Steven Taylor: “Relegation was the best thing.”

Taylor's 'thumbs up' to the future.
Steven Taylor has become the latest player to highlight the optimism and positive thinking that the Newcastle United squad has running through it currently.

Speaking the Journal, Taylor talks of exciting times ahead, how he is looking forward to the future at Newcastle, and how the current squad, whilst mindful of their place due to summer recruitments, are willing and able to prove a point next season aswell.

“It’s exciting times for us,” said Taylor. “I’ve just signed a new contract and I’m looking forward to being here for the next five and a half years and seeing what we can do in that time.”

“This squad has made a habit of proving people wrong. I think at the start of the season many people thought we’d be in the relegation fight but we’ve proved people wrong again. We’ve really kicked on this season and I think the best thing that’s happened to Newcastle was getting relegated.”

Now whenever I hear anyone connected with the club say that relegation was a good thing I always shudder and wonder just how it could have been a good thing. I mean every single one of the changes could have been achieved in the Premier League so I don’t see how the club having to suffer the indignation of relegation and losing out on millions of pounds can be a good thing.

I accept that getting relegated was a catalyst for change, and that it benefited some of the players and the team to an extent so in that way it was a good thing, but overall I’d never call it a good thing. Anyway, Taylor continued:

“The spirit we’ve got here now is great, you want to be at training everyday and everyone is hungry to do well for the club. I think we feel lucky to be here, especially the local lads. It’s the best feeling ever.”

“We know the fans would love to replace us with new players – we realise that – but for me I think we can really kick on with this squad next season. As a group we’ve done well this season and we want to do even better next season.”

Now I’m no fan of Steven Taylor as a player. I think he is considerably over-rated and hasn’t improved at all since he broke onto the scene six or so years ago. I think he makes horrendous clangers and gets caught out of position a lot and has a tendency to let his heart rule his head which makes him make mistakes. However, I do agree with his optimism on this occasion.

There is an attitude within this squad that I really really like. It’s an attitude that we haven’t seen for quite some time either. They aren’t the most technically gifted footballers that we’ve ever seen grace St James’ Park, but they give their all for the most part. We don’t carry passengers anymore.

The key to this summer is getting the balance right between bringing in the quality that we lack and keeping the nucleus of this current squad together.

If we can get that right we’ll have a good season next season!

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

93 thoughts on “Steven Taylor: “Relegation was the best thing.”

  1. @jobey
    Mind your foul and abusive language. Just cos you disagree .

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  2. batty,
    Ask Toonsy, I have only ever posted under TGS 👿

    You have more faces than Big Ben 😆

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  3. Aye I mean I never wanted Carroll to go at all, but £35 million was good money. If he had have stayed I wouldn’t have battered an eyelid at the club turning down the cash as we’d have still had a player that we could have built upon.

    At 21 I was a stubborn fecker, still am, and would have scoffed at anyone telling me what to do. Truth be told I’d do the exact opposite.

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  4. Nothing like a royal wedding and a day off work to fire up the locals, eh?

    I am nominating “Another Cockup by the Drunken Scotsman” for blog article title of the year. 😉

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  5. toonsy,
    Are you up for the Brum or WBA match ❓

    I’m taking the bairn to the Brum game, got platinum tickets. 🙂

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  6. TGS – Wanted to go Bru but I’m skint. As for West Brom, possibly, but I’ll have to check what I’m working closer to the time 😕

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  7. regardless of the ins and outs of the carroll transfer,the one thing that stands out for me,mike ashley had his helicopter waiting outside to fly carroll to merseyside,hardly the actions of an owner who wants to keep a player at the club.if it had of been me,i would have told him to make his own way there.the bottom line is,he didn’t have to be sold,i know some will say he wouldn’t have been available for some games,but he wasn’t out for too long at the bindippers.
    he could have played for us until the end of the season,and his stock could have risen even more,forcing a bidding war come the summer.

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  8. @jobey
    I’m afraid you must hate hearing the truth.
    You choose the club who are proven liars and I will stick with a down to earth 21 yr old.

    😎

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  9. Bobby, you not think that they fans who say they are happy with the money are really just trying to justify it to themselves and help them accept it a little easier?

    Looking back, that’s why I said it.

    Truth be told, there hasn’t been an English striker built like Carroll for many a year. The last player to come through anyone’s ranks with the potential to be as good as he can be was Wayne Rooney. I think in 5 years, Liverpool will look back and think £35 million well spent.

    For the record, I blame Carroll.

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  10. hypothetical question for all:
    Would you have Martins back for maybe a £1M or 2? and of course not on any huge wage. Maybe to replace a player like Lovenkrands?

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