Well there you go. Just another week in the media then. When are we ever going to fecking learn? Just when I thought I’d seen pretty much everything at Newcastle United they manage to remind me that I never will. Am I surprised? Well I shouldn’t be should I? It all started quite quietly too.

The build up to the midweek international at St James’ brought the predictable “bigging up” of Jenas and Dyer by Eriksson. (Article) and (Article). They were never going to start but he has to do the lip service I suppose.

Monday also saw The Times’ George Caulkin pick up the prize for being the first journo to run a story linking us to Owen and making more of his appearance at St James’ than it is probably worth. (Article). I’d expected that but was impressed that he got it in on the Monday, a full 48 hours before anyone else did.

Then the Tuesday brought a hint of what was to come later in the week. Firstly the will he won’t he Shearer saga reared its head again. (Article) Then we were treated to a raft of stories about the all-new rehabilitated Kieron Dyer. The Journal leading the way of course (Article) and very closely followed by Tim Rich at the Telegraph. (Article) Careful you’ll make Luke Edwards jealous mind.

Then we had a slight lull in the aftermath of the England game as Carlos Alberto laying into Michael Owen took centre stage. Mind you I don’t think we were without some input to this row either in a round about way. Alberto claims that Owen said he’d score 5. You know I‘ve had a good look and the ONLY person I’ve seen bragging about scoring 5 was Supermac (Article). I wonder if this was the stick that Alberto got the wrong end of? If so I wish he’d hit Supermac with it. And Eric Gates and Bernie Slaven while he’s on.

This proved to be the calm before the storm. Thursday 31st March 8.45pm. I had Sky Sports News on, enjoying a nice cup of earl grey. Up pops a yellow newsflash bar. Alan Shearer is to play on another year. Once the earl grey spillage had been mopped up, cue a hasty barrage of phone calls, text messages, e-mails and rewrites of articles for all contributors to the forthcoming tf 42. Of course SSN had it first with everyone’s friend David Craig. Another “club insider” leakage it would seem. Or indeed the same one that we’ve been stupid enough to not catch by now. Either way the unbelievable was confirmed at a press conference at 9am April 1st. Thank the lord it wasn’t an elaborate April Fools joke after all!

The media response was mixed but generally favourable. Mind you there was the odd shitehawk/bitter manc that was happy to thrust the knife in. Adrian Durham on TalkSport berated him for having a lack of ambition for going to Newcastle in the first place. As did Ian Hughes at the BBC. (Article). Wankers the pair of them.

Then you had some remarkable comments from Shaun Custis at The Sun claiming he’s so delighted and “us Geordies” are happy. (Article) After the amount of shite that he’s thrown at the club he’s got a cheek. Then we have wave upon wave of stories about Milburn’s record (Article), (Article), (Article) and (Article) and “Why I’m playing on” exclusives (Article), (Article), (Article) and (Article). You even had the “Roy of the Rovers” type stories surface from some, this being the best and most syrupy! (Article)

So all is rosy then. With the Villa game on the Saturday expectations and spirits were high. Saturday’s press had some good copy in again about Shearer and the “rehabilitated” Dyer, the pick of which you’ll see elsewhere on the site already. But it was too good wasn’t it? And you know with our lot it never lasts. Bowyer and Dyer. Where do you begin to find the words to describe what we witnessed? I don’t think I have ever left St James’ with such a mixture of bemusement and anger.

Sunday brought the aftermath with not even the death of the Pope keeping us off some of the front pages. The BBC even gives us it blow by blow in pictures (Article) if you happened to miss any of the blanket coverage or have been locked in a box this weekend. Everyone from The People (Article) to The Observer (Article), The Sunday Times (Article) to The Independent on Sunday (Article) are in agreement. It’s yet more lunacy and embarrassment to the club. Do both have a future at the club? (Article) For what its worth I would get rid of them both. Stuff like this is not spontaneous. There is obviously something more going on here than just what we have seen and heard so far. Bowyer is indefensible. And we can’t say we weren’t warned. Dyer however may well be more of an innocent party this time. That for me is irrelevant. Once again we have controversy at the club and the name Dyer is involved. He simply has to go as well now; he surely can’t have any more “last chances” here.

The easiest way to get shot of them both is simply to sack them. Even Gordon Taylor has just about said he couldn’t defend them if we did (Article). However, whilst that would ease the wages bill no end, to let 2 players of their ability go for nowt would be a crying shame. It’s certainly not a situation with any kind of easy solution. The manager and chairman have some big thinking to do on Monday morning.
 

Whatever happens as the aftermath unfolds we know who the losers are don’t we. We’ve just about given Man U a bye into the FA Cup final, ruined any chance of a good build up to Sporting Lisbon on Thursday, had a good go a screwing the remainder of our league campaign and, of course, given more reason for the rest of the footballing world to have bloody good laugh at our expense. Saturday’s Pink carried a simple headline that I’ll leave as the last word. “DISGRACE.


NM