Wednesday 7th May 2008


Dear tf,

I just wondered if I'm alone in questioning our decision to leave KK out of transfer target talks. The man is all about enthusiasm, character and belief. Someone who in my eyes would be invaluable in persuasion when it comes to getting young talented footballers to put pen to paper for the cause. Especially when the alternative is a Cockney chappie and a Spaniard who knows F*#k-all about NUFC. Modric being a prime example already!

Yours, Doug - Canadian Mag

PS - The footy pundits over here are 'just loving it' that young Edgar's getting a game.


Dear tf,

Keep up the good work the articles are brill and even if I don't agree with everything that is said its always thought provoking.

What an end to the season! After a shambolic year I actually find myself looking forward to the next game and next season! I have to say I was sceptical when KK was appointed as much as I had admired him in the past I thought he was yesterday's man.

Far from it not only does he have his finger on the pulse he is as good as ever in motivating players. I can't believe this is the same bunch of players that got trounced by Man U and Villa.

I don't know who I hate more Man U or Chelski. Whilst I hate the idea of doing any favours to Fergie I would love to see us stuff the Russian mafia not least because it keeps our momentum going into next season.

We do need to build on this and hopefully KK will be able to strengthen the squad with 4\5 players in the summer.

Once again keep up the good work!!

Graham Ritchie, Cayman Islands


Dear tf,

I have been reading the Guardian since I was 20. I grew to love the newspaper that had brilliant world class journalists such as James Cameron and Michael White. Not only did it match my political views but it seemed the only broadsheet to cover Newcastle United in any depth. Patrick Barclay was the first reporter I read that covered us and I even rang the Grauniad when he defected to Today. I had been bemoaning the slide in the standard of the paper for months and their recent coverage of my beloved club plus their arrogance in response to yourselves made me stop buying the paper I had bought for over 30 years and I no longer go to their website either.

I now buy The Independent and agree with you that Michael Walker’s reporting is fair and balanced.

Steven Taylor-Who would be a local hero?

It has been good to see both you and nufc.com give some positive comments about this young man recently. I have been annoyed and frustrated at the lack of patience shown by some Newcastle fans towards this excellent young player and worried by Newcastle United’s contract negotiations with him. Can fans not remember how error strewn Rio Ferdinand and John Terry were at the same age, central defenders rarely mature until their mid twenties. How many defensive partners has Taylor had over the last couple of seasons and where are they now. When he has played with his peers for the under 21’s he was simply outstanding against the best young talent the continent of Europe could play against him and he obviously had the respect of Peter Taylor and the other England players in that squad from the age of 19. My worry is that fans expect too much from Taylor because he is a local lad and what message this is sending out to other talented youngsters in the North East. The greatest local player of my generation is Bryan Robson, if you read his autobiography he states he left the North East for West Brom because he didn’t want the extra burden of playing in front of local crowds. I hope Steven Taylor retains that self-belief and swagger; some may call it arrogance because to play at his level he bloody well needs it. All those fans I have listened to at away matches slagging the lad off would be petrified if they were put out in front of 52,000 fans. Kevin Keegan knows a player and hopefully Taylor will get a good contact sooner rather than later.

Martin Turnbull


Dear tf,

Can't see the resemblance between Leona Lewis and Habib Beye myself - but how about Oba and Tracey Chapman?

Talkin' about a revolution?

JDP


Dear tf,

loathed as I am to complain I have to question your motives regarding the inclusion of this “news” story. I am an avid reader of the website, though too much of a tight arse for a subscription, and normally find the articles and the Sunderland baiting hysterical (whoever thought up the Mordor comparison is a genius). However, I do think this particular article is mean spirited, distasteful and a little beneath you all. I also think it plays into the hands of and gives ammunition to the likes of Wheyse Keyes, Andy Dunn and Barry G. Just a thought …

Apart from that keep up the good work!

