There isn't one big name casualty that will be left sat in the stands this winter and the fuss caused over whether Steven Taylor would be frozen out proved to be nothing but trash talk.
Chris Hughton has always insisted he wants to keep Taylor and had United forced the player to sit in the stands it would have been a case of "cutting off the nose to spite the face".
]]> The new rules are a good idea in principle but in the week that Paul Gascoigne claimed that too many overseas stars are preventing young British players making an impact in the game, it's quite clear that clubs can live with the situation and overseas players taking the place of home grown talent will continue.Gazza said in an interview with the Chronicle: "Bringing the foreigners in has also not really gave some of the kids too much chance to develop.
"Sometimes when they get close, they're nearly there and then teams go and sign a player from abroad for £18m.
"They then end up in the lower leagues, get disheartened and stop playing."
Perhaps one idea would be that eight English players - or home grown - must be named in a Premier League match day squad.
That would certainly stop the Chelseas and the Arsenals of the world naming squads that contain no English players at all.
Or maybe the other direction to go is to name a limited number of foreign imports per match day squad.
Either way, it could pose problems.
We now live in a different world to when overseas players were rare in the English game and rules and regulations that deny the employee of a football club a chance to play is discrimination in the eyes of the European Commission.
FIFA have already had their say on this.
Two years ago Sepp Blatter backed such a quota plan, which would limit the foreigners in a team (ie starting XI) to five, and wanted it to be in place by 2012/2013 before this was deemed illegal.
Back then an EU spokseman said: "The implementation by Fifa of this proposal in the European Union would violate EU law."
Whatever way you look at it, it's a huge can of worms and bringing in a 25 man squad rule has already proved it cuts no ice when you look at the big picture (wow two cliches there for the price of one).
On a serious note and from a Newcastle point of view, you have to say Gazza has a good point.
Surely it's healthy to have the Gascoignes, Carrolls and Steven Taylors of the world coming through and pulling on a black and white shirt rather than being forced down the divisions.
Yes, it is about ability.
But the thought of an Albert Luque or a Jean Alain Boumsong standing in the way of the next big thing at Newcastle United has to be a cause for concern.
Young talented players only have a limited window of opportunity to shine.
You impress in the Academy, you move up to the reserves, you impress again and if there is availability in the first team due you get a chance.
There isn't much room for error but after last years FA Youth Cup run and the emergence of the likes of local talent like Phil Airey, Jak Alnwick, Sam Ameobi and Paul Dummett, it's been encouraging with Academy products such as Sam Adjei and Brad Inman also coming through.
Some say relegation for Newcastle had its positives, and having been through the experience you have to agree.
Andy Carroll being the ultimate example.
Had United stayed up and offered the likes of Viduka or Martins another deal, which was on the cards for the Aussie, Carroll's chances would have been limited.
Instead he scored 19 goals in the Championship and a new number 9 was born.
Ranger, Kadar and Krul - all home grown products also got their chance to shine and Ranger and Krul won long term contracts.
But what of the future, especially at Newcastle?
Personally I'd prefer to see more like Carroll come through the ranks but if the home grown rule means we see a Vuckic or a Kadar do the business, it shows that the Academy is doing its job.
In the Second Division era on Tyneside, the likes of Watson, Clark, Elliott, Howey and Thompson all came through the club.
And the modern hot-bed on Tyneside needs to be tapped into even more.
Newcastle United the club may not have won a trophy for 41 years but we DO produce fantastic Geordie footballers whether they ply their trade in black and white or end up going elsewhere.
From Beardsley to Shearer and up to the modern day in the shape of Michael Carrick - we've missed out on some top players.
The bottom line is more needs to be done to develop more English players and local talent at Newcastle United.
And if bringing through Geordie talent doesn't remain part of the fabric of the club, we really are in trouble.
]]>The rules of the world game are designed to be applied in each game as it comes but in the eyes of McCarthy, there appears to be a roll-over system in place.
Joey Barton complained to McCarthy when walking of the field at Molineux that the home side's tactics were over the top on the day.
McCarthy's response was "You're no shrinking violet yourself son."
]]> So let's just get this straight.In the eyes of McCarthy, because Joey Barton has form and has been involved in a few dirty tackles himself earlier in his career - it's all fine to kick him to near unconsciousness?
