Without a domestic trophy for nearly 60 years or a trophy of any sort for nearly 45, celebratory open top bus tours have been in short supply in Newcastle recently. The NUFC PR machine would have us believe that “financial stability” is a cause for celebration.
Accepting the club`s invitation to celebrate, some of us did just that, having a private party aboard a hired open-top bus.
Of course, when any group of more than a handful of people come together, there will be some disagreements. Is the most effective way to express supporters` displeasure to use market forces and boycott? Is the appropriate course to support the team, not the regime?
There is a history to Newcastle United. The club encompasses what was the West End and what was the East End. To the same end, this outing united both boycotters and attendees, bringing together locals and travellers who have more that unites than divides, a positive feeling of love of our great history and traditions as well as a hope to change things for the better in future.
What better way to start the party than with a quiet drink. A healthy pint of Wylam started our day with the observation that we all had different tipples. What had come about through meetings of a small group had been spread by email, social networking and by mobile. Introductions all around with names soon forgotten but camaraderie forged.
Finally the bus came and assembling outside the pub, the efforts that had been made were soon apparent.
A focal point for passers by was the aquatically dressed character who carried a banner professing himself to be the lone shark against the loan sharks. Incidentally, not a Wonga shirt was in sight.
The club, through the Fans` Forum have expressed no interest in the cups, more important to them is the cash cow of the Premier League. Given the club`s great FA Cup traditions, a couple of replicas adorned the journey. A mixture of placards also came along.
A guest appearance was made by Kevin Miles, Chief Executive of the Football Supporters` Federation. We hope he was made to feel welcome and to experience the passion that all of us have for our traditions, sadly made latent by the transitional owner.
In the spirit of the irony of celebrating by far the biggest transfer surplus in the Premier League over the last 5 years, the clouds opened as we boarded the bus. The rain did little to dampen the enthusiasm for change in the interests of the future of our club.
Apparently some of the assembled company were not within earshot when the condition of “no banners” had been announced and any unintentional mistakes were rectified at the earliest possible opportunity.
The Geordie people are a respectful bunch and the desire for a little party singing naturally took over. Aware of the open top nature of the bus, some of those things that have been sung at St James` were reined in, conscious of not seeking to offend those passers by with youngsters. Accordingly, the “get out of our club” song from inside the ground was appropriately adapted.
As the tour continued, so the spirit of unity grew. A range of ages, a range of backgrounds, a range of attitudes all came together for one shared objective, the betterment of Newcastle United.
The tour took in some of those Newcastle landmarks that we love, whilst also passing close to BBC offices and Metro Radio. The party was supported by several smiling faces, waves, and a lot of tooting of car horns, endorsing the message that we want a future for our club. It seems that a huge proportion of the inhabitants and exiles from our wonderful city share that desire for change.
There were literally thousands of smiles, thousands of thumbs up, probably thousands of pictures taken on mobile phones, several hundred toots and the occasional bus chaser who wanted to be a part of the party.
It has to be said that there were some dissenters from our point of view. These came into sharp focus when pausing at the Central Station. A crowd of opposing supporters from London, clearly following the other United and imbibing at a bar, clearly wished for sustained policies that meant that however bad their plight, Ashley is a man who will keep Newcastle United below them.
The party could have gone on for longer but we had to part ways eventually. Some wished to attend the match, some needed to store their banners and use up what was left of their season tickets. Others of us returned to our boycott to listen to Radio Newcastle until we got out of range.
Yes this was a private gathering, shared by thousands of people on our route. The true indictment of Ashley`s ownership was witnessed by us on the car radio, by some of our new friends who clearly felt that after enjoyment, some purgatory should be experienced inside the stadium.
The worst ManUre season for decades saw their biggest win at Ashley`s Newcastle, the club that gave Sunderland their first win of the season, their best away win of the season indeed their best runs and winning margin for over 100 years has been turned into a cash cow and tax write off.
As one who is not so good with names, we had to wait until arriving home to hear what what`shisname had to say, Pinocchio, Parduchio or as the French players may refer to him Perdu had to say.
Players who were not for sale, not at any price, not in this transfer window have been sold in that very same transfer window. Players who were going to be replaced have not been replaced. As the symbolic budget case on the bus was empty, so are the promises and investment from the powers that be.
A point was made, friends were made, a great day was had. Thanks to Graham, Jane and whoever else was involved in the organisation.
Newcastle, United, will never be defeated so let`s unite and build, as the old East and West ends did to secure a promising, competitive future for our fantastic city and what should be a fantastic club.
(reproduced by kind permission of toontoon.co.uk)
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