Premier League – Middle Age Fanclub

NUFC: The Ones That Got Away – Elliot Anderson.

It’s always sad when a young, locally produced prospect has to move on. We’ve had loads over the years as local talent rarely seems to cut the mustard. But when one does make it and then has to be sold, well that hits differently. And it’s different again when the reason for selling is to keep on the right side of financial rules that many deem completely unnecessary.

Elliot Anderson was certainly one that got away. Or one that was given away, depending on your feelings about the Premier League and its ridiculous PSR rules being inflicted on a club who’s owners have more money than we could ever imagine!

Anderson came to prominence after winning the 2022 Wor Jackie award, given yearly to the most promising young player at Newcastle United. He’d appeared briefly in the Premier League before this, but then spent the latter half of the ’21-’22 season on loan at Joey Barton’s Bristol Rovers where he made 21 appearances and scored 7 goals. He was a revelation at Rovers, earning rave reviews for his displays and picking up the ‘Geordie Maradona’ nickname to boot. Given our reputation for failed loans Anderson’s success clearly marked him out as one to watch.

As such, he stayed with Newcastle for the next season, making 22 appearances and then a further 21 the season after. It was clear that we had a talented player on our hands and it seemed that Anderson had a bright future in black and white.

There are some that would tell you that he wouldn’t have gotten the required amount of game time that would aid his development, but given the demands on the team lately and the involvement in four different competitions, it’s hard to see how he wouldn’t have found his way into the first team. Some would also point to the presence of Bruno, Tonali and Joelinton, but that trio haven’t looked themselves consistently for a while now. I think there would almost certainly have been an Elliot Anderson shaped gap there at some stage and that given his chance, evidence suggests that he would surely have taken it.

Elliot – as we’re seeing these days in both a Forest and an England shirt – was a powerful, skillful player with a great range of passing who surely would have only got better under Eddie and also with the influence of the likes of Bruno and Tonali alongside him.

In all though, Elliot only made 55 appearances for Newcastle United before the forced sale to Forest for a reported fee of £35m. Other reports have that as more like £15m + Vlachodimos. Whichever way you look at it, this wasn’t a good deal for Newcastle.

Anderson has gone on to prove himself and then some. As well as producing some superb form for Forest where he spent most of last season in the Champions League places, Elliot has gone on to represent England brilliantly and looks a shoe in to start at the upcoming World Cup. Even this season, with Forest fighting relegation, Anderson has been their stand out player and is adored by their fans. The talk is that he will almost certainly then be on the move come summer, with big money transfers to the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea as well as both Manchester clubs being reported in recent months. Newcastle have also been regularly mentioned as his next destination, but it would seem that financial restrictions would hinder the chances of what is thought to be a £100m transfer happening.

Whatever happens next for Elliot it seems clear that he’s developing into a top player. The potential that we all saw at Newcastle is very much being realised and he is now producing game changing performances on a regular basis.

Not just one that got away, but one that was ripped from our grasp and while we still have a top class midfield, it feels like Elliot Anderson – coupled with Lewis Miley – could and should have been the future of Newcastle United and ruled the roost for many years.

Magpie Moments Episode 8.

Welcome along to the latest Magpie Moments, the column that celebrates the great, the terrible and the typical moments that we might have shared as Mags. This time around features Leicester away, Laurent Robert in Hollywood and Micky Van der Ven practising a hobby when probably he should have concentrated more on his football.

