TomYam

True. Also, it's worth mentioning that if Eldon Square hadn't been built, John Hall's Metro Centre would have had a devastatingly negative impact on Newcastle's shopping scene. Not that he'd have cared, of course. Eldon Garden is a different matter altogether as it always seemed overkill, was never successful and - worst of all - brought about the destruction of the unique and countercultural Handyside Arcade. I have no doubt that had The Handyside lived on into the 1990s it'd have been renovated and be a magnet for the young and leftfield to this day. 🥲

Leazes Terrace was built about 45 years before a football ground made its home beside it. So leaving aesthetics and legals to one side, that lovely old Georgian pile wins out on lineage. Newcastle West End were, of course, the original club to make St.James's Park home. Newcastle East End (formerly Stanley FC) played on the Heaton/Baker border. East End is the precursor to NUFC as West End went bust and East End simply upped sicks and moved into the newly vacant and superior St.James's. The club changed its name to Newcastle United in 1892 but, in reality, the club was formed in 1881 with the formation of East End. In other words, our original home is Byker/Heaton. Perhaps the romantics would seek a return to that area? On the development of Newcastle city centre, Ponsaelius is obviously correct in his assertions that old building can be difficult to adapt to different uses and expensive to incorporate into new schemes. I'd simply argue that it depends on the quality and group value/setting of said building(s). The old Town Hall was correctly demolished as it had no grouping and had limited merit architecturally (although it incorporated the Georgian Corn Exchange, which imo should have been retained), and would have been devilishly expense to renovate (it was falling apart) - correct decision to demolish. Old Eldon Square was an intrinsic part of Grainger's new town - honeyed stone, beautiful group setting, fine classical architecture. Repurposing those terrace buildings - if needed at all - would have been easy enough; they just wouldn't have housed C&A, BHS, HMV or Boots. Eldon Square shopping centre - which has serviced the city so well - could have been routed in a way that didn't have such a negative effect on Newcastle's townscape and heritage.

The Green Market existed for centuries, but it moved to the site on Clayton Street opposite Grainger Market when the new town centre was planned and built in the 1830s. It was given a permanent home on the same site when Eldon Square opened in 1976. Demolished in 2007ish. Big shame as it was very popular and had lots of useful small independent units. Newcatle's shopping scene has definitely become much more uniform, faceless and anodyne over the years. Sigh.

I think you're both right. Eldon Square was hugely important to Newcastle and was a real shot in the arm for the local economy. On the other hand, it could have been designed more sympathetically - particularly with regard to retaining all 3 sides of Old Eldon Square.

It's their nuclear threat option. The Cartel 4 are like Russia - every time their noses are pushed slightly out of joint, they threaten us with a breakaway or an A bomb. We then back off and accommodate them.

Reading withdrew due to financial problems and it was deemed too late to fill the void.

?? Midtable. 5 points from 4 games.

72-75,000 is the sweet spot.

True - but The Odeon wasn't listed due to having been stripped of all it's glorious Art Deco detailing by a previous unscrupulous owner.

There are 3 domestic trophies that matter. We have won 10 - a considerable number. Or at least it was 50+ years ago. We won those trophies in the first 51 years of becoming FL members. In the subsequent 69 years we have won zilch. We all have a powerful emotional attachment to St James's Park, but describing the land as hallowed is for the magpies and other birds. It's been more hollowed than hallowed since 1955.

Interesting. Never considered that. I'd suggest the City Stadium site at the top of the Ouseburn off Warwick Street. It'd have to be shallow or mounded, though, as there's a culvert below it.

Quite. Any options laid before fan groups, etc, need to be detailed re location, design, materials, capacity, benefits, infrastructure, otherwise it'll end up with a simplistic brexit-like debate with a wholly negative outcome. Do you want to move - yes/no? - would lead to an inevitably negative response without considering any details whatsoever.

I've added my two cents worth on this subject a few times over the years, Whitley, and I think our views chime to great degree. I've always approached the subject of stadium expansion/relocation/immutability in the light of what I believe to be best for both the football club as a whole and the city fabric itself. If there are 3 options: 1. stay as is and make some improvements including a possible new Gallowgate stand 2. rebuild on current site with temporary relocation somewhere/anywhere 3. new stadium on Castle Leazes (with relatively minor infringement into Leazes Park) .....then I'd wholeheartedly support the third option. The ideal scenario for club and city is for a sumptuous new stadium with a capacity of about 72,000. The St James's Park footprint should then be incorporated into an extended and renovated Leazes Park. The club could then maintain the park as an asset. The area behind St James's Street and facing Steawberry Place - where the Gallowgate stand sits - could be developed for residential in the style of Leazes Terrace, while tall builds should be constructed on the land in front of the metro station where Stack now sits. In my opinion, such a development would be a great leap forward for the football club and a monumental improvement for the city. We all have a strong emotional attachment to St.James's Park, and many have fear of the unknown, but that shouldn't hold us back, ossify us. We have a great and probably singular opportunity to turbo boost the club forward AND a vastly improved city asset.

There really is no 'astonishing' difference at all. Leazes Park has a play area, a nice cafe, a lake, and areas to sit in a lovely outdoor space - just like Exhibition Park! Admittedly there are some antisocial characters that hang around the Barrack Road end on occasion, but sadly that's become normal in all but the most well to do areas. It is a well-used and hugely important green lung for the city. I live nearby and enjoy regular visits to the park - as do hundreds/thousands of other folk including dog walkers, book readers, joggers, hospital patients, basketballers, tennis players, pingpongers, diners, picnickers, strollers, fishermen, etc.

Club I like: Ipswich Club I quite like: Leicester Clubs I'm cool with: Brentford West Ham Man City Southampton Forest Fulham Wolves Brighton Bournemouth Clubs I don't care for: Crystal Palace Aston Villa Clubs I find objectionable: Everton Arsenal Tottenham Chelsea Liverpool Club that I'd rather didn't exist: Manchester Reds (fka Newton Heath)

This move for Odysseas is a real Troy of the Rovers story. Hopefully he feels as comfortable in a net as he does in a wooden horse.

I hope the whole PL explodes and a new administrative body is formed which is more equitable and not in the pocket of or kowtowing to 3 or 4 'elite' clubs. Mind you, that's surely not what Man City or Chelsea wish to pursue...

Definitely was a thing. Can't remember when or where.

It's a shame. Nothing more, nothing less. It would have given us a genuine chance of winning a trophy for the first time in 56 years and could have been a lot of fun as well as improving our status, but we're probably more likely to qualify for the CL next year without the distraction of all those additional games.

Dreadful. Only hope these containers don't linger too long.

Well, yes, we lost Pope for more than 60% of the season to a seemingly innocuous injury that had previously occurred. Like it or not l, Pope is now in the category for high risk of repeated injuries. He's been excellent for us, but the club would be prudent to look at alternatives for this key position.

...and Ashworth's is called Stealin Dan.

Last time I looked they were both anticipated to return in January 2025.

I think places like Morecambe, Barrow, Lancaster and Rochdale are beyond the north now. The north these days is a small area containing only south Lancashire and north Cheshire (which was the midlands when I was a lad) - and 'levelling up' has been quite successful for these 'northerners'.

Berwick's an odd place. It's been horribly underfunded for several decades and has become one if the poorest towns in the country when once it was among the richest - an unpolished gem of a town.