To celebrate this fact Aussie Mags is pleased to announce that our annual end of season awards is back and the following categories are now open for voting, so pleased head to our Facebook page and get voting.

Player Of The Season

• Tim Krul
• Fabricio Coloccini
• Yohan Cabaye
• Papiss Cisse
• Hatem Ben Arfa
• Demba Ba
• Cheick Tiote
• Danny Simpson

Vote here – http://www.facebook.com/questions/10150793767622481/

Goal Of The Year

• Ryan Taylor – sunderland (h)
• Demba Ba – Man Utd (h)
• Hatem Ben Arfa – Blackburn (h) FA Cup
• Papiss Cisse – Aston Villa (h)
• Shola Ameobi – sunderland (h)
• Hatem Ben Arfa – Bolton (h)
• Papiss Cisse – Chelsea (a)

Vote here – http://www.facebook.com/questions/10150794646967481/

Unsung Hero of Year

• John Carver
• Steve Stone
• Graham Carr
• Shola Ameobi
• James Perch
• Ryan Taylor

Vote here – http://www.facebook.com/questions/10150793800302481/

Aussie Mags Moment of Year

• To be decided by myself.

Voting in our categories close on the Wednesday 23rd May.

Andrew McTernan – Row ‘S’ Army

Newcastle beckons for the Good at Heart

By Michael Lynch – The Age 17th April 2012

MELBOURNE Heart teenager Curtis Good could become the next Australian in the Premier League if a fairytale opportunity to join one of England’s best known clubs, Newcastle United, comes to fruition.The youngster has flown to England for a short trial with the club, which is chasing a top four finish and a Champions League spot for next season.

Good, 19, will spend just over a week with Newcastle, where he is due to train with the first team, giving coach Alan Pardew the chance of a first-hand look at the defender.

Good is a junior Australian international who joined Heart from the AIS. Tall, strong and good in the air, the left-sided Good is versatile and able to play as a left stopper or at left back.

It is not very often, in fact this has to be a first, that you pick up The Age newspaper here in Melbourne and learn something new about Newcastle United! As you can see above The Age football reporter this morning is reporting that 19-year-old Melbourne Heart defender Curtis Good has joined the Toon on a 10-day trial.

I don’t really watch that much A-League so what can my fellow Aussie Mags tell us about the ability of Curtis Good?

Andrew McTernan – Row ‘S’ Army

Friday 3rd February in Melbourne

Thank you to everyone who came along to our first ever Newcastle United Quiz Night last Friday in the The Sherlock Holmes Inn.

A great time was had by all and in the process we raised $150 on the night for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation (please e-mail me at andrew.mcternan@gmail.com if you want to make a donation before I send it off).
Congratulations to The Scottish Mags who won first prize of 2 Village Cinema Gold Class tickets.

Here are all the results and the quiz questions themselves for those of you who couldn’t make it. Hope to see for our next quiz.

Result
1st: The Scottish Mags – 52.5 points
2nd: The Jizz Bots – 47.5
3rd: Amos FC – 40
4th: Sing In The Leazes – 28
5th: Kris The Barman – DNF

Quiz Questions

ROUND 1 – General Knowledge

1. In what year was Newcastle United FC formed?
2. How many top-flight League Championships have Newcastle won?
3. Who holds the club’s all time record for most appearances?
4. Which not so well known trophy did Newcastle win in 1983?
5. Who is the club’s longest serving manager?
6. What was the full name of Jackie Milburn?
7. Who did Malcolm Macdonald score his first Newcastle United hat-trick against?
8. Who took over the management of Newcastle after Sir Bobby Robson?
9. Who did Newcastle beat 13-0 in 1946, to set a record for their biggest League victory?
10. True or false, Kevin Keegan was born in County Durham?

ROUND 2 – Premier League Years

1. Who were the opponents for Newcastle’s first ever Premier League game?
   
2. In the Toon’s famous Howay 5-0 victory over Manchester United in October 1996, can you name all five goalscorers? 1 point for each goalscorer and a bonus point if you name them in the correct order.
   
3. Alan Shearer scored his first Newcastle goal in his home debut back in August 1996, who were the opposition and for a bonus point which end of the ground did he score at?
   
4. Of Alan Shearer’s record breaking 206 goals for Newcastle United, how many of those were in the league? I’ll give you ½ a point if you are within 10.
5. Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson have ironically both won the same number of Premier League games whilst managing Newcastle United, how many is it?
   
6. How many different permanent managers, not including caretaker managers, have Newcastle had since the start of the Premier League?
7. How many goals did Mark Viduka score whilst at Newcastle?
   
