A personal comment (rather than editorial one) and one I've made before here. The polarisation of views among fans is unfortunate, even in a civilised forum like this, and although I'm sure the sentiment isn't aimed at everyone who has criticism to make of Eddie (as the article makes clear), the word "wankers" isn't really helpful in avoiding that polarisation.
Currently, every result on the pitch seems to become ammunition in a debate that makes massive generalisations about everyone on the other side.
Such is the way of the world these days, I suppose. I realise I'm being very po-faced here, but I think it's important!
I think the best way to be po-faced regarding this article, is if we all hold our hands up and admit, that at some point in our lives,we have all behaved like a wanker about something. And that way a bunch of wankers calling others wankers is less polarisation, after all my lass lets me know frequently that I'm behaving like one, and who am I to dispute her superior wisdom.
Fabulous Steve, well said. What gets me about the wankers, as you so elegantly named them (and I'm fully with you on that), is their main reason for wanting to replace Eddie Howe, is this mythical next level reason, I say mythical, because I am yet to see anyone explain what this next level they believe NUFC should be attaining is! But whatever it is, they believe Eddie can't take them there. I half blame the CEO for giving them this mad 5 year plan to challenge for everything, without explaing how exactly we realistically do this with the finacial constraints in place, and these constraints seem to have been forgotten about by all the wankers.
Exactly. They keep banging on about Eddie not being able to 'take us any further' without realising they've never been so far in their lives. A quick check in their rear view mirror would sort that out if they could pluck their self-obsessed heads out of their hoops for a minute.
I've unfollowed so many fans over this. Fans is what they are. I'm a supporter. I was a fan until I was 6 & then I started going to matches & became a supporter.
There's a huge difference. I don't have to spell it out. We know!
It kills me when I'm not able to get to matches. I give my full support every time. When we go a goal down, inside the tactical or individual mistakes I've seen are screaming to come out, but I shout,
"Howay lads!"
That shows support & says we are behind them. We're with them. We are the 12th man!
The worst I've done is leave quietly. Never before the end. I'll discuss it with family & friends, maybe share a few points, then move on to focus on the next one. I can't change it. I'm not a happy clapper. I'm a supporter!
Eddie Howe has turned mediocre players into winners & good players into footballers other teams dread playing against. I still can't believe I was at Wembley to witness us winning a trophy.
We need to stick together & support the team & the manager.
He'll not be there forever & he'll be a miss when he's gone. That's if we're winning trophies or not.
Agree with all of that Steve. Whilst social media remains a societal shit stain that we aren't getting rid of any time soon, I still remember the pain of hearing the same type of wanker boo the lads when we failed to secure Champions League football on the final home game of the season just over 20 years ago. Wankers pre-date the tech too unfortunately. UTFM 💪 🖤 🤍
Perhaps a sense of perspective comes with age. Perhaps it's because some of us can remember the really dark days. Like watching Zico miss a header from under the bar at Shrewsbury ' when a win would have solidified a mid-table position in Div 1!!!
Even the most feeble minded must be able to recall what it was like under Ashley & Bruce.
Whatever it is, the tiny vocal minority don't have it. They take being ungrateful to a whole new level. And of course they're wankers. They'll call proper supporters 'happy clappers'. And most will vote Reform. Personally, I wish they'd all just fuck off.
I still find the most embarrassing and indefensible thing about being a toon supporter was the shameful way we treated Sir Bobby Robson - whinging Wankers led to his dismissal - let's not let the same thing happen to His Eddyness
If that upsets a few people so what. It's been nothing short of heart breaking listening to and reading the disrespect towards Eddie Howe over the last few weeks.
Whatever the merits of his four years here and whatever 'success' he can or cannot bring to the club in the future first and foremost he has been an absolute credit to Newcastle United Football Club every second of his time here. His conduct and commitment to us and the football club has been second to none of that list either.
As Mark Lucas said on these pages back in November it will be one of my saddest days as a supporter to see him leave also.
It may be the right thing (one day) but do we as a fanbase want to be portrayed (again) as having forced him out/forced the hand of the owners to sack him, he deserves better than that.
I firmly believe he is a man who will if necessary call time on it himself.
Every defeat pains him deeply, he does not show it but look at him, you can see it.
