I’ve been waiting a bit to write this post because it hasn’t really sunk in yet that we’re actually champions. It may sound daft, but after all the issues that happened during the summer, I feel more a sense of relief than anything else really.

I remember the relegation and the last game of the season against Villa like it was yesterday. I remember Phil Brown prancing around at Hull being glad to have finished above us and avoid relegation. I remember the turmoil last summer and wondering who was going to be chairman, owner, and manager of our fine football club.

We can now put those memories to bed. Say this and say it proudly: Newcastle United are champions of the Championship and are headed up to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Feels good doesn’t it? It makes me proud to be a Geordie and proud of our fantastic football club. Proud of the hard work which has gone on behind the scenes by both the players and backroom staff. Proud that while the media tested and ridiculed the club on the back pages last year, Chris Hughton and his staff got on with it. Proud of our fans who traveled the length and breadth of the country to follow their club while they could have complained about watching Championship football.

Sir Bobby would have been proud.

Next season may be a struggle, and we should expect one, but we’re made of sterner stuff than this time 12 months ago. Anything less than what we’ve given this season won’t be good enough to survive. But I honestly feel that we can now push on from here. Why? Because everyone at the club is united. They all want the same thing – for Newcastle United to be a Premier League football club.

Howay the Toon

On a day which will live long in the memory of Toon fans, we were promoted back to the Premier League without having to kick a ball yesterday, and I must say, it feels great. I remember how I felt when we were relegated and it wasn’t a nice feeling. I also remember how fans of other clubs and media pundits were all too quick with their criticism, and how Newcastle were ‘going to do a Leeds’ and that we were headed for ruin.

I’m proud today to call myself a Geordie and Newcastle United fan. I’m proud that Newcastle United is my football club, and I’m proud of the players and playing staff who have worked tirelessly this season. Let’s not forget what kind of team spirit we had at the end of last season. What a difference a year makes. The players and staff seem to all be pulling in the same direction. The Chairman? We’ll have to wait and see about that one, the jury is still well and truly out. Hopefully he’ll put his hand in his pocket and give Chris Hughton a decent transfer fund.

You could see what it meant to Chris Hughton at the end of game interview, the guy was very emotional. We could do far worse than have him as manager.

I’m expecting a season of struggle next year. Not because I’m pessimistic, but because we haven’t played decent football this year and we’ve still won. Some of the mistakes made at a Championship level will get punished in the Premier League and as fans, we have to acknowledge that. It has been nice to get that winning feeling around the place though, and with a new influx of decent players we should be alright.

Wait, was there a game yesterday? Oh aye, Newcastle beat Sheffield United 2-1.

Newcastle United were once again, found wanting in front of goal as they face Plymouth in the third round of the F.A Cup. Boss Chris Hughton decided to use the full squad with players such as Krul, Kadar, and Nile Ranger getting first team run-outs.

The Toon Army, who descended on the South Coast in their thousands, could be forgiven for wondering why Newcastle weren’t taking the F.A Cup seriously. The likes of Man United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool have such large squads that they can afford to rotate players. Clearly, this is a signal of intent by NUFC that the league is their priority, but the question has to be asked, would you rather take a lesser squad with the chance of a replay, or take your first team squad and win the game at the first time of asking?

The pitch at Home Park was hardly one that allowed free-flowing football, but Fabrice Pancrate, who could have had a hat-trick, could hardly blame the surface of the field for being so wasteful. Hopefully the Frenchman’s stunning finish at St. James’s Park a few weeks ago wasn’t a fluke.

With Newcastle building momentum, Nicky Butt had a delicate chip tipped onto the bar by the Plymouth Keeper. Lovenkrands and Gutierrez were brought on to replace Pancrate and Alan Smith, but the goal Newcastle were threatening to score never came.

So, we have to play one more game that we could have done without, but we’re in the hat for the fourth round of the F.A Cup.

After our inability to put away our chances yesterday, Chris Hughton (after speaking with the Chronicle), has admitted that Jermaine Beckford is one of a few players that Newcastle United are interested in signing. Beckford has always been fancied by Newcastle – Kinnear wanted him, Shearer wanted him, now it looks like it’s Hughton’s turn. The judgment on whether he’ll take us to the next level are out though – is he Premier League material?

Also mentioned is Michael Chopra. Chris Hughton looks like he fancies the combination of one biggun’ and one luttlun’ up front for Newcastle and we have Ameobi and Carroll as the biggun, and Lovenkrands and Ranger as the littlun’. Bringing in Chopra could mean that Lovenkrands plays out wide. However, unlike Beckford, the Chopra stories have so far been unsubstantiated.

A centre-half and a striker have been the playing areas Hughton has gone on record as saying he’d like to strengthen. But with Coloccini and Taylor doing a pretty good job, who would make way? It was thought that Sheffield United would like to cash in on defender Mathew Kilgallon before his contract ends at the end of the season. Their manager Kevin Blackwell confirmed that their star defender could be set to stay with the Blades until his contract ends. If the Toon want Kilgallon in January, they’re going to have to put up some cash for him, and he may not come cheap.

