We are all anxiously waiting for the start of the new season to commence but what do we have in store prior to that eagerly anticipated date.
The pre-season fixture list is secured and scheming is afoot that will also allow us and Eddie Howe to see who fits into his plans, and in what positions, so come the start of the new season he can play his strongest 11. There was a time, and I’m sure we can all remember them, when Newcastle United supporters would study the new fixture list, pick out eagerly anticipated matches such as Man U, Man City and where we would be travelling too on New Years day hungover from the night before. We would amass points for the months and try and guesstimate where we would be by Christmas. Will we will win that one, lose there, we’ll get humped here and then it’s we are looking over our shoulders again! Little bets would be placed between us and our Mackem friends, Work colleagues down the road about where and when relegation would be confirmed because the club could not keep getting away with this just-enough existence, scraping by, getting through, pulling out a result from oblivion.
However as George Caulkin states in the Athletic The beauty of NOW is that a new generation are getting to understand that, to reconnect with it. They are hearing what the olduns and wrinklies have always said St James’ sounds like.
The football is not Keegan’s — nowhere near — but in that extraordinary game against Arsenal at the end of the season we all got a glimpse of what it means when the team plays like the crowd sings. They played with the power of noise. This is Newcastle.
We have a trip to Lisbon to look forward too, and some great Spanish and Italian opposition coming to SJP, we can see how the team Eddie is pulling together and how we might fare in the new era, especially with the signing of Sven Botman today.
What’s evident is there is a buzz on Tyneside again, not seen or heard of since, and long may it continue, exciting times ahead no doubt. Hang onto your car tails as things are about to get crazy again.
Up Next…….. Talking Goalkeepers
