THE SPECIAL - Man City Away
Manchester City v Newcastle United, Etihad Stadium, 15/Feb/25, 15:00, Premier League. Stephen Ord does the honours.
A week is a long time in football, politics and everything else potentially. What about a fortnight? As people trudged out of our last league fixture, a bit of nerves jangling and a potential banana skin at the end of the week, we would have taken where we are now.
But if any place sums up the last twenty years of NUFC it is the Etihad. We last gained a league point there almost twenty years ago, won a League Cup fixture with a famously brilliant midfield, but other than that we get nothing there. However, is this the year, the time.
Will we ever catch Manchester City, particularly under Guardiola, at a weaker point? John Stones couldn’t make any sense of their collapse against Madrid during the week, but if ever Newcastle wanted to sort out their away form, the next three games on the road being wins would go some way to showing what the new Newcastle is all about.
Arsenal was brilliant, Birmingham probably a tighter affair than we would have liked. If we are only one down with twenty minutes to go in Manchester on Saturday, I’d still have faith in Isak and co to turn it around. Or Schär to press a midfielder into a mistake again, happens to the best of them, doesn’t it Declan? Oh aye, that’s right, we are back to the proper Premier League ball again.
Tickets have been the hot topic of conversation this week, overshadowing scans for both Anthony Gordon and Dan Burn. Hopefully both are available. Craig Hope released news that corporate box holders were upset to hear that they’d only get four rather than ten tickets for Wembley, some people who had transferred League Cup tickets were upset that this now counts against them. Better to not turn up having purchased a ticket, than to transfer it so someone else can go. Can’t see many people transferring tickets for Brighton, can you?
Wembley pots were released and then the ticket allocation dates came by. I was able to get one in pot 2, but the club did make it clear a couple of years ago that this was their way of solving the ticketing issue of 2023. It may not be popular with everyone but by the time you read this I imagine that the last tickets, if any, will have gone to a very small ballot. Pot 5 and pot 6, I feel for you. The news that, like last time, some tickets in Club Wembley were changing hands for serious money is no surprise. However, people will pay a lot just to get their chance to see us possibly end the trophy drought.
The future for SJP is well discussed by Yousef below, as to whether the best thing is to move or not. I am in the minority as well, like him, but from a more selfish point of view, I do have a season ticket and don’t want to lose the incredible view I have. I also don’t want the out of town experience that the Etihad is.
Going to it felt like going to a music festival, people stood there for hours before getting their pizza and their coffee before heading in, to work themselves into clapping loudly. It was soulless and so unlike Maine Road, mainly because it has a lot of different people there. Be careful what you wish for.
But the future of this should really be further on by now and it is a worry that leaks keep appearing. With no firm plans, there is just more and more conjecture. A bit like the training ground and the thought of a possible sponsor for it, just ideas floating around.
This week, it was sad to hear of the passing of John Tudor. Wallace's excellent obituary does cover some information that younger readers, or even middle aged ones, might want to look at to link to a player of folklore from years past. My dad was a big fan of the Mighty Wyn and similarly told me stories of John Tudor and Supermac. Some shouts of ‘Hallelujah’ from the away end today would be a fitting departure for him.
Grace Laidler of this parish did an excellent piece about some of the younger NUFC supporters going to a club workshop, read her feedback below. Callum Wilson was there, so let’s hope he didn’t shake hands with anyone too vigorously otherwise that pec muscle will be in serious danger again.
I think we will win today, provided Gordon is fit. I think it will be another feather in the cap of the manager, but the last time I was this confident was West Ham at home, so let’s hope it isn’t a nonperformance like that. Today is a day to firmly place that flag into a top five place, time to start taking these opportunities.
Enjoy the game!
Stephen Ord
And now, Mick's bits:
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Football For Everyone?
We were disappointed … sorry angry … to read about how badly one of our fellow supporters was treated last Saturday at St Andrew’s. This is the view he had from behind the goal and the Birmingham City stewards were less than helpful. Davy has contacted NUST who are providing feedback to NUFC for future reference.
https://x.com/nufctrust/status/1888575604603126187?s=46
The Trust is also taking forward issues Mags experienced getting into the away end before KO which appears to have been caused by completely inadequate arrangements.
Newcastle United Supporters Trust - Free Wembley Events for Cup Final Weekend
https://nufctrust.co.uk/news/wembley-fanzone-an-update-from-nufc/
TRUE FAITH Cup Final Breakfast Event - King’s Cross - Tickets on sale
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/1892medialimited/1582576
Grand Tour
This popped into our time line last week from the excellent Terrace Edition. We thought you’d enjoy it too
https://www.terraceedition.com/home-haute/puteolana-away-italy-football-photography-groundhopping
Newcastle United Supporters Trust respond to Tory Leader Kemi Badenoch’s opposition to the Independent Football Regulator
Henry Winter on Badenoch’s opposition to the Football Regulator
Rest In Words
It was sad to read of the death of football writer Patrick Barclay last week. You may not have always agreed with Patrick but he was a skilled wordsmith and always worth reading. Thank you for your work.
TRUE FAITH - Wembley 2025 Souvenir Merch
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Thanks to Peter Willis for the artwork again. That’s all for this time. See you back here for Forest at home.
Michael Martin
Without ground expansion or relocation what is to happen to:
1. My 9 year old Grandson and his six passionate mates.
2. The thousands of under 20s who cannot get tickets.
3. My 23 year old nephew who gave up his ticket when he became an adult as he couldn’t afford to renew at the price of an adult. He can now.
4. My brother and four of my mates who gave up their tickets as they could not see an end to the Ashley years. All long term supporters and all desperate to return.
5. My two mates who joined the boycott, also long term supporters and desperate to return.
6. Several lads I know who are in their early 20s and quite rightly choose to play right now but believe that they will return as spectators once they give up amateur football.
7. My two daughters and their friends who would like walk ups to become available.
I could ramble on……..
In particular, consideration must be given to the thousands of supporters under the age of 20 who ultimately will form the Clubs (vocal) fan base.
Or in say twenty years time do we want a stadium full of boring old farts?
Not sure the Club made it clear at any point re pot allocation/ticket forwarding which resulted in fans falling foul of the system.