Why we must beat Newcastle

[John]

a win on Sunday could give us fifth place, ending the season on a positive note. This of course means we will enter the prestigious (ahem) Europa League one round later which would be nice. It will also give the fans and players something positive to take into the summer break

That is the reason I want a win on Sunday. I don't take any great pleasure in sending one of the bigger clubs down (although I might make an exception for one of the top 4) and Newcastle are a well supported club and are a big club, not as big as us but still bigger than the likes of Hull who may stay up in their place. I would also rather like to think Newcastle fans would not gloat if the boot was on the other foot and we were the ones in trouble.

On current form there is not much to choose between the two sides. On papers we look much stronger but they will come into it all guns blazing and it has been some weeks since we did the same. The problem for Newcastle may be that we often play very well in our last home game and I think the players will want to go out on a better note than a tame defeat and sixth place. If we do get the win I want, then I hope Newcastle enjoy their season back down there and they can take comfort from the fact that the likes of Small Heath & WBA have recently shown an early return is easier than it once was and if they can manage it Newcastle should walk it next season if the R word becomes a reality. My best wishes for next season to Newcastle but on Sunday I want that win.

[sled]

Just to say that I agree with every single word of that, John.

[yakubu]

i'd like to think that most of us villa fans realise that those big fat, mouth breathing, toothless retards we laugh at on sky sports news all the time represent only a small minority of toon fans. the few geordies i know are just standard football fans like the rest of us who don't need to be constantly told what a great big massive club they are and i'd hope that you geordie lads on here realise that all the banter over the last week or so is (mostly) just banter :-)

i for one have a lot of sympathy for the geordies, i'd be devastated if mike ashley owned our club, i'd be gutted if we had had managers like souness, roeder, kinnear or shearer, i'd be incredibly pissed off if dennis wise had anything to do with villa and i'd be embarrassed over the whole keegan fiasco.

looking at the current situation at newcastle i feel a lot better about the situation at villa, we've generally been awful for the past 3 months and it's tough to see the positives in such a gloomy time, but we're not even close to the shit that lot are in.

of course i hope we stuff them. we weren't too clever at st james's this season and i'd love us to redress the balance, and i'd love to see shearer fail, and i'd love to see ashley sell up at a huge loss, it might even be good for him to have a bit less money to spend on pies and non-alcoholic beer, and i'd love to see joey barton reduced to fighting people in the championship. i happen to think that a villa victory this sunday is unlikely, but in a match like this with so much at stake anything can happen.

if we do win then i'll be sad for the average, decent toon fans who deserve better

[blandy]

This thread is superb. Normally the "why we must beat.." threads get taken in the wrong way. They're just a bit of fun. This one though shows that contrary to the myth, Newcastle fans are a good bunch (an opinion I completely share) - with one exception, their posts on here make that very clear. They're proper supporters. It also shows that plenty of Villans recognise that. like John and Sled, I want us to win Sunday. I always do. Nothing against Newcastle, but I'm a Villa fan.

If they go down, it won't be their fans fault. It'll be the players, the board, and the constant change of managers they've had to endure. If they stay up, they're a long way from out of the woods.

They're alright, the Geordies.

[OdihamVilla]

Villafan306

The last paragraph of your article is the mindset i wish everyone on this board had. It sums up the first half of our season and how the second half should have been!

Toon fans. We want to see you go down because out of the relegation candidates, you're the 'biggest club'. It's that simple. No-one actually hates you, it would just be funny! I personally know a lot of geordies all of whom are sound, not fat and don't stand in the freezing cold topless.

Face it, every single non-geordie wants the villa to win on sunday and if the tables were turned you'd be exactly the same.

For the record 2-1 Villa.

Bye bye.

x

[The_Rev]

The last decent trophy Newcastle United won was the FA Cup in 1955.

The last half dozen (mickey mouse) trophies they won dont even exist any more, the intertwobob, the Texaco Cups and Anglo Italian cup in the early 1970's, the Fairs Cup which wasnt a UEFA competition, you qualified for it by being invited into it, in the last sixties. Newcastle are not a big club in terms of success. They played some really nice football in the mid 1990's under Kevin Keegan and they have the best catchment area of any club in the entire country, but thats pretty much it. But there is some media created bullshit mystique about the place that ex players and the kind of tossers who phone in 606 are happy to play up to. I think its mostly because the Newcastle metropolitan area (ie, everywhere up there that isnt Sunderland) is an area where outlets like Sky know that if they say nice things about one team they have no risk of pissing fans of other clubs off, simply because there are no other clubs. Its designed to sell subscriptions im sure, but it winds me right up. I like Newcastle as a city, I think I have liked every Newcastle fan I have met, but I still really do not like Newcastle United as a club because of this bubble they seem to have created for themselves. I seem to remember loads of crowing from Newcastle fans after a 0-0 at Old Trafford on the opening day of the season saying how the messiah was back and they would take the Premier League by storm. I imagine there will be the same kind of deluded over reactions hailing Shearer as the greatest manager of all time if Newcastle do stay up on Sunday.

