Geordie Nation are glad to see the back of black September
The month of September can only be described as every Newcastle United fan's worst nightmare - it started as soon as the transfer window slammed shut and continued throughout the month as horror show at St James's Park spiralled out of control in front the entire nation.
It's been difficult to catch breath at times and there have been plenty of traumatised sleeps to boot with many of us often waking up wondering if what had happened was actually real.
Yet it was very much a reality from the moment the first rumours reached us that Kevin Keegan had walked out on Newcastle United.
But if that sounded bad to begin with, it was only the start of cruel and sickening plot that you would struggle to write even if you tried.
Keegan's reasons were quite clear in the aftermath of a transfer window that caused havoc down the corridors of power at St James's Park as the lack of control over incoming players resulted in a huge rift between KK and Dennis Wise.
And the first sign of unrest was at United's reserve team clash with Sunderland at St James's Park with Kevin Keegan's usual seat empty and Terry McDermott constantly on the phone during the 2-1 defeat for the second string.
It wouldn't be the first time that a Sunderland victory on Tyneside coincided with a manager choosing to resign soon after but even compared to the mood of devastation the night that a rain soaked Toon Army watched Ruud Gullit's final game in charge in 1999, this was much, much different.
In axing Alan Shearer, Gullit had shot himself in the foot but by forcing Kevin Keegan to the point of no return, the United board could have had no idea just how badly the Newcastle public would take it.
Many Toon fans may have cringed when the bed sheet brigade turned up at St James's Park demanding the return of KK in front of the cameras and the nation watched on.
Even a trip to New York City in the aftermath of Keegangate could not stop Mike Ashley ending up in the papers but he returned on the eve of the game against Hull to meet Keegan in London to try to kiss and make up.
It failed on the basis that the Toon tycoon - who has also done a lot of good things at St James's Park - decided that Dennis Wise and Tony Jimenez would remain in control of transfers.
But against Hull City fans chanting "There's only 1 Kevin Keegan" and the unfolding of "Cockney Mafia Out" banners in front of a directors' box containing only Derek Llambias, sparked the latest response on September 14 - Mike Ashley putting the club up for sale.
The 2-1 defeat against the Premier League newcomers Hull would go down in history all right, but for all the wrong reasons as caretaker Chris Hughton failed to lift the bewildered players who were left angered by KK's departure.
With the club up for sale, a failed trip to sell the club in Dubai put the club in bad light once again in the eyes of the fans.
Mr Ashley watched on from a private box at Upton Park but bewildered Newcastle were torn apart by West Ham in a 3-1 defeat.
By now talk of success in the Carling Cup had turned into a sick joke and in front of the lowest crowd at St James's Park since the ground was expanded, Newcastle were dumped out 2-1 last Wednesday.
There was no surprise when Terry Venables snubbed United after the game insisting there was no point in doing the job for six games.
But the football world was rocked again when Joe Kinnear was appointed interim manager on Friday to leave players and fans stunned after a four year absence from the game.
His arrival was swift and even a pep talk before the game failed to lift the players as Newcastle slipped to a fifth successive defeat against Blackburn.
Since then Kinnear has been getting his feet under the table at St James's Park and has received a lukewarm welcome.
That said, the general feeling is that at least Kinnear had the bottle to take on the job and with Newcastle sinking fast, who else can rescue the club with games running out?
People have asked if it can get any worse on Tyneside.
The answer to that has to be YES with a long hard season ahead.
But until the club is sold, United fans have no other choice but to back Big Joe in order to lift their team from the doldrums.
A new owner may well point to better times at St James's Park and new ideas.
Yet nobody connected with the club will never ever forget black September.
AN AMAZING 112, 789 OF YOU LOGGED ON TO BLOG ON THE TYNE LAST MONTH NOW WE ASK HAS THIS BEEN THE WORST MONTH IN NEWCASTLE UNITED'S PROUD HISTORY?
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Lee Ryder - Proudly born and bred on Tyneside, the Chronicle's chief sports writer has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.
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It's been my worst time as a supporter - I can't claim to have as long a track record as some, it all started for me in 1990 when I did my work experience with a certain Mr. A. Oliver of this parish.
During that time there have been highs and lows; we were dreadful under Souness, Allardyce and Roeder, turgid under Daglish and Gullit... and wonderful under KK and Bobby.
