Here is a message for the whining, whingeing, self-pitying, self-indulgent and
deluded fans on Tyneside, otherwise known as the Toon Army: Kevin Keegan is
not the Messiah; Alan Shearer is not an aspect of the trinity; Mike Ashley
is not the Devil; Tony Jimenez is not on the secret payroll of Sunderland;
and Dennis Wise is not an evil dwarf.
Newcastle United are not a “massive” club and do not have a divine right to
remain in the Premier League; St James' Park is not the world's greatest
stadium; and, in case you were wondering, your team will not break into the
top four any time soon, with or without Ashley, Keegan, Wise or any of the
other men who are heroes, villains and sometimes both in the febrile
imaginations of the world's most whimsical supporters.
Oh, and you are not the most loyal, valiant and wonderfully dependable fans on
the planet. Check out the attendances when Newcastle were languishing in the
second division at the start of the 1990s and you will get the measure of
the myth that has clung to the black-and-white-shirted men and women for far
too long. That's right, they were often much fewer than 20,000 and with the
Gallowgate end partially deserted. Is that what you call loyalty?
The banners castigating Ashley for being a southerner during Saturday's
comically self-important protest were the final straw for many of us who
have long endured the tedious soap opera on Tyneside. That and the
ill-informed, conspiracy-laden and melodramatic messages posted on the
dozens of message boards that these fans seem to spend their lives reading.
Where is the gallows humour, the sense of irony, the satirical edge? Where is
the old-fashioned self-mockery that characterises most other groups of
English football fans when their team are having a bad time of it?
The only way that Newcastle fans are ever going to be truly happy is when they
have formed a collective to buy the club and have made a pig's ear, as they
inevitably would, of a kind that would make Freddy Shepherd's last remaining
strands stand on end. When they have rehired Keegan to manage the team,
Shearer to be his assistant and the ghost of Jackie Milburn to do the
scouting. When they have got control of the club and discovered that their
own volatility makes it practically ungovernable.
Sure, passion and commitment are great things and we all know that in a big
city with only one football club, there is bound to be a siege mentality and
more than a little self-absorption. But many Newcastle fans have turned
navel-gazing into an art form. They need to get out more and discover that
their beloved club, who have not won a trophy for decades, are virtually
unknown beyond these shores. They need a little perspective, not least in
terms that passion does not equate to knowledge, nor does enthusiasm equate
to expertise on how to run a football club.
This is a group of fans who agitated for the sacking of Sam Allardyce after
only six months because the football was not pretty enough, even though he
had put in place a much-needed science support structure and cleared out the
dead wood from the Shepherd era. These are fans who want nothing to do with
Ashley because he is from “down South” and because he insisted on a
continental scouting system to support a manger who, by his own admission,
had not attended a live match for three years and so was the last person who
could have done the scouting job.
Sure, mistakes were made by Ashley, not least in the appointment of Keegan -
something that was bound to end in tears - and in spheres of responsibility
not being properly spelt out to the main protagonists. But let's get real.
The fundamental problem with Newcastle is no longer the corporate
management, but those who used to be described as the club's greatest
assets: the fans - or at least those who are making all the noise at
present.
Best of the web
Just who are these clowns ruining our club...this will take light years to
recover from. David
Bring in the Indians. They would be “Wise” enough to kick out the cockneys and
bring Kev back. Val
Time for NUFC to be bought out by the fans. If season ticket-holders could
find £1,500 for a three-year deal, then why not another 3 or 4 grand each
clubbed together and we can buy out Ashley and his motley crew, or even
become the majority shareholder. Imagine that - the Toon actually owned and
run by its supporters. Ivor Clark
I got Wise's autograph at the Emirates in January 2008 - I'm going to dig it
out and burn it tonight. Disgusted. Brad
As I've groused before, Ashley running this club is nonsense. He's only now
getting a clue about what makes NUFC different. Tardonicus
Let's face it, whatever the fans do now it's too late to hope that anything
constructive can come out of the situation as long as Ashley and the poison
dwarf are sitting in the boardroom divvying up our cash. David K
Source: blogonthetyne
We will be delighted to finish in the top half of the table this year and you call us "deluded". How bad do you think we really are? I also think we should also be allowed to be upset for a team that was in the champions league not so long ago finds themselves in a relegation battle.
