I like watching both Newcastle United and England.
There is no conflict, club and country.
In that order.
To be more specific, I LOVE watching and supporting Newcastle United, I like watching and supporting England.
It has been a strange old time though, as it almost feels like the roles have been reversed.
Not in terms of what I like and love, more a case of whereby it feels like country and club, whereby I get to see Newcastle United in between England matches and not the other way round.
When I checked to see what the reality was, I found that I wasn’t going a little mad. Well, not in this instance anyway…
I have looked back at the matches I have watched these past seven months, after 22 March 2026.
During this time I have seen Newcastle United play 12 Premier League matches and a couple of Carabao Cup games, a total of 14 NUFC matches since 22 March 2026.
When it comes to England, in the same time period I have watched four friendlies, eight world cup matches and what will be four Nations League games (glorified friendlies) by the end of tomorrow (Tuesday) night. A total of 16 England games following 22 March 2026.
So the last 30 combined matches, 14 of them Newcastle United and 16 England.
By the time we reach just before kick-off on Saturday 21 November at St James’ Park against Arsenal, Newcastle United will have ‘soared’ ahead of England. In the eight months since 22 March 2026 there will have been a combined 38 matched played in that time period and Newcastle United taking a 20-18 lead over England.
A nice coincidence that 38 also happens to represent the equivalent of a full Premier League schedule of matches for an entire season. Maybe we need to get half and half season tickets for watching club and country rather than half and half scarves…