My days in Toon #1

'Sort yourself some work experience and then we'll talk' were the words the careers adviser muttered. 'I'll try my best' I replied. 'Experience is everything, you need a portfolio'. I knew that. I'd be trying for months to arrange something. Just as I was about to give up for a few months, I sent a DM on Twitter to Rob Scanlon of NufcTV and to my surprise he replied with some tips on how to improve my CV as well as a potential placement. 

Thankfully and fortuitously Rob did get back in touch offering me the chance to showcase my skills in the press box vs Southampton as well as shadow him filming and interviewing fans. Brilliant! I can't remember what I did but I probably did a Stevie T fistpump in excitement. 

I met Rob at the Sir Bobby Robson statue at 11.45 and it was chucking it down. Rob came out and introduced himself to myself, Marc (@MarcJobling) and Jubilee (@JJJubilee) who were also on placement. We piled into the elevator that took us to level 7 and Rob showed us the offices in which he works along with the rest of the media team. He sat us all down and explained the do's and the don'ts such as celebrating in the press box. That was going to be tricky, 3 days earlier I woke up the neighbour's bairn celebrating Shola's penalty vs Metalist.  After this, he outlined the itinerary. Due to it being 'french day' proceedings were different. Rob was required to capture more footage of the fans than usual such as those in fancy dress and wearing French themed face paint. As well as this, we stopped to film the french dancers which I don't think any of us minded. My job was relatively simple, alert Rob if we see anyone he may miss. 

This lad was on fire

After this, we headed to level 7 where my season ticket is located. Luckily, we didn't have to trail the steps like I do most match days, we took the lift. I observed Rob interview families and young children who were more than enthusiastic on camera. After this I was offered the opportunity to interview a boy of about 8 which I grabbed with both hands. I rattled off my first question and the young boy replied happily explaining why he was dressed up and who helped design it. I panicked briefly during it as words escaped me for a second before I regained thought. The young lad enthused about Yoan Gouffran and how he was his new favourite player and then the interview finished. Rob gave me some brief feedback, saying I spoke with clarity but that I started too quickly and that I should always check with the cameraman first. Silly me. Humorously one of the french dancers offered me a free t-shirt; she'd mistaken me for a little lad. Slightly embarrassing but I got a free t-shirt! We headed down to pitch side where Rob filmed some crowd shots before showing us to our seats in the press box. What a view. It was remarkable to see St James' from this perspective with the crowd filing in and the black and white shirts on display. As the teams came out of the tunnel to the french national anthem - which was utterly bizarre - I felt proud. The french flag began to form and I was smiling like a cheshire cat. 

As the game settled down, it was the Southampton fans making all the noise in level 7. They then had more reason to cheer when Schneiderlin fired home early on. A bloody frenchmen, irony at its finest. Here we go again I thought. I checked the replay to see if it was a legitimate goal and made a note of the scorer of the goal and the time it went in. I'd done a fair bit of research for the game and had prepared a sheet with the player's names, numbers, goal time and formation which I added to before kick off. 

In the half an hour before Sissoko's equaliser I imagined what Ryan the fan would be doing right now. More than likely, I'd be going mad, letting my mouth go a bit too much and calling them all useless. But I was calm. When Gouffran raced down the left side menacingly, I could feel the whole stadium creep forward on their seats and when Sissoko poked in, nothing happened on my part. Astonishingly, I sat as if we hadn't scored. I turned to see the lads celebrate and I looked round at the Gallowgate and to the Leazes to see the geordie faithful going nuts. When Cisse hammered home that monster of a volley I did nothing as well. Don't ask how, I don't know! I must've been in the zone; smiling no doubt. 

At half time I was about to start typing the start of my 400 word match report that I'd be assigned to do by Rob but before I could begin I was whisked off to the press room where I was easily the youngest there. I had some tea and tasted the nicest brownie ever. As I looked around me, I couldn't believe who was in the same room as me: Supermac, John Anderson and pretty much all the journos I follow on Twitter. 

Rob told me that he'd like the match report pretty much completed by the 90th minute. I started it and just as I'd formed a decent structure, Lambert equalised for the Saints. Not to worry, we have a game on our hands now I thought. I ended up changing my report 3 times and managed to have it done on the final whistle.

How could I not love these guys?

After the game we went back into the press room and I watched the press interview Pardew and Pochettino which was a really interesting experience. As I walked out with Rob back to his office he explained what he's do with the footage, showed us what he'd made for the Kharkiv match and then went onto explain what our second and final day of work experience would entail. What a brilliant day. I learnt a lot and every question I asked was answered. I was told of the not so glamorous side of this line of work but it's spurred me on more.

