True faith 127

ISSUE 127

OCTOBER 2016

16/17

NEWCASTLE UNITED FANZINE - THE ALTERNATIVE VIEW - 2016/17 SEASON

UNITY IS STRENGTH

E-MAIL: editor@true-faith.co.uk WEBSITE: www.true-faith.co.uk EDITOR: Michael Martin DEPUTY EDITOR: Gareth Harrison ART & DESIGN: Glenn Ashcroft & Michael Martin ILLUSTRATIONS: Marc Jennings marcjennings.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHY: Matt Flynn, Colin Ferguson & Carl Haynes PROOFREADING - Neil Huitson WEBSITE: Glenn Ashcroft & Michael Martin COPYRIGHT: All items(c) true faith. Not to be reproduced without the prior permission of true faith.

Editorial...................................................... pg4

Branded: FILA........................................... pg52

TBAWE........................................................ pg6

View From Across the Water.............. pg56

Introducing Dwight Gayle................... pg10 A New Beginning?.................................. pg14 A Bluffer’s Guide to the Championship............................. pg18

Feel Every Beat........................................ pg59 Putting the Flags Out........................... pg68 Sunderland Finances.............................. pg72

An Uncomfortable Truth...................... pg23

Postcards From The Edge..................... pg78

This is England......................................... pg27

60 Second Season.................................. pg80

Geordies Here, Geordies there........... pg28 Introducing Matt Ritchie...................... pg33 The Game Plan........................................ pg36

Escape from the Angry Heads and the Public House as a Womb..................... pg82 Out with the (New) Old?................... pg86

STATEMENT: This is NOT an official product of Newcastle United FC. NOTICE: All views expressed are the views of the author and do not always represent the views of true faith.

CONTRIBUTIONS: All contributions to true faith are welcomed, encouraged and considered for publication - letters, articles, photos etc.

NEVER FORGOTTEN: L.J. & M. Martin.

NEXT ISSUE: TF 128.

OUT: MID-NOV 2016.

From Croft Park to Camp Nou: Resurrecting the Name of Don Patricio................... pg40

The Boy From Brazil.............................. pg90

SUBMISSIONS FOR NEXT ISSUE: 31 OCT 2016.

Geordies Here, Geordies there........... pg46

The End....................................................... pg94

© true faith.

www.true-faith.co.uk

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editorial

Welcome to tf 127.

We are eleven games in we are on 22 points, 3 off the top and third in the table. Our goal difference is twice that of both Huddersfield and Norwich who are ahead of us in the table. It’s my opinion, the rotation policy Rafa has adopted, will as the season develops, turn out to give us a significant edge over our promotion rivals. We will likely see the benefits of that post-Christmas when the attrition of this division takes its toll on our rivals. While our rivals playing resources become stretched and bruised both the size and freshness of the players at Rafa’s disposal will show tf 4

the wisdom of the Benitez strategy. Rafa has a plan for the whole season and not just the next game.

We are in a good, strong position. I trust Rafa Benitez absolutely and completely to bring Premier League football back to Newcastle United next season.

That’s not to say everything is perfect. It isn’t.There have been disappointments over these initial games – the defeats away to Fulham and at home to Huddersfield and Wolves in particular remind us there is no room for complacency or arrogance in this division. We may be Newcastle United playing in front of 50,000+ at St

tf 127 Oct 2016 editor@true-faith.co.uk

James’ Park but we are in this division for a reason – we weren’t good enough to play in the Premier League and we were relegated. I don’t believe there is a problem with humility with Rafa and his players though I do sense there is a lack of realism, impatience and occasionally ignorance amongst a section of our support. Booing at the Wolves game and early leavers at 3-1 down at the Norwich game illustrate the problem we have with some of our supporters.

We see this in social media with supporters, doubtless buoyed with skills honed on their X-Box playing FIFA (or whatever) announce their teams via social

@tfeditor1892

media without any sense of irony. As we’ve said, let’s save ourselves a bundle paying Rafael Benitez and just turn selecting the first team into a weird version of X-Factor or give Colin from Seghill his head.

Apologies for the flippancy but we have one of the best managers in world football coaching our team, analysing medical, training and fitness reports, setting the team up to face an opposition who have been researched but we are supposed to take seriously someone announcing “their team” to the world. It would be laughable but the local press is at it and other once respected publications www.true-faith.co.uk

are apparently now in the business of doing little more than generate clicks with shameless cutting and pasting with little in the way of quality control.

Maybe I’m paying more attention to it than I should.

Benitez is taking us in the right direction.

There is a lot to be positive about.

Staggeringly, it’s October and we are still in the League Cup. We’ve had some kind draws at home and we have another one.

It’s a little premature to get cup fever but it is generating some positivity around the place that we haven’t looked like we’ve been desperate to get out of the competition at the earliest possible opportunity.

There’s a far more sunnier mood around United and despite frequently getting the hump with the moaning fraternity we should once again acknowledge the fervour there is for our club with season ticket sales on the way to 40,000 and massive away turn-outs now the norm. This is the Rafalution. For its own part, United is in the process of reaching out to those it previously retreated from and there is a general thaw.

As far as I’m aware none of the local or national presspack or banned and even this gobshite fanzine has been treated much more cordially than it have for

years. Two words. Rafael Benitez.

There is no doubt, Rafa wants everyone pulling in the same direction. He wants a happy club and whilst I will always harbour suspicions about a club owned by Mike Ashley, Benitez is taking us in the right direction. There is a lot to be positive about.

Thank you for downloading this new issue of the fanzine. It’s a tad later than we’d have liked but

the work being put into other areas i.e. The Special Matchday Newsletter has probably taken its toll but here we are with the new issue and we all really hope you enjoy it.

In recent years these pages have burned with the unrelenting anger at how United was being run on and off the park. Frankly, writing acid prose about the club I’ve supported all of my life was wearing.

Anyone who might have thought I or anyone else

derived any satisfaction from slating United should think again. It’s not been what we’ve wanted to do. It gives me every joy to get back to the simple pleasure of going to the match, shouting myself hoarse supporting Newcastle United FC and cracking on about what we’ve just witnessed in the pub with some brilliant people who love our club just like you do.

Viva La Rafalution.

Keep On, Keepin’ On…

Follow Michael on twitter

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thru black & white eyes August 01 - Loads going on at United. Everyone is dead excited and so am I. The club host an open day at SJP and thousands turn up.

This is the Rafalution. New signings are on display and there’s a feel good factor surrounding this football club that there hasn’t been for years. 8k turn up on a Monday. Additions of Ritchie, Gayle and Hanley are exciting and bring Premier League class to United in the second tier.

Rafa is not just building a team, he is building a squad.

August 03 - Things are getting better by the day as highly rated Diame signs for United. Hull (in disarray) are desperate to keep him but once more a player is turning his back on the Premier League and they see United as a step forward.

Things are so different from

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our last relegation I don’t know where to start. The excitement for Fulham on Friday is mental – with 7k mags deciding that life in the second tier, on a Friday night on television, is worth the hassle after all.

August 04 - Well sourced rumours claim Rafa would sell Mitrovic if he could.

Not because we’re awash with loads of striking options (we are absolutely not like) but because the Serb is rumoured to be a radge immature arsehole who can’t be tamed or trusted to stay on the pitch.

The way United are selling players these days (give it a month for Liverpool fans to wake up to how heartless Winjaldum is) I can’t see anyone paying for the nut case. Let’s hope he gets his head down under Rafa and starts scoring again. To me he’s currently a massive

liability in a league where margins are so fine that he could end up costing us massively. He’ll never work under a better manager, that’s for sure.

August 05 - What a let-down. It’ll be fine, of course it’ll be fine but this performance stank of Villa away last season.

No movement and no penetration. To be fair United probably had the better of the game, Fulham not threatening at all – and there were holes in the team that won’t be here come September the 1st.

Still, though. Bubble well and truly burst.

August 09 - Rafa knows the score. No excuses, smiles or even admissions that he didn’t see it coming.

It’s the start of the season, with 9 new players and loads not fit. It might get

worse before it gets better but me and any other sane mag has absolute no doubts all will be well, even if we were bottom half at Christmas. Your usual social media fannies are having their attention seeking melt downs, but what’s new there. There’s rumours about Sissoko being on the bench for Huddersfield on Saturda. Nee chance. He’s off one way or another.

I’d love to see him stay under Benitez’s tutelage but don’t see it. This Real Madrid bollocks – is just that – bollocks. 11 goals in 3 and a half seasons. Don’t think Ronaldo or Bale will be losing any sleep about Moussa coming in (he’s not).

August 11 - United are still in massive need of additions and there are rumours Ritchie isn’t fit for the game on Saturday

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against Huddersfield. By my reckoning we need at least one winger, at least one left back, a centre back, a striker and maybe another midfielder before the window closes. We also need to win some football matches.

August 13 - Starting to get a bit more worried after defeat to an organised but limited Huddersfield side.

The game never got going and neither did the sell out crowd. More social media crying from lads that don’t go to games. Gallowgate Flags kicked off in style and was an absolute success.

Best part of today is we have a game in three days against Reading to kick our season off properly (part 3). Still on for 100 points though I reckon.

August 15 - Loads of stats doing the rounds about how essentially every side to get promoted in the last 6 years got off to stinkers in the league and we shouldn’t panic. I’ll politely dismiss those stats as irrelevant as none of those sides had Rafa Benitez at their club so their fantastic recoveries www.true-faith.co.uk

are inconsequential as far as United go. We’re going to win the league.

August 17 - Aaaand there you go. Reading given a shoeing at St James’. It wasn’t always pretty but it was effective. United will beat teams this season by simply being better at them at the little things.

The important things.

Gayle scored a wordly free kick and will score 20 this season. Hayden is a player.

August 19 - Steve Harper is back at United as an academy coach. Well in Steve. Brownie points added after spending some time at Ellis Shorts’ freak show on Wearside where he continues his experiment of owning a shit football team with awful players yet managing to lose millions.

August 20 - A belting win in Bristol. What a city Bristol is. The only non-terrible place I’ve ever been south of Yorkshire in this country. I want to say United won ugly but the truth is they won easy.

Matt Selts hasn’t made a save (again) and the one bit of quality from United won

it. We’ll rack up away wins by the plenty playing like this. All shape and quality.

Not many have said Bristol couldn’t cope with United, but they couldn’t.

Not without our free flowing football (though they couldn’t for the first ’30) but our intelligence, game management and defensive quality. Don’t think I’ve ever said that about a Newcastle United side before. It feels great.

August 23 - United enter the last weekend of the transfer window and there is work to be done. A host of players need shipped out permanently or on loan. The club has been fumigated but the job isn’t done. There’s still Sissoko to sort. He’s off like. If he wasn’t he’d have featured.

It’s going to be messy. One man who seems like he has a future at St James’ is Yohann Goufrann. His been decent the last two games and provided the width we were so desperately lacking at times in our opening two defeats. Well in, Yohann.

August 25 - After disposing of Cheltenham in the

cup (watch this space – I think Rafa thinks we can do well in the cups this season. He needs to stop in them as much for game time for fringe players as much as anything else) United have peddled Daryl Janmaat and brought in ex mackem Yedlin. Best of luck at United DeAndre!

Daryl Janmaat won’t be missed by many. He was outstanding for much of his first season and then average since. Chances are we’ll be passing him next season as Watford look shaky. Massive run of games coming up now starting with Brighton at the weekend. Rafa is taking it game by game, as he’s magic.

August 28 - Too easy again. So many positives from that win. Kicked and cheated by Hughton and his team. Still pissed it.

Brighton had their spell.

Their one. We controlled the game. There’s a pattern emerging here. Blitz them first 35. Get the goal. Sit back, go again on ’60. It’s working. In the space of a month United will have faced all of the promotion tf 7

thru black & white eyes favourites in this league.

Brighton, probably the best amongst them have just been resoundingly Rafa’d.

Coming up are Derby, Vile and Norwich with QPR away chucked into the mix and high flying Wolves at home. If those 5 fixtures and Brighton could produce 12+ points we’d be flying – but I believe we’ll take even more than that as this is Newcastle United Rafa.

We’re defending well. We don’t look like conceding.

We look dangerous. We look better than anyone else. The good times are coming.

September 1 - That was the transfer that was.

Incredible. 19 first team players have left United permanently or on loan. 12 have come in. All 12 include the match day squad. All of them. This is unparalleled.

Previous transfer windows were spent in fear of losing our ‘best’ players. No

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longer. Sissoko is on his way, no longer part of our angst. £30 million Rafa wanted so £30 he got.

That squad is now capable of steam rolling this league and there should be plenty to spend in January. This is the Rafalution. We’ve signed a variety of players for a variety of reasons and are all ages. You get the feeling this squad are a great set of lads, and they’ll do us proud.

September 6 - All quiet on the United front as International football takes over. Allardyce’s England leave it late and Daryl Murphy gets his first international goal for Eire just days after signing for United. The Rafa effect.

September 10 - Back to the real stuff and United are imperious at Derby.

Nigel Pearson’s side put up some resistance but 3,200 mags are delirious

as Yoan Goufrann opens the scoring with a volley right our of the top draw, as Merson would say. The win and the ease at which it was achieved suggests a side comfortable with itself who have conceded just one away goal in three away league games. What a difference a world class manager makes. United are still in the tricky period of fixtures yet so far have taken 6 points from the first two, not conceding a goal. Two points a game was the aim for these six - and we’re half way there after two.

September 14 - Make that one goal conceded in 4 away games as United blow away QPR. Mitro and Perez weren’t in most people’s starting eleven’s yet they both stepped up with goals and performances. A sold out away end was once again treated but in a way most will have never seen

in their lives Six nil. SIX NIL. QPR are top half as well. This isn’t Blackburn at home. United’s away form has been so poor for the last three years that it was almost a gift to the long suffering lot who’ve paid thousands to regularly see us humiliated away from St James’ Park. Incredible scenes. It could have been ten.

September 16 - So United face Wolves tomorrow for the first time at SJP in three days. The ground is sold out and Wolves have tailed off after a good start, losing 0-4 at home to Barnsley through the week. That’s probably not a good thing and Rafa is preaching caution, respect and consistency. There’s no way we’ll cock this up though, with the city on such a high with the 8 away goals through the week?

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September 17 -Yes, we did.

September 21 - Wolves are put to the sword convincingly in a two nil win in which Goufrann and Ritchie both scored great goals, just 70 seconds apart Saturday was a really bad result and performance, but this is the Championship and we have to move on. Three wins on the bounce versus Brighton, Derby and QPR was a superb start to this run so one blip is not to be mourned, and it’s already been put right with a place in the League Cup last 16. Preston at home is the type of tie Alan Pardew would have dreamt of as United manager as we regularly came out of the hat away from home. A place in the Quarter Final awaits.

September 22 - Reports from Aston suggest that Aston Villa are in for a bumper crowd on Saturday as Newcastle United visit. Great for the local economy and area as the 3,500 strong away contingent bring the TV cameras with the them for what is a true www.true-faith.co.uk

bottom vs top of the table clash. Always nice for the clubs near the bottom to receive a bit of exposure when the big clubs come to town. There may even be 30k at this one.

September 24 - Well it was two points thrown away as United dominated the game and then Matt Sels let one in at his near post to gift Villa an undeserved point which was celebrated in the Midlands as if they’d won their first game since August. Gayle and Diame are guilty of missing sitters and then Sels has again left thousands of people wondering what Karl Darlow has to do to get a game. Sels deletes his twitter account after hundreds of morons send him abuse. Pathetic people.

September 26 - The games continue to come at a pace - Norwich the next side at SJP on Wednesday for a very big game indeed. Their incredibly comfortable start to the season has afforded them a four point cushion of United going into this one. Early days and all that, but a defeat would give us work to do to overhaul

them any time soon.

September 28 - Scenes.

September 29 - Unbelievable scenes. Outrageous.

Incredible. These are words to describe how well United played for the first 40 minutes of this game when the woodwork, the Norwich keeper and a profligate Dwight Gayle whould have put United three or four goals up before the break, such was our domination over Norwich City. What happened in the next 40 minutes was bizarre as Norwich went 3-1 up without really creating a chance. The come back though. The come back. The come back of come backs. A victory for people who don’t seek attention by leaving a match on 70 minutes. Or try and ‘beat traffic’ on 85 minutes. 90% stayed until the end. 90% will never forget. Even Rafa went radge (for him). Stunning.

October 1 - United win again. United wain away at Rotherham and have conceded just two away goals (both from corners which will bug the life out

of Rafa) in 6 away games.

Remember we concded ten away goals in two games under McClaren last season. Incredible.

We’ve been really good since the wobble in the first two games and rotation is well and truly in full swing when United can afford to leave a super star like Matt Ritchie on the bench. Third in the league after 11 games Rafa is happy. The fan base is happy going into another international break. We’ve one point less than at this stage in 2009/10 (not that the comparison is at all valid just the whingeing people love to point out we only lost X number of games etc etc) and this team is going to get better and better. There’ll be more set backs no doubt, but a very comfortable run of fixtures in the run up to Christmas suggests united could pull clear in the New Year.

ALEX HURST - FOLLOW ALEX ON @tfalex1892 tf 9

I’ll be honest here.

I can’t say that I’ve particularly studied the career of Dwight Gayle to date. I became more aware of him over the past couple of seasons via his endeavours with our sadly departed ex-‘manager’ down in South London, but only as a very casual observer. From what I saw, he looked like a quick, busy forward – tricky to defend against and scoring regularly enough given his pitch time, but not the sort of player you renew your season ticket for. Potentially harsh? Yes, but realistically, never threatening anywhere near enough my radar to warrant a re-think.

Introducing Dwight Gayle Now, ask yourselves this question: do you trust the judgement of Rafa Benitez?

If the answer is ‘way aye’ – and I should probably advise any dissenters to exit stage left at this point – then clearly the Gayle situation demands closer inspection.

Judging on what we’ve seen from the man in the hotseat thus far, and what is starting to become more apparent with each passing week, we are dealing with a character of real meticulousness. Consider the spray and pray folly of recent transfer windows before Fatty tore up the blueprint. Cabella, Thauvin, Doumbia all flounced through the door (more dragged himself, perhaps, in Doumbia’s case…will we tf 10

Emma Thompson

ever know what went on there?!) and were quickly exposed as shockingly unfit for purpose. Not even on the cheap, either. Undoubtedly Rafa has – thank Christ – taken back control of the fairly fundamental business of identifying and procuring the players who will take to the field in his name each week. I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that if Dwight Gayle has come to lend his hand to the Newcastle United at the behest of Rafa Benitez, then that’s a decision we should all be happy to get behind.

And of course, he hasn’t just been signed to make up the numbers and pick up some of the slack in the cups (which we’ll be enjoying long runs in this year, mark www.true-faith.co.uk

my over-optimistic Geordie words). Dwight Gayle is our new number 9. You certainly don’t need me to remind you of the legendary company that this now places the 25 year old in, nor highlight the potentially overwhelming pressure that come his way as a result.

But, going back to what we know about Benitez, I’m confident that he has been more than satisfied with the answers our number 9 has been able to provide – up until this point, anyway. The real response will of course be delivered on the pitch, paid in the only currency this faithful accepts.

So, what has Rafa seen in Gayle to suggest he has the right temperament, character, and of course talent to be mentioned in the same breath as the Big Als and the Sir Les’s? Let’s take a look.

Personally, I think there’s something encouraging and fortifying about wor Dwight’s backstory. He’s www.true-faith.co.uk

not an overly pampered, molly-coddled child of an elite academy who’s been sycophantically assured of his ascent to the very pinnacle of football since he was a bairn. There’s far more of a – dare I say it – Jamie Vardy feel to his trajectory (hopefully without any of the assault convictions and electronic tagging).

Whilst he did indeed spend some of his formative years at Arsenal’s academy, he was released as a teenager and then found himself plying his trade at Stansted (terrible airport, like) where the drop down in quality certainly augmented his conversion rate: no fewer than 57 goals were registered during the 10/11 season. League Two and a short shuffle east beckoned next. Whilst he was sent out on loan from Dagenham and Redbridge that year, a remarkably tidy return of a goal every 0.69 games resulted in a professional contract at the Daggers for the 12/13 season. Just ahead

of the January window that year, a loan option arose for Gayle to re-locate to Peterborough United which became permanent in 2013. His performances for Posh – including a hat-trick against Blackburn – were enough to catch the eye of the Premier League at last. Here’s a player who has regularly outperformed the scope of his current assignment, rising from total anonymity to the top table within a mere 3 years. You don’t achieve that kind of breakthrough without serious dedication, graft, and ability. 3 traits we know Senor Benitez prizes in anyone who turns out for him.

Considering some of the spoiled, bratty knobheads we’ve had ‘representing’ our club in recent times, the fact that Gayle’s journey makes him more likely to show a touch of humility doesn’t hurt, either. To quote our number 9 himself: “Coming the route I did makes it that bit more special. I appreciate

“Coming the route I did makes it that bit more special.

I appreciate it that bit more.

When I go back to see some mates and go back to watch my old teams, you just notice how far you’ve come, and that’s when you really cherish it that bit more.”

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it that bit more. When I go back to see some mates and go back to watch my old teams, you just notice how far you’ve come, and that’s when you really cherish it that bit more.”

