I’m a toon fan from Belfast. Admittedly not as far as India or nearly as outnumbered as Deepak is, but still this wasn’t a thing I was born into it was a decision I made and I’ve never regretted despite the constant stick I get from the glory hunting plastic supporters in “our wee country”.
Up until I was about 16/17 I followed my Dad and the rest of my family as a Liverpool supporter. I always loved playing football in the street and having a bit of banter with the Man United fans. Manchester United and Liverpool are the two biggest teams over here besides Rangers and Celtic, but considering that’s not really football and wearing the wrong colours over here could get you killed I never seen the point.
When it came to watching football or even Match of the Day I would of rather have been doing something else. It was boring but I’d pretend to get into it just to join in the craic but, I’d far rather be playing the game myself.
That was until I seen the SAS (Sutton and Shearer) partnership. These two guys where a different class, especially the latter of the two. I watched in awe as the pair tore defences apart with skill and power. At the same sort of time I remember King Kev coming out onto the steps outside St James’ Park to talk to the fans about the sale of Andy Cole. I remember thinking that was commendable showing the fans that they are part of the club.
Then Alan Shearer went to Newcastle and I, like may others, thought that would be the final piece of the jigsaw that would make a good team great. I can still see him standing with both arms up lapping up the cheers and applause. After that, watching Match of the Day was something I looked forward to but not for my team! I’d wait for the Newcastle highlights.
I hadn’t admitted to myself yet, but I was hooked. Watching Alan Shearer – a real mans man – leading a team of very skilled players followed by passionate supporters was a joy. After a while I spent more and more time reading the back pages looking for the Newcastle articles and going past Liverpool ones to get at them and I finally had to admit that I’d done a reverse Judas.
Newcastle were flying high at the time so I was branded a glory hunter. I couldn’t have cared less. I now understood why people screamed at the TV and jumped up and down. Within a year I’d branded myself with a Newcastle crest proudly tattooed on my arm. I’d gone from being a fan to a fanatic.
My first trip to St James’ Park was brilliant. I couldn’t believe the atmosphere and I was surrounded, for the first time in my life, by people who where as passionate about my team as I was. It was up there with my kids being born (one of which I’ve named Geordie who will obviously pull on the black and white someday lift a trophy and by his dad a Lambo). I still get shivers down my spine when I think about the first time I walked through the tunnel into the stands and every time I get over I’m treated as one of the lads by complete strangers.
I don’t need to tell anyone reading this that it hasn’t been easy. In fact at times it’s been unbearable. I get asked all the time “why Newcastle?” There’s no reason why I shouldn’t support one of the big four, I’m not from Newcastle and this wasn’t my Dad’s team. It’s simple – I love the underdog!
I’m glad it’s not easy. If it was it would be boring and I wouldn’t be shouting at the TV or sitting up a crane with a Newcastle flag on the ceiling refreshing Newsnow all day wondering who’s going to be our next number 9.
I support Newcastle because someday, maybe not even in my life time, but someday we will win something and that for me, if I ever see it, will be worth the wait. We have been starved of success for years and when we finally do lift a trophy it will mean more to us than any of the big teams. I almost pity them for missing out on that 😉
Thanks for taking the time to read this keep the faith.
Note from Toonsy – Thanks to Belfast Toon for giving us his story. I love them I do. And an additional thanks do Deepak for his story which inspired this one.
Moreno im liking your picture 😀
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
Really?
Stuart79(Quote)
Did Zogs not play LB before and that was one of the things he didn’t like as he wanted to play in his prefered MF but Duff kept getting there so Zogs was dropped to LB ??
Big Dave(Quote)
well if we bring in zogs i think it is very very obvious which way our formations will go next season…. we will clearly play more often than not one up front with HBA in the hole. Zogs will go left wing, jonas on the right, the marvel is ‘left sided’ which means he can go left mid field alongside tiote. That leaves barton as back up for tiote and gosling back up for MArvel. The LB position i think will need to be looked at still.. unless taylor is the one after all with fergie being cover.
craig chisholm(Quote)
Andrew,
I am really hopeful we get him like…
The article I got it off was him saying he wanted to move to Arsenal when he was with us way back when
Moreno(Quote)
So what has happened about being linked with M’Bengue ❓
isn’t he a LB?
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
BB… yeah but thats just talk isnt it? or is it? oh i dont know!
craig chisholm(Quote)
Why are people still following this Cwarr prat?! He is a proven liar. He just guesses, gets it wrong and then makes up an excuse as to why it didn’t happen. Ignore him.
~ El Toro ~(Quote)
Cheers big Dave that would be great I’ve been trying to find them for a while. Do you get over much?
Belfast toon(Quote)
if we get zogs…we willl have pace to burn…all over the midfield and forward…teams will be shiting their pants…anyway i think pardew played it safe…about saying we will keep alll the players last season..2 keep us up..so then let the players go…this summer..
asim(Quote)
A bit late into this one, but I’m also Northern Irish, and been a proud Mag since the age of 4! School was a nightmare, had me, one Everton fan and one West Ham fan against the waves of unwashed (Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal and more recently, Chelsea). I’m down in Co. Fermanagh though, but there’s a good loyal group of about 8 of us down here by my reckoning. There’s me, my mate’s family of 6 (their da’s a Geordie who moved over) and one kid I saw a few months back with an Ameobi shirt on. Dedicated. Haha.
Spent 5 years at uni in the Toon, loved every minute of it. In the States for a few months at the minute, but will be back on Tyneside in September. Doesn’t matter where I am, I’ll be Black & White and proud, and I can usually count of finding another one of the Toon Army staunchly holding their own in some random corner of the world!!
Pete(Quote)
E.T/Spyro/Dragonera,
When Jose goes will you be changing your name again ❓
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
i’m a regular reader of this blog (love it, good job guys) but never posted before. i too am from the wee country of norn iron! been a faithful toon supporter since king kev took over in 92! have to admit its been hard at times, but it’s been great! it’s never plain sailing supporting the toon! it’s always good to spot the black and white stripes somewhere, instead of the usual glory hunters over here. love getting over to st james when i can and the geordies are great people, a bit like us!
kirkyman(Quote)
Like Deepak’s, cracking story Belfast, you chose well lad 😉
Zog will come,KTF 😉
richietoon(Quote)
I always read this blog but have commented once. I am from Saudi Arabia and have been a NUFC fan as long as I can remember. Everyone I know including my family support Man U or Chelsea. I was young and a game was on tv and I just loved the way NUFC played and I was hooked. Shearer had just joined and I was so young that I didn’t know he was a huge star until after I started supporting the team. I have always stuck by the team and even play with them on PS3! I haven’t missed a game in 2 years even having people in house record it. Although we haven’t won anything, I still find our games really exciting and I hope 1 day I can go to SJP and cheer with my toon brothers and sisters.
sks_toon(Quote)