The January transfer window opens on Friday lads and lasses, and there’s only a matter of time to see whether Mike Ashley will put his money where his mouth is and back the Newcastle United manager in the transfer market.

What more can you say right now about the results Newcastle are getting other than I hope it lasts!

Goals from Shola Ameobi and Nile Ranger’s first goal for the club solidified our lead at the top of the Championship to seven points, and 12 points ahead of third place. Once again, Steve Harper proved he’s still got what it takes, as he once more kept another clean sheet. Harper for England? I would really like to see a goalkeeper in better form than Steve right now, I reckon you’d be hard pressed to find one.

I have to admit, I’m not Chris Hughton’s biggest fan, but he (and the rest of the staff) deserve a lot of credit for the way they’ve motivated the Newcastle squad, and brought about results at the same time. From what was a ragtag down-and-out group of players when we were relegated are now a determined group of lads who seem like they’re willing to give their all for Newcastle United.

Long may it continue.

When Sol Campbell signed for The Magpies, there were many who thought he just got his directions wrong when he ended up at Notts County. An ex England international with a distinguished career, playing for a League Two club, but for how long? The accusations levelled against Campbell were that he walked out during a training session. Campbell meanwhile, dismisses those accusations altogether.

Nevertheless, regardless of what happened at Notts County, Campbell is still a decent player and could do more than a job for us. There are questions over his eligibility as Notts County are still to release the player’s registration. This means that Campbell is prohibited from moving clubs as long as his previous club hold onto his registration.

A Football League commission will hear the case of Campbell’s registration on December 10th. If the commission clears Campbell to play for another club, it is thought that he will join his preferred choice, Newcastle United. The player is lacking match fitness and probably wouldn’t be available until the New Year.

Just when we thought things couldn’t get any worse, news tonight emanating from St. James Park is that Mike Ashley has removed Newcastle United from the market and the club is no longer for sale.

Here is the press release in full from the club’s official website:

Dull. Uninspiring. Inept.

All words than can sum up tonight’s performance. It’s really gone beyond who scored for / against us anymore. It’s now down to attitude and application. Sadly for Newcastle United fans, both our coaching staff and players are completely incapable of showing either.

Marlon Harewood, who was void of any kind of class at all against Nottingham Forest was rightly dropped. Therein lies the problem. Once we drop one player, the person who comes in to replace him is equally as unmotivated and lacking in talent – and we lay that blame at the door of Chris Hughton, Colin Calderwood and most of all, Mike Ashley.

The failure to invest in both coaching and playing staff is now bearing fruit. A club down the road have sacked their manager and they’re fourth in the Championship. What’s going to happen if we fail to win this weekend? The St James’s Park hot seat could reach boiling point – it’s going to be interesting to see who cracks first.

To those players who wanted Chris Hughton to be given a crack at the manager’s job, I hope you’re happy – because it certainly doesn’t show.

You see that great big ditch down there? The one big enough to swallow St. James’s Park? That’s how far my heart sank when I heard the news that Chris Hughton was offered the manager’s job on a permanent basis.

Firstly, this is a huge backwards step and reeks of the lack of ambition wafting out from the Gallowgate. If there was ever a sign that we are a disfunctional club with no ambition whatsoever, this is it. I mean, it’s hardly inspiring is it? The only, and I really do mean only, positive you could take from this, is that the players who were wanting Chris Hughton to be made gaffer (the same Newcastle players to blame for shoddy performances), will now get their way. They better bloody put in decent shifts or there’ll be hell to pay.

Chris Hughton is a nice guy and a good coach. He is not a manager. Newcastle fans, is this really where you see our future? From where I’m standing things are looking bleak right now.

Hope beyond hope is that Barry Moat manages to obtain the resources to takeover NUFC and then we can build for the future.

Ashley out.

Nottingham Forest put a dent in our title ambitions as what appeared to be a very unmotivated Newcastle side struggled early on.

Forest had the best of the first half and were unfortunate to only go in to the half-time break with a one goal lead. Newcastle were guilty of:

• Giving away possession (Are you listening Marlon Harewood?)
• Not making the best of our chances
• Woeful passing

I listened to the game on Radio Newcastle where John Carver was doing the commentary. I wish he was in the dugout instead – what a waste of a footballing brain. How he’s not employed I have no idea. His comments were spot on.

Unlike the Scousers who played at the Mackems, we don’t have the misfortune of blaming a big red balloon. Instead, the Newcastle United players have to take a long hard look at themselves and realise teams aren’t just going to roll over for us. They’re going to fight and scrap for every ball. I sometimes wonder if our midfield want to do the same.

Forest are a decent side, but there’s no doubt that we should at least have managed a point here. Coming away with nothing just adds salt in the wound – especially with West Brom winning. We have to get back to winning ways midweek against Scunthorpe – otherwise there’ll be fingers pointed at Chris Hughton (perhaps rightfully so).

One thing this game did suggest, is that we’re still woefully lacking in investment – from the coaching side all the way down to the players. When our first choice central defenders aren’t available and we struggle this badly, it doesn’t bode well.