When the day does come for him to leave my sincere wish is he is held in the same forever esteem as Joe Harvey and Kevin Keegan.
In the meantime lets fight amongst ourselves, that's also something we do well.
Howe is the right coach to lead us to more glory. He needs a functioning executive behind him to properly address player contracts and pro/actively plan sensible recruitment. I believe we have played 41 competitive games already this season. Man Ure will play 40 this season, in total, I think. The squad Howe has is not strong or deep enough to handle that load nor to deal with the inevitable injuries. Yes, we all have opinions. That is mine, for what it is worth.
I’m not on X it’s too angry a place for me. Sobering reading going through that very long list. Bizarrely I was thinking about Joe Kinnear on Saturday at the Villa game 🤷♀️ I clearly need to get a life 😂 The thing about the word “wankers” is that it implies that they’re all blokes. They’re not 🙂
Well, that was an entertaining polemic at least. I agree with the general pro-Howe gist of it but I'm not ready to insult everyone who questions him, or at least not by calling them wankers. Wrong, impatient, shortsighted, easily triggered, easily bored, perhaps. Those are adjectives of disagreement and I'd expect similar back from felllow fans who disagree with me. Calling people wankers is a very 'X'-style thing to do, ironically, for a post that rightly calls that cesspit out as being full of them. I have no problem with it being published here but you're berating the wrong audience; the Howe-outers and Howe-agnostics who read (or comment on) True Faith tend to be the reasonable ones and the insult is just going to rile them.
Best article I’ve read in a long time. Only thing I would say is that calling them wankers is possibly disparaging to those who might be minded to occasion a risk to their eyesight
As already mentioned, you’re a patronising Prick, Steve.
There are plenty of level headed supporters (on X as well) who have voiced frustration and doubt about Eddie’s ceiling.
And you can fuck off with him being the best manager since whenever. Keegan took us from the brink of the 3rd division, promoted as champions the following season and 3rd in Premier League the following season. The only reason he never won the league was because the Scottish bloke you’ve been wanking over at Manchester United was in situ.
I’m 60. I’ve been going since I was a bairn. I’ve never slagged the team off or the manager at any game I’ve attended. Not so as they’d hear anyway. Sat through the shit of sackless fuckers who didn’t have a clue and the Ashley years. Travelled home and away when I was younger and watched them all over the world. I can offer an opinion.
Eddie is a good manager and has given us one of the best days of our lives but you’re out of order calling supporters wankers who’ve voiced doubt how far he can take us. Imagine seeing them win the league in our lifetime. I’m not convinced he can bring it.
Be interested in TF’s thoughts on an article suggesting supporters not 100% convinced about Eddie are a bunch of wankers.
It’s unnecessary to be abusive to fellow fans Mark. Steve has taken time to produce a well written and entertaining piece which made me smile as it’s very much in the fanzine style. Steve hasn’t referred to anyone personally so I imagine if you’re a constructive, level headed fan he’s not referring to you and people like you.
Happy to put my head above the parapet here as the author of this.
The article is very obviously not aimed at people like you, I've written it ironically in the language of the people I'm talking about.
Unfortunately every club has a section of fans that are an embarrassment to the rest of the fanbase. I'm calling ours out in their own voice.
Those who don't realise how lucky they are to have seen us win something and act like there's a magic pool if elite managers waiting to step in. Someone new to abuse in six months time.
I'm a similar age to you and, like you was on the terraces for virtually every Keegan era game. It's down to opinion how you want to measure success, but getting close is one thing, getting over the line is another. For me, it's Eddie, for you it's Keegan. Fair enough.
This is about the Howe Out fans, the one who change their minds because we lose a game or two, or think they can do it better. I've even seen them go "Howe Out" at half time.
This is squarely aimed at the type of idiot none of us want associated with the club.
They're causing a good manager who gives everything, everyday to make the club better to be questioned in the national media. They air their views (usually anonymously) on Social Media, although I have acknowledged in the piece that there are some sensible voices out there. They just tend to get drowned out by the idiots.
The fact that Trippier had to come out and defend him on Saturday is scandalous.
