Bystanders

[Dokko]

Absolutely the same as you 80, but I've kept a small interest mainly down to this place. I still won't fully commit my heart and soul to the club, but love what Rafa is doing to those who stuck it out properly, they've been rewarded. Fair enough.

 

Don't think I'll ever be the same supporter as I was, take it or leave it now and while it's sad it's easier. Time is focused on other things but as the old bairn gets closer to his teens I can't help fee leucine for him and hope at the end of it all is something worth his time, something I never got out of it.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

The interest is there (mainly thanks to this place) but the love and passion isn't. It started with the appointment of Souness and escalated with the whole KK fiasco and then through to Pardew. I love Rafa, but he alone cannot rekindle that love and passion I used to have for Newcastle. Being a father, husband and businessman these days I just don't have time for NUFC to play a prominent role in my life either and as you get older you realise that football just isn't that important. I'd love to have that love and passion again because it's the best and quite powerful but im not going to kid myself. Fair play to others who got back into it or clung onto it the last decade or so and I do hope for their sake, Rafa can deliver a trophy like! I do feel under Ashley however, he would be very undeserving of achieving the holy grail when you consider what SJH and KK did without a tin pot. Ashley almost ruined our club and still has it in him to make a good thing into a bad thing still. Good to see a familiar past name attributed to a post 80 btw, hope you are well!

 

Btw it f***ing saddens me reading TT and Wullies posts, two NO members who I associate passion and mad love for NUFC as granted.

 

Ashley and Pardew can rot in hell for eternity the c***s!

[Dave]

Some great posts in here, agree with many parts of different comments.

[Figures 1-0 Football]

Not for me like. I was never going to let an incompetent oaf like Ashley ruin the club for me. Because that's how I see him. As someone out of his depth. As opposed to the Evil overlord who wants to ruin everything.

 

This probably sums me up like.

 

I think there is a big divide between the younger and older supporters, a lot of the younger supporters feel like the above but the older generation fall into the 80 type situation (praying you're 30+ 80 ).

 

I think that's probably because the younger lot (myself included), still have the thrill of getting drunk at matches and are keen to travel the entire country watching Newcastle under Rafa. Whereas the older lot have been there and done that, know what it's like to follow Newcastle without Ashley and don't necessarily want that from football. Lets not forget, Ashley has been here for 9 years - that's a substantial amount of time for the younger generation, will be 50% of their time following Newcastle for some. They wont remember what its like not to follow an Ashley-run Newcastle.

 

In addition to that you have all of the grim changes made by Sky/PL etc. the older lot remember life when nearly every match was a Saturday 3pm kick off. For the younger folk, travelling to Plymouth for a 12:00 kick off on a Sunday morning is the norm.

 

It saddens me that we have a lot of supporters still away from the club, with passion drained from them. I hope in time people can come back, under Rafa.

[afar]

I understand the point being made here but don't relate to it. Newcastle United is my sporting love affair, I enjoy the NFL, College Football, Rugby, F1 and many other sports, but the teams I root for do not have the same pull on me that NUFC do. I, along with a few others were one of the first people to speak up on here about Ashley, in fact the few of us that saw worrying signs got a lot of stick in our posts.

 

Having said that, the ownership of the club matters not a jot for me, the best and only job the owner needs to do is what Ashley is doing right now, employing the right person to steer the club in the direction it needs to go and providing the funds (obviously this is unproven since we are currently in the black but the next couple of windows will be a chance to show how much he values and backs Rafa). If he continues to stay out of things like this then he truly has learned from his mistakes and will get my backing, if that means anything.

 

To me the important thing is what we do on the field of play, community spirit is important too, but what happens on matchdays are what matters most to me. I honestly don't care what name goes on our shirts, what we call the stadium or how many tacky signs we put up as long as they are all working towards the common goal of making a successful product on the field.

 

Since KK left for the second time, I have wished I could divorce myself from this club, not be as emotionally invested. I hated when my weekends were ruined over and over by results of a team playing some 4,000 miles away from me. How they constantly self destructed and frustrated the hell out of me, something that was supposed to be an aspect of your life that you could take joy in proved anything but the above. But it's proved impossible, I have other priorities in life as I grow older, but NUFC will always be a important aspect in my mental well being. Having genuine reason to be cheerful and optimistic for the future is fantastic, long may it continue and I'm more than happy to be fully invested in it.

 

[Foluwashola]

Sympathise with a lot of the sentiments but if you can't enjoy what Rafa is doing at the minute, it's unlikely you're going to be able to enjoy anything Newcastle related with the way the modern game is now. Everything is geared towards excluding teams like Newcastle from actual success in the PL/CL.

 

Loving going to the matches again personally.

[Incognito]

I used to make an effort to watch at least 2 or 3 games a year home or away from Cov before Hughton was sacked, think I've been two or three total since then. Not all of that is down to the club, though most is, my change in circumstances becoming a weekend Father is a massive factor too, though now I do see a time when I bring my lad to the game, as long as Rafa and the positive vibes remain. I haven't bought a shirt since Hughton was in charge neither. At the very least now, I do try and watch us on the telly when we're on either live or highlights, whereas I've watched MOTD about four times in five years. MOTD has been a staple part of my life since I was 5 or 6 and I'm certain not all of that blame can be put at Newcastle United's door, a major part though certainly.