I think I thanked Rob about a thousand times. I'll say it again for good measure, cheers Rob.

Pride and Parity Need To Be Restored

Losing isn't nice. Losing to Sunderland isn't nice either and in the manner we did, inexcusable.

In blunt terms, we've been nothing short of diabolical. We've failed to reach realistic expectations and to build upon last season's fairy tale. When we have played well - rare occasion I hastily add - it has only been for one half. We have failed to dominate games, dominate teams nor dominate the derby like we have done in recent years.

Next season, things have to change. Is the manager to blame? Is he tactically inept? Is he stubborn? Does he motivate his players enough? These are the sorts of questions that many have tried to answer on forums, on Twitter and in pubs. Assuming he stays, Newcastle have to hit the ground running in August. We cannot blame the Europa League and we cannot blame lack of depth. Hopefully Ashley will allow whoever the manager is to strengthen in the summer, another striker and creative midfielder would be preferable and I pray that he learns from his mistakes last summer when we failed to strengthen and it cost us.

As a die hard geordie, this week has been torture. Losing 0-3 to the mackems on our own patch was arguably as bad as the feeling Sunderland felt when they were demolished 5-1 in 2010. When the fixture list comes out, I want the players to be eager to make amends. I want them to walk the walk instead of just talking it. I want to batter them.

When you look at our squad of players, it's evident that on talent alone Newcastle don't deserve to be lingering near the bottom half of the table. It's quite laughable when you compare Stoke City's squad to our own, we should be in the top 8 comfortably and consistently. But we aren't and we don't deserve to be. For the sake of this football club, for pride and for monetary reasons we need to be there again as soon as possible. We need to find a formation that suits us, we need to hit form, we need to cut out the silly excuses, we need to have more players contributing goals and we need St James' rocking again. Too much to ask for?

For my sanity, restore parity Newcastle.

Harsh Reality Should Serve As Encouragement

Losing any quarter final is bad but in the fashion Newcastle departed the Europa League, there is a sense of unfinished business. There was just one too many mistake in the first leg which always allowed Benfica that safety net even if we did score one first.

The late goal tells only half the story and evokes painful memories of previous European heartbreak. How did we allow ourselves to be so caught up in it? Probably because we've be so poor domestically that maybe it was 'our year' and that we'd be able to replicate Chelsea's European success in some way. It wasn't to be, naturally.

Good to see this man amongst the goals

There was an air of optimism before kick off that I'm sure translated to the players. Mike Williamson, Danny Simpson, Massadio Haidara and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa all defended superbly in the 1st half. I can't fault Williamson's performance, he stuck to his task well, he won the ball in their every time and didn't do anything daft with the ball. How good was it to see Haidara playing as well? He's a very lucky lad.

We now have a goal for next season, to secure a European spot. Hopefully the departure from the competition will leave them relishing more. Players such as Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Mattheiu Debuchy and Moussa Sissoko moved for European football and to enhance their national call up chances so we've got the quality. We finished 5th with a decent squad, come next season we could finish 5th with a brilliant squad.

This season will be forgotten and it's imperative that we make strides net year. Ashley will learn from his mistakes last year and strengthen. If we can get another striker in through the door and arguably another creative midfielder/proper out and out winger I think we could be in for a magical season.

As a closing thought, pretty please can we give the mackems a thrashing? Cheers in advance.

Time To Click Into Gear

Football's unpredictability never fails to amaze and with the latest bunch of results, Newcastle will have to be wary of the teams in and around them.

They'll have to focus more on the Premier League than they perhaps would have liked to as Southampton, West Ham and Wigan all won at the weekend and the teams below are making some ground on Newcastle and Southampton's win over Chelsea took them into 12th. Incredibly, Newcastle are 3 points from 11th and 3 points from 18th. Wigan's 2 successive fortuitous wins have closed the gap and has ignited another nervy end to the season for the teams near the bottom of the table. How is it that when the clocks go forward that Wigan start to play like Barcelona? 

A win against Fulham on sunday is vital for Newcastle. If they win they'll be on 36 points and assuming 3 other teams drop points Newcastle will be in a better position than they are currently. As well as this their next game is Sunderland and this will be no easy task especially with the recent introduction of the fiery character, Paulo Di Canio as their head coach. However, Fulham have won their last 2 games and although their away record is infamously diabolical they will fancy their chances against a Newcastle side that has not made St James' Park the fortress it was last year. 

