First up, Managing Director, Derek Llambias was verbally abused by a number of fans in a bar before the match. That’s not so bad and is kind of to be expected given the feelings that are going around at the moment, but it’s not ideal.
No doubt we’ll now get the old “I can’t go to a bar without getting shouted at” routine which will probably just annoy him further and make him do something else we don’t like eventually in my opinion. It wasn’t the worst part of the night either…
That came early in the second half, just after Sammy Ameobi scored his first senior Magpie goal when some sections of the Newcastle support saw fit to run onto the pitch. Violence broke out between the two sets of fans which resulted in the match being temporarily abandoned and saw Alan Pardew, John Carver, Joey Barton and Alan Smith plead with fans to return to the stands.
I will stress that Darlington weren’t blameless in all this, but it’s unacceptable behaviour all the same. I can only hope that the club follow through the words they released in a statement late last night. It read:
“On behalf of everyone at Newcastle United, we wholly condemn the behaviour of a number of our supporters who invaded the pitch during the second half of the club’s friendly against Darlington.”
“The club will be seeking to obtain footage of the disorder from Darlington and the police and will be taking the strongest possible action against those individuals responsible for the shameful behaviour. This behaviour is not typical of the vast majority of our fans, however this incident gives a poor impression of Newcastle United and its loyal supporters.”
A lifetime ban for a moment of madness is fine by me. Those 500 or so fans ruined it for the majority last night so they deserve all they get in my opinion.
Moving onto the football, it was a pretty comfortable match in the end. Joey Barton put the away side a goal up in the opening minutes after Leon Best knocked Alan Smith’s cross into the path of Barton who finished from just a couple of yards out.
Speaking of Leon Best, he looked pretty sharp and tested the Darlington goalkeeper on numerous occasions without finding the back of the net. Kind of makes you wonder why the club are apparently happy to sell him but hey-ho.
Hatem Ben Arfa made his first start since that fateful day at Manchester City last season and came through 73 minutes unscathed. He showed some good touches but in fairness the game was always going to be more about his fitness than the performance. Crucially he rode the tackles well and got up everytime, which was my main concern, and he even had a hand in Sammy Ameobi’s goal on 55 minutes.
Yohan Cabaye came on earlier than anticipated as Danny Guthrie left the field with what is thought to be some form of hamstring injury. The debutant looked neat and tidy and showed the footballing intelligence that Alan Pardew has been raving about at times.
Shane Ferguson started the match but was withdrawn at half-time because of an as yet unspecified injury. All I’ll say is that it can’t be that bad if he managed to make it through until half-time. Naturally we’ll have to wait and see what the official line is, but I’d like to hope that it’s nothing too serious.
All in all, trouble aside, it was a decent run out for the team and all but two substitutes were used in the end. Sammy Ameobi impressed the most from what I’ve read of people. His directness and clever play was backed up by a cool finish to give him the goal that kicked it all off. It’s just a shame that his first senior goal was followed by a group of idiots running onto the pitch. Still, hopefully there will be a load more goals to follow so he’ll soon forget about it.
Howay the lads! Apart from the 500 or so arseholes….
NUFC Fraser Forster, Danny Simpson (Paul Dummett), Steven Taylor (James Tavernier), Mike Williamson (Jeff Henderson), Shane Ferguson (Ryan Taylor), Joey Barton (Mehdi Abeid), Danny Guthrie (Yohan Cabaye, Ryan Donaldson), Alan Smith (Dan Gosling), Haris Vuckic (Sammy Ameobi), Hatem Ben Arfa (Michael Richardson), Leon Best (Nile Ranger).
Sounds like we could have a canny striker on our hands in young Sammy….hope he develops into a good ‘un..
Munich Mag(Quote)
How did Gosling and Vuckic do?
Any stand out performers from the academy aside from Prince Sammy?
sunlounger(Quote)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txweF3K2zlE
Is that Richietoon coming down at 0.29 seconds to have a word in the blokes lug ??….
They should all be banned…numpties. HBA didn’t seem impressed at all…
Munich Mag(Quote)
Does anybody have footage of the goals please? Would really love to view the two goals.
Ahmed4nufc(Quote)
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/sammy-ameobi-darlington-13163864/
Munich Mag(Quote)
Yeah, not a good showing at all from those who chose to invade the pitch… Poor form indeed..
