The best players who we’ve had occupy the role are the ones who were playing for honour, pride, and most importantly, for the shirt. Jackie Milburn, Malcolm Mcdonald and Alan Shearer are all examples of this. Not only did they score regularly, they also did their country proud when called upon.
Andy Carroll’s rather ambiguous departure from Newcastle has left the great Number 9 redundant with a dramatic void in our attack being a by-product of his departure. He wore the shirt briefly after being handed the greatest privilege and declaration of respect by Chris Hughton. A local lad, born and bred in Newcastle, he understood the weight and the power of it.
Sadly he let himself be swayed by other guises. He did the shirt proud and the days of Shearer, albeit briefly, filled our memories as we watched him terrorise and run ragged Premier League defences. Suddenly though his respect for the shirt diminished and he departed for Liverpool to become their No9. I wonder if he pulls on the shirt and regrets the fact that he sees the red instead of the black and white and when he walks out at Anfield he wishes he could turn to the adoring Gallowgate fans saluting their number 9 instead?
However that is the past and this is the present. We need a new No9! It’s in our history, our blood, it’s Newcastle. The problem is that it has to be deserved. In my mind there are three main focal points for a No9 at the Newcastle:
1) Local pride; they have to understand the passion honour and love of the club the region and wear the shirt as if they are wearing the hearts of all the fans.
2) Ability; the No9 doesn’t just go to anyone it has to be earned by prowess in front of goal; leading the line with power, ability, and determination.
3) Nationality; Now this is a debatable topic as I like the rest of you wouldn’t mind David Villa taking up the No9 shirt for us. However I think the attraction and pull of the No9 would mean so much more to a fellow countryman. There is also more of an affiliation with the fans when its one of our own.
Contenders; Carroll could have been something great at Newcastle but he gave it up for other riches so it leaves the door open for others. In a dream world we would all want a local lad wearing the shirt. Why not? We had Shearer.
That’s why I don’t think any of our new signings should get the shirt; they are too fresh to the area they are most likely going to be foreign looking at our targets. They may have the ability, but do they have the strength to carry the shirt?
Now one local lad who is playing steadily for the reserves and is one of bright hopes for the future… Phil Airey. He is young untested and raw but at the moment I can’t see anyone deserving of the shirt .. So why not wait for young Airey to break into the first team and start scoring, because if he does he ticks all the boxes.
More importantly seeing him at a reserve game….The lad has got potential and there is a certain something about him that smacks of potential No9.
Note from Toonsy – A big thanks to Liam Southern Toon for contributing this article.
Army,
Re Cabaye, who are we to judge Carr’s recommendation’s 😉
Let’s give Cabaye at least 10 games/full season like colo 😉
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
@MM
I cringe when I read the nighty night club wishing each other sweet dreams!
Just say I’m off but don’t everyone chip in and wish them sweet dreams! 😯
Anyway, I’m still amazed at the blind optimism of most of the bloggers.
Where do you get the faith from?
Every great club has two things .
Two leaders.
A great manager.
A great captain.
Who are ours and answer honestly. ?
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
any1 in here like rock?? al send u think of me dads band playn at blyth if you do
Army69(Quote)
link*
Army69(Quote)
Army,
You get the bairn at home yet ❓
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
ayeeeee hes sittin next 2 me !! tony u like acdc?
Army69(Quote)
Bobby…I have followed the toon for 4 decades, and man have the club and the players spoilt so many Saturday night for me over the years. I can let the current regime wind the cack out of me..or try and let things roll…I have been subdued into the latter…a form of resignation for what will be will be… 😉
Munich Mag(Quote)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0w4EKLjehU
WATCH THAT LADS , THATS ROCK FOR YA !! ME DAD GAN MAD ON HIS GUITAR HAHA
Army69(Quote)
Pleased to hear the little fella is safely home 🙂
AC/DC yes do like them mate.
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
Army…you got the toon DVD’s out mate…best to get started early… 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
Bobby…did you come on here to say nighty night ?? 😆 😆 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
CHECK THAT LINK OUT TONY
Army69(Quote)
Army,
I didn’t kna batty could play the guitar like 😆
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
aye munich am gana do all i can to get him toon fanatic!!! cant wait 2 take him 2 the matches!! how old will he be wen he understands the game? 1? lol jj
Army69(Quote)
aye munich am gana do all i can to get him toon fanatic!!! cant wait 2 take him 2 the matches!! how old will he be wen he understands the game? 1? lol jj 😆
Army69(Quote)
lol tony its me owld pop
Army69(Quote)
Bobby, who are Chelsea’s great manager and great captain?