 

It's my perception that product football ain't what it was, period. Though pointedly, an entertaining and moderately successful Newcastle side would and indeed is, going some way to fix that.

[Yorkie]

Whenever my weekends or weeks were ruined by Newcastle during my teens, I used to wish I could completely switch off and be unaffected. When that eventually started happening - along with intermittent phases of actively wanting us to lose - I can say for sure that I was naive to ever want that. Losing is rubbish but not-caring is worse. I felt like I'd lost a part of me under Pardew and that's why my hatred of him is so personal and enduring.

 

That's why my overbearing emotion at the moment is one of relief. I don't know what is going to happen in the future but I feel pity for those who are still completely disillusioned. I cheer our goals and am excited for the weekend. I'm re-energised and optimistic, and it's a great feeling. I even think we've got a genuine shot at winning the League Cup.

 

However, I can feel that it's fragile. When we were 3-1 down to Norwich I was almost ready to flip the desk over again  although that was probably 'in the moment'. I absolutely lost my shit when we won though, and that was when I realised my fervor for the club had really returned.

 

How long it will last is another matter but I'm going to enjoy it whilst it's happening.

[Guest alijmitchell]

This is a great thread btw

 

[Wullie]

This is a great thread btw

 

 

[samptime29]

Sympathise with a lot of the sentiments but if you can't enjoy what Rafa is doing at the minute, it's unlikely you're going to be able to enjoy anything Newcastle related with the way the modern game is now. Everything is geared towards excluding teams like Newcastle from actual success in the PL/CL.

 

Loving going to the matches again personally.

 

I agree with this.

 

Really good thread, enjoyed reading.

[Beren]

It's become more than Ashley and Pardew for me. Rafa's back and has brought a feel good factor of sorts (through even relegation!) to the club which I experience primarily through this forum, but I know I don't feel it. In part due to the Championship being less accessible, I don't follow it as closely or care. If I cared like I used to I don't think the accessibility of the Championship would stop me from gorging on NUFC. I survived on and spent whole days refreshing Ceefax pages and awful radio segments for the better part of my youth.

 

I'm just pigsick of football now. I hate that football as an industry tolerated Ashley and Pardew, and will tolerate others and will not even acknowledge, let alone address, fairly basic iniquities in the game. Can't stand the absence of meritocracy in the game. Can't stand listening to Robbie Savage and his brethren rob a living. The majority of fans that I've met and seen are no better, a constant disappointment. Football is like a weird propagandist society and it's not like it has the redeeming feature of not serving up content that isn't largely unadulterated bollocks that genuinely isn't worth your time watching or your heartache caring over... as it is, rather organically, I don't really care now and count myself among the bystanders, so to speak.

[80]

Anyone with Admin or Mod under their username still got a burning passion?

 

Maybe we are just old... Although I don't think so - I think my feelings would have matured, but if I just was a bit past it I don't think I'd feel that tickle when I see Benitez wanting to visit local landmarks etc. I do think it's the corruption (financial, moral, whatever) that tells me to back off.

 

Figures makes hell of a point though. 9 years of Ashley... There are hairy teenagers out there who really have known nothing else.

[Wullie]

Forgot you were still Admin.

[Ronaldo]

The old magic's gone. I don't think I'll ever get the days back when I wake up on a Saturday morning excited like a frothing lunatic. It goes further than Ashley and the awful shit under Pardew too. English football just doesn't have the same feel to it and the likes of Mourinho have helped kill whatever uniqueness it once had. On the other hand I celebrate us scoring goals again, even when the game's pretty much already won. I love the manager, like most of the players and don't feel as much contempt for the fans as I used to. It's a start.

 

Thing is, it all feels like a bit of a house of cards. Always will with Ashley.

[Wullie]

The old magic's gone. I don't think I'll ever get the days back when I wake up on a Saturday morning excited like a frothing lunatic. It goes further than Ashley and the awful shit under Pardew too. English football just doesn't have the same feel to it and the likes of Mourinho have helped kill whatever uniqueness it once had. On the other hand I celebrate us scoring goals again, even when the game's pretty much already won. I love the manager, like most of the players and don't feel as much contempt for the fans as I used to. It's a start.

 

Thing is, it all feels like a bit of a house of cards. Always will with Ashley.

 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I get excited on match days again now, reasonably so considering we're almost certain to win. Hopefully we'll go up, strengthen and then it'll get even more so.

 

Agree with the house of cards with Ashley of course, but best we can do is just try to enjoy it.

[Foluwashola]

On a bit of a tangent, I used to look forward to Champions League matches but couldn't give a shit now. Barely watched it since it went to BT, not a chance I'm going out of my way to watch over-commercialised shite in which the majority of games are complete formalities. Same soulless clubs competing for the trophy each season.

