What a fitting end to a simply incredible few months on Tyneside.
The final home game of the 2021/22 season and a five-star performance from all involved, as a Ben White own goal – set up brilliant by Joelinton – and Bruno Guimaraes strike saw us beat Arsenal 2-0 in front of a packed out St James’ Park.
We looked like the side battling for a place in the top four – not Arsenal – and we dominated from start to finish, creating enough chances to win by four or five, winning the midfield battle by a landslide, defending superbly and enjoying almost 70% possession in the first half.
It was our most complete performance under Eddie Howe, a win that keeps our top 10 hopes alive – we are now up to 12th on 46 points – and the perfect end to a rollercoaster season that’s ended in style, whetting our appetite for what’s ahead.
The atmosphere inside the ground was breathtaking as the players came out, with Wor Flags delivering their biggest and best display yet as all four sides of the stadium were filled with flags, tributes and black and white banners galore.
We responded to that with a fast start, seeing Callum Wilson looking razor sharp in the opening stages. OK, he was caught offside a few too many times, but his constant runs in behind were stretching an Arsenal defence who were struggling to cope with his pace and power.
Joelinton – the newly crowned player of the season – was bang at it, Bruno Guimaraes was showing Arteta what he was missing out on alongside him and Sean Longstaff was also playing at a much higher tempo after a lacklustre outing at Man City last weekend.
We’d dominated the first 20 minutes, having 65% of the ball and long periods of pressure, but didn’t have a goal to show for it; even if all the signs suggested we had Arsenal on the ropes.
Saint-Maximin had the beating of Tomiyasu and was causing havoc when we got him on the ball. His final ball into the box was mixed, but he was clearly in the mood – linking up well with teammates, forcing the opposition to commit fouls and going close to scoring the opening goal after cutting in from the right and unleashing a stinging low show that Ramsdale did well to tip wide.
The one criticism was we hadn’t tested their goalkeeper enough or made the most of our early dominance, but we were on top heading into a second half at the Gallowgate.
Arsenal were going to lose this and ruin their top four hopes if they didn’t improve. They came out with a little more urgency in the second half, but the biggest blow they landed was on Fabian Schar – who has out cold for a spell after a heavy collision with Eddie Nketiah.
The Swiss centre-back couldn’t continue and was taken off as a precaution, seeing Jamaal Lascelles come on and take the captains armband.
Then, after some brilliant play down the left between ASM and Joelinton, our player of the season burst clear down the left and delivered the perfect low ball across the box. Wilson got in between the two centre-backs and Ben White’s late lunge saw him bundle into his own net!
1-0 Newcastle and a goal our display and overall control of the game thoroughly deserved. A shame to see Wilson not credited with the goal, but it was his movement in the box that made all the difference.
Saying that, our fit-again number nine came so close to make it 2-0 on two separate occasions after that, lashing one volley just over before White blocked a 72nd minute effort that almost looped into the far corner.
Howe then made his second and third change of the night with 15 minutes remaining, as Ryan Fraser and Jacob Murphy came on for a much improved Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron.
I wonder if that’ll be the last time we see the Paraguayan at St James’ Park? If it is, he ended his time on Tyneside with a typically energetic display and deserved the ovation he received. His quality on the final third may be lacking at times, but there’s few players in the Premier League who work as hard.
Arsenal had to throw bodies forward to get their Champions League hopes back on track – Tottenham would go into the final day in 4th if the Gunners didn’t score twice without reply – but it was us who almost made it 2-0.
Murphy burst clear and we had a two on one. He played a one-two with Fraser and, after a period of indecision, didn’t get a hold of his shot. A missed opportunity to kill the game, yet we almost saw one of the goals of the season seconds later when Wilson took down a long ball just a few yards into the Arsenal half and almost lobbed a scrambling Ramsdale with an incredible first time effort!
In the end, those misses didn’t matter as Bruno Guimaraes scored at the Gallowgate to double our lead with just five minutes remaining.