Slightly off/on topic… Is it just me or does Ferguson seem to pick up an injury every game he plays – gets substituted – then shows up ready for the next weeks game with no issues 😯
He seems a really good prospect but he may be a bit fragile in the heart department when he gets a knock…I am pretty sure he has come off in every game injured.. I am happy to be corrected if I am wrong..
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Thanks a lot Munich Mag 🙂 Decent finish from Ameobi I must say. Look forward to seeing more of him.
ahmed4nufc(Quote)
Yes thanks MM. Doubt he’ll get that much space and time in the EPL
Premandup(Quote)
It seems most of the violence came from young drunk teenagers its kinda a shame that people will be talking about the violennce instead of the football.
If our fans spent half the energy they do on moaning about our owner/chairman/manager/team we would have a support to rival the Glasgow Oldfirm (Best supporters in the world IMO)
I still think a lifetime ban would be harsh maybe a season ban.
Santii(Quote)
tavernier vuckic and young fergy played very well……shame about the hastle sammys goal was mint!!!!
john(Quote)
Havent seen it but disgracful what happened and I think the club should come down hard on those involved , not sure about a life time ban but they need to crack down on it.
Good to hear the lads getting a run out , nice to see a few of the youngsters get a run as well. And hopefully they take their chance and stake a claim to be in the 1st team squad plans
Johno Toon(Quote)
Why not a lifetime ban? Everyone moans about how disgraceful the behavior is but the idiots do it because they know they will get away with it! Only a lifetime ban will stop any future incidents…
Nathandio(Quote)
Quite frankly, it’s embarrassing.
A friendly at Darlington with the majority of our new signings on the pitch.
One thing though,
Why is Sami such a cult hero…?
Shola.
Just shows that fans really do secretly love Shola, or else why would Sami get the support he does over other players? 😉
Moreno(Quote)
….it was pretty funny though
Moreno(Quote)
But does a lifetime ban fit the crime nathandio? Im not in any way condoning this sort of behaviour but does a moment of madness deserve to be punished for life? I dont think we have a reputation for this sort of thing , but that doesnt give a minority of fans the right to behave like that. Yeah alcohol will be blamed but people do need to take responsiblity for their actions , I just dont feel a lifetime ban is the approapite response.
Johno Toon(Quote)
A lifetime ban…..?
Aye for assaulting someone maybe but for running on the pitch at Darlo in a friendly? Bit extreme if you ask me.
F*#K Llambias !
Moreno(Quote)
Handbags compared to the late 60s and 70s, still doesnt make it right but no worse than at the SOS last season
Robert(Quote)
I was there, I didn’t run onto the pitch but I did record it, I’ll put it on Youtube later and post the link!
Personally I thought Cabaye and Best were our best two players, Cabaye’s range of passing is very good.
Also thought Abeid did well, he can take people on for fun and is very two footed!
dan4toon(Quote)
@13 ameobi’s great he loves scoring against the scum and has scored more goals in europe than the scum hes scored 6 the scum have scored 5.
last night was a disgrace and they should get lifetime bans they spoil it for the rest of us its there actions that get games played behind closed doors so none of us can go.
6000+ fans at a friendly in darlo just shows what good support we have then the idiots go embarass the club, city and fans making us a laughing stock once again
moore83(Quote)
Moore83
You obviously never did anything daft when you were young then?
Lifetime bans….Jesus H Christ.
As I said before, if they were caught being violent then fair enough but kids running up begging Joey Barton to stay….think you need a big fat dose of reality and get down off your high horse mate.
Moreno(Quote)
This isn’t my video but I just found this on Youtube;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVjKc1wCIc8
dan4toon(Quote)
someone on eds who was at the match,reckons there was sunderland fans at the match causing bother
hitman(Quote)
What a bunch of numpties….they should be forced to walk down northumberland street with their trackie bottoms round their ankles 😀
witters(Quote)
From the link on here and the other comments it seems a few drunk kids or idiots. They need to be dealt with though as it is a headline now and people LOVE to just say how “stupid/irrational” Newcastle fans are, not being a geordie I get it all the time. Its nonsense but not only is that not needed it plays into the hands of those portraying us as starry eyed idiots who want 5 new strikers, no defenders and Keegan back!
ToonTom(Quote)
witters – agree.
What you think about these calls for a lifetime ban?
Moreno(Quote)
Moreno…for the lads who got arrested / were violent then I’d give them a life ban but I believe the majority didn’t have violent intentions so it shouldn’t apply to all.
