Remember October 2021?
It’s not even five years.
I don’t know if you agree but it seems a lot longer since the Newcastle United takeover than it actually has been.
Shortly after that Newcastle United takeover, I wrote a very tongue in check article (before even Eddie Howe had been appointed) about how the inevitable success that was coming our way, would change our fanbase.
Here is a bit from that piece.
Please allow for any references that haven’t aged that well.
It’s Saturday 6 November 2027 and six years into the future for Newcastle fans (after the Newcastle United takeover)…Newcastle United 0 Everton 0
As usual, The Mag puts up its matchday report, which attracts a lot of comments.
Morpeth Mag:
“What can you say about that? Twenty shots at goal , woodwork hit three times but somehow dinosaur arms keeps a clean sheet. Just one of those days I guess.”
Ryhope Mag:
“I agree, it just wasn’t going to happen today.”
Dubai Mag:
“Just one of those days? Are you serious. The two up front were garbage. They are paid to score goals.”
Devon Mag:
“Absolutely. Mbappe is a carthorse. Strolls around like he is something special and as for Haaland, whoever thought he was good enough for us needs his head testing.”
Dubai Mag:
“Well what do you think you are going to get for 250 million?”
Morpeth Mag:
“What on earth are you going on about. We haven’t lost a game yet and today was an off day.”
Surrey Mag:
“That’s the kind of attitude that sums up why noocarstle never won anything, you are too easy pleased. We are a huge club and players need to produce the goods or ship out.”
Dubai Mag:
“I actually blame the manager. Thomas Tuchel is past it. He flukes a Champions League win with Chelsea and he has been living off it for years.”
Morpeth Mag:
“Well his two league titles with Newcastle would say he knows what he is doing.”
Devon Mag:
“Who cares about league titles. You do realise the only thing that matters is the Champions League.”
Dubai Mag:
“All I know is that I’m not staying up until after midnight to watch this rubbish.”
Beijing Mag:
“Absolutely, Man City are a much better watch.”
Morpeth Mag:
“Dear god. What’s happened to my club?”
Now I know my post Newcastle United takeover glimpse into the future was a little exaggerated, but the point I was trying to make, is how quickly we would get used to the new order and how that would then become the norm.
I wondered how we would react to the changes. Would we turn out to be that unique band of fans we believe we are, who have deserved success more than any others, or would we be no different to any other set of supporters?
And so here we are. We all know what’s been achieved and what has not. It’s not quite at the level I spoke about above, but it could be argued it has been our best four years since the 1950s?
So has it been good enough? More importantly, is it good enough now?
This is where I have some very large splinters in my backside as a result of being superglued to the fence.
Obviously, it goes without saying, I was really angry with the insipid Sunderland performance and the insipid manager’s comments to what happened, but a few days on, I am a lot more calm about the situation.
This is in complete contrast to 20 year old Jinky, whose reaction to Sunday’s match would have been to head to the manager’s house with a pitchfork and a ton of horse manure.
But I’m no longer that passionate angry young lad. I’m now a 66 year old who has a prostate that’s bigger than his biceps. If you are not there already, give it time, it comes to us all.
So that’s why I find myself having sympathy for both sides of the divide.
I accept that every one of us is entitled to their view, based on where they are in their Newcastle journey and what they believe we should be achieving. What I will say is that what has been achieved in the past four years is way beyond my expectations .
But both Sunderland games were truly awful. Managers have been sacked for less. However, the reason I am not in Darras Hall with a ton of horse muck is that I don’t think our club is capable of being a perennial top five club. Not yet.
I feared we would have a season just like the one we are having because we just don’t have the squad or the money to turn us into Man City or Arsenal.
That is going to take a few more years and frankly, a lot better recruiting than the likes of those signed this season.
But hounding out Eddie Howe would not sit well with me. To do so, we would have become just like all the other fans who call Talksport to scream the Manager must go, when they lose a home game.
But I am not so naive as to think there are no issues at the club. It’s clear that there are. Things are not right and the boss is paid to put them right.
I think it’s time for a new Newcastle United team to be assembled, financed by the departure of many of our “big names”…
The question will be, whether the Newcastle United owners will trust Eddie Howe to manage that change .
The final few games will decide his fate.