UEFA Cup Match Preview: NUFC Vs Sporting Lisbon
Last Friday our season offered so much
hope. Shearer had decided to stay on for another year, we had an FA
Cup Semi-Final coming up, as well as this UEFA Cup Quarter-Final,
and optimism was strong on Tyneside. How much things can change!
Everyone knows what happened on Saturday, there is little need for
me to go in to the rights and wrongs of the fight and the punishments
subsequently dished out. The incident however has overshadowed a pathetic
performance which saw us hammered 3-0 at home by a team level on points
with us. Optimism has been replaced with pessimism all of a sudden,
and the future doesn't look quite so rosy.
Full
Match Preview!
Likely
Lineup!
Head
To Head: Key Player Battles!
NUFC
Team News & Pre-Match Reaction!
Sporting
Lisbon Team News & Pre-Match Reaction!
Match
Prediction!
Bowyer: I'd Die For Newcastle United
Speaking for the first time since he was ordered to apologise after
his fight with Kieron Dyer, Lee Bowyer told the Chronicle that
he'd die for Newcastle's cause and pleads for forgivness.
Bowyer said:
"I'd die for this football club and all
I can do is to plead with the Newcastle United fans to forgive me.
"It has been a nightmare for me since Saturday knowing just how much
I let everyone down.
"But Kieron Dyer has made up with me and all I can do is hope that
the supporters do likewise and forgive me.
"Nobody knows more than me that what I did on Saturday was indefensible
and it is something I will regret for the rest of my career.
"There's nothing more I can do but say how sorry I am. If there was
anything else I could do I would.
"I'm not from this part of the world but the fans accepted me straightway.
When I first came and I was in the supermarket or filling my car up
with petrol they could hardly have been better to me.
"And while I don't know what is going to happen, I would love to stay
here for what I've got left of my career.
"Newcastle United gave me a chance to resurrect my career and I have
tried to pay them back by giving everything I have on the field.
"I really care about this club, and while there is no excuse for what
happened against Aston Villa, I was frustrated and angry at the way
the game was going - and that applies to Kieron as well.
"I got a fair hearing from both the manager and the chairman and I
suppose the only good thing is that my fine is going to the Academy
and this will help the club's young players.
"One of the particularly annoying things about all this for me is
that I felt I had really won the Newcastle supporters over.
"I don't know if I am going to be involved tonight. If I am, all I
can do is to take a deep breath and go out there and try my best.
"They tell me I have scored 16 goals in Europe for Leeds and Newcastle.
Well, I would give them all up if I could score one to win the match
for United tonight."
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Make Your Bloody Minds Up, Then!
A statement from the League Managers Association, released
today:
"Certain sections
of the media have reported that Newcastle United have reached
a financial settlement with Sir Bobby following his departure
from the club on 30th August 2004.
"This is not the case.
"The Managers Association Tribunal has the matter set down for
a hearing in the very near future."
Taylor Didn't Dive, He Was Shot!
Toon Defender Steven Taylor has come in for a bit of stick over
the past few days regarding his alleged dive in the 3-0 defeat
to Villa, after conceding a penalty but we can reveal he didn't
dive at all:
Thanks to B3ta.com
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