The famous quote from Bobby Robson about what is a football club – just about describes the complete and utter passion the Newcastle fans have for their club – and of course Bobby was manager at Newcastle United from early September of 1999 through late August of 2004, when he was sacked because 5th place wasn’t good enough for then Chairman Freddy Shepherd.
Sir Bobby Robson – the great one
But as usual Bobby took his shock dismissal with the dignity he showed throughout his life, and kept quiet about it – although he was utterly and completely shocked, after he successfully led the side to 4th, 3rd and 5th in successive seasons, after coming in and rescuing us in 1999 from the mess Ruud Gullit had left.
Here’s those words from the great one:
“What is a club in any case?” “Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it.”
It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes.”
“It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city.”
“It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.”
We have players from all over the place in the squad, and they need to know what football club they are playing for, and before every home game the manager should point to the plaque on the wall, to remind the players the club they are playing for.
That should give us a two goal start. 😀
And we should add that today is exactly four years since Bobby passed away away from cancer.
Newcastle is certainly not an ordinary club, but extra ordinary and one of the best supported clubs on the planet, even though we haven’t won anything for 44 years.
Who’s the special one here – hint – it’s not the guy on the right
We think it would be a great thing to do – a large plaque on the dressing room wall with Bobby’s words and a picture of the great one, and it will remind the players of Bobby’s great legacy at his home town club.
It’s certainly inspired me – now where did I put those boots 25 years ago? 😀
What do you think?
Note – I immediately deleted that article about Joey Barton, once a reader reminded me it was two years old – it was my error.
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293 comments so far
viv
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:01 PM
Comment #41190 million spent on the likes of Gavalan bramble obrien cort viana etc etc!
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:01 PM
Comment #42toon kk
Come on mate..that’s far too much of a broad question to get a succinct answer from me! It’s all relative. It’s all relative anyway, but I don’t think he deserves the abuse that he gets. I think he deserves being told that him and his team need to make sure we get at least one top striker this summer at a minimum, but I think most of the abuse is frankly childish and usually completely lacking in fact.
richyg01
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:01 PM
Comment #43@39
Some ‘fans’ just cant help themselves.
JAMSHA
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:02 PM
Comment #44viv
ur good in maths??
didnt win trophys but got into cl an top 5 matters all.. if he was still der n not been sacked who knows we would hav won Cups
SuperShearer
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:02 PM
Comment #45£7.5 Millions for Steven Caulker…sounds like a good price to me. He’s English, he’s quick, he’s tall and he can score from corners. Just sayin.
Ben3arfa
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:04 PM
Comment #46From a class gent like Sir Bobby to a scumbag crook like Kinnear
What a pathetic fall for our club
richyg01
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:04 PM
Comment #47RESPECT
Black and White with an army lol
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:04 PM
Comment #48ToonDarnSarf
don’t get me wrong mate i respect yours and others opinions but we got to be realistic here, if MA brings players in they will have no sell on value like Bent for example leaving the next chairmen with no profits from selling our current players
Belfast
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:05 PM
Comment #49I agree super shearer but they wont pay that for a centre back when we’ve already got four.
Anybody know what happened to Willamsons move to Cardiff ?
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:05 PM
Comment #50Richy/Markaccus
Come on…this isn’t a SBR tribute site or page. There are plenty of places for that. Every real fan would laud SBR’s achievements at our club but this is a blog for discussing our club. If Ed wants to set up a page for people to add their tributes to SBR then he can.
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:09 PM
Comment #51Black and White with an army lol
You’ve been reading too much about profits on players mate and you’re not focussing on the football. Whether MA wants to sell the club or not, an established top 10 team is a good thing for him. I think Bent will be a last resort but Remy and Gomis will hold their values pretty well over the next couple of years when you think about assets.
From the owner’s perspective, it’s not about selling players at a profit, it’s about increasing the value of the club and its assets.
richyg01
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:09 PM
Comment #52@50
I’m not saying that this is a SBR tribute site.
I just cant see why every single thread has to be an ongoing article, often with few comments relating to the actual article.
We all know who SBR is and what he stands for, and sure, we don’t HAVE to talk about him, no one is going to say anything we don’t already know.
BUT respect costs nothing, if, for one post, there cant be bickering etc, then it’s a bad job.
