Shay Given (now retired)

[Chris_R]

I loved him when he was here and was gutted when he left, and even blamed him - and Milner and N'Zogbia - for our relegation because they'd left when we needed them.

 

However as Ashley's reign of terror progressed I gradually understood why he wanted out, and that blame diminished. He saw what we couldn't, and he did what was best for his career because our trajectory was inevitable.

 

We didn't get relegated because of Given, or Milner or N'Zogbia. We got relegated because of Mike Ashley. And after yesterday Given's pretty-much fully won me back, it was awesome to see how much he was enjoying our rise.

[King HTT III]

I was gutted when he left and at the time, cynically, was angry with him, but that’s all water under the bridge now. I thought his questions and general punditry was excellent yesterday, I’d love to see him co commenting, he has a certain vibe about him like McCoist, who for me is the best co commentator there is. That and how giddy he was about our performance, the club, fans and well, he’s as much a supporter as any of us are. I love it and love him. You can see he’s just a lovely all-round fella so he is.

[huss9]

43 minutes ago, King HTT III said:

I was gutted when he left and at the time, cynically, was angry with him, but that’s all water under the bridge now. I thought his questions and general punditry was excellent yesterday, I’d love to see him co commenting, he has a certain vibe about him like McCoist, who for me is the best co commentator there is. That and how giddy he was about our performance, the club, fans and well, he’s as much a supporter as any of us are. I love it and love him. You can see he’s just a lovely all-round fella so he is.

confirmed by dozens of people who i know that have met him - even those who didnt actually realise who he was as they didnt follow football.

[King HTT III]

21 minutes ago, huss9 said:

confirmed by dozens of people who i know that have met him - even those who didnt actually realise who he was as they didnt follow football.

I’m sure he’s still got a gaff up here in Newcastle, some of my family members run a cleaning company and cleaned for Krul who rents his gaff out to Willock who they clean for and they said he was lush and sends them gifts even to this day. We’ve had some good guys in goal for us over the years for sure. From Pav to Shaka who recently was awarded something for his efforts against racism here in our fair city, to Harper, Shay, Krul and Dubs and now Pope.

 

 

Edited December 27, 2022 by King HTT III

[TheBrownBottle]

31 minutes ago, huss9 said:

confirmed by dozens of people who i know that have met him - even those who didnt actually realise who he was as they didnt follow football.

Mrs BB holds a very different opinion after her time as a barmaid in Ponteland. 

[1892er]

He's selling his house in tranwell if anyone's got a spare £3.75m knocking about. 

[Wolfcastle]

Wasn't worried about selling Given on the football side as had no qualms about Harper or Krul

but it just felt so cold and sickening. Leaving an utterly miserable and cold club, absolutely couldn't blame him, felt like a form of protest (or was that just projecting on my part).  Just that feeling of the people who own your club poisoning it willingly was so bleak and miserable.

If we knew then we'd have 12 more years of that I don't know what I'd have done.

 

 

Edited December 27, 2022 by Wolfcastle

[huss9]

4 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Mrs BB holds a very different opinion after her time as a barmaid in Ponteland. 

naughty boy.

[PCW1983]

4 hours ago, 1892er said:

He's selling his house in tranwell if anyone's got a spare £3.75m knocking about. 

It’s been up for sale for years, the pictures aren’t even recent pictures. 
 

[Stifler]

6 hours ago, Chris_R said:

I loved him when he was here and was gutted when he left, and even blamed him - and Milner and N'Zogbia - for our relegation because they'd left when we needed them.

 

However as Ashley's reign of terror progressed I gradually understood why he wanted out, and that blame diminished. He saw what we couldn't, and he did what was best for his career because our trajectory was inevitable.

 

We didn't get relegated because of Given, or Milner or N'Zogbia. We got relegated because of Mike Ashley. And after yesterday Given's pretty-much fully won me back, it was awesome to see how much he was enjoying our rise.

I stopped liking him when he left. I liked him like most loved Shearer. For me he was just as much as an icon.

I then read his book when it came out, and he goes into detail as to why he left.

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

He was absolutely right to leave at the time, Ill never forget his emotion in that Liverpool game. He was so gutted about it all and you just saw him thinking "i cant do this anymore" and I didnt disagree a jot. He didnt fail us, we failed him.

Like someone else said, im so happy he's still a fan after it all. He was brilliant!

[HawK]

14 hours ago, Chris_R said:

I loved him when he was here and was gutted when he left, and even blamed him - and Milner and N'Zogbia - for our relegation because they'd left when we needed them.

 

However as Ashley's reign of terror progressed I gradually understood why he wanted out, and that blame diminished. He saw what we couldn't, and he did what was best for his career because our trajectory was inevitable.

 

We didn't get relegated because of Given, or Milner or N'Zogbia. We got relegated because of Mike Ashley. And after yesterday Given's pretty-much fully won me back, it was awesome to see how much he was enjoying our rise.

