Nick Pope didn’t have much at all to do in our last game against Leicester, but with Newcastle failing to take their chances, Pope had to make a world-class save in the 92nd minutes, and for that brilliance he is our Man of the Match.
The save ensured we got the draw and qualification for the Champions League next season.
Newcastle’s fans are very well aware of that, and they have voted Pope our Man of the Match for the final home game of the season.
Nick has also just had surgery on two fingers of his left hand a couple of days ago: the surgery is said to have been a success.
The England International will not be available for the game at Chelsea on Sunday, and we expect Martin Dubravka to make his farewell appearance for the club in that game.
We think two new goalkeepers will be drafted in this summer to challenge the brilliant Pope for the goalkeeping position.

And finally, here are a couple of comical items after the game on Monday night.
Joelinton imitates a madman – he seems so very loose. 🙂
Nobody, absolutely nobody:
"So, Joelinton….do you know which #NUFC player is from Blyth?"Joelinton: pic.twitter.com/kaGxBja7AE
— ????? ?? ??? ???? #NUFC (@ToonMouthTyne) May 23, 2023
And here is Miggy Junior trying to impress Eddie Howe with his skills on Monday night, with the help of his father, who put him straight through on goal.
Notice how Miggy Junior belts the ball home – with his left foot – like father like son.
Father and son at the Gallowgate End ??#NUFC #NUFCFans #Newcastle pic.twitter.com/nxPNHM4zow
— Magpie 24/7 (@Magpie24_7) May 23, 2023
Comments are welcome, but please respect other readers and their opinions.
101 comments so far
Uncertain Toon
May 26, 2023 at 12:32 AM
Comment #1Boom
Uncertain Toon
May 26, 2023 at 12:35 AM
Comment #2Taco, Jail,
Poch has got a canny field to pick from already, without needing to bring anybody in. Can’t you see that?
Essex Geordie Bill
May 26, 2023 at 1:02 AM
Comment #3What let Chelsea down tonight was there shooting, Mudryk on that performance wouldn’t even get into our U21s but I thought that Gallagher was just about their best player.
Nicky the ball tosser
May 26, 2023 at 1:54 AM
Comment #4Joel was clearly well over the limit.
DKillers
May 26, 2023 at 3:44 AM
Comment #5Gotta love Joelinton. He was a joy to watch this season.
Unused Substitute
May 26, 2023 at 4:26 AM
Comment #6I can’t stand ManUnited-belong-in-the-CL arrogance. Casemiro largely pulled him through. Need all three points against Chelsea on Sunday. There’s a good chance MUFC falters against FFC and we end up where we belong.
Assassins Inc
May 26, 2023 at 4:53 AM
Comment #7I honestly gave it to Pope for some of his sweeper work, that last ditched save and his whole season.
As I said before 10 Million, bargain of the decade or maybe even longer.
Roll on June, I do so hope we have some firm irons in the fire and we are not scrambling the last two weeks like before.
I’m sure our current staff member especially the new ones have all this in an action plan.
Next season, here we come!!!!
Not another deJong
May 26, 2023 at 6:21 AM
Comment #8Dropping to fourth is a little bit gnawing. But I wouldn’t be saying that 12 months ago.
Not another deJong
May 26, 2023 at 6:28 AM
Comment #9I don’t usually post this if it does not include something about nufc in the context, but I will make an exception:
GUARDIAN – A merciful end to season for Chelsea
Having been playing with the air of men hoping to put this season behind them as quickly as possible for almost two months now, Chelsea will finally get their wish on Sunday but may have to endure further embarrassment before the curtain comes down on a calamitous campaign. Like a speedboat given away at the end of Bullseye, Newcastle will roar into Stamford Bridge looking the sleek embodiment of what Chelsea could have won if their new owners had operated a recruitment policy even half as shrewd as their more wealthy but comparatively spendthrift counterparts at St James’ Park. Whatever dutiful, disingenuous nonsense Frank Lampard and Eddie Howe might come out with in their pre-match press conferences, the result of this game doesn’t matter. For all that, one last humbling on their own patch to round off this bin fire of a season would, for neutrals if not Lampard, be undeniably funny.
