The following e-mail was sent in to Newcastle-Online.com by a regular reader, on the 12th:

Hi guys,

First of all I want to praise you on being innovative and ambitious about the site. I look forward to all the new features that are set to appear in the future. I also think you do a great job of updating regularly.

Secondly, some constructive criticism. I think the tone of the site has become very bitter in recent times. Sure there are reasons to be upset and disappointed lately but the tone of the sites gone a bit too far. For example the story on the imminent departure of Andy O’Brien entitled: “The news Toon fans have all been waiting for” is pretty nasty.

I mean how would we all feel if we moved on from a job which we didn’t have particular talent for, but had always done the required duties to the best of our ability whilst never causing problems and maintaining a professional attitude, and found out those at the job where all celebrating the fact we wouldn’t be around anymore?

Another example is the fact that every time good players joining the club is mentioned it’s dismissed on the site as being an attempt to sell season tickets. First, as one poster on the forum indicated, where has this myth come from? When NUFC tried to sign Ronaldiniho there was no need to sell any extra season tickets.

The myth doesn’t carry to this season either because for every fan disillusioned enough to not renew their ticket there’s another 2 ready to step in and buy that ticket. Second, Isn’t the chairman acting in the best interests of the club by promoting the ambition of the club to try to get high calibre players?

Should he come out in the press and say: “Newcastle United does not waste their time trying to get the best here, we just go for easily obtainable players of equal or lesser ability than those we already have. We aim to improve next season by keeping a similar quality squad.” Third, would it be better if Newcastle never chased players it won’t get? Better to aim high and fall short than to aim low and succeed as the saying goes.

Every time Freddy Shepard opens his mouth what he says is ridiculed, even though he’s a poor chairman and has disgraced himself in the past it doesn’t mean that everything he does or says is wrong.

I’m not advocating that the site sycophantically follows the clubs official line, nor that it never criticises the club. There’s definitely room for justified criticism but the line between that and bitterness has been crossed since the cup defeats earlier this year.

In a couple of months the first goal film will be out featuring a South American kid winning the premier league at Newcastle (it’s in the synopsis on the official site). The movie may be embarrassing and a failure, however considering the amount of money put into it it ’s much more likely that it will hugely improve Newcastle’s image around the world and swell the Toon Army’s ranks with a lot of extra fans around the world, especially young fans. Those fans may seek out the best Newcastle site on the net (yours), and I think it would be better if the site offered a less negative outlook on the future of the club.

Anyway I’d like to end this e-mail by saying that your site really is the best Newcastle Site around and probably the most ambitious and innovative site of any club in the world. I also appreciate that it’s easy for me to sit back and criticise than it is to actually do something like you guys have.

Especially if its doing something as well as you guys do. I just think its time the storm clouds lifted. The truth is that at a club like Newcastle which in terms of revenue is an absolute giant in world football its always going to be a case of when, not if the good times will come. The great work of people like yourself will help that immensely. Keep up the good work.

Hugo Lines