Regarding your comment about "Sir Alex" it's quite obvious the point I was making. If Manchester United had turned on him at the stage some of our supporters are turning on Eddie, they'd have lost the best manager they ever had.
Anyway, like Mick has said, happy for you to disagree with me and the way I've chosen to write this particular article, but not really any need for the personal stuff. I didn't stoop to that in the article.
Your point about some Man U fans bemoaning that famous FA Cup win of Ferguson's because they wanted him out is typical football fan mentality. And is not to dissimilar in a roundabout way to what I've had said to me in recent weeks by long long standing supporters (of which I am myself) that there is a little part of them wishes our relative success would crash as "all these bellends* would fuck off".
We’re a fanzine - we’re occasionally going to publish stuff that’s going to be spiky and provocative. I’d advise not to take it personally- I’m pretty sure Steve wasn’t thinking of you or anyone in this feed when he wrote it. I’ve got a few ideas who it might apply to though I don’t think they’re amongst the TF cognoscenti Mark 👍🏁
I just do not think this type of article would have been published in The Mag or True Faith where ‘clumsily lobotomised’ supporters forked out for a copy.
Can’t speak for The Mag - we would in TF - I was once criticised for a cover featuring Emre with the Turkish flag and the headline Turk of the Toon. I could be here all night listing the stuff people haven’t been happy about mate.
Don’t get offended mate - it’s all just rough and tumble. It’s not referring to you so no need to take it personally 👍🏁
Happy to put my head above the parapet here as the author of this.
The article is very obviously not aimed at people like you, I've written it ironically in the language of the people I'm talking about.
Unfortunately every club has a section of fans that are an embarrassment to the rest of the fanbase. I'm calling ours out in their own voice.
Those who don't realise how lucky they are to have seen us win something and act like there's a magic pool if elite managers waiting to step in. Someone new to abuse in six months time.
I'm a similar age to you and, like you was on the terraces for virtually every Keegan era game. It's down to opinion how you want to measure success, but getting close is one thing, getting over the line is another. For me, it's Eddie, for you it's Keegan. Fair enough.
This is about the Howe Out fans, the one who change their minds because we lose a game or two, or think they can do it better. I've even seen them go "Howe Out" at half time.
This is squarely aimed at the type of idiot none of us want associated with the club.
They're causing a good manager who gives everything, everyday to make the club better to be questioned in the national media. They air their views (usually anonymously) on Social Media, although I have acknowledged in the piece that there are some sensible voices out there. They just tend to get drowned out by the idiots.
The fact that Trippier had to come out and defend him on Saturday is scandalous.
Regarding your comment about "Sir Alex" it's quite obvious the point I was making. If Manchester United had turned on him at the stage some of our supporters are turning on Eddie, they'd have lost the best manager they ever had.
Anyway, like Mick has said, happy for you to disagree with me and the way I've chosen to write this particular article, but not really any need for the personal stuff. I didn't stoop to that in the article.
I think his article was about those entitled fans who scream abuse at him at the match and in the sewer of social media. So I don't think it's aimed at you, from what you say about yourself and your attitude. It is aimed at the jerks. I disagree with your view that he can't take us further. I think he has overachieved and with the club hierarchy properly behind him he will do great things.
Which I respect as a position. By the way I was in Manchester in the 1980's. The despair in the supporter base when Man Utd won the FA cup was fascinating to watch. "Oh no that means they won't sack him. " Then look what happened.
I think Eddie will keep on learning, as a great coach he develops players through intensive training. Klopp and Guardiola don't have to worry about that, they have great fully developed players who don't need intensive mid week training sessions. Eddie will work out how to break out of that trap.
His dedication is absolutely admirable. I can’t think of anyone who deserves success more than him. Wenger went into Arsenal and was hugely successful. After around 2004, he diminished to the point of being unable to even get into the top 4. Being successful initially shouldn’t ensure blind faith thereafter. I’m happy for him to stay until the end of the season and see where we are.
Totally agree your Keegan comments. I go back to standing at the front of the Leazes end in the Joe Harvey days, and I have never seen a team - any team - play the kind of football we played for KK. As you point out, Keegan rescued us from the old 3rs division, then created a team who were a joy to watch, every game, win or lose, and came so close to winning the ultimate prize. Perhaps one day Eddie's team will surpass Keegan's team, I hope we do, I'm supporting Eddie all the way to make it happen, but one Carabo Cup does not negate that fabulous team I watched so long ago.
