Chicken Dancer

4 hours ago, Solitude20 said:

Flying all over the pitch = worthy starter for a top 4 EPL team. Is that rational to you? murphy and Longstaff were as involved as he was today, does that mean we should keep them for UCL next season.
 

Go check the transfer thread, most of the players we have been linked with are players that could easily be snatched by the top 6 or top European clubs. Can you say the same about Willock? Can you even imagine Liverpool or Chelsea being interested in Willock? The difference in technical ability and overall play between their midfielders and Willock is HUGE.
 

The future backbone of our team: Bruno, Isak, and Botman. They all players who could play in top teams if theh keep improving. If we officially make it to UCL next season, then you would expect our owners would want us to stay there every season. The starting midfield would probably be: Bruno + Joelinton + a new player. In a couple of years it would be: Bruno + 2 new players. 
 

I don’t get why you are getting worked up for just saying our ambition for next season should be above what Willock could offer. This is like saying Wilson should start for us next season. We are a different team now with different ambitions. 

 

 

 

EPL + UCL. Up the super league mags 

2 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

Dummett

Longstaff

Gillespie

Anderson

 

Thats our 4. In a 25 man European squad we could then register 21 non Newcastle HG players.  
 

We could bring back Forster or Krul so we have 2HG GKs. 

Not sure if it will be 100% accurate, but I thought Gillespie was HG too but on my FM save he was classed as HG at Carlisle so I had to leave a space.

I'm sure Neville said recently that he hates 'Man United' - don't they have a few chants referring themselves to Man United?

Obviously could just be his personal preference though.

I think we will go;

Pope

Trippier

Schar

Botman

Burn

Longstaff

Bruno

Willock

Murphy

Isak

Joelinton

Dubs, Targett, Lascelles, Gordon, ASM, Wilson, Anderson, Ritchie & whoever else

I know Man Utd had a great run, but they're definitely beatable if everything clicks. Rashford is a worry, especially after the Liverpool home game when we allowed a fair bit space in behind. 

Hopefully an atmosphere similar to Arsenal last season. I'm a born pessimist but have a good feeling for this one.

Or alternatively he could look at Harry Kane at 30 and think shit... I don't want to be like that (obviously they could win the league this season).

Arsenal are having a fantastic season but I think we should give it a year or two before crowning them as 'back;. Liverpool & Chelsea having poor seasons has opened the door a bit, let's see if they sustain it next season.

They'll still be vulnerable to the like of Man City for a while yet, you're kidding yourself if you think otherwise. Saka seems a canny kid - very humble - so who knows what he would do, but it's a short career and if Arsenal revert to Champions League challengers he might have other thoughts in a few years.

But aye, he will never play for us. That I do agree with.

15 minutes ago, Manxst said:

Spurs came 11th that year, but they won the League Cup and got to the semis of the FAC. Ginola scored 7, and had 11 assists.

Yeah but PFA player of the year is just for the league though isn't it? Aware it's the players who vote too, but regardless, it wouldn't happen now.

Grealish has been pretty good this season to be fair. We live in an era where goals/assists are literally everything - we're obsessed with it. But as others have said, there is a lot more to why he is important for Man City.

Ginola won player of the year for a team finishing midtable and only scoring 3 goals. Would never happen now (fact check this but pretty sure it's right).

The Trust lost all credibility to me when they launched the loyalty point retention scheme. Whether you agree with the scheme or not, whether the take-up was really low or really high, the fact remains they completely misled fans like me and others - @bowlingcroftybeing one.

I'm still yet to have an explanation as to why.

12 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

If you basically drew a line right down the middle of it from front to back, the "East" side of it looks really vibrant whereas the "West" side of it looks completely dead.

To be fair, the West side of the Gallowgate is lively as out near the top, it's just hidden from view. It is only a small patch like, but they try to do their bit. I tend to sit here, it's decent.

I do agree though, the closer you get to Stawb Corner the better the atmosphere tends to get.

In other news, did we have a drum today? Or was it them? I kept hearing a drum I swear!

Curry is as much of a waste of time as the Trust, sadly. Self-appointed, arrogant wanker.

Leader of the Twitter cunts that bloke. 

I've always thought we should incorporate Coming Home Newcastle & even Big River into our songbook.

I posted a few weeks ago when they beat QPR they’re either 5 games away from being the best team in the land or 5 away from wanting their manager out. Literally an endless circle with this lot.

Their only hope is our season completely falls apart. 

3 minutes ago, NEEJ said:

It's absolutely baffling that he's still got such a platform like, the big fucking whopper. 

Absolutely shit he’s on the Trust board now too. Really has went to shit. 

