I started this blog on April 23rd of 2007, about 10 years ago (seems that long), and after over 55M hits, we are still going – yes I know it’s all very surprising.
Ed and Madeline Harrison
This shot was taken in High Heaton, Newcastle and yes the sun was shining!
We’d like to extend our best wishes to Newcastle fans everywhere, and all the very best in 2012, and let’s hope at the end of the year the lads are doing really well – and we’re in Europe too!
With any luck we’ll still be around next year at this time – here’s hoping.
256 comments so far
Mancgeordie
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:11 PM
Comment #81I honestly i reckon we are more likely to bring people in the summer once we have cleared some of these hanger ons off like smith and loverkrands cos nobody will pay a fee for these players n the wages are high
davybtoon
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:12 PM
Comment #82kingkev not saying barton aint good but the whole point of wingers is to hav skill speed tricks n crossing n go at the fullbacks barton has one of those crossing n hes mint at it jonas n obertan hav all those things n there crap at them lol, sammi n moyo n ferguson n adjei shud hav a go over jonas n obertan at the minute
wynsleap
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:13 PM
Comment #83Happy New Year Ed to you and all your family.
I hope it proves to be a very healthy one for you too.
We are all grateful for your excellent Blog which has become a big part of our life.
Long may it (and you) last.
On another note – 2012 may be the year we finally see the end of Ashley at the Toon. Well, we can all dream.
t00ntime
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:20 PM
Comment #84watching sunderland man city… and for the last 10minuts sunderland are besting man city here still 0-0 but can see sunderland stealing it 🙁
t00ntime
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:22 PM
Comment #85hahaha sunderland are to selfish or they wud of scored….
sesingol or what ever ran forward 3 defenders ran at him and hart came out too… larsson completley open waiting ONSIDE for the ball but sesingol shoots instead and misses xD shud be 1-0 here haha
MacToon
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:22 PM
Comment #86davybtoon // Jan 1, 2012 at 3:57 PM
toon tom – thats the problem here there fans who jus write off player as crap as soon as u say there from a lower league joke
——–
problems reading aswell as writing, toon tom never said anything about writing the player off!
Klatoon
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:26 PM
Comment #87Man city starting to annoy me,score already!
kingkev9
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:30 PM
Comment #88Davey- Obertan has the pace but doesn’t have the vision, awful crossing and only has one trick, a stepover. Barton can’t beat a man but didbt need too. He has vision and can makes goals. He’s not a world beater but he’s far better than Obertan
Offkey
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:34 PM
Comment #89Mactoon – I think
davybtoon
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:36 PM
Comment #90kingkev but jonas is just as crap as obertan how can ppl not see this his crossing his terrible we need 2 new wingers for me
Offkey
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:36 PM
Comment #91***whoops – now cant be bothered to finish it.
Tooony
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:39 PM
Comment #92Happy New Year Ed! With best wishes to you and your family.
Dannyo
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:39 PM
Comment #93Here we go lads, here we gooo!
http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/call-collymore/blog/2012-01-01/hickman-newcastle-are-trying-do-deal-chris-samba?
Offkey
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:41 PM
Comment #94Dannyo – Is talk sport ever right when they report something about Newcastle?
Dannyo
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:46 PM
Comment #95@offkey
Well, tbh, it’s a radio interview with a Daily Express journo, so it’s not talksport saying it really 😛
Offkey
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:49 PM
Comment #96Dannyo – True, but does that Journo have a good rep? One minute says ‘I think there after Samba’ then says ‘if I had to take a wild stab in the dark I think they are after Samba’. He also says they dont go for big names but then talks about Samba – one of the est defenders in the league imo….
roshan MAGPIE
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:50 PM
Comment #97DIRTY MACKEMS SCORED
Offkey
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:50 PM
Comment #98best**
Dannyo
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:51 PM
Comment #99@offkey
Well, ofc we can never put any truth in anything that’s said until it’s official from the club.
I’m not saying i belive it, i was just saying all the speculation is up and about for real now, so here we go 😉
Offkey
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:53 PM
Comment #100I want to believe it…….
Marty-Toon
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:53 PM
Comment #101City getting beat in injury time by the scum…..
City have had chance after chance.
Utd get away with it again
Thump
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:55 PM
Comment #102I can’t believe what I’ve just seen. O’Neil has sneaked a win from City… the goal was offside like but whatever, it wasn’t given.
Now the important question: why was one of the unwashed necking on with Dong?
Thump
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:56 PM
Comment #103@Dannyo: Ugh why did it have to be TalkSport reporting that? 🙁
GeordieToon89
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:57 PM
Comment #104Ji Dong ‘Won’ – – – Offside though
CaptainGeordie
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:57 PM
Comment #105FFS !