Leicester away, 2018. The King Power Stadium, April 2018 and Newcastle are sitting just below mid table in the first season back in the Premier League under Rafa. Jonjo Shelvey had opened the scoring on 18 minutes. We’re 66 minutes in, trying to defend our one goal lead when it happens. A 30 second passage of play that should go down in the club’s history. It won’t, but it should. With Leicester on the attack Newcastle produce 9 tackles in 30seconds, to let the home team know they’re in for a fight. Each tackle is roared on by the travelling fans. First Mo Diame puts in two, one from being prone on the grass. Then it’s DeAndre Yedlin’s turn with a sliding interception followed by a stretched clearance. As the ball breaks it’s down to Matt Ritchie to put in a sliding challenge. Paul Dummett is next with a typically robust challenge and all the while the away following are getting louder and louder as Leicester players seem to be suddenly not so committed. Jonjo Shelvey and Ayoze Perez join in before Christian Atsu wipes a Leicester player and the ref blows for the foul. And then, just for good measure Dummett flattens someone going up for a header. Newcastle would go on to win the game 2-1, ending the day in 10th position and ultimately staying up. That 30 second collection of tackles was not just a Magpie moment; it was a clear sign that this team were up for the fight and fully committed to the shirt. I wonder if today’s players can look at themselves and say the same?

Robert’s free kick goes to Hollywood. This was a memorable goal in its own right. Laurent Robert scoring a peach of a free kick in March 2005 to win the game against Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool. When the free kick was given over on the East Stand side of the box it looked ripe for a good delivery into the box, maybe something Shearer could get his head on. Instead, Robert just hit a trademark shot which flew high into the Leazes end net. It was a fantastic goal, but would become known for more than just the three points it won. Throughout the game it was noticeable that there were extra subs knocking about on the touchline at times. And then at the end there were people in black and white shirts who weren’t Toon players, celebrating. It turned out that they were actors from the film ‘Goal’ and that Robert’s free kick – or a version of it – would end up in the film as the winner in a Champions League match. It also produced these faces from ‘scorer’ Santiago Munez, which I always think are worth revisiting.

Micky Van der Ven’s breakdancing. In April 2024 Newcastle United would hammer Spurs for the second consecutive year. In 2023 it had been 6-1 and a year later we would trounce them by four. Both performances were superb, featuring some incredible goals. But there were two moments that stood out in the 4-0 game, both involving Spurs’ defender Van der Ven. On two separate occasions, rather than try and stop Newcastle from scoring he just tried to distract them with some breakdancing. It didn’t work as first some Swedish bloke turned inside VDV’s backspin and scored before Anthony Gordon did more or less exactly the same two minutes later. Undeterred, VDV just carried on like a teenager with a roll of lino from the 80s!

So, if proof were needed that at Newcastle United there was never a dull moment, that’s three more bit of evidence for you! God only knows what the next episode might bring.

NUFC: How do you solve a problem like a Wissa?

It’s pretty much been a season of near disasters for Newcastle United. You can go as far back as pre season and the shocking defeat to Celtic. Last minute losses to Arsenal and Liverpool at home, countless injuries, Marseille, Man City in the cup, sunderland, Barcelona and the surrender of 25 points from winning positions. Add to that the shocking drop off in form of our great early season hope, Nick Woltemade. Yoan Wissa, however, might just trump the lot.

I think we all knew that we’d had our pants pulled down when we agreed to pay a reported £55m for a bloke who was about to turn 29 in summer. I’m not sure any of us could have forecast what would come next though.

I have to admit that a few years ago, Wissa was a player that I liked the look of. He was playing second fiddle to Ivan Toney, but on the occasions that I saw Brentford play, he looked dynamic and dangerous. He looked a player with the potential to be the main man at a Premier League club. And he still might be, but this season has made him look anything but.

What we’d probably all hoped for was that quick, dynamic striker that played for Brentford last season. With 20 goals in total, four seasons as a Premier League player and 137 appearances, it appeared that we were getting someone who knew his way around the league. It’s turned out to be an entirely different matter.

So far, Wissa has scored 3 goals and contributed just one assist in 23 appearances. At the time of writing, in 427 minutes of Premier League action he’s managed just the one goal. There’s been little else to redeem him. His contributions have been tepid and it’s already gotten to the stage where he looks a little desperate when he gets on the pitch which is inevitably leading to errors and snatched shots when chances present themselves. In short, he looks lost.