Longstaff – who was having one of his best games since the Benitez era – did brilliantly to pick out Wilson, whose effort was smothered by an onrushing Ramsdale, but the ball fell to our blonde-haired Brazilian and he made no mistake!
Because Schar’s withdrawal was a concussion substitution, we were able to make our fourth change of the night in stoppage time, seeing Dwight Gayle replace the brilliant Callum Wilson. He was sensational tonight and deserved a goal for setting the tone up top from the off.
Also nice to see Howe give Gayle one last ovation, with it widely accepted that he will leave the club this summer after falling way down the pecking order of late.
The full-time whistle went and the celebrations continued both on an off the field at St James’ Park, seeing fans lap it up from the stands and the players share hugs all round as new director Majed Al Sorour and co-owner Amanda Staveley also came onto the pitch. Heck, even Dec came onto the field to wave a big black and white flag about!
On our final home game of the season, the last word must be on Wor Flags – a group of unpaid volunteers who knocked it out of the park at St James’ Park yet again tonight!
A trip to Burnley awaits on the last day of the 2021/22 season next Sunday, but we can’t wait to see what lies ahead – both on and off the field – over the coming months. HWTL.
Cracking win! ?????
Gilly Toon(Quote)
So, we have moved above the fraud/lucky tw@t Bruce points total with 46.
Well done Eddie. All NUFC fans for sticking with us. Well done Amanda and Mehrdad for being on the pitch after the game. Well done Jamie Reuben for matching foodbank donations.
200 million spend in the summer inclusive of Agents fees.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I said it before the game that this Arsenal team are massively overrated by the Southern Press. But that should not take anything away from our performance because we crushed them when we had nothing to play for and they had CL to play for.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Great result, see what believing in yourself can do. Like Eddie said don’t be the hunted be the hunters.
kimtoon(Quote)
Great result, see what believing in yourself can do. Like Eddie said don’t be the hunted be the hunters.
kimtoon(Quote)
So, I had a friend who is a pilot over the other night. We watched Top Gun from like 30 years ago on NetFlix. I had never seen it before. *** what a terrible movie! There is a sequel coming out now and I implore everybody on here never to watch the original and probably not the sequel. The original was unbelievably bad.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
What a fantastic evening. I bet I’m not the only one with a sore throat this morning. Passing and movement was great to see.
Groucho(Quote)
What an extraordinary job Eddie Howe has done. But there is something else going on. Our owners seem to be having fun. They are enjoying being at the match and being with fans and players. If you look around most teams in the PL the owners are just there in the directors boxes with sullen looks on their face.
Our owners seem to be enjoying themselves. Look at Bill Kenwright at Everton! He looks like a toad who had just eaten a particularly distasteful and possibly poisonous newt.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
not happy some of the press are saying toon want to hire Jose for next season to take the club forward,how is Howe going to think of that,imo Jose has lost a lot of what he had his day is gone
icedog(Quote)
I would suspect that Jose is DOF or at Board level
PremAndUp(Quote)
Eddie needs at least one full season with backing to see what he can really do! I think he’ll do well and I’m very positive for next season. First time in many years! They will not replace him …
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Eddie will be manager I’m sure.
Loads of people listing potential teams for next season and putting Now on the bench? No thanks, he has to be one of the 1st names on the team sheet.
Shamrock(Quote)
*Joe
Shamrock(Quote)
I can see Joe and Bruno playing a double pivot role, a bit like Rice and Phillips for England. Then we can play 4-2-3-1
PremAndUp(Quote)
I like Jose and always thought he’d manage us one day but for me Eddie HAS to stay, been brilliant since he arrived, great motivator and the lads love him it seems.
kimtoon(Quote)
What a fantastic performance from the lads, best game we’ve had for many years.
With 4-5 quality additions in the summer and luck with injuries (or a better sports science department than we had under Ashley) I would fancy us to nick a europa or europa conference spot next season.
Let’s not forget that with the World Cup breaking up the season we have the opportunity to line up some reinforcements in the winter transfer window as well if needed.