1 hour ago, Heron said:

My (personal) take on the atmosphere was that it was flat as a fart for the most part. It seemed absolutely deafening when their team was read out and when the national anthem was sung I was like ? 

 

Then it only lasted for 5 or 10 minutes and it was like our bubble just burst. Felt like our fans lost faith and when they scored the tie was as good as over for most.

 

Part of it may have been the night before, but I think thats just an excuse personally. I think our recent lack of goal scoring prowess and Man Uniteds increasingly good form had us like rabbits in the headlights when the big moment of the match finally came to take place. Our attitude (which I love and which is why we are loved) is to be there, take part, have a belter time, and leave popular, plucky underdogs. Man United turned up to win, on and off the pitch. If we scored on the 30th minute we'd have won that tie undoubtedly, but that first goal was crucial.

 

I was lower tier, behind the goal, and myself and this guy got proper emotional at the start, just oozing with pride. We hugged and then that was it. Both his mates and mine stuck it out together for the duration. Stamping on the metal and when the knees and feet became too sore reverted to banging it with a clenched fist. It's what I love about football. That sense of shared pride, overwhelming passion and a love of where one's from. In how many scenarios in life does this happen?

 

For me, I'm maybe a tad old school and that has its pro's and cons. I'm not old enough to have experienced the days of hooliganism and the genuine danger of any given away day. That has to be a pro. Likewise, I grew up in an era where those older than me educated and policed me into understanding how to behave at the pub and the match, generally speaking. Of course there are moments when you lose your head or you say or do something stupid but hey ho, that's life. Now, for the betterment of society, women and kids are in abundance at the match. As they should be. However, I do feel that there's a sanitisation of the game whereby the tribalism is almost entirely removed and it's becoming a very generic thing to attend any match, anywhere in the country. You hear the same drab songs coming from away ends and the home fans sit in silence unless they take the lead. Home advantage no longer exists. This whole thing about putting away fans pitch side is absolute nonsense to me. There should be home standing/singing sections and the away fans should be in the worst seats on the stadium. Of course, that's not great as an away fan, but it's all about giving your team an advantage. That way the away 'hardcore' have to be on their game to balance the playing field.

 

The answer, as others have mentioned is to reshuffle. Nowt wrong with family enclosures, nowt wrong with sitting, but there's also nowt wrong with standing, singing and actually,  swearing.

 

I feel like many probably do at the match: It's where my troubles leave me, for 90minutes. Same when I play. Nothing matters but football for that time. Sure, people swear, lose their heads,etc. Sure people sometimes need to dial it in and be respectful of others, but for how many is football a form of therapy?

 

I feel like many think it's embarrassing to sing alone or to get passionate, maybe it's a British trait, I don't know, the whole stiff upper lip kinda crack, but for me I enjoy people showing raw passion and hence I tend to show mine.

 

At the match on Sunday I had a lass during the match turn to me from 2 rows down and shout up "You used to sit in the corner and cancelled your season ticket" in front of everyone. I said "...and, what's your point?" She said "I didn't I stuck by the team."

 

I then replied "Yeah l, well I stood up for my club, my beliefs and tried to protect it." Then numerous folk intervened and said for me to ignore her. I've never known nowt like it. I finally said "Glad you're more bothered about my beliefs than the cup final I'm trying to support my team in."

 

I couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed but also angry that this would matter at such a time.

 

Which brings me to my final point. In another thread someone has mentioned when I protested vs Arsenal and wrote something passionate on here (will also pick that up in that thread) but for me, that day, something as a football fan died inside me. I love the match and getting behind my team, but the way I felt that day made me feel entirely alienated from the club and city I love. Random people calling you a cunt for standing up for the same thing they also love, whilst they themselves do fuck all about it except complain in a pub.

 

I'll be honest, I don't give that much of a shit that people wouldn't protest, but don't also spend hours complaining of a situation you're unwilling to do anything about if that's the case. Most of my best mates carried on with their tickets and I'd see them every match day still as I made my stand and sat in the pub whilst they went. For the most part it was fine, I accepted my choice but some days it upset me, I no longer had my 'therapy' and I felt an outcast (despite it being of my own doing).

 

I remember these planned protests, several of them, when well renowned toon fans pushed them and then dropped them last minute and lead with a 'voice' but no actual presence. Doing public U Turns at the last gasp as those that followed them ultimately sacked protesting off, but I didn't. I said my piece and followed it through. It's that feeling of relief I feel at almost every game now, self vindication and pride in staying true to myself that tip me over the edge. Whereas some others have probably become spectators, there in body but not as much spirit and hence the silence until the team give them something to shout about.