That said all of them have once again brought the club into disrepute, its more negative press…it’s all over the fekking news & they should all be feeling pretty guilty right now.
witters(Quote)
I think those who invaded the pitch should pay a fine to Darlington FC to help with their financial trouble, anyone doing anything of a violent nature should get a life time ban.
jay jay(Quote)
@moreno i was talking about the idiots who were violent not the sheep who followed them onto the pitch
moore83(Quote)
scumderland fans laughing at us once again ffs but i suppose u think its alright
moore83(Quote)
moore83 WTF,the scum have no high groung here,not after one of them ran om the pitch and smacked harper..
No doubt Joey Barton will get a 3 game ban for the pitch invasion. 😆 😆
hitman(Quote)
Fck Llambias, he deserves to be abused after this summer!
Stuart79(Quote)
Apologies Moore in that case,
you didn’t really make that clear.
RE: Sunderland – we are all they ever talk about anyway so this morning isn’t really any different to any other as far as I’m concerned.
Moreno(Quote)
6mth ban more than enough,a bad showing from some fans seemed most were kids to me you know what kids are for follow the leader 🙁
icedog(Quote)
Sorry Stuart but you’re wrong…
witters(Quote)
if its violent it should be lifetime like dont need that ***** it would only get worse from those types,a free pass for those who abused owl heed like 😆 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
It was a few stupid cup fans, a few daft chavs who never get the chance to go to away games who think there big and clever, having it on a friday night probably didn’t help drinking wise.
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
So… Jose’s back on Twitter according to Danny Simpson.
http://twitter.com/#!/Joseenriqe3
I hope its a sign of things to come.
sunlounger(Quote)
@hitman 1 kid ran on the pitch and pushed harper 500+ ran on and a fair few were fighting not just on the pitch it was everywhere inside and outside the stadium
moore83(Quote)
Dekka was hardly going to get pats on the back after this window was he. Robbing lying tossa. I am surprised that he even showed his face at close quarters tbh
Craig chisholm(Quote)
Dont forget also that it may be that alot of the guys who went last night dont have season tickets and dont get to go to games all that often, which may have accounted for a bit more over-excitement.
No room for violence though
Raffo(Quote)
@39
What are you talking about “after this window” we have a muuch stronger squad now than what we did have 2 months ago.
Please just get of the band wagon its just so boring reading all these comments like “were’s the 35 million, their robbing tossers or I HATE ASHLEY!”.
🙄 👿 🙄
Santii(Quote)
seems pitch invasion only started as a bit of fun coz sammi scored the rest was handbags but got a little silly, nothing major prob some of it was frustration at the board. and as always they will try 2 use something else to take the focus off them and what they aint doing in the transfer market!!! they bullshit us to buy tickets he has done it since he bought us
jam(Quote)
Craig and Stuart you think it’s clever llambias verbally abused? And why is it such an awful window we have over a month left!
Teams like everton and Blackburn have bought no one for goodness sake.
Liam southern toon(Quote)
Also, it seemed from that video that the lad hit the steward and then people ran on to hit the lad who had hit the steward! Noble and daft!!!
Raffo(Quote)
@41 totally agree
moore83(Quote)
Liam – I agree mate. I think the windows been really positive so far and hopefully with another CF in we will be fine.
Also, that steward who got hit was a WOMAN steward.
Raffo(Quote)
FFS someone hit a woman? That is f**king low even for this sort of thing. Gobsmacked over that
Johno Toon(Quote)
I’m sure Derek will be really upset he got things said to him last night…Like its nothing new to him? 😯
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
15 Jul 2011 20:31:11
Apparently NUFC for sale on the continent but not being floated in england so not to recieve negative publicity at his lack of investment No interest from quatar but is for sale in the right circles in whispers….Spanish tabloids(apparent)
I love a good rumour!!!
I am seriously starting to come round to the idea of swapping Tiote for Sturridge+Matuidi.
Foolish thinking maybe but I can only see positives.
Raffo(Quote)
….just seen the scrapping, they’re showing it on Sky Sports News, unfortunately. From what I’ve seen in various clips there seems to have only been a very small contingent of nobheads fighting. Only 3 arrested. I read somewhere that one fan punched a female steward and that’s when it all kicked off.
We have a proper knack of drawing unwanted media attention to the club at NUFC. FFS.
Rodzilla(Quote)