The first time I knew about Newcastle United and started supporting them was in late 1949, and I was aware of Newcastle winning the FA Cup three times in five years in 1951, 1952 and 1955 and I watched us hammer Manchester City 3-1 in 1955 on TV – a new thing in those days.
Nobby Solano – while at Newcastle
Since we didn’t get electricity installed in our home until 1959, I watched that game at a friend’s house in Walker, and of course a certain Jackie Milburn scored after just one minute in that game, and my Dad and Mom were both at the game that day at Wembley.
For the statisticians reading this, Jackie scored after 45 seconds and that was the quickest goal ever scored at Wembley – until 1997 – when a certain Roberto di Matteo scored after 42 seconds in their 2-0 win over Middlesbrough – and Chelsea were managed by a certain Ruud Gullit, who became the first foreign manager to win the FA Cup.
Former Newcastle player Louis Saha of Manchester United now holds the record at just 25 seconds, which he set four years ago.
My Dad followed Newcastle home and away throughout the 1950s and maybe that’s why i am a big admirer of our traveling fans these days.
So I was very quickly indoctrinated into supporting Newcastle United – born and bred in St. Anthony’s Estate with a father who was mad keen on Newcastle – and I followed suit, and even joined the club as a 15 year-old schoolboy in 1960.
I mention this because I can remember it (not always the case with other things these days), and in case some readers don’t realize Newcastle’s great tradition in the FA Cup.
And Nobby Solano has come out today and talked to the Evening Chronicle from South America, afetr he watched the game live there, and wondered why the manager didn’t play a stronger side.
This is what Nobby said today:
“When you know you aren’t going to get a top-five finish in the Premier League then you HAVE to go for it in the FA Cup.” “I can’t understand why they haven’t.” “I know that there are injuries but Newcastle weren’t at full strength against Brighton.”
“Man United, Arsenal and Chelsea can get away with playing kids and resting players because their kids are on a different level.” “But it’s not like Newcastle are saving players’ legs for a challenge for the Champions League.” “The FA Cup was the best route to success.”
“It gets you back into Europe and that was important because they won’t be going back there via the Premier League.” “I feel sorry for the supporters. You always have to go for it in the cup.” “In my first season we did it with Ruud Gullit and the city was buzzing all the way through to the final.”
“The city loves a cup run, it gets everybody excited and it helps you win league games too.” “It is a nice distraction and you are better off being in it, even with extra games.” “We also came close with Bobby Robson in charge, he was desperate to win it for the fans.”
“We took 35,000 Geordies to Wembley for a semi-final and they took over.” “You just pray one day that might happen again.” “Newcastle haven’t won anything for many years, I can’t understand why they didn’t play a stronger side.”
“But at the moment Newcastle aren’t playing as a team. They are doing their own thing.” “They are taking too many touches on the ball.” “The strikers aren’t getting any quality service from the wingers and they don’t look compact in defense. They must start playing as a team – not individuals.”
The FA Cup would have given us a chance of winning something this season – even though the chance was small – but as soon as we saw the team sheet we knew that the Premier League was on Alan’s mind – and did he really think that team could win the game against an improved Brighton side, that had beaten us 1-0 last year?
It’s hard to think he did.
But you are dammed if you do and dammed if you don’t – when things are not going well – and if Alan had played some top players and they had been injured – criticism against him would be about that this morning.
Fact!
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283 comments so far
Indian Magpie
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:16 AM
Comment #15 years in a row i have waited for January only to be disappointed.
Hull
WBA
Stevenage
BHA
BHA
Sazzer
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:17 AM
Comment #2Articles just keep coming today.
toonLYF
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:19 AM
Comment #3pawl250…
Sammy’s attitude on the picture is much worse than Obertan’s. Even when he comes on as a last 10 sub he strolls about, absolutely 0 work ethic. Obertan offers more in every department.
