Has James Perch proved his worth?

Perch silencing his critics
Much of the focus of this season has been on our “big hitters” such as Demba Ba, Yohan Cabaye, Cheik Tiote, Tim Krul, Fabricio Coloccini and, more recently, Papiss Demba Cisse.

However I’d like to spare a thought for some of the unsung heroes of the season. The ones who haven’t had the headlines and aren’t the subject of media fawning. I’ll start off with James Perch.

For me he is easily the most improved player of the season. You could argue that it wasn’t exactly hard for him to improve on last season, but I’d counter that by daring to suggest that he was never as bad as some made out. Granted he made a shaky start to his Newcastle career and picked up a string of bookings before scoring an own goal against Stoke and from then on became the poster boy for the boo boys, and once you have that “honour” it’s hard to shake it.

However fast forward to now and we see almost the perfect utility player. No problems off the pitch and good performances on it, Perch has shown that he can deliver in a number of roles. In fact last night at Chelsea I would even go as far as saying that our defence looked more assured with James Perch sticking to his defensive task rather than going walkabout like Danny Simpson.

I honestly can’t believe I’m going to say these, but Perch has proved his worth to me. I don’t think we’ll be able to find a player as versatile for him for as little as what he costs. Sure there are better players out there, but not at the wage Perch takes home.

Something has changed with Perch. I don’t whether it’s confidence or something else, but right now we are getting the best out of him and it’s fantastic to see. Getting the best out of the squad players is one of the reasons why we’ve done so well this season, and Perch has been one contributing factor to that.

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.

118 thoughts on “Has James Perch proved his worth?

  1. ManassasMag I would bet my life there is atleast a few but just haven’t came out yet.
    BB yeah it has a long way to go, as Ollie bernard says it has took over from race hate 😕

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  2. BB – They’ll have to make separate changing rooms! One for the straight lads and one for the gays…as daft as it sounds I would want a homosexual getting a free look at me naked lunchbox. I’d want paid for that :mrgreen:

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  3. Dave @70
    I find the Xisco thing really strange as well, its never really been said that he was lazy in training by anyone and apart from that injury faking which was part of a whole circus of events there doesn’t really seem to be anything bad about him. I mean, the couple of times I’ve seen him he’s looked pretty sharp, movement and commitment wise anyway, and wasn’t he Cabaye’s best mate after Cabaye moved here? He can’t be that much of a **** if Cabaye was speaking to him over the French lads 😕 I dunno.

    Just seems like…the only way to actually put him in the shop window is play him here, or at least loan him to championship. He’s getting **** all coverage in Spain and he doesn’t seem to be trying there either!

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  4. Raylor has been every bit as good as Perch over the whole season.

    Never seen as a good a goal as Cisse’s last night. Goal of the last 100 years. Shearer’s against Everton was a fantastic strike, but since then we’ve had Cheick’s belter against Arsenal, Benny’s recent solo effort, and Cisse’s right foot dink into the top corner. Its dreamland.

    As for Crouch’s, I thought it was over-rated at the time, and nothing’s changed my opinion.

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  5. Evil – The human race is gradually rising above homophobia.

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  6. DAVE do you never read your e-mails i sent it to you before i put it on blog,you been sleeping again 😀 😀 😉

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  7. Newkie maybe it was the old guard that had the real problem with him, as Pards did speak highly of him and stated that he felt he never got a proper chance, but at that time the loan was allready arranged, but if that didn’t work out Pards said he would work with him and give him the chance.

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  8. No need to look for hidden agendas where Xisco is concerned, he didn’t get a chance because he’s ****.

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  9. ffs cant stand the fact that someone had to clean his mess and wins without spending a fortune

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  10. Dave-Aye could be, Nolan is a right ***** after all and it would likely have been his place Xisco would have taken (when we were playing 4-4-1-1 or whatever)

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  11. RICHIE for the little ive seen of him i agree,and hes pulling nee grass in spain 😕

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  12. Back on topic i think perch is like the player i use as my user name never stops trying,never hides,always gives his all so his mistakes are more easily noticed.When we first signed him i thought we can develop him after he bossed Jonas for about 80 mins then he lost form welcome back Perchino.

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  13. Ice…half the season injured, the other half he’s **** and that’s playing at a lower level, he really is rank like.

