This is excellent, striking just the right balance between the difficulties of that time and the absurdity of supporting NUFC (especially under Bruce!).
I'll always remember being at the West Brom cup match which can't have been long before Cheltenham/ Madrid, packed on the away concourse under the stand as always. Inevitably I got Covid that night (though it was mild), but of course it was also a bloody great away end, live on BBC, and for 90 mins it felt as brilliant as ever to support our club.
So many contradictions which you capture so well, Scott.
Yes those days of 2020 provided us with a bleak landscape that's now a thing of the past. When I was younger a friend and I used to think up various scenarios that would induce abject despair. My contention was that nothing could be worse than waking up on a cold, wet November weekend in a bedsit in a run-down part of Tyneside, with no family, no friends, no money, no electricity and no job but, I was wrong. Five years ago circumstances arose to challenge my Kafkaesque vision and make it seem like cruising around the Greek islands on board my own yacht. This apocalyptic version of Dante's vision of Hell came about when watching Match of the Day and, in particular, a game involving Newcastle United during the Covid pandemic. There in my sitting room, on my screen, was Steve Bruce sitting in a drab technical area hunched up with arms folded, his face devoid of emotion,watching our team playing in an empty stadium while a depressing drizzle added to the depressing, greyness that pervaded the scene. The knowledge that the club was owned by Mike Ashley, that Steve Bruce was indeed the manager and avoiding relegation was our perennial target only made matters worse. Five years down the road since that ghastly scene the sun has come out and is shining on Newcastle United. We've emerged from a nightmare that lasted fourteen years: we're established as being a contender and one of the top half dozen teams; we have one of the best midfields around; a world-class striker; we've beaten Liverpool at Wembley to win a domestic trophy and we're back in the Champions League. So, when I read comments criticising the team or the Saudi owners I gawp in wonderment at these malcontents. As Harold Macmillan once said, "You've never had it so good".
It was largely tongue in cheek, Mark, although I admit it does carry an air of overwhelming gloom. Those bleak landscapes were always conjured up in a humorous way and were never serious. It's a good job I left out references to Joe F Kinnear, Dennis Wise and one or two other examples of Ashley's pound shop philosophy. If we manage to sign a couple of new players in what is a difficult market place then that'll be wonderful. In any event I'm looking forward to the coming season with Lewis Hall and Joelinton returning and, gradually, Sven Bottman.
This is excellent, striking just the right balance between the difficulties of that time and the absurdity of supporting NUFC (especially under Bruce!).
I'll always remember being at the West Brom cup match which can't have been long before Cheltenham/ Madrid, packed on the away concourse under the stand as always. Inevitably I got Covid that night (though it was mild), but of course it was also a bloody great away end, live on BBC, and for 90 mins it felt as brilliant as ever to support our club.
So many contradictions which you capture so well, Scott.
Desolate times. depressingly captured.
I went to the Sheff Utd game with the bairn. What a miserable affair.
A combination of the relentless shit on offer combined with the country’s somber mood had us discussing chucking it to.
My lad’s optimism convinced me otherwise. Thank goodness.
Great article Scott. Brings it flooding back. Unfortunately
I still find it hard to believe that the avaricious media released their sticky grasp to allow us non-subscribers to watch our games
Yes those days of 2020 provided us with a bleak landscape that's now a thing of the past. When I was younger a friend and I used to think up various scenarios that would induce abject despair. My contention was that nothing could be worse than waking up on a cold, wet November weekend in a bedsit in a run-down part of Tyneside, with no family, no friends, no money, no electricity and no job but, I was wrong. Five years ago circumstances arose to challenge my Kafkaesque vision and make it seem like cruising around the Greek islands on board my own yacht. This apocalyptic version of Dante's vision of Hell came about when watching Match of the Day and, in particular, a game involving Newcastle United during the Covid pandemic. There in my sitting room, on my screen, was Steve Bruce sitting in a drab technical area hunched up with arms folded, his face devoid of emotion,watching our team playing in an empty stadium while a depressing drizzle added to the depressing, greyness that pervaded the scene. The knowledge that the club was owned by Mike Ashley, that Steve Bruce was indeed the manager and avoiding relegation was our perennial target only made matters worse. Five years down the road since that ghastly scene the sun has come out and is shining on Newcastle United. We've emerged from a nightmare that lasted fourteen years: we're established as being a contender and one of the top half dozen teams; we have one of the best midfields around; a world-class striker; we've beaten Liverpool at Wembley to win a domestic trophy and we're back in the Champions League. So, when I read comments criticising the team or the Saudi owners I gawp in wonderment at these malcontents. As Harold Macmillan once said, "You've never had it so good".
We can all have an opinion, Tony. Doesn’t make us malcontents but I understand your ire. And agree that the sun is shining again.
Wouldn’t have fancied knocking about with you as a young’n mind dreaming up those depressing scenarios 😉
It was largely tongue in cheek, Mark, although I admit it does carry an air of overwhelming gloom. Those bleak landscapes were always conjured up in a humorous way and were never serious. It's a good job I left out references to Joe F Kinnear, Dennis Wise and one or two other examples of Ashley's pound shop philosophy. If we manage to sign a couple of new players in what is a difficult market place then that'll be wonderful. In any event I'm looking forward to the coming season with Lewis Hall and Joelinton returning and, gradually, Sven Bottman.