So Why Can't We Stand Up?
SO WHY CAN’T WE STAND UP? Every
week across the country fans are being ejected or even banned
for simply standing up to support their team. Away allocations
have been cut, parts of grounds are under threat of closure,
and there is increasing conflict with stewards.
Stand Up Sit Down have met with clubs, local authorities, safety
officers, football authorities and the FLA, but have found very
few people who really consider this a safety issue. We are now
left wondering just why such efforts are being made to prevent
supporters standing.
[Read
More +]Given Going Nowhere, For Now Anway...
I don't know where this has all came
from as I haven't read anything linking Shay Given to anyone
lately but the club have been very keen this weekend to stress
that he isn't going anywhere and even Shay himself has reiterated
he is happy on Tyneside.
Souness on Shay:
"I can understand why people would look at Shay and be interested.
"But there's no chance of him leaving. Playing like that - like
he has for the last 10 years - there's no chance."
"I didn't need the last eight games to tell me he's one of the
best in the country.
"You'll never do anything in football if you don't have a top
goalkeeper. And, given his age and experience, I wouldn't swap
Shay for anybody."
Freddy Shepherd on Shay:
"We are aware of the rumours surrounding Shay but the simple
fact is that he's not for sale to Manchester United or any other
club.
"I am no fool. (Ed: Stop laughing you at the back...)
"I know where these rumours are coming from but Graeme Souness
and I are determined Shay will be a part of the future of this
club.
"Given is one of the top keepers in The Premiership but we will
do what is required to make sure he remains a Newcastle player.
"He is not for sale. End of story." (Ed: Now where have we heard
this before?)
Shay himself:
"As far as I am concerned it is all just speculation.
"I want to stay at Newcastle and win things. I came here to
win things and the way we are going forward at the moment and
still involved in the FA Cup and UEFA Cup this is our best chance
of picking up a trophy for some time.
"Obviously Manchester United and Sporting Lisbon are going to
be hard games but we are on a roll at the moment.
"These are exciting times for Newcastle United and a lot of
so-called bigger clubs would love to be involved in two cup
competitions at this stage of the season."
Comment:
Along with Shearer, Shay has been a constant voice in demanding
United as a club challenge for top honours and like Big Al,
he has had every right to because he's one of the best and he's
very ambitious. If the club don't match those ambitions, there
are club's in this Country who could and will. And should Newcastle
fail to put some Silverware on the Republic of Ireland 'keeper's
table in May or miss out on European qualification, I feel Given
could well seek pastures new... and there will be many takers
for one of Europe's finest goalies, many.
Indeed if Souness' men fail to qualify for Europe, he could
well be used as a make-weight in a deal or as a source of generating
much needed revenue in the pursuit of bolstering the squad.
With Harper an able deputy and talk of Sheffield United's Paddy
Kenny having been watched by United scouts at numerous games
this season, It wouldn't surprise me if Shepherd & Co. were
open to the idea of selling our No.1 come the Summer, despite
their claims to the contrary.
 |
Result: Portsmouth 1-1 NUFC
Newcastle's 8 game winning streak came
to a disappointing end at the weekend with a 1-1 draw away to
Portsmouth stopping Graeme Souness' men from going for a new
club record - 9 straight wins in succession.
United once again stuck with Kieron Dyer just off Alan
Shearer and it was the No.8 who opened the scoring on 43 minutes,
getting his head on the end of a Lee Bowyer cross.
Just two minutes later however and Geordie boy Steve Stone
equalised for the home side, sticking a leg out to convert Lomano
Lua Lua's low pull-back. A goal that looked decidedly off-side.
And that's how the scores stayed with both sides failing to
get at each other in the second-half. With the game petering
out and a point in the bag, both sides seemed to accept what
they had.
The events of the past few weeks looked to have caught up with
United who looked leg weary and devoid of ideas in the final
3rd. No complaints from me however. Fratton Park is a tough
place to go to and after what has been a magnificent effort
by all in the 8 games prior to our trip to Pompey, an off day
was to be expected sooner rather than later. At least we didn't
get beaten and now we must go on another winning run once the
international fixtures our out of the way.
Teams...
Portsmouth: Ashdown, Primus, Stefanovic, De Zeeuw, Taylor,
Stone (O'Neil 86), Skopelitis, Cisse, Berger (Hughes 81), Yakubu
(Fuller 85), Lua Lua. Subs not used: Chalkias, Kamara.
Booked: Skopelitis, De Zeeuw, Primus, Yakubu, Lua Lua
United: Given, Carr, O'Brien, Boumsong, Hughes, Bowyer,
Butt (Kluivert 87), Faye (Jenas 68), Robert (Milner 76), Dyer,
Shearer. Subs not used: Harper, Taylor.
Booked: Carr, Bowyer, Andrew O'Brien, Butt
Referee: Matt Messias (South Yorkshire)
Attendance: 20,165 |
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