FROM FIVE-0 TO TOON WOE
Stay away fans voting with their feet
‘HOWAY FIVE-0’ was one of the fastest-selling football DVDs ever released when it came out after Newcastle’s stunning win over Manchester United 23 years ago.
That 5-0 masterpiece by Kevin Keegan’s entertainers remains arguably the high point of the Magpies’ Premier League history.
But it’s another five-goal mauling dominating Toon thoughts ahead of Sunday’s clash with United at St James’ Park, after their surrender at Leicester last week.
Newcastle’s biggest crowd of the season will watch Steve Bruce’s strugglers try to win at home for the first time this term.
It’s unlikely to be a sell-out, which says it all about a club whose massive fan-base has fallen out of love with it.
Thousands have stayed away this season after Rafa Benitez’s summer exit and owner Mike Ashley’s failure to sell the club, with many vowing never to return while he remains in charge. Ask those who still go why they do and it’s unlikely the football is the main factor.
Tickets for a clash which was once one of the most mouthwatering in the calendar went on general sale a fortnight ago.
For years, such tickets were like gold dust but now Newcastle are relying on the city’s student population, tourists and a sold-out away support to nudge the attendance figure to around the 50,000 mark.
At a recent talk-in, Keegan refused to take sides in the boycott debate.
“It is your club and everybody will have a different opinion on what you should do with what has happened in the last 12 years,” said the Toon legend.
“If you want to go to the game, go because you love the club and if you love the club so much that you think you can’t, don’t go.”
Alex Hurst is editor and presenter of the True Faith fanzine and podcast and chairman of NUST, the biggest supporters’ trust in the country with almost 10,000 members.
He said: “Supporting a football club and attending games mean different things to different people.
“There’s no proof that boycotting will get rid of Ashley, which is what we all want.
“This season became a relegation battle the moment Rafa left. But let’s face it, fighting for survival’s nothing new.
“We’ve been relegated twice under Ashley, stayed up on the last day five seasons ago and Rafa has kept us up the last two. There is apathy because every season is virtually the same, with staying up the only apparent goal.” Those who heard the Toon Army’s diehard support during last week’s Leicester shocker, may find it hard to reconcile apathy with one of football’s hotbeds.
Hurst added: “Without wishing to contradict myself, there is still passion. It just channels itself in different ways.
“Those boycotting would claim they are passionate in their cause.
“And then you look at our amazing support at Leicester.
“A lot of those fans are season ticket holders who boycott home games but kept their season tickets to gain access to away tickets.”
The Geordies may not love Newcastle United right now but they remain hopelessly devoted to the black and white cause.