Newcastle United fans have come under attack from Ian Wright, the former Arsenal striker, for their actions in the 1-0 defeat against Arsenal last Saturday.
That was after our own striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, was sent off after only 16 minutes by referee Andre Marriner, which handed Arsenal the win – almost on a plate.
Ian Wright – now a pundit
Wright has written this in The Sun:
“I was at the Newcastle v Arsenal match at the weekend, in the middle of the Toon fans, and was disgusted by the abuse they hurled at Andre Marriner,”
“It wasn’t just a small group — it was thousands of them acting in unison — and I found it unfair and deeply offensive.”
“Ref Marriner got the decision to send off Aleksandar Mitrovic absolutely spot on. He went in over the top on Francis Coquelin with his studs showing and it was an automatic red card.”
“I don’t like to see bullying in any form, and that is what the Toon fans were doing,” “It’s not on, and when it gets this bad the football authorities have to look at it and take action.”
That’s a little bit over the top (so to speak), and just a little bit high and mighty coming from Wright.
We wonder what he would have said if it was a similar foul by an Arsenal player that had Arsenal reduced to 10 men after 16 minutes?
Getting sent off so early in any game spoils the match completely, and there are simply too many yellow cards and too many red cards being given out by referees these days.
We were worried in case another Newcastle player was sent off in the first half for receiving two yellow cards, Marriner was flashing that yellow card around like there was not tomorrow.
The referee’s decisions are starting to be the biggest plays in the game, with four reds being given out over the PL games last weekend – and that cannot be good.
Marriner started the game by booking Moussa Sissoko after only two minutes for what was an innocuous challenge, and it didn’t even look like a foul.
The referee also gave out six yellow cards to Newcastle players during the game – in addition to sending off Mitrovic.
And those are really strong words coming from Wright and unjustified – what does he expect Newcastle fans to do – applaud the referee.
Comments welcome.
29 comments so far
Lilongwe Geordie
Sep 4, 2015 at 8:46 AM
Comment #1Lilongwe Geordie // Sep 4, 2015 at 8:46 AM
Ian,
I can’t speak for everyone, but I think there has not been that much negativity, more that people are cautious, and don’t trust Ashley – why should they? Personally I don’t think enough was done to correct flaws within the make up of our squad, I certainly wouldn’t say that Ashley has stuck to his word of bolting a horse on, or making our own luck at this stage.
I posted this yesterday morning in response to Santon who was claiming we should all be happy now.
“It is good to see them spending cash on some very talented youngsters. It is good to see the increased communication between the club and fans. It is good to see Cathro and Black as part of the coaching staff – jury out for me on Schoenmaker and I don’t really rate Simpson but he has worked with Steve before, so that sort of trust and personal knowledge can be equally important. It is good to see us keeping hold of our better players – although not many did enough last year to earn a move away.
Still, it is early days in this transformation, and scepticism is rightly still there. They were given our trust and faith freely when they first arrived, and they treated the fans and the club poorly, making huge errors of judgement and decisions that go against the grain of what the club means to the area and the people. Should we give our trust and faith freely because they look to have improved over the last few months? Or should they have to earn it by proving it over a long period?
Contrary to popular belief, Ashley and his pals plus Pardew were all given a lot of leeway by many fans who hoped to see the club improve and deliver. They were continually let down by one and all. That hurts the fans, and the club. I am always willing to give another chance, but they have to prove this is real, and not another short term scheme to get a bit of breathing space.
It will take time, lots of time to heal the wounds opened up over the last 8 years. Until then scepticism and a lack of trust is going to be there and rightly so.”
geordiemark
Sep 4, 2015 at 8:50 AM
Comment #2now why didn’t ian writes garbage say that when he was in Newcastle to watch the match why do these bunch of arse holes have to say it 300 miles away back home, and heres something mirt should have had a yellow and as I recall you got stuck in in your days as well didn’t you
Lilongwe Geordie
Sep 4, 2015 at 8:50 AM
Comment #3Yes Ian, Arsenal players, and the fans at Highbury never get on referees backs. Nor do other clubs. It is just at Newcastle that fans get annoyed at referees decisions and give abuse. Ian, you championed Pardew while he was at Newcastle, you remember him pushing a linesman not so long ago? Don’t remember you commenting on that as disgusting and deeply offensive to you.
Anyway, if you don’t like it, don’t bother viewing our matches. I doubt anyone, and I mean literally anyone, will be too fussed whether you do or don’t.
beermonkey
Sep 4, 2015 at 8:50 AM
Comment #4more of the same please
why do man u arsenal and the the like get so many decisions the refs are scared of the reaction from the crowd
also it intimidates the opposition you could feel the crowd from tv it was brilliant the 12th man fortress was back and it was great
EllaGuru
Sep 4, 2015 at 8:52 AM
Comment #5Lil,
Well said.
