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Blog on the Tyne is dedicated to bring Toon fans everywhere the most up to date NUFC views, opinions and comment.

The author Lee Ryder, proudly born and bred on Tyneside, has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.

From the high octane atmosphere of St James' Park to the Premiership grounds up and down the country and into Europe - this Blog has been there.

But the coverage doesn't stop at first team level.

Blog on the Tyne is also proud to be there to witness the future of the club with regular coverage of Newcastle United's reserve side, as well as all things black and white.

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April 2008 Archives


Barton happy to let his feet do the talking

Posted by Lee on April 29, 2008 10:11 AM

picresized_th_1209670656_861043.jpgJoey Barton knows better than anybody that his reputation usually walks into the room a few seconds before him.

And he knows that he'll probably never shake off the bad boy tag that large sections of the media have attempted to hit him with ever since he first pulled on a black-and-white shirt.

True, at times he can't help saying the wrong thing at the wrong time to the wrong people.

But although, there are plenty of tales of controversy in his past, perhaps Kevin Keegan is beginning to iron out a midfielder who was once tipped for big things with England.

Continue reading "Barton happy to let his feet do the talking" »

Jellied eels will be no consolation for the East Enders!

Posted by Lee on April 26, 2008 7:15 PM

Only Newcastle United could grab a point like they did at the Boleyn Ground.

On a day of thrills and spills in the sunshine in the capital a crazy game earned the Toon a decent point and stretched the unbeaten run to seven games.

But this game probably left the West Ham fans with a sour taste in their mouth after chucking away a 2-0 lead!

Continue reading "Jellied eels will be no consolation for the East Enders!" »

United do it the hard way in the East End!

Posted by Lee on April 26, 2008 4:58 PM

NEWCASTLE UNITED came back from the dead in the East End of London tonight after a dramatic fightback against West Ham.

United found themselves 2-0 down heading into the break after Mark Noble and Dean Ashton strikes put the home side in full control.

However, two goals in the last three minutes of the first half from Oba Martins and Geremi hauled Newcastle back into the game.

Continue reading "United do it the hard way in the East End!" »

Toon all geared up to finish on a high

Posted by Lee on April 24, 2008 1:30 PM

Kevin Keegan is that determined to finish the campaign on a high that he's kept pre-season plans a total secret from his players.

It's all quite amazing considering at one point the season had been written off completely with relegation a real possibility.

But the fact that KK is focused on nine more points from the last three games is superb indication that things are going the right way too.

No goals conceded in April so far and the chance to overtake the likes of Spurs and Saturday's opponents the Hammers is still very much up for grabs.

Continue reading "Toon all geared up to finish on a high" »

Forget Eastenders get yourself to West Ham v Newcastle if you want real drama!

Posted by Lee on April 22, 2008 8:56 AM

On the 22nd anniversary of our 8-1 hiding at Upton Park (the one when Peter Beardsley ended up in goal!) it's fair to say that Newcastle United are building up to the big one in the East End in fine spirits after seeing off the Mackems on Sunday in a superb 2-0 win.

The emotionally charged day for Kevin Keegan's boys will live long in the memory with the Geordie Nation enjoying a day when you were proud to be a Geordie and proud to be from Tyneside.

Now all of that will be transferred to West Ham and a side that have been walloped by injuries.

Continue reading "Forget Eastenders get yourself to West Ham v Newcastle if you want real drama!" »

Happy Monday

Posted by Lee on April 21, 2008 8:46 AM

It was far from a classic performance by Newcastle in the end but for many it didn't half hit the spot.

Basic things that had become impossible in the dark days of Sam Allardyce are now becoming second nature again for Kevin Keegan and his side with a 2-0 win over Sunderland making it five wins out of five for Special K in derby encounters.

Not only did Newcastle look so comfortable on the ball but their hunger to get black and white noses in front showed with Michael Owen's goal after four minutes.

And is there a better way to slap out the spirit of the opposition than netting a second right on the stroke of half time?

Continue reading "Happy Monday" »

Owen piles on the agony for the Mackems!

Posted by Lee on April 20, 2008 3:24 PM

NEWCASTLE UNITED won the local bragging rights in today’s Tyne-Wear derby after a solid 2-0 win over Sunderland.

Michael Owen’s double did the job for Kevin Keegan’s side on a great day for the Magpies at St James’s Park.

United went in against Sunderland on the back of a five game unbeaten run with Toon players bidding to end the campaign on a real high.

Continue reading "Owen piles on the agony for the Mackems!" »

Sunderland game is a great chance for Toon stars to join an elite club

Posted by Lee on April 17, 2008 2:43 PM

Folklore has been one of the key words of the week on Tyneside with plenty former Toon legends urging the current crop of stars to write themselves into it alongside them.

You know who I'm talking about people like Liam O'Brien, Andy O'Brien, Scott Sellars, David Kelly and Nikos Dabizas.

All of them are permanent fixtures in the black and white history books which shows that Newcastle have dominated the fixture in modern times.

Continue reading "Sunderland game is a great chance for Toon stars to join an elite club" »

Newcastle coach Sadler takes lessons from a true Dutch master

Posted by Lee on April 17, 2008 12:06 PM

It's a long way from Kingston Park and even further from Seghill Social Club but Adam Sadler is taking lessons from one the world's managerial greats in Louis Van Gaal as part of his UEFA pro licence.

And while Tyne-Wear derby fever grips Newcastle, Sadler is taking a watching brief as AZ Alkmaar prepare to take on Sparta Rotterdam.

