Blast from the past

[HughieG]

I grew up loving football, but at one point I fell out of love with it and in love with punk music - and it was surprisingly hard to balance those two interests! At school I suddenly felt like I had no one to talk to as they all talked about football, and no one had any idea who Johnny Rotten or Sid Vicious was. I never dressed like a punk, but I'm glad I discovered the culture as it showed me that there was a bigger world out there, and it seemed that other people were missing out because they weren't really interested in other cultures than the one they grew up in.

Nonetheless, a few years later I randomly switched on the TV and they were showing highlights from a game between Newcastle and what I remember being Wigan. I think Owen and Danny Guthrie were on the scoresheet. I immediately fell back in love with the game and with NUFC. I thought back to the Brown Ale shirt of the 90's and Shearer, Ferdinand, Ginola, etc. and got nostalgic about it. It became my team which came as a disappointment to my dad and brother who were (still are) long time Leeds supporters. We're from Denmark so we have no geographical attachment to English teams, which means that you basically pick your favourite team based on colours of the shirt, name of club, players you like, or a combination of course. Whilst researching I learned a lot more about the city and the history of the area and club which only added to my new-found affection with NUFC.

Another reason why I think I had to support Newcastle was because of all the "blasts from the pasts" that represented that team on that particular day in that particular game against Wigan in that eventually doomed season. These players were all, before I lost interest in the game, big, exciting names in football. Names that I remembered and thought highly of. Damien Duff during his Blackburn + Chelsea days, Viduka from his time at Leeds (my dad loved him), Alan Smith from Leeds who eventually was sold to Man Utd, Michael Owen who was my favourite striker growing up, Martins who had been an international talent with Inter, Geremi who had been a top player with Chelsea and Løvenkrands whom I knew well from Denmark and his time at Rangers. Barton I also remembered from his City days. These players, that I held in such high regard back then, also contributed to me gaining an interest in NUFC. Isn't it ironic how those same players ended up getting us relegated? I now strongly dislike some of them, and am indifferent about most of them. But back then I was excited about following the football again, and particularly this club, partly because of these players. Nostalgia can be a big part of football I suppose.

[toonlegend]

gosh, what a disappointment most of those must have been for you ... but.... all's good , bringing you into the fold

[Sclox]

I grew up loving football, but at one point I fell out of love with it and in love with punk music - and it was surprisingly hard to balance those two interests! At school I suddenly felt like I had no one to talk to as they all talked about football, and no one had any idea who Johnny Rotten or Sid Vicious was. I never dressed like a punk, but I'm glad I discovered the culture as it showed me that there was a bigger world out there, and it seemed that other people were missing out because they weren't really interested in other cultures than the one they grew up in.

Nonetheless, a few years later I randomly switched on the TV and they were showing highlights from a game between Newcastle and what I remember being Wigan. I think Owen and Danny Guthrie were on the scoresheet. I immediately fell back in love with the game and with NUFC. I thought back to the Brown Ale shirt of the 90's and Shearer, Ferdinand, Ginola, etc. and got nostalgic about it. It became my team which came as a disappointment to my dad and brother who were (still are) long time Leeds supporters. We're from Denmark so we have no geographical attachment to English teams, which means that you basically pick your favourite team based on colours of the shirt, name of club, players you like, or a combination of course. Whilst researching I learned a lot more about the city and the history of the area and club which only added to my new-found affection with NUFC.

Another reason why I think I had to support Newcastle was because of all the "blasts from the pasts" that represented that team on that particular day in that particular game against Wigan in that eventually doomed season. These players were all, before I lost interest in the game, big, exciting names in football. Names that I remembered and thought highly of. Damien Duff during his Blackburn + Chelsea days, Viduka from his time at Leeds (my dad loved him), Alan Smith from Leeds who eventually was sold to Man Utd, Michael Owen who was my favourite striker growing up, Martins who had been an international talent with Inter, Geremi who had been a top player with Chelsea and Løvenkrands whom I knew well from Denmark and his time at Rangers. Barton I also remembered from his City days. These players, that I held in such high regard back then, also contributed to me gaining an interest in NUFC. Isn't it ironic how those same players ended up getting us relegated? I now strongly dislike some of them, and am indifferent about most of them. But back then I was excited about following the football again, and particularly this club, partly because of these players. Nostalgia can be a big part of football I suppose.

Some of those players who disapointed us did have their moments for us. I think Alan Smith was an important player for us during our first promotion. Martins excited me when he played and Lovenkrands always gave 100%. Viduka I always rated but him along with Owen were my biggest disapointments - they could have done so much more than they did. Geremi was just done by the time we got him. Some nice sentiments there. I did like the pistols myself but I'm more from the Nirvana generation though.

[HughieG]

gosh, what a disappointment most of those must have been for you ... but.... all's good , bringing you into the fold

They were a disappointment, but they also kind of led me to support the club, so not all that bad!