Ill be keeping everything crossed for a Villa win.

[tonyh29]

Part of me wants us to relegate Newcastle ..then , once the club implodes and joins Leeds , Sunday will be spoken about as one of those "Where were you " moments

another part of me , all be it a very small one , wants Newcastle to stay in the Prem . Teams like Hull , Wigan , Birmingham may gate crash the party from time to time but they belong in the lower leagues ... The Prem kinda needs teams like Newcastle

I expect to see some dodgy referee decision to allow Man U youth to beat Hull ..the rest is down to Newcastle

[Grant(aka_eddy)]

Bassong's suspension isn't the end of the world. Should Heskey play it could be argued he'd be our best defender.

I know i shouldnt laugh but that cracked me up!

It's nice that this situation has created a bit of humility and that Newcastle fans are declaring that they are just ordinary fans like us...

However, i don't recall ever hearing this before, this is literally the first instance i've ever encountered. It's very refreshing because all i've ever known before is them (you! sorry, i dont really know who i'm addressing on this point!) embracing the media myth that they are some kind of superior breed of fan. Best fans in the country, best ground in the country, best atmosphere etc etc etc repeat to absolute mind-numbing boredom. They do have a big ground and they have a big fanbase who have shown up during exciting times to give exciting support. But as would most other sets of supporters in the same circumstances, as times have got harder, the support has shown its discontent in the same way other fans would.

It's because of the constant pretence, admittedly perpetuated on your behalf by the media, that you are so superior that i've been desperate for you to go down. I also fancy us to get at least one of your players and as others have touched on, it's an exciting event a big club like yours going down. Sorry, but it is and I think many other fans would feel like that if it were Villa going down.

Other than that myth which you have previously embraced so readily i quite like Newcastle, very entertaining in the mid-90's with a gung ho style of football that i really wanted to succeed.

Times change though and I doubt you'll agree with me but a spell in the Championship could do you good. It may cement that humility and it may allow for the clearout you desperately need. You'll have no trouble attracting players at that level with your reputation and you may get some who actually take some pride in the shirt.

So I suppose it's a sorry, you may escape relegation but i really dont want you to. Though don't take too much offence, i'd put money on you coming back up a better club.

[Condimentalist]

I'm with Grant.

[MagicM]

The_Rev.............."I seem to remember loads of crowing from Newcastle fans after a 0-0 at Old Trafford on the opening day of the season"

You don't seem to remember it very well mate-it was 1-1, Newcastle took the lead through Martins only for Man U to equalise when we were down to 10 men after Taylor went off to receive treatment. Can't remember any crowing from us-the odd few maybe, but you get that. Most of us enjoyed the performance and were hopeful of a better season than last especially after our new signings played well that day but that's all, sorry to disappoint but no messiahs were mentioned up here.

Grant........."Sorry, but it is and I think many other fans would feel like that if it were Villa going down."

Maybe some would but personally i would hate to see the likes of Villa, Everton, Spurs etc go down-the Premiership needs clubs like those in it, and in my personal opinion Newcastle as well and that's not just because i'm a Geordie-I just think the Prem is not the place for clubs like Hull, Wigan etc-nothing against those clubs by the way-just my opinion.

Back to The_Rev....What is your criteria for classing a club as big? Like I said earlier, clubs don't win Trophies-Teams do, the team is only a part of the club. You say Newcastle aren't a big club in terms of success--I agree-on recent lack of success, we don't even mention Texaco, Anglo Italian or Intertoto-we know they mean nothing so why bother bringing that up? yes there would be reactions after Sundays game if we stayed up but saying we would be deluded into hailing Shearer as the greatest manager of all time just proves that you watch too much of Sky Sports News.

One thing is for sure, the away section on Sunday will be in full voice - even if we go down.

To Grant again...."But as would most other sets of supporters in the same circumstances, as times have got harder, the support has shown its discontent in the same way other fans would."

Yes the fans have become quite discontented this season and it's showing in the drop in gates.........we ONLY get 48,000 at home games when we're in the relegation zone........Shocking eh?

It's going to be a very nervous day on Sunday but fingers crossed we'll do enough to stay up....how about you let us win this one and we'll let you do the double next season?...if only!!!!

