JOHN GIBSON You won’t break Rafa’s bond with Toon Army
SNIPERS CAN’T ACCEPT THAT BENITEZ IS HAPPY AT UNITED
WHAT are the so-called big-name experts trying to do sniping from afar?
Give Rafa Benitez a good reason to quit Newcastle United because they cannot stand – or understand – how a top-class manager could be happy to reside within a tin-pot club up north that never wins a solitary single thing?
It certainly looks that way, but let me tell you dissenters it ain’t going to work! Rafa is far too wily for that. However it’s been a concerted effort. First those of a certain persuasion couldn’t understand Rafa staying after relegation, couldn’t believe he could see out chief scout Graham Carr, nor remain steadfast after Mike Ashley snubbed him in two transfer windows.
Now Rafa’s supposed biggest bugbear, Ashley, is about to sell up, so what or who is left to upset him? Ahh, the Geordies themselves. An ambitious lot. Totally unrealistic.
King of the Know Alls, Simon Jordan, has led the dissenters. The former Crystal Palace owner has regularly taunted us about living above our station. That the arrogance of the fans, their demand for a trophy, is absurd.
Kieron Dyer, who ought to know better, has jumped in with his halfpenny’s worth on basically the same lines. Really? Bobby Robson and Newcastle took you into the Champions League!
Failed United manager Graeme Souness has done likewise, saying that the Toon Army can turn nasty. Only when it’s justified my friend.
Because of a dislike for Ashley, us lot are supposed to hate southerners. Oh yes, we can’t stand Les Ferdinand, SuperMac, Rob Lee, Shaka Hislop, Vic Keeble, Mike Mahoney, and Darren Peacock.
We also stand accused of being unrealistic in demanding success. Well, we last had it in 1969 and even when residing in the Championship after lengthening years of under-achieving the club retained a 50,000 devoted following. It’s called loyalty if I’m not mistaken.
No, the truth is, however unpalatable to some, Rafa has a rock-solid relationship with the terraces where once supporters were rushing to plug in the manager’s electric chair, such has been the lack of quality in our leadership.
What is going on here is a mutual admiration society. Geordies realise that Rafa is a world-class manager and he realises that he could go to the end’s of the earth and not find such a swell of grateful outpourings.
If everyone in football accepts that Rafa is not daft, why can’t they accept that in remaining among us the supporters must be an asset not a liability? SPORT Newcastle, one of the greatest supporters of fledgling Tyneside talent, is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, a magical milestone.
It’s been my pleasure to help and serve a most worthy organisation since its birth as the Newcastle Sports Council through various fundraising dinners dating beyond one of my favourites, the visit of Elton John complete with trendy cloth cap wedged firmly on his thinning barnet.
Therefore in this special year I’ve been humbled and honoured to receive an offer to become a Sport Newcastle vice president, joining an elite gathering that includes Jonathan Edwards, Mike McLeod, Victoria Pendleton, Jonny Wilkinson, Glenn McCrory, and Stephen Miller. Not bad company, I’m sure you will agree!
Countless kids, the Rising Stars, have benefitted from Sport Newcastle backing including Olympic medallists and fellow vice presidents Jonathan, Mike and Victoria. All of the one-time day dreamers speak without a dissenting voice of how vital that early help was to them.
It’s always nice of course to talk to Newcastle United fans, along with some of their old stars while raising money for good causes.
So it was my pleasure to host back-to-back nights with five of the best. And Sport Newcastle were one of the benefactors.
First up I shared a stage with Darren Peacock, John Beresford, and Steve Watson of the Entertainers who famously defeated Manchester United 5-0 with the cash going to Sport Newcastle to help their financial backing.
Next up the following night were Bob Moncur and Paddy Howard in front of a packed crowd at Wallsend Buffs with Walker Central boys’ club, once the home of Shola Ameobi, taking the profit.
“As always we were delighted with the trio on stage, at Wallsend Buffs, who always do us so proud, and the turn out which was phenomenal,” said Terry Sweeney.
All of this was topped off by me spending some time with Wembley 74 striker John Tudor and his wife Anne, over from America on a visit to stay with our friend Angie down at Seaton Sluice.
I went to the 74 World Cup finals with John, an exceptional lad who is battling on like the good ’un he is despite suffering memory loss. Tudor was very underrated by some, though most certainly not his strike partner Malcolm Macdonald who knew the true worth of quality support.