James, york, UK
why is no-one looking at keegan as the problem here?
we were doing perfectly well till he started crying about how we sold james milner (for £12million, twice what he's actually worth)
he walked away from newcastle, england, man city and he's walked away from us again
shouldn't have been appointed
jamie, newcastle, england
Best. Article. Ever.
Can you do Spurs fans next? Only they can reach anywhere near the sanctimonious preposterousness of the 'Mighty Toon Army' (TM).
Two such 'big clubs' fighting it out for the most ridiculous, self-important fans in the Premier League, eh?
Gary, London, England
In reply to Matthew Syeds comments about the problem being Newcastle United supporters, the public image of what people see is not always the thoughts of every supporter. Without fans this game is nothing, for a southern based reporter to criticise newcastle fans is unfortunate in the extreme.
Ged , Hebburn, England
Relating to your point about attendance, most people seem to forget that in the early 90's St James' Park was undergoing a redevelopment (Milburn Stand) which affected the attendance. And because of hooliganism, families were deterred from attending football in general. Sunderland are still bitter!
Dave, Newcastle,
The fundamental problem with Newcastle and its fans is that football is only a game which is taken far too seriously.
Abdul Majeed, Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
YES my friend tell those geordies the facts ,not a big club ,not the greatest fans in the north east or country ,keegan is not your messiah and ashly was only after making more cash off you loons lol its a new era breaking threw the clounds in the north east its called sunderland afc and MR R KEANE.
paul nellist, HEBBURN TYNE AND WEAR, UNITED KINGDOM
20,000 supporters matey, in a ground that held 29,000, watching a team on the verge of relegation to the third division; 50,000 week after week, yeah, we are useless aren't we?
Wise in Dubai with Ashley, drinking cocktails as they try to sell the club, doesn't that just say everything?
Donnie, Newcastle, UK
1965, Man City, Div 2 = 14.753
1986, Aston Villa, Div 1 = 15.237
1986, West Ham, Div 1 (3rd) = 21.179
1984, Forest, Div 1 (3rd) = 17.698
1984, Liverpool Div 1 (1st) = 31.974
1993, Norwich, Prem, (3rd) = 16.467
1984, Everton, Div 1, = 19.343
1984, Newcastle Utd, Div 2, = 29.811
Some stats.
D Dunn, Newcastle upon Tyne,
im a man utd. supporter and no matter hw much i dislike newcastle i still feel very sorry for hw the team has been treated. it is understandable that the fans h8 Ashley but they need to give the players as much support as they can. this is football not a circus act.
Luke Williams, Slough, England
We're not a big club anymore, just a team that were good 10yrs ago. Why did Ashley buy us,& where does he expect £20m/yr to get us, but at least he got rid of some debt! Regarding the Keegan/Wise fiasco, who dreamed that up? Who in their right mind would take the job now?? I wouldn't & I'm a MAG!
Dean, Durham,
Bang on probly 90% true not that this numb mag sitting next to me would agree what a Tool, fair enuf the media are and do try to make the north east look bad, picking the biggest tins of mince to interview.
Alex, Durham,
The club is a plaything for billionaires..
The Fans are loyal and True.
Money and greed is destroying the game.
eric the viking, storlien , sverge
I couldnt have agreed with Mathe Syed more. Its about time the rest of the footballing world knew the truth about newcastle supporters. Graeme Sourness hit on it a while ago about how they had 20000 supporters and 30000 customers. As a Sunderland supporter coming from Sunderland i know all too well
tommo, sunderland,
Sack the board, sack the board, sack the board!
Jase, Middlesbrough,
Newcastle fans are passionate, jealous and pathetic. Grow up, get a life & enjoy what you see on the pitch, be proper supporters, not cry babies.