Or are they not a great team?
How about Citeh? Is it the short argentinian guy who can’t wait to get out?
Stop trying to be a depressive, maybe you should take ****** rather than coming on football blogs
Newkie(Quote)
Aye Army,
The bairns gonna have a lot to live up to 😉
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
er aye, hope he takes after his great grandad then we will be all happy!!!!! i wil be taken him footy training at the age of 3 , not that im pushy like 😆
Army69(Quote)
Army,
Took my little boy to his 1st match when he was 6 as he understood the game better than me. It will cost you a feckin fortune with buying a scarf,hat, BEER 😆 sweets etc 😉
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
@MM
Answer my question.
Every club needs the basics but it begins with the fundamentals.
A great manager and a great captain.
Do you think we will have them in place for the start of the season and if so, who?
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Reet am gannin to kip before Rodzilla starts mumbling and drooling 😀
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
tony i cannit wait mate!!!!
Army69(Quote)
Robert No 9,
Don’t ignore me ya ***** 👿
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
@newkie
Chelsea won the title with Morenio and Lampard.
Name ours please?
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
aye laters tony get sum beauty sleep u need it 😀 😀 😆 😆 😉
Army69(Quote)
Being President of Zimbabwe, I hereby announce the winner of the largest glake competition. Leddies ind jennelmin…….
…….please welcome, the one and only, person that you never thought would win, MIIIISTERRRRRRR…..
…ZEINAB BaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDAWI FOLKS! 😆
Rodzilla(Quote)
@TGS
Aye great fella. Just hit in. 😆
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Just got in 😆
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
haha396 💡
Rodzilla(Quote)
Freudian slip. Hit the wife as soon as I got in. 😀
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Bobby-I didn’t realise that Mourinho had come back to Chelsea for this season? Or that Lampard had just miraculously got 7 years younger 😆 😆 😆 😆
Newkie(Quote)
@newkie
You fail to answer my question.
Every great team has a leader in terms of Manager and Captain.
I never quoted this years Chelsea team as great.
So try again and answer who are going to be our great leaders?
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
…anyone seen mi keys?
Rodzilla(Quote)
Uh oh. Vacant look on Newkies dish. 😆
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Newkie still stares vacantly at the computer screen. 😆 😆
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Newkie types into google.
“help I’m under pressure from Shinton, any tips”
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
anyone know what the going rate is for a large dark blueish-coloured beetle? I’ve had one lodging with me for a couple of years and it won’t fu<k off. Thinking about hiring a hitbeetle.
Rodzilla(Quote)
Actually I was making some supper…usually takes you a fair while to answer posts when you are trying to wriggle out of an answer 😆
So you don’t think Chelsea are a great team, and you expect Newcastle to have a great captain and manager now? I don’t think anyone will claim we’re better than Chelsea…or are you trying to say we should be? Get your head out of the sand Bobby 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Ask Jeeves reply ” give in, shinton is way above your league”.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Bobby-it took you seven minutes to reply to my original post, its only taken me a little over that and that was because I assumed you’d spend just as long not answering as you usually do, my mistake. You are in no position to spam or gloat however 😆
Newkie(Quote)
As I said, every great team has a great manager and captain.
Who are ours? 😯
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Can’t be bothered to read everything you’s are saying….
….but I defiantly agree with Newkie 😉 😆
dan4toon(Quote)
Pause, scratch ****. P
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Bobby, we aren’t a great team, get your head out of the sand if you think we’ll be winning the Premiership this season. Bloody delusional 😆
Newkie(Quote)
@dan
Sums you up. Can’t be bothered to read. 😆
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
dan
ta buddy!
Newkie(Quote)
BS9 – Pardew and Eto’o
BrisVegas(Quote)
@newkie
So every good team has a good manager and a good captain.
Who are ours?
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Bobby, well I would if I thought you might be right 😉 😆
dan4toon(Quote)
I’m not even sure if I’ve said we’re a good team Bobby. And for the record I don’t think every “good” team does have a good manager and a good captain. I think Petrov and Mcleish are both sh*t for villa, but they’re still a good team 😀
Newkie(Quote)
@dan
If you have the attitude that you can’t be bothered to read but make a decision on that basis puts you in the 90% bracket of the british population.