The rules of the game go out of the window therefore and instead McCarthy's street justice system comes into play.
That sort of attitude is akin to local 5aside leagues and Sunday League when a player walks on to the field having had trouble before with a ref or a team - and is usually set about early in the game or ends up doubly punished for fouls and niggles other players will get away with.
But this was meant to be the best league in the world with people paying their hard earned to see it.
Thankfully Barton out-thought Wolves and the referee.
We all know how Wolves fans felt about the performance of Stuart Attwell, well I do because I had to hear Stan Collymore on a radio phone-in inciting them to come on the air and cry about how badly they thought they'd been treated!
Make no doubt about it Molineux is a hard place to go and the fans make it what it is but talk about blinkered?
Attwell is not one of the best refs in the Premier League but what was he meant to do?
He clamped down on all seven of the fouls on Barton and issued yellow cards as Wolves queued up to chop Barton in the hope of a rise: Correct as far as Attwell is concerned.
Attwell then booked several Newcastle players who became frustrated and bit back: Correct as per the laws of the game.
So what exactly were the Wolves crying about?
Don't get me wrong, Newcastle United in the last few years allowed standards to dip.
But who do Wolves think they are?
In my opinion they're a team and a set of fans that are wet behind the ears as far as Premier League football is concerned.
Or maybe I'm getting carried away and applying McCarthy logic and allowing the past the influence any process of clear think.
They did used to play in Divison Four in my lifetime didn't they and their ground did used to be a bit of a tip with a muddy grass bank as part of the away end?
Well, I was delighted to see Newcastle United players stand up to the physical nature of Wolves' style of play and give a bit back.
In the end Newcastle could easily have nicked it after they failed to deal with Carroll and he rose to head home, although they did have a few chances themselves and in the end edged the possession.
And whatever way you look at it, Wolves didn't succeed in A) Getting a rise out of Barton or any Toon players, B) Getting three points and C) Winning any respect from the watching world of football
But when it comes to talking about captains since the legendary Big Al hung up his captain's armband, then you have to say Kevin Nolan is certainly giving it his all to fill a major void that has been left wide open for almost four years.
Scott Parker, who did have his moments, at St James' Park lasted a season and then left Newcastle after failing to get his head round the place to the point that an end of season official club interview with the then captain was never published because it was so negative.
Big Sam then amazingly handed the armband to Geremi in one of his first moves as boss.
]]> Geremi was then soon made the scapegoat by Allardyce after a string of poor results and then leaving the ex-Bolton boss with a task to replace him.Allardyce opted for Alan Smith but the Yorkshire battler had hardly got used to wearing it before Kevin Keegan replaced him with Michael Owen.
In my eyes, Owen was always going to be a bad idea due to his single minded attitude within the game.
Even as captain, when fit and when bothered, he often shirked his responsibility as skipper to come out and face the music after games and explain the team's performance, good or bad, to the media.
His mundane expressions on the pitch and moody outlook on his time at Newcastle also said to me he gave the impression he didn't really care - even if it may have been a build-up of inner frustration about the way life was panning out after arriving from Real Madrid.
You couldn't blame him on some things, but as far as lifting the team - and the fans, he did little for me - I don't know about you?
Owen's departure, then led to the appointment of Nicky Butt as club captain last term.
Butt had a wealth of experience and it's understood that the ex-England man was a revelation behind the scenes.
However, when life started to go belly up at Newcastle after playing for such a superb organisation as Manchester United his expression was always "What the hell have I done moving here?"
After being farmed out at Birmingham and being made the scapegoat by some for the FA Cup semi-final defeat in Cardiff against Man U (before my time as a reporter at Newcastle), Butt was sceptical of the media on Tyneside.
Nevertheless he survived relegation and played a part in winning promotion to the Premier League.
When looking back on the Championship title win, Newcastle were at their most inspiring with Nolan inspiring them with the armband.
Behind the scenes the influential Scouser lifted the camp and it's clear if somebody is stepping out of line, he will quickly remind them of the standards that are required at Newcastle these days.
So far this season Nolan has picked up where he left off last season on the field and in the goal stakes.