Guy, Bradford,
People power!. The fans protest should be seen as a warning to current or future fat cat billionnaires intent on running a premiership club as a personal toy- power is ultimately in the hands of the fans.
Lower debt - great, but who's to blame for the inadequate squad size- Wise? Ashley? both?,
Ray , Morpeth, England
Whenever people ask me where I am from I say Newcastle and then add Newcastle United (if they don't say it first) to help them locate it in their mental geography of the UK. If you can watch the film Goal without getting goosebumps yiv got nee blood in ya veins.
Chas, Newcastle,
Once you've picked your anti-toon brigade dummy up are u going to look for another '90s stat to attack the fans with?Good piece of finger-on-the-pulse journalism,well done.& 2 all the haters - learn the difference between ambition and passion,it might make the atmosphere at your grounds a bit better
Ben, Chester-le-Street,
Good article, spot on
CT west ham, broadstairs, England
First class article. We at West Ham are in the same boat. Curbishley was undermined in exactly the same way but you don't see us crying like babies. We're going to see what happens and hopefully enjoy an exciting new chapter. Maybe not - but it'll be fun; as it should be.
Kevin Keen, London, Italy
Truer words could not be said. This is a brilliant article, I know many many people who support clubs from around the country who have been saying this for years. Finally someone has the guts to print it.
Jonski, Liverpool,
Actually, the southern media Christened Keegan 'the Messiah' not the Newcastle fans. So who's believing what they want to believe?
Oli, London, UK
Tom not sure where you get ur facts from but I dont think you are the second loudest fans in the league!! Sunderland are Top (wouldnt expect anything less). Ne***stle are 9th ha ha even boro are better!!
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/26102007/58/premier-league-sunderland-top-noise-table.html
Andy, Washington,
50,000 everyhome game, but imagine the city of Liverpool with only one club. Would there only be 9,000 watching in the early 80's?Their fans believe the press hype-ever since those fat divs took their replica shirts off on Sky TV,its been toon this,toon that on the backpage..national laughing stock
daniel kelly, coventry,
Alan Shearer not a God? First of all, he is the Premiership's all time top scorer (283 goals) , and was the top scorer for several seasons in a row throughout the 90's (94/95, 95/96, 96/97), top scorer at Euro 96 (5 goals) and eventually scoring 30 international goals. I believe that is divine.
Rob, Newcastle, UK
Spurs fan are you mate?
David, Telford,
Matthew Syed was not attacking some mythical "Geordie Nation". This Geordie, like thousands of others, supports Sunderland. Newcastle fans had the chance to buy the club back in the 90s: John Hall had to withdraw the offer because of lack of interest !
Tom, South Shields, UK
Everyone is laughing at NUFC .......I hope they bring back Kevin 'Geordie Messiah (from Yorkshire)' Keegan......
Chris, Cardiff,
Can Matthew Syed compare Newcastle's attendances, when at the bottom of the second tier, with the attendances of other second division, or even first division, clubs at that time? As I recall, attendances of 20,000 would have been regarded as excellent then, for many first division clubs.
Tony, Auckland,
To me, a boro fan, a big club isn't about being rich or having high attendances. Are Man City now a big club because they have been bought out by multi billionaires?
Dan, Middlesbrough,
How many other teams would get 50,000 plus every week despite not winning a trophy in 40 years? Not many i fancy
david, blyth,
can mathew syed name another club that would attract 50000+ fans to watch a mediocre team that hasn't won a major trophy in 40 years.Or a city where you would get a crowd of 40000+ with the gates locked 30 mins before kick off to watch 1978 FA cup tie between a 3rd division team and non league team
mick mccarthy , bexleyheath,
Here are a few facts Syed convenitenly overlooks: Newcastle are the16th richest club in world & 6th richest in Premiership (Forbes, 2008), and they have 4th highest attendance in the UK. Though they haven't had the success to go with this, surely it's OK for their fans to claim NUFC is a BIG club?!
James Nottingham, Morpeth, UK
How many Newcastle supporters have you spoken to or do you base your views on people you see on Sky Sports News?