Black and White with an army lol
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:09 PM
Comment #53we got to realize it’s been 2 months today and no 1 has came through the doors
toonfan76
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:11 PM
Comment #54I would say that Markaccus hit the nail on the head when he said SBR was a fan of all football. This to me is what makes an NUFC fan just a little bit different from other fans, it’s our love of the game which keeps us passionate about our club. Win, loose or draw our hearts are on our slieves for all to see. Of course we would like to win every game we play but as long as our players are all giving 100% we will accept the result a little more easily. I have read Sir Bobby’s Autobiography and found myself truly humbled by the way life kept trying to knock him down but his passion for football never flickered. His heart truly bled Black and White.
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:13 PM
Comment #55richyg01
If the site was set up differently, then I’d agree with you. I’d prefer it if there were different sections and threads within them that people could respond to and add their own. But it isn’t. The only way I have of knowing if someone has responded to me is to go through every post after my own, and I’m not going to wait until Ed puts out the next article to respond. By which time we’ve probably all lost the train of thought.
I haven’t seen any bickering on this article to be honest, just one troll.
mattyNUFC
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:15 PM
Comment #56richy
that’s what this is though
ed posts a bunch of stuff, most of it either conjecture or uninteresting, and we use them as a sort of rolling forum
toonarmydownsouth
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:20 PM
Comment #57Richy
Aye met him once after man city at home in 2000 and was the only time I’ve ever genuinely been silenced in awe! Fantastic bloke more than happy to stand and chat
Viv
I won’t say anything on this board except just leave
But feel free to pop up when the next thread goes on and I’ll tell ya exactly what I think of ya
toon kk
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:21 PM
Comment #58TDS
I am open minded to people’s opinions and can see what your getting at. But you have to accept everyone wants more ambition and to watch better football than MA is prepared to give us.
He’s a billionaire who has no respect for his own fans of the club, all he ever thinks about is his own welfare. Do you think he cares what you, I or anyone thinks?
Imo he should never have bought the club. He just wants more money. Greed at the fans expense.
Yorkgeordie
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:28 PM
Comment #59Newcastle didn’t sack Barton because he cost money (5 or 6 million I think) and weren’t going to let him sign for another club for nothing, and there would have been plenty of clubs after him for free.
davo
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:30 PM
Comment #60I”ve thought recently that a picture of SBR with that quote of his would make a great poster.
Transfer Sage
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:35 PM
Comment #61Sell on value should not be the main thing considered when buying.
A massive whole in our squad is lack of experience in the prem league and in general also.
We have a lot of talented players but all top teams have players who have 10+ years in the league or at the top level.
This squad severely lacks players aged over 30….they help so much on and off the pitch. Too often Pardew is blamed when (although he is at fault) the players dont have the ability to rally themselves and don’t know how to cope with some difficult situations
Thump
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:35 PM
Comment #62And him in prison, lets be honest you CAN and perfectly in your means to sack someone for going to prison as a breach of conduct.
Yes, but you can’t expect them to sign a lesser contract or be sacked. It’s one or the other.
The interview is pretty old, though. It was done when he first signed with QPR. I wonder why it’s suddenly became popular?
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:37 PM
Comment #63toon kk
I want more ambition too, but I also understand the situation that the club is in currently. Do you think Villa are happy with the situation they are in? What about clubs like Blackburn, Wolves and Leeds? I think we are doing the right thing with growing the club organically, so what do you actually mean by ambition? What could we do without overstretching ourselves and taking too big a risk?
As for the style of play…well that’s got nothing to do with Ashley, that’s Pardew’s domain. Last season our creative players (especially Cabaye and Ben Arfa) were mostly either injured or off-form and the creativity of our other players was stifled. I agree, I really hope that improves this season.
I honestly believe that he bought the club initially to have some fun. He was standing with the fans and enjoying himself. But then he made a fan’s mistake and appointed KK. Realising that KK would be a loose cannon in terms of signings, he made another mistake by appointing DW to control that side of things. And we all know what happened after that. He’s been slated so much, he’s just running it as a business and we are just customers, are you surprised?