BG
———————————————
I hope we hammer them into mincemeat, even if Bruno and a few others don’t start, we should perform to much higher standard.
Raj of Hailsley
May 26, 2023 at 6:40 AM
Comment #10TTT,
“The Louvre, yuk”
Some top class snobbery there mind 😀
Not another deJong
May 26, 2023 at 6:43 AM
Comment #11Manager of the month at Chelsea is a job description. There are usually a few clubs that swap managers but this season there are four clubs that have done it more than once. To little effect.
lochinvar
May 26, 2023 at 6:46 AM
Comment #12Salah
“We are Liverpool and qualifying to the competition is the bare minimum”
With a rebuild on the horizon, the demands of the Europa Cup and VAR unlikely to be able to replicate the generosity shown to Livarpool then maybe Salah is thinking he might get even more money abroad or in Saudi Arabia.
Liverpool must feel like they’ve been relegated
In a way they have.
cyprus
May 26, 2023 at 6:49 AM
Comment #13Eddie
Have watched the Chelsea game for you.
You too? Thought you were already in Ayia Napa!*
Anyway, I know the table doesn’t lie and all that, but Chelsea is a better outfit, at least as far as individual talent goes, than the table shows.
Exhibit 37: last night, they could just as easily have won 4-1! They made lots of chances, fluffed their lines in the end. The devil was in the details. Their defence is good, but very naive.
Conclusion: the final game will be a high scoring one. Be carefree but also careful! Be careful of that Felix guy too, very good. In fact, ask him at the end of the game if he’s interested in a project.
cyprus
May 26, 2023 at 6:49 AM
Comment #14* Just messing with you, I know you’re not on the beach.
cyprus
May 26, 2023 at 6:50 AM
Comment #15* Because I didn’t see you.
Raj of Hailsley
May 26, 2023 at 6:58 AM
Comment #16US,
Have you seen the photos of Trips in the nightclub, we’re on the beach and rightly so 😀
sparky55
May 26, 2023 at 7:07 AM
Comment #17Trips in a nightclub!!…thats one of the reasons he came back home from madrid!
He’s not the mesiah…he’s just a very naughty boy!
Great film that! 🙂 🙂
Raj of Hailsley
May 26, 2023 at 7:26 AM
Comment #18sparky55,
You can’t say that, I got the full Mary Whitehouse brigade on my case when I suggested that last year 😮
sparky55
May 26, 2023 at 7:37 AM
Comment #19Jail…difference is you set yourself up as a target by dropping grenades on a regular basis 🙂 🙂 🙂
….whereas I just get things wrong occasionally like BDB…mind you…I cant think of anything else I got wrong !!
😉 🙂
sparky55
May 26, 2023 at 7:38 AM
Comment #20Tin hat at the ready!
wartongeordie
May 26, 2023 at 7:49 AM
Comment #21Might be a stupid question to some but, do we have to play a qualifier for the CL or are we straight into the group stages, only my daughters boyfriend
( Manure fan) says we must win on Sunday to avoid a qualifier.
Raj of Hailsley
May 26, 2023 at 7:51 AM
Comment #22wartongeordie,
Straight in, not sure when it changed but PL clubs get four direct spots now.
wartongeordie
May 26, 2023 at 7:55 AM
Comment #23Raj
Thank you, made my bank holiday weekend even better.
sparky55
May 26, 2023 at 8:01 AM
Comment #24Lesson No 1…avoid believing anything that comes out the mouth of an embittered and entitled manure fan…it was just wishful thinking and he wouldnt have mentioned it unless they hadnt sneaked into 3rd.
Ps…p1ss poor parenting that Warton…no manure fan was ever allowed anywhere near my daughter!
sparky55
May 26, 2023 at 8:05 AM
Comment #25Casemiro and Rashford the only two United players that could improve our team.