John mac(Quote)
I think 4 to 5th with decent additions
PremAndUp(Quote)
We HAVE TO HAVE TO HAVE TO sign Matty Targett!!!!!.
I don’t care who else we are looking at or how good they are – get them as well if we have to – but if our club do not turn that lads loan into a permanent deal for as little as £15m I’ll be fizzing!!.
That lad is a huge reason for our upturn in form & has been a 8/10 since he’s came in for me.
He’s such a solid player & only 26 – we would be MAD not to sign him!!!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
We’d be mad not to sign Targett. From what I have seen, Saka is a very good player and Matt totally owned him.
Seen some comments that the commentators on Sky were all about how bad Arsenal were and hardly mentioned how well NUFC did. I dont think it was as bad here in the US but there was a bit of that. Probably to be expected though as there was a lot more riding on the game for Arsenal than us.
I had said many times before the game that I thought Arsenal were overrated so it wasnt a massive surprise. However, I was surprised that Saka was so quiet.
And I think Pepe cost them like 70 million. He must be up there with Pogba and Kepa as the worst buys of all time, although he didnt look bad when he came on. But you dont buy a player for that amount to have him on the bench.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sharpy: there is a delay in the comments and I was saying exactly the same thing as you about Targett after I had watched the game again last night. I typed what I said before I had read your comment 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Let’s see how S’ton get on against Liverpool reserves. Although, we would probably take most of that team including the 106 year old James Milner.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Martin Atkinson is retiring at the end of the season at age 51 so this is probably the last time I will see him. It is therefore my last chance to say that he looks as old as my Grandfather just before he died at age 91.
If Jamie Vardy hadnt got the lookalikee award for being Albert Steptoe you would have to give it to Atkinson.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Ice – I know you’ve mentioned Sarr from Watford. I really like him & think he’d give good balance to the team – he’s basically a right footed ASM.
But we’ve also been linked with the lad Brennan Johnson from Forest – he’s scored tonight & if we were to get him I think we’d be getting one hell of a player!!. He’s still a young lad – 19 I think, but he’s outstanding from what I’ve seen of him this season.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I am getting totally sick of pundits saying that a player getting the ball means there couldnt have been a foul. Just happened for the S’ton goal. BS, you can get the ball and it can still be a foul! It happens every game and yet the pundits defend wrong decisions by saying the player got the ball.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I cant remember which game it was but Big Dan Burn totally cleaned out a player in injury time but got the ball and got a yellow card. RIGHTLY. That doesnt really happen that often and the pundits all say “oh, but he got the ball so no foul there for me”! BS.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I’m a huge admirer of the lad mate. When you think he came coz he wasn’t prepared to sit on the bench while Digne took his place in the side – how many players do that?!?!!!.
Not only that – we were bottom of the league!! – how many players do that?!??!!.
But not only that – he showed total commitment & gave 100% every game.
… AND, he’s only £15m!!.
We absolutely know what we are getting from the lad who’s still only 26.
If he wants to get Lodi as well – go get him, we need competition for places. But Lodi would have to be playing out his skin to shift Targett.
Sharpy17(Quote)
He’s a question – if they each had the same fee, who would you take?
Declan Rice
Kelvin Phillips
James Ward Prowse
Sharpy17(Quote)
They are all bl00dy good players. I thought Rice was over-hyped too early because the southern press have a hard on for West Ham, but he is probably the one I would take. But West Ham want 150 mil so that isnt going to happen (despite your hypothetical question 🙂 ).
I am a bit worried about the injury to Kalvin Phillips, but he is probably the most likely of the 3 that we could get.
Ward-Prowse would be fighting for the ball at free kicks with Tripps. I think we have that problem solved for a couple of years now and Targett can take a decent corner. No more Shelvey floaters, please 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
NUFC.com are reporting that a tournament that we were set to play in Ohio has been cancelled. ****! That would have been easy for me to get to and Columbus is supposedly a nice place. The other venue was Cincinnati. I could have probably watched at least 2 games live – I can drive there – so again, ****!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I am doing my own head in over Miggy. I look at the stats and I think we should sell him. 1 goal and zero assists in 40 games screams sell. But then I realise that most of that was with the Cabbage and the Steves in charge and with no Wilson under Eddie Howe. When Miggy played at Atlanta he had a very similar forward to Wilson (Martinez) and thrived. I have changed my mind again and think we should keep him unless we get a massive upgrade.
