One striker signs, with one more to follow!

Shola tied up!
Shola Ameobi has penned a new deal with Newcastle United that will see him extend his stay until 2014 and effectively end his career at the club where it all began.

The Fenham Eusebio is one of them “Marmite” characters as, quite simply, you either love or hate him – there is no middle ground.

At his best he can destroy teams, just ask Sunderland, although people will point out that he is far too often not at his best. Personally I have a soft spot for him. He frustrates the hell out of me, but at a time when loyalty and commitment are rare commodities we have a player who displays just that.

Shola is quite understandably delighted that he has managed to secure a contract extension, especially when you consider that discussions had reached an impasse not so long back. In quotes I took from the Shields Gazette, Shola had this to say:

“All I’ve ever wanted is to play for Newcastle United, and it is a really happy day for me. Newcastle is, and always will be, my club, and I’m looking forward immensely to the next three years, beginning this Saturday with the new season opener against Arsenal.”

“I would also like to thank the board and the manager for their continued support, which is very much appreciated.”

It’s hard to grasp that Shola made his debut way back in 2000. Mental. I’ve always thought that he has all the physical attributes needed to be a cracking striker but injuries and sometimes a seeming lack of application have got in the way. Remember he played second fiddle to great strikers like Shearer and Bellamy and, ahem, Owen and Martins, with the first two being at the club during the most important formative years of his career.

Still, Shola sticking around will give the bashers something to have a go at for a bit longer anyway although I have a sneaking suspicion that Shola will see less time on the pitch than some think. Basically just think of Alan Smith – great to have around the place albeit very expensive. I reckon Shola will be our new Smith going by what Alan Pardew had to say.

“We are delighted to have confirmed Shola’s new contract,” said Pardew. “He has done a terrific job for me since I’ve been at the club and he is also a great character to have around the place. It is important to have continuity, and keeping Shola on board helps us achieve that aim.”

“It is also great for the club that his younger brother Sammy is developing well and we hope he can go on to have a successful career at Newcastle.”

Great to have around… Great character…. Continuity…. Cheerleader. You get my point. I mean who else is there at the club currently that knows the passion of the fans, the area, what hat to wear…

So with Shola signed on it means that Alan Pardew can concentrate on bringing in a striker to bolster our attack. Pardew insists that the hunt is still on and that there is a space in the squad ready to be filled.

“We still need another striker and we’re still pursuing that, and if we lose a player we’re going to replace him,” Pardew told the Northern Echo.

“Within the squad at the minute there’s one place available for a striker and that search is ongoing until such time as we get the right player in. I’d be surprised if it goes down to the wire, I will be, but it might do.”

So from that it looks as though we are going to go with what we have with just the addition of a striker to the squad. Fair enough, especially when you consider that the club are apparently going to replace any players who leave (like Jose Enrique for example) although I would like another defender in as I feel we are a bit short at the back in terms of cover.

Well done Shola, I guess, and hopefully he’ll have a new striking team-mate to show around his crib and make feel welcome.

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.

146 thoughts on “One striker signs, with one more to follow!

  1. Not the greatest footballer, but a great man, and a great asset to the club.
    In a squad you need to have some players who aren’t always the glory hunters, who don’t go off in a huff if they aren’t chosen to start every game, but who still give their all when called on to do so. That’s Shola!
    I am pleased he has signed, and look forward to his efforts against continuing

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  2. He’s part of the furniture now, would be hard to see him anywhere else. Great servant, keep up the good work Shola.

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  3. The Frog Obertan’s all mine, all mine

    That is quite simply the best username I’ve seen on here. Hats off sir 😎

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  4. Well he isn’t the worst striker at the club.
    He’s still not good enough. Still I suppose it fills up a spot in the squad that could be wasted on a younger, more talented striker.

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  5. I think as you mentioned in the piece. It’s nice to have him there, not necessarily on the pitch. A poster would be just as efficient 🙂

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  6. I think he’s class. Frustrating, looks lazy, but all he wants to do is play for the Toon. I’d rather that than a big name Owen type of ****.

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  7. “All I’ve ever wanted is to play for Newcastle United”

    It is refreshing to hear a player say that and actually mean it. Congrats Shola. You frustrate the hell out of us, but you are good lad who buries the Makems. A good #3-4 striker to have

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  8. He only wants to play for the Toon cos no other club is stupid enough to give him a contract, donkey, 40 league goals in 11 seasons tells its own story.

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  9. Bit sick of all the stick Shola gets. He loves this club and is loyal, never stirs up trouble, just keeps training and desperately wants to wear the shirt. Granted he comes across as a tad lethargic at times, but I refuse to believe he ever puts in less than 100%. It is just that he is not quite as fast or mentally strong as some of the opposition. Despite this, he does score goals for us and is happy playing 2nd fiddle. One day people will look back at the likes of Shola with a fond remembrance of days gone by when there were still loyal genuine supporters of football clubs still around. Good to have you around for another few years Shola. A player that understands and truly respects the Black & White stripes.

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  10. Shola is a beast at St james’s and terrible everywhere else.
    But when he’s good, he’s very good.
    IMO still the best finisher at the club.