 

Mike Ashley fucking ruined this club and its gonna take more than 15months to repair those 15(?) Years. The bastard.

 

(Apologies for the war and peace...)

 

 

 

 

Cracking post mate. I don’t know you personally, but know of you (you gave me specific instructs during the surfer against Leicester in the quarters) and I’m really sorry that lass had the audacity to try and shame you like that. Glad to hear others stuck up for you.
 

The takeover has brought out the best (Wor Flags, Arsenal last season, scenes outside SJP on 07/10/21) and the very worst in our fans. You’ve got the super fan types on socials with their loyalty points and ‘I stood by my team’ craic, winding people up about Wembley tickets etc, then thankfully the vast majority who are just happy to have a competitive team back. 
 

Glad to hear you ended up with a ticket like. If anybody deserves it, it’s you. 

1 minute ago, Whitley mag said:

Wondered where they all were because there were none around the rocket, Euston flyer like you would expect pre match. 

Honestly seen about 3 all weekend except for at the ground. I suppose they do go fairly frequently.

1 minute ago, Big River said:

 

bit hypocritical though, considering TOON is the only thing that makes it unique to us  done properly I think it could be quite good. a bit Valerenga if it was slower and properly timed.

Well yes I suppose you’re right, but I just think it sounds much better without the TOON part, but I get that it’s personal opinion. 

Just now, Big River said:

 

Isak one was nicked from Spurs

 

 

Fucking hell  I take it back then. 
 

I mean it’s easy to sit here and criticise our song book when I doubt I’d be the one to do it but what’s happened man? Social media probably - just taking songs off of other clubs and changing the odd lyric.

Another thing I can’t stand is United! TOON! 
 

ditch the fucking toon bit man. 

1 minute ago, HaydnNUFC said:

 

Agree with your post but this part is hugely spot on. I think myself and @SteV (correct me if I'm wrong) discussed on here at the back end of last season but football fan culture has changed, certainly since the 1970s and 1980s. Can easily be argued that that's for the better given the hooliganism that was rife in those days but the hostility from back then largely dissipated post Italia 90, certainly after the introduction of the PL. But as you say for away games now you get a lot of our lot, certainly since during the Ashley era when a lot of the hardcores walked away, who are Stone Island/CP Company wearing, drugged up lads who get more interested in winding opposition fans up or causing bother than they do supporting the team. Maybe a sweeping, incorrect generalisation from me but certainly from my generation it's what I see.

 

On top of that as you mention which also affects our atmosphere is our songbook. Been saying it for a couple years now, it's absolutely shite. They're all sung at light speed and the same songs are on an ad infinitum cycle. 'Who's that team we call United' from the Benitez days has now been replaced with Bruno in the middle as the song that's trotted out every 10 minutes. The first songs I was ever told as a bairn by my fatha were songs from the 1970s when he started going to games; songs about Terry Hibbitt, John Tudor, 'we hate Nottingham Forest...' etc. No one sings them now, or those that regularly sing at games don't know those older songs. One thing I admire about Man Utd and Liverpool fans is they still sing about Cantona, Steve Heighway, Dalglish etc which we hardly ever do. Most fun I've had this season was singing about Andy Cole, Coloccini et al when 0-4 up down at Fulham.

 

Whinge over.

Exactly. Songbook is shocking, although I’ve always been curious as to how Man United/Liverpool come up with these new ones and get them universally sang. Fan-zones?

I think that daft Jamie Webster started that Van Dijk song, and whilst I know not for all, it’s very unique. 
 

The Isak one is new but I’ve only ever heard it sang in Wonderbar (hellhole by the way, but sound for a singsong) in between 1363 renditions of Bruno in the middle. Thought that would have proper cottoned on, especially at away games. 
 

Glad to see so many with the same perspective on this.

I think 'Hey Jude' at the start isn't great either and does nothing to help the atmosphere, although I'm sure there were rumours that it was a Howe request?

I know Man United for the game against Barcelona on Thursday allowed the music etc to be turned off 15 minutes prior to kick off. I think that's a fantastic idea, although granted it wouldn't really work on a Saturday 1230 against Brighton.

I think Wor Flags will fly the flag (pardon the pun) better than NUST tbh. I know I've nack for hating on NUST on here but I really think they don't like to upset the apple cart whilst they've got their fingers in the pie. As long as the owners, players and media are patting our back about the atmosphere nowt will happen. It needs to be a fan group like WF who acknowledge that it's dwindling for the club to take any notice. Anfield is the same though - those of us who have been know that it's shit, yet you see surveys online and ex-players/pundits telling you how great it is there. Absolute fucking myth - they might get going for a Champions League knockout when they're chucking bottles and shit off the away bus but apart from the 5 minute karaoke pre-match, Anfield is shit. Generations change, and what we had in past years just doesn't exist anymore, save for one off games.