8. Name the player who first took over the number 9 shirt after Alan Shearer retired?
   
9. Who was the Newcastle captain last season when we beat the mackems 5-1?
10. What was Phillipe Albert’s squad number?

ROUND 3 – Cup Competitions

1. How many FA Cup’s have Newcastle won?
2. What year did Newcastle last win the FA Cup?
3. What was the score when Newcastle lost the 1976 League Cup Final to Man City?
4. Who was the last player to score for Newcastle United at Wembley?
5. Excluding the Intertoto Cup, how many seasons has Newcastle played in a UEFA competition?
6. Who were the opponents and what was the score in Newcastle’s first ever European game? 1 point for each.
7. We all know who is Newcastle’s all-time leading goalscorer in Europe, but can you name who is second on that list? And for a bonus point how many goals does he have?
8. Which player scored the only goal in the 1952 FA Cup Final victory over Arsenal?
9. Which team did Newcastle United defeat to win the 1951 FA Cup Final?
10. Who knocked Newcastle out of last season’s FA Cup?

ROUND 4 – Mike Ashley Era (July 2007 to present)

1. What was the name of Mike Ashley’s first chairman?
2. Who scored Newcastle’s first goal of the 2007/08 season at Bolton?
3. What squad number did Alan Smith wear?
4. In October 2009 the club was found quality of “constructive dismissal” of manager Kevin Keegan, how much compensation was the club forced to pay Keegan?
5. Who scored the goal in Newcastle’s 1-0 defeat away to Aston Villa that sent us down to the Championship?
6. From whom did Newcastle sign Spanish striker Xisco?
7. What position did Newcastle finish in the Premier League last season?
8. What nationality is Peter Lovenkrands?
9. How many points did Newcastle accumulate when they won the Championship in 2009/2010?
10. Who was the first signing under current manager Alan Pardew?

Name The Team Round

sunderland 1-4 Newcastle United
Competition: Premier League
Date: 17-04-2006
Location: Stadium of Light, Sunderland, England

Picture Round

Q1 – Name the player? Q3 – Name the player? Q4 – Name the ground? Q5 – Name the player?   Q6 – Which season is this? Q7 – The Newcastle United first team squad at the start of which season? Q8 – Name the player? Q9 – the players? (1 point for each) Q10 – Name the player?

Q2 – Name the player?

Newcastle United Quiz Night

Friday 3rd February in Melbourne

Aussie Mags is excited to announce it will be hosting the first ever Newcastle United Quiz Night in our Melbourne HQ The Sherlock Holmes Inn on Friday 3rd February.

The quiz will consist of 4 rounds plus a picture round. A $10 entry fee per player will be charged, but $5 of that will go towards an Aussie Mags donation to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and the rest to prizes awarded on the night.

We hope to see all our Melbourne regulars and plenty of new faces to the Sherlock for the quiz. With no decent kick-off times till March this is perfect opportunity for us to get together and test our NUFC memories over a few beers.

Quiz Starts: 7:30pm. Please be at the pub for 7pm to form teams.
Entry: $10 ($5 donation to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation)
Team Size: 2-4 people

The Sherlock Holmes Inn
Basement, 415 Collins Street
Melbourne CBD
Phone – 9629 1146
Website – thesherlockholmes.com.au
Find the pub on Google Maps

Aussie Mags NUFC Quiz Night in association with…

Andrew McTernan – Row ‘S’ Army

Everyone who has contributed and commented on Facebook, Twitter and the forum you have made 2011 the biggest and most interactive year so far for Aussie Mags. Thanks lads and lasses!

Thanks also to Footy Fans Down Under for once again promoting us, also a huge thank you to The World Football Programme team at Radio Fremantle for having me on the show throughout the year and making Aussie Mags a partner of the show.

Finally thanks to Kris and the team at The Sherlock Holmes Inn pub in Melbourne for letting us hold events and watch the Toon live. It is great to finally have a good venue in Melbourne to meet up in. Hopefully next year we’ll get some more official HQ pubs in other cities.

My highlight of 2011? Easy, the goal celebration in the Sherlock when Ryan Taylor curled that free-kick over the wall. Simple wow it was as close as you’ll get to celebrating in the ground.

Hope you had a great Christmas and here’s to a Happy and Black & White New Year. See you in 2012.

Andrew McTernan – Row ‘S’ Army

Newcastle United v Chelsea
Date: Saturday 3rd December 2011
Kick-off: 11:45pm AEST
Meet from: 10pm AEST

Aussie Mags is pleased to announce that our Melbourne HQ The Sherlock Holmes Inn will be showing the Chelsea (h) game live on its big screen for us to watch this Saturday night.

Following the tragic death of Gary Speed this week we encourage everyone in Melbourne to come along to celebrate Speed’s life and to cheer on the lads to hopefully 3 points.

We have already had successfully meets in Melbourne this season for the mackems and Everton games, so if you have never been to one of our meets then this is the perfect opportunity for you to come along and meet us all.