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  11. Shamrock, he gets stick because he has had a long career at the club, has been well rewarded for it and has yet to show any consistency, I dont often agree with Lee Ryder but he has labelled Shola as a 1 good game in 5 player and he is spot on. Disappears to often in games, control of the ball is woeful, doesnt dominate enough in the air, continuously pulled up for offside and stupid needless niggly fouls on defenders and how many times has he fallen over the ball when in good positions.
    I always hoped he would come good but he hasnt and wont, as with Chopra, he is Championship standard at best.

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  12. @23. Batty I told ya to sort that **** out so I don’t miss the match saturday. Nationally televised here and if they reschedule it won’t be 😡

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  13. Well Robert apart from one short spell at Stoke, just about every manager at Newcastle overthe last 10 years has rated the lad highly enough to play him. Weall know he is not good enough to be considered our #9, but he is a decent back up player. As long as we know that and dont expect too much from him, we cant really complain.

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  14. Also…every manager here has rated him…do people seriously discredit the shows of faith from Bobby, Keegan etc?..

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  15. 69 northcote street, opposite westgate baptist church, newcastle. shol and his family are real close family friends and have been since he came here when he was 8. we grew up together and im happy for him. he used to have andy cole and tino posters on his wall, we both did. he signed for newcastle at 15, me leeds at 15. im now in an office. he plays for my team professionaly. he is one of the luckiest footballers around and he knows it.

    Every time he was gonna get bombed someone came in. Gullit didnt fancy him in reserves, Bobby came in..gave him 1st contract. Souness didnt really use him as much, Roeder came in, liked him, another contract. Keegan was all set to sell him to Ipswich, medical failed, Kinnear comes in, another contract.

    We get relagated, lose owen, viduka, martins, he gets games. He knows hes been fortunate and thanks God every day for it. im just happy for him as all he ever wanted to do was play for NUFC.

    All the best pal

    ps – u seen this article..great read

    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/lukeedwards/100018321/what-does-mike-ashley-actually-want-to-achieve-with-newcastle-united/

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  16. both he and lovenkrands contracts were up next year, whilst i like lovenkrands i hope we don’t renew his contract aswell and get someone better in next year, lovenkrands could see out his career with copenhagen, with smith going next year too we would have wages free for a decent replacement, probably still paying xisco for next two years though, probably renew guthries deal soon aswell as it expires next summer but likely to be similar to his current terms

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  17. I have a soft spot for Shola too. Maddening, sometimes, but I feel like he could be good with consistent play. Seems like he’s always been 3rd choice. Wonder how he would have done with the confidence of starting regularly. His goal ratio is a puzzle. I’d like to see a “goals to minutes played” number, rather than goals/appearances.

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  18. It is good to here positive comments about Shola. Too many people forget that he quite literally put his body on the line for the club. He had a career threatening injury and needed a hip replacing (or something like that) but Shearer and Bellamy were both injured. He played on with pain killing injections. I think it was when Glen Roeder was manager. He also scored 8 goals in 10 matches at the end of that season.

    Well done Shola, cut him, he will bleed black and white, unlike too many others. Give me a team with that attitute anyday.

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  19. good player like him meself anf commited to the club unlike 1 or 2 we had in the past

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  20. im waitiing on us putting a bid in for a striker !!!!!!!!!!! haway man pardue get ya finger ooot of ashleys **** and get a striker in b4 the arsenal match

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  21. team v arsenal

    krul

    simpson collo taylor enrique

    obertan barton cabaye tiote gutierez

    ba

    subs

    forster
    tavernier
    willo
    gosling
    marveaux
    best
    ameobi

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  22. Phil Airey off to Hibs for a medical tomorrow morning according to his Twitter.

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  23. FANS – I don’t know where you would find minutes per goal, but..
    He has played 311 games for us. 121 of those as a sub, scoring 70 goals.

    A bit of rough guess work… Subs do not usually come on until after around 60 minutes. So, 30 minutes x 121 = 3,630 minutes.

    Of the 190 games he started, bearing in mind he usually burns out faster than most, we can assume he has lasted on average 80 minutes for each game. So, 190 x 80 = 15,200 minutes.

    15,200 + 3,630 = 18,830 minutes. Divided by a full 90 minutes = 209 full appearances.

    With 70 goals scored that is 1 goal for every 2.9 games. Not bad for a 3rd choice striker.

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  24. @43. This is the worrying line for me:

    “I would like to get the views of the supporters across to Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias just so they are aware of what’s going on.”

    Who’s views exactly? This site is the perfect example that NUFC supporters have widely divergent veiws on most topics. These groups tend to be made up one specific set of supporters. I wish them luck, and I hope they take a more reasoned approach than other efforts. But some of the names involved with this don’t make me confident.

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  25. The article in todays Telegraph makes a good attempt to put Ashley’s point. but it aint good. They come to the conclusion that he want the club to breakeven. Dont care about winning anything, Just waiting for an offer, but does not want to put the club up for sale like last time.

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  26. If anyone tried looting a shop in Newcastle they just get laid out!

    Their starting to see the light in London now and people are going round just fcking people off!