I personally feel that there is room for some cautious optimism. On the whole the board showed some ambition this transfer window in improving the squad, albeit neglecting to improve the defense. Despite recent solidity, I still feel it is an area of weakness that needs to be addressed.
However one decent transfer window cannot erase the memories of the past 8 years. The cynic in me wonders if this is just Ashley protecting his asset and not a show of desire to be competitive… Only time will tell.
Bambams
Sep 4, 2015 at 8:54 AM
Comment #6Speaks volumes when a former playing colleague Keown stated on motd that players should get around referees whenever a foul happened to put pressure on them !
Wrighty you sir are a hypocrite!
derekm
Sep 4, 2015 at 8:55 AM
Comment #7Holy cow – Ian Wright? Of course as a player he was squeaky clean, never argued with either players or refs, The whole point of playing at home is to have an advantage with the support. Marriner has form on card happiness, statistics confirm his inability to control games and to get the players on his side with regard to discipline. Take a look at Keown bashing into Van Nistelroy after his penalty miss, god these pundits change their tune for the TV salaries.
geordiemark
Sep 4, 2015 at 8:55 AM
Comment #8Lilongwe Geordie
spot on, these old players forget once they played and I cant recall any of them being so nice on the football field obviously ian needs money and that’s why hes having a go
Jib
Sep 4, 2015 at 8:55 AM
Comment #9When you see articles like Ian Wright’s you have to look for the sub plot.
He has been fulsome in his praise of Toon fans before – so what is going on ?
BING!!!!!
Ah yes it is timed just before the appeal on Miro’s behalf.
Clever lad Ian .
geordiemark
Sep 4, 2015 at 8:58 AM
Comment #10Bambams
aye its obvious they all expected the toon should give them respect why should the toon give any team respect for its obvious these teams have never give the toon any respect before nor the media so in my words bollox them all
croftus5678
Sep 4, 2015 at 8:59 AM
Comment #11hook a duck wrighty lol.
i remember him countless times doing the same ! pot and kettle and all that !
and erm mourinhio/fergusson pretty much base/based there tactics on bullying.
flock your opinion i’m afraid ! the ref got a fair few decisions wrong and just because our players stayed on there feet and did not audition for eastenders when a player got near them like some arsenal players did then i dont see a problem with pointing out the poor performance level by the ref on that occasion as we paid good money.
geordiemark
Sep 4, 2015 at 9:02 AM
Comment #12if ian writes garbage wants to write anything he should direct it at the arsenal players for there ability on jumping 4 foot in the air come down to earth as though they have been shot by a marksman in the stands, they should all be ballerinas in my eyes, does the word unsportmanship and faking injury come into your mind mr ian writes garbage
geordiemark
Sep 4, 2015 at 9:05 AM
Comment #13lets just say this mr ian writes garbage with the all seeing red eyes, mariner wore red that day arsenal played with 12 men all we want to know is how much did arsenal pay him to throw the match
Bambams
Sep 4, 2015 at 9:05 AM
Comment #14We have always been an easy target that rarely gets the benefit of the doubt.
Maybe because where we are geographically referees do not like to officiate our home games, puts too many miles on their personal vehicles !
Seriously though we all see it, the top 5 teams do get preferential treatment. Even the laws of average one of the ‘accidental handballs’ last season should of warranted a penalty – not if you are Newcastle United.
Anyway onwards and upwards, glasses are half full, Charnley and Co are going to give us a team to be proud of !
martoon
Sep 4, 2015 at 9:05 AM
Comment #15Ian Wright – the fans were fed up with an atrocious refereeing display. For the slightest trip or mistimed tackle the Arsenal players were going down as if they has been shot and the referee fell for this and handed out yellow cards like confetti – that is what incensed the crowd so much. Many pundits have stated the red card was harsh even some sky ones such as Chris Kamara!
No mention of this and cheating Arsenal players though?
Tsunki
Sep 4, 2015 at 9:06 AM
Comment #16Take action against fans for what? Clap clap clap oh jolly well done referee! Disadvantageous to us but so very fair! Carry on that man!
