Here’s another nufcTV video showing the Newcastle players in training for the game at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, which has an early 12:30 pm kick-off time.
All our games for the rest of the season are important, as we try to climb the Premier League table and also advance in the FA Cup.
Our 5th round FA Cup tie at Blackburn is on Tuesday, February 27th with a 7:45pm KO time.
Almost 80% of our readers think we can win the game this coming Saturday – that would be great.
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Health Update:
8th February, 2024
An update on my health situation – we have terminated the PluVicto treatment halfway through, because of the severity of the side effects – diarrhea, vomiting, and acid reflux.
And there was no evidence the treatment was having any positive effect in stopping the prostate cancer from spreading in the bones: there are no new treatments left for me to go on.
I will go into home hospice care now and will have a hospice nurse visit me at home regularly to ensure I am as comfortable as possible and will help treat the side effects of the many treatments I have had.
It’s down the final stretch now, and I have run out of treatments, and nature will take its course.
I hope Newcastle can get many (many) wins this season from now on, and I am at peace with all of this.
🙂
I will continue to write articles as long as I can.
Thanks for all your help through the years – it’s very much appreciated.
Ed Harrison
220 comments so far
dazzler
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Comment #161Javea,
If it’s used correctly and fairly then it will be fun to watch Liverpool, Arsenal and Man Utd have to play with three outfield players for 10 minutes at a time most games. However, if dissent is handled how it is currently – i.e. The big clubs allowed to surround the ref with impunity, whilst teams like Luton etc get players sin binned because they rightly call out a dodgy decision on the field then it will be a disaster.
MOTD will be fun though, we’re going to end up with cricket scores in some cases early doors 😀
Small World
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Comment #162JaveaToon
Feb 9, 2024 at 8:37 AM
Comment #151
Too right about potential pitfalls of the blue card. 10 mins sin bin works so well in rugby as each team is always compelled to run forward, as the only means of keeping possession is passing backwards.
Also, the tendency of players to time waste and feign injury, as well as the authorities apparent inability of late to implement change (VAR), doesn’t bode too well. Red & Yellow cards were an absolute hit when introduced. If the FA think that this is going to be just as easy, they need to think again.
dazzler
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:05 AM
Comment #163Raj,
On Southgate, maybe he won’t be here until then. If we crash and burn at the Euros then he’s out in reality. If he gets to the semis then we’d best get used to him being here for two more years.
My main gripe with him has been raised to death here, in that he sticks with his trusted cohorts even if they don’t warrant a place. I don’t care if “they don’t let England down” every couple of months, I care that they let their clubs down by being shite or not playing.
If he stays on then I guarantee that Phillips and Maguire will make the next world cup squad whilst we have players deserving of a place missing out. Not only that but players like Foden/Maddison will still sit on the bench most England games in favour of Gallagher or Phillips who aren’t fit to lace either of the former’s boots.
JaveaToon
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:09 AM
Comment #164Jail…I guess it depends on what they dish them out for. I’d prefer it if they’d concentrate on players grabbing and holding onto each other, I’d duct tape every fecker fingers together if it was up to me. When I rule the world it’ll be an automatic yellow card, no matter how long or short a time you grab them for. As would grabbing the ball on the deck when you’re brought down/dive before ref has blown whistle. You’re trying to force the ref into giving a decision. 2 of my pet hates…mind I’m a grumpy fecker tho!
lesh
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:14 AM
Comment #165Javea
And (I’m a grumpy fecker tho!) that’s before you’ve had a drink?
lesh
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:14 AM
Comment #166Javea
😉
JaveaToon
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:14 AM
Comment #167Dazzler if it played out like that it would be funny, unfortunately I think it’ll play out in a different way entirely. I tend to agree with SmallWorld’s opinion on it. I could be wrong though let’s face it, that’s highly unlikely. 😆
JaveaToon
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:16 AM
Comment #168Lesh…Before, after and during! 😀
Transfer Sage
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:22 AM
Comment #169Dazzler
I don’t mind Southgate sticking with certain players despite club form, if they perform for England. Clubs play a variety of different styles and just because a player is doing well for their club, doesn’t mean they’d do well for England in a different system with different team mates.
Where I think he takes that too far is that because somebody is a steady 6/10 for England, he doesn’t seem to want to drop them for a new player who could easily be an 8/10. He does at times with some players, but there are plenty where he just need to say enough is enough, and move on.
JaveaToon
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:23 AM
Comment #170Ref Southgate… I just don’t like him or rate him as a manager, the sooner he’s gone the better imo.
Fat Basta*d
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:33 AM
Comment #171I can’t see anyone but England winning the Euros tbh
Raj of Hailsley
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:35 AM
Comment #172JT,
Bmouth manager on TS saying what someone said on here, even more players feigning injury, even more minutes being added on and the ball being out of play even more.
