THE SPECIAL - Brighton Away
Brighton & Hove Albion v Newcastle United, Amex Arena, Sunday 4/May/25, KO: 14:00, Premier League.
So, Brighton today, as the race for the…erm…top five, and the right to be knocked out of the ever more misleadingly named “Champions’ League” early doors, continues to *checks notes* captivate the nation.
A truly ridiculous and barely comprehensible beast, is the Champions’ League, but still - far better to be inside that tent urinating outwards than moaning about it from sixth or seventh spot, covered in small-time Brummie piss. The bookies have us odds on already. Presumably they’re not all that familiar with Newcastle United and our decades-long addiction to choking when it matters most. 16th March 2025 may have been a swallow, but summer remains some way off. A win here though, and we’ll really have to screw it up not to qualify.
Will we? I don’t think so. Have a read of Nick Clark’s preview: he gets stuck into the detail a lot more than I will here, and he’s plumping for a 1-1. I’d be very pleased with that, because if I’m honest, all I can see is a limp 1-0 defeat. Now that the Wembley monkey is off our backs, if there is any ground where our default remains to resolutely refuse to turn up, it’s the Amex. Two consecutive January FA Cup exits in the early years of Ashley, succumbing to goals from cloggers like Adam El-Abd. I was last there myself in 2017, for an anonymous 1-0 reverse, the only goal coming from Tomer Hemed (nope, me neither). And then there was the 3-0 horror show under Bruce during Covid: in a crowded field, the non-performance that night still stands out.
We’ve drawn there a few times, but never really played well. Welbeck always scores against us too. Superb footballer, by the way. Under-rated, except by basically everyone who has ever coached or played with him. No, I don’t fancy us at all here. I think we’ve got a better chance at home to Chelsea, and possibly at the Emirates too. I hope I’m wrong, obviously. Oh, and the last time I predicted a 1-0 away defeat while on True Faith duties, we tonked Sheff United eight-zip. Howay the lads and all that.
The away end will, of course, be another sell-out, as has every away end this season (unless someone corrects me on that). Home league gates have not dipped below 52,000 (except for Wolves in January, at a measly 51,975) and the ground has been full in the cup too. Fair to say, though, that this race for European competition is not reliably putting arses on seats everywhere.
Vast swathes of blue empty seats were visible at the Etihad for Man City’s match against Villa a couple of weeks back. City also, notably, failed - by some thousands - to fill their allocation for the FA Cup semi final against Forest. The cheapest adult ticket for that Villa game was £71. Wembley trips cost - well - we know what Wembley trips cost. Don’t you know, pump it up…!
There appears, after all, not to be an endless supply of people - whether they are starry-eyed Asian twentysomethings, or beefy-bummed American executive types - who are prepared to part with silly money for a sanitised “experience” of watching English football in the flesh. Good luck to supporters - whoever they follow - as they campaign to make tickets affordable. Good luck to the MP for Liverpool West Derby, Ian Byrne, as he tries to get ticket pricing included in the remit of the proposed football regulator. If you haven’t already, join the Newcastle United Supporters’ Trust. And wake up, because this fight is coming our way soon enough.
Back to today though, and although I don’t fancy our chances and we’ve got a dreadful record against them, I don’t mind Brighton. Yes, it’s down south, but - with its kookiness - is absolutely not a nowheresville. Rather them, than Bournemouth, Fulham, Palace, or Wolves. (or Burnley, whom I see are back again, ready to stink out the 25-26 season from the off. Turf Moor on a Monday night it is, then).
Albion’s lows were very low and within living memory, their owner seems one of the less objectionable in the division, and I’ve found their fans sound enough. And they’ve got a Fabian of their own - Brighton’s manager is the only Fabian that our Swiss dreamboat will be coming up against this season (Quiz time: Who is the last Fabian to have played against NUFC, whom was he playing for, and what was the year? Answer at the end.)