I'm sorry Mark, but there is no manager out there who is going to win the league for NUFC, the restraints make it virtually impossible. Look at clubs like Liverpool, made a few mistakes in the transfer window? No problem we'll just spend more. Teams like Newcastle and Villa simply can't make mistakes.
You’re probably right, Neville. Just hope that we aren’t having this conversation in 10yrs time without getting any closer and the same bloke’s in charge. I don’t reckless ambition but nor do I want comfortable inertia.
Well said Mark. I’m disappointed this got published to be honest. Regardless of anyones thoughts on managers, players or owners True Faith should not be publishing anything that refers to a group of supporters as wankers. It’s piss poor.
I’m not offended Mick. Just disappointed in TF. I’ve contributed to the fanzine, website, podcast and Substack for over 7 years and I’ve never seen anything call out a % of the fanbase as wankers for questioning whether we should move on from a manager. The language seems unnecessarily incendiary.
I think winning the Fairs Cup was bigger then the league cup so Im saying Harvey was more successful. Eddie has also, by the way, spent 'shed loads of money' but I agree that anyone turning on him needs to give their heads a shake
A personal comment (rather than editorial one) and one I've made before here. The polarisation of views among fans is unfortunate, even in a civilised forum like this, and although I'm sure the sentiment isn't aimed at everyone who has criticism to make of Eddie (as the article makes clear), the word "wankers" isn't really helpful in avoiding that polarisation.
Currently, every result on the pitch seems to become ammunition in a debate that makes massive generalisations about everyone on the other side.
Such is the way of the world these days, I suppose. I realise I'm being very po-faced here, but I think it's important!
Po-Face!
Guilty as charged!
I think the best way to be po-faced regarding this article, is if we all hold our hands up and admit, that at some point in our lives,we have all behaved like a wanker about something. And that way a bunch of wankers calling others wankers is less polarisation, after all my lass lets me know frequently that I'm behaving like one, and who am I to dispute her superior wisdom.
Fabulous Steve, well said. What gets me about the wankers, as you so elegantly named them (and I'm fully with you on that), is their main reason for wanting to replace Eddie Howe, is this mythical next level reason, I say mythical, because I am yet to see anyone explain what this next level they believe NUFC should be attaining is! But whatever it is, they believe Eddie can't take them there. I half blame the CEO for giving them this mad 5 year plan to challenge for everything, without explaing how exactly we realistically do this with the finacial constraints in place, and these constraints seem to have been forgotten about by all the wankers.
Exactly. They keep banging on about Eddie not being able to 'take us any further' without realising they've never been so far in their lives. A quick check in their rear view mirror would sort that out if they could pluck their self-obsessed heads out of their hoops for a minute.
I've unfollowed so many fans over this. Fans is what they are. I'm a supporter. I was a fan until I was 6 & then I started going to matches & became a supporter.
There's a huge difference. I don't have to spell it out. We know!
It kills me when I'm not able to get to matches. I give my full support every time. When we go a goal down, inside the tactical or individual mistakes I've seen are screaming to come out, but I shout,
"Howay lads!"
That shows support & says we are behind them. We're with them. We are the 12th man!
The worst I've done is leave quietly. Never before the end. I'll discuss it with family & friends, maybe share a few points, then move on to focus on the next one. I can't change it. I'm not a happy clapper. I'm a supporter!
Eddie Howe has turned mediocre players into winners & good players into footballers other teams dread playing against. I still can't believe I was at Wembley to witness us winning a trophy.
We need to stick together & support the team & the manager.
He'll not be there forever & he'll be a miss when he's gone. That's if we're winning trophies or not.
Support. That's our role!
Agree with all of that Steve. Whilst social media remains a societal shit stain that we aren't getting rid of any time soon, I still remember the pain of hearing the same type of wanker boo the lads when we failed to secure Champions League football on the final home game of the season just over 20 years ago. Wankers pre-date the tech too unfortunately. UTFM 💪 🖤 🤍
Spot on. Every single word.
