Newcastle could pay dearly for summer of uncertainty

As we struggle, manfully, through this barren, football-less period of the calendar year, only the Serbian Under-21’s to keep us company, there is at least a light at the end of the tunnel. The excitement of what to come is always palpable as the new seasons fixtures are released. Text messages, phone calls and emails fly across the country, all asking familiar questions.
‘Who’ve we got first?’
‘When are we playing United?’
‘Guess what, we’ve got Liverpool on your birthday!’
But for one club the release of the fixtures on Wednesday did not promote excitement, nor did it whet the appetite for the big kick off in August. No, for Newcastle United and their long suffering, self proclaimed, best supporters in the world it was one more kick in the goolies, like. Finding out when you are playing Peterborough at home or Scunthorpe away does not quite muster the same sense of anticipation.


Next season for the Geordies was always going to be extremely tough. Every side that arrives at St James Park will pop ten men behind the ball, sit back, and wonder if there are actually more empty seats in the stadium than there are full seats when they play at home. Away matches will not be much easier, Newcastle are going to be the prize scalp next season, they will receive no gimmes. Games will be raised, grounds will be full and expectations will be high when the Magpies roll into town. Given this was always going to be the case, it was vital that the ongoing upheaval at the club was sorted out swiftly and without too much drama.


But Newcastle, as we should have expected, are making life as difficult as possible for themselves. Almost four weeks after sliding meekly into the Championship it appears that nothing has been done to begin the push for promotion. The club is up for sale again, having spent much of last season being touted around various billionaire benefactors. Unable to locate a buyer last season, when still a Premiership outfit, what chance does Mike Ashley have of making a sale now? Answers on a postcard, blu-tacked in the newsagent’s window, to that one please. More worrying still, is that while their competitors make signings, strengthen squads and prepare to beat them next season, Newcastle do not even have a manager. No players have joined the club, their has been no overhaul to the squad that was found so wanting last time around. What the Geordies need in their team next season is fighters, players with passion for the cause and experience of the Championship. They better hope there are some left for sale once they finally deem it necessary to enter the market.


The football league is chock-a-block full of clubs who felt relegation from the Premiership was a mere blip. That they would be back within a season better than ever, refreshed from a little stint slumming it, seeing how the other half lives. Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton are just four clubs who enjoyed long-term, top flight status but now find themselves languishing in the Championship or below. There is nothing wrong with the Football League, it is packed full of proper clubs, proper fans and proper excitement, 90 per cent of clubs in all three divisions would fancy their chances of promotion as the season begins. One thing though, is for certain. Newcastle had better get their house in order, and fast, because getting out of the Championship can be easy, getting out at the right end is the tricky part.

Finger-biting time for the North East as the Premier League reaches its climax

With just one round of games remaining the Premier League reaches its conclusion this Sunday at 4pm. Last Saturday lunchtime Manchester United banged the final nail into the title coffin, and a day later Liverpool put paid to West Brom’s hopes of rising from the dead. So with top and bottom decided, all that remains is the battle for seventh and the fight to avoid sliding through the trapdoor with the Baggies. Fulham should get the point they need, at home to Everton, to nick the final Europa League spot from Tottenham. But it is events at the bottom of the table that are going to grab Monday’s headlines.


There have been moans this week, mostly from angst ridden supporters of North East clubs, that Hull City may get an easy ride to safety against a weakened Man United side. A win for The Tigers will mean relegation for two out of Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Newcastle United. This is old news of course; every year brings with it a story of perceived injustice. Just ask Reading who went down on goal difference last season rather than Fulham. The Cottagers secured their Premier League status on the final day, against a Portsmouth side focused on an FA Cup Final. Southampton had the honour of playing a full strength Man United on the final day of the 2004/05 season, relegation rivals had already picked up points against Fergie’s reserves.


That these whinges are nothing new, however, doesn’t mean they should be taken any more seriously. If relegation is to come knocking for any of the giants of North East football then the blame is to be found squarely at their own doors. After all, underachievement has been the watchword for football in that part of the world for many a year. Middlesbrough’s League Cup in 2004, the only major silverware to shine in the region for over 35 years. So here are three good reasons why, if and when relegation comes, no one is to have any cause for complaint.


Firstly, since Christmas, Hull City have looked unable to beat Hull City Reserves let alone Manchester United’s. Most members of whatever team Alex Ferguson puts out on Sunday would walk into Phil Brown’s first eleven. Moreover the £32million pound that ‘reserve team’ player Carlos Tevez might eventually cost would buy the majority of Hull’s playing squad.


Next, Hull City spent less than £10million pounds in the close season as they prepared for their debut season in England’s top flight. Conversely Mike Ashley has splashed out countless millions on a whole host of international underperformers. Take Damien Duff, price £5m. One goal every 16.75 matches for Newcastle compared with a goal every 6.85 games for Blackburn and Chelsea. Or, how about £5.7m for one goal striker Francisco Tejada, any takers? Sunderland have a £9m goalkeeper between the sticks with £8m pound defender Anton Ferdinand playing just in front of him. Meanwhile £13m Alfonso Alves has spent all season banging in 4 league goals for Middlesbrough.


Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the whole point of the league is that it is contested over 38 matches, not one. Chelsea might feel aggrieved at being knocked out of the Champions League because of some dodgy refereeing but that is the nature of cup football. Lose, or draw, one match and it could be curtains for you. In the league these situations must equal themselves out or otherwise why bother with a league system at all? If relegated, Newcastle should look to recent dropped points at home to Pompey, one point from two games against Hull, or the limp defeat to Fulham that ended their recent mini-resurgence. Middlesbrough and Sunderland can point to their inability to score at home as the reason behind their demise. Just 17 and 19 home league goals respectively is quite simply not good enough. So if Hull City stay up and Newcastle, Sunderland or Boro go down then they will have only themselves to blame and Hull City should be applauded for achieving the unlikely.


In any event Hull are unlikely to get anything of their game with United’s second eleven. Newcastle will probably lose at Villa and even if Boro win at West Ham, they will not see a sufficient goal swing to keep them up. Conspiracy theories should be left outside the gates of St James Park and The Riverside, what should concern the chairman and supporters of both teams, is this. Have they got the right men at the helm to steer their teams out of the second tier next season. Because, while the Premier League may often be touted as the best League in the world, next season’s Championship certainly looks like one of the toughest.