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:38 PM
Comment #64TS
Yeah. You’ll never win anything with kids…
Belfast
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:39 PM
Comment #65I was wondering the exact same thing Thump. I remember watching it ages ago. Then kept seeing people mention it the last couple of days. It was posted on youtube about a week after he left for Qpr.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:39 PM
Comment #66TDS
Pardew is not Fergie, and our squad is not the class of 93. Do behave.
jammylambo
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:42 PM
Comment #67our clubs inability to act this summer thus far is pathetic. im losing interest at a rapid speed of knots.
its day after day bad new what ifs and we were so close. its horse sh*t , im sick of having to live in the past for sucess. we had a massive opportunity last season to push on with the new funds and the attractiveness to players of us being in europe. and now this season we have the enormous prize funds , last place will get the same as last years champions for christ sake. and im sat here looking around at everyone taking note of this guaranteed influx in revenue and utilizing it to the maximum , norwich and swansea stick out most for the action they are taking , hell even sunderland (although i think they will suffer from too many too soon , in the first half of the season) are making inroads
and we are sat here languishing over darren bloody bent , is that all that we can get excited about these days .
id rather have good honest championship football than sit in this league watching everyone else drive for sucess while we sit pack happy to just make up the numbers.
f you ashley
f you kinnear
Crow59
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:45 PM
Comment #68Anyone know for definate where sinclairs going please?? Iv heard west ham or west brom but nothing concrete?? X
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:45 PM
Comment #69Also growing the club organically? You seem to be making this up as you go along. Wolves are not a big club, neither are Blackburn, they over stretched their limitations, by comparing our club to them in this sense you are undermining Newcastle’s infrastructure.
Crow59
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:45 PM
Comment #70Haha excuse the kiss lol far to many texts
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:46 PM
Comment #71You’re excused Crow xoxoxo
JackButler
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:47 PM
Comment #72Barton said to be on his way to Everton?
Best of luck to them……..their gonna need it with him anywhere near the club
mattyNUFC
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:47 PM
Comment #73TDS
i find evidence hard to come by that the club is being grown ‘organically’. who was the last homegrown player to stake a claim in the starting 11? AC? and before? taylor?
1 player every 6 years is hardly an insinuation that our focus is there
Toon_Tom
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:47 PM
Comment #74no problem crow, love you xxx
Transfer Sage
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:49 PM
Comment #75TDS
Hanson said that in august 1995
man utd still had players like Bruce, Irwin, pallister, etc who were vastly experienced.
And also how many times do people win things with kids (or achieve more than expected)…much more often teams would fail than succeed.
I’m not suggesting no kids, just saying you need some balance…players like nolan, barton, harper, smith, but…not great players but solid and know the game, the league, the opposition and will offer very useful advice on the pitch.
JP...from The Rock
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:50 PM
Comment #76I loved this guy. He reminded me of my grampa. So kind with everyone. He just loved football and he had such a passion for the game that is now lost forever. Will forever be missed Sir Bobby.
You were my favourite manager of all time, rest in peace.
I am still fuming that Fat Freddie Shepherd chucked the old man out the club in the harshest of ways. What a sad way to treat a legend after all the great times we had under his stewardship.
May you guide us to victory from the heavens Sir Bobby 😉
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:53 PM
Comment #77Ruddy
When I saw “organically”, I mean as opposed to the artificial growth at clubs like City and Chelsea. Even QPR and Fulham have grown artificially due to massive investment. Wolves and Blackburn are not as big as Newcastle, sure, but they are big enough to be in the PL. Wolves are now in the 3rd tier, as were Sheffield Wednesday and Man City not too long ago.
JackButler
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:55 PM
Comment #78ToonDarnSarf
the thing with growing a club ‘Organically’ is that you can only go so far.
You need ambition within a sound business model.
We have the model but little to no ambition.
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:57 PM
Comment #79mattyNUFC
Sure, and before that we weren’t exactly bringing loads in either…KK scrapped the reserve team when he first came along and Shearer, Carrick and others all slipped through the net…
But now we have Krul, Saylor and Shola established in the first team with Sammy and Dummet looking like they will be involved this year and maybe Tav and Campbell too.
But organic growth is allowing the club to grow itself rather than using outside resources.
The last homegrown player to establish himself is…Tim Krul…
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 31, 2013 at 12:58 PM
Comment #80JackButler
Man Utd did pretty well, as did Arsenal.
Besides, if we do that over the next few years, then maybe a more ambitious owner will buy us out and take us to the next level…