Of course, time will tell whether this year can be put down to the lack of a pre-season (his own doing) and the early injury that ruled Wissa out for so long. But will he even get that time?

For me, Wissa’s signing highlights a lack of scouting depth. The last minute farce of signing an Isak replacement should never have happened. Even before we knew that the rat wanted out, we should have been targeting his successor. It feels like we weren’t. And if we have a look at some of the other new strikers in the league it makes our decision to sign Wissa look all the more desperate and unimaginative.

Brentford had signed Igor Thiago from Club Brugge in 2024, but injury ruled him out for most of last season. However, looking at his stats for this season puts our scouting to shame. So far, Thiago has 21 goals in 40 appearances and has just made his debut for Brazil. He’s 24; not even in his prime, but with enough experience to suggest that he has all the tools to lead the line at a bigger club. He’d been playing in Europe for just over 2 seasons when Brentford bought him. He wasn’t unknown.

In July 2025 Everton signed Thierno Barry from Villareal for £27m. After a shaky start he’s now made 31 appearances and scored 6 goals. Not an incredible record, but he’s only 22 and was signed at half the price of Wissa. He’s also a French Under 21 international who’d been playing regularly in Europe since 2022. Would his raw talent and potential have been a better bet last year when we’d committed so much money already to signing Nick Woltemade?

Even in the dark place down the road they have a summer signing who has been a success. Brian Brobbey signed from Ajax having scored 35 goals in 92 appearances. Quick and powerful, his potential looks huge and even though he’s not exactly lit up the goalscoring charts, he looks to be another player who would have fit right into our team.

To be clear, I’m not saying any of the above would have been the answer to all of our problems. But it’s interesting to look and see that all of them have had a greater impact than our £55m man.

Would Eddie Howe have been able to mould and nurture any of this potential into a better option than Wissa? I guess we’ll never know. However, his work with other players in our squad would suggest so. Or would an alternative have went the same way as Wissa? After all, Eddie certainly hasn’t worked any magic there and as we approach the end of the season Wissa is looking more and more like a forgotten man.

In then end, we’ll never know if anyone else would have worked out better. But for me, Wissa’s signing and the fall out from what was a farcical summer window shows that this is an area where we have to do better.

With another even more crucial window approaching and the need for more striking options well documented it’s vitally important that Ross Wilson gets it right. And if he’s still Newcastle’s number 9 next season, then Yoanne Wissa has to start the season in top form.

Gallowgate Cult Heroes – Number 22; Kevin Brock

OK, so some of you will never have heard of Kevin Brock. And those of you who have heard of him will almost certainly be questioning his status as any kind of hero. Look, indulge me. Bear with me. I mean, no one’s asking you to write this, but if you could give it a few minutes to read, it might make a little more sense.

Kevin Brock joined Newcastle from Queens Park Rangers in 1988 for £300,000. This was in the December of what would turn out to be a miserable season in the old Division One.

Brock was a slightly built, but skilful central midfielder. He promised a bit of flair and creativity that had been sadly lacking. He wanted to be on the ball, wanted to get his head up and play and was partial to running with it too. Like me, he was small, thin and didn’t look like he could fight his way out of a wet paper bag. I liked him immediately.

Newcastle would finish dead last in the old Division 1 in Brock’s first season having been woeful throughout. Kevin played 21 times and scored twice, but offered a little bit of light in among the darkness of a terrible season.

I enjoyed watching him play, especially the fact that it felt like he wanted to take a risk at a time when the majority were scared to have the ball.

Brock would make 50 appearances in the following season as we finished third in the second division before falling at the first hurdle in the play offs. He was often the provider for our dynamic front duo of Micky Quinn and Mark McGhee who scored 59 goals between them.