That’s the advantage of being the richest club in the world – we dont HAVE to sell anybody.
Every time I say “Richest Club in the World” it reminds me of Harry Enfield and that Brummie character of his who would say to people “Excoose me sport, but Oy appear to be consideerbloy reecher than yoo”.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Didn’t he also play through the middle, not wide. If we switch to 4-2-3-1- I think he would be an option in the middle of the three.
PremAndUp(Quote)
Yes he did Prem. Much more as a number 10. I have gone back to thinking that Miggy will be a good squad player. I keep thinking of our injuries and realise we will need backup. Even Wood is injured now and we have players that are/were carrying injuries and still playing that we never find out about until they have to sit – Shelvey, Big Joe, Lewis and others.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – I love Miggys workrate & enthusiasm, but he’s struggled in the PL to make a real impact with goals & assists.
He may not be top of the list as one to move on ASAP but he’s certainly one to replace imo.
I would say the same about Murphy & Fraser if I’m being brutally honest. Both came on against Arsenal & played pretty well – but both missed big chances. I know they were fresh into the game, but they were goal scoring chances regardless.
We need a new CF for sure, but we need goals from else where at the same time. ASM will get some, Bruno now will add to that – but we need our wide right & other midfielders to chip in too – and that’s going to require better players.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: what I am saying is we need a squad and we will not have world class players in every position so Miggy, Fraser and Murphy can perhaps do a job. I always think back to the Fergie teams and they had some great players but they also had Tom Cleverly, Wes Brown, Phil Neville, John O’Shea, Darren Gibson. You never really saw how average they were until they left and played in bad teams. Sunderland seemed to sign most of them 🙂 We were lucky that we only got Nicky **** who was only ever only slightly better than average.
I think we can carry Miggy, Fraser and Murphy as squad players especially as they all work their @rses off.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I will get back to FFP. Some on here will know I work in finance and have a Financial Planning degree so I can see when something fishy is going on. Our accounts state that we lost approximately 40 mil over 2 years due to Covid. Everton say they lost 170 mil and then the PL give them a free pass on the FFP rules. There is something not right there.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I’m no fan of 4-2-3-1, I’m a 4-3-3 man and don’t think we are too far away (player wise) from having a decent squad for that formation.
We obviously need to keep strengthening, but what we need this summer – he’s my take on it:
GK – I love Dubravka, but there’s nowt behind him. I think we need a new keeper to strengthen that position.
RB – Trips is a legend, but is 31 so maybe 2 good seasons in him. Krafth to be fair has been excellent under Howe – so we will need to strengthen but not urgently this summer. (There’s also Manq)
RCB – Schar has been excellent since Howe & Burn came in & has renewed his contract. Lascelles is decent enough cover – so again, not urgent.
LCB – Burn is class and at 29/30 has probably 2/3 good seasons. But with Clark and Dummett behind him we need to strengthen in the summer (Clark will hopefully go).
LB – we have to sign Targett. Manq could cover but not his natural position (same as Trip). So sign Targett & bring in another.
CM – Joelinton HAS to be seen as a midfielder now. Shelvey has improved under Howe & Bruno is going to be a huge player for us. Longstaff played well against Arsenal – but that has to be every week if he stays. Even if Longstaff stays I think we need 2 in the summer.
LF – ASM as frustrating as he can be is the man for that position. But I’m not sure on Miggy, Murph or Fraser behind him.
RF – we need a first team right forward imo – Miggy, Murph and Fraser aren’t good enough. I don’t mind them staying as back up to ASM and whoever we get for the right – but we need 1 RF.
CF – Wilson is class, but will be out injured for periods. Wood can do a job but has proven since January that he’s not the player for long term cover if we want goals. We need 1 top CF.