Newcastle need to click into top gear immediately and have no excuses. The Europa League is there for the taking and many fans including myself will be horrified if they throw the competition in order to focus on Premier League survival. There's 3 worse teams in the league than Newcastle however I am aware of the Toon's past complacency such as when they were relegated a few years ago. The issue is goals and negative tactics. Papiss Cisse works his socks off up top on his own but cannot bang them in every week without willing runners. The loss of Ba and Ben Arfa are obvious factors for the lack of goals however in the league players such as Yoan Gouffran and Sylvain Marveaux need to start scoring in order to move away from the bottom of the table. When Newcastle are clear of the relegation zone they can focus 100% on the Europa League but if they are knocked out then it may be too late. They need to juggle the competitions for 2 weeks and utilise players such as Gouffran in the Premier League who is ineligible. 

If Newcastle can achieve a 0-0 draw in Lisbon/score a vital away goal before win on Sunday then they're in a fantastic position to push on in Europe and the Premier League. As for the derby, north east football fans are aware that form counts for absolutely nothing: whoever wants it, wins it.

Why football is at risk of becoming the laughing stock of international sport

Why do we watch sport? Is it the elation of winning or is it the drama that could amass at any moment?

Drama runs through the heart of football, on and off the pitch. Players score last minute goals, players escape red for 2 footed lunges and managers can be sacked at any moment. But when does it get a bit silly? As I write this I’ve just read on the BBC Sport website that Michael Appleton has been sacked after 67 days in charge of Blackburn Rovers. What is even more remarkable is that this was Appleton’s 3rd managerial role since the end of 2011 and Blackburn’s 5th manager since September 2012. Matt Smith, the Doctor Who star, described the Venkeys who run Blackburn Rovers as ‘numpties’ and it’s hard to disagree. Where is the loyalty in football? If Sir Alex Ferguson was sacked in the first 3 years of his reign, Manchester United would still be languishing behind Liverpool and would not be the club they are today.

As a Newcastle supporter I felt aggrieved on Sunday when Callum Mcmanaman was not shown a red card for his lunge that saw young Frenchmen Massadio Haidara fall to the floor in agony. Evidence has shown that the referee Mark Halsey did not see the incident however it has been proven that the assistant had a clear view but did not raise his flag. This is outrageous. In 2013 football is miles behind other sports in the way the game is patrolled. Why can’t there be a 10 second break in play when the ball goes out to review the challenge? This argument supports goal line technology as well but I think everyone’s heard too much on that subject.

The Horror Tackle

Arguably, football wouldn’t be the game it is without controversy. But when players have their legs broken and teams aren’t awarded blatant goals the feeling of injustice is justified and needs to be rectified. Take cricket and football as an example, the ball travels at over 100MPH yet technology allows us to track the movement off the ball and can provide replays in seconds. FIFA’s stubbornness is perplexing.

The FA's response to the incident has been nothing short of disgraceful. Wilfred zaha has been banned for responding angrily to racism yet Mcmanaman walks away unscathed.  You can't make it up. The FA is an embarrassment to the home of football and I agree with Llambias' comments on the NUFC website.Football is crying out for consistency. In one game a two footed lunge which misses the player and the ball can be given as a red due to intent but tackles that result in broken legs can not be dealt with retrospectively if the referee saw it. Where is the logic in that? Rugby has benefited from the technology and has lead to a fairer and more exciting game. Teams can’t rely on poor decisions anymore; they require a high standard of sport from the first minute to the last.Although football may be the biggest sport on the continent, in terms of sense it is very much near the bottom of the list. Technology won’t kill football, it’ll enhance it. What example does it set for up and coming coaches if managers are dismissed 67 days into a job?

Football is an incredible game. Sometimes it's so incredible, it's unbelievable. And sometimes it’s just plain daft.

Is the fairy tale possible?

Tomorrow, it'll mark 3 years since Newcastle played Scuthorpe in the Championship. It will also see a french flavoured Newcastle face Wigan after defeating a spirited Anzhi Makhachkala to reach the quarter final of the Europa League in midweek.

What an achievement. What a job Mike Ashley, Derek Llambias, Chris Hughton, Colin Calderwood, Alan Pardew, John Carver and our players have achieved. It's funny to think that this season's achievements are a bit of a disappointment but last season was a fairy tale. Is there a possibility that the next chapter could be about to be written? Could the slipper find the princess? Possibly. Likely? Who cares?

Goalscorer and the man of the match.

