Newcastle travel to the Keepmoat Stadium to take on Doncaster Rovers this Friday for a 7pm kick-off. There is still a limited number of tickets available for Newcastle fans.
This week there has been pretty much silence on the state of the squad after Sunday’s defeat at York City. Steve Bruce provided some updates after the match but there’s been little from the club this week other than the statement of adjourning the arbitration hearing.
For Friday’s friendly, we are not certain of the full scale of who Bruce will have at his disposal. Joelinton injured his thigh and was withdrawn after 17 minutes on Sunday. He’ll probably be unavailable even if it’s just precautionary.
Martin Dubravka, Elliot Anderson, and Jonjo Shelvey are all injured and in a struggle to be available for the start of this season. Dubravka will almost certainly miss the opener at West Ham and has given a lengthy explanation on his injury to Sport.SK.
It appears that Dubravka has been hobbled since his return from his previous foot injury last December. Though this time it doesn’t appear that it will keep him out as long. The Chronicle has published the following from Martin:
“I would love to start the first match of the new season.
“However, this is highly unlikely. The doctor told me that it was individual and that each patient responded differently.
“He has had a positive experience with me, as after the previous operation.
“Back then they predicted a two-month break for me, but I was back after three weeks.
“Now, the procedure may finally be longer than planned but it was important to solve the issue.
“I had a broken first metatarsal and I had a fragment there that needed to be removed.
“I have been feeling pain in my leg since last December.
“This was probably due to the fact that last year I had a torn tendon, so I loaded the foot differently than usual.
“I was constantly feeling uncomfortable in my football.
“The pain escalated, getting more and more intense.
“In the end, it turned out to be a fatigue fracture and surgery was necessary, otherwise it could leave even more negative traces.
“They have known since December that I have a problem and that it will have to be resolved.
“They saw how my condition developed. After the first week of the Euros, I was already catching with the help of drugs.
“However, this is no excuse, because I really wanted to complete the championship. After the tournament, the doctors told me to rest in particular.
“However, the pain did not subside, so I chose a different path. Before that, I tried all possible procedures, as at first, it didn’t seem like a fracture.
“I believed that a week by the sea with my family after the Euros would help me.
“It didn’t help either. I originally went to Prost?jov only for an injection, but the doctor x-rayed me thoroughly, did a magnet examination and then it turned out that the injection would not help.
“We wasted no time and I went to surgery four days after the diagnosis.”
Dan Langley will likely get the nod on Friday against Doncaster once again. Karl Darlow, Freddie Woodman, and Mark Gillespie are still self-isolating due to Darlow’s positive Covid test.
There’s no word on whether Miguel Almiron, Emil Krafth, or Fabian Schar have returned from their summer holidays after competing internationally last month. Though Bruce could certainly use Almiron on Friday with him being very short on midfielders.
Hopefully, we’ll get some updates from the club soon and possibly some photos of the lads in training. So far this week has been quite mum from the club.
80 comments so far
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Jul 21, 2021 at 4:24 PM
Comment #1Also wonder if the Man City court case has any evidence that could be used by our legal team against the premier league which is maybe another reason for the delay?
Possible evidence that’s been hidden from view could now come to light especially if it finds that City and the PL have been shown to be corrupt etc
Cathedral on the hill
Jul 21, 2021 at 4:37 PM
Comment #2In the grand scheme of things it’s a masterstroke from lardey. Especially if he’s pulled the plug on arbitration to hit them with CAT straight away. The last thing we needed was private arbitration, within premier league guidelines, on a not so level playing field with a sympathetic judge. It’s CAT that will give us the disclosure and transparency we need, arbitration won’t. According to Liam Kennedy the narrative from bird and puke Edwards that the Saudis haven’t given them all the information is bull *hit. They went above and beyond and gave what they were asked for with bells on. The PL just refused it. The PL are just *hit scared to approve it and *shit scared to reject it so are willfully doing nothing. Nothing more.
