Star Letter

On Sunday 24th May 2009, Hull City played Manchester United at home while Newcastle United lost 1-0 to a team in claret and blue and were relegated. If that score is repeated, or even if NUFC shake off their lethargy and grab a draw against the second bottom team in the current form table, the Magpies will be relegated again. Thankfully, I won't be there; Glasgow is my destination this weekend for Ride at Barras on Friday and Irvine Meadow XI v Arthurlie in the New Coins Holdings West of Scotland Cup semi final on Saturday, which I'll return to here at a later date. Whether Sunday brings "success" or failure, inquests will focus on the one man who is to blame for this farcical situation, though this isn't the place to talk about Tim Krul just yet. Instead, I'd like to rebut an article in "The Morning Star" that floated the idea of an FC United of Newcastle, which I feel is a wrongheaded plan on every level. This was published as an on-line letter, but became lost in the fall-out from the election.

Comrades,

In response to Kadeem Simmonds' article "Are We Moving towards FC United of Newcastle," could I offer the offering response as a passionate Newcastle United, who will be proud to vote Communist in Newcastle East on 7 May.

Undoubtedly, this current crisis at Newcastle United will mean tipping point has been reached for a sizeable proportion of the crowd and of those who remain, anyone trotting out the lame cliché that they will continue “support the team not the regime” by stumping up for season tickets that are more expensive than 19 individual match day purchases, will be increasingly, and justifiably, seen as Wonga clad Lord Haw Haws. However, in response to all those who have fired off letters cancelling their direct debits for current and future season tickets, I could point out they are 6 years too late as I walked away, with mixed feelings that endure to this day, in 2009. So where does this leave the fans of Newcastle United? Some are calling for the establishment of a new club; a kind of FCUM based on Tyneside, which is a suggestion I find myself in clear opposition to, for a number of reasons.

Personally, I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing FCUM play; I’ve wanted to and I've made a promise to myself that I’ll rectify this shortcoming at some point in 2015/2016. To be perfectly frank, I don’t know enough of the non-league demographics of Manchester to comment on how their existence has impinged on clubs like Droylesden, Flixton, Maine Road or Trafford Borough, but it appears that FCUM certainly have found a niche, amassed a great and vibrant  support and managed to produce in A Fine Lung and Under the Boardwalk, two of the finest fanzines imaginable.

Unquestioningly, I like and respect FC United of Manchester, but equally certainly, I don’t see any possible scope for a similar club, perhaps called FCUN, taking shape on Tyneside for several reasons. Firstly, the size of support; Manchester United’s fanbase dwarfs almost every other English club and there simply aren’t enough of us following NUFC to make a breakaway club feasible or even sustainable beyond a Step 7 level in my opinion. Secondly, the level of organisation; FCUM’s chief executive Andy Walsh is another in the long line of charismatic, one time Trotskyists who have found a role in football administration. His expertise and those involved in the formation of FCUM had cut their sporting teeth when involved in IMUSA, who displayed a level of collaborative opposition to the Glazer regime, and the Edwards dynasty for decades previous, that our support can only dream of, gave FCUM a head start in the bureaucratic part of the meritocracy that is their club. Thirdly, and most importantly in my eyes, we’ve got a wonderful history of non-league football on Tyneside, with the second oldest competition in the world, the Northern League, more than adequately represented by Newcastle based clubs.  My beloved Newcastle Benfield, who finished 10th in Division 1 of the Northern League, are the second most senior club in Newcastle. I see no contradiction inherent in following Benfield, while fighting passionately to ensure the future of Newcastle United.

The Northern League, is a competition that has existed since 1889 and boasts 44 clubs in two divisions, including Benfield, Team Northumbria and Heaton Stannington in Newcastle itself, with West Allotment Celtic, North Shields,  Whitley Bay, Ashington, Bedlington Terriers and Alnwick representing the area north of the Tyne. South of the river Ryton, Whickham, Dunston, Birtley, Jarrow Roofing, Chester Le Street, Durham and South Shields serve areas of overwhelming black and white support. Below the Northern League, the Northern Alliance boasts another 40 sides with the Tyneside Amateur, Corinthian and North Northumberland below that. I’ve not even mentioned Blyth Spartans, Spennymoor or Gateshead yet!!

In short, with so many clubs and that much rich history to luxuriate in, there is no need or reason to form a breakaway club along the lines of FCUM; what we need to do as NUFC fans, is to fight for the soul of our own Newcastle United. This means joining together, organising and bringing pressure on the current toxic regime; Newcastle Fans United, NUST, “The Popular Side" fanzine and www.ashleyout.com , together with  all supporters with the best interests of the club at heart must bind together to drive Ashley OUT and bring Fan Ownership IN. Comrades, we must unite around Newcastle United and we must do this now.

Fraternally,

ian cusack

Newcastle upon Tyne