Lanky

Martin O'Neil....future manager of MUFC That's all

The Geordies Plenty of myths surround Newcastle United FC and the Cartoon Army. The "Indomitable Geordie Nation" has always considered themselves a big club with the world's best support and this idea (insert myth at your discretion) is supported by journalists and knowledgeable pundits throughout the country ready to fawn over at the first opportunity this sleeping giant with their fans so deserving of a smidgen of glory and success. Only recently North East football correspondent for the Daily Mirror, Simon Bird said of Newcastle’s support: "I have always regarded the most magnificent sight and sound in football to be served up by Anfield's Kop, scarves aloft singing in a match under floodlights with 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. It is an occasion that bombards your senses and emotions. But on Monday night the Geordie fans at St James's Park surpassed themselves. In eight years covering Newcastle games, this was up there with the most noisy, raucous, body reverberating occasions I can remember. Quite magnificent." Yadda yadda yadda....we've heard it all before Simon, along with the roaring silence and boos and hisses that both Anfield and St James' Park can generate on them not-so-glorious nights. Fans of other football clubs can't quite understand where the Geordies get the idea from that they are a big club but the comedy that has come out of NUFC over the last few years has gone some way to neutralise the bile rising in the stomachs of fans from Birmingham City, Leeds United, Notts Forest etc. As a Man United fan I shouldn't be bothered about them and the predicament they find themselves in late on in this season. They of course are all loyal home born and bred Geordies while I am constantly reminded of where I don't come from, what flavoured sandwiches I eat and how my support is based upon the silver mine accumulating outside the Old Trafford boardroom. Then again they ain't alone in fingering us all with this ridiculous tag. Any bar room football conversation regarding United and its (magnificent) support will reveal the same sentiments up and down the country and it’s the same on any given internet football forum. However, there is one football forum where this isn't usually the case. There is a football forum out there specifically for Geordies but at times is more like forum for football lovers. They are a partisan bunch regarding their own club but not solely shaded by rose tinted goggles. They talk about all things football and they appreciate all things football. Their non football threads are well informed, imaginative and intelligent and at times a jolly good read. Their perception and outlook on life and daily issues of our land is well balanced and their discussions rarely degenerate into the foul mouthing abuse of each other and visiting fans. I've been a contributing member of their forum for a number of years and had the privilege of standing in the middle of The Strawberry responding to the euphoric chants of "who the **** are Man Utd" with "We are the Champions, Champions of Europe" safe in the knowledge that I was protected (to a degree) by Wor mates. I guess it's a case of I might be a glory hunting scummy Manc but I'm their glory hunting scummy Manc. Where other fans wish us to fail domestically and in Europe many of these guys recognise the football we can produce and recognise the fact that we are representing England in and the Premiership in Europe and often leave messages of support. They mean nothing really and yet again they mean so much. Last week I wished them well in their game against Boro. I don't want Newcastle United relegated. I've grown fond of some of their supporters who are genuinely nice bloody folk. I've met them up at theirs and the hospitality has been marvellous and I've met them down at our gaff on plenty of occasion too. We give them Boddingtons, chips & gravy and they usually give us three points. It’s a relationship I'd hate to lose. While many Reds recently have been fighting over their perception of how our own world footballer of the year should behave here's what one of them said about him and us recently as the Wigan game was underway. You just won't find this kind of comment on the forums of Liverpool, Arsenal or Chelsea. "Wigan: they can piss off with their donkey arse featured manager and their smug boring bastard chairman. They can also piss off with their soul free stadium and stay away supporters. Cattermole can do one with his career ending assaults. They can get stuffed. Man U: let's face it they and their manager are a force of nature and can rightfully laugh at us from their perch as a winning club with a proud history of success. Yes they have a snotty brat in their team but if he was ours I'd just marvel at his ability...yet his cheating means all he will ever be remembered for is being the kind of perma tanned, preening jerk who most decent people would be content to clearing in the woods with a barstool and not the genius we know he is. He's an idiot. He could have been a contender." Well good luck NUFC. You too could have been a contender.