You are not alone. 😆
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
@newkie
Thankyou.
That will do me.
Point proved.
So really you agree with me that Ashley is building a mediocre team.
This is too easy.
Anyone else around for a more challenging debate? 😳
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Bobby 😆
In all seriousness, when you say great clubs have a great manager and a great captain.
That’s true but it also takes time to get to that stage and in the next few year we will see if we can slowly but surely manage to get someone near that.
dan4toon(Quote)
@dan
We better start first of all getting a great manager in .
Then getting a great captain in.
Yeh? 🙄
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
No Bobby, I said I hadn’t said that we were a good team, I didn’t say that I didn’t think we were a good team. Gosh, you really should learn to read 😕
The notion that every “good” team has a “good” captain and a “good” manager requires huge qualification, and quite frankly its a ridiculous idea. Nevertheless, we will be a good team next year because we have a good squad both in terms of technical quality and leadership attributes across the board. Frankly it doesn’t matter who is chosen as our captain, there are numerous suitable candidates. Pardew as a manager is presumably “good” as he has proven he can manage in the EPL? Many “world class” managers are currently in the CC.
Thank you, and Good Night 😉
Newkie(Quote)
Uh oh. As usual newkie disappears when it gets hot in the kitchen. 😆
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
I’ve answered your question, Starbob. What next?
BrisVegas(Quote)
HOWMAN!
Rodzilla(Quote)
Woo hoo hoo hoo. That was the poorest answer I’ve had so far.
You say;
No Bobby, I said I hadn’t said that we were a good team, I didn’t say that I didn’t think we were a good team.
What exactly did you say newkie? 😆
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Bobby, you gave me a minute to reply, and still messed up with that gloat, quality 😆
Newkie(Quote)
@brisvegas
I ignored your answer cos it was ridiculous . 😆
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
436 comments 😯
toonsy(Quote)
MInd you, I’ve yet to read through them all yet 😆 😕
toonsy(Quote)
Dear me, its not too complicated for you is it bobby 😕
You came out with your great team delusional nonesense, and I showed that you were talking ****.
Then you assumed I had claimed we were a good team, before even asking me or qualifying my thoughts. What do we do when we assume bobby…
Newkie(Quote)
Pardews our great manager and Shola should be our captain, hows that bs?;D
Jobey07(Quote)
Bobby, well lets give Pardew a little time before we judge. Next season will be ‘his’ team and lets see how he does and if we see improvement then hopefully we can build on that again.
As for captain I think Coloccini will get it for 1 or 2 seasons and then Saylor will, which personally when he gets a full season or two under his belt will be a great appointment.
Especially as then captain and manager seem to get on really well.
dan4toon(Quote)
im off to bed lads take care 😛
Army69(Quote)
@436 Just like the question, then, eh?
BrisVegas(Quote)
@newkie
I bet your gutted . 😆
Still waiting for your answer.
You stated Alan Pardew as our GOOD manager and numerous candidates for captain.
Still waiting newkie.
Struggling. 😆
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Jobey 440 Bang on, if Shola is as good as Tevez surely he will be as good a captain 😀 ? oh..wait.. 😯
😆
Newkie(Quote)
@dan
Hmmm.
Colo the man who comes across as the quiet fella in the team, who was behind Smudger, Nolan and Barton as captain?
Not a great choice dan IMO but at least you had the balls to name one unlike newkie. 😆
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Bobby, I truly am gutted for you when you can’t grasp simple statements. As I stated our squad has good leadership attributes and individuals spread throughout it.
Barton was captaining towards the end of last season-if he is chosen he is proven captain material.
Steve Harper has shown he has spirit and loyalty.
Colo has already captained us in pre season and did a good job by all accounts, I believe he could make a good captain.
Steven Taylor has experience of captainship at international level, albeit England u21.
Whoever is chosen as captain, I believe they will be good. Are you going to write them off before even seing them?
Far from struggling, I do at least answer questions rather than changing the subject too 😀
Newkie(Quote)
Still waiting for your captain newkie.
It’s gone beyond embarrassing now. 😳
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
I’d go for Taylor if im honest. Vocal and captained u 21’s
Jobey07(Quote)