Finally - if you haven’t yet - have a read of Ordy’s excellent review of the new book about George Robledo, “Postcards from Santiago: the first overseas star in English football”. It’s a fascinating insight into the Chilean who played (and won the FA Cup) on Tyneside in the 1950s. The author, Spencer Vignes, and George’s daughter Elizabeth, will be launching the book and signing copies at The Back Page, St Andrew’s Street on Tuesday at 12:30.
Enjoy the game!
YOUSEF HATEM / @yousef-1892.bsky.social
(Answer: Fabian Delph, Everton, 2020)
Other Stuff
Get your tickets here
Castles in the Sand
Interesting piece of reading from The Guardian about massive developments in Saudi Arabia and NEOM. Whether money or attention or both is holding up progress on relocation from St James’ Park or even an extension, who knows? But whatever might happen with Newcastle United is unquestionably small potatoes to the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund and what’s going on in their home patch. Click here
Eddie’s pre-match press conference
Chant No.1
Not every football anthem is to everyone’s taste and there are as many who recoil at Liverpool’s fans singing You’ll Never Walk Alone as there are those who believe it is one of the greatest terrace tunes of all time.
There are worthy contestants from Hibs (Sunshine on Leith), Rangers (Follow, Follow), Celtic (Hail, Hail) West Ham (Bubbles) but one thing is for certain … we don’t have one getting anywhere near those. Let’s be honest, its not Blaydon Races which is sung far too fast and without the correct words. That’s gone on for decades.
Even the Mackems can lay a sort of claim to I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You (though that will be hotly contested by Sheffield United fans amongst some others) and we know their fan culture largely begins and ends with the three letter abbreviation FTM.
We need to sort ourselves out whilst avoiding that dire Arsenal North London crap.
Any ideas?
Reaction from Ipswich Win
Instant Reaction from Ipswich Win
Random Football Stickers of Tyneside
Green Brigade, Celtic, Railway Quarter, Gateshead.
Booked
Here’s what looks to be a great new book from former Newcastle United player, physio and accomplished author Paul Ferris whose previous two brilliant books Mag readers have enjoyed reading.
You can get at the new book here directly from the publisher and with a 30% discount sorted by our Newcastle United Supporters Trust - NUFCTRUST30.
Build It And They Will Come … Maybe …
Another good piece in The Guardian challenging the orthodox thinking that a football stadium can be great news for economic regeneration etc. Click here
Champion
Talk, Talk
The TRUE FAITH Podcasts are by common consent, absolutely mint … for a pittance you can get a massive amount of high quality content doon your lugs most days and its only ever about our beloved Newcastle United … click here and very soon you’ll become a TF Patreon.
Stronger Together
Join Newcastle United Supporters Trust - our club’s only members-led, democratic, campaigning, properly constituted, long-standing, accountable supporters organisation. Join here
NUFC FANS FOODBANK
Please donate what you can - support Geordies, support our communities - click here.
Wor Flags
Click here to donate
FSA helps secure £30 tickets for 9,800 fans
The FA Cup semi-finals take place this weekend and we’re pleased to say that, after discussions with the FA, it was agreed that the lowest priced tickets would remain at £30. Each competing club will receive 4,900 tickets in this category.
There’s more work to be done on semi-final pricing but we’re pleased to have secured the retention of the lowest band – £30 is a significant number given that Premier League away tickets are capped at that amount.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said: “We should give credit to the FA for listening and responding to the FSA’s case for keeping Wembley ties affordable for fans."
Of course many FA Cup games in the earlier rounds are reasonably priced but we've seen some examples of awful pricing this season and it’s worth remembering that the Premier League’s away price cap has brought many acknowledged benefits.
FA Cup ticket pricing should not exploit the loyalty of supporters.
Great write up Yousef, I really enjoy your pieces. I have to say I think you're a bit harsh on Wolves mind! They're a proper club in my opinion (history and footballing city), definitely not one of the tin pots! Nightmare getting a pint there as an away fan though, unless you're not in colours and can do a good black country accent to the doorman... Anyway back to Brighton, let's smash the seagulls (not in the same way the mackems choose to obviously)
Love the seagull vs magpie graphic