Bambams
Sep 4, 2015 at 9:08 AM
Comment #17Croftus
Spot on, their players acted after every tackle. The replays showed this, especially the lad who had his protected heel tapped by Thauvin – he must of jumped 4ft in the air. Every one of them played the full 90 mins!
geordiemark
Sep 4, 2015 at 9:10 AM
Comment #18I remember the man uniteds, arsenals, spurs, Chelsea all used to play dirty tactics always on teams and they all got away with it time and time again, now the shoe is on the other foot they don’t like it all I say is tough carry on the toon give no team any respect whatsoever from now on they don’t deserve it
WWSBRD
Sep 4, 2015 at 9:12 AM
Comment #19Haha I do like Wrighty but maybe a little over the top, fans play a part in the game hence home advantage and that’s the first time in a long time it St James was heard
martoon
U say cheating Arsenal would argue competitive advantage
geordiemark
Sep 4, 2015 at 9:13 AM
Comment #20well all this does mean 1 good thing, next time we play arsenal mr ian writes garbage wont be in town to support them will he 🙂
magpie6699
Sep 4, 2015 at 9:19 AM
Comment #21What is he on? Is he talking through his Arsenal? “Take action” because fans booed the referee? Did they run onto the pitch? No. Did they throw anything? No. Anyway, it was apparent to me that for Marriner, like Rennie, the game was about hiis ego and not about making a contribution to a good, fair game of football as a spectacle. I’m sure the more he was booed (and ironically cheered when he finally gave a free kick against Arsenal -presumably fans aren’t allowed to cheer either?) the more he thrived on the attention.
Never liked Ian Wright as a player -snide beggar- but I think he’s off his chump with this piece of drivel.
Tsunki
Sep 4, 2015 at 9:20 AM
Comment #22People love to clean those old rosy tinted glasses and give their misunderstood hero Pardew the fine obituary but skim over the fact he was here for years and years and had some good runs and many bad, but it’s HOW he got those results that make the the man. I remember when we had a reasonably strong run of results and next up a mackem team lying in the bottom, could not buy a win and they were sitting ducks. Boom! Same team, same manager and the mackems get a shot in the arm that saves their pride and their season. More than once we have given them the points required to stay in the league. Against the run of form. We’ve lurched from some great results ( but poor games to watch some of them) to incredulous defeats. Why? Because he was a lousy tactician, not because he had poor players. In fact his adherence to the wrong players caused more than one furore on here. He kept the worst coaching team on in carver & Co, surely hour could have done something about that? And no, he wasn’t condemned from the off, or he would have been gone in his second season. Lack of respect for the Toon faithful to suggest we are fickle and victimising. We suffered years of his rubbish, but we weren’t deflected from the root cause of the problem – it was widely accepted he was only the sharp end of it, and getting rid of him, the symptom of the illness, was just the start. He knew he had been found out, and dropped us in it. There goes my hero, as Dave Grohl once sang.
Goofy
Sep 4, 2015 at 9:23 AM
Comment #23That guy boils my piss! He qas a dirty c@nt on the park, I remember a Rangers v Celtic game when he stomped pn Gorums leg, it was nasty as f?ck, the guy really needs to take a look in the mirror. Of cpurse the home fans are gonna insult the ref over a dubious sending off, the fans do it week in week out all over the country but when it’s Newcastle action must be taken, p!ss off Wright you knobber, probably the most clueless pundit out there.
Toony Poony
Sep 4, 2015 at 9:51 AM
Comment #24Ian Wright – the thickest TV pundit ever who quit the BBC after calling it ‘stuffy’ and being votes the worst sports pundit on TV… shut up
SPRINGY
Sep 4, 2015 at 10:40 AM
Comment #25i think ian wright is just projecting his anger at newcastle fans coz he was that embarrassed by the diving and moaning and “imaginary card” waving of his beloved arsenal club…dirty as a player,clueless as a pundit…obviously biased as a article writer….enough said
beefman13
Sep 4, 2015 at 10:48 AM
Comment #26Omg, Ian Wright was an obnoxious git who was always on the refs case, he played in that charity game for Sir Bobby and was continually having a pop at the ref for the decisions he was making, i thought at the time you absolute prick.
Hypocrite of the highest order.
thevirus
Sep 4, 2015 at 11:04 AM
Comment #27Oh well the great Ian Wright has spoken so it must be true,coming from a man who wouldn’t last 5 minutes on the pitch in today’s football, stinks of hypocrisy of the highest order. Arsenal are the team who cheat week in week out for a full 90 minutes, constantly diving waving imaginary cards . Should be banned from SJP for bad mouthing the club much the same as Ashley did to parts of the media
mactoon
Sep 4, 2015 at 6:18 PM
Comment #28The authorities should take action against fans who are allowed to show their displeasure at a referee decision as they have paid a fortune to be allowed the right to do so? I must have missed Wrightys comments on the Arsenal players rolling around feigning injury
monty
Sep 4, 2015 at 6:34 PM
Comment #29What next should we fine clubs for having fans that voice an opinion. The atmosphere in most grounds is already like being in a morgue now some prat wants clubs fined for being vocal. I wonder if he would be happy if all games were played behind closed doors, no doubt he’d being going on about the death of football then. Oh sorry I nearly forgot the gooners already play in an arena that devoid of atmoshere.