All I want as a supporter is to enjoy my football and feel that my club is moving forward. I certainly don't expect mega million pound signings, trophies and premier league titles.
Julie, Newcastle,
Only english team bar the Big 4 to have competed in the Champions League group stage twice, are also 1 of 7 British clubs (Celtic, Rangers, Liverpool, Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea the others) to reach the last 16 and played in the UEFA semi final not so long ago. Strange no one in Europe knows us!
Stephen Ord, Newcastle,
We a frequently told that "football is a business".
If this is the case, then Matthew, how can a company's customers be it's biggest problem?
No business has ever failed because it had too many committed, passionate advocates. If such a company fails, it must be the management.
Peter, Tring, UK
Until the fans move on from Keegan the club can not progress.
Keegan is not good enough. You have to let go.
You can't keep holding onto Keegan as if it is your first love at school.The fans don't deserve a good manager, they even wanted bobby robson sacked after he got you 4th and 5th in league.
jimmy, London,
Newcastle fans should open there eyes , there so called big club has won nothing for decades. They are just a small club that think they are big
Rob, liverpool,
I personally don't think Ashley was entirely bad. For him to reduce the club debt was great. He did try to give us stability by putting a new management structure in place but it didn't work. He undermined Keegan from day one.
Allan Brough, Newcastle Upon Tyne,
Matthew Syed is totally wrong about Newcastle United not being known elsewhere in the world. I have travelled to Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Phillipines, South Africa and the Middle east and the locals recognise the strip and the players. Get your facts right.
Jude, Dhahran , Saudi Arabia
Matt, come to Newcastle and meet us, we'll share a drink and have a laugh. It's what we do. Was Keegan the right choice? maybe not, but he got us playing football and was told the club structure would support him, not sell players behind his back and told to scout new signings on 'you tube'.
AnotherGeordie, Newcastle, England
Matthew Syed says in his article that Newcastle are unknown outside these shores. I can assure him that this is not the case. As a seasoned traveller, I have had the privilege of meeting Newcastle supporters the world over. These supporters are not Geordies, but locals. So your research is flawed
John, Alnwick, UK
Considering no one at Newcastle U was born in the sound of the beau belles. I am somewhat confused about who this "cockney" mafia is. It's like all those Geordies from Sunderland.
Adam Manktelow, Dartford, United Kingdom
Newcastle is a Big club it has produced or signed some of the grestest footballers this country has ever see, Owen, Shearer and Gascoigne, it is the media who deliberatly interview the dole munching plums of the northeast instead of the average Joe who would be able to give a valid point or opinion
Chris, Newcastle,
Ashley in all fairness listened to what the fans wanted. We didnt like Big Sam's style and rightly so, perhaps if you travelled up and down the country week in week out you would agree? We asked for Keegan and he delivered. However a manager without say of who is bought and sold is merely a puppet!
Chris, Blyth, Uk
Funny article really - lived in Newcastle for over 10 years and in that time somewhere along the line the toon army have lost their sense of humour. The fan protests won't help get a new manager and calling for Keegan to come back is crazy... was he actually any good?
Chris, Newcastle,
Andy Downey.
All your points about the Premier league etc show that your club is a creation of Sky. You are the only club in a city. Teams like Manchester City, Everton and Spurs have to compete with neighbours who, recently have been more successful yet they all get great crowds.
Dixie, Merseyside, UK
At the end of the day Ashley wanted to be a fan, drinking brown ale amongst the fans. You call our club, fans and history a joke but surely this must fall under this category. Do you see this happening at Man Utd with the Glazers or Chelsea with Roman? No! What is a joke is giving Wise £1 million pa
Chris, Blyth, Uk
this article is bang on and the only people who will disagree with it will be newcastle fans...
James, London, England
I can understand the frustration but when you dont have a billionaire owner you cant expect success in every competition, just look at other clubs in the same position - Wigan, West Ham, Tottenham, and Fulham this season... these clubs spend big but dont compete at the top!Allardyce did a great job!
