Coverage for the week of 19th - 25th September

It’s not been a bad week all in all has it?  2 wins under our belt and the season is now “properly” underway.  I’d like to start this week by adding my voice to the growing number in praise of Lee Clark.  He wasn’t the first name on everyone’s mind in terms of signings over the summer.  His return though seems to be part of an ongoing drive to bring some sense of pride back to the club.  Yes his limitations are well known and documented but what he has put in terms of drive and effort show what he is all about.  His Manager and Captain certainly appreciate it.  (Article)  And as he hit a special landmark in starting against “massif’ club citeh” (Article) he was duly rewarded with a deal that will see him through to the end of the current season at least.  (Article) (Article) One love.  “This is his football club”.  (Article) 



So, back to the past week then.  It started with the picking over of our win at Blackburn.  (Article) (Article) (Article)  The “crisis” over according to The Mirror (Article) A win finally putting the Bellamy/Souness argument to bed.  Well until the return fixture anyway.  The Zog on the Tyne getting singled out for an all action display capped off with a well-taken goal.  (Article) (Article)  As for Bellamy, last seen lurking at the back of the tunnel trying not to make eye contact with anyone. There are “no grudges” apparently (Ed: shit it like a bairn).  (Article)  Except mebbe from Steven Taylor who will have his name down in his little black book if they come across each other again in January.  (Article)

While I’m on the subject of players departed - Nicky Butt’s downward spiral continued picking up an FA charge for his rather crude attempt at gynaecological surgery on Portsmouth’s Dario Silva.  (Article)  The good people at the blog known as “Round and White” wondered what he was up to as well.  (Article)  I’d go with option c) myself like.

Having played in the Intertoto Cup meant we were exempt from the midweek Carling Cup fixtures and a break that would do us some good in terms of trying to get players fit.  (Article)  However we were not without something to talk about as firstly Spurs, complete with Jermaine Judas “bossing the midfield” in a way only he can, managed to embarrass themselves at Grimsby.  (Article)  I wonder if he is happy at his “bigger club” playing “better football”?  Looks more like a goldfish out of his bowl, flapping and floundering for survival to me.  Typically, of course, we get Grimsby away in the next round (Article).  Wonder if someone can find and destroy THAT Hereford cup game tape? 

Meanwhile the unwashed pull in just over 11000 for their big cup-tie and end up turning people away because the ticket office hasn’t printed enough tickets.  Happening in the same week that their goalkeeper loses his voice (Article) it starts to make out excuses about hamstrings and the training pitch look ever more feasible.  (Article)  600 days…

Talking about low crowds, there’s been continuing debate as to why we are seeing a drop in attendances.  The Independent Football Commission has blamed changing kick off times this week.  (Article)  A charge quickly rebuked by Clive Tyldesley.  (Article)   I must admit it seems too easy to me to just blame TV for moving kick-off times.  Yes it’s a pain.  We are no strangers to that.  We are one of a “select” few teams to have played a Premiership fixture on every day of the week (not counting bank holiday/Christmas fixtures).  Friday night at Arsenal for example, with no way home for the travelling faithful!  We had one season, a couple of years ago if I recall correctly, where the 3pm Saturday kick-off was the exception rather than the rule. Man United rarely seem to play n a Saturday these days and if it is it will be at 12.oopm or 5.15pm for PPV reasons.  Surely if TV was totally to blame then we’d have seen fans leaving SJP and Old Trafford in their droves ages ago.  Nah it’s the fact that the quality of football is generally shite right now, THAT’S what the problem is. Even free tickets for kids doesn’t work either!  (Article)  Try asking a certain club with wide-open spaces in the stands just down the A19.

Some other midweek interviews caught my eye.  Firstly Graeme Souness had a good chinwag with the League Managers Association  (Article) (Article).  Meanwhile Terry McDermott was less cautious talking up our chances of a Champions’ League spot.  (Article)  Steady on man!  One step at a time eh?  Then this appeared from Graham Poll (due to referee the Man City game) about managers and players showing restraint.  (Article)  Thankfully my fears about Souness and/or Lee Bowyer throwing a wobbler were unfounded, but you can probably see why I had due cause for concern.

Speaking of Lee Bowyer he’s been back in the news for legal reasons.  Firstly his legal team has lost their bid to have his charge after the “brawl” with Dyer thrown out.  (Article)  It seems a further appeal is pending.  Meanwhile he did himself no favours after admitting to speeding, being clocked at 112mph on the A1.  (Article)  The white car with the blue lights on top is the police car if you pass one again in future Lee.  I really do wonder sometimes.

And so to Saturday’s game with Man City, with only Scott Parker returning to the midfield (Article).  Another 3 points in the bag and a decent enough performance and a result that should have been more comfortable.  I’ve picked out some of the Sunday match reports here (Article) (Article) (Article) (Article) and wonder if you can spot the difference with this one (Article)?  Yes of course the last one comes courtesy of “Sunderland’s” Louise Taylor.  Was she actually at the game?  And I do like her attempt to insinuate some sort of rift between Shearer and Souness.  Pathetic.

Finally it seems the transfer rumour mill has started to wind itself up again ahead of the January sales.  This week the big rumour is that we are in for Real Madrid centre-back Ivan Helguera.  (Article) (Article) (Article)  I don’t know, you sign one player from Real Madrid and they link you with all of the buggers!

NM