He's playing with a smile on his face and getting everybody to do the same so far.
Nolan enjoyed banter with the Gallowgate End last week against Aston Villa when mocking Brad Friedel while the American was trying to prepare his wall for a free-kick and the Scouser was in the middle of it attempting to be a distraction.
At Accy Stanley in midweek when a home fan complained he was blocking his view while warming up and getting on her nerves, Nolan quipped: "I'll warm up somewhere else, you're getting on my nerves love", all of it good spirit and both parties found it funny.
These are early days for the new Newcastle and the new captain, but so far, so good even just a few games into a new (ish) regime.
He may have got off to a slow start to his Toon career and endured relegation but since grabbing 18 goals in the Championship and producing some great moments along the way, it looks like there may be more to come.
Speaking to Nolan gives you the feeling that he actually genuinely cares for the Magpies and the fans.
In the modern game it can be difficult to get a footballer to talk for longer than two minutes but after the game with Aston Villa, Nolan actually joked with an NUFC Press officer that he still had "plenty to say" when he was told his allotted time was up!
He then went on to joke (when referring to myself and a colleague): "These two might look like they've heard enough but I'll keep going until I'm finished."
Many felt that they'd seen the best of Nolan at Bolton in his days at the Reebok.
But with the 28-year-old in fine form so far this season (yes early days) Newcastle could yet get the best from the Scouse lad in his peak.
It remains to be seen whether the 4-4-1-1 formation with Nolan and Carroll up top can sparkle just as well in the Premier League, but who really knows? Especially at home.
And if he can achieve his dream of leading a team from the Championship and into Europe, like at Bolton, then nobody will be complaining.
]]>Whether he can do enough - or already has done enough - to win that England call-up against Bulgaria next month remains to be seen.
But if under pressure Fabio Capello sticks to his vow of picking players then Carroll appears to have genuine sniff of pulling on a senior England jersey in what would be a whirlwind 12 months for the Gateshead lad
Judging by England's last game against Hungary, Capello's boys were devoid of ideas in attack until Steven Gerrard pulled something out of the fire - and Bulgaria wouldn't know what had hit them if Carroll was let loose.
]]> Those who have watched the rise and rise of Carroll from Academy left-back to Toon number 9, will know that the potential of the Geordie has always stuck out like sore thumb.He's a different type of player that has so many strings to his bow.
His physical presence has always been there for all to see, but not only is the towering striker fantastic in the air at both ends, his left foot is arguably one of the most lethal in the business.
Chris Hughton and managers before him have questioned the amount of goals he's netted in the past, but last season from November onwards, he appeared to find the belief in front of goal some thought he'd been lacking.
Many had questioned his potential to do it in the Premier League while some have already dismissed his chances.
A hat-trick against a team in Champions League contention last season, surely proves that he can mix it with the big boys.
And as for the Brummie bedsheet brigade?
Well they left St James' Park in a state of shock after a 6-0 pasting that caught the eyes of the rest of the nation.
Some of the national Press still searched long and hard for a negative from the day accusing Joey Barton of making a Nazi style salute after his goal.
But with Barton entirely innocent it could not take the gloss of a great day.
You don't want to get carried away but if the 6-0 win achieved anything it was restoring belief back into everybody connected with the black and whites.
Follow me on Twitter lee_ryder
Villa fans danced on Newcastle's top flight grave in the fateful final Premier League clash of the 2008/09 season which pushed the Mags into the Championship.
They even went to the trouble of unfurling flags such as "Sob On The Tyne" and "Who's your next Messiah, Ant or Dec?", some might say it was part of the jolly old terrace banter that makes the nation great, some might say they went too far.
]]> Certainly, further details of the aftermath of relegation detailed on the True Faith website say Villa fans went over the top in their delight at seeing Newcastle go down.Nobody connected with Newcastle United will forget that day at Villa Park.
But the great thing about this game is there is always another season, there is always another game and there is always another day.
People in glass houses should not throw stones - and life generally has a habit of coming back to bite you on the backside just when you don't expect it.
For Newcastle United their day comes on Sunday.
And by the time two or three mini buses from Brummie-land turn up at St James' Park, revenge may well be a dish which is served cold.