Fast forward a couple of seasons and with Kevin Keegan in charge we would finally gain promotion to the Premier League (or Premiership as it was back then). And while Brock wouldn’t be the star of the show, his eye for a pass still made plenty of chances for the likes of David Kelly, Micky Quinn and eventually Andy Cole.

Other notable Brock memories would include him going in goal against Birmingham in a 3-2 away win after keeper Tommy Wright was injured. And from my memory of the local news report the following night, he had an amazing game. I also seem to recall him scoring a fantastic goal away at West Brom when we ran out 5-1 winners in the 89/90 season.

My final memory of Brock also comes from the fateful 89/90 season and a charity cricket match at Blaydon Cricket Club where I was fortunate enough – as a very nervous teenager – to meet both Kevin and Micky Quinn. Both signed my green and yellow away kit which I still have to this day!

With Newcastle in the Premier League, Brock failed to make an appearance with Keegan preferring Rob Lee, Paul Bracewell or Lee Clark in his midfield slot. Heading out on loan to Cardiff City, Kevin would make only 14 appearances scoring 2 goals.

After 6 years on Tyneside, Kevin was released and went on for a number of seasons in the lower leagues at clubs like Stockport, Yeovil and Oxford City.

For me though, Brock was something of a hero. I enjoyed watching his style of play and always felt that there was more to come from him. In the end he was just at the latter end of his career and pushed out of the action by better players in a team that was finally on the up. It would be churlish to say that he didn’t play his part in the upturn in fortunes, but I’m sure that some will disagree with my verdict on his time in Toon.

So maybe I’ll have to compromise and call him a ‘Small Part of the Gallowgate Cult Hero’?

NUFC: A time for heroes.

So Wednesday night came and went with a result that we couldn’t really argue with. Sure, the scoreline was painful and we’d competed well for three quarters of the tie. But I think we all knew – however deep down – that Barcelona away would spell the end of another European adventure.

As I write I’m not sure I’ve really fully recovered. It’s still bizarre to look at and there’s still a sense of disbelief about what happened. But a couple of days of reflection has told me that there was still stuff to be pleased about.

We had some more truly great European nights making the most progress we’ve ever made in the Champions League in the process. We matched the current Champions League holders – yawn, again – and despite the result, matched Barcelona for much of the tie. And when push comes to shove, we only lost 3 of 12 games. We’ll have learnt a huge amount from those 12 games and younger lads like Lewis Hall, Malick Thiaw, Lewis Miley and others will be better players for that experience. But the dust has to settle now.

As it stands, we’re about to launch ourselves into an eight game mini season, starting with the sister lovers down the road at home on Sunday. Six of the teams that we’ll play currently sit outside of the top 10, meaning that there are some very winnable games to come. Could there be a final fantastic twist in the season still to come?

Obviously though Sunday is huge. Whatever the status of either team, when we meet it’s always huge. And we really owe them one after the game in December. It wasn’t any kind of stylish win for them, just more the fact that we thoroughly let ourselves down. We just didn’t turn up and that cannot be the case on Sunday.

It would be great if all of the usual talk had some substance for once. Over the years I’ve gotten sick of hearing Newcastle players giving it the big one before big games and talking in cliches and soundbites about how ready we are and what we’re going to do. I’d hoped that the Carabao Cup final had put an end to any big game mentality issues. All I want on Sunday is that we turn up and are aggressive and absolutely on the front foot. Take the game to them, make sure there’s nowhere to hide and not a second to dwell on the ball and make sure that class tells in the end. We shouldn’t be giving an inch at St. James’.

Sunday isn’t about bragging rights or being ‘north east top dogs.’ Yes, it’s about pride, but it’s much more than that. Win and we kick start the season…again. Lose and the pressure’s on and frankly it’s a disaster. A win would make be psychologically massive as we attempt to climb the table, but because it’s them, it would undoubtedly do wonders for the club at this time. You might even argue that it sets up a feelgood factor going into next season too because a loss means that we’re starting from scratch when the same game comes around next year.