Ian, Ireland

Ed: Being in the Emerald Isle (God bless it) you can be forgiven for being unaware of the way in which the Sunderland Echo sought to exploit a 10-year-old story regarding NUFC’s support for recovering addicts in the week before the derby game in their typically small-time, narrow-minded manner to make cheap points about something which NUFC should be applauded for rather than derided. Naturally, the Mackems, desperate for something to have a pop at us with, made a few meek attempts at chanting “Town Full of Smackheads” at the game in a bizarre attempt at one-upmanship before slinking back into muttering complaints about Keane’s tactically illiteracy and wondering out loud just what Paul McShane (heh-heh) is actually for. Given the name of the bar raided by the Polis (Keano’s), its venue as a pre-Mackem match drinking den and its proximity to the SoS and the timing of this news story only a couple of weeks after the paper and the Mackem goons were attempting to make capital from NUFC’s support for recovering addicts, we just thought it was an opportunity to good miss to take one of our typically cheap shots in return. We were going to make low cracks about “bad trips” and “dopes” but thought better of it. Nowt more really!

NB – Get a fucking subscription – do you think this fucker runs on fresh air? Tsk!


Dear tf,

I just read this on your usually enjoyable website -

http://www.true-faith.co.uk/html/Features/reportage_020508.htm

Now it has nothing to do with football, and is some vindictive attempt to demean the people of Sunderland. There are plenty of similar drug raids in Newcastle.

Speaking of vindictiveness the week leading up to the derby the website had some bizarre attack on the Sunderland area and its poverty and social problems. Now maybe your from the Ivory Tower part of the region but from what I can see the Tyneside area has just as many of the social problems as Sunderland.

You strike me as one of the fans who sings about signing on and Liverpool slums at Everton and Liverpool games, when Newcastle has as high unemployment and poverty as anywhere in the UK.

Get back to taking the piss out of Sunderland as a team and their supporters without stooping this low. (its a case of the pot calling the kettle.)

Anon

Ed: See above. As for the “in your Liverpool slums ..” thing - you couldn’t be more wrong. The articles in the run up to the derby match certainly did not deride Sunderland o the basis of poverty and social problems – that is absolute nonsense. The articles covered confused local identity and civic envy. Read them again.


Dear tf,

Not that I am the type of person who wishes ill against another, but I must admit to feeling slightly chuffed with the possibility that Nigel Pearson may get relegated in his first managerial post in English League Football. When Pearson left us, we were not winning. He had overseen 2 disastrous spells with Roeder and Allardyce (including of course taking the team for the 6-0 thumping in 45 minutes at Old Trafford). Yet his departure was cleverly framed for the media in his interviews at being unhappy with the uncertainty surrounding the club, and so it was that "one of the brightest young coaches in the English Game" (as we are always being told) moved on with his reputation largely undamaged. Obviously its all our fault and he needs his vast array of skills - picking up cones and looking sullen in front of the cameras, for all I could see - to be respected at a club with a more 'stable' reputation. Cue his arrival at Southampton, a club whose mismanagement under prize twat Rupert Lowe makes us look like Man Utd in those stakes.

Any of this sound familiar though? Fat Sam was giving the excuses off before he even took a match, insinuating that this club's previous turbulence means that we needed a 5 year plan (before proceeding to recruit a load of 30 somethings in Faye, the Duke, Beye, Cacapa). Then upon his ultimate dismissal, he reeled off the long term strategy line again, and the media prats such as Talksport fell for it hook line and sinker. Cue a weeks discussion about the instable, comedy club, the Toon circus act (which was then heightened by Dennis Wise's appointment and Mike Ashley's continuing decision to sit somewhere other than next to a bunch of suits). So then Big Sam had the customary holiday abroad with his pay off, a new suit, a shave and he was then ready to slag us off to Hairy Richard Keys in front of the nation, adding that his reputation was firmly intact and undamaged and that the club were essentially to blame for his failings. Prick.

