RICH OFF THE PITCH POOR ON IT
Wilson leveller does not paper over the cracks and the task is as wide as the Tyne...
WISHFUL thinking is an honourable pastime, but for English football’s latest gilded daydreamers south London grime was the ultimate reality check.
After the euphoria of the Fat Controller selling up and Newcastle United becoming the richest club on the planet, the material truth dawned on their new Saudi owners at Selhurst Park.
If you can’t do the grime, don’t do the Tyne.
At face value, a point at improving Crystal Palace is a decent result. But Newcastle are now 10 games without a win this season.
And they needed the interference of VAR official Lee Mason to rule out Christian Benteke’s thumping late header, for Marc Guehi’s foul on Ciaran Clark, to leave with a share of the swag.
When the Toon army’s queen consort Amanda Staveley (above) sold the Public Investment Fund her dream, it probably didn’t include the No.130 bus to New Addington.
When Byker Grove royalty Ant and Dec rocked up in the VIP seats for the PIF’S coronation last Sunday, they were probably less enthusiastic about a Saturday night takeaway on Whitehorse Lane.
And when the boot came in, and Steve Bruce was finally put out of his misery as manager, on the pitch it didn’t change a thing.
Battle
Newcastle are in a relegation battle. They are a bang-average side. Don’t fall for that old chestnut about them being too good to go down.
Take away Allan Saintmaximin’s flair and Callum
Wilson’s eye for goal and you would fancy the coconuts on the shy to remain undisturbed.
The travelling fans’ songbook contained posthumous refrains about Bruce walking the plank, but history will judge him more kindly. Bruce did a good job to keep mediocrity above the dotted line two years running.
For 65 minutes, they were second best here until Wilson delved into his magician’s top hat and produced his fourth goal in five games.
It was a telling comment on Bruce’s ill fortune that Newcastle won only two games of the 16
Wilson has missed through injury. But points on the pitch – just four of them so far – is only part of the quandary. It is essential that Staveley’s thinktank gets it right when they appoint a new manager.
It is essential Staveley’s thinktank gets it right when they get get round to the appointment of a new manager to replace Bruce
Acting head coach Graeme Jones (right) held the fort stoically here, but Benteke should have scored a hat-trick and Newcastle only deserved their luck for Wilson’s moment of magic alone.
But above all, the Toon have a massive image problem – and
they are desperate to be seen as inclusive.
After fans rocking up in tea towels as makeshift head dresses against Tottenham was initially denounced as “culturally inappropriate” by insiders – and casual racism beyond St James’ Park – the Geordies issued a
“clarification statement on matchday attire.”
In a swift reversal of the ban on fauxarabic fashion, the club said: “The new owners have been overwhelmed by the welcome of the local community, following the acquisition of the club two weeks ago. Fans who have celebrated by wearing culturally traditional clothing, including head coverings, have been part of that welcome.
“Those who wish to support the club by wearing appropriate culturally-inspired clothing should feel free to do so as they
see fit. We are inclusive to all.”
Banner
On their first excursion as visiting dignitaries, Staveley and her consortium were less enthusiastic about their welcome behind the goal.
At the Holmesdale end, Palace fans unfurled a huge banner aimed at the PIF and Premier League chief executive Richard Masters. The artwork covered
subjects as diverse as terrorism, blood money, murder, decapitation, censorship, persecution and civil rights abuse.
As much as Newcastle would like public discourse about their club to focus on football, the reality is different.
Among rival Premier League clubs, their ownership is the talk of the Toon. Hope may have been restored to the huddled masses by Ashley’s abdication of the purse strings, but that banner may set the agenda.
Anyone in the corridors of power on Tyneside who thinks the attacks on Newcastle’s ruling Saudi politburo will subside is likely to be disappointed.
And it would be wishful thinking if they expected otherwise.