A public CAT case should be an absolute slam dunk and as long as thats the case I’m happy to wait. In that eventuality I don’t think arbitration will be needed. You can bet your last penny that Ashley and Di Marco are working with CAT lawyers now to have the case expedited and seen as quickly as possible.
jon
Jul 21, 2021 at 4:37 PM
Comment #3Well, i’m off for another smerk in the garden, pre sale beer included, gonna be blacker the the ace of spades if this wonderful weather keeps up 🙂
carltoon
Jul 21, 2021 at 4:43 PM
Comment #4Jon enjoy, I’ll have to watch some twenty twenty games on the TV, before I go to watch it live, the Durham Ground looks good though.
mctoon
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:00 PM
Comment #5Dabassman
What makes you think Ashley will still be selling if this all falls through?
He’s spent the best part of fourteen years ‘supposedly’ trying to offload us.
FOURTEEN YEARS of mostly claiming, he’s desperately wanting rid of our club?
This ultra successful tycoon, self made billionaire, who trades in large businesses almost on a daily basis, yet he can’t sell ours in fourteen years?.. it’s laughable.
We must be worth a hell of a lot more than signage to this footer, cos he values us far greater than he’s ever let on.
He’s absolutely desperate to take the Saudi deal though.
As speculated on, there’s got to be something more for him in this than just an overly inflated price.
Personally I don’t give two shite’s what it is, only that it succeeds.
Forget all his talk about lottery tickets, transparency and fighting this and that for the fans, that’s all sh!te.
As always he’s fighting and thinking only for himself, chasing down his ‘perfect deal’.
The only deal IMO he’s ever been willing to foot off for.
It’s purely coincidental to him that it gives us the winning hand too.
Just pray he gets it done before the Saudi’s walk for good, cos I very much doubt the Reuben’s will be upping their ante either.
Depressingly, the alternative is much more likely to be business as usual ad infinitum.
cleveleysbob
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:03 PM
Comment #6Cathedral, I think we’re all wanting that.
Just for accuracy though, Di Marco isn’t involved in CAT case, different legal team.
mctoon
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:03 PM
Comment #7Also
We haven’t got a meagre budget again this summer because of a takeover, it’s because the fat git has never had any interest in progressing our club.
It’s been the recurring theme of his tenure over this last decade and a half, whether there was a takeover in the offing or not.
Don’t give the footer any quarter.
jon
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:04 PM
Comment #8Carltoon,
Chester’s great, got the main stand in the wrong place though, facing Lumley Castle (you can understand why they did it that way), you get zero, or very little, sun through the day, should flip it through 90 degrees.
Just go to a game, doesn’t do it justice on the telly. Nowt to to with the beer of course 😉
Mund
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:07 PM
Comment #9Bob
Wouldn’t be surprised at all if they are working together.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:07 PM
Comment #10Cathedral oth,
Are you joining the H2H league again.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:08 PM
Comment #11For all those still interested in joining the two blog H2H leagues please find this thread:
https://www.nufcblog.com/2021/07/11/379635/comment-page-4/#comments
And post “I’m in”
Once it’s ran its course Neil will e mail the two relevant codes.
Code for Ed Harrison league is.
Code: iaemqa
cleveleysbob
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:08 PM
Comment #12Cathedral, because the 2 cases are being brought by different entities, arbitration is the club, CAT is St James Holdings, so there’s no cross over of legal teams.
cleveleysbob
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:11 PM
Comment #13Not sure Mund, it would leave a loop hole for the PL to kick one case out, by saying they are one and the same. Maybe in the background, but never publicly admitted 😉
magicmac54
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:13 PM
Comment #14For any of you guys who might not have seen this yet in reference to the takeover.
https://youtu.be/HsPsjgmatPY
Jail for Ashley
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:16 PM
Comment #15Jon,
That looked great at Old Trafford last night, Sweet Caroline and winning with just two spare.
Mister Tuff
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:17 PM
Comment #16Tremendous comedy blogging today – excellent stuff.
Couple of dodgy characters straight into print declaring that their masks are super hero ones or armed robber masks.
