Seeing Andy Carroll score was a sight for sore eyes
IT might not be up there with Alan Shearer's 201st goal or David Kelly's crucial winner against Portsmouth in 1992 or even Andy Cole's first half hat-trick against Liverpool back in the day - but Andy Carroll's glancing header at least gave Gallowgate regulars some hope in what has already been a testing season.
Newcastle United fans always love to see their own do well and with players like Peter Beardsley, Gazza, Lee Clark, Stevie Watson, Robbie Elliott and of course Big Al (even if we have to pay ã15million to get him back).
United fans will now hope that Andy Carroll can join the list of Geordies who give the good folk of Tyneside that extra bit of pride.
Carroll has been on the scene for three seasons now but as a raw kid from Gateshead has only had limited chances.
He made his debut against Palermo away in 2006 when he became the youngest ever debutant in Europe for the black and whites.
Speaking from a personal level it's great to see a local youngster come through the ranks at Newcastle.
The Gateshead lad impressed from an early age and after doing so well at Academy level he didn't take long to get to grips with reserve team football.
Indeed against Everton reserves a few years back he gave David Weir a real tussle at just 17-years-old and early comparisons with Duncan Ferguson were made by Everton officals.
However, Carroll has also maintained he aims to be his own man and his header against West Ham with his braided new haircut showed he just didn't stop trying.
Toon fans will remember a few years ago when Gianluigi Buffon almost knocked his head off, a dazed Carroll simply got up and got on with the job,
And minutes later had netted past the Juventus keeper in a friendly.
This week after taking a serious amount of stick over his new haircut, nobody could have blamed him if he'd went away and shaved it off.
But instead he turned up at training with a smile on his face and went on to score his first goal.
He probably didn't know it at the time, but in a season when there has been plenty doom and gloom on the go at St James's he probably also helped improve team morale by getting some much needed banter and craic flowing in the dressing room.
After all there were 13 players nursing injury and illness this week at one point at training at the club's Benton HQ.
But back to his goal and anybody who was at St James's will admit that his header nearly raised the roof.
Not just because it made it 2-2 but because it was a Geordie and it meant just as much to him as it did to the Toon Army.
Afterwards, the national media were all over Carroll which was a far cry from his reserve team days in a dark tunnel at Kingston Park dodging kit and trollies of half eaten sandwiches as he spoke of his dreams of scoring for the first team.
Now it's a dream realised and the Geordie nation will hope it's the first of many from big Andy.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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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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Delighted for him, I really am. Let's hope he really pushes on now, in a way that Shola, unfortunately, never did.
But ... yet another draw at home, against yet another poor side doesn't bode well at all.
And if a dodgy haircut is really needed to stimulate some banter and camraderie in our dressing room, well, I'd have to ask what exactly is the JoKer doing?
Thank God he scored!
We were the better team in the first half but were far too deep in the second half. The number of times Duff or Jonas were unsupported was criminal. Taylor was particularly poor in this respect (and it was his fault the own goal was chalked off because he was pushing). When they did get a cross in, the central midfield usually failed to support the strikers. Thankfully, JFK finally realised what a lot of fans have known for some time: we need only one holding midfielder; the other one should be fast and attacking. Putting Charlie on saved the game and we looked like we could have won it - I thought Jonas had!
Shame on the 'fans' who booed Charlie - or were you booing Geremi off? I felt sorry for him bing asked to a job he's no longer capable of doing - but Charlie should've been on from the start.
Hi lee,
As i am from Gateshead myself i was over the moon that we have a lad that will do his best for the team and it was great to see that he has the heart and nous to be a great new prospect.
Lets play him and maybe be more agressive and him and shola together could be a option.
I would think after watching the game that the fans were booing charlie as he does deserve it and he is looking to get away and i believe he will be gone soon.
Terrible shame but he has wanted away for a long time and we will have to deal with that when it happens.
I hope Alan Oliver is not gone as the reviews will be tame without him as he is normallly forthright that you Lee... and Bobby.
I have one complaint Lee is that you never respond to posts and that is disappointing.