Fat Basta*d
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:36 AM
Comment #173https://x.com/instablog9ja/status/1755572430402183614?s=20
Fatty fenners will be in big trouble 😀
Transfer Sage
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:38 AM
Comment #174Javea
I’m looking forward to Klopp taking the Germany job after the Euros, if reports are true. Not because I’m a super fan or want to see them do well, but I want to see if there is truth that international football has to be played slower and more defensive than club football.
You often here people saying that and that you can’t play with high intensity, high pressing, system you see dominating club football. Klopp will not go that way so be good to see if his Germany team thrive or get humbled. It might convince the FA to be more bold when appointing Southgate’s successor.
JaveaToon
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:41 AM
Comment #175Jail@169…I said that and SmallWorld, just can’t see it working tbh and I think it’ll vastly lower the quality of football during those 10 minutes.
Is it actually definitely coming in or just an idea they’re kicking around(pun intended)?
JaveaToon
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:49 AM
Comment #176TS…I hadn’t heard that tbh but yeah, that’s going to be very interesting to see how that plays out. If he did become a success as Germany coach though, that would be bad news for the rest of us.
I thought he’d end back up at Dortmund or Mainz (They need him more), but interested to see where he ends up.
magicmac54
Feb 9, 2024 at 9:51 AM
Comment #177https://youtu.be/jGw1Yg9RXHw?si=SE8lRJ4UzYnvJ7s8
Slainte Irish Mags 😀
Oh and i see England and Ireland are in the same group in the Nations league, what could possibly go wrong 😀 i`ll get the rosary beads out 😀
JaveaToon
Feb 9, 2024 at 10:04 AM
Comment #178Magic…The games will be nice friendly games of football, played with respect and love on and off the pitch surely? 😀
Davas
Feb 9, 2024 at 10:06 AM
Comment #179Sorry for the repost but it seems apt for the chat this morning 🙂
Davas
Feb 8, 2024 at 6:22 PM
Comment #43
Reports in the telegraph that a blue card is going to be introduced for refs for dissent and cymical fouls with 10 mins in the sin bin.
I used to like the idea of a sin bin but I’m not so sure now. There is just so much inconsistency from refs when dishing out yellow cards, I can see it causing real controversy when it effects a game.
Novocastrian66
Feb 9, 2024 at 10:11 AM
Comment #180The sin bin thing is a load of bollocks.
1) If a player has done something that warrants removal from the pitch he should be sent off for the remainder of the game.
2) It is an ice hockey thing and it allows a power play and gives a significant advantage to the opposition. I don’t see it having that impact in football.
3) It has spoiled Rugby. A sport I used to watch a lot of, which I barely bother with now.
4) Rugby and Ice Hockey have independent time keepers. Football does not. The team down to 10 men will be wasting as much time as possible. Will the sin bin clock be stopped in line with breaks in play for throw ins etc?
5) What is it trying to fix?
To me this is the IFAB trying to justify their existence. All supporters should oppose this.
4)
Davas
Feb 9, 2024 at 10:14 AM
Comment #181I hadn’t thought of the time wasting angle. I can definitely see that happening. Hopefully all these things will come out in the trial and they’ll bin it. 🙂
magicmac54
Feb 9, 2024 at 10:16 AM
Comment #182JaveaToon
Good Morning fella, i have no doubt the games against England will be played in in good spirit on and off the pitch with a cracking atmosphere mate, but i`ll still have the rosary beads out, to try and help us put one over the auld enemy 😀 😀
HWTL
dazzler
Feb 9, 2024 at 10:30 AM
Comment #183They could stop the clock for stoppages (just the one timing the players on the naughty step) when players are in the sin bin. That way it’s 10 minutes of active play and not ten minutes from the second the ref waves the blue card. That way the players will be less inclined to cheat whilst they are a man or five down.
They won’t do that and they’ll claim it’s unfeasible to manage it like that but it’s the only real way to prevent those kinds of time wasting tactics. Or you just blue card the players doing that too, and make it even worse. Again, they won’t do that.
I can’t wait for the day that a goalie gets sin binned. Knowing out luck it’ll be Pope for his last 10 minutes antics 😀
Fat Basta*d
Feb 9, 2024 at 10:33 AM
Comment #184I agree if its serious give it red no need for blue.
Are they gonna wave a blue card or just a photo with 550 Bellies wearing a blue thong 😀
WLtoon
Feb 9, 2024 at 10:34 AM
Comment #185Ed
God bless you Sir, your strength and determination is an inspiration to many of us, including me.
I hope the boys in black n white can give you the trophy we have all been waiting for and you can live out your remaining time with a wry smile knowing the lads finally did it.
You have given us a cracking platform to vent our spleens and chat about the Toon and everything and anything and it will be sad to lose it once you are gone. It`s just a shame some individuals haven`t showed you or the site the deserved respect.
Well, you have got the utmost respect from me fella. i salute you.