Every aspect is important, starting with the crowd. We have to make the atmosphere horrible, no excuses. Their lot need to be at the very least unnerved, while our lads need to be inspired. Win our battles, keep the ball, play fast and play 100% focused. If we’re being outbattled and outthought by Dan Bellend and Granit Xhaka then maybe a few need to be giving up. Given what’s just happened and what’s to come, we cannot lose. We just have to win.

Just this morning I watched a video of the highlights of the derby win on New Year’s Day, 1985. One of the first I can remember being at. We were superb that day, dominating, winning convincingly and seeing two mackems sent off for their headloss. We could do with seeing that spirit and that dominance this again weekend. A Peter Beardsley hat-trick wouldn’t go amiss either, but there’s no hope there! Perhaps Nick Woltemade is in the mood for revenge?

It’s crucial that we use all of the big game experience gained over the last four years, take the game to them and channel that aggression in order to keep eleven on the field. I for one couldn’t stand to see another referee ruin a game this season! And I couldn’t stand their lot and the media reminding us for another season of how long it is since we beat them in the league!

Last season, when the club needed a hero, eleven of them stepped up and left Wembley as “f***ing legends” to quote our captain. A year on and we need them to step up again, starting on Sunday and then carrying on for the seven games after. So let’s be positive about Sunday and then the rest of the season. We can only look up, in my opinion. No half measures, no mistakes, no excuses.

We’re Newcastle United. Howay the lads!

Magpie Moments Episode 7

Welcome to another edition of Magpie Moments. I’d like to think that this edition encapsulates the feeling that Newcastle United can be a very different kind of club. It’s not just glory and despair; no, we do a great line in the downright bizarre as well. But, we’ll start with a lovely goal just to remember that we are actually capable of a bit of unbridled joy as well!

Mark McGhee channelling Mexico ’86 Diego Maradona! It was October 1989 and Newcastle United were flying high near the top of the old Division 2 in the hunt for promotion. We’d started with a 5-2 thumping of promotion favourites Leeds, Micky Quinn getting four on debut and been reasonably consistent all season, sitting in 5th with what should have been a simple home game to come against Bradford. Newcastle being Newcastle though, nothing is ever straightforward and going into the final minute of the game, we’d huffed and puffed, missed a penalty and hit the post. Enter Mark McGhee who’d finally broke his scoring duck in late September and had scored in the previous 3 games. Taking the ball from a throw in McGhee held off his marker, future Toon centre half Peter Jackson, and eventually turned towards goal. Although not being blessed with any pace to speak of McGhee had momentum and simply barrelled his way past defenders, slaloming left and right until he was out in front of goal and able to slot the ball past the keeper. A simply brilliant goal! I was on the Gallowgate and the reaction was chaotic; sheer relief coupled with an instinctive need to stay on your feet while all around you pushed, shoved, jumped and hugged. Watching the goal again on YouTube I was amazed to hear commentator Roger Thames describe McGhee as “hurtling towards the danger zone”. He didn’t. In fact, it looked like he didn’t have the energy to celebrate when it went in, instead being dragged to the ground by Micky Quinn. The season would end woefully with the infamous play off defeat, but this was another moment where being a Toon fan is just the best thing in the world!

Jonas released. It takes a certain kind of boss to display a complete lack of sympathy, empathy or interest in an employee who has been diagnosed with cancer. And Mike Ashley was that certain kind of boss. So when Jonas Gutierrez was given his diagnosis of testicular cancer the club were slow to help. Then, when he returned after treatment it was felt that he was “a liability”. He wasn’t selected because his contract stipulated that a certain amount of appearances would trigger an extension. Hence the final day shenanigans and screaming up to the director’s box following his selection and goal against West Ham that year. But this wasn’t the biggest example of lacking any humanity here. No, that came when John Carver broke the news that Jonas was being released. By phone. When Jonas was on holiday. Yep, ‘Carvs’ – who was only following orders from above – rang Ryan Taylor to break news of his release and when it transpired that Jonas was there too, Carver simply asked Taylor to put him on! I mean, imagine that. “Hiya Jonas. Aye it’s John Carver. Good holiday so far? Tayls behaving himself? Why am I ringing? Oh, aye…well you know how you’ve been poorly and that? Well, Mike’s asked me to call, just out of courtesy like, to tell you that we’ll not be renewing your contract. We’re releasing you…hello? Jonas? Hello?” You stay class, Ashley.