WWYCD
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:20 AM
Comment #4Thanks for the input Nobby but if u really don’t understand u might want to look at the bigger picture mate
Transfer Sage
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:21 AM
Comment #5pawl250
from previous
I don’t think booing helps all the time, but people have a right to vent their frustration after spending 20/30/40 on a ticket.
I think people are too sensitive to negative feedback now. I am only young myself, in my 20s but think that there is far to much effort put into being nice all the time and not telling people how their poor effort effects others.
I will help anyone who gives 100%, they get as much of my time as they need. People who want things done for them, pass the buck to others or simply dont seem to care I have no time for.
The players need to take some responsibility for this horrendous run and they can show that by putting their body on the line on games, too many games I see our players strolling around, not getting back into position, its just lazy and a good captain like nolan would certainly be giving a few of our boys a right earful on the pitch.
89Norcal
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:21 AM
Comment #6If you ask me, Pardew was just paranoid that we’d suffer another big injury.
Course we did anyways with Perch.
Thump
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:22 AM
Comment #7He’s absolutely spot on. We were looking at the line up before the match and we were amazed at such a young side. Something that also surprised us was the inclusion of Demba Ba on the lineup on the program…
Anyhow, as embarrassing as it was, let’s try and move on. The players undoubtedly are trying so we should too and focus on the league and Europa.
Sazzer
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:22 AM
Comment #8Who needs F.A Cup when you are already in Europe. 😉 We win E.L and beat whoever win CL next season. We need those signings though.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:23 AM
Comment #9He’s a big boy – he should be able to cope with it!
…I am with Nobby (I still don’t get what happened at that game…it looked like he wanted to lose) BUT WHY?
Even if we could not win the FA Cup we need the boost (arrogance is confidence’s evil twin)
pawl250
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:24 AM
Comment #10ToonLYF –
Sammy has more determination to win, do well with the ball. He even, dare I say it has moments of magic almost Asprilla legs like, not even sure he knows what he will do.
Obertan despite having Usain Bolt pace, lacks determination to win the ball, always misplaces a pass and when he does actually get in a 1 on 1 situation with a full back steps over the ball 80 times before attempting to cross the ball, if he does manage to actually get the cross in its to no one.
Obertan is a woeful player, his attitude stinks. He was awful against Brighton, Sammy actually tried and in the later stages seemed like our only hope, how sad is that, relying on a young Ameobi!!?
Transfer Sage
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:24 AM
Comment #11I agree with nobby that the players aren’t pulling their weight and all are making too many basic mistakes which is what is costing us goals, nearly every goal we concede is just poor play from us and not really top class creativity.
It’s just simple things like tracking a runner, getting in the right shape, having a commanding voice keeping people in the right place and making them accountable.
I think other than marvoux we had our strongest side out so not too much criticism over team selection.
markmac
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:25 AM
Comment #12Nobby, yes we would all love to win the cup but this season has turned into a disaster with all the injuries, we need to consolidate in the league and any further injuries to colo/cisse [who were not risked] are not going to help that! but our performance was pi$$ poor and we need to take a long long look at our ‘youth’ because some are soooo far behind the likes of arsenal and man utd its unreal.
Sazzer
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:25 AM
Comment #13The One and Mr.Ortwo
canada_nufc
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:26 AM
Comment #14Legend says it as it is!
Ashley needs to sell the club off.
People have to realize that the club will be stuck in this ambition-less situation indefinitely, if he owns the club. Mid lower table year after year. As a businessperson myself, I know its too risky for him to ever try to break into the top 4 (last summer was as good a chance as ever- look what happened)…from a business perspective, he’ll be happy in top 10-15
I did a university accounting course several years ago – my term project was evaluating Newcastle United FC as an investment. My term paper achieved top marks and concluded, after in depth analysis (50+pages), that NUFC was one of the best investments you could make in a football club. Guaranteed fan base of 50,000 every game, extremely valuable stadium (worth hundreds of millions), fans are as loyal as any etc. etc.