Ponderous Pardew
Jan 1, 2012 at 4:58 PM
Comment #106There are a few solutions, for me. Stick with wingers and go with:
Santon RB, Jonas RW
Ferguson LB, Sammy LW
A classically balanced side, with wingers who can first and foremost go on the outside and deliver with their natural foot. That would provide much more quality service for Ba, in my opinion. Another alternative is:
Santon RB Raylor RW
Ferguson LB Jonas LW
There are other combinations too. AP just needs to be imaginative and recognise, that Ba is playing unbelievably, considering he’s getting hardly any service – imagine what he could do!
My personal preference would be to srap the wingers and see this:
_______________Krul_______________
Santon_____Willo____Colo_____Ferguson
_______Guthrie__Tiote__Jonas
__________Cabaye___HBA
_______________Ba
I think Cabaye’s vision and eye for goal is being wasted playing deep, especially when Guthrie can do an identical job (we’ve missed Guthrie), and Cabaye, HBA and Ba could tune in great together, like they did against Man City for that special move.
Cabaye got 13 goals and 7 assists, playing 32 games in the 09-10 season with Lille.
The FBs can provide the natural width. I’m a huge fan of young Fergy, far more composed on the ball than Simpson and can skip past players for fun and deliver wicked crosses.
We have options.
ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK!!
Thump
Jan 1, 2012 at 5:01 PM
Comment #107@Ponderous: 4-3-2-1 is a very risky formation mate. You’re left completely exposed in the wide areas and it doesn’t offer any serious attacking threat (unless you play possession football which we don’t). I’d like to see a 4-2-2-2 with the wide men playing right up the park. I honestly believe that could be the solution to Pardew’s love of 4-4-2.
Dannyo
Jan 1, 2012 at 5:03 PM
Comment #108@Thump
Could also be that Ponderous wanted to play that formation since christmas lasts all the way to easter? 😛
hallelujah..john tudor john tudor
Jan 1, 2012 at 5:04 PM
Comment #109cant help but think, over the years the one thing newcastle have needed, has been a great manager
toonarmydownsouth
Jan 1, 2012 at 5:05 PM
Comment #110Im sorry but ferguson is as much a left back as raylor is the lad is a winger thats he played left back cos he gad to hes no where near PL standard needs to go on loan hes defo not a first teamer he came in when needed but has not continued that firm or hed be in the squad
jimmymagpie
Jan 1, 2012 at 5:06 PM
Comment #111Just been watching the mackems, and O’Neill gets the points back, thanks to a linesman, that Webb robbed him of on Monday against Everton. Only 9 points behind us now, and we all know that O’neill will get backed this month, while fatso sits on his wallet, and deadly Derek suns himself on holiday. Wolves have now done 2 deals already.
Toonboy_84
Jan 1, 2012 at 5:09 PM
Comment #112If we get samba then I’ll give Mr Ashley 4 pork pies, a cornish pastie, a battered mars bar and reach around.
Ponderous Pardew
Jan 1, 2012 at 5:11 PM
Comment #113Thump, we have the players to play possession football, it’s just that you’re only as good as the weakest link, and often the the moves breakdown when Obertan gets the ball or, Simpson just knocks it up the line (which is what he actually should have done for their 3rd). Them 2 occupying that right flank, is a joke in my opinion, neither have a strong enough mentality and are easily worried into making errors.
Our best display of the season, in my opinion, was against Villa, despite it finshing 1-1, and that’s partly because Cabaye was getting into advanced positions, threading the ball through and rifling shots in from all angles, he was awesome that day.
toonarmydownsouth
Jan 1, 2012 at 5:11 PM
Comment #114@jimmy yea gotta be honest was a bit jealous of wolves gettin frimpong think hes a canny player would of been an ideal replacemvent for tiote at the ACN
jimmymagpie
Jan 1, 2012 at 5:12 PM
Comment #115Toonboy – if we get Samba, I’ll buy the bugger a slap up meal. Ed – Happy New Year mate, and keep fighting,we’re all with you.
toonthompson
Jan 1, 2012 at 5:14 PM
Comment #116how do you get the talksport interview to work
toonarmydownsouth
Jan 1, 2012 at 5:15 PM
Comment #117If we get samba ill run round SJP naked
Toonboy_84
Jan 1, 2012 at 5:16 PM
Comment #118Frimpong would have been good cover for Tiote while he is away. Would rather we gave one of own youngsters a chance though.
Ponderous Pardew
Jan 1, 2012 at 5:16 PM
Comment #119I’m of the school of thought, that attacking and scaring the opponent is the best form of defence, if you hadn’t noticed 😉
Toonarmydownsouth
I don’t think we’ve seen enough of him in that position, to make that call. And he can’t be as bad as Raylor, he’s basically invisible at LB. Anyway, I’d be hoping another FB/CB would be brought in, perhaps Onuoha. Him RB Santon LB would be great.
LewSpi
Jan 1, 2012 at 5:17 PM
Comment #120A very happy new year to all who use this blog. There may be a fair amount of bickering and disagreements, but this wouldn’t be possible without this wonderful platform which Ed provides for us all.
May the gods be with you with regards to your health Ed, all the best for 2012.