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  14. RICHIE did wise not say he signed him because we would get pick of top talent from spain,he didnt say he was any good like 😀

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  15. Ice…I think that was a deal for “Nacho” Gonzalez with some dodgey South American agent who said we’d get all the up and coming talent 🙄

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  16. Anyhoo that’s me a way, need me kip cos I’m gonna be kicking off wi people tomorrow…will let ya know the outcome Ice 😉

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  17. Richie-You didn’t understand the heart of the article! Look at how **** everyone thought Perch was! Even forest fans laughed about us buying him. Now he’s a quality PL player whilst the Forest side almost got relegated. Maybe Xisco could be the same eh….

    not likely mind 😆

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  18. Simpson has been going back over for a while now either through injury or his contract situation, he looks well off the pace and his heart doesnt seem to be in it, and what a contrast Perch has been, energy, determination, effort, solid tackles, good positioning and decent distribution, a refreshing change.
    Loyalty to players only stretches so far and i keep hearing about Simpsons goal line clearances, fair enough but there is more required than that at this level and Perch, on his showing on Wednesday, can give us that.

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  19. Newkie….I did understand the heart of the article, I stuck up for Perch when he was getting stick(not saying I haven’t had the odd joke or two at his expense mind :mrgreen: ) and I used to work with a Forest fan who’s opinion I rated more than a few bitter feckers on a Forest forum who said he was a decent player and would do a job for us(looks like he was right), but I reckon I’ve probably seen more of Xisco than most on here and playing in his own country, and when he isn’t injured, feigning one or a real one then he really is average at best(at the lower level), he would not have and will never make a premier league footballer…can I put FACT!! at the end of this? 😉 😆

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  20. Hey Rich, you wet the bed this morning 😎
    I agree on the xisco debate… if he were good enough he would be playing…

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  21. Great vid Toonshire, How I miss those days, herded around like cattle, fenced in, treat like scum, bottles and other objects flying in from all directions…happy days :mrgreen:

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  22. great video, couldn’t stop smiling watching Beardsley tear it up when he first arrived… fantastic player… worthy of your avatar Rich.. 😀

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  23. Toonsy 😆
    I didn’t know that….That’s some chin you have got there Rich! 😆

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  24. I bet he goes to fancy dress parties dressed up as Roger Ramjet 😆

    I might be a bit biased here but how can any one call Rooney’s over head goal the best ever in the PL… The ball came off his fecking shin…. 😎
    Cisse’s leaves it for dead..

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  25. We didnt miss simmo one jot when perch came in he was superb.
    Ive never been simmos fan but he has done fairly well but I wouldnt be suprised if we bought in Debucy from lille to shore up that side.

    Perch like raylor did IMO deserves a contract boost he has been such an unsung hero its unreal i was never a fan but know think the lad is great 😉

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  26. Aye still got the birds, just ask Cath Secker….allegedly 😯 😆

    Toonsy….ya ever gonna manage to change that avatar?

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  27. I think what he may have done is put the final nail in Simpsons coffin.

    Cant see fat mick having Raylor, Santon, Perch and Pieters (when it happens) on long contracts and then giving another to Simpson, I thought one full back would leave this summer (expecting perch) and i still think it will happen but i starting to reckon wee dannys for the off now.

    Perch was outstanding wednesday as he has been since the turn of the year since the lads went the acon wherever and whenever he has been used…

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  28. RIchie….Fair enough then mate 😉 Have to say I’ve never really watched him in Spain.

    Although my house mate is actually a Forest fan and he thought Perch was **** and laughed about it….but at the same time he still argues Forest are a bigger club than us so perhaps he’s a little bitter :mrgreen:

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  29. Newkie….tbf my mate wasn’t sure how he’d do in the Prem but was sure he’d be steady enough when called on. Considering how poor a lot of Forest fans reckon he was, they seemed to have stuck with him for a long while.

    Ref Xisco, I’d give Pards the benefit of the doubt that he couldn’t have stopped the first loan spell, but he certainly didn’t have to release him for the second. He looks ok in glimpses but really poor generally and looks to have a shitty attitude, being as he’s at the club where he started off and that they’re going for promotion you’d think he’d be showing more….if he had more to show 😉

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