366 days later

[peasepud 59]

What is a year? To most its another birthday, one more Christmas and a smattering of joy, heartache, laughter and pain. Another set of dreams created and a chance to look back on those we achieved since the same time last year. As Newcastle fans however, we have come to realise its just another collection of lost dreams, broken promises and horror at the thought of another to come.

 

 

One year ago today, 16th January 2008 saw the return of Mr Keegan and with it, more importantly the return of hope and belief, too many years had gone by and too many of those dreams had evaporated. Now he was back, Newcastle went mental and the worlds media lapped it up, suddenly a drab FA Cup 3rd round replay was the fixture to be seen at. Hundreds allegedly queued for an hour to buy tickets to the game, so much so that kick off was delayed to ensure everyone got in. Most of the game was spent trying to get a glimpse into the Directors box to confirm to ourselves that HE really was back. On the back of the lift a 4-1 drubbing of Stoke ensued and normality felt to have been restored. Yes, some of us had doubts, we wondered at the logic in bringing in a man who by his own admission hadnt even watched MOTD for 4 years but frankly deep down we were just glad that something good was happening. Dreams were being constructed, flames of ambition were reignited and stability was definitely going to be king. In Keegan we had a manager that knew the club, understood the fans and was universally respected. In Mort we had a chairman who seemed to like the fans, wanted to hear what they had to say and knew how to deal with all aspects of Public Relations. In Ashley, we saw a man who had the cash and the belief that we could become a force, that one day sooner rather than later we would finally get that trophy we craved. A level head in the boardroom, a football one on the ground and a man who "just wanted to have fun" controlling it all.

 

On the back of that around 9,000 of us have committed ourselves to the future by paying 3 years Season Tickets in advance. Not out of the goodness of our hearts admittedly but because it seemed such a good deal, give the club some extra financial clout to help rebuild and at the same time save some money on those future tickets. We didnt however believe those that said Champions League glory was just around the corner, no we had level heads and regardless of how we are often portrayed in the media we knew that this club was not the force it once threatened to be. At the same time we believed that in Mike Ashley, Chris Mort and Kevin Keegan we could return to those days of challenging for trophies within a couple of seasons.

 

Fast forward a year, for most of us those dreams have been replaced by nightmares while hope and ambition swapped for fear and dread. The manager we all had time for is gone, a short lived reign which saw us finish the season 12th but dreaming again of a good season to come. The chairman that appeared to know what he was doing and more importantly, wanted out views on things is no more either. Replaced by a Managing Director who nobody knows, a man who has no football experience (you have to even wonder if he actually likes the game), no understanding of the area or what this club means to us as fans and more importantly absolutely no respect for us. To him we are just more punters to fleece, more willing lambs to the slaughter, like those that flock to his casino and club in SW1 we are there to be emptied of cash and told to go away until next time. Only here we dont get the courtesy of a handshake after hes robbed us, we get smirks and are ignored when we dare to speak.

 

As for the manager? well we've gone from having one who knew what we were about and respected the world over for his achievements both as a manager and player. One who told it like it was, from standing on the steps of SJP to face the fans and explain his reasons for selling one of our beloved number 9s through to ranting emotionally on live global TV about his biggest rival. Now however, we have a manager who before retiring managed to relegate Nottingham Forest from the Championship, a manager who is willing to say whatever he is told by his paymasters and more worryingly one who cannot see for himself just what kind of crap he is spouting. One however who recognises the position we are in and to his credit now appears to be pushing for the financial help we desperately need.

 

Day in day out, we as fans are fed what the club thinks we want to hear, stories of approaches being made for this player and that player. Amounts of money that will be spent and raised, amounts which fluctuate from one statement to the next faster than the Zimbabwean dollar. Two weeks ago we were raising 16million from the sale of three fringe players, this week its gone to selling one for 2 million. We still obviously dont want the other two players but now we dont appear to be selling them either.

 

So what does the future hold? Personally I cant see the next 365 days being anything to write home about, the best we can hope for during January is a couple of loan signings in and manage to hold onto the players we have. The likelihood however is that we will sell one or two of our best assets and not replace them with anything like the quality they were. The James Milner fiasco will no doubt happen again and again, last minute sales of good players with no time (how unlucky) to buy a replacement. The money being promised for the next transfer window only to disappear.

 

Personally, I cant see anything good ahead. I wait to be proven wrong on that score and sincerely hope I am but for now I see a mass exodus of players. If not this month then definitely in the Summer, as for players in? well who is seriously going to come here? which player, of any worth will be convinced by a delegation of Dennis Wise, Lambretta and JFK to join a club that is only going in one direction.

 

Not wanting to piss on Miss Yazz's pretty little 80s chips but the only way for us is definitely not up so I ask you all to raise a glass to the next 12 months lets hope they are nothing like the last ones.

[NJS 3989]

Pretty much spot on - especially hope and belief >> fear and dread. From my own pov I'd add that that hope and belief rekindled a love of the club and football which was nearly dead and is now in death throes again "one year on".

[Kitman 2188]

Howay Peasepud man, I hope you're going to apologise for your lack of vision when the Academy starts cranking out Fabregas quality players*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* At at a time to be appointed. Quality of Academy dependent on quality of players and staff. The value of the Academy may go down as well as up. Club reserves right to sell Aademy players for a massive profit if they are any bloody good.

[Asprilla 96]

From my own pov I'd add that that hope and belief rekindled a love of the club and football which was nearly dead and is now in death throes again "one year on".

This.

[Isegrim 8897]

How someone could get it so right first and then get everything totally wrong is beyond me.

[Fop 1]

They couldn't have done much better if they'd set out to try to raise everyone's hopes only to destroy the club and inexplicably laugh about it.

[snakehips 0]

How someone could get it so right first and then get everything totally wrong is beyond me.

 

Fluke, total and utter fluke. I get the impression that Ashley conducts his affairs on a whim and a hunch; he said as much when he sacked Allardyce, stating something about his 'instincts'.

[Park Life 70]

Howay Peasepud man, I hope you're going to apologise for your lack of vision when the Academy starts cranking out Fabregas quality players*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* At at a time to be appointed. Quality of Academy dependent on quality of players and staff. The value of the Academy may go down as well as up. Club reserves right to sell Aademy players for a massive profit if they are any bloody good.

[Park Life 70]

I think we also need to put the Mort red herring to bed. He was here short term to manage the takeover and mastermind the transition, he was a kind of acting chairman with a (self imposed) one year remit.