Writing in the middle of what has been touted as the pivotal 10 days in what is left of our season, by the time you read this we will be one step closer to knowing what we have left to play for.  It’s Sunday morning and I’m running through the papers with a large cup of coffee, watching the snow and wondering if there’s any chance of hearing the “walking in a winter wonderland” chant at St James’ today.  Not bloody likely, I hear you all reply.
 

There have been plenty of other chants heard on the terraces this week though.  It’s not quite like the 80’s but we’re certainly not a club united right now.  The first articles that were written about fan dissatisfaction this week came from The “We love Kieron” Journal (Article), backing up a now widely held suspicion that thousands of season tickets will not be renewed.  Just have a poke around the Skunkers:ReUnited message board and see how many of them aren’t happy and are considering doing just that.  And some of those lads and lasses go to more games and spend a lot more money doing so than many of us ever will.

The Evening Chronicle that same night ran this story (Article) in an “Alan Oliver talks sense sensation” exclusive.  It’s amazing what will be allowed to be “leaked” out of St James’ to bolster ticket sales.

I suppose now the club have taken back total control of their website (Article) they will have more ways of information control. Why they bother is beyond me mind, we all go to nufc.com first anyway!

Reports of the unrest at the club, by now an easy journo write up for a few bob, continued through the week.  In the build up to Heerenveen, The Times’ George Caulkin rightly calls the events of this week and next as Souness’ “defining moment.” (Article)  Meanwhile Glenn Moore at The Independent wrote an interesting piece comparing us with Heerenveen and suggesting we could learn a lot from them in how to look after the fans and the local community.  (Article) Whilst I can see his point, the scale in terms of area, club size and finance can hardly compare but when it comes to moral values and scruples, my how we have a lot to learn on all fronts.

And so onto Heerenveen.  A win!  Not exactly a vintage performance but a win none the less.  For those of us back home we had to suffer Channel Five again.  My God could their coverage be any worse?   In every respect it is amateurish and ill informed to say the least.  John Barnes has as much charisma as the guy from the Mill Volvo ads (Now is the time to buy Volvo….), and about as much on screen presence and timing.  If he looks at the wrong camera whilst struggling to read his autocue once more I think I’ll be down the Silverlink looking for a new telly.  Anyway, I digress. The talk, of course, post match was of the very audible chants coming from the away end.  Michael Walker at the Guardian has been the pick of the journos this week for me.  His post match report was spot on (Article) and you no doubt will have read his excellent piece from later in the week on the tf website already. (Article)

Mixed in with the Chelsea build up plenty others have had their say.  George Caulkin again (Article) and Simon Bird at The Mirror (Article) amongst the best.  The only saving grace is the Sue Mott and Louise “mackem” Taylor haven’t had their two penn’orth yet.  Though it will only be a matter of time I’m sure.

Meanwhile the rest of the media were concerned with finding excuses for Chelsea should we actually do the unthinkable and win.  So many games, too little time they cry.  (Article).  Please play the game on Saturday not Sunday (Article). I don’t remember anyone crying for us when we’ve had fixture pile-ups in the last few years because of similar problems.  In fact we’ve played something like 2 FA Cup games at 3pm Saturday in the last 7 years or so.  It affects all of us and anyway, Chelsea have a squad that is envied for its depth of quality.  Get on with it.  I bloody hope we beat them today I really do. If we really could go all the way (yeah, right I know….) what testimony it would be to Vic Keeble, one of only 2 survivors from our last FA Cup winning team who gave a great interview to The Independent this week (Article) and hopefully a fantastic finish to the career of one A. Shearer as Gary Lineker wrote on Saturday (Article).

And so what other snippets have made the press for us this week?  Well we’ve dropped to the 11th richest club in Europe (Article) which just goes to prove the Champions’ League is where its at and fannying around in the UEFA cup is as unrewarding financially as it is from a playing perspective.  We continue to be linked with numerous other players, I’ll not bother giving you the links you can just make it up as you go along, everyone else seems to.  Jonathon Woodgate’s season is over apparently (Article) and his sale looks increasingly like excellent business.  I just hope Real Madrid have lost the receipt.  Douglas Hall has opened his mouth and spoke some sense for once. (Article)  Robson had to go but you should have had the balls to do it earlier really!  And Laurent Robert it seems hasn’t learned about letting his football do the talking. (Article)  I just hope this isn’t going to blow up into a Bellamy Mark 2.  Or is that the idea on the player’s part?
 

Finally there was a report this week that Kieron Dyer had been decked in The Attic. This was quickly denied (all too quickly if you ask me).  However if this is true and you were that man, there’s a pint with your name on it if you know what I mean.  I can recommend the Jennings Red Breast in Tilley’s, its nectar, as one of the tf tifosi will agree. Just be careful the next day if you have more than couple.  Mine’s a Bitburger if you’re asking, Ta!

NM