Middlesbrough (H) Date Details
Should Newcastle United progress into
the UEFA Cup Semi-Final, the Middlesbrough home game will take place
on Thursday 12th May.
If we lose our tie against Sporting Lisbon, the game will be played
on Wednesday 27th April.
Fulham Match Date Arranged
The official fulham website has announced
details about the re-arranged match.
The match will take place on Wednesday, May 4th with a kick-off time
of 7.45pm BST.
In the event that Newcastle reach the Semi-Final of the UEFA Cup,
the match will be played on Tuesday, May 10th with a kick-off time
of 7.45pm BST - this will be known by Friday April 15th.
Premiership Match Preview: NUFC Vs Aston Villa
It's been a strange couple of weeks
for Newcastle United, a decent 1-1 draw with Portsmouth ended
our winning run but we still remain undefeated since the Arsenal
game earlier in the year. The players not on international duty
flew to Dubai again for another 'bonding' session, and two international
fixtures have taken the spotlight away from Newcastle for once.
Well, all until today that is with the news that Alan Shearer
is to stay on next season! Its all overshadowed the build-up
to this league game as we look to regain our form of February
and March.
Full
Match Preview
Likely
Lineup
Key
Player Battles
Who
To Boo
NUFC
Squad News & Pre-Match Reaction
Aston
Villa Squad News & Pre-Match Reaction
The
Referee Barry Knight
Last
Season
Last
5 Meetings At St. James' Park
NUFC
Vs Villa Head To Head All-Time Record
Last
10 Games Form Guide
Match
Prediction
Freddy Shepherd: We'll Be Bringing In Another
Striker
Freddy Shepherd quotes
regarding Alan Shearer's decision to stay on for another season
and the search to bring in another striker:
"Everyone knows I am Alan's greatest fan and that I believe
he's the greatest player this club has ever had.
"And as far as I'm concerned, Geordies don't grow old, they
just get better.
"It's been a pleasure to be associated with him for the last
10 years and we have all marvelled at the way he has conducted
himself both on and off the field.
"There is a lot of mutual respect between him and Graeme Souness
and when he came here as manager we realised we had a chance
of persuading Alan to stay on.
"He is a Geordie and his love for the club knows no bounds.
"It's his tenth year and we are looking forward to another one.
He will be getting his gold watch in 12 months' time!
"The board's delighted and it's the news every fan wanted to
hear. It's certainly the news Graeme and the board wanted to
hear.
"His new contract will read player-coach, that's what his new
contract will read.
"We've secured one signing but we'll be bringing another striker
in to help the present strike-force.
"But we have got Shearer on board and that's the main thing."
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Behind Enemy Lines: The View From An Aston Villa
Fan
Newcastle-Online.com teamed up with
John Atkin, the Editor of an Aston Villa supporters website - The
Villa - to get his views on Villa, Newcastle United, Saturday's match
at St. James' Park and more. This is what John had to say...
[Read
More +]
We Only Live To Experience Football For A
Fraction Of It's Existence
Most women would never understand men
let alone our passion for the beautiful game. We love it, hate
it, live it and breath it and it's something which is almost
impossible to let go of. The Toon Army are legendry. But why?
Was it you... or me that made us so notorious?
Well I know I live and breath Newcastle United but I'm not sure
that's enough to claim to have played a major role. Football
is older than any of us and has and will continue to live alongside
evolution. Generations of our peers have filled St. James' Park
and experienced the same emotional roller coasters mixed with
the hunger and life-invading dreams of success fighting it out
with the bitter disappointments of being mugged of 3 points.
[Read
More +]
Shearer In Player Coach Role
Newcastle United's Alan
Shearer has confirmed he will play on next season and will also
help with the coaching. Speaking at a 9.00am press conference
this morning, Shearer said:
"I sat down and I think I had to analyse my performances
this season.
"I probably haven't scored as many goals as last season but
I feel I've contributed a lot more than I did last season or
the season before.
"I went through a hell of a lot of people to speak to managers,
coaches, scouts, friends, players who have packed it in, and
what came back was unanimous. They all said to me they feel
I was playing too well to retire so I thought I just can't retire
because I've said it.
"I'm big enough to admit I did say it and it was a bit hasty.
I did have the full intention to retire.
"But it got to me and made me think. My performances have carried
on with the level I'm content with and, more importantly, the
manager and chairman are content with, so I think I can do that
for another year.
"It was a tough decision for me but I believe it is the right
one for everyone, importantly for the football club.
"I hope we can go on to bigger and better things. Results have
been great, the spirit in the camp is fantastic. I want to be
part of something that's happening here and I believe that it
will happen."
When asked about his retirement from England, he said:
"No, England was the right decision many years ago and I
think that has proved to be the correct one, I've started taking
my coaching badges so this is the next progressive step. I need
to emphasise to all the staff here that nothing changes from
my side and their side; everything continues exactly the same.
"I made no secret of the fact I'd love to stay in football and
to do that, you need badges. I'm starting them and that's the
next step for me - to continue this next season.
"I think that was a tough decision, packing in England five
years ago, but I think it's been proved the right one because
I've maintained the standard everyone wants.
"I'm not daft enough. I realise when I get over 30 and have
a bad game, it's because of my age. That's the rules we play
to in football.
"You can't keep everyone happy, you've got to try and prove
something every week, but I'm aware of that.
"I have to say the record didn't play a part. I understand and
realise what a great man Jackie Milburn was to the club and
to the area but I stayed on because I believe the football club
is moving in the right direction, not because I want to break
that record.
"I might do that but it's not the reason I stayed on. I believe
we can win things. I've seen enough in the past few months to
suggest we can do that."
When asked when he had changed his mind, Shearer said:
"It was probably about five or six weeks ago. People were
constantly into me and telling me to look at the big picture
so I did. Probably when they had me under the influence in Dubai!
No, the decision was taken after serious thinking and I think
I am making the right direction."
Greame Souness couldn't hide his delight at Shearer staying
on for another year, with the Scot saying:
"I can't tell you how pleased I am. Everyone who is a supporter
should be delighted.
"If all my signings are as good as this, they will be extremely
happy.
"He's got 18 goals this year, having missed part of the season,
and that tells its own story.
"It's not just Shearer on the pitch, I want Shearer around the
place. He's an enormous help off the pitch and in training and
I tried to get into his head by saying this is your football
club, the club you love.
"If you really love it, you've got to stay here and help me
for another year at least to help us do what we all want - to
be successful and win things.
"He's made it for the right reasons. He's his own man and has
always stuck to what he has said in the past.
"He may tell me differently later on but I don't think it was
such a big decision for him because he loves this football club.
"He is a proper player and has a lot to offer this football
club in every aspect.
"It was going to give everyone a lift whenever it was announced
but we're coming up to an important part of the season with
games that will shape our destiny.
"We could get to the cup final and this can only be an enormous
help to us at this time.
"I would try and come up with something different every week
to hit him over the head with. I was quietly confident as he
still has the same enthusiasm as he had when he was a boy."
Quotes from Sky Sports News. |
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