Guest HTT II Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 I don’t want to make this thread political, but I want to touch on how much Andy Cole meant or helped with any racial issues within the City. In the 80s and early 90s you could buy the National Front at SJP. Hooliganism was rife as was racism. We had a decent sized Asian population but in my entire childhood I’d only ever seen in person a handful of black people and although we were not racist as a family or most people we knew, terms like darkie were common and anyone not white was looked at as, well, different, and dubiously. We once had a black striker who our own manager Jack Charlton nicknamed Wor Blackie (Charlton was not a racist btw). We predominantly had an all white team even under KK and hadn’t really ever had a black player that was more than decent. LFC had Barnes for example. When we signed Cole no-one knew anything about him and I remember my dad and uncles thinking fuckinh hell that’s a lot of money on some black kid. And then he scored goal after goal after goal. Suddenly we had this black young man as our number 9 breaking records, a genuine world-class at the time striker, and it helped break down racial barriers and eased any racism in the City. I know for a fact people selling the NF were getting attacked outside of SJP and people were saying how can you spout that shite when our number 9 is black, how dare they. At school, everyone wanted to be Andy Cole and as a kid we didn’t even see skin colour, but our parents and elders probably did, but they would say go out and play like Wor Coley, or buy us his tops and attitudes started to change, I noticed that as a kid. Then Sir Les signed, Shaka and others and now Newcastle is probably one of the most multi-cultural and tolerant places on Earth, when just before Cole if you were a black person, it must have been a grim and awful place. I know through many many Asian friends I grew up with and went to school with some of the shit they put up with. So Cole, not just a football hero, but a hero in terms of the impact he had, unknowing to him, he had off the pitch in terms of racism too. Again listen to that crowd against Leicester, imagine 28k people idolising you and a whole City like that. A young black kid in a kind of racist city/era. That’s the power of football. That’s my Andy Andy Cole, he gets the ball and scores a goal, Andy Andy Cole… Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 94 WC is the first football thing I remember and I adored Roberto Baggio so probably him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HTT II Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Just now, Pata said: 94 WC is the first football thing I remember and I adored Roberto Baggio so probably him. Ah, I had so many heroes from that WC, Stoichkov and Hagi to name two. Romario, even that big lump American defender Lalas who we were linked with. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWN Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Mick Channon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HTT II Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 (edited) Cole is also synonymous with a great time in my life. Becoming a Teen, Brit Pop, New Labour, NUFC obviously being fucking class, and a rise in our film industry with the likes of Trainspotting, dabbling in drink and drugs, the early 90s were class! Edited June 11, 2022 by HTT II Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
toon25 Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 1 hour ago, Yorkie said: Funny, the only players I've really loved, like, to a really elevated level are Shearer, Martins and Ben Arfa. Martins I definitely fell out of love with, though. My adoration was probably just more a case of hyping him up in my head, defending him to the hilt because I was desperate for him to be mint, and him starting his career here pretty well. He was decent, like, but mostly phoned it in with the rest of them in 08/09. Hatem was just a tragedy sadly. Imagine buying the 2010 version now... Never experienced a Cole-level sale. Worst for me was Carroll, was gutted and seething when he left. Absolutely agree with all of this. I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when the Carroll day unravelled. And to then see the smug face of King Kunty at the end of it all was pretty gutting. That was a real turning point for me as a fan, that day. I paid ever less attention to football and NUFC each and every year after. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HTT II Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 (edited) 2 hours ago, Kid Icarus said: For me it has to be Peter Beardsley. I loved Micky Quinn and Gavin Peacock but not at the level of Beardsley, who did things that seemed impossible. Ginola took over as my hero more or less from the exact moment I watched him get the ball at Sheff Wed away. Beardsley would be one of the best players in the world today, without him we wouldn’t have the greatness of Cole in our colours, what a combo they were. Edited June 11, 2022 by HTT II Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nucasol Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 (edited) 10 minutes ago, HTT II said: Cole is also synonymous with a great time in my life. Becoming a Teen, Brit Pop, New Labour, NUFC obviously being fucking class, and a rise in our film industry with the likes of Trainspotting, dabbling in drink and drugs, the early 90s were class! Have you watched Supersonic on Netflix? Absolutely loved the nostalgia, brought it right back, was welling up just remembering the good times. Makes you realise how much we’ve slipped now; just constant infighting over every little thing. Was miles simpler when it was Oasis or Blur! Edited June 11, 2022 by Nucasol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HTT II Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 1 minute ago, Nucasol said: Have you watched Supersonic on Netflix? Absolutely loved the nostalgia, brought it right back, was welling up just remembering the good times. Makes you realise how much we’ve slipped now; just constant infighting over every little thing. Was miles simpler when it was Oasis or Blur! I haven’t no, I’ll give it a watch. Loved both Oasis and Blur in the day. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groundhog63 Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Supermac. Moved to Berwick in 73 (from Bensham) and didn't get to see them live until 1976. Teacher, and Burnley scout, Mr. Wilf Renton took a load of us kids down to the Man City game. We won 2-1 and McDonald scored. We were in the paddock as it happens. Tremendous experience. Gutted when we sold him. Also loved Nattress, McFaul and Hibbert. Tbf when I read kids slagging off our players and think back to my youth and doing my "fantasy 11" it makes me laugh. I could hardly bring myself to drop any of them. As for other teams players, I liked Geoff McNulty, Leighton James, Willie Pettigrew (fucking Sportscene was all we got). Over the years I always liked Brooking, Currie, Latchford, Worthington then really admired Steve Bull. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trewicks tash Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Killer Kilcline first player i remember that showed real passion ' superhero got to be Big Al Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HTT II Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 When we were kids, we would play singles, doubles, gates, headers and volleys and there would be mass arguments over picking who you’d be, we literally had to take pens to see who would be Andy Cole, yet whenever any of us scored or won we would all do Cole’s celebration and sing his song. I get emotional listening to the Andy Cole chant as it brings so many happy memories, in life and as a Toon fan, show any potential signing that video man… Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shearergol Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Only one answer for me. Keegan. The reason why, as a “non-local”, i support Newcastle. I’ve hated him for that for the last decade though Lucky I wasn’t born a year or two earlier otherwise I’d be a Southampton fan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RealGoneKid Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Pele World Cup 1970 closely followed by Gordon Banks ( that save lives in the memory ) closely followed by SuperMac and Terry Hibbit Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HTT II Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 2 minutes ago, Shearergol said: Only one answer for me. Keegan. The reason why, as a “non-local”, i support Newcastle. I’ve hated him for that for the last decade though Lucky I wasn’t born a year or two earlier otherwise I’d be a Southampton fan Scunthorpe link? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Icarus Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 1 hour ago, Yorkie said: Hatem was just a tragedy sadly. Imagine buying the 2010 version now... Thanks, kids are crying Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 5 minutes ago, HTT II said: When we were kids, we would play singles, doubles, gates, headers and volleys and there would be mass arguments over picking who you’d be, we literally had to take pens to see who would be Andy Cole, yet whenever any of us scored or won we would all do Cole’s celebration and sing his song. I get emotional listening to the Andy Cole chant as it brings so many happy memories, in life and as a Toon fan, show any potential signing that video man… And when playing 3 or 5 pots in you had to commentate. When I moved to West Denton Park there was a piece of grass close by, 2 younguns were playing footy and nearly had the window out. I went out to shift them and came back 2 hrs later after teaching them to play heads'n'volleys. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
manorpark Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 48 minutes ago, Cronky said: The might Wyn was the first. He really was brilliant in the air. Best of all time though was Tony Green. Tony Green was great. November 1973 was a very sad time . . . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leffe186 Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Glenn Hoddle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RealGoneKid Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 59 minutes ago, RealGoneKid said: Pele World Cup 1970 closely followed by Gordon Banks ( that save lives in the memory ) closely followed by SuperMac and Terry Hibbit Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Supermac was my first hero. This bloke was so underrated. After so many "will he won't he play for England" he finally got his chance and scored FIVE goals on his debut. Then was dropped and hardly played international football again. You couldn't make it up! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Geordie Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 For me - Obviously KK from his spell as a player, but I also loved Chris Waddle (his drop of the shoulder and he was off!) - also John Anderson. The latter was as hard as nails and probs our best ever free transfer signing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Geordie Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 (edited) Ando. Edited June 11, 2022 by Big Geordie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HTT II Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 I remember Waddle playing for Sheff Wed against us, a rare chance to see him in action, we won 4-2 in ‘94, Mathie with that goal. He was superb that game, his crossing was something else. I’m sure we tried to sign him back. Another player who today would be worth fortunes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Venkman Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 I don’t even have to think about this. Gazza: Italia 90. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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