(16 Apr 2015, 4:36 pm)Andreos1 Too busy protesting against the Dubmire WMC regime  http://www.ddsl.org.uk/leagueTables/leagueTables.html
relegated from Division Two...

(16 Apr 2015, 8:42 am)Andreos1 Partly inspired by this: http://ashleyout.com/articles/a-guest-blog-on-the-state-of-newcastle-united-by-george-caulkin-northern-sports-correspondent-of-the-times/

I wanted to jot down some thoughts about my experiences and ideas on events at SJP.

Years ago, I jumped on the football bandwagon. Got addicted to it and over the years played it, managed it (computer games of course) and coached it (kids teams).
As a youngster growing up in the 80's, it wasn't a good time to go to a game. There were fights, fires, disasters, pitch invasions and locally - usually 90mins of dross.
Eventually, as things seemed to be quieting down on the terraces and Newcastle seemed to be on the up and making an early push for promotion back to what was Divison 1, I got my opportunity to head to SJP.
I had managed to escape the fun, but archaic Graham Courtney and Charles Harrison on Metro Radio and got to see Newcastle play for the first time. There had been the odd TV game, but I was there, in the flesh, standing in the Gallowgate end.

I saw Micky Quinn miss a penalty, but I saw Newcastle scrape out a win. I was hooked.
Unfortunately, a dip in form and a series of pitch invasions and also Hillsbrough, discouraged too many additional visits over the next year or two. Metro Radio and the perennial squeaky door during pre-match player interviews would have to suffice.
I lived and breathed Newcastle United. Newspaper articles, TV appearances, visits to the training grounds. All absorbed and retained for a rainy day.
I would break a neck to listen or watch a live game on the radio or telly, until my next visit to SJP.

Managers came and went, Jim Smith replaced by Ossie Ardiles. Keegan stepping in and creating a soap opera, Dalglish, Gullit, Robson, Souness, Roeder, Allardyce, Shearer, Keegan (again) and then the interims, caretakers and directors of football that have epitomised the Ashley era of financial stability, but dross on the pitch.

It was during the latter days of Allardyce, on a cold November day that things started to change for me.
It was poisonous. Hammered at home to Liverpool and 50,000 baying at the home manager.
Gradually, my visits to SJP slowly declined. My interest in football didn't though. My passion for Newcastle United wasn't what it was - but I couldn't put my finger on the reasons.

I would go to Gateshead games, pop down to Hartlepool, watch Northern -league stuff when family members were playing and watch Newcastle on the telly. Heck, I even paid money to watch Greenock Morton - but couldn't bring myself to go to SJP on a regular basis. 2/3 times a year, even in the second promotion season when the football was decent and the goals flowed.

It has got to the point now, where my interest in the team goes as far as youth cup games, listening to the odd game on Radio Newcastle, hearing the same patter day after day on Total Sport and visiting nufc.com.
I still give the obligatory fist pump when (if) they score and will always want them to win, but the excitement isn't there any more.
The term balance sheet champions is bandied about a lot. £34m sitting in the bank account according to latest reports. Very ambitious financial plans. Stagnation on the pitch can only damage those finances in the long term.
If supporters don't spend money within the club, club profits are going to be damaged.
Unless there is a change of ownership or we see a movement in the policies set down by Ashley, mid table obscurity and relegation battles, coupled with dire performances will continue to be the norm.
There isn't going to be the renaissance seen under Keegan or Robson. There aren't going to be barmy nights in Europe and it doesn't look like a cup run or two will ever happen soon.
Fans want to see excitement. They want to feel the anticipation of a new season approaching, seeing how new summer signings settle in and put in 100%.

I have no idea why I picked Newcastle to be my team. Growing up with parents who weren't too bothered about football and the lack of a footballing flagbearer, it could have been any team that I picked.
Maybe a combination of factors - pre-Metrocentre shopping in the town and being caught up in the match day throngs, being given a Pannini sticker book, who knows. All I do know, is the media didn't love football like they do now.

As it is, I enjoy watching Gateshead. Experienced things that I never did with Newcastle and as good as the European nights were (never got to Milan, Turin, Monaco or any other away game), Grimsby at the IS, Wembley and The Hawthorns will stick with me for ever.
A lot of the old school Gateshead supporters resent people jumping on the bandwaggon and to an extent, I understand. Seeing people turn up, wearing red and white or black and white tops to watch Gateshead, well... It just isn't right.
However, not all of those turning up at the IS are newbies. Like myself, they have been going on and off for years - fitting it in around games at SJP. The lack of entertainment at SJP, has seen those fleeting trips, turn into more regular visits.
Hopefully the club can grow because of it and benefit from the regime ruining Newcastle United.

(16 Apr 2015, 4:47 pm)MrFozz Demand FPF representation on the Club Committee lmao




I once read somewhere or was told Older Gateshead fans resent Newcastle in particular as Newcastle were one of the clubs to Gateshead out of the League in the 1960's...

The story goes that Hartlepool owed Newcastle some money and if Hartlepool were voted out then Newcastle would not see a penny of what they were owed, thus not voting for Gateshead

(16 Apr 2015, 5:03 pm)Andreos1 Reading the link I put up about Colin Richardson, it looks like his funeral will be held in the village.

Never heard that story. I know there was an imbalance of southern based teams elected versus northern based clubs being demoted.

(19 Apr 2015, 3:06 pm)aureolin Plenty of spineless scabs inside of SJP today. I use the word scab, as really they're no better.

(19 Apr 2015, 3:14 pm)MurdnunoC Did you really expect anything else though?

Chances are, the majority of the more vociferous supporters calling for the boycott, are not even season ticket holders.

If they really want to make their voices heard they should all cancel their Sky subscriptions and start supporting their local teams.  

(19 Apr 2015, 4:14 pm)Tom QPR/Aston Villa have already played each other.

I am going to go with Hull, QPR and Burnley too, I think Leicester can stay up with that great run of fixtures. Hull's are awful though.

(19 Apr 2015, 4:23 pm)Malarkey Aston Villa vs QPR was Scheduled to be played tomorrow night but Postponed to be Resheduled as Aston Villa have just played Liverpool in the F.A. Cup Semi Final.

Hull have no chance of stopping up at all, Perhaps if they got rid of that Overweight Geordie Turd then they might of been a decent side. 

(19 Apr 2015, 3:06 pm)aureolin Plenty of spineless scabs inside of SJP today. I use the word scab, as really they're no better.

(19 Apr 2015, 4:43 pm)Tom Yeah I know, it was played last Tuesday, it finished 3-3.

I agree, Hull have no chance at all of staying up unless a miracle happens. 

(19 Apr 2015, 4:44 pm)Malarkey So they did, didnt even realise they were any BPL Games in Midweek.

(19 Apr 2015, 4:59 pm)mb134 Anyone know what the attendance at SJP was today?

(19 Apr 2015, 5:01 pm)Tom About 47000.
It was another crap performance.

(19 Apr 2015, 5:02 pm)mb134 Not a very well carried out boycott then...

Aye, shocking performance and defending, getting a bit worried now

(19 Apr 2015, 5:07 pm)aureolin Worth pointing out that the attendance figures go on tickets sold. Not how many people are in the stadium. So any ST holders that boycott the game today would still be included in the figures.