BoxRec

King Tubby wrote:It's a myth about their supporters. Always moaning, getting managers sacked. They think they're a big club but they're not. Not as well supported as Chelsea through history, and look how much stick Chelsea get from no-nothing fans: 'Where were you when you were..blah, blah'. I remember them getting gates of 10,000.

http://www.nufc.com/html/attendance-all-time.html

One should never be surprised by anything that happens on Barrack Road, save for the appearance of an open top bus carrying a trophy festooned in black & white ribbons.

However we are struggling to recall when we last parted company with a manager whose name was sung in what proved to be his final game in charge. Keegan, probably.

It's important though to place on record the profound depression and disillusionment that had set in amongst many of our hard-core supporters - and we're not talking about message board jockeys or serial 606 texters here.

Fans known to us for many years were dropping by the wayside, or even contemplating packing in and/or picking their games.

When that sort of indifference starts to become the norm, alarm bells start ringing - empty seats don't cheer or boo.

Many of those people were still there on Sunday though, still supporting their team - and cheering for Allardyce.

That's what we do. We're not political to the same extent as the fans of some other teams - we can't even organise a supporters club.

The Boxing Day defeat at Wigan saw the infamous "we're shit and we're sick of it" chant, but for every fan joining in with that, others bit their lips or abandoned hope and refused to return while we remain a football-free zone.

Forget all of this twaddle about pressure and expectation: no slack-jawed ex-player or self-important rag writer can tell those people travelling the length of the country to be patient in the face of what they are seeing.

Winning at Fulham, drawing against Derby, losing at Wigan - all unwatchable, regardless of the final score.

Allardyce hasn't gone purely because of results, but because of the lifeless performances - in common parlance he seemed to have lost the dressing room, if he ever had it - Butt's "United we stand" comments notwithstanding.

The issue that vexes us is why dump him now - why not after Wigan?

Is there a semblance of a plan? A change in circumstance with our preferred candidate in the last few hours?

Can it really be as simple as Ashley being booked to go away on his jollies and returning to see that excuse for a performance from behind the goal on Sunday?

Or is this an off-the-cuff decision, a whim of the type that has seen Ashley attract criticism from the stock market community for his unpredictability in business dealings?

Those experts wittering on about the great managers being given time elsewhere that they wouldn't get on Tyneside conveniently ignore the sheer unadulterated bloody rubbish that has been served up by his players - not to mention the holes in his squad last Sunday.

While Milner was genuinely ill and Carr lacking match fitness, suspicions remain that others made themselves unavailable, including some of the African Nations-bound contingent. Shola of course will be gutted by Sam going.

Opinion will remain divided on whether Allardyce would have "got it right" eventually - or we'd have sunk still further away from the business end of the table.

But this isn't Ebbsfleet United, someone ultimately has to the run the damn thing and take major decisions, unless we appoint Simon Cowell and turn the whole thing into a premium rate phoneline extravaganza.....

For Mort and Ashley this is the point that they draw a line under their first seven months, having overseen much positive change off the field.

However they have watched their initial policy of leaving the previously-appointed man in post undo some of that good work by providing sub-standard product to sell.

Another link with the previous administration is severed then - and it's the last major one.

Whoever takes the job now has a fantastic opportunity to rewrite history - whilst trying to succeed where a galaxy of familiar footballing names have ultimately failed.

It's a sad fact that the identity of our new manager will at least partly dictate how much rope he's given by the press - both national and local.

On a positive note though, he'll probably speak to the BBC, an ongoing issue which overshadowed the whole of the Allardyce administration - certainly the regular appearances of Nigel Pearson did Sam no favours.

Another element that has to be faced is the Barton situation - that could of course be taken from the new man's burden by being resolved before he's appointed.

Is this mob rule?

If so, who in their right mind would take this club on - knowing as they do that their future rests on the whim of a volatile crowd.

As Allardyce himself said though, it's a results business and the performances of the Newcastle players have ultimately put Ashley and Mort in a place where they even considered a change of manager.

Underachieving on an epic scale - that could be our motto

Wax On wrote:

King Tubby wrote:It's a myth about their supporters. Always moaning, getting managers sacked. They think they're a big club but they're not. Not as well supported as Chelsea through history, and look how much stick Chelsea get from no-nothing fans: 'Where were you when you were..blah, blah'. I remember them getting gates of 10,000.

http://www.nufc.com/html/attendance-all-time.html

Spot on, in the days just before Keegan, they had less than 10,000 on a regular basis.

They had a few good years under him and then all of a sudden think they have a devine right to be a success / table topping club. They've not backed a manager since Keegan, and IMO have just lost the guy who would have finally sorted out all their problems.

I like the Geordie people, but I'm glad this ridiculous sacking has finally started to dispel the myth in most quarters about Newcastle having the best fans and deserving success more than any other club.

It's utter b0llocks. Almost as bad as the Merseyside derby being known as the 'Family derby' or scousers being known for their excellent wit. They've segregated the fans cause they want to rip each others heads off, not because all seater stadia meant the ticketing became more difficult, and they're more famous for being a bunch of robbers!!

Mario wrote:I'd be quite happy if we got Harry Redknapp in, i think he'd do a good job if he was given a chance with a bit of money to spend. I just hope we dont get Mark Hughes in, i've never really liked the way his team plays, he just seems to sign big hard bastards to kick teams off the field (with the exception of Bentley and Pedersen).

Ultimately it was the fans and press who got sam the sack and i dont think they'll ever learn to be patient enough. I dont think Ashley ever really wanted Allardyce though and once he's got his own man in he'll be given time to build a squad.

Wales wrote:I dont think the fans wanted Souness or Roeder.

As a newcastle fan I'd like to see someone who's managed at the top level come in and do the job, rather thna someone who's managed at a mediocre level but appears to mayeb have the potential for the higher level.

Gus Hiddink would be my choice. Problem is Ashley has allegedly said it'll be a british manager who is currently with a club (ina roundabout way).

Personally i dont want harry redknapp.

This Ashley guy is taking his direction from fat guys who think wearing no shirt in the freezing cold is somehow an example of their insight and intelligence.

Matt W wrote: And what were Newcastle expecting when they appointed Allardyce? If they expected instant success they were deluded, if not why sack him now without giving him time to make his mark?