So why does this feel so bad? Well, under those other managers I've mentioned, you always felt that things could get better - we always had good players, and if we could just get a manager playing them in the right way.... or make a couple of decent signings and be off up the league.
This time, I can count on less than one hand the number of good players we've got. And the gap between us and the top 7 is so big, I think we'd have to spend the guts of ã200m just to bridge the gap.
There's just no spark for me. Even if we do get a new sugar daddy to pump cash in, and KK back as manager..... well, you can't polish a dog egg, and that's what we're stuck with till Xmas.
Hi Lee:
Beware of the Irishman who talks with a "cockney accent"............ could he be a member of the Irish Mafia perhaps???
Wordannyman!!
You're right Lee - an absolute shocker of a month. Ashley has let us all down badly and has managed to just about destroy the club. I hope though the protests will now all stop and we all get behind JK and the team -there is no point now than doing anything other than giving them 100% backing. It may take months yet to complete the sale and we don't want to be cast adrift in the relegation zone - it's important that we give the new owners (and manager) a chance of beating the drop. That's about all we can hope for now for this season.
ITS certainly the worst time since ive been going to SJP (roughly 26yrs) and yeah ive seen worse footy...a LOT worse,but all in all this could have been catastrophic.I suppose i,like most fans,am just hoping beyond all hope that we are sold ASAP to a figure/consortium who have the clubs,teams and fans best interests at heart....oh aye, and spend some cash come summer (assuming we're still in the PL),whilst backing the manager whoever that may be.Us,we,the fans as a whole can be very proud at how we are riding out this storm,with dignity and protesting in a manner that very few other sets of supporters could match......it has showed ashley,the press and all our other detractors all over the world that we will not lie down as our club is being ripped apart by clowns and slagged off by the press ( s. curry et al).........there may be trouble ahead,but i also feel we've weathered the worst and things will eventually start looking good again.......always believe.......howay the toon...
Terrible month no doubt. As for the worst... Probably.
To see such inept handling of an enterprise is astonashing. To be honest I am starting to wonder if it is all part of Mr. Ashleys master plan. Buy a club with potential, make a lot of popular (and correct) actions, and then rake in a hefty profit.
I was pleased to see the back of Fat Freddie. I was overjoyed as Fat Sam was given the sack. When King Kev was appointed I was over the moon. I cannot think of anything that sparked such a chain reaction of good memories and positive thinking.
But as time went by things started going downhill. It ended as September started. We went over the edge as only NUFC can. All the reporters were looking on with glee. As October start I feel a little better. New ownership and reeinstatement of the King is a possibility. But what if it isn't?
At any rate this month has shown what it is like to support Newcastle. For good and bad.
too right m8
Hi lee-Yes we have had some traumatic times over the past few years -but this was the worst I can remember.I still feel Ashley brought about his own demise after all KK is no fool and if Ashley had really done his homework he would have known that KK has a really good record both on the purchasing and the selling of players -also KK was not asking to buy whoever he wanted but simply to decide if a player was worth keeping or letting that player go-why oh why should that have been such a massive problem to Ashley-perhaps Wiseys ego was effected by it and he made sure Ashley would support him and not KK-as they are such big buddies-problem is virtually the whole of football management and the media seem to agree with KK-so it seems Ashley has made one big blunder.I just wish KK would come back -however none of this is Joe Kinnears fault so I am certain the toon army will give him all the support he needs. Howay the lads.
There has been nothing "proud" about NUFC for years now. Glen Roeder got it spot on the other week - "When they talk about Newcastle being a great club, it's only great for one reason - because it has great supporters."
"Black September" could (and probably will) be the start of even darker months to come.
If we think the problem are over because we have ripped a sheet off the calendar we are wrong. The problem is deep rooted and needs to be resolved with a solid business plan and a inventive football management. We all seem to live in a fools paradise, Keegan comes back and we all live happily ever after. This is not a fairy stories although at times it resembles a pantomine. I watched Skynews this morning and an ex Forest player stated that Kinnear simply isn't the man, you won't see him on the training feel he puts little stow in discipline and he is not used to working with elite players. In six games time we will no if this is the case but if it is its too late, Joe is the wrong appointment and Hughton has proven he is not up to the task has no personality and seems unable to motivate or earn the respect of the players. The future looks decidedly gloomy but I hope & pray I'm wrong.