Mark, Camberley, England
Newcastle fans are some of the worst around - yes, they make noise, but it's always negative and directed at the manager & board - unless your name is "King Kev", who is hardly a top manager and is somebody who manipulates fans into getting on his side before being a coward, again, and walking out.
JOE, Essex,
Up north (which is further than Birmingham for all you cockneys) we only have 1 team for 1 region. Unlike London we dont have a choice of 50 teams to support. Its in our heritage and blood to follow NUFC and want whats best. Could you imagine the Glaziers tell Sir Alex who he can and cant sign??
Chris, Blyth, Uk
An over inflated sense of self-importance. NUFC are the Alan Partridge of football
Joe, Sheffield,
Ashley's long term idea was to establish a real business where young players are developed and brought through, like Arsenal. Keegan was never going to buy into this. Keegan and Wenger, poles apart in personality and approach. Keegan and most of the fans just want the big names tommorrow.
dan, cork, ireland
it is so easy for a journalist to pick up on the same old drivel that Newcastle Utd fans expect glory.
We don't expect to win the league or a cup, we don't think we have a divine right to win every thing - we simply want to. Just as any supporter of any other club in the world wants to.
Michael, Newcastle,
How much more do we who are not from the North-east have do put up with in respect of the ridiculous soap opera that is Newcastle United? Don't the press realise that the vast majority of fans in this country do not give a stuff about this ridiculous club,its useless team,and hopeless management?
JOHN FRAME, CHICHESTER, WEST SUSSEX
while crowds were low in the eighties and early nineties they were still large in respect of other teams in the same league,i know i was there.with regard to whinging the club has been the laughing stock of the nations football fans for years forgive us for having some passion unlike THE BIG FOUR!
andrew trotter, chester le street, england
I agree that some supporters are parochial without cause, indeed Mr Ashley is not even a cockney- he is from Bucks. However, the majority of fans couldn't care less where he was born-- but they simply care what about the future of their perceived birthright, the Club.
Paul , Newcastle,
While the article is obviously written to get a response, it does cover what are root of the problems - the fans, their opinions to the team and lack of patience.
I'm a fan of another club, but I am also a Notherner and someone who lived in sight of St James for 3 years, I can see it clear as day.
Dave, Edinburgh,
Earlier this year when journos from the Times criticised Ashley and said that Keegan's re-appointment will end up in tears, Geordies flooded this website with comments about them being "unknowledgble", "jealous", "London bias etc. Truth hurts doesn't it? Matthew Syed is right as well.
Victor, London , UK
It's great to see a constructive, balanced piece of journalism? I will say that some of your points are valid, but in a completely over the top way. There are fans of NUFC who are deluded and with ridiculous aspirations, but there are also many who will be sad to see Mile Ashley leave. Shame on you.
Dave Bennett, London,
What about the early 80s? League gates of 10,670 against QPR and 9,447 against Wrexham, 11,000 against Shrewsbury, Preston, Cambridge and Orient...
john shirley, london, UK
You have bought into the lie the southern based press always peddle about us. We do not think we have a divine right to be in the premier league and we do not believe we are a club of world stature. We love the club want it run properly and playing decent footy. Thats all
Mikey, Newcastle, UK
NUFC= 6th highest points scoring team in premier league history, 5th highest points per game ratio. Member of ECA due to our European co-efficient ranking. 3rd highest avg attendance last season.
How do you measure your success?
PS- don't believe everything on TV is true, you should know better!
Andy Downey, Newcastle, England
Don't really mind the tired old lines, with one exception - crowd size. Crowds were lower across the board in the 80s/early 90s and we struggled in the old 2nd Division for much of that time. The club has been one of the best supported teams since coming into existence. Why not mention that fact?
Dave, Newcastle,
Fans too impatient - despite having won no trophies since 1955.
I have a suggestion for the national media -ignore NUFC. Don't write about us. But please stop covering your rags with nufc stories one week then bemoaning how much we are in the news the next, the hypicrisy is sickening.
Ikey, NE30
Ikey , Newcastle, England
What a refreshing read this article is. At last someone has the balls to tell the deluded newcastle fans what an ordinary & tedius lot they really are.