Perhaps a sense of perspective comes with age. Perhaps it's because some of us can remember the really dark days. Like watching Zico miss a header from under the bar at Shrewsbury ' when a win would have solidified a mid-table position in Div 1!!!
Even the most feeble minded must be able to recall what it was like under Ashley & Bruce.
Whatever it is, the tiny vocal minority don't have it. They take being ungrateful to a whole new level. And of course they're wankers. They'll call proper supporters 'happy clappers'. And most will vote Reform. Personally, I wish they'd all just fuck off.
Nail on the head there Sir!
I still find the most embarrassing and indefensible thing about being a toon supporter was the shameful way we treated Sir Bobby Robson - whinging Wankers led to his dismissal - let's not let the same thing happen to His Eddyness
And who can forget the abuse he received here during his England days Stephen. A bit embarrassing & even shameful looking back.
Well written Steve.
If that upsets a few people so what. It's been nothing short of heart breaking listening to and reading the disrespect towards Eddie Howe over the last few weeks.
Whatever the merits of his four years here and whatever 'success' he can or cannot bring to the club in the future first and foremost he has been an absolute credit to Newcastle United Football Club every second of his time here. His conduct and commitment to us and the football club has been second to none of that list either.
As Mark Lucas said on these pages back in November it will be one of my saddest days as a supporter to see him leave also.
It may be the right thing (one day) but do we as a fanbase want to be portrayed (again) as having forced him out/forced the hand of the owners to sack him, he deserves better than that.
I firmly believe he is a man who will if necessary call time on it himself.
Every defeat pains him deeply, he does not show it but look at him, you can see it.
When the day does come for him to leave my sincere wish is he is held in the same forever esteem as Joe Harvey and Kevin Keegan.
In the meantime lets fight amongst ourselves, that's also something we do well.
Howe is the right coach to lead us to more glory. He needs a functioning executive behind him to properly address player contracts and pro/actively plan sensible recruitment. I believe we have played 41 competitive games already this season. Man Ure will play 40 this season, in total, I think. The squad Howe has is not strong or deep enough to handle that load nor to deal with the inevitable injuries. Yes, we all have opinions. That is mine, for what it is worth.
I’m not on X it’s too angry a place for me. Sobering reading going through that very long list. Bizarrely I was thinking about Joe Kinnear on Saturday at the Villa game 🤷♀️ I clearly need to get a life 😂 The thing about the word “wankers” is that it implies that they’re all blokes. They’re not 🙂
Women can be wankers too, can't they? Or maybe they just have a different word for it 🤣
An interesting semantic question, Mik
😂🤔😂
Finger on the button. So to speak
Ha ha ha, love it Steve.
Keep the faith. Eddie's not perfect but he's the best available and it woild seem the players love him again.
Well, that was an entertaining polemic at least. I agree with the general pro-Howe gist of it but I'm not ready to insult everyone who questions him, or at least not by calling them wankers. Wrong, impatient, shortsighted, easily triggered, easily bored, perhaps. Those are adjectives of disagreement and I'd expect similar back from felllow fans who disagree with me. Calling people wankers is a very 'X'-style thing to do, ironically, for a post that rightly calls that cesspit out as being full of them. I have no problem with it being published here but you're berating the wrong audience; the Howe-outers and Howe-agnostics who read (or comment on) True Faith tend to be the reasonable ones and the insult is just going to rile them.
Best article I’ve read in a long time. Only thing I would say is that calling them wankers is possibly disparaging to those who might be minded to occasion a risk to their eyesight
I went to Specsavers and asked if wanking had any effect on your eyesight...
they said, " I don't know mate, you are in Greggs"
Bastard! I nearly choked on my wine when I read that! 🤣🤣🤣
Spot on Steve! A bit of perspective makes for good decisions. Blinkered views make for poor ones !
As already mentioned, you’re a patronising Prick, Steve.
There are plenty of level headed supporters (on X as well) who have voiced frustration and doubt about Eddie’s ceiling.
And you can fuck off with him being the best manager since whenever. Keegan took us from the brink of the 3rd division, promoted as champions the following season and 3rd in Premier League the following season. The only reason he never won the league was because the Scottish bloke you’ve been wanking over at Manchester United was in situ.