I’d wager running out at a packed, boisterous SJP for the first time in the black and white number 9 feel 20 feet tall.

As for what we’ll see on the pitch…what can we expect? I’ve already seen one name being murmured by our supporters by way of comparison: Bellamy.

Having only had the chance to study him live during the opening day disappointment at Fulham, I don’t disagree. Direct, pacy, full of running – nothing quite came off for him that day, but it will.

I already like the look of his movement, and whilst their physical presence could be a concern, a Perez-Gayle pairing tf 12

could gleefully start to bamboozle some shoddier Championship defences.

Equally, if our mad Serbian can get himself some anger management and keep himself fit and available, I’d imagine that has to be Rafa’s preferred up-front partnership. The close control and speed of Gayle could be the perfect foil to Mitro’s strength and less, er, refined approach.

really seeming – from a neutral’s perspective at least – to nail down a regular starting slot. (That may tell you more about Pardew’s tactics than anything else, but that’s a story for another day).

But when you’ve been as goal starved for as long as we have, 2 from inside the 6 yard box every week won’t trouble me one bit.

Do I see Gayle having the type of explosive impact of Cisse managed?

Potentially not. Gayle may not have that flair for the spectacular that we so enjoy; his show-reel won’t contain main gravity defying benders or out of the box rakers, but what the evidence suggests he will do is convert. Whilst never troubling the back pages too much, he quietly become the top scorer 3 seasons running at Palace, despite never

Am I saying we’ve signed the Stansted Suarez?

Of course not. A brutal, glass half empty view may even go so far as to see his signing and status is a sorry emblem of just how far we have fallen in the last two decades. But we have a new number 9 who Rafa believes in, and who deserves support, patience and eventually the adulation that the shirt almost certainly guarantees. Let’s roar him on.

I already like the look of his movement, and whilst their physical presence could be a concern, a Perez-Gayle pairing could gleefully start to bamboozle some shoddier Championship defences.

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It seems mad to think that we are getting set for a season in the second tier in such a chipper mood, on the back of a miserable campaign which saw us relegated from a terrible league just before the megabucks start to pour in but something is in the air at United and for the first time in a long while, I and most others are genuinely looking forward to the new season getting started.

There is of course one individual to thank for this newfound optimism and I’m still pinching myself that Rafa not only came in the first place but then decided to stay at our crackers club and it is no exaggeration to say that he has completely turned the mood at the club on its head. But are we kidding ourselves here? Is the last decade of Ashley’s stewardship of our club not punctuated by similar false dawns, shortly followed by

crushing disappointment?

I think first of all, it is probably worth spelling out that for a huge swathe of our support, Rafa represents one last chance for the owner to hold on to thousands, if not tens of thousands of our support.

Prior to the Spaniard’s miracle appointment, the level of bile flowing both ways between the club and it’s fanbase was pretty much at it’s peak. The disastrous appointment of McLaren by a man widely

regarded to be at best way out of his depth in Charnley which ultimately led to our relegation, the contemptuous noises coming from the club and Ashley and the atrocious football being served up by a team largely held in open derision by those in the stands had drummed the last drops of joy from even the most optimistic Mag. And then, from nowhere, in comes Benitez – a coup for Ashley (and to be fair Charnley) and a manager

GARETH HARRISOn FOLLOW @truefaith1892

A NEW BEGINNING?

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that from day one both got the support and got what needed to be done to establish a successful football club.

After years of Ashley’s pigheaded stubbornness with the ‘Head Coach’ model, Benitez was able in the summer to persuade the board to dispense with the model and allow him to run the show. He’s been the only manager with the level of credibility to sit up and make the club listen since Keegan and the move marked a sea change away from the failed model being pursued by the club and one that gave us hope after watching in horror at the knackers which Graeme Carr brought to SJP. This is where the www.true-faith.co.uk

cynic in me leaps up and says ‘Ah, but look what happened to KK’ and I’m also not sure if Carr has actually left the club or not yet but certainly when it’s come to the transfers over the summer, there is absolutely none of his fingerprints on the players that have come in. They look half decent for a start and again, we’ve made a huge step forward in dispensing with buying only young/shite players with a resale value/who aren’t worth the steam off our piss after six months that has seen us squander millions on garbage like Cabella.

The business we’ve done over the summer also fills me full of optimism. At the time of writing this,

Sissoko hasn’t left yet but presuming we recoup the same for him as we have Wijnaldum, then that will be £50m banked for two players I won’t miss one jot. It’s a shame Townsend has gone but I think we’ve got a decent replacement in Ritchie and ultimately one of the principles Rafa has set in place is bringing lads to United that want to be here. Gayle and Ritchie have joined having played a good number of games for Premier League clubs, Gamez has come in from the Champions League finalists and Hanley was captaining his side in the Championship last season. All are excellent buys at this level and tellingly, all made noises about coming to play for

...one of the principles Rafa has set in place is bringing lads to United that want to be here.

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a big club this season – if these lads get off to a good start, they can make themselves heroes up here. Contrast that with the likes of Sissoko, Coloccini, de Jong (who will hopefully be peddled as well) and for the first time in ages, we could have a core of good lads playing for us.

Another telling sign for me in the rejuvenation of United as a professionally run club has been the preseason that we’re five games into as I write this.

Last year under McLaren, we had a disastrous tour to the States where we got beat off an MLS reserve team, lost with a strong side at York who were subsequently relegated to the Conference and looked generally as clueless as we did for the season that followed. This term, after the Southend game, we’ve played four games against teams of a higher tf 16

standard, won three of them and kept three clean sheets without knackering ourselves by buggering off half way around the world.

Yes, they’re only friendlies but they are getting us in a decent rhythm of playing together and building up a bit of confidence.

Off the pitch, relationships between the club and the fans are probably better than they have been in a long time too.

Season ticket sales are well, mental frankly for a side at this level but promisingly, the club have engaged with the lads behind ‘Gallowgate Flags’ and although it might not seem like much to fans of other clubs, this sort of level of communication is a cosmic leap for us. Will Ashley manage to keep it going? Who knows.

If past evidence is to be believed, no he won’t, he’ll do something ridiculous and we’ll end up hating

him even more but what is telling is that all this comes at a time when the spotlight is on him as never before because of his stewardship at Sports Direct and NUFC probably present the only opportunity for good publicity for him at the minute. People say he doesn’t care about any of that, but his empire (NUFC included) and as such his wallet have taken an absolute battering over the past six months and maybe now the penny has finally dropped?

Off the pitch, relationships between the club and the fans are probably better than they have been in a long time too.

At the end of the day, this is Newcastle so God knows what can happen from one day to the next but naively, I don’t think we are kidding ourselves, not in the short term at least. For once we can just focus on winning football matches and for once, I actually fancy us to do so! www.true-faith.co.uk

Joining the Toon from the Premier League in this season’s Championship are Norwich City and the Villains. Promoted from League 1 are Wigan Athletic (champions), Burton Albion (automatic promotion) and Barnsley (finished 6th, 10 points behind 3rd placed Walsall but won through in the play-offs).

Eight clubs start with new managers. Longest serving manager is Mick McCarthy of Ipswich Town. Leeds have former Swansea manager Garry Monk who has the unenviable task of being the 11th managerial appointment since February 2012 albeit Neil Redfern seemed to be stuck in the revolving door – managing the club 4 times in that period!

There are some big names managing Championship clubs now – Roberto di Matteo (Aston Villa), Chris Hughton (Brighton), Nigel Clough (Burton), Nigel Pearson (Derby), Darren Ferguson (Doncaster Rovers), Slavisa Jokanavic (Fulham), Mick McCarthy (Ipswich), Garry Monk (Leeds), Simon Grayson (Preston), Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (QPR), Jaap

Stam (Reading), Alan Stubbs (Rotherham) and Kenny Jackett (Wolves).

All good managers but none with the experience and pedigree of our very own Rafa.

So – how does it look for the season ahead?

The Toon are favourites to be promoted and win the Championship. There is however a long, long, long

A BLUFFER’S GUIDE TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP

tf 18

STUART GILMORE

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season ahead. Norwich and Villa are also viewed as returning to the Premier league at the first time of asking. Favourites for relegation are Burton, Rotherham and Barnsley.

But this is a big league with quite a number of big teams. The last favourites to win the Championship were King Kev’s Manchester City. Always a good guide to look at those teams who reached the playoffs – that brings into play Sheffield Wednesday, Derby and Brighton. Let’s have a quick look at each side.

Aston Villa One of the poorest sides to grace the Premier League in a long time and yet we managed to scramble only 2 points from our encounters with them (if only!!) di Matteo is a good appointment. A clear out of some of the abysmal attitude that accompanied their play last year and new ownership may see the Villains a threat. There is a lot of work to do though. www.true-faith.co.uk

Barnsley A great finish to the 2015-16 season saw The Tykes win the Football League Trophy – beating Oxford United 3-2 at Wembley in April before returning to Wembley at the end of May and defeating Millwall 3-1 to gain promotion to the Championship through the play-off position. Life this season will be one of survival.

Birmingham City Gary Rowett has quietly established a decent side at St Andrews but uncertainty around ownership still hovers around. Poor runs have dogged them in previous seasons and this trend is likely to continue.

Blackburn Rovers Owen Coyle takes over the manager’s position at Ewood Park this coming season. Captain and player of the season last year, Grant Hanley, has now joined us. It remains to be

seen if Coyle can do what his 5 predecessors have failed to achieve and move Rovers from mediocrity.

Brentford Having had a great first season back in the Championship in 2014-15, losing manager Mike Warburton to (New) Rangers the Bees went through two managers before appointing Dean Smith at the beginning of December last year. A credible 9th place finish gives hope to the Griffin Park side of securing a play-off position.

Brighton & Hove Albion I’ve always liked Chris Hughton and followed the performances of his Brighton side closely.

Fading away towards the end of last season when they had a number of high pressure games saw the Seagulls finish 3rd on 89 points the same as the Smoggies – behind by a 2 goal difference. A cruel game indeed. Important

But this is a big league with quite a number of big teams.

The last favourites to win the Championship were King Kev’s Manchester City

tf 19

for Chris to get his team to put that disappointment behind them, re-group and challenge for a play-off position this season.

Bristol City Newly promoted last season the Robins went on a 28 game run in which they won only 4 games and saw them slump to 22nd position. Steve Cotterill was relieved of his duties and Lee Johnson appointed as his replacement. Avoiding relegation was a significant achievement and another season of consolidations seem likely.

Burton Albion Newly promoted having finished in 2nd place in League 1.

Nigel Clough returned for a second spell at the Pirelli Stadium following Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s departure to QPR. A capacity of 6 912 will make tf 20

for an interesting afternoon when we visit later this year on 17 December. Favourities for relegation I believe Nigel Clough will lead the Brewers to survival.

Cardiff City A 3-0 home win for the Toon consigned Cardiff to the Championship in 2014.

Changing club colours and poor supporter communication always made me think that Cardiff had it even worse than us! And we even helped them out by loaning Sammy Ameobi for all of last season! Finishing 8th last season after being 11th the season before makes a push for a play-off position possible but unlikely.

Derby County The Rams have competed at the top of the division for the last two seasons. The year before last they led

the table before going on a 13 match slump which saw them winning only twice and slipping out of a play-off position. They sacked their manager and that is how we came by Schteve! Last season Paul Clement was sacked after 8 months and Derby finished 5th, losing to Hull in the play-off semi-final. With the appointment of Nigel Pearson Derby are making a statement of intent and are a definite for a play-off position this season.

With the appointment of Nigel Pearson Derby are making a statement of intent and are a definite for a play-off position this season.

Fulham Poor runs of form have cost Fulham and their managers over the past two seasons.

Finishing 20th last season I expect this coming season to also be something of a struggle. Moussa Dembele (15 goals) has left for Celtic and Ross McCormack (21 goals) is in demand from several clubs. Without their goals www.true-faith.co.uk

Jokanovic will have a difficult season managing the west London outfit.

Huddersfield Town Since their return to the Championship in 2012, the Terriers have finished 19th, 17th, 16th and 19th. A change of manager last year saw David Wagner appointed and this season again will be a struggle.

Ipswich Town Under Mick McCar thy’s leadership Ipswich have just missed out on the play-offs in each of the past two seasons. Sadly for the tractor boys I think that this trend is likely to continue this coming season.

Leeds United Well, what can you say?! Having installed a revolving door in the manager’s office the present incumbent in the chair is Gary Monk, formerly of Swansea. Chair

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may be over optimistic as I am not certain Gary will have time to settle down.

The tempestuous nature of life at Leeds is likely to continue but they could put some form together to make a push for a playoff position.

Nottingham Forest 18 years away from the English top flight Forest show no signs of getting back there any time soon. More managerial changes last season now see Phillipe Montanier appointed on a two year contract.

The owner is looking to sell the club as soon as possible making planning for the future tricky. It will be a difficult season with relegation avoidance a real achievement.

Norwich City Alex Neil is a good young coach and despite losing some influential players he has built a good side

at Carrow Road. Despite losing Nathan Redmond to Southampton, I believe that they will make a strong push for a play-off position.

Preston North End Simon Grayson’s team returned to the Championship last season after four years away and finished a very credible 11th. Grayson will hope to build on this but I feel a play-off position is just beyond them this coming season.

Queens Park Rangers Having been relegated in 2015 after only one season in the Premier League, manager Chris Ramsey was sacked in November 2015. Former manager Neil Warnock returned for an interim period before Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was appointed in December 2015. Eventually finishing 12th

Alex Neil is a good young coach and despite losing some influential players he has built a good side at Carrow Road. Despite losing Nathan Redmond to Southampton, I believe that they will make a strong push for a play-off position.

tf 21

Reading With Jaap Stam as manager, Reading may be worth watching this season. They have under performed in previous seasons and Stam must change their mind set if they are to improve upon last season’s 17th position.

Rotherham United Rotherham kick off their Championship campaign with a new manager in Alan Stubbs, but with the same expectations as previous seasons. The Millers are yet again favourites to go down to the third tier which would have occurred last year had it not been for the heroics performed by interim manager Neil Warnock. It will be a tough season for Stubbs and his team.

S hef f ield Wednesday Kick off the coming season with huge expectations having very nearly gained promotion through the play-offs.

Their brand of attacking

tf 22

football won many admirers. Steven Fletcher has joined from the Mackems. If they get off to a decent start, I see a top six position for them again this season.

Wigan Athletic Gary Caldwell’s young team have all the attributes to make a significant impact on their return to the Championship. Having won League 1, Caldwell has further strengthened his side with a mix of youth and experience. A team to watch this coming season Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolves had a disappointing season after beginning the campaign with high hopes.

Injuries, player sales and inconsistency proved costly.

The recent purchase of the club brings renewed hope to the fans who again will be seeking a top six finish.

There we have it! One bluffer’s guide to this

season’s Championship.

The Toon to win the Championship.

Derby County to finish second and automatic promotion.

Norwich, Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday and Wolves to contest the playoffs with Wolves to win through and gain promotion.

Other teams to watch are Reading and Wigan.

Teams for the drop are Barnsley, Rotherham and one from Nottingham Forest and Burton.

Gary Caldwell’s young team have all the attributes to make a significant impact on their return to the Championship.

Having won League ONE...

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“We are not a stepping stone, we are Newcastle United. Every player should be honoured to wear the shirt of this Club. They should feel the same passion that the fans feel, then you have a great relationship between the players and the supporters in the stadium.

It is magical when that happens and it can help us achieve great things together.”

AN UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH Not quite the Sir Bobby Robson quote that, but it's enough for me to continue my man crush with Rafa Benitez. I'd like you to keep reminding yourself what the man said regularly, because at this point I'd like to pause and address the not so small www.true-faith.co.uk

elephant in the room, the uncomfortable truth.

The atmosphere at home games. Most of the time, it stinks the place out. It's not a new thing either having been a problem for a long time now. There are a myriad of reasons for this. We are not alone in

this, but I don't give a shit about other clubs. Read what Rafa said again. This is Newcastle United man.

One of THE great English football clubs.

Booing the team off (full time v Huddersfield and half time v Reading) by a large minority of our lot tf 23

was a disgrace and it has to stop. Don't give me the crap that you pay your money so you're entitled to do so, because if you think that, then supporting a football team may not be for you.

Look up the word support in a dictionary and at no point will it say it means “to moan when Big Vern slices one out of play when under no pressure.”

It means (not in the dictionary sense) it's our job to make sure we encourage the lads, and make it as hard as possible for opposing players and the officials to have any confidence in their ability to tie their own shoe laces.

Never mind have the audacity to score a goal or spot that cross was actually headed in by Rafa getting a bunk up off Mitro.

tf 24

It means giving the lad encouragement when he's missed a chance or misplaced a pass. As frustrating as it is, it does no good to yell at him and tell him he's shit. He isn't doing it on purpose and you never know, giving him a break might actually give him the confidence to keep going until he does get it right.

If you still think paying for a ticket entitles you to voice your opinion negatively then please take your boos, groans and impatience with people trying to do their job to the theatre perhaps.

Would you get away with shouting “ Ya shite man” at Patrick Stewart in the middle of Hamlet? No you wouldn't. And I doubt if you'd want Paul Dummett to pop his read round the door of your workplace and call you a cock. Granted

Paul wouldn't have paid for the privilege, but you get my point.

Read the quote again...Rafa is spot on when he talks about the players feeling the same passion as the supporters, and I've had first hand experience of sorts. I was lucky enough to have been at Grimsby in 1992 when we were promoted.

I had a ticket in the home section, but when it became apparent that there were a “few” other black n whiters in there as well, the police made the decision to let us walk along the pitch side and join the throng at the other end of the ground. Half way up, what I can only describe as a wall of sound came from the Newcastle end.

And I do mean a wall. I felt it physically. It has stayed

Booing the team off (full time v Huddersfield and half time v Reading) by a large minority of our lot was a disgrace and it has to stop.

Don’t give me the crap that you pay your money so you’re entitled to do so, because if you think that, then supporting a football team may not be for you.

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with me to this day, and I will never forget it. I've told that tale a million times and it still makes what's left of my hair stand on end thinking about it. I felt it as a supporter, so heaven knows the lift it gave to the players.That is the affect you and I can have on the team.

So how can we make things better? Well, the Gallowgate Flags and corner singing section initiatives are a great start. It has to be encouraged, but the rest of us need to help them.

We need to rekindle our supporting mojo's brothers and sisters.

If you are of certain age,you'll remember Cliffy standing on the crush barriers, silk scarves around both wrists leading the singing in the scoreboard, or the mad surge forward from the back of the terraces in the corner.

Maybe jumping up when Rob Lee scored at Wembley and finding yourself four rows away from where you started having kissed, and www.true-faith.co.uk

been kissed, by complete strangers. Not on the lips or owt like.

for a contemplative sit in the corner with a bit of Nietzsche. Not.

I know those days are gone, but we could all do with re-connecting with those feelings again and make sure the positive steps that have been taken so far turn into full on strides and we get back something like the atmosphere we all know we can create.

Whatever, the general thread of this is to remind ourselves that going to the match is not a one way street. It's not down to the players to inspire us, or us them. More so as Rafa says, together it can be magical and we can achieve great things. We all know the support is a living, breathing monster of a thing when we put our minds to it and that's why I asked us all to remember that Rafa quote from time to time.

If you can't find inspiration from your younger, dafter days then perhaps take a leaf out of our Olympic athletes book. Time after time during post medal winning interviews they talked about the process.

Preparing yourself to be the best you can on that day.

Getting the top 2% right I believe they called it.

Now as a non athlete, I would have to say that getting my personal top 2% right is having beer before the game but hey, we live in modern times and it does seem to work. So as an exercise I'm prepared to forgo aforesaid beer

So the next time you go to the match and we aren't winning 6-0 at half time (Bloody hell, I've actually seen my team 6-0 up at half time!). Please keep your thoughts to yourself, or spill them out in the pub after the game, but enough with the boos and the moans.

And if you really can't stop yourself, maybe you'd be better off at the Theatre Royal after all. Tell Patrick he's shite from me.

Well, the Gallowgate Flags and corner singing section initiatives are a great start.

It has to be encouraged, but the rest of us need to help them. We need to rekindle our supporting mojo’s brothers and sisters.

tf 25

true faith has been established since 1999 as one of the most successful, influential and best-selling fanzines in the country. Its success is based upon the contributions of Newcastle United supporters. As we move into the digital age and take up the opportunities for new forms of supporter expression, true faith is at the forefront of the new fanzine culture and develops its digital fanzine (what you are reading now), its match-day e-newsletter, The Special, its Podcasts, its video-blogs and of course the website. We hope to be positioned for anything else that develops over the next few years as well.

Write for true faith true faith has always provided a platform to fans to write about their club and give their own opinions on what is currently going on at United as well as the different perspectives of our club’s history and the wider game. Oh, we love a bit nostalgia and history.

There is no typical true faith writer, they come in all shapes and sizes and include home and away zealots. young lads and www.true-faith.co.uk

lasses, veteran fans, season ticket holders, exiles and whatever else you care to mention.

true faith and in fact we welcome those that are completely opposite in honesty.

You don’t need to be a previously published writer or have any fancy qualifications. All we care about is whether you have a love for Newcastle United and a will to inform and entertain your fellow supporters. We don’t care if your opinions are the same or are similar to the editorial position of

You might want to write detailed exposes of the United financial and business model or you might want to do a matchreport or you might want to do something we’ve never ever considered.