JaveaToon
Feb 9, 2024 at 10:38 AM
Comment #186Magic…Hopefully the rosary beads don’t help! 😉
JaveaToon
Feb 9, 2024 at 10:41 AM
Comment #187Dazzler…Aye but they’ll still just pull everybody back for 10 minutes and just defend. It’ll kill the match quality imo.
Don’t see what’s wrong with giving a ‘wedgie’ for dissent mesel like.
WLtoon
Feb 9, 2024 at 10:43 AM
Comment #188As for the blue card, i think it will be a disaster, jeez the referees can`t keep control of a game at the best of times never mind bringing in another totally unnecessary rule which could add another 15 minutes to a game with all the time wasting that will go on.
I wonder which teams it will benefit, the likes of scumpool and Manshite will have to curb their dissent otherwise they could find themselves down to 8 men every 20 minutes, that`s IF the referees go by the rule book, something tells me they won`t.
Imo it`s a crazy idea that will cause absolute chaos.
WLtoon
Feb 9, 2024 at 10:45 AM
Comment #189I doubt the referees will be keen on the idea, talk about stress, as if they haven`t got enough to do trying to keep the spoilt brats in check.
Sir Pugalot, the Dutch Bulldog
Feb 9, 2024 at 10:46 AM
Comment #190coming home
Feb 8, 2024 at 10:46 PM
Comment #108
TDS
Iv had 1 game since Xmas weather is atrocious and my club has been waterlogged and played once at eden(Carlisle) my clubs are probably rusty
But I’m soon to emigrate to warmer climate
The Pug probably knows my golf club by now as it’s same grounds as the cricket club Morpeth
Longhirst
Davas
Feb 9, 2024 at 10:50 AM
Comment #191Newcastle United
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe on blue cards introduction: “I’m not a big fan to be honest, that’s what yellow cards are for. The system works but just needs to be refined. Blue cards would just add confusion so I’m against it.”
From the bbc
Novocastrian66
Feb 9, 2024 at 10:51 AM
Comment #192Dazzler, it will be a farce. When sin bins were first introduced in rugby, the team with the 15 men had an advantage and usually scored at least 1 try. Now, they have learned to how deal with it and there is often no scoring during the period a player is in the bin.
It will be an absolute disaster. Anyone who knows anything about football will know this and there is no need for a trial.
onmeedsun
Feb 9, 2024 at 11:01 AM
Comment #193One thing is for sure.
All of us who’ve have frequented this blog over the years will remember Ed when we actually win something, along with all the other toon fans we know who are no longer with us. It’s how we live on.
And if anyone has any pull with Worflags, how about a flag for Ed. I’m sure they’d do it for NUFC.com. All part of the Geordie community.
onmeedsun
Feb 9, 2024 at 11:03 AM
Comment #194And when this blog does shut down, I would hope that we all go onto discord. It will be much more fun with a variety of posters, except for a few unmentionables of course. It’s only as good as the contributions people make.
WLtoon
Feb 9, 2024 at 11:03 AM
Comment #195What a cracking idea onmeedsun
Davas
Feb 9, 2024 at 11:05 AM
Comment #196From a grassroots coach:
Grassroots coach Andy in Nottingham has spoken to BBC Radio 5 Live on why he is against a blue card trial: “Well, in my experience, I’m a coach and I’m also on the committee at a local football club. When it was first introduced, sin bins at the grassroots level a couple of years ago, they initially had a positive impact. Players were taking charge of games themselves, really, and talking to teammates, asking them to calm down.
“But we found that as the season ran on, referees were giving sin bins, putting players in the sin bin. So you got your ten minutes, but coaches weren’t taking responsibility. What they were doing was just encouraging their own players then to time waste, see out the ten minutes to kick the ball as far as they could into touch and all that sort of thing, which in all honesty just raised tensions on the pitch further and caused more problems for the referee.
“Coaches [were asking] ‘how long to go?’ And all that sort of thing. And in the end, I think what we found over, certainly the course of this season and towards the end of last season, referees were actually being dissuaded from giving out sin bins.
“It’s just another thing for referees at grassroots level to have to deal with. And I honestly think that they’ve sort of come away from the thought of giving sin bins because of the extra hassle it gives them during the course of trying to manage a game. It can be difficult anyway without them.”
dazzler
Feb 9, 2024 at 11:12 AM
Comment #197Javea,
Or you have to take off one of your boots for ten minutes for dissent, then the other boot, then the socks, then the shin pads for each subsequent infraction.
They’d sharp knock it off if they were running on wet grass in their socks.
Wor B
Feb 9, 2024 at 11:12 AM
Comment #198We should sent JaveaToon to the IFAB meeting as England’s delegate…
“Don’t see what’s wrong with giving a ‘wedgie’ for dissent mesel like.”
🙂
Wor B
Feb 9, 2024 at 11:14 AM
Comment #199And Dazzler!
😆
JaveaToon
Feb 9, 2024 at 11:20 AM
Comment #200Dazzler….I like your thinking 😀
WorB…I could only improve the game 🙂