I’m 60. I’ve been going since I was a bairn. I’ve never slagged the team off or the manager at any game I’ve attended. Not so as they’d hear anyway. Sat through the shit of sackless fuckers who didn’t have a clue and the Ashley years. Travelled home and away when I was younger and watched them all over the world. I can offer an opinion.
Eddie is a good manager and has given us one of the best days of our lives but you’re out of order calling supporters wankers who’ve voiced doubt how far he can take us. Imagine seeing them win the league in our lifetime. I’m not convinced he can bring it.
Be interested in TF’s thoughts on an article suggesting supporters not 100% convinced about Eddie are a bunch of wankers.
It’s unnecessary to be abusive to fellow fans Mark. Steve has taken time to produce a well written and entertaining piece which made me smile as it’s very much in the fanzine style. Steve hasn’t referred to anyone personally so I imagine if you’re a constructive, level headed fan he’s not referring to you and people like you.
Don’t rush to take offence would be my counsel.
It’s an obviously antagonistic article, Mick. Considering the entire readership and how inflammatory this might be viewed would be my counsel.
Happy to put my head above the parapet here as the author of this.
The article is very obviously not aimed at people like you, I've written it ironically in the language of the people I'm talking about.
Unfortunately every club has a section of fans that are an embarrassment to the rest of the fanbase. I'm calling ours out in their own voice.
Those who don't realise how lucky they are to have seen us win something and act like there's a magic pool if elite managers waiting to step in. Someone new to abuse in six months time.
I'm a similar age to you and, like you was on the terraces for virtually every Keegan era game. It's down to opinion how you want to measure success, but getting close is one thing, getting over the line is another. For me, it's Eddie, for you it's Keegan. Fair enough.
This is about the Howe Out fans, the one who change their minds because we lose a game or two, or think they can do it better. I've even seen them go "Howe Out" at half time.
This is squarely aimed at the type of idiot none of us want associated with the club.
They're causing a good manager who gives everything, everyday to make the club better to be questioned in the national media. They air their views (usually anonymously) on Social Media, although I have acknowledged in the piece that there are some sensible voices out there. They just tend to get drowned out by the idiots.
The fact that Trippier had to come out and defend him on Saturday is scandalous.
Regarding your comment about "Sir Alex" it's quite obvious the point I was making. If Manchester United had turned on him at the stage some of our supporters are turning on Eddie, they'd have lost the best manager they ever had.
Anyway, like Mick has said, happy for you to disagree with me and the way I've chosen to write this particular article, but not really any need for the personal stuff. I didn't stoop to that in the article.
Eloquently written clarification, Steve.
Nice one. Hope to see more of your contributions.
Your point about some Man U fans bemoaning that famous FA Cup win of Ferguson's because they wanted him out is typical football fan mentality. And is not to dissimilar in a roundabout way to what I've had said to me in recent weeks by long long standing supporters (of which I am myself) that there is a little part of them wishes our relative success would crash as "all these bellends* would fuck off".
I totally get that mindset.
*also known as wankers.
We’re a fanzine - we’re occasionally going to publish stuff that’s going to be spiky and provocative. I’d advise not to take it personally- I’m pretty sure Steve wasn’t thinking of you or anyone in this feed when he wrote it. I’ve got a few ideas who it might apply to though I don’t think they’re amongst the TF cognoscenti Mark 👍🏁
I just do not think this type of article would have been published in The Mag or True Faith where ‘clumsily lobotomised’ supporters forked out for a copy.
Can’t speak for The Mag - we would in TF - I was once criticised for a cover featuring Emre with the Turkish flag and the headline Turk of the Toon. I could be here all night listing the stuff people haven’t been happy about mate.
Don’t get offended mate - it’s all just rough and tumble. It’s not referring to you so no need to take it personally 👍🏁
It is a bit of rough and tumble. Don’t get offended if someone fires a couple of contrarian shots about the article mate.
Happy to put my head above the parapet here as the author of this.
The article is very obviously not aimed at people like you, I've written it ironically in the language of the people I'm talking about.
Unfortunately every club has a section of fans that are an embarrassment to the rest of the fanbase. I'm calling ours out in their own voice.
Those who don't realise how lucky they are to have seen us win something and act like there's a magic pool if elite managers waiting to step in. Someone new to abuse in six months time.