In a season where Bradford have reached the Capital One cup final it is clear anything can happen. Fortune favours the brave and brave men make fairy tales great. Newcastle have been this and more in the Europa League. Pardew gambled in Kharkiv and won. Pardew gambled against Anzhi and won. I wonder what he'll do against Benfica? We've got the talent and depth to give it a go as well. The January signings have added quality as well as numbers. They've all hit the ground running; Debuchy and Gouffran are ineligible in Europe but this means that we have them available and hopefully hungrier to play in the Premier League in which we're almost mathematically safe. Haidara has looked decent when he has started, Yanga-Mbiwa and Taylor have been superb at the back and Sissoko has been a monster in the midfield. With Papiss Cisse seemingly getting back amongst the goals and Shola's incredible record in Europe our attack can hurt Europe's defences. If Yohan Cabaye is fit for both legs and Tiote manages to recall how to pass we're in with a shot. The derby days after the 2nd leg will pale into insignificance if we beat the Portuguese side.

In regards to the league, it is both a realistic and sensible goal to aim for 10th. Personally, finishing 17th would suit me if it meant European glory. This season's final league position will not be representative of what this team can achieve. I'm not saying we should throw away our games but importance should not be placed on the Premier League game if there is a Europa League game in midweek. We should look to emulate Swansea when they secured silverware after choosing to rest key players vs Liverpool.

Is it daft to dream? Once upon a time there was a wee club in the North East of England who went by the name of Newcastle United. They slayed dragons, ugly sisters and mackems, can Shola slay Europe?

Does nationality matter?

Recently I've read a lot of comments regarding Newcastle's influx of new signings. Some neutrals are claiming that fans of Newcastle United are unhappy with the number of foreign players who play for NUFC rather than geordies.

That statement is wrong and does not in any way shape or form represent the view of the majority of Newcastle fans and I'll explain why. It goes without saying that we'd prefer if everyone who lined up in the tunnel was born down the road and had a geordie accent but we aren't complaining when the likes of Hatem Ben Arfa and Moussa Sissoko are donning the black and white shirts; times have changed.

Also, if British talent wasn't so horribly overrated and overpriced maybe Mike Ashley might even consider it - at the moment it doesn't even enter into his mindset. Why? Jordan Henderson from Sunderland for £20 million. Yohan Cabaye from Lille the French Champions for £3.5 million. Who's the better player? Who's adapted quickest? Who's of international class and maintains his position in the national side? Cabaye is just one example but the same could be said of Ben Arfa, Sissoko, Yanga-Mbiwa, Cisse, Tiote and to a lesser extent Gouffran. Downing, Sturridge, Joe Allen, Andy Carroll and Adam Johnson are all examples of inflated prices for players who have been signed for their nationality and to appease fans rather than for the benefit of the football club.

Andy Carroll learnt his trade at Newcastle, impressed for a year and a half in the Championship and briefly in the Premier League before being sold to Liverpool for £35 million. It's astonishing, Mike Ashley must have laughed his way to the bank in a similar way football fans are laughing at Liverpool's transfer policy in general. Statistically, Carroll was average for Newcastle. Liverpool attempted to take advantage of his hot streak in the top flight and failed. With the money from that one sale, Ashley and Pardew were able to fashion a team which was then to finish above Liverpool in the following season.

More of this please Mr Ashley

But I've got off topic a little bit. It makes sense to buy cheap, achieve success and then if the price is right sell. Take Yohan Cabaye as an example, we bought him and he's achieved success with us. We've scratched his back; he's scratched ours. The likelihood is that Cabaye will be sold sometime in the future but he won't go for cheap and Ashley will do his best to pin him down with a new contract. Newcastle can easily make £12-15 million profit on Cabaye as he's impressed in his 2 seasons in the top level. He's brought versatility, flair, potency, goals and assists to Newcastle and I'd much prefer him to some wannabe David Batty from Red House Farm or worse another Nile Ranger.

However, I would be extremely disappointed if our match day squad did just become all foreigners. I want success and I'm not fussed who plays in the team but I would like to see local lads/Englishmen in and around the first team like Carroll was 4 years ago. Hopefully, Adam Campbell will even break into the elite. I have high hopes for him.

I'm proud to support Newcastle and I'm proud that I support a self sufficient club who hopefully can continue to show the rest of football how a modern day football club should be run. Ashley's took some stick in the past but I can only commend him for what he's done at Newcastle United. He's stuck in at running a football club just like the Newcastle players have since they were promoted in 2009.

Nationality doesn't matter to me, nor does race or sexuality. If someone plays for the shirt I'll support them and I'll sing their name in St James' Park. If he's local, great. If he's not, so what?