Getting in first when probably their masks are gimp masks.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:18 PM
Comment #17John Reese, the egg man and cathedral oth are yet to sign up, that would leave only seven to get.
Aces-of-Eights
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:23 PM
Comment #18Worried cat case could drag for years but the biggest thing could be cat saying the case Will go ahead and in public then if epl settle the dates being ages away might not matter
Mister Tuff
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:23 PM
Comment #19Anybody know if they still have all the football pitches at the Riverside in Chester-le- Street or was the cricket ground built over them. Never been down there for years. Loads of different leagues/teams used to play there.
Aces-of-Eights
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:24 PM
Comment #20Basically we just need to hear cat case has been green lit to go ahead.
Mund
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:25 PM
Comment #21Bob
Never publicly mate.
I’d imagine there will of been some video calls and emails.
NY Mag
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:27 PM
Comment #22MrT,
As far as I know they are still there….obviously I haven’t actually been in quite sometime.
Used to play 6-a-side there many moons ago 🙂
Mund
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:29 PM
Comment #23How many moons NY? 🙂
jon
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:32 PM
Comment #24Jail,
Yep, watched the highlights last night (don’t have sky, and haven’t for a long time, do i miss it, err, NO), and again on iplayer today whilst *werking* from home, we have some white ball team, Monsieur Livingstone is some find!
carltoon
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:33 PM
Comment #25Do you have to bring a bit a fun down to your filth man, honestly I give up.
NY Mag
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:33 PM
Comment #26Mund,
Probably close to 20 years ago
Mund
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:40 PM
Comment #27NY
Probably been a few blue moons in that time 😉
Romford mag
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:43 PM
Comment #28Thanks for the loan of your mask , but you can have it back now ! I tried several times to put it on but I couldn’t , Because of the stench of shite in it !
Don’t know if it was your breath or what it was !?! 🙂
ilovetoon8788
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:44 PM
Comment #29Hard to find 3 worse teams this season. From the newly promoted, Brentford are already ahead of us and they schooled us last season the Cup tie.
I see the likes of Brentford and Leeds being far ahead of us in 3-4 years if we are stuck with Ashley and Bruce..
Many championship clubs will leapfrog us in stature and size. Leicester and Leeds already done it.
Depressing time ahead.
Mister Tuff
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:47 PM
Comment #30NY – cheers. We used to play a night club team from Chester- le -Street – in a Sunday morning league there – something like Newcastle and District Heating Trades League or similar. That long ago.
Mister Tuff
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:50 PM
Comment #31Carltoon – come on it was obviously a joke.
NY Mag
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:53 PM
Comment #32Mr T,
We used to play there in a 6-a-side league on a Sunday afternoon.
It was the period when Newcastle used to train there, when sir Bobby was the manager.
geordietom
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:53 PM
Comment #33Rom careful , e-mails will be flying in now
Romford mag
Jul 21, 2021 at 5:58 PM
Comment #34Tom
😉
geordietom
Jul 21, 2021 at 6:00 PM
Comment #35:D:
geordietom
Jul 21, 2021 at 6:01 PM
Comment #36why are the laughing emoji’s not working
👿
Jail for Ashley
Jul 21, 2021 at 6:03 PM
Comment #37jon,
We watched it on hes goals in the office which was unfortunately hit and miss and started really playing up in the vital last ten minutes, we did catch the end though which was good. Ashes at the end of this year which should be great.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 21, 2021 at 6:07 PM
Comment #38geordietom,
Be totally honest here, I know it’s not your strong point given your history over deleted tweets and avatars but how many e mails have you sent the Harrisons over this last two years?
Ketsbaia9
Jul 21, 2021 at 6:08 PM
Comment #39Shaqiri is a must signing. We can at least get off the mark by signing players like Shaqiri, Ross Barkley, Willock, Willems and Van Aanholt.
geordietom
Jul 21, 2021 at 6:08 PM
Comment #40Davey you starting your shite again ?