I’m writing this the day after I witnessed Hatem Ben Arfa
scoring our first against Bolton, which was undoubtedly one of the ten best
goals ever seen at St. James’ Park. Unfortunately the tight deadline for this
issue means I have to jot these thoughts when there are still 5 games to play,
so in many ways, what I’ve got to say is pure speculation. Having won five on
the bounce at the time of writing, the unnatural blind optimist within me says we
could very well continue on with that glorious form in the remaining fixtures and
reach the Champions’ League at season’s end, though the natural pessimist in my
head gloomily concludes we could very well blow up, lose the lot and limp home
in 6th spot, without the consolation of even Europa League Thursdays
to look forward to next season. However, I really don’t think it matters all
that much where we end up, bearing in the context of what I’m going to say.
Despite the fact, I simply don’t trust the so-called owners
of my club on any level; this has been a wonderful season, made all the more
glorious by the utterly unexpected heights we’ve reached on the pitch. That
said, a football club isn’t just about the results on the field of play; it’s
about culture, mood, and ambience; and in Newcastle United’s sake, being the
unifying fulcrum for our city and the region as a whole. Unlike certain others
among our support, who’ve allowed a day’s work experience to turn their heads,
consequently enabling them to shift their opinions 180 degrees regarding Ashley
and Llambias without batting an eyelid, I’m not convinced there won’t be
another public relations fiasco or a flurry of big money departures this
summer.
Those of us with decent short term memories won’t readily
accept the worth of those men who have overseen the dispersal of the Level 7
singing section and the subsequent, vindictive hassle these fans got in their
new berths and boltholes, not to mention the sacrilegious denial of 120 years
of history over the ground’s name, as well as the mean, petty minded removal of
the St. James’ Park signs and the unnecessary plastering of tacky, tawdry
adverts all over the stands. Do not be fooled; this club should belong 100% to
the fans. One day it will; until then, it is beholden to us all to remain in a
state of high vigilance as regards the conduct of these faceless, unaccountable
men in suits. Our love for our club must compel them to be accountable.
However, on the pitch, things simply could not be better.
Last August, I simply could not have believed I would have written such a
sentence without a whole barrowful of irony ladled on top. The departures of
Carroll, Nolan, Barton and Enrique, other than in the case of the last named,
have not weakened the club’s playing staff at all. Indeed their departures, as
well as the disappearance of Smith and Harper, with presumably Lovenkrands as
well, has enabled the club to move on upwards and onwards at a greater pace and
with a higher trajectory than any of us could ever have dared hope.
While the culling of a whole generation of fringe and
reserve players is a troubling indictment of exactly what has gone on regarding
the youth development policy at the club, there is absolutely no doubt that Ben
Arfa’s wizardry, Cisse’s goals and workrate, Ba’s astonishing scoring burst,
Cabaye’s artistry, Tiote’s strength, Colo’s assured and masterful defending,
Jonas’s spirit, Tim’s reflexes, Ryan Taylor over the wall, Danny Simpson off
the line, Steven Taylor before his injury, Shola versus Spurs and the Mackems
(not to mention that cross for Cisse versus Bolton; how good?), even Danny
Guthrie’s understated professionalism and the glorious late flowering of
Perchino, as well as Santon’s assured cameos, have all contributed to the best
season in a decade. All of these lads have been utterly and completely
outstanding for Newcastle United at various points of this season. This is why,
when you’re asked who your player of the season is, I strongly urge every
single one of you to state, without equivocation, “all of them.” The whole lot
of them have been heroes for almost all the time; sure the level of form and
fitness has dropped at times, with Colo and Tiote having stinkers home to WBA
and Demba Ba’s season being bookended by frustrating inconsistency for
instance, but the great and glorious thing about this current squad is that
every single one of them have been prepared to pick up the baton when required.
They have all rolled up their sleeves and grafted whenever it has been
necessary and that is as great a compliment to them, to Alan Pardew, his coaching
team and the genius Graham Carr, assisted by his squad of scouts, as I could
possibly pay.
Of course, the irony is that this club had to touch bottom 3
years ago for such progress to have been made possible at all. Never mind the
relegation at Villa Park, that was only the start of the problems; once dross
like Viduka, Owen, Martins and the rest of the mercenary prima donnas had been
cleared from the decks, it took the 6-1 savaging at Orient in July 2009 to
finally make them stand up and be counted. Chris Hughton is a good man and I
sincerely hope he gets Birmingham, a club I’ve never previously had any time
for, promoted, at the expense of West Ham, a club I’ve gone off very rapidly
since they appointed the charlatan with the Blue Tooth headset as their boss.
What Hughton oversaw at Newcastle United should never be forgotten; the
fabulous promotion season and some stunning, morally cleansing wins at SJP over
Villa and the Mackems will stay with us all forever. However, and this isn’t a
criticism, while he managed the club, he didn’t really lead us forward once
we’d been promoted. We didn’t stagnate as such, but there wasn’t the momentum
surrounding the squad that is easily discerned now.
It was a harsh decision and a sad day when Chris Hughton was
let go, but hindsight shows us it was both necessary and beneficial for the
greater good of Newcastle United. Alan Pardew arrived on Tyneside with an atrocious
reputation and an utter lack of goodwill. However, and I speak as someone who
found him initially to be a smarmy, glib egotist, he has proved 50,000
matchgoers and every single armchair fan across the nation, to be completely
wrong. While Chris Hughton was the shop steward promoted from the ranks who
embraced principles of democratic centralism to bring the club back from the
precipice in a superb example of teamwork, Pardew is a tactical genius and
above all, the boss; unequivocally so.
In short, the “group of lads” who played for us from 2009 to
2011worked for Chris Hughton as they admired him and didn’t want to let anyone
down, whereas the current squad believe in Alan Pardew and have been inspired
by him to strive to produce more and more quality in their performances. We can
only speculate as to where this will lead us, but I’ve never felt this good
about our team since the 5-1 thrashing we handed out to Blackburn (managed by
Souness of course) in March 2003. A note of caution should be sounded here; the
next home game saw Man United clatter us 6-2 and we never again hit those
heights under Sir Bobby.
Like you, I’d never heard of any of the players we’ve
brought in over the past couple of seasons, certainly since promotion. However,
in Carr and in Pardew I trust; while we may see some leave, I truly believe we
will see those of equal ability arrive. It is with this in mind and with full
gratitude for all we’ve seen in 2011/2012 that I again urge you to nominate
every single one of the first team squad as our player of the season.
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