Newcastle United fans preparing for the 2026/27 Premier League season.
Less than three weeks to go now until Liverpool travel to St James’ Park.
An ‘interesting’ summer so far…
So many talking points.
An ideal time to get a snapshot of views from Newcastle United fans on their thoughts.
So we sent out questions to a number of regular/irregular contributors to The Mag, varying to a degree the questions that different fans received to answer.
Next up answering some questions is Tony Mallabar:
Three words to describe how you currently feel as a Newcastle United fan?
As I have said often on The Mag, I am in the privileged position that I have the time and money to go to every game home and away.
With this I’ve met some lifelong friends, plenty of halfwits and a core group of mates I travel away with. Unfortunately, on July 20th I received a phone call off the Sandyford simpleton (Monty) that one of our away team had sadly passed away suddenly. Not only was Bri Ormston a home and away fan but one of the original members of the bender squad from the 70s. A keen supporter of the north east non-league scene and passionate family man. He will be a massive miss on the ugly bus and our train squad. So at the minute I am a tad sad Newcastle United fan.
Three words to describe Newcastle United now?
Bring back Rafa.
Do you see it as good news or bad news that Eddie Howe resigned?
I was at Bristol City pre season friendly and when the game kicked off, 3000 Geordies were booming out “Eddie Howe’s black and white army “.. in a great show of support..45 minutes later I knew the game was up..as the players effectively downed tools and it was no big surprise when travelling home the next day to get the news Eddie had gone.
Hand on heart, what position do you currently believe Newcastle United are most likely to finish in the 2026/27 Premier League season?
Luckily for me being Newcastle’s number fickle/ delusional fan I go to every game thinking we will win, so keeping with that mantra I think we will win the league and of course when we don’t I will be twisting more than a chubby checker retro video.
If Eddie Howe had stayed would your 2026/27 prediction have been different (up or down…)?
Eddie’s gone, so as much as I loved him, it’s time to look forward.
Do you see a potential lack of leadership on the pitch next season if Bruno Guimaraes follows Kieran Trippier out of the club?
As I write the Bruno saga goes on..him and Trippier have been fantastic for us..but being a supporter for several decades, players come and go, it’s part of life.
The opening six league games are Liverpool home, Spurs away, Bournemouth home, Leeds away, Hull home and Coventry away. How many points would Newcastle need to take for you to be happy and what would you predict will be the reality?
18 points obviously. But seriously, beat luckypool and the whole dynamic changes. Lose and lose the week after and the doom mongers will be out in full force.
What do you see as the biggest priorities in the remainder of the transfer market this summer?
I turned 57 a couple of weeks ago and now retired. So I like to spend my days at the gym, watching the horse racing in the afternoon and planning our away trips following the toon. The reason I do this is because Newcastle United have a recruitment team who are charged with getting us the best possible talent to put the black and white shirt on. And don’t rely in my opinion on different players. So instead of hoping we sign the new Messi/ Beardsley, concentrate on decent solid players to take us forward.
Sandro Tonali leaving, your thoughts?
Sandro ole ole midfield maestro from Milano/ drinks Moretti eats spaghetti songs will probably be what Tonali is remembered most for his stay on Tyneside.
Look, good luck to the lad at Tottenham. But having seen every game he played in a black and white shirt he was bang average for most of his time here apart from the six months leading to our cup win. Also, he’s in for a massive shock when he has a few bad games for Spurs and their fans turn on him. It will dawn on him pretty quickly the support and love he left behind in Newcastle won’t be reciprocated in North London. As an anecdotal story, I was on a tram returning from the San Siro after our game in the Champions League, got talking to 3 AC Milan fans and it was an open secret about his gambling issues.
What would represent success now in the 2026/27 season for Newcastle United?
Just beat the village of the damned ffs. It’s that simple.
Predict the top six in the Premier League (in order) and which three clubs will be relegated in 2026/27.
1, us
2, not bothered
3,not bothered
4,not bothered
5,not bothered
6,not bothered
18th not bothered
19th luckypool
20th village of the damned.
Which eight current Newcastle United players (in order) are going to be most important for the 2026/27 season?
Will worry about that when the team gets announced when we play luckypool on the opening day.
Some time ago Yasir Al-Rumayyan said the intention was to make Newcastle United number one in the world, how far along the road to that do you think we are?
My intention was to make Claudia Schiffer my wife, unfortunately I forgot to lose 6 stones, stop having Oranjeboom.
How would you rate your optimism for next season at Newcastle United from 0-100?
8.5 % on my cornflakes and having an unnatural hatred of the village of the dammed/ luckypool. So unless our owners continue in the same vein as me ie. No new stadium, flogging our better players and not take the EPL to court for restriction of trade, then we are both heading in the same direction…aim for the stars as no one will talk to you in the gutter.
How important (or not) is a huge new stadium for Newcastle United?
In reality of course we need a new ground/ upgrade. Although what gets me is we cannot upgrade the East stand…of course we can, just need to bribe the right people and put the frighteners on anybody who disagrees.
When the takeover happened on 7 October 2021, if somebody at that point had told you then what would happen by August 2026, would you have taken it?
People outside our football club don’t really get what FCB did to our club, so whilst I am not happy with current events I will take where we are every day of the week.
Did England have a successful 2026 World Cup finals?
Said ages ago England should have gone for nice guy Eddie, leaving Rafa to return to his spiritual home.
Bruno Guimaraes wanting to leave Newcastle United after four and a half years, has that changed your opinion of him as a person?
Nothing I say or do will impact on his future..as a person…well he doesn’t come across as the brightest bulb in the chandelier.
Do you think the Newcastle United owners have a strong long-term plan for the club, or are they making it up as they go along?
Haven’t a clue what the Saudis plan is, but putting Madri in the east stand hardly fills me with confidence.
What do you think of the choice of Matthias Jaissle as the new NUFC boss?
Never heard of him until last Wednesday, but he will get my support 100 percent. Although we should have brought back Rafa ( who is a Geordie).