Surely, there are owners like the group that bought PSG, that would purchase NUFC. I think the fans need to push Ashley out with protests etc again, and let the media and public know that they want new owners…That’s the only thing that can happen before we start seeing bids for the club
Transfer Sage
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:27 AM
Comment #15pawl250
I think there is good point to be made for both sammy and obertan being poor haha.
It’s like arguing which of the rotten apples you want to eat.
boater
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:27 AM
Comment #16Interesting how Nobby refers to us as ‘not playing as a team’, ‘taking too many touches’ and ‘strikers not getting any service’. An expert with a technical insight, as opposed to the semi-literate mob who populate this site and are only capable of scapegoating individual players again, and again, and again.
hotdog
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:27 AM
Comment #17Jesper – Previuos Thread – Is it not Lee Charnley or something that is heavilly invloved with getting the players signed up?
It is astounding that the players have not arrived (except Debuchy). Ive always backed Ashley policy and cut him some flack over his mess up with Caroll. However im getting seriously worried about his intentions for our club now!
89Norcal
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:28 AM
Comment #18My only criticism is why didn’t he play Cisse? When it became evident that Brighton’s press was going to inhibit Sammy and Obertan, we were left of course hoofing it to Shola, since he cannot do much on the ball himself. Our midfield was also way too young and inexperienced to kick it around with Brighton’s big boys.
Transfer Sage
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:30 AM
Comment #19Canada
No football club is a ‘good’ business investment, they all cost you money, there is no profit to make as any profit needs to be reinvested or fans get very angry.
I agree newcastle is a good bet as we have a large attendance but thats chicken feed compared to TV deals and commercial revenue top clubs like man utd and real generate.
We must be one of the best teams to take over in the prem league though if any super rich oil sheiks wish to buy a club.
TorqToon
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:31 AM
Comment #20Pawl – Sammi has shown ZERO desire to win!! He wonders around the pitch showing no real desire. Obertan has shown in recent weeks why we signed him and has come on. Sammi however seems to have gone backwards and needs to be loaned out to learn that work rate is the most important thing and the thing most lacking in his game.
89Norcal
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:33 AM
Comment #21pawl
Have to say it seems more like the reverse; Obertan has stepped his game up recently, and is becoming a decent winger in the circumstances, while Sammy seems to wander out of position, and is slow and wasteful in the face of tougher defenses.
He looked decent when we played Maritimo, but looks slow when playing an English team.
TorqToon
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:34 AM
Comment #22Norcal – Great minds think alike ! 🙂
WesJameson
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:34 AM
Comment #23He has totally lost the plot this stupid idiot
Sammy Ameobi did some good things but some naïve things. Bigi and Anita were great.”
I have never seen Sammy Ameobi, do one single thing in a match, he might officially be the worst player i have ever seen in a black and white shirt
Williamson makes Bramble and Boumsong look like world class defenders
Feel so sorry for Debuchy coming in, he must be resigned to playing championship football next season, also resigned to the fact the he might never play for France again
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:35 AM
Comment #24hotdog… as far as I know it’s Lee Charnley and Derek Llambias (the two stooges ;))
…well I guess Mike has the final say. But last year and in the summer, DL was always on vacation when we needed to sign players.
toonLYF
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:35 AM
Comment #25pawl…
gonna’ have to disagree, I think Sammy is an absolute liability at this stage in his career. Obertan is far from the finished product, but has atleast stepped up and provided in the Premier League with a few assists and a goal – he offers us a constant outlet when he’s on the pitch, and when deployed on the left, has proved he can provide a good assist and be a threat. He gets the place over Sammy every single day of the week in my opinion.
boater
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:37 AM
Comment #26TorqToon – what happens next week when Obertan looks rubbish and Sammi has a good cameo? It must be tiring being so fickle – you have to change your slant on players every week. Maybe we should just accept that in this current environment every player is underperforming – naturally the youngsters show the first signs. The problem is clearly endemic.