My point is that these managers are so tied up in their media image and reputation, that it makes me sick. Pearson looks at journalists like they are the shit on the bottom of his shoe. But he hasn't shown me anything yet, as a coach, manager or a personality. At the end of the day, if you win games then you don’t need to give a toss what the media thinks. Bright young coach? What’s bright about leaving us for a Championship team bound for League One? What's bright about not wanting to learn from KK, who despite not boasting or chumming up with the media, has achieved more in football than Fat Sam ever has and ever will.

So good riddance basically! League One hopefully beckons for this charlatan. Fingers crossed...

Anthony Forrester


Dear tf,

Looks like Sam is doing some DJ-ing to make ends meet.

Also what is wrong with Londoners? I mean Boris fucking Johnson!!!! Yes very amusing on panel game shows, but fuck me, alright they may not like Ken but FUCK! That bumbling fool, actually letting him be responsible for real stuff?!! Don't they realise they actually have to live with this? Every day, until 2012? I know people are fucked off with Labour but Christ the Tories would have went into Iraq as well and Cameron (Diet Blair) would have been unable to prevent the sub prime collapse and subsequent financial knock-ons for the global economy (Yeah like we didn't have any financial troubles when the Tories were in power, hypocritical cunts, their short term thinking for the sake of a quick 80's buck have fucked this country for the next century, at the very least on so many levels). The Tories have all been banging on about this 10p tax stuff, but fuck me those cunts didn't even want the minimum wage!!!!!!! And now Diet Blair is banging on about how he's the only choice for the lower paid!!!! You can tell I'm from South Shields, the only constituency in the country never to have voted in a Tory MP. I'm drunk and angry and wish I was more articulate or lactate I'm not sure what the right word is.

Grrr ok incoherent post-pub rant over.

Wonder what Bryn Leningrad, oh shite! I've spelt his name wrong again, will have to say about Keano's latest tactical masterpiece away at Bolton on the pod cast? Quite an apt name as pods is also another word for bollocks. Oh dear now I have a hideous image of him pod-casting and making plaster of Paris replicas of the Glendenning family jewels!! Bloooargh!!!

Glenn A


Dear tf,

Not sure that numbers 2 to 10 are valid choices or not but number 1 couldn't be more right.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/may/04/sportfeatures.footballmanagers

Adam Forster


Dear tf,

Unless you work for a fanzine, the odds are you work with supporters of other football teams. There will be a person coughing in the corner who supports the 'Boro; every company seems to have a glory hunter (sorry, Man-yoo fan), but in the main there will be two footballing factions here in the North East: Black & White versus Red & White.

Go on, admit it; you sported a particularly noticeable grin on the Monday after the game. You might have even indulged in some banter, politely enquiring whether their team had bothered to show up, or asking whether their fans had all collectively developed laryngitis after a mere four minutes of the match. If your workplace was anything like mine, the Monday was marked with some very long faces, some rather broad smiles, the honouring of some ill-advised wagers and the total absence of violence.

Some of my friends are of the Red & White persuasion and apart from a (mutual) belief that the other supports the wrong team, there is no ill-feeling whatsoever. When we play football together, there is no barely disguised thuggery taking place. So why, can somebody please explain to me, were there scenes reminiscent of the dark days of the 1980s in our city, after we'd won?

I can understand on a psychological level that football appeals to a primitive, tribal instinct but I, for one, like to think that I have moved on a little from Neanderthal man. Some of the scenes I witnessed on Sunday would be laughable if they weren't quite so sad and, needless to say, it is the antics of a few hundred which make the news rather than the many thousands who elected to take their brains both to and from the game and who made their way merrily yet peacefully home.

So perhaps next time those people wish to indulge their more primitive instincts, might we have some T-shirts printed with some kind of disclaimer to the effect of, "the views and antics of this individual do not necessarily reflect those of the rest of humanity."

Meanwhile, I am going to listen to a few more post-mortems on the match and smile and nod sagely when somebody once again voices the (correct) opinion that "Sunderland were crap."

