Toon young guns light up some dark days for United faithful
Without getting too carried away about a 3-0 win over Shamrock Rovers it has to be said there were a few positives for the Newcastle United fans who made the journey over the Irish Sea here in Dublin to enjoy a rare bright spot this summer.
Behind the scenes in the Toon camp it's obvious the players, especially the senior troops, are looking for some answers about just where the club is going.
But with no sign of new players coming in due to the snail-paced sale of the Magpies, certainly some of the young guns snapped up their chance to shine yesterday against the Hoops.
Firstly, Nile Ranger's decent performance was capped with a late goal after he'd played the role of a roll on/off sub.
Then there was Wesley Ngo Baheng who toiled in midfield during the first half and showed his recovery from a serious knee injury has been a complete success.
Tamas Kadar and Callum Morris also shone in the friendly workout and at times it was hard to work out who were the rookies alongside error prone Fabricio Coloccini.
In the second half it was the turn of midfield trio Ryan Donaldson, Kazenga LuaLua and Frank Danquah.
Donaldson has been converted into a midfielder after starting his career as a striker but he has been told his best chance of making it is by dropping back into the engine room.
The Geordie looked good going forward out wide and also could have scored when he sent a header just wide in the second half.
Kazenga LuaLua is hungry to succeed after a stint at Donny on loan last term.
In a recent interview he told me he was "ready for men's football" and that this season could be a big chance for the younger brother of Lomana LuaLua.
Danquah is also a pretty cool figure with the Amsterdam-born youngster, once of Ajax's famous soccer school, already proving nothing seems to get to him.
If he can put in a few more performances like Shamrock in the second half, then there could be a few positives for fans to latch on to.
So in the end goals from Steven Taylor, Shola and the boy Ranger sealed a nice start to pre-season.
The Toon fans also deserve credit for enduring a downpour after the heavens opened in Dublin on the uncovered seating area.
Orange raincoats were provided for fans and they really did come alive in the second half after watching a slow start to their pre-season fixture list.
Next up Darlo away...
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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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Reading various newspaper stories, and this blog and associated comments from fans it is very clear that there is still a long way to go before people grasp the reality of the situation NUFC is in. There continues to be endless silly talk about competing with actual premier league clubs for good players, of selling Newcastle players to top level clubs. And of course there continues to be the total tripe about being a big club and the certainty of getting promotion during the coming season! In reality NUFRC is a club that is on toute to total disintegration and in such a state that nobody in their right mind would ever consider buying it for twenty quid.
Worst of all is that Shearer who has zero management ability and hangs around like lingering death could actually get the managers job. Fans crazy enough to want him need not fear him going elsewhere because he is just a unwanted by anybody else as are the players.
Beating Shamrock reserves and trialists will probably prove to be a higher point than anything nex season which I predict will end in being relegated AGAIN and setting a low points record.
Big club ....
The fact that you (a non NUFC supporter) followed a link and read the story above proves..... whatever it needs to prove. Go follow link to MUFC..... and the fact that you wrote more words then I can be bothered with... proves.... whatever it needs to prove.... don't make it a big club in your head and it won't be..... think small, small, small... Wish it.... ah man you made me write more then i wanted to.... darn.
Oh, M Sebastien T - clearly an attempted anagram of 'Sad Mackem T**t' - what a pathetic little man you are.
No friends. No other half. Nothing positive at all in your life. All you have is your sad, vindictive little mind and shoulders with more chips on them than Andy Reid has for breakfast, lunch and dinner combined. And that's a lot of chips.
Why would a Mackem spend their time trawling and contributing to a Geordie blog? Nobody cares what you think. You're opinions are worthless. You're nothing.
And your club - while rightly enjoying 'top dog' status for the moment - will never be a club with the same history, tradition and status in the game as Newcastle United. Deal with it. Let the pain and feelings of inferiority subside. Enjoy your little club's finest hour. And try reading the Echo.
Guys, chill out. There is no point in getting worked up about what Sebastian T wrote, he is entitled to his opinion.
Its not his fault that he has to come on this site to get his kicks is it, i find it quite funny really. We can stick together and prove him wrong right?
After all......he's gay.