HOWAY THE LADS!!!

The Sherlock Holmes Inn
Basement, 415 Collins Street
Melbourne CBD
Phone – 9629 1146
Website – thesherlockholmes.com.au
Find the pub on Google Maps

Andrew McTernan – Row ‘S’ Army

285 games 40 goals. Thanks for the memories Speedo!

Season 2011/2012 – Match 13

MANCHESTER UNITED (A)

Date: Sunday 27th November 2011
Venue: Old Trafford
Kick-Off: 2am (AEST), 1:30am (SA), 1am (QLD), 11pm (WA)
Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire)
Australian TV: Live on Foxsports 1

Last 5 Form:

Match Stats:
All time: Man United 75 wins, Draws 36, Newcastle 39 wins

Odds:
Brought to you in association with…

Man Utd $1.40, Draw $4.50, Newcastle $8.50

Did You Know?
The famous Man United went to Rome to see the Pope and he told them to FUCK OFF!

Team News:
Newcastle Utd – Sylvain Marveaux has joined Mike Williamson on the long-term injury list after having a successful groin operation in midweek. Gabriel Obertan is now fit and should be available to start, while Cheick Tiote still remains a doubt despite returning to training this week.

Man Utd - Midfielder Anderson has been ruled out until February with a knee injury and Michael Owen is also injured with a thigh injury, while Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley remain highly doubtful. However, Wayne Rooney is set to return after missing the Champions League draw with Benfica.

Match Preview
After losing their undefeated record in Manchester last weekend Newcastle United again travel to Manchester to take on the United half of the city at Old Trafford tonight.

Newcastle have a awful record away at Man United with our last victory coming way back in February 1972 when we beat the Red Devils 2-0 curtsey of a goals from John Tudor and Stuart Barrowclough. I was still over 2 years away from being born and my parents had only been married about 6 months when we last won.

During the Premier League years our record at Old Trafford makes for bleak reading, 6 draws and 11 defeats with only 9 goals scored doesn’t fill anybody with much confidence.

I guess every run has to come to an end though, like we witnessed last weekend, so how can this current Newcastle United team do what many a great team has failed to do in the past?

The one thing this team seems to have an advantage over previous teams is its defensive capability and its ability of the midfield to protect its back four. Even without Cheick Tiote our midfield has proved to be a powerful unit going forward and back. In addition, the fact that we created 5 very good chances at City last week has to give manager Alan Pardew hope that with the same type of performance this week and a bit more luck, then 3 points is not a fantasy.

When I said on Thursday night at the Football Trivia Quiz that I think it’s time to drop Ryan Taylor for Davide Santon I got some surprised looks. Now I appreciate some find this a harsh decision given how well R.Taylor has played so far this season, but you have to remember he was only placed at left-back as an emergency and it was never going to a permanent role.

In my Man City match preview last week I did say about R.Taylor that “you do feel he is one game away from being caught out defensively” and sadly that statement came true at the Eithad last Saturday. Davide Santon has patiently waited in the wings and got himself accustomed to life on Tyneside, so personally I think now is the time to start the Italian at left-back. Whether that means we move to R.Taylor to right-back and actually drop Danny Simpson is another possibility, at this stage I don’t see Pardew doing that, but if Simpson’s contract talks continue to stall then this may be his preferred option.

Personally I’m likening what I’m seeing from Sammy Ameobi, he plays with confidence and seems to hold no fear despite his age. Therefore, the return to fitness of Gabriel Obertan poses another selection dilemma for Pardew, does he bring the Frenchman straight back into the side? I think he will because Obertan gives us that important away ingredient, which is pace, and there is always that chance the former Man United player will come back to haunt Sir Alex with a goal.

Other selection issues will mainly be focused on Cheick Tiote. If Tiote is 100% fit then his selection will be a huge bonus, but the form of Danny Guthrie means Tiote’s none inclusion wouldn’t be the huge deal breaker it once seemed.

Hatem Ben Arfa’s performance last week was very encouraging to see. The Frenchman will still be finding his feet after his horrendous injury, but fitness didn’t seem to be an issue last week, so I’m hoping Pardew again starts Ben Arfa and isn’t tempted to recall Leon Best. I have a feeling in my water that this could be the stage where Ben Arfa really could announce to us all that he is back.

My Starting XI:
Tim Krul
Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini, Davide Santon
Gabriel Obertan, Danny Guthrie, Yohan Cabaye, Jonas Gutierrez
Hatem Ben Arfa
Demba Ba

It is 17 league matches since our last win against Man Utd, a 4-3 victory at St James’ Park in September 2001, so is tonight the night we break the hoodoo? Let’s hope so.

HOWAY THE LADS!

Andrew McTernan – Row ‘S’ Army