John Gilbert


Dear tf,

I've got to admit that when Fields of Athenry, Red Flag, La Marseillaise or the slow sung Oh When the Spurs are audible on TV I feel a pang of jealousy. There's a history to these songs that embeds them in the psyche and, bar the Spurs chant, no little political reasoning and rebellion. Of course its pretty fucking difficult to be aroused by the majority of modern day fans and there clubs whose footballing ignorance leaves me cold. This ignorance extends to St James' and surrounding areas. 50 % of Newcastle fans leave me cold also and their ignorance can account for the success of Souness, Shepherd, The Halls and Allardyce doing their best to fuck this club to Kingdom Come. A recent last home game saw these morons clapping Kluivert and Robert from the turf having stuck two fingers up at them for a whole inept and pathetic season. If you're lamenting creativity and atmosphere at St James' then look no further. Schizophrenia has reigned for too long. The night Gullit's death warrant was sealed the Gallowgate sang his name with pride until Shearer sprinted down the touchline in warm up and they began singing his.

Keegan needs to build an united front not based on short term celebrations but long term development and a style of play that has him gaining control of opinion and mob mentality like Wenger at Arsenal and Cloughie at Forest. He may be the personality to do it. Unfortunately I don't think he'll ever have the temperament; reflecting more than anyone the bleeding heart sleeves of Mags and their shifts of emotion.

What we need, what we've never had, is a song that is a eulogy for the suffering on the stands, a tribute to the people. A song of defiance; more relevant when three goals down and outplayed by Man U then one nil up to Wigan. A song to tingle spines and raise the game.

I've written the tripe below as an effort but its more likely the truth will be found in old Northumbrian folk songs / legends and Geordie heritage. For the love of me, I couldn't give a fuck about a song about Michael Owen. He's absolutely invaluable to the cause but his eyes are as dead as Kate Moss' and he wouldn't care less who was singing at him as long as he was scoring.

Black and White Skies

And we first saw you beneath black and white skies.
Just like our grandfathers before us
you took our hearts and sucked us in
from The Gallowgate to The Leazes for our sins.

We breathe The Tyne and suck in the air
of men gone but never forgotten.
Legends cast in graft and sweat,
Milburn to Keegan to Shearer.

We first saw you beneath black and white skies.
The North Sea wind at our face.
A different land and a different place
united by one common space....

In which we watch you beneath black and white skies.
In which we love you beneath black and white skies
In which we hate you beneath black and white skies
In which our hopes and dreams never die.

Le Duc.


Dear tf,

I’ve just been sent this via a source in Sweden, he's black & white daft and ex of this parish so it seems reliable. I'm not sure where Big Sam is maybe the directors box with a megaphone, maybe his office looking in via CCTV or maybe a home looking in via the world wide inter-web thingy, he could even be indulging himself with a "I'm God" fantasy.

It seems to be a million miles away from being on the turf coaching and cajoling the team in the style of Sir Bobby, Keegan, Ferguson etc and trying to instil a team building ethos amongst our merry men.

Good riddance to him....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmzp1Wt3tkU

An Allardyce training session apparently...

Sean Heslop


Dear tf,

I am an avid reader of your website but I am disgusted you are so quick to point out how seemingly Ashley and Mort are so willing to fuck the club over.

It seems to me that every time something bad happens you lot are so quick to complain and moan. Especially when you consider the good job Mort and Ashley have done.

You state how "If there is only a minimal amount available... I would seriously question the motives of Ashley". First of all, any man would have to seriously contemplate buying Newcastle if you think of all the shit that had happened under Hall and Shepherd. Ashley came in and without thought wiped the debt clean. He has also never made an issue out of it- though admittedly he isn't that in touch with the public. Also if he wasn't motivated then why would he turn up to games at Wigan and Sunderland where we were shit.