We also like dipping our toes into the waters of music, film and fashion

so if that’s your forte, just drop us a line as well.

Don’t forget, we welcome all cartoonists, photographers and designers to join us as well, so whatever your talent, we can put you to work with the aim of establishing true faith as the best fanzine for the best supporters in the whole world.

All emails to editor@ true-faith.co.uk tf 26

THIS IS ENGLAND Hood up, withdrawn, heavy head facing down Many like him live and die and this town.

Oldham, Stoke, vote to leave the answer In Sunderland, Burnley, booms the Brexit banter.

This is England.

Parent(s) put shifts in, scant reward it brings Lacking tough love, time. A house full of things.

Legal high WIF-FI, emotionally neglected Gadgetland. So much plugged in yet so disconnected.

This is England.

Groggy, he wakes, works, earns a wage 8 hours through motions, beneath burns the rage.

Lives for the weekend and for his team Only on matchday does he dare to dream.

This is England.

At the Euros in France, something to do Chants: old wars, ISIS, f**k the EU. German trainers, Irish bars, Belgian beer If he hates Europe so much, why is he here?

This is England.

Knocked out early doors, national disgrace Nowt left to do, get smashed off his face.

Knock out a tweet to troll Raheem Sterling He’s 21 too, but just look what he’s earning.

This is England.

At school rebellious but, engaged, he’d try Every child matters but it all passed him by.

Blair vowed: education, education, education Yet such anti-learning: hate benefits, hate immigration.

This is England.

His curriculum set by those dark, distant Tories Tax evasion? Never heard of that story.

Nowhere in Gove’s GCSEs, this real politics Elite live in fear: youth and truth might mix.

This is England.

Robotic inhalation: youtube, facebook, twitter Exposed to so much, understands very little.

The Express, The Mail, front page of Dad’s Sun Propaganda, agenda. Looks like they’ve won.

This is England.

So he rose back in June with a sense of purpose A first vote. For once, it felt worth it.

‘Kick ‘em all out! Let no more in!’

The real result: Farage/ Johnson away win.

This is England.

It meant something once, to be working class Identity, community. Now all in the past.

Individuals ‘together,’ call centres, phones So many ‘friends’ online, yet so very alone.

This is England.

At least on a Saturday, he’s part of a crowd Together, a team. Bond defiant and proud.

New season, same faces high up in those stands This country’s future… in whose hands?

He didn’t forge this England.

LEE HAWTHORNE www.true-faith.co.uk

tf 27

There he was, the man they had come to see, Andrei Arshavin.

This was the doyen of Euro 2008, the man who had looked a perfect fit for Barcelona before becoming one of several slight but technically gifted midfielders at Arsenal, growing progressively less slight and progressively less technically gifted with each season he wasted at the Emirates.

Chris Rickleton Follow @chrisrickleton

GEORDIES HERE, GEORDIES THERE...

A Tale of Football in Central Asia To call the 2016 version of Arshavin a shadow of his former self would be a mortal insult to his former self, who would surely have looked on the no-paced tubby wanderer using his surname to steal a living in the Kazakhstani Premier League and happily nutmegged the puffer all day long.

If Kazakh football statisticians did heat maps, Arshavin’s heat map for this game would probably have looked akin to a fag butt glowing lost in the vast snowy wastes of greater Siberia.

tf 28

Never known for tracking back, the former Russia captain now doesn’t track forward, either. He is a waste of words, dead behind the eyes.

This article was originally going to be an ‘Arshavin Watch’ type piece, but I had to scrap that when I realized there wasn’t an Arshavin left to watch.

So, instead, this is a piece about the corrupt nepotistic regimes that are sucking the pleasure out of following football, and the fans that refuse to indulge them as they do so. Welcome to

Central Asia, a place made for men like Mike Ashley.

Formally, FC Astana – the team Arshavin’s FC Kairat is losing against both in this particular game and in the domestic competition as a whole – is owned by oilrich ex-Soviet Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund, Samruk-Kazyna.

But the Astana Sports Club they form a part of which also includes the dopinghappy Astana Pro cycling team, was created on the orders of the country’s 75-year-old dictator Nursultan Nazarbayev, so the team is as much his toy as anyone else’s.

So, instead, this is a piece about the corrupt nepotistic regimes that are sucking the pleasure out of following football, and the fans that refuse to indulge them as they do so.

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Last season, FC Astana made the Champions League for the first time in its seven-year history, and considering the club was ahead of schedule in doing so, did not disgrace itself.

Home draws with Atletico Madrid, Benfica and Galatasaray testified to a team well drilled under former Bulgarian national coach Stanimir Stoilov, even if Stoke-like stereotypes can certainly be applied to windy Wednesday nights at the distant 30,000-seater Astana Arena in the world’s second coldest capital city.

In total FC Astana exited Group C with 4 points after nicking a draw against Gala in Istanbul and was only

really humped by Atletico at the Vicente Calderon, where they lost 4-0 after fielding a weakened side ahead of a vital domestic league clash, again with FC Kairat.

Having justified that call by winning the game and making the second qualifying round of the 2016-17 edition of the Champions League we can perhaps expect to see the club on TV screens again in the near future.

So why haven’t Kazakhs taken them into their hearts?

Many of the fans I spoke to at the May 1 clash against Kairat were rooting for the opposition, who are based

FA Astana Champions League Promo film www.true-faith.co.uk

in the country’s largest city some 1,000 kilometres to the south.

That is both because FC Kairat are Kazakhstan’s historical team - the one put forward to represent the country in the Soviet Top League during communist times - and because many

FA Astana manager Stanimir Stoilov

Many of the fans I spoke to at the May1 clash against Kairat were rooting for the opposition, who are based in the country’s largest city some 1,000 kilometres to the south. of the people living in Astana are ex-Almaty folks, forced to move up north with government jobs when the steppe town usurped their city as Kazakhstan’s capital in 1997.

Moreover, FC Astana has faced problems establishing a fan base among people born and bred there, in what was no more than a provincial backwater before the government tf 29

began transforming it into a futuristic urban hub complete with buildings designed by internationally famous architects.

The reason for that is linked to the fact that many of the diehard football fans in the city supported a team that played their games in the old Soviet part of town, in a 12,000 capacity stadium built in the 1930s, before that club disappeared in 2014.

While staying in the capital, I had the privilege of meeting members of a fans group formed to save this older club, who couldn’t even bring themselves to watch FC Astana’s Champions League ties.

“Other people in my office went to watch the Atletico game,” said Nurlan Kaymanov, one of the members of the ‘Legion’

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fan association. “I sat alone at home, and never even checked the score.”

The club that ‘Legion’ represented was founded in 1964 as FC Dynamo Tselinograd, a cog in the Soviet-wide network of ‘Dynamo’ sides that tended to source their funding from the Union’s ominous internal security apparatus.

The very name Tselinograd - Astana’s name prior to independence -- is loaded with Soviet history, indicating the town’s role as an administrative centre for the Virgin Lands Campaign initiated by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in order to cultivate the vast Kazakh steppe and boost agricultural production.

D y n a m o Ts e l i n og ra d would later undergo many makeovers, ending life as FC Astana -1964, the name

that appears on the scarf and 50-year anniversary book that Nurlan and his friend Beibut Imbayev gave me as souvenirs.

During the independence era, the club was mostly financed by the Mayor’s office - even winning the Kazakh league a three times - but the municipality lost interest in funding it shortly after the Astana Sports Club was created in 2013.

For some reason, to a government that has never tolerated even the slightest bit of genuine political competition, the idea of having two teams in the city, one a scruffy underdog who had by then been relegated from the Kazakh Premier League, never appealed!

The last few years of Astana 1964 thus saw the Legion fan association scramble around desperately for new

Dynamo Tselinograd would later undergo many makeovers, ending life as FC Astana -1964, the name that appears on the scarf and 50-year anniversary book

tf 30

sponsors to help fund the team and cover debts racked up by mismanagement, but few businessmen were interested in swimming against the political tide.

The city would therefore see only see two Astana derbies – cup games – both of which 1964 lost 1-0. For the new Astana to spread its wings, it seemed, the old Astana had to die.

The rise of such ‘regime teams’ is a visible trend in Central Asia, which rivals any other region of the earth for authoritarianism and corruption.

Next door, in Uzbekistan, figures close to Gulnara Karimova, the 41-year-old daughter of 77-year-old President Islam Karimov, established FC Bunyodkor in 2006.

Bunyodkor’s parallels with FC Astana are notable. A brand new stadium in the capital Tashkent, a wad of cash, but relatively few friends compared to more storied rival FC Pakhtakor, despite claiming five league titles between 2008 and 2013.

In fact, many football fans in the 30 millionstrong republic - one of two double-landlocked countries in the world are rejoicing in Bunyodkor’s recent status as alsorans, finishing fourth both last season and the one before it.

That is partly because their fall is connected to the fall of Gulnara herself, a rapacious www.true-faith.co.uk

Bunyodkor losing to Pakhtakor in a ‘thriller’ in 2014. and allegedly corrupt pop diva-cum businesswoman, who since 2014 has been kept under house arrest on organised crime charges by her own ruthless strongman father.

In the meantime, Tashkent favourite FC Pakhtakor, whose name evokes the country’s ubiquitous cotton fields, has returned to domestic dominance, while Rivaldo - yes, that Rivaldo -is still trying to get his cash out of Bunyodkor.

But if there is a regime team hated more than any other, it is probably FC Istiklol of impoverished Tajikistan, who for a time during their nine-year history featured Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon’s son Rustam up front.

country’s anti-corruption chief. Perhaps even Ashley wouldn’t survive here.

Popular resentment or at best apathy towards these teams is easy enough to understand.

Firstly, in a region that still hankers after the certainties of the Soviet Union, the new teams symbolize the national elite that got unimaginably wealthy from its collapse.

That is partly because their fall is connected to the fall of Gulnara herself, a rapacious and allegedly corrupt pop diva-cum businesswoman, who since 2014 has been kept under house arrest on organised crime charges by her own ruthless strongman father.

But beyond that, it is explained by the fact football is a game best loved by local people.

For Nurlan and Beibut, one of FC Astana-1964’s most treasured players was a goalkeeper, who, like them, was born in Tselinograd.

Despite being slow with a clumsy touch, the dictator’s son rapidly emerged as the league’s top scorer with a suspicious knack for winning penalties.

Listing football players they admired – Totti, Gerrard, Shearer – I noted that many of them were hometown heroes.

Games apparently gifted by referees to FC Istiklol resulted in riots on at least two occasions and Rustam, widely alleged to have shot his uncle in the neck during a struggle over a local bank in 2008, has since become the

Beibut in particular knew of Mags’ struggle against Sports Direct branding, and was impressed by the campaign of Hull City fans against tf 31

their owner’s attempt to recast them as the Tigers.

He could understand these local struggles and others because he had dedicated years of his own life to fighting for FC Astana-1964, the club of his city, which died in the shadow of a soulless national project.

The Astana Arena, located on newly developed land on the outskirts of the new city, feels removed from the everyday bustle of urban life in the same way Kazakhstan’s petrodollar politicians are removed from their people’s everyday problems.

The announcer said that 11,000 people were attending Kazakhstan’s most important domestic game of the season, but the crowd seemed even smaller than that, testifying to a relative lack of interest in the domestic league.

FC Astana controlled the game with dour, attritional football, their single goal tf 32

scored by Nemanja Maksimovich, a 21-yearold Serb midfielder whose other important strikes include the one that won Serbia the 2015 Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand and the winner that sent FC Astana into last season’s Champions League.

While FC Astana has adopted the Graeme Carrlike recruitment strategy of attempting to identify starlets on the ascendancy, rivals FC Kairat have apparently gone in the opposite direction, with dubious results thus far.

With 34-year-old Arshavin starting in midfield and on a reported contract worth over $1 million a year, the club has endured one of their worst starts to a domestic season in their 62-year-history.

Beyond a nonchalant knockthrough for the overlapping left back and a corner that begged for a header in the six-yard box, he might not

have been playing in this game at all.

The woman sitting next to me, a Kairat fan, gives a damning assessment of his current performances.

“He is lazy, and so he has put weight on. And because he has put weight on it makes it much harder for him to run around after the ball. He does not seem to care that he is playing so badly,” she said.

On 73 minutes Arshavin is hooked and leaves the field to a perfunctory burst of applause from both sets of fans.

The Astana Arena, located on newly developed land on the outskirts of the new city, feels removed from the everyday bustle of urban life in the same way Kazakhstan’s petrodollar politicians are removed from their people’s everyday problems.

Stealing a living? He’s in the right place for it.

Astana v Kairat 2015 cup final. www.true-faith.co.uk

The ink has just dried on the new contract, a deal officially stamped by the boss Rafa Benitez means that Matt Ritchie signed for the club on the 1st July 2016. As supporters it creates a sense of euphoria, lets be honest without the European Championships this year, pre-season would have been tedious and we would have been regularly checking the club’s website, as well as other social media platforms, awaiting news of imminent signings. The acquisition of Matt Ritchie ,for me not only signals a statement of intent (in previous years the foreign imports were uninspiring) but at last with a Manager who’s record is as impressive as any, it will allow the team to move forward with a certain optimism for the season ahead. I’d add to that cautious optimism.

SAM WILSON

INTRODUCING MATT RITCHIE Newcastle have been the experts of false dawns in the past. The upcoming season will be one where the team’s resolve will be tested. Matt Ritchie, at aged 26 signed from Bournemouth for a fee of between £10-£12 million, looks to be the type of player: young, energetic and dynamic who will be fighting for the collective cause to allow Newcastle to achieve promotion. That indeed, is a must. Ritchie’s transfer is one which on reflection appears to be well thought out. Ritchie had a 3 year stay with the south coast side, who with modest resources made an improbable journey a reality.

For Ritchie’s former employers to reach the promised land of the Premier League is an inspiring story. Eddie Howe, a youthful manager who plays attractive football as well as an astute tactician, www.true-faith.co.uk

you sense if he carries on in the same vein will be subject to attention from other clubs.

An experienced player Ritchie, who at the time of writing made 138 appearances and scored 31 goals for his former side, this is a candid return for a winger. Scorer of some spectacular goals, including a majestic strike against our nearest but not dearest neighbours Sunderland!!

It lends itself to highlight that our new signing will provide excitement for the fans, when at times it would appear the traditional winger arguably could be fading from the modern game.

Matt Ritchie has signed a 5 year contract which indicates that the player is inspired to be at a club of Newcastle’s stature, tf 33

more so Ritchie has been over the course before, having already achieved promotion, you sense that will be vital in the coming season, talented and clever distribution will be key components to winning matches .

Opponents coming to St James’ this season will see the illustrious surroundings and look upon the match as a “Cup Final”. An opportunity to claim a victory against a club with a rich history, a fanatical fan base and some genuine world class players from the past. All of that will count for nothing come the opening day.

The Championship, has forged a reputation for being one of the most demanding leagues around. Many of the teams are evenly matched, alas some many famous clubs have found themselves languishing in the division for many years.

Reputations and history are not used as a marker of success, merely a source of inspiration for others.

the difference between an uninspiring, drab 0-0 and a vital last minute winner. It appears that the new player has analysed Newcastle’s history. Recent comments convey a player who will be battling for the team and a place in the match day squad. How refreshing!! The modern day ethos seems to be solely about sponsorship deals, mass array of cars and astronomical wages.

Ritchie it would appear goes against that outlook.

As I’m from Scotland, it is good to see Ritchie make a breakthrough on the International front. It is an added bonus that he’s playing for a club I support.

Ritchie, despite being born in Gosport, England qualifies to play for the Scottish national side through his Father. At present his most recent appearance was in the Euro 2016 qualifier against Poland which ended in a 2-2 d ra w.

Inevitably Scotland missed out on a major tournament ....Again!

It was interesting to note Ritchie’s transfer fee, in the modern era, the sum of £10-12million appears modest, the modern day players at the highest echelons of the game are attracting ludicrous amounts. You do wonder where it will end.

The new manager has brought a great deal of integrity to Newcastle.

Ironic given the current hierarchy have made a regular trend of making bad appointments in terms of coaches, players and generally doing everything possible to alienate some of the most

Ritchie’s guile and pace will be a key asset for the team, trickery and skill could potentially be the difference between an uninspiring, drab 0-0 and a vital last minute winner

Ritchie’s guile and pace will be a key asset for the team, trickery and skill could potentially be tf 34

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passionate fans in the country.

Ritchie’s signing along with the others however, creates a new dimension to the whole scouting and transfer policy. Looking closely at other sides with fewer resources than our own may yield results.

Energetic, and determined players, in general cast aside by other clubs, if given the right opportunity to prosper can make a case in point and prove the doubters wrong.

Jamie Vardy anyone?!!

Rafa Benitez’s blueprint looks to bring a much need change. As I write the manager has made subtle, yet effective changes to the training ground. Small alternations to the work environment which, in my view can only bring the squad closer together.

Having players like Ritchie in the side and forging a team spirit will be invaluable at away venues especially where some of the players may get a real culture shock. Tuesday night away at Burton! The manager’s

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well renouned, meticulous attention to detail and analysis of opponents will stand Newcastle in good stead. As well as not being afraid to drop any slackers, indeed wheel them out of St James’ Park. This season is not one for shirking violets.

Again that is where a player of Ritchie’s calibre, one who’s had stints at Swindon and Portsmouth, lower league sides at present will ensure a grounded, level headed player. One I would argue will be an excellent addition to the Newcastle side.

Looking back, albeit briefly to our previous promotion winning side in 2009-2010. There was a strong, established core of players who forged a winning mentality: Stevie Harper, Kevin Nolan, Joey Barton and Alan Smith. All four players were part of a relegated side, however their invaluable experience of playing at the highest level; some at international level, meant the side had players who would be a

vocal influence on the pitch.

Matt Ritchie could be the next player to reinforce a winning ethos for the current side. New signings will give the collective team a lift. A revised outlook, different experiences. The scouting and recruitment process has been thoroughly prepared, which proves that a continental model of established coaching and tactical preparation works best.

The season is still to begin, therefore no one is sure what will lie ahead, many twists and turns. The support in the stands, both home and away, will ensure Newcastle are backed in huge numbers. I hope Matt Ritchie is a frontrunner in leading the Magpies back to the top league. It would be a fitting reward, both for him and a side, who all too often have been the butt of many jokes from the media.

A Championship trophy in the cabinet next May would be just rewards, as well as putting all the critics in their place!!

...one who’s had stints at Swindon and Portsmouth, lower league sides at present will ensure a grounded, level headed player.

One I would argue will be an excellent addition to the Newcastle side.

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THE GAME PLAN The last few months have shown us the difference between having a Manager in charge and decisions by committee. Rafa has given the club a sense of direction and purpose as he has overseen the exit of 19 senior players plus 7 from the development squad while bringing in an unprecedented 12 players to make up his 26 man match day squad.The squad currently looks like this: GK: Sels, Darlow, Elliott and Woodman LB: Dummett, Haidara

Lazaar,

RB: Yedlin, Gamez, Anita CB: Lascelles, Mbemba, Hanley, Clark LM: Gouffran, Aarons RM: Ritchie, Atsu tf 36

CM: Colback, Diame, Hayden

Shelvey,

FW: Gayle, Mitrovic, Perez, Murphy Tiote is still on the books but looks unlikely to figure in first team plans going forward, while the likes of Good, Satka and Roberts have not been allocated squad numbers.

This is a level of change never seen before at SJP but it needed to be done.

Rafa has worked wonders in ridding us of the deadwood while bringing in players who know the division and see their future careers with the club. And he has done all this while making a £31m profit! Incredible. As Rafa himself has put it ‘we are not a stepping stone.

We are Newcastle United!’, a change of attitude which is much overdue.

It also signals a move away from the ridiculous notion of 11 or 12 ‘purple’ players and the erosion of competition that brings. Many of the players brought in can play in a number of positions which only increases competition for places. Rafa also showed in the Brighton game that he was prepared to move away from the fashionable 4-2-3-1 system if he thinks it will benefit the team, introducing a 4-1-41 system to get the best out of Jonjo Shelvey and provide more creativity further up the park.

WALLACE WILSON follow @WallaceHWilson

With such a squad at his disposal it is difficult to predict what our Gaffa will do in terms of selection and formation. The likelihood is that www.true-faith.co.uk

he will change both on a regular basis as he adapts our strategy to meet any threat the opposition might pose. With Liverpool he went over 100 games without picking the same team twice in a row and I suspect we will see something similar here. Our manager is very aware of the research that shows that playing three games in a week is a serious detriment to player performance with up to 17% reduction in sprints and miles covered by the third game. Two or three players underperforming to that level would seriously impact on team performance. There is also a greater risk of injury when athletes are tired and Rafa is particularly anxious to reduce the number of injuries which have bedevilled the club over

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recent years.

So we can expect to see rotation over the week based on what the coaches and the medical evidence is telling him about his players while also selecting horses for courses to address any threat posed by the opposition.

Looking at the players brought in two things stand out. All are either big or fast or both. Looking at Rafa’s Liverpool teams, they were built along similar lines. He likes his players to have technical quality on the ball but they also have to be athletes. Anyone who doesn’t put a shift in or shows a questionable attitude will be quickly shown the door.