Well done.
Micky J - Hebburn
michael jackson, Hebburn, Tyne & Wear
more anti-nufc propaganda. yawn! change the record!
lord lee roger harrison, Newcastle, Tyne & Wear
"You could apply the same to Liverpool. However, nobody chooses to. Why is this?" They do. All the time. Like here, on an article about Newcastle, someone still feels the urge to have a swipe at Liverpool. While saying no one has as swipe at Liverpool. Brilliant.
M Thomas, Wallasey,
Im sorry but you are totally wrong. 50,000 every week in an area of high unemployment and weve got poor fans?Why do you have to be provocative? Are you jealous of us?Geordies are the nicest people in the world and best football supporters. Remmeber england doesnt end at watford gap. NUFC 4 life
Chris, south shields,
Newcastle United fans EXPECT to compete at the top end of English. Not to dominate the league but to compete. If a football club that gets 50000+ fans without a trophy in 53 years and has funded a world record signing in the last 12 years cannot expect tat least o compete then it's a sad indictement
Robbie, Whitley bay, England
Chairman and manager fall out over management practices for the umpteenth time in 10 years while 50000 still turn out to watch mid-table dross and "Newcastle fans are the clubs biggest problem".
Yep. Right.
Tony, Newcastle, UK
If you are not a Toon fan you do not realise what it means to support this club. The best thing about the club is its fans, we are the 2nd loudest fan-base in the UK, now that says something. So the board at Newcastle need to start listening to the fans.
Tom, York, Yorkshire
The 'Toon Army" are the most overated fans in the country and made it worse when seen and heard on national TV.What a bunch of morons,do they think we take them seriously? It is a shame the club has been manipulated by both fans and board alike.Bye Bye premier league status.
David , Northumberland, UK
Mr Syed - I cannot believe the ferocity of your attack on the Geordie Nation. Your article refers to whinging, self-pitying fans. However, if you lived and worked in our region you would be aware of what we have had to put up with in recent years - Allardyce, Shepherd et al.
Bring back Keegan!
Neil Temple, South Shields, England
Can anyone name a lower league club who often get attendances of 20,000? No didnt think so.
Also NUFC's highest ever average attendance in a season is 56,299 during the 1947-48 season when we were playing SECOND dividion football!
Anthony, Cramlington,
Excellent article. Thankfully someone from the national media has given an honest asssesment on their situation. With the re-emergance of Sunderland AFC they could well not be the biggest club in their own backyard never mind the country in their own fans eyes.
Mr Humphrey, Northumberland, England
1. 'divine right'? No. But you may aswell use that accusation because we hear it so much that most people will believe it's a valid belief. - 2. how is a stadium relevant to this issue? 3. Most fans don't want Shearer involved yet. 4. I'll put away my 'most loyal and valiant fan' t-shirt.
Nick, London, UK
Spot on.
Newcastle fans need to realise that they are not a big club, they are the ONLY club in the city, and outside of Newcastle, the fan base they have is minimal.
Relegation would do this deluded lot a favour.
Andy, Runcorn,
Chris Mordain - "You form your opinions based on what you read and what you are told, rather than what you know or experience."
From?....Melbourne, Australia! Priceless.
Liam, London, United Kingdom
Mr Syed’s evaluation of the current plight of NUFC is in all honesty a fair indictment. Just as all the NUFC fans wrongly assume every Londoner as being a cockney and every northerner as being Geordie, they are equally misguided about the aspirations and magnitude of their football club.
KB, Tyne and Wear, England
They are not your clubs, they belong to the Ashleys of this world who stump up the cash to pay the transfer fees and salaries of the players. If they deem fit to sell on some of their assets then that is there business, not yours.
Wake up football fans , this is business not a game.
tim, bangkok, thailand
Barry Perkins shows off the thing that Liverpool supporters have in common with the "Toon army". The one-eyed belief that they are "special" and have a divine right to success.
That is why all the other supporters mock you.
The Raffatollah, anyone?