Come on the lads on wednesday.
Ratings for West ham game-GIVEN speak to us,outstanding again,9 TAYLOR to pushy 5 JOSE good pass,but!!!6 COLLO to friendly with BELLERS,6 BASSONG good wrestling match, 8 GEREMI forgot to wind up,2 GUTHRIE good game,7 DUFF needed support,6 OWEN be agood player one day,7CARROLL hair&shouders above rest 8,JONAS when are we going to see mask,8 CHARLIE smile please your on camera, 6.JFK 11 out of 10 for saying nowt again.
WE NEED TO START WINNING GAMES QUICKLY, STILL VERY WORRIED?????????????????????????????????
If we get to the end off the season and we have 2 or 3 games left to avoid relegation, do we have the team that can go out and fight
I THINK NOT
We need to beat Blackburn on Saturday
Appreciate your opinions Andrew.
Merit marks spark a lot of debate in football and it's healthy that people don't agree with them, everybody has got their own opinion and that's what football is all about.
All the best and like you, let's hope the lads do the business on Wednesday night.
Lee
I actually enjoyed that game if not the result. The thing that really stood out and that I enjoyed the most was seeing big Andy play with agression. Yes that's AGRESSION shola. We need that along with guile in the team and the young lad has it in abundance, thankyou Andy for having the passion to play for the shirt with agression. Alan Smith take note, that doesn't mean you have to go around the park kicking everyone up in the air, it means competing for the ball hard and firm but fair.
Thanks Andy your goal made me so proud to be a geordie again.
The comparison with Big Dunc is uncanny. They are so alike. Ferguson had great ability on the ground, and Andy has shown that he can hold the ball up and has good vision. I do hope that he isn't troubled by injury in the way Duncan was.
Its just a shame his inexperience cost him a second goal with his chance in the first half which would have put us two up. I think with the right coaching and with the assistance of senior pros that he has an exciting future.
To get back to the game on Saturday. West Ham really caused us problems after they equalised, but many fans who became frustrated at the amount of possession they had, but tend to forget that the team which finished the game included Taylor 22yrs, Bassong 22yrs Enrique 22yrs, Guthrie 21yrs,
N'Zogbia 22yrs and Carroll 20yrs. If these lads are to progress at OUR club, support them, don't get on their backs. They ALL have huge potential. Remember they aren't Shearer, Ginola or Beardsley. They are just kids
Lads I am so heartened by this thread. Despite what on the surface is a disappointing result, the positives been drawn out of this game are heart-warming.
Lets continue in this vein - get behind the lads and start tunrning the corner.
PaulS I loved your observation about the ages of the boys that finished, half a dozen kids there.
im still not 100% certain that carroll will be a "star" but it was good to see him score despite the stupid hairstyle!
i wonder what wise thinks about it all what with his "super signing" xisco yet to find the match to set the league alight.
on another note, i think its a sad day that we are offering a trial to lovenkrands - a man who rejected us for rangers 8years ago - its a sign of how far we have fallen...
and am i the only one who would wish kinnear would shut up about transfers?
mr kinnear we know how it works, you promise us lots and we then get some last minute spanish flops!
Hi Lee,
Welcome your thoughts after looking at the recent matches. Is it just me or is there more and more evidence that we dont have a leader on the park..more noticable at the back as our 2 centre backs seem to be getting more and more out of sink with each other and the game as a whole. Owen certainly isnt doing anything, probably to busy packing. Players like Carrol need time to grow, ON THE PITCH. How can they blossom when the likes of the Sick Note Aussie just walk back into the team. Shola and Obi have been our best pair up front this season (and that includes owen) simply because hey work of the ball as young Carrol did at the weekend. I hate to say it but Owen needs to watch the game again and take notes from Bellamy who, and this is breaking my heart to say this, brought back memories of his pace and work rate when he wore the B&W shirt.
Again, again, again, .... Given to the rescue. If Given ever gets a serious injury Toon will be relegated for certain. West Ham would have been worthy winners last weekend. No wonder Owen wants to leave!