Examining his options in more detail, it seems as if Sels is his preferred keeper

at this stage. I suspect that this is because Sels is bigger physically than Darlow and Rafa sees this as an asset in the Championship. He seems prepared to allow Sels time to adjust to the English game but knows that Darlow is an adequate replacement should he be needed.

Full backs present more options. He has brought in two very quick players in Yedlin and Lazaar who look like excellent athletes, although I’ve only seen the latter on YouTube. They will be expected to get up and down the pitch quickly to provide width to our attacking game as well as defensive cover. Rafa knows that getting down the sides is one way of breaking down massed defences.

However, Rafa has already spoken of his admiration

Rafa has worked wonders in ridding us of the deadwood while bringing in players who know the division and see their future careers with the club. And he has done all this while making a £31m profit!

tf 37

for Anita and he may well persevere with him on the right side. Equally, he made Dummett captain against Cheltenham which shows what he thinks about his character and commitment to our just and righteous cause. And that’s before we factor in the wild card of Gamez who can play either side and was doing just that in last season’s Champions League. This encapsulates the beauty of Rafa’s strategy. He keeps players on their toes while reinforcing who is the boss.

It looks as if Lascelles and Mbemba are his first choice at centre back so it may be that we have just spent £10m to make sure that we have sufficient strength in depth to cover any eventuality. Factoring in Hayden, Gamez and Dummett we actually have seven players who could slot into the centre back role should circumstances require it.

Moving into midfield, Aarons injury has provided Gouffran with an unlikely tf 38

opportunity to re-establish himself in the team. To be fair, he has looked much more comfortable at this level or maybe he’s just benefiting from playing under a manager who sets out clearly what he has to do.

In any event, he has added to our options. Although, I have included Atsu as a right side midfielder, he is a left footed player who could easily play as a traditional winger, using his pace to get to the byline and cutting the ball back. He provides Rafa with another option in seeking to break down sides who play to avoid defeat. Ritchie seems to be cemented into that rightside position, looking a class above other players at this level. Even he, though may be subject to rotation if Rafa senses that he is tiring.

I have listed four options for central midfield but Anita should also be included.

Diame looks another certainty for the first 11 but there are other options.

Shelvey looked much more comfortable further up the

park against Brighton. Will Rafa calculate that the value he brings to the team in this more advanced role is worth changing the system to accommodate him? Again, it probably depends on who we are playing. I think the Brighton game was an acknowledgement by Rafa that we need to adopt a more positive approach in this division. Last season, we were focused on making ourselves difficult to beat.

This season requires a different approach but it will be done on a game by game basis.

Moving into midfield, Aarons injury has provided Gouffran with an unlikely opportunity to re-establish himself in the team

Up front we have four players each of whom provide us with something different. Gayle offers pace, works the channels and has already demonstrated his ability to sniff out a chance. Mitrovic offers physical presence and aggression but it is pretty obvious that Rafa is concerned about his disciplinary issues. It is because of this that Daryl Murphy has been brought www.true-faith.co.uk

in from Ipswich. He is the sort of striker who will get goals in this division where his lack of pace is less important than his ability to hold the ball up and find space for himself and team-mates. Some saw his purchase as an aberration but given the chances he is a better finisher than Mitrovic and more likely to be available to play.

Perez offers a number 10 option with excellent touch and the ability to score spectacular goals. I am old fashioned enough to think that, with a few obvious exceptions (Maradona, Messi, Beardsley) the number 10 role has been

created for players who don’t score enough to be an out and out striker and don’t work hard enough to play in midfield. However, Perez does offer something a bit different and hopefully won’t be played out wide so much with the presence of genuine wide men in our squad. That being said he has struggled this season and I suspect he will spend a fair bit of time on the bench.

him. He has already shown he is not wedded blindly to one system and may well set up teams differently at home than away. We will no doubt see 4-4-2 as well as 4-1-4-1 and 4-3-3 over the season. I also doubt he will introduce all of our signings straight away so I expect Anita and Dummett to continue at full back for the immediate future. But our ruthless editor has a number of photos which I don’t want to see the light of day so pushed to a call for 4-2-3-1 when the dark nights come in I would hazard that at least one team sheet will read:

So which team do I think Rafa will regard as his first choice? To be honest, I don’t think he has a first choice 11. It all depends on the circumstances facing

We will no doubt see 4-4-2 as well as 4-1-4-1 and 4-3-3 over the season

9 Gayle

30

15

11

Atsu

Diame

Ritchie

12

14

Shelvey

Hayden

7

18

6

22

Lazaar

Mbemba

Lascelles

Yedlin

28 SELS www.true-faith.co.uk

tf 39

‘My Grandfather has lay in an unmarked grave for 55 years’; these were the words I heard uttered by Mike O’Connell on April 5th 2014 in Blyth Spartans clubhouse.

From Croft Park to Camp Nou: Resurrecting the Name of Don Patricio Mike was talking about his Grandfather Patrick to fans of Spartans and the red blooded fans of FC United of Manchester that day.

The Grandfather who had captained Ireland to their first football title, the British Home Championship in 1914,was the first Irishman to captain

Manchester United and had begun his managerial career down the road at Ashington where the names Milburn and Charlton roll off the tongue.

A managerial career which would see him guide unfashionable Real Betis Balompie to a La Liga title in season 1934-35,he would

also be the first man to also manage rivals Sevilla and would go onto save FC Barcelona from financial ruin in 1937.

I had organised the event at Croft Park home of Blyth Spartans in honour of former Spartan Scott Bell who had sadly passed away from Motor Neurone Disease.

Fergus O’Dowd follow @patriciofund

Scott was a fans favourite during his time at Croft Park and it was terrible to see such a young man be taken from us by such a terrible disease.

Mike whose wife Sue suffers with multiple sclerosis had been delighted to support the event along with Geordie legends Mick Martin and Olivier Bernard and SAFC FPA Chairman Maurice Hepworth.

As Mike spoke about his Grandfather I felt as a football fan then and there to help in whatever way I could.

Patrick tf 40

born

in www.true-faith.co.uk

Dublin,Ireland(1887) had begun life in football as a teenager playing for Liffey Wanderers F.C. whilst working at Bolands Mills.

By age fourteen he had become a foreman at the mills showing his future leadership skills whilst on the football field he won the Empire Cup with Liffey three years in a row 190405-06.

In 1908 Belfast Celtic came calling and Patrick initially a striker scoring a hat trick at Windsor Park against Linfield F.C. was converted to a ball playing centre half.

transferred to Boothferry Park Hull;City were then in the second division.

no substitutions in those days so Patrick played on through the pain barrier.

Whilst a Hull City player Patrick had become an Irish international and in the British Home Championship of 1913/14 he captained Ireland to victory over Wales in Wrexham;following this Ireland defeated England 3-0 at Ayresome Park home of Middlesboro.

The Scots had led for the most of the match but the Irish equalised with a goal setup by O’Connell. The 1-1 result enabled Ireland to clinch their first ever football title.

In the final match v Scotland at Windsor Park Patrick had played the whole of the second half with a broken arm,there were

Patrick’s outstanding displays were noted by the board of Manchester United F.C. and a fee of £1,000 was agreed with Hull City F.C. for his services. This was an astronomical fee at the time so much so

His defensive skills led him in 1909 across the Irish sea to Hillsborough the home of First Division Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Following three seasons at Hillsborough he found himself surplus to requirement and was www.true-faith.co.uk

Patrick’s outstanding displays were noted by the board of Manchester United F.C. and a fee of £1,000 was agreed with Hull City F.C. for his services. This was an astronomical fee at the time so much so Man United paid Hull the fee in instalments.

The Ballad of Patrick O’Connell. tf 41

Man United paid Hull the fee in instalments. Patrick became Man United’s captain in 1915 the first Irishman to captain the club - unfortunately WW1 stopped any success on the pitch for O’Connell as football in England was suspended.

this was all overseen by Patrick. O’Connell dipped into the transfer market bringing Knowles from Manchester United, Thompson from Leeds United and Foster from Sunderland.

The club finished in ninth place in a league which had twenty teams. Ashington were elected into the Football League Division Three North the following season and O’Connell was appointed player-coach at Portland Park.

The club’s first ever Football League fixture which resulted in a 1-0 victory over Grimsby Town in front of 9,000 supporters featured Patrick O’Connell.

Ashington finished the season in a respectable tenth position in the table with O’Connel’ls last game with Ashington finishing 2-2 at home to Southport. Whilst at Ashington Patrick also played for the North Eastern League versus the Central League.

Portland Park was upgraded to a stadium to cater for up to 20,000 spectators

Ashington had also played Blyth Spartans in Christmas of ‘21 and Patrick O’Connell

By 1920 Patrick had come to the North East joining Ashington F.C. he played with the Colliers in the North Eastern League.

tf 42

had broken bread in the clubhouse at Croft Park.

During his time at Ashington F.C. Patrick’s family had remained in Manchester and this had caused strain between him and his wife Ellen. In 1922 Patrick met Ellen at Newcastle Railway Station this was the last time Ellen was to see Patrick as their marriage ended and Patrick left for Spain. All the family knew of Patrick’s whereabouts was from the envelopes of

By 1920 Patrick had come to the North East joining Ashington F.C. he played with the Colliers in the North Eastern League.

Patrick O’Connell Memorial Fund. www.true-faith.co.uk

Spanish pesetas which they would receive in Blackley, Manchester in future years.

Fred Pentland had recommended Patrick O’Connell to Racing Santander - Pentland had left Santander for pastures new. O’Connell’s reign saw immediate success as he led the club to five regional titles between 1923 and 1928. Patrick and Santander became founding members of La Liga in 1928.

O’Connell headed for Oviedo in 1929 nurturing Isidro Llangara the Basque who would end up becoming the first man to be leading scorer in the premier divisions in leagues in three different continents.

By 1931 he had arrived at Real Betis Balompie a club languishing mid table in the Spanish Segunda Division. This was all to change as Patrick led Betis to a club with an average attendance of 1,500 to the second division title in season 1931-32. By season 1934-35 Betis were Kings of Spain piping the mighty CF Madrid by one point - O’Connell was carried shoulder high through the streets of Seville during the celebrations. Real Betis Balompies have never won a La Liga Championship since O’Connell’s heroics.

and were runners up to Real Madrid in the Spanish Cup Final the last match played before the Spanish Civil War. The Cup Final was the original El Clasico with Madrid keeper Ricardo Zamora who would later be honoured by General Franco with the Great Cross of the Order of Cisneros denying FC Barcelona a last minute equaliser with an unbelievable save.

1936 saw the Civil War in Spain break out,whilst holidaying in Ireland Patrick received a telegram from FC Barcelona stating they understood if he didn’t return but he did.

By August Josep Sunyol had been assassinated

by Francoists as he returned from a meeting in Madrid. FC Barcelona faced financial ruin as the city was bombed constantly - O’Connell and his team

played in the Mediterranean League travelling to away fixtures by night for fear of death;the league was formed by clubs who supported the Republican cause. O’Connell and Barca succeeded in winning the league and got a call from heaven when a Mexican businessman Manuel Soriano invited the club to tour the Americas playing exhibition games in Mexico,New York and Cuba.

On the boat with Patrick which sailed for Mexico was Ramon Zabola - Ramon was born in Tyne Dock, South Shields to Basque parents and his Dad was a trader in chemical products and also the Spanish Counsel based in ...Blyth!!

Ramon’s Father’s work took him back to Barcelona and Ramon eventually found himself being signed

by English manager James

Betis were Kings of Spain piping the mighty CF Madrid by one point - O’Connell was carried shoulder high through the streets of Seville during the celebrations.

In 1935 Josep Sunyol the then President of FC Barcelona installed Patrick as manager of the Catalan giants. Patrick’s first season saw Barca win the Championship of Catalan www.true-faith.co.uk

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Bellamy at FC Barcelona and also served under John Greenwell before O’Connell arrived. The family whilst in the North East lived at 51 Wensleydale Terrace Blyth a stones throw from Croft Park.

The tour known at Camp Nou as the tour of salvation was a huge success yielding $12,900 which was wired to an account in Paris as General Franco had frozen all of FC Barcelona’s bank accounts. Patrick returned to Barcelona with only four players as the rest of the squad absconded the majority remaining in Mexico - O’Connell rebuilt

the team and they won the Lliga Catalan of 1938.

O’Connell was eventually forced out of Barcelona in 1940 he returned to Spain after a pardon from the King of Spain his second wife also named Ellen was a Nanny for the King. He returned to Seville where once again he won the second division with Betis and led Sevilla to second place in La Liga in 1945 - he finished off his managerial career where it all began at Santander leading them to the third division.

Sadly Patrick had managed during the Civil War and the

second world war he hadn’t made much monies out of the game.

On his return to London in the early 50’s he drew national assistance and begged on the streets of London, Patrick found refuge in an attic in a boarding house on Argyle St. close to St. Pancras Hospital. Patrick O’Connell died aged 72 in 1959 from pneumonia he was taken from the attic to St. Pancras Hospital - ‘Don Patricio’ as he was commonly known in Spain was buried in an unmarked grave at St. Mary’s Cemetery,Kensal Green,London.

‘Don Patricio’ as he was commonly known in Spain was buried in an unmarked grave at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Kensal Green, London.

Following on from Mike’s speech at the Spartans clubhouse - Spartans fans Fergus Dowd,Simon Needham and Alan McLean founded the Patrick O’Connell Memorial Fund at the Belfast Celtic Museum in Aug 30th 2014.

Paddy Don Patricio - Full Documentary. tf 44

The goal of the fund www.true-faith.co.uk

endorsed by Mike O’Connell was to raise funds to give Patrick a proper memorial at St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Fundraising began by inviting former and current footballers to support the fund by donating signed shirts by the end of 2014 over 35 signed shirts lay in the museum donated by the likes of Peter Beardsley,Franz Beckenabuer,Luis Figo,Paolo Maldini,Oliver Kahn and the late great Johan Cruyff to name a few.

On June 5th 2015 Patrick was honoured by Dublin City Council with a plaque in honour of his football achievements this was the first of a new scheme unveiled by Mike O’Connell,Martin Buchan ex Man United and Maureen O’Sullivan MP for Dublin central the area Patrick lived in.

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In Belfast the ‘Patrick O’Connell’ mural featuring the Ashington logo sponsored by Crown Paints was unveiled by the Lord Mayor of Belfast Mr. Arder Carson on the Falls Road in Aug 2015.

Then in November 2015 at Ashington Patrick with our fund members in-situ was honoured as Ashington also unveiled there new 250 seater stand playing a Newcastle United Reserves side managed by fund supporter Peter Beardsley.

Finally on April 28th 2016 81 years after leading Betis to the promise land Patrick O’Connell got a proper memorial deserving of his football genius.

An official ceremony will be held at the cemetery in the Autumn.

From the clubhouse at Croft Park it has been an amazing journey resurrecting the one known as Don Patricio.

Get the book on Amazon.

Visit the site here www.pocfund.com

Following this on the 30th Dec 2015 Patrick was inducted into the Camp Nou museum by President Josep Maria Bartomeau the man who had saved the club was finally honoured in the Presidential Suite in Camp Nou,our fund members attended the event.

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I was eight years old when Francois Omam-Biyik leapt like a salmon in the opening game of Italia 90 to nod the ball past Nery Pumpido in the Argentinian goal. The football world shook as the Africans celebrated a famous win and commentators patronised folks like us watching back home with archaic comments about The Indomitable Lions’ hard-line approach and modest backgrounds.

Michael Dodds

GEORDIES HERE, GEORDIES THERE...

AC Milan 3 Inter Milan 0 Serie A. 31/Jan/16, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro).

Attendance: 77,023 Thinking back to that game - I can see the goal, the pile-on celebrations, the Cameroonian ’attempts’ to stop Claudio Caniggia (including a sheepishlooking Benjamin Massing being red-carded as the Argentine lay prostrate on the ground alongside Massing’s boot which flew off during the assault). But one thing sticks out in my mind: The stadium.

Back in 1990, the San Siro

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stadium (Stadio Guiseppe Meazza to give it its Sunday name) looked like something out of a sci-fi film. The steep, set-square stands surrounded by huge, swirling concrete pillars and red steel scaffold-like roof blew my mind. It was like nothing I’d ever seen before.

Being the stadium nerd that I was then (and still am now to be honest) I learned all the facts about the ground and, pre-internet, regularly sketched it based

on what glimpses I’d seen on Channel 4’s Football Italia programme. I never thought I’d actually get to visit the place, let alone for one of the biggest games in world football.

Milan is a fantastic place. In my opinion, it’s everything Rome isn’t. Friendly locals, clean, beautiful, efficient.

Feels like proper Italy too, rather than a slightly more tolerable version of London with obnoxious American tourists round every corner which I think best describes the Italian capital. On the morning of the game the Piazza Duomo was a sea

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of red and black. Milan were the ‘home’ team for this game which meant theoretically at least - they had about 90% of the tickets allocated to them. And it showed.There seemed to be a very day-trippish element their support – the kind of thing I’ve experienced at places like Old Trafford and the Allianz Arena to name a couple (granted, that might have been to do with the greater ticket share). Wedged-up out-oftowners dressed head-totoe in club shop tat taking selfies kissing the badge and all that carry on. Ironic, considering Milan’s history is steeped in workingclass roots and Inter were formed on the back of a refusal by Milan to buy foreign players (hence the name, Internazionale). The majority of those Interisti wanting to identify their allegiance in the City Centre www.true-faith.co.uk

on matchday were much more understated – the occasional Inter pin badge or blue and black scarf here and there.

The bars around the Duomo were a bit like the ones around Leicester Square ; in the main, overpriced and pretentious. I headed just a couple of Metro stops away from the Duomo to Porta Romano, Lanza and then Montenapoleone; there were plenty of bars here showing the Italian and English football and a bit more of an easy-going atmosphere (the Italian Sky TV have a Soccer Saturdaytype programme on but better than ours for two reasons: one, it shows all the top flight goals as they go in, and two: it doesn’t have the fat, slurring drunk Paul Merson on it). If you’re feeling brave, a load of the bars I visited served

Carlsberg Special Brew on tap. If – like me – you don’t want to corrode your gullet and spend the evening lying in a gutter somewhere, the draught Moretti is superb.

The mindset of the young, regular, local match-going fan has certainly changed since I was last in Italy – the stereotypical, greasedup, espresso-sipping, posing wannabes have given way to a generation who go for a few beers with their mates before the game, clad in classic Italian brands like Fila and Tacchini, rounded off with Spezials or Gazelles.

It would seem that the English Disease moniker has turned full circle and those who once despised us are now making a conscious decision to be more like us.

And making a pretty good job of it.

On the morning of the game the Piazza Duomo was a sea of red and black.

Milan were the ‘home’ team for this game which meant theoretically at least - they had about 90% of the tickets allocated to them. And it showed

Getting to the match in Milan is a lot easier these tf 47

days. San Siro Stadio metro station opened in the spring of last year and puts you off on the doorstep of the ground. With a bit of time to spare before kick-off I plumped for the traditional route of getting the metro to Lotto and embarking on the 20 minute walk up the tree-lined Viale Caprilli past the Ippodromo racecourse, stopping off for re-fuelling at the myriad of beer and food outlets on the way. The stadium itself springs up out of nowhere at the end of Viale Caprilli, hidden away by the trees and buildings but also blending into its surroundings due to its brutal concrete façade. The feeling you get when you reach Piazzale dello Sport and the ground comes into view is similar to the one I still get when I reach the top of St Andrew’s Street, just before the Irish Centre, when the grandeur of St James’ is revealed. That

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heart stopping moment when you try to breathe in but your lungs won’t expand due to the pure adrenalin and anticipation.

The rivalry between the two sets of fans these days is best described as competitive, but reasonably affable. Both have been well off the pace in Serie A this season and, on the pitch at least, the match itself did have that air of two bald blokes fighting over a comb – something which ourselves and our Wearside brethren can relate to (albeit this game had less of a menacing edge than than the Tyne-Wear, Rome and Old Firm derbies). Fans mixed in the centre of town on derby day, shared the same metro trains to the game and mingled outside the ground at the hundreds of food, beer and dodgy souvenir outlets.

Any insults and/or hatred

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are expressed via chanting, choreographed displays, banners and the plethora of graffiti on display right across the city. In my opinion the Milanese have got it just about right. Of course both clubs have their lunatic fringe – all clubs do – and whilst I cringe at the faux-friendliness and soul destroying sterility of some derby games in the UK, there seems to be a mutual appreciation in Milan that whilst both sets of fans are passionate about their side and are knowledgeable about the differing principles of their clubs’ ancestry and social background, they share the same beautiful city, attend the same stadium, probably work in similar industries and have friends from both sides of the divide. Both know that Serie A has been somewhat left behind in recent years and that the key to their club returning to former glories is, sickeningly, reliant on attracting corporate investment from overseas and clambering back on the Champions League gravy train. Smashing the place up isn’t going to achieve this and anger following a loss seems to be aimed at the players and directors, not the opposing fans, police or nearby properties. There are likely to be supporters known to all of us who could probably learn a lot from this level of selfawareness, perspective and common sense.