Funnily enough, it is Villa who are the Premier League's crisis club at the moment after Martin O'Neill quit the club and James Milner was quick to follow him out the door.
In short, there perhaps couldn't be a sweeter way to pick up our first three points of the season against the manager-less Villains.
]]>Michael Owen - even though he didn't play - was first to get some stick at Manchester United as fans made their feelings clear about the former number 10 who was never ever going to stay the second Newcastle went down.
The next player to test out the boo-ometer will be Habib Beye who arrives with Aston Villa this Sunday.
]]> Ironically, Newcastle's last Premier League game in the Premier League was Beye's last in a black and white shirt.He didn't play at Aston Villa when the Mags went down due to injury and weeks later found himself playing for the team that struck that final fatal blow on the Toon.
To refresh, Beye was going into the last year of his contract 12 months ago and wanted a new deal.
Frustrated with the lack of progress from a contract point of view and disarray around the club, he slapped in a transfer request and got it.
Beye was also at the centre of the infamous inquest at Leyton Orient when players were allegedly asked to raise a hand if they wanted to go.
Whether Beye raised a hand or not is not 100% clear.
I understood at the time that had Alan Shearer got the the job at Newcastle his contract may have been sorted out sooner rather than later, and Beye was public with his wish to see Big Al installed.
However, regardless of what might have happened, Beye left Newcastle and joined Villa where he spent an unhappy season on the bench.
To boo Beye would be to boo a player that gave everything in a black and white shirt during his time here and didn't shirk much during his two years at the club.
He was always one of the first to give an explanation to supporters (via the Chronicle), especially away from home, when things hadn't gone to plan.
Perhaps on a smaller scale, Beye was similar to Shay Given when it comes to putting a shift in for United, and I know for a fact Given won't be booed.
Given got out before Newcastle were relegated along with Charles N'Zogbia and Seb Bassong and Damien Duff followed later.
Bassong said he would always go if Newcastle were relegated, before it even happened but also said he would stay if United stayed up.
As good as Bassong was, his attitude was crap once we were relegated and he didn't entertain staying at Newcastle for a second.
Duff jumped ship after one game in the Championship.
I guess whether a player is booed or not largely depends on what they done on the pitch when they were here.
On that basis, Bassong, Beye and Given may yet avoid the boos while N'Zogbia, Duff and Owen will endure more their fair share on their returns to St James' Park.
That's my opinion anyway.
]]>In the end it was another flame haired North-West celebrity who served up the punishment for Newcastle United in the shape of Paul Scholes and it wasn't a case of Surprise Surprise.
Newcastle players had spoke positively before the game and for half an hour or so they walked the walk too, then perhaps reality kicked in.
Whether some Toon players got drunk on the relative success they were having in the early stages of the game or Man U just kicked into gear, is no longer relevant.
]]> Newcastle were left to clutch on to positives such as Andy Carroll's performance up front, a solid showing from Mike Williamson and some flashes of class from Wayne Routledge.Apart from that and the 30 minute spell before Man U got into the zone, it was same old for the Magpies at Old Trafford.
A reminder that giving the ball away in the final third is a bad idea in the Premier League also came in the form of two first half goals.
That may sound obvious but there were numerous occasions in the Championship when Toon defenders were able to take two, three or four touches before clearing the ball up the pitch in the second tier.
Mistakes will be punished.
If anybody connected with Newcastle didn't know that before, they do now.
Carroll was a revelation for a 21-year-old up against Nemanja Vidic, and the good news is he won't be up against defenders like the big Serb every week.
He will get the goals.
Despite the weight of expectation on his shoulders and despite being given a rough ride from the Cockney Press last night, who re-emerged into the world of Newcastle United after a one season break.
Carroll is a worthy wearer of the number 9, and what the big man can bring to Newcastle will be beyond people who make judgements in just 90 minutes.
It was good to be back playing and working at a big Premier League ground but nobody at Newcastle is disillusioned by the task in hand this season.
And with a 52,000 crowd hopefully waiting ahead of the game with Aston Villa and a 15 month unbeaten home record to protect, the season starts on Sunday.
]]>The saga has been one of the most "on/off" deals of the summer so far but with the player photographed by a fan tonight before being posted on several websites and on Twitter's NUFC community, his arrival was quickly the talk of Tyneside as the rain lashed down.
