd rather Wor Flags toon this on, rayher than the Trust as I think they would find a way of cocking it up. Sunday should act as a massive wake up call. I never, ever thought I'd be in a Newcastle crowd that was so flat for a Cup Final. It was like SJP transferred into Wembley.

I'll probably get pelters for this and I hope people don't take it the wrong way as I believe these lads, along with the new ownership are the best thing to happen to the club in a very long time, and their displays are just jaw dropping, but I think they have turned a lot of our fans lazy. Noticed at home games these days everyone seems bang up for it and gets involved in the pre match displays but as soon as the match kicks off they pack their scarf/flag away and it's almost a case of "well I've done my bit" and they proceed to sit there in silence. Unbelievably exactly the same thing happened at Wembley. The display pre match was simply spine tingling and there's not another fans group out there who could have pulled that off (certainly put Man Utds efforts to shame) but then it was the same thing. "That looked spectacular, job done", and most people around me packed their flags away and proceeded to stand there in complete silence. Then 2 mins before the end everyone gets there flags out, sing "Toon Toon black and white army" and there's loads of back slapping and people congratulating themselves on an incredible atmosphere when in fact it was absolutely shite! I think now the focus from Wor Flags needs to be less about the visual and more about the vocal. They'll need the club on board and ultimately it's down to the fans to make a noise, but everything they touch seems to turn to gold so I'm 100% confident if anyone can pull it off, they can. I was at Wembley in 96, 98, 99 and 00, and also Cardiff in 05 and our crowd was on another level. Easily drowned out our opponents on all 3 occasions. Sunday was a pale imitation of that. Undoubtedly we lost a load of the more passionate fans during the Ashley regime and now they can't get back in which is probably the biggest problem, and a lot of these newer fans who have replaced them need to realise that creating a good atmosphere for the players isn't just about the pre match spectacle, it also needs carried into the game. Was talking to a lad afterwards who was in the safe standing section amd he said the atmosphere in there was dire as well so people hanging their hat on that being able to transform the atmosphere may be in for a disappointment. Apologies for the long rant but coming away from there I was as disappointed with our efforts in the stands as I was the result.

They are far more clinical than we are, simple as that.

They have escalators.

https://twitter.com/Bartgeordie/status/1628328671374192641?t=smKzDrWT4BNuxvJYmagQ2Q&s=19

We were up in the old L7 singing corner and I found it very distracting.

Trawling through my football history books here and I can't find 2 worse consecutive results for Barcelona ever than a draw with Bristol City and a loss to Rotherham.

Barcelona must be absolutely fucking shite like.

That's double digit defeats now for the seagull shaggers in the Championship this season.

NE corner has been excellent this season mind. Very good noise in there again yesterday.

Used to but I noticed the crowd at Dortmund v Chelsea was over 81,000 so they must have scrapped that rule now.

And that's a good thing. Affordable football.

We could already fill 62k every week now. Even for cup games it would be full. This is on the back of 14 years of Mike Ashley completely ruining the club, whereas we now have owners who are commited to growing the fanbase to far more than what it currently is.

I very much doubt the extra 30,000 fans who can now go and watch them would rather go back to Upton Park like and miss out.

It's hard to say. We could sell out 62k every week right now and when you say "it wasn't that long ago" it was actually 20 years ago. The popularity of football is just growing all the time. Ot's far mlre popular than it was 20 years ago. 19 of the 20 Premier League clubs sell out every single home game now. It's unprecidented. I hark back to West Ham but I find it astonishing that people think we need to build a stadium smaller than what they currently have because anything else would be too big!

Happy 72nd Birthday to The King!

At the moment you're looking at £90-£100 for a return train ticket from Kings Cross to Newcastle. Journey time is 3 hours.

Think Wilson has had the same problem recently as well. I'd like to see them both playing together when fit. Thought they looked a right handful v Fulham when they were on the pitch at the same time.

Feeding on scraps yesterday. Not really the game to be judging him on. Worrying how much our performance levels have dropped off with the Cup Final being 2 weeks today.

Looks like a centre half playing left back. Simple as that. Until Targett is fit though he's the only option.

Someone else pulled you up that, not me. Just stick to rimming the resident mackem on here. It's the only thing you're half decent at

Can't remember the last time I seen a worse 45 mins from us. So lethargic and careless with the ball.

You compared someone punching a horse to owning a shit flag yesterday so I'm not sure if "concept" is your strong point

There's going to be a meltdown about this one from the usual suspects

Corner House was all decked out in blue and white balloons. They even had blue and white balloons making an arch in front of the entrances. Heard about the Felling Cricket ckub as well. Didn't see any Man City flags inside SJP duing the run up to that match however.