Being something of an Inter sympathiser, my seat was high up in the www.true-faith.co.uk

top tier of the Curva Nord – the end of the ground which traditionally houses the Inter Ultras. For derby games, the ‘away’ team are allocated the middle tier of their end, with the lower tier allocated to fans of the home team (presumably those who are daft/brave/ made of asbestos due to the hot ash and sparks which drop down from the pyro displays in the tier above).

The upper tier is officially also allocated to the home team but, with no ticketing restrictions, unofficially acts as an overspill for the away teams’ fans who couldn’t get/didn’t want tickets in the middle tier with the hardcore Ultras and a mixed area for those who want to attend the game with friends and family supporting the opposing team. Again, taunts and insults were traded between both sets of supporters but that never spilled over into violence.

The underbelly of the San Siro is still stuck in 1990 it would seem; the bits they don’t show during the glitzy TV coverage have been left to rot. The spiral climb up the concrete towers to the upper sections is tainted by the stench of those caught short over the last 26 years.

The ‘concourse’ as we know it doesn’t really exist. Toilet facilities and refreshments are available in the pillars in each corner of the ground.

I’d estimate there were around six thousand people housed in the upper tier behind the goal, sharing three urinals and a bar no bigger than the one in Del Boy’s living room.

Modernisation of the seating areas over the past few years has basically consisted of putting backs on the seats which leant a rustic,rough and ready feel to the place. This is intensified by the atmosphere which could only be described by using the oft-overused

The underbelly of the San Siro is still stuck in 1990 it would seem; the bits they don’t show during the glitzy TV coverage have been left to rot.

The spiral climb up the concrete towers to the upper sections is tainted by the stench of those caught short over the last 26 years.

tf 49

term ‘electric’. There was a buzz about the place prematch which reminded me of when I was younger, playing down the woods in the rain and hearing the power surge through the electricity pylons, making that crackling, snapping noise that you don’t hear anywhere else. Just before the teams came out, the Ultras began their choreographed routine. The Interisti down in front of me used strobe lighting and hundreds of flags to greet the Nerazzuri players, the Milanisti at the other end unfurled an eye-catching mural of Mark Hateley rising above Fulvio Collovati to score the winner in the 1984 derby. The banner spanned the width of the stand and covered all three tiers, topped with the word “Sovrastarli” (“we tower over them”).

Those watching the game back home on TV will have seen more of the first ten minutes than I did. The flares, smokebombs and tf 50

firecrackers set off at the start of the game caused a fog which seemed to take an eternity to lift.

The noise was absolutely deafening – a non-stop attempt by eight thousand or so Inter supporters to get their voices heard against nigh-on seventy-thousand Rossoneri followers determined to drown them out. Something happened during the game which I’ve never seen at a football match before. Rather than just turn up with pre-made banners taunting their opponents, the Ultras of both sides in the middle tiers at each end of the ground actually made banners during the game, influenced by what was happening on the pitch and in the stands. A few would scurry off from the seating area – presumably armed with a tin of spray paint and a length of material, and return with a perfectly legible insult which stretched along the front of the stand behind the

goal for the opposition fans, players, managers, match officials and TV cameras to see.

Inter had looked very tidy in the opening exchanges without really threatening 16-year old Donnarumma in the Milan goal. New Inter signing Eder missed an open goal with a header at the far post and the longer the first half wore on, the more I got the feeling that Milan had been let off the hook. Just after the half hour that proved to be the case when, in a scarily similar re-enactment of the Hateley goal displayed by the Milan tifosi pre-match, ex-Chelsea defender Alex rose at the back post above our very own Davide Santon to nod Milan in front. I’ve never heard a sound like the one when a goal is scored in the San Siro. A sonic boom crossed with a fighter jet flying overhead is how I’d best describe it, and it takes your breath away.

Donnarumma

was

Rather than just turn up with premade banners taunting their opponents, the Ultras of both sides in the middle tiers at each end of the ground actually made banners during the game, influenced by what was happening on the pitch and in the stands.

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looking shaky in the Milan goal. Understandable for a schoolboy playing in goal in the Milan derby, but why Inter didn’t pepper his goal with shots is a mystery (only three on target all game). Just after the break he rushed out to close down Eder, took ball and man, resulting in the ref pointing to the spot. Within a second he’d changed his mind (I assume after consultation with his linesman) and chose not to give it. The whistles from the Inter support were deafening as Mancini completely lost the plot. His pantomime armwaving and utter dismay resulting in the ex-Man City boss being sent to the stands, but only after he’d introduced the Inter’s talismanic striker Mauro Icardi just after the hour.

Within six minutes Icardi had drawn a foul from Alex in the box, this time the ref sticking with his initial decision of a spotkick. Milan’s support had

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become dejected and silent as soon the spotkick was given – they knew if Inter scored they’d go on and get a few. Icardi stepped up right in front of the Inter fans and beat Donnarumma but not the right hand post. Cue wild celebrations and more hastily prepared banners from the Curva Sud, as three minutes later Carlos Bacca crashed home a fantastic Niang cross to make it 2-0.

Inter had given up by this point - on the pitch and in the stands. Four minutes later it was 3-0, the hapless Santon being caught dawdling on the ball (I know) before Niang himself netted at the second attempt.

At the end, Inter’s players walked over to the stillpopulated Curva Sud and did that both hands-inthe-air apology thing that Santon used to do when he played for us. Probably

quite harsh on Inter as they were good value for at least a point but couldn’t put their chances away. The Inter support applauded their efforts despite being clearly shellshocked. Outside, the Rossoneri were understandably joyous if even a little bit coy as they knew the’d got away with it.

There was no hint of trouble and the walk back to Lotto on a cool winter Milan evening with beer in hand and Vespa horns ringing around the San Siro streets was a pleasant one.

Four minutes later it was 3-0, the hapless Santon being caught dawdling on the ball (I know) before Niang himself netted at the second attempt.

tf 51

When it came to smart, eye catching sportswear that casual connoisseurs were looking for, few could compete with this month’s focus brand Fila.

(Hat tip to Sergio Tacchini of course, who i’m sure we’ll get to).

Branded: FILA Founded by the Fila brothers in 1911 in their hometown of Biella at the foothills of Northern Italy, they intended originally to produce high quality goods for locals. Drawing inspiration from their surroundings, the brands beginnings would centre around both textiles and knitwear, before eventually branching out and becoming the brand we know them as today.

As far as their place in footballing fashion history goes, Fila were famous for two things: polo shirts and more importantly, track jackets. In true Italian fashion (pardon the crap tf 52

pun, mind) they were attractive to the forward thinking terrace goer for two main reasons-a smart fit yet more importantly, eye catching colours. For the lovers of sportswear who wanted to stand out and look smart whilst doing so, Fila fit the bill perfectly.

In the early 70’s, Fila enlisted designers Pier Luigi Rolando (a man responsible for the original designs of the remade Fila vintage pieces you probably own now) and Alessandro Galliano, tasked with engineering their first foray into the world of sportswear. 1972 saw

an outerwear collection released that centred around the use of both wool and cashmere, quickly putting Rolando’s name on the map with his designs.

It was in 1973 however where Fila’s name would truly become a big hitter in the world of sportswear, with the release of their renowned ‘White Line Collection’. Designed for tennis players that the brand represented, the collections name playfully took aim at brands before them who had simply created all white garments for others within the sport.

Novel design and vibrant colours would provide the brand with the attention it

ROSS JENKINS FOLLOW @_Jenky88

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Novel design and vibrant colours would provide the brand with the attention it was looking for whilst the smart, minimal designs made them appropriate for the court. It was these two combinations that would also draw travelling football fans to the brands garments was looking for whilst the smart, minimal designs made them appropriate for the court. It was these two combinations that would also draw travelling football fans to the brands garments.

Without divulging too much into the history of the brand and its relationship with tennis (we could be here all day and i know your TF browsing time is costly), there’s one man that helped raise Fila’s profile within the game and around the world

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more than anyone else, the iconic Bjorn Borg.

For many, Bjorg was the first place that some of Fila’s most iconic items were seen or at least, an influence on those wearing them. Effortlessly cool on and off court, Bjorg allowed the brands name to reach new heights whilst also providing them with certain items that would stay with them throughout their historyitems that are still equally as popular to this day with football fans as they were back with the brand was at

its peak on the terraces.

When it comes to track tops that were most popular on match day, few could match the Fila Settanta Mk1, more commonly known to you gents as the Borg BJ Jacket.

Striking in its original red and white colour way (nee one likes to follow the word striking with ‘red and white’, but we can’t have it all can we), it became an instant favourite with the casual subculture.

Smaller features define the MK1 as opposed to other

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similar Fila efforts-the zip will always be navy and 3 thin pinstripes are located down the side of the jacket, within the white panelling. These days, the jacket has been remade not only in it’s original red and white, but also in a number of other colour ways, so if you point blank refuse to touch anything red and white don’t worry, you can still get in on the act.

Another firm favourite from the late 70’s early 80’s was the MK3 Terrinda Track Jacket. Created in simple block colours (Navy and French Blue being originals, as far as i’m aware,feel free to bash me if i’m wrong all you Fila-heeds) with a simple white piping, the track jacket was again incredibly simple but striking. With a low collar for such a piece, it would commonly be worn over a roll neck, allowing your immediately recognisable F-Box logo to be visible to other envious onlookers.

tf 54

Finally in the world of Fila track tops, the other big hitter of their collections was the Vilas Track top. Before Borg came Guillermo Vilas, who was actually Fila’s first tennis sponsorship.

Red shoulders and a navy body were broken by a horizontal white line across the garments chest, also extending across the arms. If you’ve seen the business, you’ll know this one well-it’s a firm favourite with Danny Dyer’s character Frankie.

(That goes for the brand in general, actually-the film is crammed full of it. It’s a decent watchnot exactly a world beater but if you fancy a bit of clothing fuelled nostalgia, somehow haven’t seen it yet and these articles aren’t quite doing it for you, you could always give that a watch).

As far as Fila’s polo’s go, there’s one that truly stands out and you probably know what i’m talking about before I even

get there. The white and navy pin striped Borg polo shirt will go down as one of the brands most famous pieces. For over a decade, the Swede dominated tennis in one item that became synonymous with both him and Fila itself.

Five wimbledon titles on the bounce put Borg at the top of the list as the games most unique player, not only with his style of play, but his on court style also.

Much like all brands mentioned in the serious previously, Fila continues to be hugely popular with football fans of today.

Their remade vintage classics look just as sharp as they did 40 years ago and there’s few other brands you’d turn to if you’re looking to hoy on a simple, stand out tracky.

Again, like other brands mentioned, have a gander around from your seat next time you’re sitting waiting for us to kick off and an F-Box logo won’t be far away.

As far as Fila’s polo’s go, there’s one that truly stands out and you probably know what i’m talking about before I even get there. The white and navy pin striped Borg polo shirt will go down as one of the brands most famous pieces

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Here’s a riddle. I watch every minute of every Newcastle United game, listen to every True Faith podcast, and read every digital issue of the fanzine – but I’m not a Geordie, or even a Newcastle United supporter. What am I?

Peter Goldstein

THE VIEW FROM ACROSS THE WATER Answer: a football fan. To be precise, a 60-year-old lifelong football fan, born and raised in the USA, a DC United supporter, who can’t possibly get enough football. In fact, as crazy as it seems, I watch every minute of every Premier League match. I keep religiously up to date with developments for all twenty teams. But – and here’s the point – this season in particular, I’ve been particularly drawn to Newcastle United.

It actually started at the tail-end of last season, as the side went into freefall under John Carver.

His incompetence was so painfully obvious, and the indifference if not downright malevolence of the club’s management was so shocking, that it demanded attention, if only so I could stand in solidarity with the suffering supporters, who cared so much. And so I became a faithful listener and reader of True Faith, and came to tf 56

follow Newcastle United’s fortunes even closer than all the other Premier League sides.

It’s been an education. Not so much about football, but about the devotion of Geordies to their club, the remarkable intelligence and passion that some of those fans put into written and spoken words, and the horrors of living under a club management that has no idea what it’s doing, and even worse, hardly seems to care.

When Steve McClaren was appointed last summer, I, like most of United’s fans, had no clear intuition which way things would go. After all, he’d had successes and failures, and since it’s horses for courses, you never really know.

Newcastle supporters in general, and True Faith in particular, were clearly ready to welcome and support him. But it didn’t take long to see he was without the tiniest shadow

of a doubt the wrong man for the job. The side had talent, but no cohesion; they needed a hard-headed realist, a disciplinarian, a man with a proven tactical approach. What they got – well, you only had to watch his manic grin and listen to his parade of clichéd, unfocused excuses to realize it wasn’t what they needed.

Making it worse was a suicidal transfer policy.

In early August, I made a list of things I’d watch particularly closely in the league this season.

Number one on the list was Newcastle’s central defenders. To go into the season without a single Premier League quality centre-half was criminal.

Coloccini was yesterday’s man. And although Chancel Mbemba has developed into quite a useful player, it took him more than two months to bed in, by which point the team was courting the abyss. (As we know, nothing would

I keep religiously up to date with developments for all twenty teams. But – and here’s the point – this season in particular, I’ve been particularly drawn to Newcastle United. www.true-faith.co.uk

change in January: millions for Shelvey and Townsend, not one penny for defense.)

And so, week by week, with each pitiless podcast, you could literally hear hope dying. But, at least to this listener, it seemed a special kind of despair. Football fans around the globe are eternally dissatisfied, angry, frustrated. But for United fans it was worse: they sounded betrayed. And you can only feel betrayed by something you deeply love, something to which you have pledged yourself, something you desperately need to stay faithful to you.

Of course, under Mike Ashley, Newcastle United has betrayed its supporters from the very beginning.

It doesn’t take a saint to see that Ashley represents a special kind of evil. Greed is everywhere, but Ashley seems to take pleasure in his depredations, to revel in the knowledge that he can hurt those beneath him with impunity. That astonishing interview in March, where he compared his relationship with the club to a marriage, was one of the most chilling things I have ever read.

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Here’s the central quote, the one I suspect United fans know by heart: “I am wedded to Newcastle like Sports Direct. They’ve got me and I’ve got them.

That’s just the way it is.”

Those are the words of an abusive husband, one who regularly beats and torments his wife, knowing she has nowhere else to go in this world, and that the law won’t save her.

And yet, only a few days before, he had hired Rafa Benitez, one of the best managers in world football.

Obviously this was for his pockets, not the fans, but it was a considerable coup for a side that hadn’t seriously competed for league honors in ages. And once again the reaction from the supporters, at least to these ears, was telling. Despite the years of neglect and mistreatment, it wasn’t cynical, it wasn’t resentful. It was something very close to joyful. It said: once again we have something to love.

I’ve just listened to the podcast after the 3-2 loss to Norwich City, and Alex Hurst has told the world that he believes Newcastle

United will stay up. He knows the numbers aren’t good, but you can hear the absolute conviction in his voice: Newcastle United will stay up. For months I’ve been predicting relegation, but while the podcast is on, despite all the odds, I believe too. They will stay up.

As I said at the beginning, I’m not a Newcastle United supporter. I wish all twenty teams in the league – every team in the world that isn’t competing against DC United – good fortune. I’d follow them all if I had the time. But I know that even if United drop into the Championship, I’ll follow them just as closely.

I’ll follow them as long as I watch football. Because it’s a privilege merely to be in contact with a club whose supporters can be so clearsighted, and yet so bound and devoted.

It’s an even greater privilege to write for the fanzine. Thank you so much for allowing me to be, for a moment, a very small part of your very true True Faith

But I know that even if United drop into the Championship, I’ll follow them just as closely.

I’ll follow them as long as I watch football.

Because it’s a privilege merely to be in contact with a club whose supporters can be so clearsighted, and yet so bound and devoted

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www.classicfootballshirts.co.uk

Their fans: 6 - Nice bunch, completely non-threatening and pleasant.

Media View: ‘Nightmare start for Benitez as Smith condemns Magpies to defeat’ (Telegraph).

FULHAM 1 NEWCASTLE UNITED 0 Craven Cottage, Friday 5th August, 7:45pm, Championship, Att: 23,922.

For all the pre-season bravado about us waltzing the league, our first game served as a reality check as we lost at the Cottage in front of thousands of travelling Mags. We started with no less than five new signings on the pitch but it was the familiar failings on the road of profligacy in front of goal and leakiness in defence that saw us flop. In fairness, we weren’t helped by a terrible refereeing display that saw us denied at least two clear penalties. The first came in a poor first half when handball claims were waved away and we paid, conceding a poor goal on the stroke of half time, when giant Matt Smith headed home unmarked from a corner – the lad was a plank and Lascelles was nowhere near him.

The second half was no better as we struggled to string two passes together, with the midfield in particular devoid of any forward impetus – three holding midfielders at Fulham? If anything, they were marginally the better side but we could and should have levelled when Ritchie blasted straight at the keeper with the goal to aim at and we also had another good shout for a penalty when their centre half charged down Ritchie’s shot with his hand but in truth we weren’t good enough. For me, it’s not the worst thing in the world to get a kick up the arse at this early stage though.

Newcastle United: Sels, Janmaat, Lascelles, Hanley, Dummett, Ritchie, Hayden (Shelvey), Anita, Colback (Aarons), Perez (Armstrong), Gayle.

Our fans: 9 - Mental turnout for a Friday night away in the second tier.

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In-Form: Ritchie looked very promising.

Out of Form: It was a poor team performance all round.

Hanley looked lumbering and Colback was just, well, shit.

Rafa Watch: Still very much a work in progress.

NEWCASTLE UNITED 1 HUDDERSFIELD 2 St. James Park, Sat 13th August, 3:00pm, Championship, Att: 52,079.

A memorable display from the Gallowgate Flags lads and lasses greeted United onto a sun soaked pitch in front of a packed house and everything felt good with the world...you know what’s coming next. After the defeat against Fulham and the atmosphere in the ground, you expected us to be straight down the Terriers throats, but we were flat as a fart and ended up with nowt. They’d already hit the bar with Sels beaten in the first half before they took the lead bang on half time – more shite defending saw a ball come into the box and Wells semi-scuffed it into the bottom corner.

We were heading nowhere fast in the second half when Diame peformed his only touch of the game to get a toe to a Janmaat cross, with Hudson blatantly and unnecessarily handling in the box to give us a chance from the spot.

Gayle’s penalty was saved but he nodded in the rebound and surely now we’d be shaken from our torpor? Not to be though and they caught us on the counter attack.

With the aid of a shove on Mbemba, their winger played in substitute Payne, who in fairness composed himself well before slamming into the bottom corner past Sels with ten minutes to go and they hung on fairly comfortably for the three points. Luckily we’ve still got 79 league games to go to turn things round but this was shite. tf 59

Newcastle United: Sels, Janmaat (Armstrong), Lascelles, Mbemba, Dummett, Hayden, Shelvey, Anita, Aarons (Ritchie) , Diame (Perez), Gayle Our Fans: 9 - The first twenty minutes on the back of the flags and the amazing attendance were as good as anything in recent years Their Fans: 8 - Contributed both in numbers and noise Media View: ‘Newcastle feel pain as Payne wins it for Huddersfield’ (Guardian) In-Form: Ritchie produced more in one half than anyone else on the pitch did in two.

Out of Form: Diame was almost comically rotten on his debut, failing to touch the ball more than twice all game.

Rafa Watch: I still don’t think this would be his first choice team but he’s got an important couple of weeks coming up.

in a free kick from 20 yards out and we possibly flattered ourselves by getting a fourth at the death, Gayle again on the scoresheet after excellent work by Hayden allowed the striker a tap in at the back post. Much better, but you get the feeling there’s still some comings and goings to be had.

Newcastle United: Sels, Anita, Mbemba, Clark, Dummett, Ritchie (Aarons), Shelvey, Hayden, Perez (Lascelles), Gouffran (Colback), Gayle.

Our Fans: 7 - Another great turn out but sections are quick to grumble Their Fans: 1 - Atrocious Media View: ‘Rafa’s boys finally up and running after securing first Championship win’ (Mirror).

In-Form: Gayle took his goals well but Hayden was probably MOM. Out of Form: Splitting hairs a bit but Clark looked relatively uncomfortable and his distribution was poor.

Rafa Watch: Big win, got everything right with the selection, onwards and upwards.

BRISTOL CITY 0 NEWCASTLE UNITED 1 Ashton Gate, Sat 20th August, 3:00pm, Championship, Att: 22,512.

NEWCASTLE UNITED 4 READING 1 St.James’ Park, Wed 17th August, 7:45pm, Championship, Att: 48,209.

Phew, panic, what panic? We couldn’t have had much better opponents than a piss poor Reading side to get us back on track and after a bit of huffing and puffing, we got our first points on the board. Credit to Benitez, he’s not afraid to shuffle things around to get the team going but even then, eyebrows were raised with Gouffran’s inclusion.

He played a hand in the first goal on twenty minutes though, lashed home on 20 minutes from the edge of the box by the excellent Hayden, who looked a different player for being pushed forward ten yards. We should have gone in ahead but for the third game on the bounce, we conceded on the stroke of the interval after Ciaran Clark, who looked like a poor man’s Mike Williamson (which basically makes him the world’s poorest man) fannied around in the box and hacked their lad down. Obvious penalty, easily converted

by McAuley.