How long has it been since we could say that!
Raj of Hailsley
May 26, 2023 at 8:10 AM
Comment #26Sparky55,
Grenades, moi, sì vous plait 😀
sparky55
May 26, 2023 at 8:11 AM
Comment #27“plausable interpretations of subjective rules’.”
Now aint that a brilliant response by the FA with regards the complaint Liverpool put in re the tackle on Gakpo.
They can reel that excuse out forever and cuts any conversation dead in the water.
You gotta love a good lawyer!
sparky55
May 26, 2023 at 8:12 AM
Comment #28Jail…I bet you were a teachers nightmare at school 🙂 🙂 🙂 😉
The overrated Frenchman
May 26, 2023 at 8:31 AM
Comment #29Sparky, Casemiro would obviously replace Longstaff, but who would Rashford replace? Wilson or Isak?
Hibbit
May 26, 2023 at 8:36 AM
Comment #30entertaining read curtesy of the Mag
https://www.themag.co.uk/2023/05/premier-league-big-six-defeated-on-related-party-transactions-newcastle-united-now-free-to-act/
sparky55
May 26, 2023 at 8:38 AM
Comment #31TOF…Due to CL requiring a much larger squad, I dont think its about direct replacements any more…I think its about rotation, flexibility (rashford can play anywhere across the top), covering injuries and for tactical changes.
But Wilson will be gone after next year anyway.
The overrated Frenchman
May 26, 2023 at 8:47 AM
Comment #32Sparky, I think I missed the gist of your post. I took it as meaning who would play against Chelsea or in the immediate future in that situation
Raj of Hailsley
May 26, 2023 at 8:58 AM
Comment #33Hibbet,
Entertaining it may be but there’s no substance in it at all.
sparky55
May 26, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Comment #34TOF…sorry for being on the wrong end the stick! 🙂
He woukd replace wilson all day
CLINT FLICK
May 26, 2023 at 9:17 AM
Comment #35Hibbit
I’m liking that…
Precedents are in place and coupled with the vaguery of ‘market value’ it would be funny that they can’t do much about it, as we’re CL and the ‘market value’ on that is…high?
😀
The overrated Frenchman
May 26, 2023 at 9:20 AM
Comment #36Interesting Sparky. If we needed to win against Chelsea I think I’d play Wilson ahead of Rashford. But I take your point about the future and the squad we’ll require. We definitely need more quality youth in defence. The old boys (Botman excluded) have served us well but there needs to be more depth and regeneration at that end
ToonDarnSarf
May 26, 2023 at 9:20 AM
Comment #37Football is pretty simple really. Man Utd do deserve to be in the champions league. Because they’ll finish in the top 4. Same for us. Liverpool don’t because they will finish 5th.
It’s not rocket science.
Man Utd and Liverpool may be 2 of the biggest clubs in the world but they haven’t earned CL football until they finish top 4.
ToonDarnSarf
May 26, 2023 at 9:22 AM
Comment #38In my experience, The Mag is mostly overly biased rubbish with very little in terms of verified facts. It’s not news, it’s just about as relevant as talking to an average fan.
Sir Pugalot, the Dutch Bulldog
May 26, 2023 at 9:22 AM
Comment #39Just a note from NADJ #9 report from the Guardian.
Now, rember, they are meant to be journalists, professionals.
Newcastle will roar into Stamford Bridge looking the sleek embodiment of what Chelsea could have won if their new owners had operated a recruitment policy even half as shrewd as their more wealthy but comparatively spendthrift counterparts at St James’ Park.
They obviously do not know what “spendthrift” means.
Spendthrift
Someone who spends money prodigiously and who is extravagant and recklessly wasteful, often to a point where the spending climbs well beyond her or his means
cleveleysbob
May 26, 2023 at 9:23 AM
Comment #40I like the fact that shirt deal is being negotiated with at least 3 x possible sponsors.
The fact that it’s a competitive negotiation, and CL is already assured means an awful lot of wiggle room. 🙂