 

Used to be the ultimate when I was a bairn.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I haven't watched a CL game for years, except for the odd Madrid/Barca game. Barely even register that it's on TBH.

 

Will no doubt change when Rafa returns the glory days.

[Ryan]

Sympathise with a lot of the sentiments but if you can't enjoy what Rafa is doing at the minute, it's unlikely you're going to be able to enjoy anything Newcastle related with the way the modern game is now. Everything is geared towards excluding teams like Newcastle from actual success in the PL/CL.

 

Loving going to the matches again personally.

 

Agree with this especially

 

I went to the majority of games when we had Pardew as manager but can't say I enjoyed them or was really that arsed about the final result. Stopped attending when Carver and McClaren were in charge but the appointment of Rafa has got me hooked and I've attended every home game this season as well as watching every away game possible. The last few years of supporting this club have made me realise I have to enjoy these highs as we don't get many of them.

 

Completely forgot about Ashley at the moment and the focus is fully on Rafa, his staff and the squad of players with every member of the squad seemingly wanting to play for Newcastle United and not seeing us a stepping stone to somewhere else. Long may it continue

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Every time I see SJP my heart sinks at all the Sports Direct shit though, especially on the front of the main stand. TBH if Ashley would sort that, clean up the stadium and get a decent sponsor I would probably forget about hating him.

[GM]

Cracking thread, thanks for starting it off 80 (and great to see you back here too). It's been a great read and really reassuring (perverse though that sounds) to see that there are others who feel more than a tad jaundiced with things - not just with the obvious stuff like Ashley, Wonga, mercenary players who were all too willing to cream off the massive salaries and live Playboy lifestyles whilst putting in zero effort etc - but also with the state of the modern game generally.

 

I'm very much like 80 - though it saddens me to admit it, the truth is that I've kind of partially disinherited NUFC - it does feel to me like a former partner that's still got a tiny piece of your heart. And even though I can see what a wonderful job Rafa's doing in restoring pride in the club, bringing young, ambitious and talented players through what is undoubtedly one of the most competitive leagues in Europe, and even though I'm massively warming to his charming demeanour and personality, I'm just not as emotionally invested in NUFC as I once was.

 

Don't get me wrong - it's my hometown club, my loyalty to the club remains but the passion has waned in recent years, big time. It's weird, it will always tug on my heartstrings to see the great cathedral rise on the horizon as the train passes through Newcastle or as you walk up from the train station...but I'm now emotionally detached and financially locked out of it. Hard to say I'd feel any different if Ashley fucked off. Maybe if the club was owned by the fans, maybe then I'd feel different. But it may also just be a product of getting older, having had other battles to fight in recent years and my whole perspective changing forever.

[WarrenBartonCentrePartin]

It's an age thing for me.

 

Gave my ST up when I was 18 and started uni. Money I'd get for birthdays and Christmas always went into the pot to pay for the ST, cup games and away games. I started uni and my money started going towards funding holidays and travelling instead.

 

I still enjoy an away day whenever I can and I'll still do the odd home game with me dad for old time's sake but there's plenty of times I wish I hadn't bothered. I used to get proper fired up for derby games but now I'm just filled with dread.

 

It really isn't what I remember growing up with. Since I gave up my ST at the end of the 06/07 season I think the only time I really remember the ground properly rocking was the 5-1 v the mackems. The last promotion season had its moments (Forest, Sheff Utd and Ipswich all at home) but it's been nowt compared to the SBR years - and even they seemed flat at times compared to when Keegan was here the first time.

[madras]

I'm feeling a lot of similarities with all this. I've gone from watching every game I could watch regardless wether it involved us or not to only watching our games or games I have money on. I've been sick of the business and the celeb culture of the game for years but now it's hitting earlier, I used to be sick at Easter now it's just after new year. The last 3 or so years it's really been to keep in touch with a group of mates and my daughter wanted to go (she hasn't been to the last 3 and I doubt she'll see another 5 this season). It's why I've been wanting a more entertaining style of football hoping that it reignites something but I'm not sure it would. Ithink I may be done at the end of the season.

[Wullie]

I'm feeling a lot of similarities with all this. I've gone from watching every game I could watch regardless wether it involved us or not to only watching our games or games I have money on. I've been sick of the business and the celeb culture of the game for years but now it's hitting earlier, I used to be sick at Easter now it's just after new year. The last 3 or so years it's really been to keep in touch with a group of mates and my daughter wanted to go (she hasn't been to the last 3 and I doubt she'll see another 5 this season). It's why I've been wanting a more entertaining style of football hoping that it reignites something but I'm not sure it would. Ithink I may be done at the end of the season.

 

This is exactly me. I quite often sit and watch a full game from the Swiss Super League yet I've only seen one Premier League game this season (that I had fifty quid on) and haven't seen MOTD once. If I didn't gamble, it would probably be years since I'd watched a full football match that didn't involve Newcastle. Quite sad really, I used to be absolutely obsessed with the game.