We had a penno ourselves just after the break though when Gouffran was knocked over in the box and Ritchie calmly converted. The goal of the game was the third, Gayle curling tf 60

This was definitely one to be filed under ‘gritty away win’ but given the rarity of actually getting three points on the road, we’ll not worry about that. Nowt much was happening in the game when Diame chipped a great ball through to Gayle and his one touch and finish was even better – he’s not had much service since joining but four goals in as many games in canny going in anyone’s book.

There wasn’t much else to report in the first half or the game in general really – most people thought this would be one of the tougher away trips but the home side spent most of their time committing niggly fouls and again, our midfield struggled to get much of a foothold in the game.

We had a couple of hearts in mouths moments towards the end, notably when a volley went just over but in truth we

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were just about worthy of the win, although you still feel we’ll need to perform better on the road if we are going to challenge for the title.

Newcastle United: Sels, Anita, Mbemba, Clark, Lascelles, Colback, Ritchie, Hayden (Shelvey), Diame (Perez), Gouffran, Gayle (Aarons).

Our Fans: 7- Supported the team well on a miserable day.

Their Fans: 6 - Pretty quiet.

Media View: ‘Gayle volley secures second win in four days for Toon’ (Mail).

In-Form: Mbemba is a notch above at this level.

Out of Form: Shelvey isn’t pulling up any trees.

Rafa Watch: Finally got the away win monkey off his/ our back.

dozen goalscoring chances but failed to add another to the scoresheet. For so many injuries, I can barely think of a bad tackle from the opposition and it can but be hoped that the knocks aren’t too serious in the short, medium or long term. Wolves at home is the reward.

Newcastle United: Darlow, Sterry, Lascelles, Hanley, Gamez, Aarons (Gouffran), Shelvey, Colback, Perez , Diame, Mitrovic (Gayle (Anita)).

Our Fans: 6 - Those present made some noise.

Their Fans: 6 - Hell of a hike and they got behind their team.

Media View: ‘Patched up Perez sends Toon through in bruising cup tie’ (Mail).

In-Form: Gamez looked canny.

Out of Form: No-one stood out as being particularly poor.

Rafa Watch: Says everything about him that he was warmly received by all sides of the ground. Whatever he said at half time worked too.

NEWCASTLE UNITED 2 CHELTENHAM T. 0 St.James’ Park, Tue 23rd August, 7:45pm, League Cup 2nd Round, Att: 21,972.

A fairly routine victory, as you would expect against a side just promoted from the Conference, was overshadowed slightly with a bizarre series of injuries. Aarons was the first one crocked, carried off with an injured foot to be replaced by Gouffran before Mitrovic saw his first appearance of the season curtailed by a blow to the head in our own box. Then bugger me, but did young Ayoze not also end up banging his heed to end up bloodied and bandaged. Oh, I should add, all of this was before half time! Just before the whistle went, the young Spaniard put us ahead with a lovely curling shot.

Returning the field to the Casualty theme music (who still watches that programme after all these years?),we sealed the win just moments after the break when Gayle played in Perez for a tap in. Feeling left out, Gayle then cracked HIS head open and got a bandage of his own and in slightly farcial circumstances, had to leave the pitch having come on as a sub as we created another half www.true-faith.co.uk

NEWCASTLE UNITED 2 BRIGHTON 0 St.James’ Park, Sat 27th August, 5:30pm, Championship, Att: 49,196.

This had the feel of a ‘proper’ game in the build up – probably the best ‘other’ side in the division, teatime kick off, Comrade Chris coming back to SJP but in the end we beat one of our main rivals for promotion fairly comfortably to continue our rise up the table. There was more flag related impressiveness at the start in the Gallowgate and we didn’t have to wait long to go ahead, when Lascelles rose to head in from miles out from a Ritchie free kick – either a very firm header or shit tf 61

goalkeeping depending on your viewpoint. Gouffran (no, honestly) nearly called a halt to the goal of the season competition when he nutmegged his man and crashed a shot against the bar from the outside of the box and we looked a more confident side than just a couple of weeks back.

They threatened intermittently and hit the bar, when they should have scored really early in the second half but their challenge was stubbed out due to a ridiculous foul on Sels by Baldock, earning himself a second yellow.

Shelvey scored our first goal for us to wrap things up just after the hour, a fine strike at that, curling a free kick in from outside the box in a similar manner to Gayle’s against Reading and when they did threaten, Sels stood firm to make a couple of good saves. From zero’s to erm fourth all in the space of three weeks. Canny progress all in.

Newcastle United: Sels, Anita (Gamez), Mbemba, Lascelles, Dummett, Ritchie, Shelvey, Hayden, Perez, Gouffran (Yedlin), Diame (Colback).

Our Fans: 8 - Flags were great again and the half five kick off helped with people’s inhibitions!

Their Fans: 7 - Decent following but didn’t have much to shout about.

Media View: ‘Reborn Gouffran worlds away from lost soul’ (Chronicle).

In-Form: Gouffran (cliché coming up) might have ‘found his level’ and Sels had his best game so far.

Out of Form: No-one as such.

Rafa Watch: Rocking and rolling now..

tf 62

DERBY COUNTY 0 NEWCASTLE UNITED 2 iPro Stadium, Sat 10th August September 5:30pm, Championship, Att: 30,405.

What had looked like a tricky away fixture against a side that has been in the top end of the division for the past few years actually ended up being a professional and routine victory that spoke volumes of our maturity under Rafa. We were rarely spectacular but never not in control and we’d already had a couple of sights of goal when we took the lead on 20 minutes with the goal of the season so far. Gouffran has threatened a screamer a couple of times this season and he got one when he lashed home a volley from a deep Shelvey free kick.

Derby rarely threatened in the second half, coming closest when they hit the top of the bar from a misshit cross but we had to wait until the very last minute until we wrapped the victory up. Substitute Yedlin was

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the man on hand to tap home a smart Shelvey ball into the box to send the travelling Mags home gleeful.

Smashing win that.

Newcastle United: Sels, Anita, Mbemba, Lascelles, Dummett, Ritchie, Shelvey, Colback, Gouffran (Yedlin), Diame (Hayden), Gayle (Perez) Our Fans: 8 – Plenty of daft young ‘uns and loads of noise.

Their Fans: 6 – OK, didn’t have much to shout about.

Media View: ‘Gouffran goal sends Toon Army on their way to fifth win on the spin’ (Mirror).

In-Form: Gouffran was excellent, goal included.

Out of Form: No-one really, Diame didn’t do much.

Rafa Watch: Textbook away win against one of our promotion rivals.

block from his own effort in his stride to steer home a fine finish.

The game was over just after the restart with what is commonly known as a ‘worldy’ when Shelvey smashed an absolute pearler into the top corner and Clark got in on the act just before the hour when he got up to bullet a header home from a corner. Shortly afterwards, Mitrovic almost apologetically tapped home a scuffed shot from substitute Atsu and when Hanley knocked in the sixth with almost quarter of an hour left and Rangers out cold, we looked like scoring every time we came over the half way line.

Incredible. Savour nights like this.

Newcastle United: Sels, Anita, Clark, Lascelles, Dummett (Hanley), Ritchie, Shelvey, Hayden, Perez, Gouffran (Atsu), Mitrovic (Yedlin).

Our Fans: 10 – Brilliant, what a night.

Their Fans: 6 – Stunned. Top marks to the ones that applauded us off at the end - nice touch.

Media View: ‘Loftus Road fans stunned by heaviest ever home league defeat’ (Evening Standard).

In-Form: All of them, a tremendous performance, probably Shelvey if you had to name a MOM. Out of Form: In a 6-0 away win?

Rafa Watch: Wow!

QPR 0 – 6 NUFC Loftus Road, Tue 13th September, 7:45pm, Championship, Att: 17,404.

A night that will go down in NUFC history, not to mention QPR’s as they suffered their heaviest ever home league loss and we enjoyed our record away win in the capital but those stats barely do our performance justice as we ran riot on a night when we should really have hit double figures. We’d already had a goal disallowed when Shelvey slightly fortuitously put us ahead with a deflected goal on 12 minutes. Perez followed up on the half hour, taking a NUFC 0 – 2 WOLVES St.James Park, Sat 17th September, 3:00pm, Championship, Att: 52,117.

You could almost have written the NUFC script – boiling hot, on the back of a six-nowt win, easily turned over in front of a full house at SJP! We never got going really and Wolves were full value for their win. They should have been one up inside ten minutes but their un-pronouncable Icelandic lad hit the bar when teed up in front of goal but he was heavily involved when www.true-faith.co.uk

tf 63

his ball into the box on the half hour was mystifyingly headed past his own keeper by Mbemba. The centre half had a shocker all afternoon and this was a dreadful own goal.

The second half didn’t spark us into life and Perez, another who’d had a poor afternoon, was robbed on the hour and made a half hearted effort to get back before Costa finished well from the edge of the box, curling past Sels. The goal sparked some booing from the crowd and although I can understand that there are a lot of short tempers to the club after the shite of the last few years, they need to get behind the side on days like this. The better side won, fair enough.

Incredible. Savour nights like this.

Newcastle United: Sels, Anita, Clark, Lascelles, Dummett (Hanley), Ritchie, Shelvey, Hayden, Perez, Gouffran (Atsu), Mitrovic (Yedlin).

Our Fans: 4 - Booing them off? Fucking howay man Their Fans: 9 - Excellent - noisy, good songbook – proper fans, proper club.

Media View: ‘Error ridden Magpies must hope defeat is one-off’ (Chronicle.

In-Form: Ritchie tried to get us going.

Out of Form: Mbemba had a nightmare.

Rafa Watch: An off day but he’ll get us going again.

tf 64

NUFC 2 – 0 WOLVES St.James Park, Tues 20th September, 7:45pm, League Cup 3rd Rnd, Att: 34,735.

The quirk of the cup draw saw us have an almost instant opportunity to correct the wrong of Saturday against Wolves and we took it with some ease, albeit in a game where both sides were greatly changed. The gaffer took the opportunity to hand debuts to Yedlin, Lazaar and Murphy and all three played well at various stages of the game but the match will probably be best remembered for our two goals which were bobby dazzlers.

Ritchie’s opener on the half hour was good enough as he exchanged a one-two with Colback of all people before curling a shot low into the bottom corner before racing off to celebrate with the Gallowgate – the lad has been a star so far this season and there’s a love-in developing there with the crowd. However, if that goal was good, it was nowt on Gouffran’s just two minutes later. This time Ritchie turned provider, crossing into the box but Gouffran still had plenty to do, which he did with aplomb when he leathered a volley high into the net. That’s two absolute belters he’s put away in as many weeks and whether he’s ‘found his level’ or whatever, he looks a different player. Routine win and a canny draw against Preston in the next round. Time to get excited yet?

www.true-faith.co.uk

Newcastle United: Darlow, Yedlin, Clark, Hanley, Lazaar, Colback, Shelvey, Ritchie (Lascelles), Gouffran (Atsu), Diame (Perez), Murphy.

Our Fans: 7 - Excellent turn out for this stage of the competition.

Their Fans: 5 - or 10/10 to anyone who was here on Saturday as well.

Media View: ‘Magpies take revenge on weakened Wolves’ (Birmingham Mail).

In-Form: Gouffran for the goal.

Out of Form: Lazaar looked a bit wobbly first half but was much better in the second.

Rafa Watch: Got us straight back on track after the weekend – he’s got us a canny old squad.

ASTON VILLA 1 – 1 NUFC Villa Park, Sat 24th September, 5:30pm, Championship, Att: 32,062.

In the end, the result was probably right but this was definitely a game of two halves, or 66% and 33% periods..although that doesn’t sound quite as snappy.

We had much the better of the first half and Villa looked, well, shit really as we got on top without ever playing that well ourselves. Yedlin was a thorn in the hosts side with his pace bombing forward and he created the first goal when he scooted up the wing and put over a low ball that Elphick sliced past his own keeper to put us one up. Gayle should have finished it before half time when he nipped the ball away from Elphick but he fluffed his lines, firing his shot straight at the keeper when he should have buried it.

Diame, who has been piss poor since joining had an even better chance just after the break but he managed to absolutely shank what should have been a fairly routine finish from an excellent Shelvey cross and the miss turned the game a bit. Still, we looked like we’d done enough to win before they hit us with a sucker www.true-faith.co.uk

punch with just a couple of minutes to go. Shite goal to concede aswell – Sels flapping around like a fish out of water (and not for the first time) from a corner, leaving Tshibola an open net to nod into. A bit of a kick in the teeth but I think most of us would have taken a point at the start of the day.

Newcastle United: Sels, Yedlin (Tiote), Clark, Lascelles, Dummett, Hayden, Shelvey, Ritchie, Gouffran, Diame, Gayle (Mitrovic).

Our Fans: 7 – Decent noise.

Their Fans: 5 – I’d laugh my cock off if they went down again.

Media View: ‘Tshibola strikes late to deny Magpies’ (Mirror).

In-Form: Yedlin gives us something down the right.

Out of Form: Sels had a stinker and Gayle should have killed it off in the first half.

Rafa Watch: A good point all in all, although it felt like two lost. tf 65

NUFC 4 – 3 NORWICH St.James Park, Wed 28th September, 7:45pm, Championship, Att: 48,236.

A memorable night at SJP saw us snatch victory from the jaws of defeat after nearly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, You still with me? We absolutely battered the league leaders in the first half hour and really should have been at least three up before Gayle finally put us ahead on 25 minutes. He should have scored when steering a Ritchie cross straight at the keeper, was slightly unlucky when dragging a self created chance just wide and Ritchie saw a header from a great Dummett cross hit the bar before Gayle finally got on the end of a Ritchie cross to put us ahead.

Annoyingly, we undid our good work when we conceded on the stroke of half time, a daft Gouffran tackle in the box giving Dorrans the chance to convert from the spot, which he duly did.

Norwich then had by far the better of the first half of the second period and found themselves 2-1 up when Jerome cut inside to curl a shot past Darlow and things went from bad to worse when Murphy’s shot looped off Lascelles to leave Darlow stranded to put the visitors 3-1 up. At this point, we were heading for mid-table with our fourth defeat of the season by the end of

tf 66

September but we quickly pulled one back when Gayle expertly took Shelvey’s fine long ball down to fire past the keeper.

Still, with 95 minutes on the clock we looked defeated but Yedlin managed to turn a ball back into the box and Gouffran was on hand to bundle home a header to mass relief for the 80% of supporters that had stayed to this stage. The relief gave way to delirium when Gayle sealed his hat-trick on 97 minutes, seizing on a Mitrovic knock down to lash a ball into the bottom corner to send the ground crackers. Rafa was on the pitch, people were falling owa seats – just magic! Massive massive

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win and it would be no exaggeration to say our season turned in a minute.

Newcastle United: Darlow, Yedlin, Clark, Lascelles, Dummett (Atsu), Colback (Hayden), Shelvey, Ritchie (Lascelles), Gouffran, Diame (Mitrovic), Gayle.

Our Fans: 7 - Erupted at the end.

Their Fans: 4 - Not great numbers, forgiven by the distance midweek.

Media View: ‘Gayle hat-trick saves Rafa’s blushes’ (Mail).

In-Form: Great hat-trick by Gayle – he looked the business.

Out of Form: Diame was anonymous.

Rafa Watch: He enjoyed that at the end!

ROTHERHAM 0 – 1 NUFC New York Stadium, Sat 1st October, 3:00pm, Championship, Att: 11,653.

We came away from South Yorkshire with the points after a performance that was by no means a vintage but a result that was just as important as the one we got in thrilling circumstances from midweek. Belying their position at the bottom of the table, the Millers had given us plenty to think about in the first half before Christian Atsu on his full debut got what proved to be the winner. A cracker it was too, cutting inside on the edge of the 18 yard box and curling a fine effort into the far corner – worth of winning any game.

We were wobbly in the second half truth be told but despite them hitting the bar and throwing the kitchen www.true-faith.co.uk

sink at us, we held on and cemented our place in the top three. We never used to grind games like this out until Rafa came in – it’s something to be celebrated.

Newcastle United: Darlow, Anita, Clark, Lascelles, Dummett, Atsu (Ritchie), Colback , Shelvey, Gouffran, Diame (Hanley), Gayle (Mitrovic).

Our Fans: 9 - Bouncing. A proper away following.

Their Fans: 6 - Canny enough, drowned out by our lot.

Media View: ‘Atsu stunner gives Magpies another away win’ (Chronicle).

In-Form: Atsu marked his full debut in style Out of Form: I haven’t seen owt from Diame yet.

Rafa Watch: Away win, clean sheet, job done.

Gareth Harrison - Follow Gareth on @truefaith1892 tf 67

Something magical has been happening at St James Park this season. It all started when a man called Rafael picked up a footballing city at its lowest point and in the space of a few short months, changed everything. The team was still relegated, but everything is different now.

Enter, Gallowgate Flags.

SIMON CAMPBELL

PUTTING THE FLAGS OUT Where did it begin?

The idea was born out of the day that changed everything, when fans united to make a defiant exit from the Premier League at home to Spurs. Ironically, the performance on the pitch that day mirrored the performance from the stands and both played their part in achieving the ultimate goal. GET RAFA TO STAY. The experience that day was the best I’ve seen in my life.

Over 90 minutes of noise and raw emotion. That’s what football is supposed to be about and that is what Gallowgate Flags is looking to achieve. When the news broke that Rafa was going to stay, the bleak future of NUFC disappeared in an instant. People were tf 68

instantly talking about the next few years instead of forgetting about football for the summer. The idea for the flags naturally grew from these conversations.

On one of the TF podcasts over the summer, Alex ‘Dogger’ Hurst extended an open invitation to like minded fans to renew or buy season tickets in the same area as the podcast lads (in the Strawberry corner) with the rest of the noisy faithful that were there for Spurs. He was universally torn apart by the lads for advertising for some “new mates” over the airwaves!

Nonetheless it was this idea of rebuilding some unity and atmosphere, starting in the corner, that fueled the idea of something bigger.

Through the wonders of social media, a group of interested fans from all over began pulling together ideas, of which the flag display was the stand out. It was quickly established that in order to do this right, help would be needed to fund the production of flags on the scale that would make for a spectacle worthy of Rafa Benitez’s NUFC. The idea was put forward to the club with some understandable skepticism as to whether they would go for it, however; the club were all for it (no doubt with the added influence of Rafa) and engaged with the group to help facilitate proceedings. The club were all for a ‘black and white day’ where the flags would be introduced prior to the

The club were all for a ‘black and white day’ where the flags would be introduced prior to the fist home game of the season

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first home game of the season.

Raising Funds A Gofundme page was set up with an initial target of £1000 over a six week period, in time for the first home game of the season.

The target was smashed, spectacularly in 2 days. £1000 became £5000 in a matter of 3 weeks and Gallowgate Flags was suddenly going to be huge thanks to the outrageous generosity and contribution from fans both locally and across the globe. I’m sure I speak for all NUFC fans in again thanking those that chipped in towards this, including those that donated flags as well as funds.

After weeks of meticulous planning of logistics and designs, a total of nearly 500 flags were commissioned in all shapes and sizes with the intention of creating a “black and white wall” across the Gallowgate end. www.true-faith.co.uk

The vision being to emulate and in time outdo the Yellow Wall of Borussia Dortmund.

Hundreds of black and white flags and a number of much larger telescopic pole mounted ones with iconic NUFC insignia and colours, were delivered in August. The stage was set for Huddersfield and a shining endorsement from Rafa himself came in the days leading up to the game: “... for our fans to organise something like this shows the huge passion of the Geordies to support their team.

“I know it will make the noise and the atmosphere in St James’ Park even more special than usual, and that will be fantastic.

“I would like to thank everyone involved with this project on behalf of myself and the players. It is things like this that can really make the difference for us over a

long and challenging season ahead.”

The man just understands football and the importance of fan involvement in making the game more special for everyone. All previous indiscretions aside; the club are now following this man’s guidance in every aspect and I no longer worry about where we are heading.

The Inaugural Display So there we were at SJP, Friday night, on the eve of Huddersfield with 500 flags and 500 poles. TwentyFive or so volunteers possibly underestimated the amount of work this would take but everyone was straight to the task at hand of assembling and putting the flags out, at the seats of volunteers who had been in touch.

Everyone was buzzing. Over 4 hours later and we were just about there. I can’t stress enough that more volunteers are needed to maintain this and for the

...for our fans to organise something like this shows the huge passion of the Geordies to support their team.

tf 69

displays to continue in a better way!

Back in the ground on the Saturday in the build up to the game to make sure everything was in order but the overnight wind had robbed us of a problem free morning. Repair works and finishing touches were hastily applied before the crowd started to appear.

As more arrived, more flags were lifted and more faces began to brighten up. It just looked class. There’s been some excellent snaps of the full display going round but experiencing it first hand was even more incredible. The 15 minutes before kick-off were the best in 20 years and a reminder of why we all started going to St James’ Park in the first place. Wonderful people celebrating a wonderful football club (soon to be once more!).

The match result largely immaterial in end on the day, even did slightly dampen

tf 70

was the if it the

atmosphere. A few flags got nicked too which was disappointing but in a 50,000 crowd, it’s a mathematical certainty that there will be morons. Nonetheless, Gallowgate Flags had made the impact it set to achieve and showed the footballing world how big our club really is.

What next?

As has been made much more clear since the first game, the flags were never intended as a one off. We want this to grow and grow.