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  27. Shoals is a donkey ffs… But hey, it’s better he signed cos if he didn’t we would get even worse.

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  28. Good for Shola. I bet some of the same people slagging him off are the same ones moaning that we’ve got rid of all the ‘leaders’ and ‘team spirit’ and ‘players who know the club’… I see him as a rock in this sense!

    On BBC News right now about the PL fixtures being in doubt for the weekend… decision tomorrow. Maybe some of these loser yobs actually like football will stay in tonight! GRRR!! 👿

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  29. Really great news as far as I’m concerned, for three reasons:
    1. Regardless of stats, he’s got a habit of turning up (usually after injury) and scoring the important goals just when we need them.
    2. We need some consistency, some local presence, and someone who professes love for the club with nobody expecting to see them show the opposite soon after. Whatever you think of his play, his attitude is exactly what I’d like to have seen from Joey, Nolan, Jose, Carroll…
    3. Can you imagine how many brilliant arguments we’d miss out on on here without him to divide opinion??

    Gerrin wor Shola. Glad you’re staying. :mrgreen:

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  30. Anyone feels a sense of sadness when you see yet again pundits reckon newcastle are for the drop. 😥

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  31. @47 I would be surprised if he was on for more than 10 minutes a game when Shearer and Bellamy were here and when he did get a start it was usually on the wing. A much better striker than given credit for.

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  32. So, Shamrock’s back of the envelope yields 1 in 3 for Shola. How does that rank against Shearer, I wonder.

    I’m surprised none of the stats sites don’t break things down to goals/minutes played. I imagine there’s one, but I can’t be bothered to seek it out today.

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  33. AOD- it’s due to all of the negativity around the club- most of it manufactured IMO. No serious person with football knowledge can say that we are worse than QPR, Wolves, West Brom, Wigan, Swansea, Blackburn or Norwich, and very likely S-land and Stoke

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  34. @toonsy

    You say; if only Carroll had Sholas love for the Toon. 😆
    I’m assuming you’re taking the ****. 😕

    You also say you think he’s alright. 😆
    I’m assuming you’re taking the ****. 😕

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  35. NorthernPaul
    3 hrs, 17 mins ago
    I think he’s class. Frustrating, looks lazy, but all he wants to do is play for the Toon. I’d rather that than a big name Owen type of ****.

    Would you not rather do without an Owen type of **** as well as a Shola type of very average striker and get a player who is actually effective and consistent? 😕

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  36. @MDS
    You say;
    AOD- it’s due to all of the negativity around the club- most of it manufactured IMO. No serious person with football knowledge can say that we are worse than QPR, Wolves, West Brom, Wigan, Swansea, Blackburn or Norwich, and very likely S-land and Stoke

    You’re probably right but in reality are you pleased with that? It indicates that we are still a mid table side at the best and I still maintain by losing Carroll, Nolan, Jose and Barton then we are considerably weaker than last season.

    I don’t believe for a second the players brought in have the skill or attitude to compete with those going out.

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  37. To be fair lads; shola signed because no one else will want him….. but to also be fair on his day he is superb and on the other days he can sit on the bench 😀

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  38. @68. No, I’m not pleased with mid-table, just making the point we are not relegation fodder (barring several bad injuries, but you could say that about anyone not in the top 6). I think 2 more signings, and staying somewhat health) could see us finish ahead of Bolton, Everton, Fulham, Villa. I would be satisified with that this season.

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  39. @Susan

    You say;

    Good for Shola. I bet some of the same people slagging him off are the same ones moaning that we’ve got rid of all the ‘leaders’ and ‘team spirit’ and ‘players who know the club’… I see him as a rock in this sense!

    Ive always had a soft spot for you and fancied the pants off you but that statement sums up what I’m competing against.

    For some reason, the close season plays havoc on the minds of the goldfish fans who can’t remember what they were doing 5 minutes ago never mind last season.

    It also shows how far Mike Ashley has dragged us down when you consider Shola as a rock!

    Please go and take a reality check. He should not be getting a game for us and it’s a sad indictment on all of you who think he should. 😕

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  40. Well you can’t knock his love of the club same as Harper ,but i think those 2 will be back ups this coming season . Shola coming on for the last 20-25 minutes in games ,although he fustrates me loads at times he does have premiership experience that could come in handy if we get another striker in from outside the premiership . The one thing that troubles me is the lad is now the wrong side of 30 and gets 2 years taking him up to 32-33 before the contract runs down . Barton before his twitter rants wanted a 4 year deal and was reportedly willing to take a wage cut to stay . Barton is 28 ,thus a 4 year contract would take him up to 32 -33 when it runs down .Why does Shola get a contract and Barton does not when he is 2 years younger ? Fat man can’t use that excuse this time .

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  41. Agree MDS, don’t think we’re too far away from having a good young squad that can kick on.

    1 or 2 signings in key areas to go with plenty of time.

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  42. @newkie

    You state Keegan showed faith in Shola.

    You’ve done it again haven’t you?

    Facts wrong again. Keegan wanted shot of him and loaned him out with the intention of a permanent move.

    So are you still going to use the same argument or do you change it slightly and slag Keegans judgement off now? 😕

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