[Condimentalist]

Maybe some would but personally i would hate to see the likes of Villa, Everton, Spurs etc go down-the Premiership needs clubs like those in it, and in my personal opinion Newcastle as well and that's not just because i'm a Geordie-I just think the Prem is not the place for clubs like Hull, Wigan etc-nothing against those clubs by the way-just my opinion.

So your opinion is that healthy competition and opportunity for the underdogs is a bad thing? It's the cornerstone of sport.

Ridiculous.

[MagicM]

No, Healthy competition and opportunity for the underdogs in sport is a good thing but playing teams like Hull or Wigan is Hardly going to excite many people is it?

Did you just read my post and look for something to snipe at?

At the very least you should allow posters to give an honest opinion without calling their comment ridiculous, I'm sure many others will share my opinion.

[Condimentalist]

No, Healthy competition and opportunity for the underdogs in sport is a good thing but playing teams like Hull or Wigan is Hardly going to excite many people is it?

So which is more important in the context of sport? Besides, I thought it was pretty exciting when Hull were beating everyone earlier in the season. In fact, I'd say that was much more exciting because it's a bit different. The high end of football is stale enough as it is, that's why people wanted us to break the top 4, and that's why people want to see you go down.

[Grant(aka_eddy)]

To Grant again...."But as would most other sets of supporters in the same circumstances, as times have got harder, the support has shown its discontent in the same way other fans would."

Yes the fans have become quite discontented this season and it's showing in the drop in gates.........we ONLY get 48,000 at home games when we're in the relegation zone........Shocking eh?

Alright bud.

3 things on this;

1) I didn't knock your attendances and i did acknowledge the large fan base etc.

2) A relegation fight is as exciting in it's own right as challenging for success and will draw in supporters who want to witness the escape and indeed help if they can. Try mid-table obscurity for a few seasons combined with boring football, that can be a real killer to fans motivation to pay up and turn up.

3) Your fans have shown an awful lot of discontent over the last two seasons. Some empty seats has been part of it but there has also been booing the team and so on. Now i'm not knocking this, just highlighting it as why you are not above other fans.

[MagicM]

Patrick, Villa being in the relegation zone would be "a bit different" would you still be excited by that? I was one of those who was hoping Villa could split the top 4 and i totally agree-the high end is very stale-but Hull were hardly going to challenge all season were they? their glory came early on in the season but that is usually the case with pacesetters.

I still stick to my opinion though-I would much rather see games against the bigger clubs than those against Wigan etc, you tend to get more enjoyment from watching your team beat the big guns than beating Hull-not that we've beaten Hull this season but you get my point?

Ok Grant, we've tried mid-table obscurity for the last few seasons but the fans have still emptied their pockets and turned up-if St James' Park had a capacity of 48,000 it would be full every game, you can't really say anything about a few empty seats in such a big stadium. About the booing...weren't Villa fans booing the team while you were 5th? it happens all the time ..... at all clubs-it just seems to get more coverage in the news when it happens at Newcastle.

The last part of your post Grant-about "highlighting it as why we are not above other fans"--again you seem to think what you hear from a few fans on tv is what all Toon fans think, yes i believe we have a terrific set of fans but your post is suggesting that i have said we are above other fans when i would never say that.

This thread started off so friendly so i want you to know that i'm not trying to stir things up, just having a bit of banter, once again, i'm a genuine football fan who is trying to put the record straight about Newcastle fans. we're not all like the one's you see on tv-we're just ordinary people like yourselves who have unfortunately been targeted by the media for a good few years now....so strongly at times that people actually believe what they see in print is gospel.

choose your own words in response to this (however bad) don't just copy what the media say--be yourself not a media puppet.

[safcblogger]

Good write up, for too long the Mags have been a self tagged "big club" and a spell in a lower league or further may well bring realization to their fans that they are not as big as they think they are, 1969 was their last piece of silverware and they rode that crest for 4 years before we grabbed the FA Cup from Leeds in `73.

Sunderland have rebuilt from the ground up and we are no strangers to promotion/relegations of our own, the biggest part of this rebuilding has only become apparent during the Roy Keane era and the spotlight that briefly shone on our club, thanks to the media coverage for whatever reason that man brought with him.

What it failed to highlight was the total faith and commitment Niall Quinn has shown both in the community and his commitment to rebuilding the club, we have never been the most liked club, but a devoted base of fans local, away and ex-pat, i hope goes a long way to bringing ties together with equally like minded fans.

We know we are not deserving of anything, but we are striving to get there and Niall is paving the way. We are a very lucky club.

