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Letters to The Mag – Newcastle United fans (and odd visitor from Arsenal and Leicester) have their say

1 year ago
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The opinions continue to flow into The Mag, as Newcastle United fans debate the various issues affecting our club.

Whether it is events on or off the pitch, always plenty to talk about.

Newcastle United fans with the latest collection of opinions below, plus the odd visitor from elsewhere…

Contributions are sometimes too brief to make up into a full article and so we have gathered up a number of recent comments sent in, relating to issues at Newcastle United (if you would like to send anything in, long or short, then contribute@themag.co.uk is the place):

Dear Mag,

A couple of years ago, my son Elliot did a 300k run in 30 days challenge for an Alzheimer’s charity. I put an article on The Mag and he got some very kind comments and raised money too.

He’s now looking to do something similar and it would be great if people could help him raise funds, or even just offer words of encouragement, as he’s gonna need them!

This time his challenge is to cycle from our home in Stafford to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. He hasn’t listened to a word of my advice and as such is planning to start not in the summer but on January 21st this year!

He is doing this with his mate Alex. Both of them have had bikes for Xmas but have no cycling experience…….

The charity they are looking to raise money for is The House of Bread which provides food for the vulnerable and homeless in Stafford and the surrounding area. The lads are hoping to raise a combined total of £1000.

Elliot is 24 and loves our club. Since he was little, despite being born in Stafford, I’ve always told him there’s a little piece of the north east inside him and he is very proud to be part of the Geordie nation. He’s been going to games since he was three (he’s the youngest of three generations in this old photo below).

At Paris, like he did at the top of Kilimanjaro, the toon flag will come out and he’ll publicise what’s he’s done on social media, giving our club more positive exposure.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and for your support.

The link to support Elliot and Alex is HERE

Glyn (GToon), Elliot and Alex

Dear Mag,

(Leicester fan reacting to ‘Leicester fans embarrassment – Struggling to sell a thousand tickets for Newcastle United quarter-final’ article)

I’ve watched Leicester a number of times at Newcastle, the problem is where you put us, up with the gods. I believe The premier League directed all clubs to have pitch side as we do at Leicester. For security reasons Newcastle don’t do this. A lot of the fans boycott Newcastle for this reason.

Kind regards

David Walton

Dear Mag,

Where’s our famous atmosphere?

Like all fans, I am loving the start we have made this season – for once it really feels like we have a chance of winning something (even in my lifetime) and the club has a structure and plan to move forward

It is vital we have good hungry players, a good youth set up and a training ground to match, but lets not forget about the role of the FANS, they keep saying we are the twelfth man, however, sometimes I wonder why they say this

The great flag displays by @worflags really sets the tone for most home matches, but recently the ground goes flat, I have been in various parts of the ground recently and you can witness that we have small pockets of fans trying to generate some atmosphere only to be outnumbered by fans more intent in doing the opposite (some complaining about it), it’s quiet sad that the ground is not more behind the team,

Newcastle United Football Club Banner

Anyway, I think if the club could get all the little singing groups together in one stand and maybe put rail seating in, that would dramatically improve things.

I have always found that when you have a dedicated area for singing it helps the whole ground and encourages others to get involved – I know we have a new breed of fans coming along but we are famous for our ATMOSPHERE so let us keep it that way – a rocking St James Park is vital for NUFC so come lets get @wortunes rocking

A silent St James Park is not the future the owners or players want!

Stephen

Dear Mag,

(Arsenal fan reacting to ‘The problem isn’t Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp – The problem is the media’ article)

Read your article on Arsenal v Newcastle. What started as a reasoned discussion regarding Arteta & Klopp degenerated pretty quickly!

As an Arsenal fan for some 50 plus years I’ve witnessed the good and the bad!

First off, I am the first to decry Klopps histrionics which are becoming tedious.

I also don’t agree with Arteta’s touchline behaviour which pushes the boundaries.

I would like to think some older heads in the club will have a word!

You mentioned, Arsenal supporters wanting Arteta out last season. Only a small minority, who unfortunately are the most active on social media and probably never set foot inside the stadium.

Wasn’t so long ago that Newcastle fans crucified Steve Bruce.

There is no doubt that Burn half removing Gabriel’s shirt, was a stonewall pen.

There is also no doubt that what Leeds did to you, you in turn did to us.

I thought Newcastle were superb last night in their organisation and team play.

Arsenal couldn’t get that all important goal which is a credit to your boys and poses us a question to deal with.

I also think the officiating left a lot to be desired

My point being, we all passionately want our team to win by any means. We are all guilty at times, we are the injured party at other times, that’s football..

Cheers
Alan lifelong Gooner

Dear Mag,

Remember this Arsenal game — December 18th 2001.

Icy outside the ground, like a furnace inside.

Wenger and his southern tribe, who it has to be admitted were playing good football at the time (top of league), came up against a Toon team really fired up by the great Sir Bobby.

3–1 to the Lads.

Wenger apoplectic on tv and in the press, usual knocking Toon,rough housing it etc etc (Bellamy sent off).

Beautiful, long lasting memory of game for me was Sir Bobby’s comment afterwards on Wenger — “You have to learn to lose and keep the toys in the bath”.

Old Tynesider

Dear Mag,

(Bournemouth fan reacting to ‘Take another bow – The fella that got Bournemouth relegated’ article)

Just read your article (titled above) and feel you are a bit harsh to insinuate that Eddie got Bournemouth relegated.

They were a culmination of events around the relegation, firstly due to the recommencement of the fixtures following the COVID break, Ryan Fraser didn’t want to play due to being out of contact.

Josh King was also heavily distracted when the club turned down an offer from Man Utd.

Also, there were key injuries to many players including Ake, Danjuma, Wilson and Kelly which also didn’t help.

And finally the ghost goal that Sheffield United scored against Villa would have kept Bournemouth up.

Eddie will always be remembered fondly in Bournemouth and not considered as the manager to get the club relegated due to incidents beyond his control.

Always, remember he took over Bournemouth who were next to bottom on minus points in League Two, saved them from relegation and then the next season got them promoted all under a transfer embargo which goes to prove how hard he will work with limited resources to get results.

Anyway, hope Eddie can take Newcastle into Europe and also win some silverware and prove that there are young English managers that should still be given a chance in the game.

Regards,
The manager
The Dorset Reviewer

(ED: Obviously the Bournemouth fan above not realising that the use of ‘The fella that got Bournemouth relegated’ is a reference Newcastle fans make about when a bitter Steve Bruce said this about Eddie Howe, not something that NUFC fans think or agree with)

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