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Newcastle United travel down to the Midlands to play West Bromwich
Albion in their first non-top flight league match in 16 years.
As a mark of respect, the Football League has announced
that every match staged this weekend will be preceded by a minute's
applause in memory of Sir Bobby Robson. Rather appropriately, Bobby
Robson played for WBA between 1956 and 1962.
The Magpies have an excellent record at the Hawthorns, they are unbeaten
in 7 games (won 3 drew 4) with the last defeat coming during the 1984/85
season.
However, with the club being in a virtual crisis all close season, what
frame of mind will the players be in is anyone’s guess.
Mike Ashley’s attempts to sell the club have so far failed, falling foul
of fake bids and an ever-changing asking price. The media silence from
Ashley has been deafening. The fans have heard more from serial
gobshite Joe Kinnear than the owner of the football club. Instead, the
fans have been left with only tit bits from Keith Harris, Seymour
Pierce's executive chairman, on the possibility of a sale.
The latest claim from Harris is that he recommends Ashley
accept the bid from a consortium led by Barry
Moat, a prominent Tyneside businessman. We will believe it when we see
it.
On the pitch Newcastle United have had a rather mixed, if not poor,
pre-season. Victories over Darlington, Shamrock Rovers and Huddersfield
(the last two rather unconvincing) have been over shadowed by a
humiliating 1-6 defeat away to League One outfit Leyton Orient.
Some little pride was restored after that with draws against Leeds
United and Dundee United.
With no current manager all summer, Chris Hugton and Colin Calderwood
have again been working as interim or caretaker coaches, on apparently
week-to-week contracts, meaning the stability at the club it at all time
low.
The player transfer embargo installed by Mike Ashley during the sale of
the club has recently been lifted, with Obafemi Martins the first out
the door to German side Wolfsburg for £9m. Hugton has publicly stated
he has not been aware of any transfer activity and is unsure how long he
will have the services of Sebastien Bassong and Habbib Beye.
Therefore, including the players who contracts ran out at the end of
last season Newcastle have now lost 8 players (Cacapa, Owen,
Gonzalez,
Lovenkrands, Edgar,
Godsmark,
Viduka) without one single replacement.
The good news in the long term for the club have been the performances
of Nile Ranger, Andy Carroll, Tamas Kadar, Frank Wiafe Danquah and
Kazenga
LuaLua, all of whom should now be in or around the
first-team on a weekly basis.
Ranger and Carroll could be something of a useful partnership in the
Championship. Last season in the Premier League Carroll proved he had
an eye for goal and that he was a good target man, who could hold up the
ball and win balls in the air. From what we’ve seen of Ranger so far he
too is good in the air but also has plenty of pace and skill on the
ground, and he certainly has been in fine goal scoring form for England
U19 and Newcastle this summer.
The start of the season is a welcome distraction from the off-field
turmoil, but I do fear that might be short lived when the actions
starts, not least by the fact that we will be wearing our banana skins
top!
Nevermind it is good that we can now talk about on-field action for a
change, the starting XI could one of a few combinations, but we don’t
care let’s just get behind the boys and do Sir Bobby proud. |