Sunday is a huge game fo SAFC, Hull, the Mags and Boro although it would seem unlikely that Boro will survive barring a miracle and Man Utd apparently playing a weakened side against Hull because of Wednesdays Champions League Final (although weakened would suggest an easy win, i doubt Fergie would field a side for a massacre).

Which leaves us looking for a win against a Chelsea side with one aye on the FA Cup Final, barring other results we have our survival in our hands. All of this you guys already know. What you may not know is that if Mon fields that team and overcomes the Mags to reach 62 points, you will gain a fair amount of SAFC supporters.

I think MoN may well have received a fair amount of good look emails from SAFC fans already (thanks to that helpful Villa telephonist). On a side note i would really love to see more Sky cameras outside of Sid James' Park filming more distraught Mags with their mispelt banners after your lads take a long overdue win during your recent form.

WHEN you do beat the Mags i will return with a feat of Photoshop genius from one of our own to show appreciation.

Good Luck for Sunday Aston Villa

[Condimentalist]

weren't Villa fans booing the team while you were 5th?

be yourself not a media puppet.

As for what you're saying, I understand what you mean, I just disagree with it entirely.

[Grant(aka_eddy)]

Patrick, Villa being in the relegation zone would be "a bit different" would you still be excited by that? I was one of those who was hoping Villa could split the top 4 and i totally agree-the high end is very stale-but Hull were hardly going to challenge all season were they? their glory came early on in the season but that is usually the case with pacesetters.

I still stick to my opinion though-I would much rather see games against the bigger clubs than those against Wigan etc, you tend to get more enjoyment from watching your team beat the big guns than beating Hull-not that we've beaten Hull this season but you get my point?

Ok Grant, we've tried mid-table obscurity for the last few seasons but the fans have still emptied their pockets and turned up-if St James' Park had a capacity of 48,000 it would be full every game, you can't really say anything about a few empty seats in such a big stadium. About the booing...weren't Villa fans booing the team while you were 5th? it happens all the time ..... at all clubs-it just seems to get more coverage in the news when it happens at Newcastle.

The last part of your post Grant-about "highlighting it as why we are not above other fans"--again you seem to think what you hear from a few fans on tv is what all Toon fans think, yes i believe we have a terrific set of fans but your post is suggesting that i have said we are above other fans when i would never say that.

This thread started off so friendly so i want you to know that i'm not trying to stir things up, just having a bit of banter, once again, i'm a genuine football fan who is trying to put the record straight about Newcastle fans. we're not all like the one's you see on tv-we're just ordinary people like yourselves who have unfortunately been targeted by the media for a good few years now....so strongly at times that people actually believe what they see in print is gospel.

choose your own words in response to this (however bad) don't just copy what the media say--be yourself not a media puppet.

You are though assuming that i am basing my opinion on the media perception and that of a few fans on TV. An assumption on your part that is way wide of the mark.

It includes those i've met in real life and those occassions i've ventured onto Newcastle forums (though the internet can be a strage place). My primary source is defintely real life, t'internet opinions second and the media third.

You may just have to accept that as far as fans go you are a bit of an exception in having this humility, certainly in my experience. Though even in a post you claim we shouldnt listen to the media myth, you still reference high attendances and have a pop at us booing. I actually dont think the Newcastle fans booing was referenced that heavily, if anything it was played down. Those few Villa fans who chose to boo were labelled a disgrace by most and this was arguably a bigger deal in the media.

Anyway, the arguments are moot points really. Hull, Boro and Sunderland fans could no doubt come on here and make an equally valid argument about how decent they are. We need to beat you on Sunday for our own purposes and any favours would be against the spirit of things.

Good luck to you whatever happens.

[MagicM]

On a side note i would really love to see more Sky cameras outside of Sid James' Park filming more distraught Mags with their mispelt banners after your lads take a long overdue win during your recent form.

WHEN you do beat the Mags i will return with a feat of Photoshop genius from one of our own to show appreciation.

Sid James' Park..........very good, not as funny as "Stadium of Sh*te though.

Don't you mean "misspelt banners" possibly even mis-spelt -- Numpty.

As for the Photoshop feat, I have a good few creations myself, pride of place goes to the one of the Sunderland fan posing beside Michael Jackson--I think the Mackem was called "Bubbles" or something.

Watch this space if need be

Grant, the mention of Villa fans booing wasn't meant as a pop-it was just to show that it happens elsewhere, also it's only right that Villa should try to win the game-we don't expect or want any favours-well I don't anyway-if Man U played their under 15's against Hull then that would be against the spirit of things but i expect them to put out a side capable of winning.

[rjw63]