The Indian War Cry. Readers of a certain vintage will know what this alludes to instantly. But lots of younger fans won’t have a clue. This was a ‘moment’ that used to happen every home game in the 80s. If memory serves me rightly, there was never a prompt or a traditional time for it, but during every match a bloke used to stand up in the corner of the East Stand nearest the Gallowgate and belt out an Indian war cry. There’s footage of it on YouTube and a bit of research tells me he was called Davy, but try as I might I could never locate his whereabouts from where I stood in the Scoreboard at the time. What can I say? It’s just another one of those moments that makes our club as mad as a box of frogs, as they say.

So there you have it. More weird and wonderful moments from over the years of supporting the Toon. And here’s to a few more next time!

The usual drama, but a much needed win!

As a Newcastle fan of almost 50 years I’ve gotten used to the fact that there will always be moments. Over the years there have been more bad moments than good ones, but after a while you get used to that and learn to savour the good ones even more.

Last night’s game was packed with moments and all the ups and downs of a pantomime, so isn’t it a shame that yet again one of the main ones was brought about by inept refereeing. But more of that later.

Our performance against Manchester United was the type that we had gotten used to during Eddie Howe’s tenure. High energy, committed, quick. However it was also the type of performance that we are seeing less and less of this season. Regardless, it was wonderful to watch, especially against that lot.

There were a lot of magnificent individual performances across the park. You could name every player and not be wrong. But some stood out more than others and it was nice to not just be praising Lewis Hall for once.

Kieran Trippier was magnificent. He’s been doubted all season; past it apparently, the legs have gone. Well last night he led like a legend, throwing himself into challenges, urging the lads on, making clearance after clearance and always keeping the ball safe with intelligent passing.

Dan Burn was peak Dan Burn. A captain without the armband, but also throwing in a few incredible 50 yard passes to switch the play across to Tripps. Arron Ramsdale, in for Nick Pope, was in fine form and kept us in the game when it could have slipped away.

In midfield, Joelinton rolled back the years with an all action display, driving us forward and breaking up opposition play with that familiar aggression that we’ve all come to love. Alongside him, Sandro Tonali was the midfield maestro from Milano once more.

It was fantastic to see that intensity can still be our identity and all the better for Will Osula’s crowning moment. Many of us would have settled for a draw at that point, but while Kieran Trippier possibly just saw an out ball and Dan Burn has admitted that he was screaming for Osula to take it to the corner, the man himself had other glorious ideas!

And what an idea it was!

However, for much of the final hour of the match many of us would have been preoccupied with Peter Bankes and the pantomime that he cobbled together alongside his pals from Manchester; the villain of the piece, making the rules up as he went along. A bizarre performance capped off by his inability to keep control or even time. Two yellows for Ramsey when you could argue that neither was worthy of a card. Yes, he went down, but firstly there was contact, secondly he just looked to have lost his footing and finally, he didn’t appeal in any way for a penalty. But I suppose when Man Utd are appealing for the sending off it’d be rude not to.

On several occasions Bankes failed to issue a card when Man Utd players waved imaginary yellows at him. And when Bruno Fernandes added telling him to f*** off twice later in the match, he ignored that too.

Next, he conveniently forgot how to tell the time, which when your watch is presumably digital is quite some feat! At the end of the first half Bankes basically played until our opposition scored. Maybe he forgot who their manager was.