And with the player seemingly on Tyneside just a day after going on strike with Marseille, it was never going to go unnoticed in the goldfish bowl.
Toon fans await the next chapter with interest.
Perhaps his biggest problem therefore, has been his gob or his brain which is too slow when allowing him to engage in making such stupid comments.
Like Andy Gray, Savage thinks Newcastle United will be relegated this season - well what a brave prediction that is, a bloke on the outside tips a team that has just been promoted to go down the season after they were relegated from the Premier League.
]]> In some ways, it's good to get opinions from an expert on the matter, given that Savage knows all about relegation battles from his time at Leicester, where he finished rock bottom in 2002 to go down and the time he spent battling the drop with Derby County last term.Savage has made a career out of playing for clubs that play in front of underwhelming crowds and doesn't know what it's like to play regular football in front of 52,000 fans.
He'd love to have played for NUFC.
Therefore he won't know that on their day, the St James' Park crowd can inspire the side to beat ANYBODY in the Premier League.
Yes, it didn't work out like that in the 2008/09 season with the club in total disarray, but for Savage to claim the Magpies need 10 or 12 new players is the cheapest of shots from a Derby County player at his fellow professionals at NUFC.
A team who made winning the Championship look so easy, will the Rams do that this year?
I doubt it.
Well, at least he didn't throw Coloccini's shirt in the bin like he did with Maldini's top before Wales took on Italy that time!
Perhaps one thing that United fans and Savage have both got in common is that they'd walk up the A1 on their hands on knees for the chance to play one game for Newcastle in front of a full house.
DO YOU THINK UNITED HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO STAY UP?
]]>You couldn't quite make it up really but just when a comfortable home tie was the cry, United face the ultimate banana skin tie.
]]>Last season Chris Hughton played his youngsters in the competition but up against Accy Stanley, defeat just isn't an option.
Newcastle's Joey Barton has already stated he fancies a "nice little cup run" and the tie will be a contender for live TV coverage at this early stage.
The Coca-Cola Championship kings from last season are back in the Premier League.
Some sections in football have missed us, some won't be too glad to see us back - but whatever way you look at it, life will never be dull with Newcastle United around.
Already pre-season pull outs, such as the Guardian's laughable attempt to preview the season at St James' Park, have made their opinions clear - and Andy Gray has already tipped us to go down before a ball has been kicked.
]]> But for me the start of the new season is the first step of finding our feet back in the big time.We go back to Manchester United first as major underdogs and emerging from Old Trafford with anything will be a bonus in the eyes of some.
Yet, refreshingly, the mood coming out of the Toon camp is "why can't we get something from Old Trafford?".
Getting back to the footy bible, which when stacked upon previous volumes can block out awkward sunlight, or make a cracking doorstop, the stat that sticks out for me the most regards the potential that still exists at St James' Park.
It read: "In the previous nine seasons to the 2009/10 campaign, Newcastle United had been the only club to break into the so-called "Big Four" clubs on as many as two occasions.
"They achieved fourth place in 2001/02 and finished third the following season."
It doesn't seem that long ago and it probably seems a while away yet but getting anywhere near European positions next season would mark incredible, incredible progress - but the potential of such a massive fanbase and superb atmospheres at SJP makes it a tough place to come for ANY team when we're on a high.
And while many members of the squad that went down remain at NUFC, the attitude has changed within the camp.
For once going into the season, we're not a club in turmoil, for the 10/11 campaign and turmoil, read Aston Villa FC and James Milner - sounds familiar doesn't it?
The 2008/09 season featured a battle of opinions between Wise and Keegan before his departure rocked the entire city, Milner-gate didn't help and then Xisco-gate and Nacho-gate really polished us off by the start of September.
With Joe Kinnear in charge and Chris Hughton picking up the pieces in between before Alan Shearer handed the tough task of saving the Magpies, it's little wonder it ended in tears at Villa Park.
Changing attitudes in the squad have made it a much happier camp and the togetherness within the group is there for anybody close enough to the players to see, it's hardly surprising.
Andy Gray knows the game well enough to make his mind up before a ball is kicked.
But pundits aren't always right.
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