Kit’s a winner - new United away shirt a big hit with fans
RETURN OF HOOPS SERVES AS COLOURFUL REMINDER OF BETTER DAYS ON TYNESIDE
NEWCASTLE United’s new away kit is already proving to be a hit with fans, with the maroon and blue hooped number going viral on social media.
It’s popularity stems from memories of an era in which the Magpies dared to challenge for the biggest prizes in football.
The summer it was released was one of the most exciting in living memory for a lot of fans. True, you’d struggle to beat the day that Newcastle signed Alan Shearer in 1996 after his heroics at the European Championships, and the fact both Barcelona and Manchester United were also chasing him before his recordbreaking move.
But 1995 came close as Kevin Keegan unveiled Les Ferdinand, David Ginola, Warren Barton and Shaka Hislop as his four marquee signings.
At the time, Ferdinand was one of the best strikers in Europe money could buy, while Ginola’s switch from Paris Saint-Germain also captured the imagination as he posed in the club’s Adidas kit at St James’ Park. Both Barton and Hislop were also
sought-after players that were brought in to help Newcastle challenge for the Premier League title.
Keegan, Sir John Hall and Freddy Shepherd weren’t messing about.
There was no talk of consolidation or not competing with the big guns in the Premier League.
The bar had been raised and the hierarchy knew it.
Newcastle perhaps misjudged the
sale of Andy Cole to Manchester United earlier that year, with his exit resulting in fans turning up outside the stadium to demand answers.
To Keegan’s credit, he stood on the steps at the club’s reception and did his best to explain the situation.
But once Ferdinand arrived, the sale of Cole was quickly forgotten as the club romped to the top of the table.
It’s great to see the new away kit going down so well with fans but the truth is the club’s recent activity in the transfer market is less comparable.
True, the financial climate has changed at Newcastle but with the injection of TV money and the promise of more money to come, surely the transfer record should at least be smashed this summer? Unfortunately, unlike 1995, there has been no feel-good factor in the air in the last couple of months. Hall and Shepherd would jet out to places like France, Italy, Holland and South America to get signings and seldom did they return emptyhanded. Fast forward to 2018 and modern-day United limp along from one inadequate cash offer to the next. They still have time to do business but a large chunk of the window – which shuts in a month – is now behind us. The thing is the current squad aren’t a group of poor players and, after delivering a 10th place in the Premier League last season, they got the plaudits that they deserved.
But even in 1995, Newcastle’s top brass knew that the club had to improve if they wanted to challenge.
Rafa Benitez knew that back in April when talks began about the future, but not much has changed since then.
There’s been no contract agreed at this stage and that means that the club’s lack of ambition under Mike Ashley still exists.
United could have tapped into the feel-good factor straight after the 3-0 win over Chelsea in May but here we are standing back watching Newcastle scramble to bring in cash buys.
It’s likely money will be spent, but how much and how on board United are prepared to get with Benitez remains to be seen.
Once Ferdinand arrived, the sale of Cole was quickly forgotten as the club romped to the top of the table