So for the summer I’m wanting x1 GK, x2 LB (one being Targett), x1 LCB, x2 CM, x1 RF, x1 CF.
There’s 8 players in. I don’t mind if it’s loans, free transfers or fees. But that’s what we need for a squad that could comfortably make a challenge for top 6-8 regardless of injuries or suspension (proved they don’t all come at once).
Sharpy17(Quote)
I forgot about Willock – maybe just 1 CF in that case.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Bit ambitious there Sharpy even if I agree with a lot you say. One player I’d get rid of is Murphy. The guy wastes chance after chance. In fact every time he gets one he gets a rush to the head. We’d be 10 points better off if he could keep his cool.
georgio(Quote)
Sharpy.
I think that when we look at next season and going forward we should be thinking about our likely league position. In most games we will be playing teams that we have to break down, That’s why I and an attacking Midfielder to combine with two wide men and a CF, Hence 4-2-3-1 In that position we have Miggy and Willock, bot good squad players, but neither world class.
Against the stronger teams where we need the extra defensive man then a CDM stiffens the midfield and our wide men have to defend more. We have tried Shelvey in that role and before him Hayden,
So I think we do need 2 CM, Paquetá as ACM and Kamara DCM. I admit two great players when you only intend to use one of them per game, but hey we are Newcastle.
PremAndUp(Quote)
I agree with most of what Sharpy said. Not sure on Lascelles though. I watched a Youtube Channel where they were going through the stats. Lascelles won most of his aerial battles against Arsenal but completed 1 of 10 passes. I dont think that is how Eddie wants us to play and his inability to play out from the back will mean we sell him.
Lascelles is the new Mike Williamson. A hard worker and good in the air, but **** scared of the ball at his feet. I am surprised the Sharpster didnt say ship him out and get Joe Gomez in!!! We can afford him.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Giving some thought to who fills those positions – just suggests:
GK – Henderson loan to buy
LB – Targetts signed. Then Lodi would be around £30-40m I reckon. Bakker could probably got for £20-25m.
LCB – NDicka has been spoken about for around £17m.
CM – Paqueta for me – big part of the budget at around £60m, but get him!!.
RW – Sarr would be around £40m I reckon but his stats are similar to ASM. I like Johnson from Forest as well – maybe £20-30m as an alternative.
CF – Nunez would be first choice but probably £60m plus there. Toney for half that would be a good alternative imo – but a free with little risk would be Nketiah. He struggled against us but which Arsenal player didn’t??. I like him & depending on how much we want to spend, I think he’d improve the squad at little cost.
Ultimately we are talking a budget of around £200m – which is double the budget being mentioned at the mo – so maybe they are looking to do it even slower than me ??♂️.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Eric I think we have Tarkovski lined up to replace him. Not a giant leap forward
PremAndUp(Quote)
Due to the lag on this site I saw no comments after Eric’s FFP post ???? sorry lads I wasn’t ignoring your posts – can’t bl00dy see them ?????♂️
Sharpy17(Quote)
I am going to repeat this because there is something dodgy going on at Everton. The PL are giving them preferential treatment. There is no way they can have Covid losses of 170 million when we had losses of 40 mil in the same period. Then there is Usmanov. The Russian Oligarch that they have basically ignored even when they kicked Abramovich out of Chelsea. He “voluntarily” gave up his sponsorship deals with the Scouse Mackems. But him and Moshiri, the Everton owner, have ties going back to their Arsenal days.
Everton are being given a free ride and I have no idea why.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
If I’ve posted I have to reload the page and then refresh it to get anything
PremAndUp(Quote)
Looking at some of the current roumers and taking a slightly more economical route
Not a great fan of Henderson and much as I would like Oblak, Cakir is 26 and is available for £20m.
Lodi, Targett would cost £40m
Ndicks £25m
Tarkowski is on a Free as is Kamara CDM
Paqueta would be £40m
RW we have a choice, we womnt get Dembele on a Free and Diaby at £50m is a lot, so Sarr at £25m looks a deal.