In the end we overcame it all and 10 men or 12, 95 minutes or 99, the only numbers that mattered were those of the scoreline.

Mick Hucknall, Deirdre Barlow, Shaun and Bez, the little fella out of Take That…your boys took one helluva beating!

Gallowgate Cult Heroes – David McCreery

Sometimes it’s not the silky skills, the blistering pace or the ability to conjour a goal out of nothing that makes a player a hero to a fanbase. Sometimes, it’s just down to pure graft and commitment. Our next cult hero had those things in spades.

Long before people started labelling players as things like ‘a six’ or a ‘holding midfielder’ we had players like David McCreery who did the dirty work, breaking up attacks and keeping things simple while running himself into the ground for the cause. Often it seemed that he was the focal point of the team, flying into tackles and winning the ball back in order to give it to someone to start another attack in those exciting first Keegan years.

Having played for both Manchester United and QPR, McCreery arrived on Tyneside fresh from representing Northern Ireland in the 1982 World Cup. McCreery had done well in a surprisingly positive World Cup campaign for Northern Ireland – only a defeat to France kept them out of the semi finals – and was named in the team of the tournament. Yet still he was almost unknown to Toon fans when he signed from Tulsa Roughnecks. But what an impact he’d make.

McCreery went on to make 272 appearances for the club, helping us win promotion in 1984 and staying until 1989. He was instrumental in the 1984 promotion season where despite the obvious glamour and flair of the likes of Keegan, Beardsley and Waddle, McCreery’s work rate and bravery was very much appreciated by Newcastle fans. He had a kind of scuttling running style and would race around making interceptions and breaking up opposition attacks, doing the dirty work that allowed the flair players to play. All of this way before it was trendy to be that kind of player!

Despite his somewhat small stature David seemed to be in possession of the heart of a lion. He never shirked a challenge and his work rate was superb. I’d liken him to someone like N’Golo Kante in modern terms; selfless, brave and not without the odd moment of skill. It’s safe to say that the St. James’ Park crowd took him to their hearts from very early on in his Toon career and his tough tackling approach is still fondly remembered today by those of us of a certain vintage, despite the superstar nature of the team that he started in.

Leaving Newcastle in 1989, David would go on to play for Hearts, Hartlepool (twice), Coleraine and Carlisle United before retiring from playing. Then it was into management with Carlisle and Hartlepool before his career took a bit of a swerve and he ended up in America in a role with the MLS. Later his globetrotting took him to Argentina where he took on a football consultant role.

David would also manage successfully in both Myanmar and Malaysia and nowadays he’s involved in the development of football in the UAE.

Davey Mac; a tough tackling number 6 before the internet had even thought of it and a Gallowgate Cult Hero!

Magpie Moments Episode 6

There’s never a dull week supporting Newcastle. Even in the quiet times we’ve got the likes of Big Frank Chippa to get us in the news anyway. Anyway, another week, another selection of Magpie Moments to bring back a few good memories.

Matt Ritchie, corner flag killer. Matt Ritchie is one of my personal favourite Newcastle players of all time. A gifted footballer who joined us when we were at one of our lowest points and who could be relied upon to make things happen on the pitch. But it was a time when he made something happen just off the pitch that makes for a Magpie Moment. Picture the scene. It’s January 2020 and Newcastle are at 0-0 with Chelsea at home. We have a corner cleared out to Allain Saint-Maximin who plays a beauty of a ball back in to the box where Isaac Hayden gleefully heads it into the net for a 94th minute winner. I mean, that’s a moment in itself. And then Matt Ritchie says, “Hold my pint”. As players race over to celebrate with Hayden in the Gallowgate/Milburn corner, Ritchie isn’t far behind. But he’s not after Hayden. He’s after the corner flag and proceeds to welly it so hard that it leaves the ground and goes spinning into the crowd where it catches a celebrating fan square in the family jewels. Unaware, Ritchie continues to scream at the moon. Meanwhile the fan takes a deep breath, checks it’s all still there and gingerly sits back down!