Ray Finch, Havant, UK
I am a Newcastle fan and have been for long enough to remember the few supporters that would turn up when we were down at the bottom in the early 90's. Unfortunately I agree with every word of this article. Its about time we woke up and realised we own a significant portion of blame for this mess.
Ed, London, uk
Matthew, what you have failed to address is that expectation levels on Tyneside have been fuelled in recent times by the club being twice Premier League and FA Cup runners up, nine times in Europe in 15 years and twice in the Champions League. Perhaps that's why we have ideas above ourselves.
Milo, Newcastle,
To be fair to Ashley, I imagine the Gutierrez and Coloccini signings were down to Juminez and they look like top players. When you hear stories of KK wanting Henry, Lampard etc. Are you suprised Ashley brought someone in to deal with transfers.
Plus, who would turn down £12m for Milner?
Andy, Leeds,
Absolutely spot on in every aspect. This article should be made required reading for those in the media who continue to bang on about how wonderful Newcastle's fan base is, perpetrating the myth in the process.
You could apply the same to Liverpool. However, nobody chooses to. Why is this?
Declan Clark, Beckenham, Kent,
Sorry Matthew, as a Liverpool fan, I have to say that you have NO UNDERSTANDING at all of this situation.
MIke Ashley, for all of his good intentions has managed the club extremely poorly and has totally failed to communicate with the people he should have communicated with..the fans.
His own fault
Barry perkins, Bootle,
Mostly true, hence the Toon armies vitriolic condemnation of the article. Petty you did not give Wise a serve though,only ever an average performer and has no place in soccer management. As for Newcastle, not really English at all, they should be in the Scot league, might even win a game or two.
Peter Coates, Talairan, France
At last someone has said it like it is. Newcastle is not a big club, they have not won a thing in years. Keegan is a lower league manager who has achieved promotions with the backing of wealthy owners.The fans are as fickle as any clubs but more blinkered than most .
Get over yourselves !
Carboni, Rotherham,
I could deconstruct and absolutely rip to shreds almost every basless argument in this article, but I won't. Rather, just for you Matthew, I'll conform to type and simply say this. You form your opinions based on what you read and what you are told, rather than what you know or experience.
Chris Mordain, Melbourne, Australia
you think the fans are to blame for the instability of hiring Keegan and then getting rid of him?
The major bone of contention is lack of any truthful communcations from the current club board and the way the fans have been treated in this mess by them. Southern folks or not does nto come into it
Bob, Sydney,
The fans got mad b/c Ashley and Wise undermined Keegan. They sold Milner and tried to sell Owen and Barton on deadline day without even consulting Keegan.
Carl, Bloomington, USA
How can you judge someone, in the case that you (writer) don't be in the same situation. If your club is in the same situation I confident that you will do the same as we do so ask yourself before blame another one.
ginkoh, Bangkok, Thailand
Harsh but fair Mr Syed
The Newcastle fans behaviour has been far more damaging than any 'cockney' managing the clubs affairs from a southern location.
The deluded Toon Army needs wake up, everyone's laughing at them (yet again)
Tony, Lewisham,
Sir John Hall led a consortium in a bitter takeover battle for the club and by 1995 the stadium had reached a capacity of 36,000. Even though the expanded the stadium was still a sell out! I got this from an article about the stadium, check your facts before a 20 year old lad out smarts you :)
Kyle Davidson, Heworth, Gateshead, England
Not fit to lick Keegan's boots? You must be joking!!! Keegan may have been a great player but not a manager. From what I have seen keegan has had a very average career in management and needs all the help he can get!
Andrew Barnes, Auckland, New Zealand
Its easy to fall back on the thick Geordies routine, but Newcastle fans are a lot more level headed than the media portrays. All they wanted was a sensible respectable board who lets a manager get on the job without getting told what to do by a bunch of people not fit to lick his football boots.
Jon, Northumberland, UK
Another article that misses the point completely. The problem was not that a continental scouting system was instigated, but that the manager didn't have any input into who came into and who left the club - this despite public assurances to the contrary.
Paul, Cambridge, England