A few smaller display took place prior to the Reading and Brighton games in the following weeks however it is again a matter of time and volunteers that are needed before the next one.

The next big display is planned for Brentford on the 15th October. An NUFC Legends Tribute. With the coffers constantly being topped up by everybody’s continued generosity, we are expecting this to be another special occasion.

Flags in the image of NUFC legends from the last 100 years will be added to the current stock to ensure a spectacular display. The Chronicle did a great job on details of the legends to be featured here.

It’s going to be a brilliant day but more volunteers will make a huge, huge difference. The more people involved, the more this movement will grow and the closer we get to being once again a world renown football club for the very thing that makes you a football club. The fans.

Remember, you can contribute here! https:// www.gofundme.com / gallowgateflags

The next big display is planned for Brentford on the 15th October. An NUFC Legends Tribute

AND Please volunteer to help or be part of the display. Get in touch at: contact@gallowgateflags .co.uk.

SIMON CAMPBELL

www.true-faith.co.uk

Online merchandising operation

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After David Moyes sparked outrage on Wearside when declaring that SAFC should expect another relegation battle, the Northern Echo ran an article asking why they were so woefully unable to compete in the transfer market with their Premier League rivals. Their conclusion.

“To put it succinctly, Sunderland are in a financial mess.

Whichever measure of a club’s financial performance you choose, the Black Cats do not fare well”.

SUNDERLAND FINANCES TOM MCMENEMY “To put it succinctly, Sunderland are in a financial mess. Whichever measure of a club’s financial performance you choose, the Black Cats do not fare well”.

And who am I to argue with such a fine northern publication. Let’s take a look at some of those financial performance measures that the Echo make reference to, starting with the Profit & Loss for 14/15 (last published set of accounts, see fig. 1.).

What can we glean from these numbers? Well, the Northern Echo was probably not far away with their conclusion. A whopping annual loss and a massively increased debt being the stark financial headlines.

But what’s driving these tf 72

figures? Comes down simply to costs and revenue.

Revenue Revenue (turnover) has reduced by 3% from 2013/14.

Turnover comprises three separate elements: MatchDay, Commercial and Broadcasting. Let’s analyse each in turn.

A reduction in match-day revenue of 26% largely driven by fewer games (no repeat of the previous season’s cup run to the Capital One final). Whilst SAFC have the 6th highest average attendance in the division, their matchday income was less than Hull’s!! With season tickets starting at £350, one can only deduce that the paltry match-day return is as a result of giving thousands

of tickets away free. ‘Free Ticket Mackems’ (FTM) isn’t just a Geordie jibe. It’s a fact.

Commercial income has increased by 18% and this is where SAFC have done well (particularly in relation to Newcastle).

Shirt sponsorship with Bidvest is worth £5m and they pull in nearly £10m from conferences, catering and banqueting. Credit where credit is due. The Stadium of Light is stuck in the middle of no-where in a depressing city where no-one would really want to visit unless they have to.

Pulling in that commercial income is a credit to their commercial team (and a lesson to NUFC’s).

Sunderland In the last 9 seasons, they have accumulated total losses of £170m!

Broadcasting income is largely unchanged with www.true-faith.co.uk

a small decrease in merit payments as a result of finishing two places lower.

More on the TV deal later.

Costs Over the same period as revenue has reduced, costs have increased by 7%.

The wage bill rose by 11 per cent to £77.1m (the ninth highest in the Premier League), a figure that represents an eye-watering 76% of turnover. Only QPR squandered a higher proportion of their income on wages.

Notable that interest costs increased from £2.3m to £6m following a major change to the club’s borrowing arrangements with Security Benefit Corporation (SBC) replacing the previous bank loan and overdraft. Only Arsenal (£13m) and Man Utd (£35m) have higher.

How does the SAFC loss compare with other Premier League teams?

Only QPR and Aston Villa reported worse losses in 14/15 (See fig. 2) whilst the TV revenue resulted in most clubs showing a profit. But this isn’t a oneoff for Sunderland. In the last 9 seasons, they have accumulated total losses of £170m!

As a result of these accumulated losses, the net debt has rocketed to £138.7m. To note, this figure was the net debt reported in the summer 2015. That debt is likely to have increased again in 15/16 (see fig. 3 overleaf). www.true-faith.co.uk

1. Sunderland Profit and Loss

2015

2014

Growth

% Growth

Match Day

10.8

14.6

-3.8

-26%

Broadcasting

69.1

71.8

-2.7

-4%

Commercial Income

21.2

17.9

-3.3

18%

Turnover

101.1

104.3

-3.2

-3%

Wages and Salaries

-77.1

-69.5

-7.6

11%

Other Expenses

-20.5

-21.8

1.3

-6%

Expenses

-97.6

-91.3

-6.3

7%

3.5

13.0

-9.5

-73%

-24.4

-27.2

2.8

-10%

-3.2

3.2

-100%

EBITDA Player Amortisation Player Impairment Depreciation

-2.4

-2.3

-0.1

-4%

Non Cash Flow Expenses

-26.8

-32.7

-5.9 1

-18%

Operating Profit/(Loss)

-23.3

-19.7

-3.6

18%

3.9

4.8

-0.9

-19%

-19.4

-14.9

-3.7

-30%

-v

-2.3

-3.7

161%

Profit/(Loss) before Tax

-25.4

-17.2

-8.2

48%

Taxation Credit/Charge

0.0

0.0

0.0

Profit/(Loss) after Tax

-25.4

-17.2

-8.2

Wages: Turnover

-76%

-67%

-10%

Gross Debt

141.3

93.8

47.5

51%

Cash

2.5

0.9

1.6

178%

Net Debt/(Funds)

138

92.9

45.9

49%

43,157

41,090

2,067

5.0%

Profit on Player Sales Profit before Interest and Tax Net Interest receivable

Average League Attendance

48%

2. Premier League 2014/15 Profit/(Loss) before tax -60

-40

-20

-0

20

40

60

80

LIVERPOOL NEWCASTLE UNITED BURNLEY LEICESTER CITY ARSENAL SOUTHAMPTON TOTTENHAM HULL CITY MAN CITY CRYSTAL PALACE STOKE WEST BROM WEST HAM SWANSEA MAN UTD EVERTON CHELSEA SUNDERLAND ASTON VILLA QPR

The amount owed to Ellis Short (via his company Drumaville Limited) has increased from £28 million to £58 million, but the majority of the debt is external with £83 million owed to Security Bank Corporation (SBC), owned

by Guggenheim Partners, including a £68 million loan and a £15 million revolving credit facility (hence the considerable interest payments).

Only three Premier League clubs had more debt than Sunderland in 2014/15: tf 73

150 100 50 0 2007 £ Millions Within 1 year

> 1 year

2008

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Bank overdraft

7.4

13.6

6.3

10.4

4.6

11.4

39.1

38.6

Bank loans

0.0

1.3

6.2

1.4

1.4

5.0

Owed to Parent undertaking

8.8

16.8

22.4

40.4

40.5

12.1

Bank loans

36.5

41.6

34.0

32.6

27.6

27.6

35.4

2015 2015

27.7

15.0

27.6

38.2 68.0

Owed to Parent undertaking

20.0

Gross Debt

52.7

73.3

47.9

68.2

79.0

84.5

78.8

93.9

141.2

Cash at bank

0.1

2.0

2.1

2.2

2.1

0.7

0.8

0.9

2.5

Net debt

52.6

71.3

45.8

66.0

76.9

83.8

78.0

93.0

138.7

Manchester United, who still have £444 million of borrowings even after all the Glazers’ various re-financings; Arsenal, whose £232 million debt effectively comprises the “mortgage” on the Emirates stadium; and QPR £194 million, though the West London club have recently converted £181 million into capital.

The reality couldn’t be more different.

As Margaret Byrne put it: “Because we’re not producing profits, every time we buy a player, Ellis (Short) is virtually buying that player for the club himself. We’re really lucky to have his backing and support.” Quite.

To note, this debt would actually be much higher but Short capitalised £100m of loans into shares. This basically wipes out the debt, a fantastically generous ‘gift’ from Short to SAFC. Mike Ashley take note.

And whilst the Echo asked why SAFC can’t compete in the transfer market, the facts suggest that they actually compete quite well with other Premier League teams. From 2012 to 2016, they averaged a net spend of £18m, the 8th highest in the division.

This is an opportune time to evaluate the role of Ellis Short at SAFC. When the Northern Echo posed their question as to why SAFC can’t compete with their Premier League rivals in the transfer market, many SAFC fans astonishingly blame Short for this failure.

So it’s fair to say that Short’s money has basically kept SAFC in the Premier League.

And that investment may soon start to get some payback. The new TV deal comes into effect this season and it’s colossal.

It could very well be their saviour.

tf 74

2009

Sunderland’s 16th place would be worth an estimated additional £31 million under the new contract, taking their annual payment up to an incredible £101 million.

Contrast that with the revenue they would receive in the Championship (even with parachute payments) – a mere £37.6m.

The question is whether Sunderland will use this additional money to continue spending on transfer fees and wages or use it to rebalance their finances and bring down their debt. The summer transfer window would suggest it’s the latter despite breaking their transfer record.

It’s fair to say that if SAFC had been relegated, they would have been in serious financial trouble. The reality is they didn’t and we did.

Bollocks. www.true-faith.co.uk

Long standing true faith writer, Tony Higgins who regular readers will recognise from his Real Spain articles has his first book out now. Travel with Tony through the und ergrowt h of Spanish football and life for only ÂŁ4:99. Only in digital format.

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In latter years, the true faith Podcasts have become one of the most popular elements of our content.

Now led by Pod-Father, Alex Hurst and his PodSquad we are now putting out regular episodes to an ever-growing band of listeners across the Black & White planet. They are becoming MASSIF.

T S A C D O P Y L K E E TF W W O H S O I D A R AND Tune in on radio northumberland 7.00pm Friday night Listen here The Podcasts regularly include guests and special features. Like everything true faith does, they are absolutely FREE.

to and from matches via public transport, in the car, or just as anyone would listening to the radio in the house etc

Our listeners tell us they variously listen to the true faith Podcasts via their smartphones on the way

The Podcasts aren’t a closed shop and if you would like to join the podcasts as a contributor,

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just get in touch with Alex via the TF Weekly Podcast Twitter account and we’ll see what we can do.

More recently, the Podcasts have taken a further step forward by adding a weekly Radio show and Friday

nights at 7pm via Radio Northumberland. We are also now taking calls from listeners and attempting to develop a real Mag-led Talk-In show feel which will be something of a first in fanzine culture.

Get involved and make it happen.

tf 77

Postcards F rom The Edge Paully

tf 78

You would have got bigger odds for the Geordie Shore lasses to keep their baps inside of their outfits during a night out than for us to lose our opening two matches of this season. The results were a massive wake-up call to the majority of our fans and probably also to some of our players.

This is a complete new league for a lot of our players and they are going to take time to adapt to it.

Even Brock Lesnar would need time to get used to this new rough-arse environment. You don’t simply get on to a bike and ride it comfortably with great ease; unless of course she is from Jarra. That filthy lot take you in as tatties and spit you out as chips. The Berlin Wall was not built in a day yet it only took them a few days to knock most of it down so our fans must realis e that we a re n’t going t o

steam-roll every team and patience is going to be vital. Rafa is predominantly a defensive-minded coach so if we’re drawing 0-0 at half time to Burton at home then booing the players off is not going to do anyone any favours.

There has also been a humongous turnaround in our playing personnel.

Only Rafa could persuade Jesus and Mohamed to fight alongside each other for the same cause. Not only is he sorting NUFC out but he is also resolving the religious problems of this world. The man is a genius. I don’t know enough about most of the new signings to comment but I do think that Ritchie and Gayle are fantastic signings who will have a field day in this league.

Both have proven that they are more than capable of holding their own in the top flight and have also previously thrived in this league. The Gayle-Mitro partnership has all of the credentials required to excel but it just depends on whether or not our Serbian lunatic can www.true-faith.co.uk

Only Rafa could persuade Jesus and Mohamed to fight alongside each other for the same cause.

Not only is he sorting NUFC out but he is also resolving the religious problems of this world.

The man is a genius www.true-faith.co.uk

keep his head. That idiotic red card in our meaningless final match of last season has already proven costly this season and we simply cannot afford to keep losing him due to stupid suspensions.

Most of the outgoings were fully expected although I’m surprised that Sissoko is still here with only a few weeks left of the transfer window. I fully expected there to be a live televised auction conducted by one of those blokes with his loud hammer whereby all Champions League teams would be present desperately trying to secure his services. The transfer market is currently bonkers and the price tag of £35 million being touted about for him after a few decent displays for France at the Euros fully emphasises that. Rafa seems to rate him highly and he should really tear this league apart if he stays but I can see him sulking his daft arse off if he doesn’t get a move so it’s probably for the best if we ship him out even if

it means that we have to lower our price.

our relegation campaign – FACT.

It will be interesting to see how we react because during our last two camp aigns prom otion in 92-93 and 09-10; we started the season unbeaten for the first 11 matches and six matches respectively. We gained instant momentum and hit the ground running quicker than Usain Bolt during a 100 metre sprint whereby a vast array of scantilyclad beauties were waiting to finish him off at the finishing line. Confidence is a massive thing in life never mind football but I have complete faith in Rafa that he will get us fully back on the running track.

If they’re blaming him for our relegation, then surely they should also be lauding him for Real Madrid’s Champions League success too;

Speaking of Rafa, it’s amazing how hard it has hit our friends down the road the fact that he decided to remain in charge despite our relegation.

Their reaction about him especially on social media after our early defeats was utterly astounding. In fact, you can even trace back their fascination with him to their final match of last season at Watford when a large group of them travelled down wearing Rafa masks.

What a peculiar bunch. They keep trotting out the same bollocks too; “Rafa took you down”. Rafa loves FACTS so here are a few; NUFC played 38 matches in the Premier League last season of which Rafa managed 10 of them which equates to 26% of

Real Madrid played 13 matches in the Champions league last season of which Rafa managed 6 of them which equates to 46% of their winning Champions League campaign – FACT. He also had a higher win percentage than the other manager of both teams in each specific competition mentioned above – FACT. Mind, there is more chance of me participating in a bean-flicking contest (and I don’t mean the Heinz Baked variety) with Emily Mich elle Rataj kows ki, Keegan and Kelly Brook then there is of their fans seeing them lot participate in the Champions League so there is no real point in discussing it with them.

Even with the early season setback, I still think that we’ll win the league as we have the best manager in the league by far; the best squad in the league by far and the biggest fanbase in the league by far.

Although, if one club in this whole universe could balls-up a situation like this then that club is NUFC so I fully expect to see Rafa sacked in November and replaced with a managerial dream-team of Warnock and Kinnear. tf 79

60 SECOND

CHRIS LAws

SEASON Players: Bradley, Hampson, Hudspeth, McIntosh, Spencer, Curry, J. Low, Aitken, Harris, McDonald, Seymour, Clark Jr., Cowan, Roxburgh, Mooney, Scott, J. Clark, Russell, WL Low, Finlay, Mitchell, Gibson, Mutch, Hunter, Keating, MacKenzie, Thompson.

Division: First Division, but a poor season in truth, at least in the league, as United finish 9th, with 44 points from 42 games, a drop of four points from last season. Unlike the last two years, Liverpool did not win the title this year, that distinction went to

Huddersfield, who had the same amount of points as Cardiff, but won the league on goal average. We were 13 points off the pace.

Manager: Nothing has changed from the past with this one, as the Directors Committee continued to select the side that took to the pitch.

Trainer/Coach: After clocking up year #20 last year with the club, James McPherson quickly clocked up year #21, continuing in his role as trainer/coach.

Highest Attendance: As expected, the home derby provided the biggest attendance we played in front of this season, at least in the league (more

on that later!), with 50,000 clicking through the turnstiles at St. James’ to sadly see a 0-2 reverse against the Mackems, three days before Christmas.

Lowest Attendance: Rather surprisingly, champions Huddersfield was where we had our lowest gate of the season, a poor turnout of 6,000 at the end of February saw us take a credible point away from the champions-in-waiting.

The lowest home attendance however, was 8,000 in the second to last home game of the campaign, as our league season fizzled out. They saw us beat Birmingham City 2-1.

Average Attendance: 25,952 was the average home league gate over 21 games. This figure is slightly down on our 22-23 season gates. However, if you include the three Cup games that took place in NE1 (Derby County x2, Liverpool) that figure jumps up nearly three thousand,

Neil Harris

and takes the total figure to 28,520 as cup fever hit Tyneside.

Best win: In the league, a four-goal victory against Nottingham Forest was the best it got for us this season (although it would get a lot better in the cup), as we beat Forest 4-0 at SJP in early January. Notable mention for our opening day win at Arsenal in late August, beating the Gunners 4-1 in London.

Worst defeat: The mackems did a double over us this year, which is never a good thing, but in terms of worst defeat, we saved that for the last day of the season. A 1-6 defeat away to Aston Villa would usually be a bit embarrassing, however, this one can be excused somewhat, as five days later...

Something of Interest: WE WON THE FA CUP!!

Beating the same side that tonked us five days earlier, United beat Aston Villa 2-0 at Wembley in the first

tf 80

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all-ticket final at Wembley Stadium. Winger Stan Seymour and centre-forward Neil Harris but scored late on to bring the cup back to Tyneside. The cup quickly took on a life of it’s own this season, with United hovering around mid-table when Derby came out of the hat in the 2nd round.

What followed next was a classic, a FOUR-game classic finally saw United win 5-3 after 420 minutes of football. This would be the longest FA Cup tie for another 65 years.

Mentioned in Dispatches: So we lost 6-1 to Aston Villa five days before we played them in the FA Cup final, then beat them 2-0. It stands to reason we played the reserves against Villa in the league, which we did, except for goalkeeper Sandy Mutch, who took the goalkeeping spot mid-way through the season. However, he went off injured doing the 6-1 demolition and ended up missing the Wembley final a week later.

National Interest: GB & Ireland compete in the Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France in January and February, coming back with 1 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals. First broadcast by King George V took place in April, opening the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Stadium. Later in the year, GB & Ireland are back competing at the Olympic Games in Paris, and do much better, winning 9 golds, 13 silver, 12 www.true-faith.co.uk

United beat Aston Villa 2-0 at Wembley in the first all-ticket final at Wembley Stadium.

Winger Stan Seymour and centre-forward Neil Harris but scored late on to bring the cup back to Tyneside bronze. Eric Liddell is the star, breaking the world record in the 400m. The Sunday Express becomes the first newspaper to print a crossword, in November.

Jackie Edward Thompson Milburn, future United legend, was born in May 1924.

Regional Interest: Across the Tyne, Gateshead FC decided to change their kit colours from Green and Red to Blue shirts, white socks and blue and black socks (aka stockings). Don’t ask me. It would not be the last change. Future Tory PM, Harold (“you’ve never had

it so good” Macmillan is elected as MP for Stockton South. Coalmining is at its peak in County Durham employing 170,000 coalminers. The Northumberland and Newcastle Society is formed. Its objectives are to support the preservation of valuable buildings and landscapes within the county and city. It is formed after Colonel J.D. Mitchell wrote to Councillor D. Adams on the 20th March 1924 inviting him to luncheon at the Newcastle Rotary Club ‘to discuss my proposals for the for-

mation of a Newcastle Society which would have for its objects the artistic and practical development of the City...by the united efforts of its citizens’.

Sir Theodore Morrison is its first Chairman, Colonel Mitchell its first Secretary and, after its inaugural meeting, is joined by Sir Joseph Reed, Sir Charles Parson, Sir William Nobel and the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor, later Sir Stephen Easton. It still continues today.

Chris Laws.

Follow @tflawsy1892 tf 81

the Well that was quite a summer break. Despite my reservations about in a way league football is just another medium that keeps us Brits locked g pattern of servility, idiocy, and fake braggadocio - while unwittingly fillin s yer man Murdoch’s pockets - I’m glad it’s back. Just look what happen w without it. Forget the annual hell of Wimbledon and Chelsea Flower Sho ; an flooding our Televisions with their Surrey-isms. And forget the Olympics ng as, event once dismissed by an acquaintance in the Columba Club in Felli “idiots, running around pointlessly.”

We have to deal with real life. Questions like Brexit and the odious, chateaubottled cad Farage plague us and lead us to yell halfbaked political balls at our immediate family. We guess which politician actually wants to do their job.

Political conspiracy theories swamp Facebook and

Twitter. We could be back in the days of Titus Oates.

We watch someone called Jeremiah Corbyn doing a lot of outdoor gigs, and Russians beating our finest drunks up in broad daylight.

Terrorism is seemingly everywhere, and a podgy, unign orabl e seem ingly American gobshite called

Donald Trump blares on about walls, little people and someone called Hilary.

I wonder if it’s the same Hilary that owes Mark E Smith sixty notes.

like to stick a carnation in their buttonhole on a Saturday morning before waiting for the SPAR to open, need a bolthole till all this hot air blows over.