Nobby channels his inner Maradona. If you’re old enough then last year’s Carabao Cup success won’t have been the first time you saw Newcastle win a trophy. Or rather, win a tile. Yes, tile, not title (don’t ask). In 2006 Newcastle ‘won’ the Intertoto Cup (again, don’t ask). Anyway in the first leg of our two legged semi final, Nobby Solano scored an absolute wonder goal, which because I can’t find on video I have to relate back to you via a few reports and my very patchy memory. Nobby took the ball fairly deep inside his own half and exchanged passes with Gary Speed. Then, he just went all Maradona. It felt like he took on the whole Munich team before getting into the box, drawing the keeper and dinking the ball over him and into the net. At the time it felt like the best goal I’d ever seen, including Maradona’s v England at the 1986 World Cup. Nobby remains one of my favourite players to this day.

Ball Boy becomes stubborn hero! A couple of seasons ago Newcastle staged a stirring comeback to beat West Ham 4-3 at home. Harvey Barnes came off the bench to score a screamer to win it at the Gallowgate as we came back from being 1-3 down. It was a bit of a Magpie Moment. However, there was another moment in the match, just after Mohammed Kudus scored West Ham’s second goal. Kudus ran towards the Gallowgate to celebrate and wanted to do his trademark celebration of sitting on a chair relaxing. No, me neither. Needing a chair with which to fulfil this amazing celebration, he asked a nearby ball boy for his. And the ball boy just said ‘no’. It felt like Kudus asked a couple of times more, probably confused to be told ‘no’. But the ball boy stood firm. No mate, you’re not sitting on my chair to complete your stupid celebration against my club. Well done, kidda!

So, there we have it. Three more Toon related moments that emphasise the fact that feeling that almost anything can happen at Newcastle United!

NUFC: For the love of God, just get some cover in!

I read with interest yesterday that those at the club involved in transfers were planning a meeting to address the need for cover in the squad. And then I just allowed my head to rest softly in my hands and tried not to lose my mind.

I realise that there will be a lot going on in the background that we as fans never hear or even understand, despite what our social media ITKs and plane watchers would have you believe. But, seriously, did no one realise that January was going to happen? Did they miss the fact that it was creeping up? And has no one been in the treatment room lately?

It’s as clear as day that we need cover, especially in defence. I’m not here to make suggestions about players, mind you. I can’t say I watch a lot of football other than us really, so my finger just isn’t on the pulse as far as emerging talent is concerned. But I can’t stress the frustration I feel when I see the sheer amount of defensive problems we’ve been having. Schar, Lascelles, Livramento, Krafth and Dan Burn are all unavailable for varying amounts of time and no one appears to be postponing any of our upcoming fixtures. So what are we waiting for?

It’s great that we’ve discovered a couple more strings to Lewis Miley’s bow, but I’d be that bit more comfortable if we just could sign an actual defender.

There’s a need up front too. Will Osula seems to have vanished into thin air, Sean Neave is untried and possibly a bit untrusted too, leaving only Wissa and Big Nick as options. Wissa is only just back from a fairly serious injury and yet we seem happy to gamble with him staying fit.

I know that these things take time, but was the time between the start of the season and now not enough for a bit of forward planning? To still be reading that we’re monitoring players while also feeling optimistic about people returning from injury feels strange to say the least. It feels like an accident waiting to happen, in my opinion.

Maybe I’m panicking. Maybe I’m naïve. But with crucial and some might say season defining games to come over the next month, the need is now. I’m all for trusting the process, but I think that the process might need to hurry up a bit occasionally. I’m sure I’m not the only one wondering just what’s going on and waiting with everything crossed for some progress on at least a loan deal some time soon!

What do we think? Are the club right to be taking their time? Or does the current injury situation, coupled with the sheer amount of upcoming fixtures warrant a bit of urgency?