An unexpected Newcastle United FC story: a good one
From time to time, as readers of this blog know, I comment on the affairs of Newcastle United football club. Mostly these are comments of despair and disbelief, as the club has for years now had a habit of taking mad decisions, firing good managers and appointing not-so-obviously-good ones, selling players the club needs to prosper, and generally behaving in an insane way while the long suffering fans look on.
But what’s this? Newcastle United have been in the top 4 of the English Premier League for weeks. The club’s players are behaving in a disciplined manner. They are unbeaten so far this season, an achievement only one other club can claim, Manchester City. They are set to break even financially. Their game is (usually) attractive and entertaining. The manager, Alan Pardew, is showing real skill in dealing with both players and fans. People are daring to whisper about playing in Europe.
This isn’t the Newcastle United we know. But we could come to love it.
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University Blog 
October 25, 2011 at 10:22 pm
Certainly a great start for the Toon! Will be interesting (and amusing) to see the reaction when results start going the other way, but why not celebrate for the moment? No reason why Newcastle can’t finish in the top half this season. Be bordering on a miracle to make Europe, though.
October 26, 2011 at 5:36 pm
I in turn hope I’ll be around to see the reaction when things *don’t* start going the other way… 🙂
October 26, 2011 at 6:54 am
Hard to know what to say here.
It is a bit like meeting a parent with a pushchair who expects you to make admiring noises on the contents. 🙂
October 26, 2011 at 5:34 pm
That’s what’s expected of you, Vincent… Just make cooing noises.
October 26, 2011 at 7:17 am
Just hope that Alan Pardew is not awarded a honorary degree by Newcastle University anytime soon, a week after Sir Alex Ferguson got his Manchester United suffered its worst defeat at home 1-6 in 81 years. Academia & football success not a marriage made in heaven, it would seem!
October 26, 2011 at 7:24 am
It’s great to see Newcastle playing well and in the top half of the league – they could so easily have become another Leeds United and gone into freefall. Mike Ashley taking the club off the market and recruiting a good young manager has given the club much needed stability. They have no major ‘stars’ – but a good team ethic. Other teams should take note.
P.S. Perhaps if they do secure European football next year we could get a refund on Andy Carrol (£35m) !!
October 26, 2011 at 5:33 pm
It’s interesting to see that Andy Carroll has struggled to find the same form at Liverpool. In the meantime the absence of big egos in Newcastle seems to have had a strongly positive impact. Together with clever management tactics.