I'm a similar age to you and, like you was on the terraces for virtually every Keegan era game. It's down to opinion how you want to measure success, but getting close is one thing, getting over the line is another. For me, it's Eddie, for you it's Keegan. Fair enough.
This is about the Howe Out fans, the one who change their minds because we lose a game or two, or think they can do it better. I've even seen them go "Howe Out" at half time.
This is squarely aimed at the type of idiot none of us want associated with the club.
They're causing a good manager who gives everything, everyday to make the club better to be questioned in the national media. They air their views (usually anonymously) on Social Media, although I have acknowledged in the piece that there are some sensible voices out there. They just tend to get drowned out by the idiots.
The fact that Trippier had to come out and defend him on Saturday is scandalous.
Regarding your comment about "Sir Alex" it's quite obvious the point I was making. If Manchester United had turned on him at the stage some of our supporters are turning on Eddie, they'd have lost the best manager they ever had.
Anyway, like Mick has said, happy for you to disagree with me and the way I've chosen to write this particular article, but not really any need for the personal stuff. I didn't stoop to that in the article.
All the best.
Sorry, Steve.
Agreed.
All the best 🤝
I think his article was about those entitled fans who scream abuse at him at the match and in the sewer of social media. So I don't think it's aimed at you, from what you say about yourself and your attitude. It is aimed at the jerks. I disagree with your view that he can't take us further. I think he has overachieved and with the club hierarchy properly behind him he will do great things.
Unfortunately, those people won't be reading it.
Said it a few times, Paul; I’m not convinced he can but I hope with all my heart he does.
Which I respect as a position. By the way I was in Manchester in the 1980's. The despair in the supporter base when Man Utd won the FA cup was fascinating to watch. "Oh no that means they won't sack him. " Then look what happened.
I think Eddie will keep on learning, as a great coach he develops players through intensive training. Klopp and Guardiola don't have to worry about that, they have great fully developed players who don't need intensive mid week training sessions. Eddie will work out how to break out of that trap.
His dedication is absolutely admirable. I can’t think of anyone who deserves success more than him. Wenger went into Arsenal and was hugely successful. After around 2004, he diminished to the point of being unable to even get into the top 4. Being successful initially shouldn’t ensure blind faith thereafter. I’m happy for him to stay until the end of the season and see where we are.
Unless the Mackems put another one over us.
Totally agree your Keegan comments. I go back to standing at the front of the Leazes end in the Joe Harvey days, and I have never seen a team - any team - play the kind of football we played for KK. As you point out, Keegan rescued us from the old 3rs division, then created a team who were a joy to watch, every game, win or lose, and came so close to winning the ultimate prize. Perhaps one day Eddie's team will surpass Keegan's team, I hope we do, I'm supporting Eddie all the way to make it happen, but one Carabo Cup does not negate that fabulous team I watched so long ago.
I'm sorry Mark, but there is no manager out there who is going to win the league for NUFC, the restraints make it virtually impossible. Look at clubs like Liverpool, made a few mistakes in the transfer window? No problem we'll just spend more. Teams like Newcastle and Villa simply can't make mistakes.
You’re probably right, Neville. Just hope that we aren’t having this conversation in 10yrs time without getting any closer and the same bloke’s in charge. I don’t reckless ambition but nor do I want comfortable inertia.
Well said Mark. I’m disappointed this got published to be honest. Regardless of anyones thoughts on managers, players or owners True Faith should not be publishing anything that refers to a group of supporters as wankers. It’s piss poor.
Don’t rush to take offence Tim - blimey
I’m not offended Mick. Just disappointed in TF. I’ve contributed to the fanzine, website, podcast and Substack for over 7 years and I’ve never seen anything call out a % of the fanbase as wankers for questioning whether we should move on from a manager. The language seems unnecessarily incendiary.
Can’t please all of the people all of the time Tim 👍
Seriously? We're all adults here
I think winning the Fairs Cup was bigger then the league cup so Im saying Harvey was more successful. Eddie has also, by the way, spent 'shed loads of money' but I agree that anyone turning on him needs to give their heads a shake
Excellent stuff!! Well said and presented 👍👏