Much as I would like Nunez for at Least £50m, we could get both Kalajdzic and Ekitike and still have £10m in change
Be a hell of a squad change from £200m
PremAndUp(Quote)
How is the current Everton situation tied to NUFC? Because of the grief the PL gave us over Saudi ownership. It is double standards and I am sure it will continue. I am certain we have not seen the last of the Satanic Six trying to block Saudi sponsorship of NUFC even though Man U have taken Saudi Telecom money for more than 10 years.
My guess, and I have no inside knowledge, is the Pif will fund the summer spending because they dont have to report it. Then they will announce a mega sponsorship deal after the transfer window closes.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The lag between posting and seeing any replies has been going on for about a year and is particularly annoying on Match days. You would think the Blog techies would have fixed it by now.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
ERIC i have found that you must refresh the page right after you make comment,hope that helps mate
icedog(Quote)
I have to be honest, when we are throwing names around on who to sign, I can’t say I mind too much.
I’d love to sign Paqueta & we HAVE to sign Targett. But other than that, as long as we are strengthening our squad & Howe isn’t having to go with his 4th or 5th choice as managers under Ashley had to, then I’m fine with whoever Howe favours.
I’m not sure Trakowski is much of an upgrade on Lascelles though, and at similar ages I don’t really see the point in that one. If we were getting a CB of similar quality but 5 years younger so we got to develop him, then fair enough. But I don’t think Lascelles would upset the dressing room or do anything that would need him shifting really.
I’d swap him for Dreynar actually – he’s on a free and only about 26 so we’d get years out of him & played with Bruno at Lyon didn’t he?!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Denayar and NDicka would suit me, but it depends upon the wage demands of the free agents. Lingaard has priced himself out of a move here, that may be true of Denayar and Kamara as well. It almost certainly is true of Dembele.
PremAndUp(Quote)
I think our problem position is Number 10. I reckon we can find a striker who will get us 15 goals whether it be Nunez or somebody else. We need someone at 10 who can get us 15 goal involvements and they are not on the books now. Not Miggy, and ASM has been ineffective there. Longstaff and Shelvey are too slow to play there AND do a high press.
The only alternative on our books currently is “Little Joe” Willock. He has an eye for goal but usually arrives late so is not really a 10 either.
The only number 10 I have really seen us linked with is Paqueta so we should probably go all out for him. Maybe someone on here can correct me and tell me other 10s we can look at?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The Wor Flags displays have been brilliant since Ashley left. However, I have seen some people say that they are unique and the rest of the league are now copying us. I have one question for them – have you ever watched a Dortmund game?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Is Ekitike a number 10?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Anyone watching the Europa final with Rangers and Frankfurt? Canny
Annoyed with site still! ?(Quote)
No mate more a wide forward really.
I’m not fussed about a number 10 if we play 4-3-3. Both Willock & Bruno have got forward and scored goals.
If we had a midfield of Joelinton, Bruno & Paqueta – I think we’d get goals out of that.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I posted a reply to Prem before and it hasn’t saved ????♂️.
Prem – I was basically saying how disappointed I was with Lingard. I was steaming we didn’t sign him in Jan when we had the chance. Ultimately we didn’t need him, but had we got him I think we’d be finishing top 10 for sure. He’s Miggy with an end product – maybe less headless chicken.
For him to want 150k a week just shows he’s still a greedy little ****. We shouldn’t entertain anything over half that amount imo.
I don’t see that from Dreynar or Kamara though. I think both would take playing in the PL on a decent wage over greed.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Gilly – aye it’s a decent game mate, all Frankfurt like. NDicka hasn’t been tested at all yet.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Goal for Rangers.
