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.

Rumour has it that the Toon are in for Swindon’s young striker Charlie Austin. The 20 year old joined Swindon from non-league Poole Town. He’s recently came to the limelight because of his 16 goals in 22 starts.

Austin has been watched by Newcastle several times this season, most recently last weekend against Hartlepool.

He certainly fits Mike Ashley’s transfer policy – a young up and comer, who the club could sell on for a profit. But is this the kind of signing we need to be making? If we’re to stay up in the Premier League (should we get promoted) we need to sign proven Premier League players. While Austin would certainly be a good buy for the future, the task of leading our front line next against Premier League defenders needs to be done by a proven player, otherwise it could well be a season of survival.

The Telegraph are reporting that a deal for Newcastle United is imminent. The offer, thought to be in the region of £100 million, comes from a group of local investors.

The investors are due to meet with representatives of Mike Ashley tomorrow (Sunday), to facilitate a deal. There are thought to be four separate investors looking through the Newcastle United’s finances as a deal could be completed within a fortnight.

However, before we get carried away, and I hate to put a dampener on the situation – haven’t we heard all this before? Right now it’s all conjecture. Until the BBC and Sky Sports start reporting similar news, then the Telegraph may be on to something. But until then, it’s a wait and see game. Hopefully we’ll be doing more seeing than waiting come this time next week.

I’m surprisingly a lot calmer than I thought I would have been. I came to terms with relegation several weeks ago and when the final whistle blew at Villa Park I was in a sombre mood. But, consigning myself to relegation, I was preparing for the worst. It’s not easy to take, and to think we won’t be playing Premier League football again (at the earliest) until 2010 just adds to the misery.

However, it’s not like the Toon went down fighting. The performances of the players have been less than encouraging. There was a brief respite with Joe Kinnear, but it’s obvious by the dire second half performance yesterday afternoon that there are players and staff members at Newcastle United football club who don’t need to be there.

So Where did it go Wrong for NUFC?

Some of the comments I heard from fans on the radio and on Sky pinpointed the dismissal of Bobby Robson as the cataclysmic event that saw the beginning of Newcastle’s downturn in fortune. They wouldn’t be far wrong, but those same fans that are now citing the sacking of Sir Bobby were the very same fans calling for him to go – we can’t have it both ways.

The fact of the matter is, that for the past two seasons, the end product that Newcastle United put out on the pitch just wasn’t good enough to compete – end of story. No ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’ or refereeing decisions saw our downturn, the players who were charged with playing for Newcastle were not good enough to put on the black and white shirt. Kevin Keegan said it at the beginning of the season, that we were a million miles away from the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd and Liverpool. It was only a few years ago that we were above Chelsea in the league, how times change.

The players were calling upon the fans in recent weeks to provide an atmosphere second to none so they could do the business on the field. The fans stepped up to the plate, but the players again were all talk as so often has gone on before.

Yes, we’re relegated. Yes, we’ll be playing the likes of Scunthorpe and Peterboro. But we’ll be rid of overpaid players who can go on to their next club and bleed them dry. Good riddance, you’re not wanted here.

Here’s to the future, here’s to Newcastle United and here’s to the three thousand fans at Villa Park yesterday who did the Toon Army proud.

Howay the Toon.

Manchester United did their bit, Chelsea did their bit, but the Newcastle United players put in a performance devoid of fight, courage and played as if their fate had already been sealed.

An effortless, limp, and lethargic performance showed that they do not care about Newcastle United.

A Chairman in Mike Ashley who has single handedly destroyed Newcastle United football club.

A set of fans who deserve so much more.

Goodbye Premier League, we’ll be back. The overhaul starts now.

It’s like climbing the proverbial Mount Everest or Mount Kilimanjaro. Newcastle United have to go to Aston Villa on Sunday knowing that they have to get a result – no questions asked.

So far, the only confirmed absentees are Sebastien Bassong, Andy Carroll and Joey Barton. Bassong’s absence will open up a spot for either Colloccini or David Edgar and we may see Nile Ranger selected as a replacement for Carroll. There are players who are very doubtful though such as Michael Owen, Habib Beye and Jose Enrique.

Regardless of who’s playing for Newcastle United, and I’m sure Shearer will remind them of this, they will be thought of as local heroes if they can pull off a result and escape relegation.

There are no spare tickets for the away allocation, so if you have one, do us all a favour and do the Geordie nation proud. There will be TV cameras across Europe peering in hoping for our demise – regardless of the result, shout and sing your hearts out – Toon fans across the world will be right there with you.

Howay the Toon

The Guardian are reporting today that should The Toon avoid relegation, investors would be willing to step in and offer Mike Ashley 140 million pounds for the club. The investors are made up of multi-millionaires from the U.S and the Middle-East.

However, there’s that small problem of avoiding the drop.

In no uncertain terms, Sunday’s game against Aston Villa could have endless repercussions on the future of our football club – in more ways than one. If results go against Newcastle, then our sixteen year stay in the Premier League will come to an acromonious and abrupt end. If we get the necessary result and Man Utd do the business against Hull, then we could have seen the last of Mike Ashley for a very, very, long time.

But what a three points it would be if we could put one over on the posh cockneys. Fulham aren’t the best travellers so the onus will be on Newcastle to get at ‘em from the first whistle to the last.

Jose Enrique is a confirmed absentee and Alan smith will face a late fitness test. However, with Damien Duff in decent form, there may be an unchanged side in Saturday. Oba Martins may still not be able to last the entire game, so bringing him on with half an hour remaining wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. Injecting some pace against an aging Fulham side may turn the tide in our favour.

Spare a thought for Michael Owen – yes, he’s on inflated wages, yes, he hasn’t scored in donkey’s years, but a proven goalscorer doesn’t become a crap one in a matter of weeks. If he starts, give him and the rest of the Newcastle United players all the support you can muster – it may be some of their last performances in a black and white shirt, let’s show them what they’re going to be missing.

To the Newcastle United Players:

Some of you may not be here next season, but the fans and Newcastle United will always remain. Give us your best and we’ll back you all the way. Give us anything less and you might as well leave already. We’ll do our best off the field to make sure the atmosphere is the best it can be – intimidating, thrilling, noisy and raucus. All we ask is for 90 minutes of 100% of your effort. If we win and remain in the Premier League, we’ll remember you forever, no matter who your next club is (as long as it’s not the mackems doon the road).

Howay the Toon

Thanks to Stoke City’s 2-1 away win against Hull City today, Newcastle United’s Premier League survival is in their own hands. The Toon don’t have to rely on other results to guarantee safety.

A win against Middlesbrough on Monday, would see Newcastle level on points with Hull – with a superior goal difference. All we would need to do at that point is match what Hull do. That’s it – this is what it’s came down to.

Alan Shearer can now look his players square in the eye and let them know that it’s down to them. We only hope that they care as much for Newcastle United as he does.