Rake
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:37 AM
Comment #27You have to say we played 4-3-3 against Brighton and the front 3 where all terrible.
markmac
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:38 AM
Comment #28@25 agreed, sammi has some skills but there few and far between, he does look terribly awkward on the ball to me, he’s quick enough when he’s in behind, but thats about it at the minute im afraid imo,
Transfer Sage
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:38 AM
Comment #29I’d start obertan over sammy too…although think that obertan still isn’t that good.
Sammy is just woeful, he has zero drive, zero passion and looks like he is just having a kick about with his friends.
He moves even less than his brother…lets hope there isn’t a third ameobi brother or else he will have to go in goal if the trend of less movement continues.
toonLYF
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:40 AM
Comment #30boater…
Being fickle is irrelavant. It’s a fact that Obertan has shown he offers the team more, and more consistently than Sammy.
catchy in norway
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:41 AM
Comment #31Why did marv not start the game?
And as for sammy v obertan, I go for Ferg every time
Why, unlike obertan the kid has heart, he will get stuck in , and he can diliver good crosses , sammy only runs at players , sometimes looks great sometimes very poor
Obertans attitude is, put the ball at my feet I’m not going to run for it and I will not track back
Transfer Sage
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:41 AM
Comment #32I dont like to blame players if they aren’t good enough, it’s difficult being asked to do a job you are not able to do.
I dont like the lack of effort from sammy, not just him though, a lot of our players seem to do this.
Sazzer
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:41 AM
Comment #33Vorren to Everton.
Heitinga to Ajax
Alderviereld to Toon
Have we been waiting for Ajax to find replacement?
hotdog
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:42 AM
Comment #34Lads we cant start slagging off a 20 year old kid (sammi)in his second pro season. I agree he has looked poor recently but you could say that about most of the team. He showed his potential in the pre season games and if you stuck him into our first choice 11 im sure you would get a different outcome.
Transfer Sage
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:42 AM
Comment #35catchy
I do like fergie, think he offers a good cross which neither sammy or obertan do consistently.
Sazzer
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:43 AM
Comment #36Alderwiereld
TorqToon
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:43 AM
Comment #37Boater – You show me where I have turned my opinions around on players and constantly ‘moved on’ to the next one? Fickle?? You must have me confused. I’m loyal to the hilt even in these dark times!
What I am saying – and others clearly agree, that, putting sammi’s obvious talent to one side, his work rate is appalling. He tries hard sporadically when he SHOULD be trying hard the entire time! You and others seem stuck on his ‘potential’ which I get, but are blinkered with the views on gabby and simply jumping on the band wagon.
I was part of the 2000 people who travelled down to Brighton to see that farce. I can deal with mistakes to an extent, but I can’t deal with people not trying and wondering around like, not working for the team or doing the shirt proud.
Fickle ?? You are wrong in a big way !
Rock
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:45 AM
Comment #38boater // Jan 7, 2013 at 11:27 AM
we also talk about hoofball tactics, bad substitutions, our shambolic set piece records, bad distribution by the goalie and defenders, killer passes and assists…
when we are not lynching williamson.
actually i was’nt sure why bigi was the MOM in the game. i thought he took too many touches himself. anita played better than him, even marv with his short presence.
boater
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:45 AM
Comment #39Sammi is 4 years behind Obertan in his development. I always laugh when people say ‘lazy’ – it’s such an idiotic comment. No player would be allowed to stay on the pitch if this were true. Pawl is right – Sammi has the magic feet to ghost past players and plenty of potential. But playing in this team is going to ruin him – no one is excelling or creating space for themselves. It’s a thankless job trying to create something in this team.. unless it’s a 40 yd wonder goal.
rainrix
Jan 7, 2013 at 11:45 AM
Comment #40Honestly I’m glad we’re out . Our squad is simply too depleted and teetering on the verge of relegation to bother with the cup. The fact that we lost 2 players in one match is testament, plus we still have a difficult 2 legged europa tie to content with.
I feel sorry for the fans that made the trip but honestly this result could’ve been seen coming from a mile away