 

Tbh many of us understood at the time, as we did with Enriqué too.

[Pilko]

Totally understood why Given wanted out after that Liverpool game & then I recall his final appearance away at Blackburn he spent the dying minutes breaking up a fight between Enrique and Barton. No wonder he reached the point of no return as we were an absolute bloody cowboy outfit.

[joeyt]

 

[Dr.Spaceman]

That just shows how shit we've generally always been defensively. So many free headers and rebounds falling to the opposition inside the 6 yard box.

[madras]

7 hours ago, Pilko said:

Totally understood why Given wanted out after that Liverpool game & then I recall his final appearance away at Blackburn he spent the dying minutes breaking up a fight between Enrique and Barton. No wonder he reached the point of no return as we were an absolute bloody cowboy outfit.

I had no issue with him wanting away, but I don't understand why didn't put in a transfer request.

 

 

Edited December 28, 2022 by madras

[Yorkie]

32 minutes ago, Dr.Spaceman said:

That just shows how shit we've generally always been defensively. So many free headers and rebounds falling to the opposition inside the 6 yard box.

 

Can recall it being a running theme for a few years post-Bobby. 04/05, 05/06, 06/07 - just a litany of absolute dogshit occupying the defensive positions. Bramble, Boumsong, Ramage, Huntington, Carr, Babayaro. Thankfully we appointed Allardyce who repaired it with Cacapa and Rozehnal.  Christ even Coloccini was hopeless when he first arrived.

 

Almost the whole decade was just a disaster in terms of defenders. The following one contained plenty more individual talent. Right now is the best we've ever had it. 

[Dr.Spaceman]

4 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

Can recall it being a running theme for a few years post-Bobby. 04/05, 05/06, 06/07 - just a litany of absolute dogshit occupying the defensive positions. Bramble, Boumsong, Ramage, Huntington, Carr, Babayaro. Thankfully we appointed Allardyce who repaired it with Cacapa and Rozehnal.  Christ even Coloccini was hopeless when he first arrived.

 

Almost the whole decade was just a disaster in terms of defenders. The following one contained plenty more individual talent. Right now is the best we've ever had it. 

 

Yep, I remember pundits raving about how we "love a number 9 up there" when all I wanted was the second coming of Woodgate.

 

Botman and Schar is up there like, can't recall a more comfortable center back pairing in my lifetime.

 

 

Edited December 28, 2022 by Dr.Spaceman

[King HTT III]

Given is comfortably the best ‘keeper I’ve seen for us!

[Dokko]

1 hour ago, joeyt said:

 

 

Still the best. Broke my heart when he left. Didn't understand it at the time Nd hated him for it. I'm start8ng to forgive him now (and myself for being so bitter)

 

 

[wormy]

I'm sure I hated him when he first moved, but haven't beared any ill will toward him for a long time. He saw the writing on the wall.

 

It's not like he hadn't endured rough times with us already, he was under Gullit and Souness either side of Sir Bobby, too. Ashley was just a step too far and fair enough.

 

Glad to see it hasn't soured the club in general for him.

[Kid Icarus]

1 hour ago, Yorkie said:

 

Can recall it being a running theme for a few years post-Bobby. 04/05, 05/06, 06/07 - just a litany of absolute dogshit occupying the defensive positions. Bramble, Boumsong, Ramage, Huntington, Carr, Babayaro. Thankfully we appointed Allardyce who repaired it with Cacapa and Rozehnal.  Christ even Coloccini was hopeless when he first arrived.

 

Almost the whole decade was just a disaster in terms of defenders. The following one contained plenty more individual talent. Right now is the best we've ever had it. 

There was an especially bad period from 04 to 08, but tbh it wasn't until under Hughton that I ever felt we had a back 4 that could be relied upon and until Rafa that I thought we had a good one. I was never confident about us at the back even under Keegan or SBR.

 

 

Edited December 28, 2022 by Kid Icarus

[Interpolic]

Given spoke to the press about 4 or 5 transfer windows in a row, rightly saying the squad needed strengthening if we were to progress. It fell on deaf ears and he eventually got fed up with it. Never blamed him for leaving whatsoever, he was saying what we were all thinking. 

[King HTT III]

Under KK we had a mean defence, it’s a cliche and a myth that we were vulnerable and shipped in goals galore because we were so attacking, which is false, when we ‘conceded’ the title to Man Utd we let in what 4 or more goals than they did? And they racked up lots of 1-0 wins. Defensively as a whole team on and off the ball this is the best I’ve seen from us, however, and with a few more quality attacking players, imagine how much better we will be in attack too which we are already decent at.

[Pilko]

3 hours ago, joeyt said:

 

 

I don't mean to be too much of a dick by saying this but they must have had to trawl for fucking hours to find footage of Shay saving a pen for us he probably faced about 6-10 a season and I can only remember the Nolan one in the video and a one away at Villa under Roeder.