It’s at times like this that I We’ve got a lot of angry of a conversation that heads abroad. Those of think me and my good Sheffield/ sensi tive a Manchester friends, Messrs dispo sitio n, Wall, Cox and Dawson once those who had about being in the

nd the a s d a e H y r g n A e h t m Escape fro

b m o W a s a e s Public Hou

tf 82

RICHARD FOSTER Incendiary Magazine

www.true-faith.co.uk

his will be a place where 5-Live phone ins can’t reach, and where Terry Vegetables betting adverts are a thing of myth. The rest of the country can erect as many statues to Paul Merson and Joey Essex as it wishes pub. To wit; sitting in the pub and drinking steadily is akin to being back in the womb. Trust me, this proposition cannot be dismissed as mere pub talk. Think; you sit, supine, slightly bowed (albeit not fully foetal) and regularly imbibe liquids of a nature that seem fortifying and somewhat dizzying.

You are given said liquid more often than not by a female of the species. The walls of the best pubs are warm and sometimes a dun red, giving a feeling of comfort, and permanence. They seem soft after a while. The light emitted by the pub’s windows is often unfocused. In the best womb-pubs, you often don’t notice this light changing, or any change even if you stare out of the window. The sounds around you are muffled.

Often you notice their rise and fall but little else. When you inevitably have to leave, the short passage before the doors and the doors themselves resemble the birthing canal and the vaginal exit. Sometimes leaving said exit can result in www.true-faith.co.uk

difficulties (the best pubs always have a double door) and this may mean a forcible evacuation with the help of an adult.

The problem - of course - comes when you have to leave (screaming). The ugly sensations of birth are rendered more powerful still by being in a street full of other drunks. Some of these wouldn’t know that Rubens’ cartoons for Philip IV’s hunting lodge are amongst his finest works. We need more than the pub. We need a theme park. A UDI and a land to match. Now before you think I’m going all nasty and Ian Smith/Hendrik Verwoerd on your collective ass, trust me I’m not. To me UDI means Unilateral Declaration of Indolence.

We need a place for gentlefolk, where there is no work. It will not be in the south as we need to be as far away as possible from the likes of Piers Moron, Katey Hopkins and Simon Cowell. This will be a place where 5-Live phone ins can’t reach, and where Terry Vegetables betting adverts are a

thing of myth. The rest of the country can erect as many statues to Paul Merson and Joey Essex as it wishes. For we will have a place where gentlefolk of all colour, sexual orientation, creed and persuasion can rest and eat the best takeaways known to Humankind.

Work will be abolished and inhabitants will be encouraged to let their natural inclinations of talking educated piss to flourish. The music piped into the pubs and bedrooms - provided by great deejays such as Andy and Liz Kershaw, Steve Barker, and a full library of John Peel and John Waters shows - will be excellent.

Ostentation is allowed in dress and hairstyles but no silly Metropolitan

grooming ballocks, please.

Accommodation is provided with bracing but well appointed chaletstyle bungalows. The main attractions will be laid out along a village street with a choice of two public houses, a corner shop, a club and assembly rooms, and the following eateries: Thai; Cantonese, Sichuan and Zhejiang; Indonesian; 3 Indian restaurants (of high specialism, reflecting that continent’s wonderful variety of cuisine); a fried fish shop; a Spanish and a Catalan outlet apiece, and a good French restaurant. Canny. There will be a village green for indolent tarrying, allotments for growing leeks and tommies, a cricket pitch, a bowling

tf 83

green (Crown Green, of course) and two football pitches. The provision of tennis courts would need to be discussed. There will be no golf.

Barclay, or a mash-meanssmash robot with no off switc h, like Tim Lovejoy.

No, it’s the Mags for me.

Thinking back, my strongest, and many of my favourite memories are of watching the club in the second divisi on. The mem ories of Scott Sloan and that game at the Gallowgate we won’t mention in 1990 can be easily offset by the Keegan promotion games

Prexit If anyone hadn’t noticed already, Newcastle United has been relegated to the Championship. Am I happy about that? Well, I’m not overly happy about the fact that we’ve been through the near death of “managed expectation” of ‘84 and ‘93, which (an oxymoron surely) this gave a feeling of utter past decade; just to sit at freedom (Tranmere away, a top table which we fans for example). Even crap don’t feel the full benefit up some fun. from. I can live without seasons threw suffe ring Prem -frau ds Watching Blackburn Rovers like Pardew and Dennis and Sheffield Wednesday Wise. I’m certainly happy away in August 1990 comes we’re not last on Match to mind. Jim Smith playing of the Day any more. As a sweeper style! Howey we’re not on it at all. netting the winner in the Good. As I’m not arsed last minute led to some about taking all that pissy pseudo-info on board unashamed snogging WITH about the Premiership. I A LASS whilst eating a pie couldn’t care a fig about in the Darwen End. Even why Rashford’s not in the the spectacle of Wayne Manure team. I don’t want Fereday repeatedly falling to listen to Jose Mourinho over his own feet couldn’t or Pep Guardiola on the diminish the enjoyment of radio. I want to listen to ing 2-2 draw against Melvyn Bragg instead. a crack And I’m delighted Sam a strong Wednesday side Allardyce has gone to at Hillsborough. Last time England meaning I have out was fun too, watching even less motivation in a team full of decent coves watching our national like Lovenkrands and Nolan team. Balls to all of that. develop a sense of belief Just think ; too much of that was matched in the “all that” and you end of writing up a broken wreck of a stands. At time man wading through the I’m sorting flights out to nethe rworl d of socia l get to Brentford at home medi a, like “Padd y” and I can’t wait. tf 84

Venus Tropicaux - Lycra Pants

ATTICUS ROSS, LEOPOLD ROSS & BOBBY KRLIC

Illegale Farben - Staub

KOTTARASHKY & THE RAIN DOGS - OPA HEY

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Chlorine - Puddle Dress

Julia Holter - Feel You

Acid Arab - Buzq Blues

Family of God - Babble

BBC Proms: Bowie Prom with Stargaze - Station to Station

Rendez-Vous - Distance www.true-faith.co.uk

Even the spectacle of Wayne Fereday repeatedly falling over his own feet couldn’t diminish the enjoyment of a cracking 2-2 draw against a strong Wednesday side at Hillsborough tf 85

Out with the (New) Old? You may have heard the saying that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Actually the original quote is slightly different, claiming that “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to relive it”.

What short memories we must all have at Newcastle United.

After relegation in 2009, Alan Shearer said we need to ensure that this ‘never happens again’. Six years (and an almost entirely new squad) later, it almost did happen again.

Only victory over West Ham on the last day of the season ensured our survival. Ahead of that game, Rob Lee gave an interview to the Chronicle, imploring the board to sit down and make sure that this ‘never happens tf 86

again’, again. 12 months on, a new manager and £80m of new players, and Newcastle are relegated.

It happened again.

If there is one negative to be drawn from the tidal wave of goodwill brought on by the ‘Rafa-lution’, it is perhaps that we are in danger of immediately washing away the memories of what really went on before it. Whilst nobody likes to dwell on the past, it is important to properly analyse what went wrong so that we can try to make the good

times roll for as long as possible by not repeating mistakes.

Andrew Murray

Now, I’m as happy as the next fan about the departures of Sissoko and Wijnaldum, especially considering the fees recouped. What worries me though is the amount of blame that has been apportioned to them for the club’s demise. We got relegated, it was the fault of those players. Those players are now gone.

Problem solved.

Is that accurate? www.true-faith.co.uk

Sissoko played the role of pantomime villain perfectly.

Pantomime characters, though, portray simple concepts of good and bad, right and wrong, black and white. Real life problems are always more nuanced, so we must be wary of simply booing the baddies off stage and assuming we’ll all now live happily ever after.

maker in 2013/14.

Ask Newcastle fans about Wijnaldum or Sissoko and you will probably hear them described as ‘lazy’ players, or ‘shirkers’ of responsibility. But the statistics will tell you that, between them, the pair scored 10 and assisted 9 of our 44 league goals last season. Wijnaldum was top scorer and Sissoko made the most assists. In fact, Sissoko was our third top scorer the season before and top assist

Having two senior players for every position on the pitch this season is unprecedented in my time as a Newcastle fan.

Our problems last season really crystallised in the January transfer window, where we were severely lacking in defensive re-enforcements and alarmingly short of firepower up front. So what did we do? We brought in three new midfielders and a striker, Seydou Doumbia,

www.true-faith.co.uk

On paper – and indeed on the pitch, in glimpses – players like Sissoko were the type that a club like Newcastle should have sought to build a team around. But in order to build a team around a player, you first have to actually build a team, and therein lies one of our most persistent problems.

who never started a game for us. It’s like 10,000 spoons, when all you needed was an actual left back.

For years we have had a criminally unbalanced, wafer-thin squad, and only managed to get by through a combination of fielding half-fit players, often out of position, and some lucky breaks in the transfer market. Let’s not forget that Sissoko himself was a part of our panic shopping spree in January 2013 after we once again failed to adequately recruit the summer before. Our player policy has been so self-destructive at times over the past 10 years, it hasn’t so much been a case of square pegs in round holes as having to pour the kettle straight into your mouth because you forgot to buy cups – stupid and painful.

players like Sissoko were the type that a club like Newcastle should have sought to build a team around.

But in order to build a team around a player, you first have to actually build a team, and therein lies one of our most persistent problems.

tf 87

Between January and the end of last season we played Janmaat, Anita, Aarons and Colback at left back for want of a more natural option. This lack of foresight is even more alarming when you read this from the Guardian’s match report of that game at Villa Park in 2009: “There are 101 reasons why Newcastle United were relegated, but playing Damien Duff at left back didn’t help.”

Condemned to repeat history indeed. In many ways, it’s not so much a failing of the players that were here as those that weren’t. Never having a balanced squad, with few genuine options on the bench to change a game are far more constant reasons for

tf 88

our failings. Exactly how much better would our ‘best’ players have had to play to accommodate the shortcomings elsewhere on the pitch? Even if they had managed it, what would have been gained from another season of papering over the cracks?

If you are desperate to cling to the notion that our high profile players simply didn’t reach their potential at Newcastle, then it is still important to ask why – and the quality of coaching cannot be ignored in that enquiry.

Whereas 10 of the last 17 England debutants have all been trained

by Mauricio Pochettino, the same cannot be said for McClaren, Carver or Pardew. For that reason, I will be genuinely

interested to see what the Spurs manager can do with Sissoko. His progress there will give us a clearer idea on where blame deserves to lie for our so-called ‘star’ players’ inability to perform for us.

In truth, the future looks exciting for Newcastle.

But there will come a day – a sad day – when Benitez is no longer our manager, and the next incumbent may not have the same apparent Midas touch. This is why it’s important to remember that it wasn’t just a few players from last season that took us down.

We forgot the past, and we condemned ourselves to relive it. We now really need to make sure that it never happens again.

Whereas 10 of the last 17 England debutants have all been trained

by Mauricio Pochettino, the same cannot be said for McClaren, Carver or Pardew. For that reason, I will be genuinely interested to see what the Spurs manager can do with Sissoko.

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The Rio 2016 Summer Olympics have ended and Brazil, with just 7 gold medals, ended the Games in a modest 13th position on the medals table. For a host nation with a population of 200 million people that seems a little low. You’d be forgiven for thinking that the locals would be a bit put out by such a performance. But you’d be way, way, wrong.

Finalmente:

CAMPEÕES DE TUDO! Let me put my adopted nation’s cards on the table here. There weren’t that many people who were exactly taken with the idea of the Games being held here. Sure, back in 2009 when the economy was booming and Rio won the right to host them everyone was over the moon, but since then we’ve seen a massive economic crash, social and political unrest and a hugely costly World tf 90

Cup drain the nation’s resources and patience.

Add to that the Brazilian attitude towards pretty much every sport on offer over the 2 weeks (which is at best, ‘meh’) and you’ll see why interest wasn’t exactly at fever pitch before the opening ceremony. We all know which sport the Brazilians are interested in, and it certainly isn’t fencing or dressage…

The only sport which comes close to futebol out here is volleyball, but both the mens and womens teams have dominated the game on the international circuit for so long that the fans were relaxed about their chances, so it seemed a formality when the men took their 3rd gold medal and it was a shock when the women failed to make their final and thus missed the chance to add to their

JOHN MILTON Follow on @ Geordioca 2 golds. On the beach it was the home nation dominating again, the men taking gold and the women silver.

The football teams, however, had never won an Olympic gold medal before.

In the UK that doesn’t mean much. Why would it? We don’t compete for it (still – GB is joint most successful nation with 3 golds. Go figure). But Brazil does, and it had become www.true-faith.co.uk

a huge source of national shame that the greatest footballing nation on the planet had failed to win Olympic gold. While Brazil had managed silver medals in 1984, 1988 and 2012, their neighbours and bitter rivals, Argentina, had won back to back titles in 2004 and 2008 – and they rarely let the Brazilians forget about it.

Since Brazil’s silver at London 2012 (a team which included Thiago Silva, Marcelo, Sandro, Hulk, Neymar and Oscar lost the final to Mexico) the national team had been through what can be described, at best, as tough www.true-faith.co.uk

times. First of all there was the absolute nailing they got from Germany in their own World Cup in 2014 – 7-1 in the semifinals is some pounding to take. The following year they were knocked out of the Copa America in the quarter-finals to a decidedly average Paraguay team on pens. 2016 saw the centenary of the Copa America and so another tournament was held. With the country hell-bent on finally winning gold at the Olympics, Neymar ruled himself out and the team crashed out at the group stage, failing to advance from a group that included Haiti, Peru and Ecuador.

Confidence had been rocked. They needed something. Despite the top players that they could have called on as their senior players, the only recognised ‘star’ in the squad was Neymar, the other seniors were Renato Augusto, formally of Corinthians but now based in China and the goalkeeper, Weverton who

and it had become a huge source of national shame that the greatest footballing nation on the planet had failed to win Olympic gold

tf 91

‘Mineiraço’ (the name given to the 7-1 defeat in 2014, it comes from the stadium where the massacre took place: The Estádio Mineirão) came flooding back.

plays for mid-table Atlético Paranaense. Of course, they also had Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Barbosa up front with Neymar, which helps.

click in the last, must-win, game against Denmark.

4-0 to the hosts with both Gabriels (Barbosa x2) and Luan netting.

Unlike the womens team, who were going ballistic in their group games led by the irrepressible Marta, things looked grim for Neymar and co. 0-0 draws against South Africa and Iraq had fans doing that m*ckem thing of crossing out Neymar’s name on their shirts and scribbling Marta above it. Eventually everything seemed to

In the quarters Neymar joined in, bagging his first of the tournament along with Luan to see off Columbia 2-0. In the semis Honduras were well and truly put to the sword, Neymar (2), Gabriel Jesus (2), Marquinhos and Luan scored without reply.

6-0 and a mouthwatering prospect was lined up.

tf 92

Suddenly the horror of the

Brazil x Germany in the final. Could revenge be served or would a repeat of the humiliation take place? 200 million football nuts held their collective breath. Neymar with an absolute stunner of a free kick from fully 30 yards out. 1-0. Second half, ze Germans strike back with a fantastic move which ends with Meyer sweeping in from inside the 18 yard box. 1-1. Penalties! Against the clinical Germans! At 4-4 Petersen steps up only to see his penalty saved by Weverton. Who else but the golden boy of Brazilian football has the chance to bring glory to the nation. It

Unlike the womens team, who were going ballistic in their group games led by the irrepressible Marta, things looked grim for Neymar and co.

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couldn’t have been scripted better. A stuttering run up, no mistake with the drive – straight and true and into the top corner.

Tears. Joy. Redemption.

200 million yellow and blue clad fanatics partied for 2 days solid.

Why did it mean so much? The Olympic gold was the last international tournament available to Brazil to win. And now they have. And now they can say, finally, they are campeões de tudo (Champions of everything).

Unfortunately, the greatest female player of all time was unable to mirror Neymar’s success. Marta, already with 2 silver medals, just couldn’t help her team keep up the blistering pace of their group stage. After

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beating China 3-0 and Sweden 5-1 and a 0-0 draw with South Africa, it took penalties after a 0-0 with Australia to progress to the semi-finals where the same result saw Sweden progress on pens to the finals where Germany beat them 2-1. Brazil couldn’t rouse themselves to beat Canada in the bronze medal match meaning they ended their home tournament 4th.

I’d like to pay tribute here to, for me, Brazil’s greatest hero of the Rio Games.

She won her country’s first gold and she bloody well deserves every kind word that comes her way, in the same way vast swathes of her country do not deserve her. Rafaela Silva grew up in the City of God favela (Cidade de Deus), she is

black, poor and lesbian.

In short, she is everything the white, right wing evangelical elite of Brazil despises. She competes in the 57kg class of Judo. She was disqualified from the 2012 Games for an illegal hold and what followed was a torrent of the worst kind of racist trolling imaginable. It was so bad that she almost quit the sport. Encouraged by her coach and helped by sports psychologists she stormed back to win the 2013 World Championships. She is now an Olympic Champion and a shining example to the kids from her community and the many millions of poor black kids around the country. She is a proper, worthy, champion in every respect.

I’d like to pay tribute here to, for me, Brazil’s greatest hero of the Rio Games. She won her country’s first gold and she bloody well deserves every kind word that comes her way

tf 93

...full marks to him for taking a position and chucking his job with ‘talksport’ when the Murdoch Empire took over the station. A lot of people talk about what they might do but he stood up for something he believed in .Justice for the 96! tf 94

BRAND NEW START Well that was a transfer window wasn’t it? It was difficult to keep up with all the comings and goings at times. Having said that I think we’ve come out of it pretty well. There’s one thing for sure, and that’s the fact that the manager undoubtedly has total control over the transfers.

Buying a 33 year old with no sell on value was the ultimate confirmation of that fact, if it was ever in doubt.

IN THE CITY It’s funny how we’ve bought some ‘Premier League’ players now we are in the Championship.... we weren’t keen to buy them when we were actually in there... which contributed no end to our relegation.

I don’t think I’m being unfair in suggesting our previous transfer policy was an utter failure. Looks

like Rafa agrees given the number and type of players he has brought in.

I GOT BY IN TIME Talking of coming and goings, I noticed that Steven Taylor has been criticising the club claiming we got rid of him because we are now a ‘business club’. I’ve had a go at the club more than most over the years, but to be fair to them it’s more a case that he had come to the end of his contract, and lack of game time over the years through injuries was the main driver behind his release.

AWAY FROM THE NUMBERS Of course I couldn’t let the Sissoko deal pass without comment. A player with great potential who unfortunately didn’t produce it enough and made it quite clear that

wanted to be away. In the circumstances we cannot complain, its good money received. I’m not for making players stay once they want away.

NEWS OF THE WORLD I’ve never been a great fan of Colin Murray, when I’ve seen him on the likes of Match of the Day and the like, but full marks to him for taking a position and chucking his job with ‘talksport’ when the Murdoch Empire took over the station. A lot of people talk about what they might do but he stood up for something he believed in .Justice for the 96!

MR CLEAN A couple of weeks into the season and we have our first international break. I’m not a big fan of the international team so couldn’t wait to get back to domestic action. www.true-faith.co.uk

Former Mag manager, Big Sam is now in the England hot seat, a job he has long craved. I’m not sure how successful he can be on the International scene and to be honest I’m not that bothered.

THE MODERN WORLD I cannot let this column pass without giving praise to fans initiative ‘Gallowgate Flags’, an initiative organised and funded by fans. It has looked very impressive at the early season games and I can’t help but look forward to the ‘legends day’ they are planning.

At a club such as ours, heritage is very important.

IN THE CROWD I see that the sale/ development of land behind the Gallowgate has gone very quiet lately...I wonder what is happening.

Given the changes under Rafa and sell- out crowds at the start of the season you just cannot help wondering what size crowds we would attract if we were ever successful.

At a time when other clubs are looking at ground extensions and increased capacity it seems strange to dispose of land which would then prevent an extension of SJP. TIME FOR TRUTH I’ve read in the media that there is talk of NUST being invited back to the Fans Forum. I always thought that their original exclusion was petty on behalf of the club and to continue that exclusion www.true-faith.co.uk

So my respect was increased, if that was at all possible, by his recent quotes....’we are Newcastle United....we are not a stepping stone’. Classic!

seems madness after this long. Hopefully common sense will prevail and they can take their seat at the table. It would show the progress the club are making.

STANDARDS I was a bit concerned to hear fans complaining after our first couple of games resulted in defeats.

The Championship is a difficult division to get out of and it’s going to be a long hard season. Added to that, it will also take our new signings some time to settle in. There will be some ups and downs along the way. We must remain patient and trust Rafa.

TO BE SOMEONE I passed the ground the other day to see what I took to be the Shearer statue being put up on Barrack Rd. It was covered so as not to reveal the identity but the familiar one arm in the air told the story. A goal celebration well known by football fans up and down the country. Never has such an unremarkable goal celebration been so recognisable!

STRANGE TOWN I’m writing this before QPR away, but after taking 7000 fans to Fulham for a Friday night game, we’ve subsequently sold out our tickets for all subsequent away games to date. With

our home attendances past 50k can anyone really doubt the loyalty of our support? Despite our relegation there is so much written/spoken about us in the media.

ALL MOD CONS I am still pinching myself, given our track record in managers over recent years, that Rafa is our manager whilst we are in the Championship. He clearly gets what we are all about. So my respect was increased, if that was at all possible, by his recent quotes....’we are Newcastle United....we are not a stepping stone’.

Classic! tf 95

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