Annoyed with site still! ?(Quote)
If Rangers can win this, then why couldnt we in a couple of years? And that is CL qualification as well.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Really impressed with Bassey for Rangers like. On this game I’d take him ahead of NDicka
Sharpy17(Quote)
Very too mate
Sharpy17(Quote)
It is pretty amazing the turnaround in Rangers since the Fatman tried to buy them and put in his Tat Shop kit deals. Shows what can be done and with the money and ambition we have now at NUFC the sky is the limit.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It’s being reported that Idrissa Gueye refused to play for PSG because their shirt was adorned with a rainbow symbol supporting LGBTQ+ rights. Watford’s Sarr has publicly supported Gueye’s stance. If true he isn’t welcome here.
PremAndUp(Quote)
What is all this boll0cks I see about needing to move from SJP to have a much higher capacity? The money is not in ticket sales anymore. It would be nice to have access for more fans but it is probably better to upgrade SJP and get it up to a capacity of 60k. That is completely doable from what I have seen.
Now compare a 60k SJP to other grounds:
Anfield 53k
Spurs 62k
Man City 53k
Arsenal 60k
Chelsea 42k
Is the ground size holding any of these teams back? Ticket demand may outstrip supply but that is the way it is with a lot of things, like buying concert tickets.
I just see so much rubbish talked on the internet and on Blogs that it boggles my mind. We are not moving from SJP so this is the last thing I will say about it 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – totally agree mate. RM are refurbishing their stadium and as such protect the history that goes with it.
We can modernise the stadium, make it state of the art & expend it without having to knock it down & start it again.
I’ve got almost a 35 year history with SJP – I was there pre Keegan, when you could turn up on the day & pay at the gate. I was there when Tino took Barca apart & had good & bad times there. I want us to stay.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I think I want the Mackems to get promoted. I have never hated Mackems, just made fun of them! I left Newcastle when I was 18 and never worked in the city. I have only met 2 Mackems in my life. They dont seem to travel well 🙂 I have never met a single Mackem in Chicago and have lived here 30 years. Only 1 in London and I lived there 3 years. They must all stay at home at night and beat their wives 🙂 I have travelled all around the world and owned a travel company, and yet never bumped into any Mackems.
But I want them to get promoted. I want to have derbies and I want them to feel good about their team again. They are no real threat to us now and I think it would be good for the North East as a whole.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
My only problem with the Mackems getting promoted is with the 2 chancers that still own them. I dont want to see them make any money on their thievery.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eddie’s at it again talking down our summer transfer budget. Don’t believe him, he is bluffing the journos. Our targets are Darwin Nunez and Lucas Paqueta and if they will come to us we will spend 100 million on the pair. We can fill in the gaps with other signings after that, including Matt Targett, a goalie and a Centre Back.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I’m beginning to think this £60m budget is per player
PremAndUp(Quote)
I cant get out of the habit of watching the relegation battle so will watch Everton and Palace soon. That is make or break for the Blue Bindippers but most will say Palace will have their flip-flops on.
It seems we have been in a relegation fight since we returned to the PL. Didnt Rafa have like an awful first 10 games 1 year? Then the Cabbage never really pulled away until like the last 5 or 6 games so we were worrying for most of the season.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Origi off to Milan so that is one to cross off our striker list. I would also cross off Calvert-Lewin and Bamford who I have also seen mentioned.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Whilst I would like Nunez we could get both Kalajdzic and Ekitike and still have £10m in change.
The problem I have with buying Nunez is we have only two good strikers. Also I think Kalajdzic and Ekitike would work well together, Both tall mobile, fast and young.
PremAndUp(Quote)
I dont mind us looking at Henderson as competition for Dubravka. Dubs is 33 so we need someone. Everybody says goalies last longer but quite often that is not true. They quite often outlive their skills because of this semi-myth. I can think back to David Seaman and Peter Shilton who were played a bit beyond their sell-by-date.
Schmeikle is getting a bit of stick at Leicester and he is 35. He is making a lot of mistakes according to their fans. I just think it is wise to think about replacing someone in their mid-30s.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I watched Wraith’s Show with John Gibson and he was mentioining the return of Wood and Tripps to Burnley on Sunday. He TOTALLY FORGOT that Eddie used to manage Burnley. If we relegate them I think there would be a lot of mixed feelings there.
Eric Sykes(Quote)