Chris Mort, who I take to be an honest and shrewd man, has come out and said that we offered more money than Tottenham for Modric. He attracted a fee of £16 million. And we were going to pay more than that. Sounds to me there are funds there to spend, as Mort even said to Sky Sports after the match. If anything, it is a lack of ambition on Keegans part. For two good signings (Woodgate and Modric) Keegan has said "no I don't think they will come." Keegan just looks as though he doesn't care if we had actually got them. We were heavily linked so I can't believe Kev can then come out and say he doesn't think the money is there. He has the final say on transfers, so it seems that we haven't got them because Kev isn't ambitious enough. In his interview after the Chelsea game he looked crumpled and depressed. For us ever-optimistic Geordies, it was a bit of a contradiction saying "We won't break into the top four. It's different from when I was managing Newcastle" Sorry but wasn’t SBR in the same position? Despite two average 11 placed finishes he managed to get us into the "top four", with a moderate investment. Was the situation really so different? Admittedly Chelsea didn't have Abramovich but Liverpool, Manure and Arsenal were all in the same position as they are now.

Also I don’t think you were appreciative enough in your appraisal of what Ashley and Mort has done. If you had read Mort's end of season notes you would have noted how there have been initiatives at bringing younger children for cheap prices to games and how he had received feedback from supporters about the introduction of younger enclosures and sections where louder supporters could go, I know it's a small thing, but would we have ever seen something like what Graeme Danby did before the Mackems under FFS, who constantly claimed to be one of us. Mort's from London but he recognised how that would get everyone going for the match.

Stop throwing your toys out of the pram and give support to Ashley and Mort.

Ali Halliday, Bucks

P.S. Keep up the excellent website and well done on fundraising for SBR's appeal

Ed: Its not a question of supporting Ashley, Mort, KK or whichever individual. We support Newcastle United. No-one can deny something is wrong when KK’s post-match comments clearly indicate there is. I think we’ve tried to convey the message all season that developments are taking place at the clubn which are long overdue. However, the acid test will be the resources given to the manager this summer to make the improvements the club desperately needs to introduce. Let’s not kid ourselves, this has been a dreadful season on the back of three previous terrible seasons. The club is losing status and prestige. That needs to be addressed. Great letter though.


Dear tf,

Firstly thanks again for being the best forum for all that is Newcastle Utd again this season.

I'm a bit concerned with KK talking down what is possible within the Premier League and stating it's virtually impossible to break the monopoly held by the 'Big 4'. I think he's wrong. It's not going to be an easy thing to do, but there's no reason at all why it can't be done and our club is certainly in a better position than most out there to do it.

The key reason 2 of the clubs, Manchester Utd and Arsenal are where they are is continuity. They've had 2 undoubtedly talented managers in charge for over 10 years a piece, something almost unheard of these days. To a lesser extent the same can be said for Liverpool, although, like Chelsea, they've spent a King's Ransom to be where they are.

Each season there are challengers to the Big 4 but as has been proved it's not all about money. If it were Chelsea would have been champions last season and they're unlikely to be this season again. Manchester United have built themselves up over the last 20 years and they've done it the right way. You may despise them, but we were very close to them when Keegan left, who knows what the story could have been for us before FFS sank our ship.

Arsenal are the best example of a team that challenge consistently without spending big. They're the 18th biggest spenders in the premiership over the last five years, but they're one of the 'Big 4'. They do it by spending their money wisely and by holding onto a good manager. We're the 5th biggest spenders and although we have had our successes under Bobby Robson, we've also wasted millions and been happy to get rid of managers way too quickly. Each season there have been challengers to the top four but they've fallen short towards the end of the season. The right manager, with the right players, could have broken that monopoly. Spurs should have...

We've brought in people to recruit young talent from across Europe, with the right nuturing, we can follow Arsenals example. Man City proved this season, you can even make headway with the right purchases in the short term, they same goes for Portsmouth.

I wish Keegan was giving the same cry that he did when he joined us last time, warning Ferguson that he's after his title. Reach for the stars... That's the dream. I know it won't happen overnight, but I also am sure it can happen over a few years.

And who's with me in licking your lips in anticipation of the day Abramovich gets bored and decides he needs to own the most powerful 20-20 cricket team in the world and walks away from that shower Chelsea? Rant over, here's looking forward to King Kev signing some gems, the next Beardsley, Ginola or Asprillia maybe.

Cheers and have a good summer.

Mike P