[HughieG]

Some of those players who disapointed us did have their moments for us. I think Alan Smith was an important player for us during our first promotion. Martins excited me when he played and Lovenkrands always gave 100%. Viduka I always rated but him along with Owen were my biggest disapointments - they could have done so much more than they did. Geremi was just done by the time we got him. Some nice sentiments there. I did like the pistols myself but I'm more from the Nirvana generation though.

I agree with you on everything you say here, Sclox. Owen in particular didn't contribute as much as he could've - remember that "groin injury" away at Villa when we were fighting for our lives? What an unworhthy disappointment he was.

I love Nirvana and I appreciate the grunge movement. Cobain was easily above everyone else in terms of songwriting back then.

[Sclox]

I agree with you on everything you say here, Sclox. Owen in particular didn't contribute as much as he could've - remember that "groin injury" away at Villa when we were fighting for our lives? What an unworhthy disappointment he was.

I love Nirvana and I appreciate the grunge movement. Cobain was easily above everyone else in terms of songwriting back then.

Fitting we get onto Cobain under the topic title of "Blast from the Past".

[Zippity]

That's a mint post, Hughie.

There's no-one who supports us and isn't from here who hasn't got a decent tale to tell about why they follow us, I reckon. It's easy to follow the successful clubs and be a true 'plastic', a glory hunter, but our on-field glory is well in the past so no-one who supports us can be called that.

[Zippity]

Fitting we get onto Cobain under the topic title of "Blast from the Past".

Loved American grunge...was an antidote to fecking dance music...which made-and makes-me want to gouge my own eyes out and play marbles with them.

Obviously I'd play marbles pretty badly as i wouldn't be able to see....and I'm not sure how 'gouging' would affect their spherical nature as regards rolling...and i think i'd be in too much pain....but you get my point.

[ghostrider]

When I was a youngun I always got the sticker books and made it a point to get all the Newcastle one's by wheeling and dealing, as you do.
Irving Nattrass, David Craig, Tommy Craig, Micky Burns, Tommy Cassidy, Supermac, Mike Mahoney, Willie (iam) Mcfaul, Greame Oates, Alan Kennedy...and so on and so on.

I was obsessed with all things Newcastle as well as going to the match whenever I managed to do everything I could to earn the money...which I always managed....well 90% of the time for home games, including cups.

I was right behind the goal when Ian Rush scored against us for Chester.
I remember some great times from being young and going with bigger lads to going as a bigger lad in the school days.

I made up a card game and a league table and spent hours playing football matches using them. A simple game but enjoyable for a kid.

I'll never forget later on in my school years. I bought a long Newcastle scarf that was half a mile long....actually it wasn't...but I did tie myself up with it and phoned the police to say I'd been robbed of £500 by someone in a red and white striped shirt.
Actually I didn't do that either but I thought I'd add it in to the story.


The scariest time when I was going to the match was when 25 of us got into a transit van and 4 of the lads in it were at least 20 stone apiece and the van was hanging, plus it had 4 baldy tires on it and no handbrake, which we only realised when we got to the tyne bridge and braked to find the footbrake didn't work and the hand brake was deployed which snapped at the same time the back wheel fell off.
We hit the side of the bridge and all of us were catapulted out down towards the drink.

Weirdly we all had our sky diving wing suits on from earlier on as we all sky dived from a small plane, so we all decided to try and get a formation going before we hit the tyne.

Luckily we managed it just in time before we all glided to the waters edge.
It's funny how little things spring to mind.

Anyway we all got a Greggs pasty and a can of coke and went to the game.
We sold the van for scrap on the way back out, to a local scrap dealer then bought more Greggs pasties, plus stottie buns and chips, with a can of fanta each and all still had change for a bottle of brown to finish off with.


The one other time that stands out was not having enough money for a program. I had 24 pence and the program was 25p.
I said to the lad " ahhh mate, any chance you can let me off?"
He said no, so I tore the front off one and threw 17 pence at him and shouted, "have that you filthy animal."

I was arrested for it. I'd been caught by some git who happened to be doing the selfie type commentary of that time using a big 200 weight Russian type only fools and horses video camera.
It went to court and I was done for program damage and abusive language.
I was sentenced to 36 years in a borstal, which I thought was harsh.

I learned a few things in borstal that made me the man I am today.
Never think you're clever ripping programs up because it's just not worth it...unless you've paid for it in full or someone gave you it.

I got an apple and Charlie got something he liked. Rowlllllowlllowlllllll.

[HughieG]

That's a mint post, Hughie.

There's no-one who supports us and isn't from here who hasn't got a decent tale to tell about why they follow us, I reckon. It's easy to follow the successful clubs and be a true 'plastic', a glory hunter, but our on-field glory is well in the past so no-one who supports us can be called that.

Thanks man. And you're right; where I'm from most people support Man Utd or Liverpool because of their succes I suppose. Hard to find a Newcastle supporter around here, though they do exist here as well.