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Opinion

‘Still going to the games but I disagree with virtually everything Mike Ashley does’

6 years ago
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Well, been a while since I wrote anything substantial about Newcastle United, 2018 has possibly been the worst year of my life personally, circumstances in and around me prevented me from going to any away games this year. That was until Notts Forest last Wednesday night, good to see and catch up with some familiar faces, and while the result was not good I enjoyed the day/night out!

To be honest I am sick to the back teeth of talking about the wrongs and wrongs of a certain Mike Ashley, suffice to say I am still going to the games but I disagree with virtually everything he does with NUFC, I know he has his supporters and I respect their views, but I can’t agree with them.

Well despite the thoughts of the fans of the new Real Madrid 14 miles down the road, I don’t actually think we are as yet deep in trouble. It was always going to be a tough start to the season and with a little luck we could and should have had a few more points on the board, that said the best we can hope for this season is mid-table and maybe a cup run…..who knows we may even reach the 5th round!

The positives are the obvious: the outstanding GK we now have, already a huge fans favourite, Rondon I have no doubt will be a success, I also have no doubt Shelvey, Richie and Lascelles will soon be up to top form and if they can avoid squabbling with each other we will be alright, but that is where it ends, our ambition is to be alright…The club who Kevin Keegan and Sir John Hall took to the brink of overtaking Fergie’s  Man United now has the ambition to ‘be alright’, its actually quite despairing really.

In times gone by the Premier League was at least competitive for other clubs, Norwich, Blackburn et al, but has now become a league of also-rans – NUFC should at least be competitive.

Why do we go a lot will ask, we go because it’s what we do, the fans of NUFC are world renowned for their loyalty, but loyalty buys you nothing, only Sheikhs and suspect Russians now guarantee success.

On a lighter note, I have had family over from Bermuda, where my 30 year old niece is Black and White daft, and despite her having a Bermudian Man Utd supporting partner she has managed to keep her kids away from his red and White clutches.

Whenever she visits she tries to ensure she can get to SJP and makes no secret of the fact she stalks the players, so hanging around the players’ entrance after the Chelsea game she caught up with Mo Diame. Who she tells me was very generous with his time for the few fans who were waiting about. In my eyes all players should be like this but some are too far up themselves at times, so a little hats off and thanks to Mo for making her and her kids’ day!

What else is going on? Well its different and good to see Watford locking horns with those at the top and long may it continue, I have no dislike for Huddersfield or Cardiff etc., but its teams like that who we need to keep on losing, otherwise we will be playing catch up from a relegation place at Christmas and that does not bode well.

Down the road our friends are opening a few eyes with their ability to grind out a result after falling behind, that quite often is a sign of a strong character in a team, and maybe just maybe they have at last found their level. Before anyone spouts off about why mention Sunderland, it’s fact that no matter how bad things are under you know who, there is always someone worse off.

So it’s already an international break, quite ridiculous in my eyes, however plenty of good non-league football to go and see in and around the region, some of it really is quite good you know.

Can The Mag really be 30 years old, is it really 30 years ago (September 3rd 1988) since we pelted Gazza with larger Mars Bars than you get from the shops today, where is time going?

The wait for a trophy goes on and on and there is zero prospect of anything changing any time soon, I went to my first game in 1970, some 48 years ago, its quite sad to think that nearly a quarter of that time has been taken up with you know who at the hem.

Happy days indeed (not).

(For those of you who take a keen interest in the commenting section after each article. A quick word about one regular comment contributor, probably the most disagreed with fan on The Mag, you all know who I mean. He did come and see me after the Chelsea game, I do know him and have been on quite a few away trips with him, I’m obviously not going to divulge his name (despite Leazes trying to coax it out of me), suffice to say he is very real, a huge fan who rarely misses a game home or away, is actually very knowledgeable, is definitely as mad as a box of frogs and has been or is part of the more excitable elements of the NUFC support – I could actually tell a few tales from days gone by but they are for another day!

Joking apart it was actually good to catch up with him and love him or loathe him, his NUFC heart is in the right place, he knows our opinions differ but we have no problem with that at all.)
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