Ideally you would have like-minded fans in 2 locations in the ground to allow the atmosphere to bounce about. Like @NUFC91 touched on, they should move people and if they don't like it, tough shit. 

I wouldn't hold much hope for the safe-standing survey either, if Sunday is anything to go by. It's a different generation of fan now, and I think a lot more of the vocal/militant type of fan were beaten to submission by Ashley and replaced by a large family section and the odd few who just go to video the match or stream their views on YouTube channel. I've even noticed some of the aways I've done this season the atmosphere lacking - 'we've got bruno in the middle/we'll support you evermore/unitedTOON (yak)' over and over. Lots of lads just there to get coked up to their eyeballs in £350 jumper rather than creating an atmosphere.

Countrywide I think it's not just a SJP problem but a problem all over the place. Terrace culture isn't what it was and it'll be extremely difficult to replicate the atmosphere of past days, but grouping like-minded fans together will definitely help. The singing section in L7 were class days and really helped some of our better results of the Ashley era (5-1, 4-4). But I noticed a change in our fanbase in the Arsenal game just after Bruce got the job. Thousands had packed in tickets and there was a planned protest that day to just not go. I think there was about 47k there that day and I realised that we were done for. Pretty sure that was the day @Heron gave a passionate perspective on some online platform in the pissing down rain trying to rally troops to the cause.

That being said, the atmosphere tends to improve when our backs are against the wall - Jan onwards last year being an example. Maybe it will improve organically towards the end of the season if we're still in with a shout of Champions League. But the semi against Southampton was really flat despite what was riding on it, but I think I said at the time maybe it was nerves? Fuck knows, but something has to change.

Got back at about 8 last night from London, still absolutely fucked now.

Others have probably touched on it but it was genuinely fucking amazing at how London was black & white more or less everywhere. No matter what bar I went in and no matter what time of the day or early hours it was, there was at least a decent amount of NUFC in there. Walking through side-streets, down the tube at midnight - B&W all over, amazing. 

The match itself was obviously disappointing but like Bruno, I'm gutted but proud. Lets just make sure it isn't another 20 years, I'm sure it won't be.

As for the atmosphere inside Wembley, I agree it was pretty shit and flat, but not going to whinge and being a miserable bastard about it. It's hard to motivate yourself to jump up and down like a lunatic when it's essentially over by 37 minutes. But it is what it is.

Overall I can honestly say I'm so proud to be a Geordie after this weekend. It really did feel like the start of the new NUFC, despite losing. I've had a few texts off Mackems and other fans trying to take the piss. Let them, the reality is that they're fucking shitting it. They know what's coming and theres fuck all they can do about it.

PS please, please, please stop signing we've got bruno in the middle 297451535286251 times a game. Christ almighty man. I can still hear it now. 

The loyalty points won’t change sadly, the ‘Trust’ made their stance quite clear on that. (not advocating people lose them btw).

The way I see it, as @Heronsuggested, is bringing in a system that allows people to accumulate points by other means - ST renewal, cup games etc. If there was a way to ensure the person using the ticket was the person attending would be mint too, but no idea how that would work. I think Brighton have a certain % of away fans have to pick them up with ID at away ground? Could be wrong.

The last thing we want to do is shut out the next generation of fan because someone is hoarding loads of points. I know a good few people that buy an away ticket every single game but literally go to one or two a season at a push. That can’t be fair, surely?

5 minutes ago, LFEE said:

Nah we were brilliant first half and 0-3 up at HT and ended up hanging on 2-3. All is best work was definitely the first half.

1-3 wasn’t it? I was there and for March, it was boiling hot. Was shite second half though I remember being nervous as fuck.

I fail to see how it's unfair really, as others have said the club can't win. Damned if they do and all that.

Understand the frustrations from some ST holders but there are also some members who've been to every home game - league and cup - this season. I totally get that there's members who've maybe just done 1 game in the cup and it would be a pisser if they got a ticket over a ST holder, but basically everyone who (probably) deserve a ticket will get one. Not all members have only done 2 or 3 games this season as some would want you to believe.

However I do feel like the pot for 6 (5 should be pretty small anyway, surely?) will be a smaller allocation than 4, so the chance will reduce for people trying in period 6.

Would anybody be kind enough to share the email update they received? Still not got mine, but I'm in the mood to be pissed off about something so this could work.

Class news. Might be (one of) the reasons they only released 1k season tickets summer 22? Less people to shift etc?