Sadler, who has done a great job with the reserves this season, is currently on leave from Newcastle United's training HQ in Benton to work alongside Van Gaal at AZ Alkmaar.

The Dutchman of course dumped out the Magpies from the UEFA Cup last term against Glenn Roeder's side and Sadler was part of the coaching staff more than 12 months ago in the sleepy Dutch town of Alkmaar.

Back then Van Gaal refused to speak to the Tyneside media in English leaving many of us reaching for the Dutch phrase books but Sadler has encountered no similar problems so far!

Continue reading "Newcastle coach Sadler takes lessons from a true Dutch master" »

A Sunday roast with a difference?

Posted by Lee on April 15, 2008 12:10 PM

Should Newcastle United lose to Sunderland on Sunday it would spark a public holiday on Wearside as well condemning Toon fans to months of misery that no amount of alcohol will make go away.

However, to do that, Roy Keane's team must come to St James's Park with fire in their bellies, overcome a team playing with confidence, silence a home crowd who will be hellbent on creating a cauldron of noise and somehow stop Oba Martins, Michael Owen and Mark Viduka from continuing their recent run of eight goals in the last four games between the goalscoring trio.

Oh, and Joey Barton's due a goal as well after a string of classy displays alongside the reborn figure of Geremi and the man possessed that is Nicky Butt.

And I forget to mention the watertight defence that Blog on the Tyne understands have been arguing over who gets to mark Kenwyne Jones.

Continue reading "A Sunday roast with a difference?" »

Pompey point still has KK flying high

Posted by Lee on April 14, 2008 7:51 AM

By Lee Ryder in association with FlyBe

Trips to the south coast have never been great for Newcastle United but as long haul journeys in the Premier League go a 0-0 draw was probably more to the liking of the Toon Army than the Pompey faithful.

Kevin Keegan's sides have often, sometimes unfairly, been classed as a team that can't or won't defend but the rock steady performance perhaps helped put that to bed.

Confidence was high heading to Pompey though but many a trip to the south coast has been a painful one from United's point of view and even with Southampton now struggling in the Championship - trips to Portsmouth have resulted in little in the way of success.

Continue reading "Pompey point still has KK flying high" »

Toon settle for the draw at Pompey

Posted by Lee on April 12, 2008 6:59 PM

Lee Ryder reports from Fratton Park

NEWCASTLE UNITED had to settle for a point on the south coast today after their 0-0 draw with FA Cup finalists Portsmouth.

The draw made it five games unbeaten for Kevin Keegan but United could have grabbed all three points after carving out plenty of chances at Fratton Park.

KK made just one change to the side that beat Reading 3-0 with Steven Taylor shaking off a bout of food poisoning to replace David Edgar.

Continue reading "Toon settle for the draw at Pompey" »

Never a better time to silence Pompey faithful

Posted by Lee on April 10, 2008 8:11 AM

Since they arrived in the Premier League they've quite rightly earned the tag of one of the noisiest bunch of fans in the country.

But despite their victory over injury hit West Ham the other night, from Newcastle's point of view surely there is no better time to end the 17 year wait for a win on the south coast.

And we all know they've got other things on their mind now they've reached the FA Cup final.

Continue reading "Never a better time to silence Pompey faithful" »

It's howay the Beye as far as KK is concerned!

Posted by Lee on April 6, 2008 11:11 PM

He might not win player of the season in some people's eyes but Habib Beye is certainly an outstanding candidate.

The Senegal international was on fire against Reading and is showing what a tremendous signing he was from Marseille last summer.

KK certainly thinks so too and during a Chronicle interview with the flying full back Keegan stopped Beye in his path, pointed at him and said: "He was quality by the way."

It had shades of the Rob Lee incident of the 95/96 season when Keegan got down on his hands and knees to the feet of the former Toon ace in appreciation.

Continue reading "It's howay the Beye as far as KK is concerned!" »

The Keegan feel-good factor

Posted by Lee on April 6, 2008 6:13 PM

It could only happen in Newcastle couldn't it?

What am I talking about?

The fact that in one season morale in the stands at St James's Park has gone from rock bottom to sky high in just a few months.

And after United's superb 3-0 win over Reading a season that many people couldn't wait to see the back of is now turning into one that nobody wants to end.

Continue reading "The Keegan feel-good factor" »

United made it look so easy

Posted by Lee on April 5, 2008 5:39 PM

Newcastle United cruised to a superb win over Reading today at St James’s Park as the Magpies recorded their third win in a row under Kevin Keegan.

The win all but secured their Premier League status too as the black and whites moved to 38 points.

Toon executive director Dennis Wise was on Tyneside to see the emphatic win and interestingly was joined by former Magpie Alan Thompson who was one of his players with Leeds.

Continue reading "United made it look so easy" »

Quantity and quality

Posted by Lee on April 3, 2008 9:17 AM

United players celebrate at SpursIt was a feeling that at one stage I thought I'd never feel again.

The feeling I'm talking about is the walk (or stumble in some cases) to St James's Park where you aren't wondering whether the team will win, but by how many goals that the Magpies can win by.

Yes, I admit it, I have got a little bit carried away by the win at White Hart Lane after years of returning from London with nothing but a real battering.

And while the good folk of Reading (Royals fans are still getting used to being called Premier League Reading) are likely to survive in the top flight for another year, I wonder if they'll be feeling as bad as we did back in October.

Continue reading "Quantity and quality" »