We can’t take much more of this misery
I WAS sitting next to footballing royalty - Newcastle’s No.9 legend SuperMac one side, European Fairs Cup winner Alan Foggon t’other.
On the same table in the Moncur Suite was Captain Bob, Fairs Cup hat-trick hero, and Irving Nattrass, United’s League Cup final rightback and one of the finest players never to win an England cap.
Together we were watching the unfolding drama of United attempting to end a three-match run of depressing defeats against the Saints of Southampton.
When all the chaos died upon the final shrill of the referee’s whistle United had secured their first PL point of the season so was the overall feeling one of relief if not belief?
Naw not on your life, not when Newcastle somehow snatched the lead with the last kick of the hour and a half and then threw away a golden opportunity to enter the winner’s enclosure by conceding a penalty in the 95th minute after VAR intervention.
Not when the spot-kick decision was proved right and not when the opposition was no more than rank and file yet outplayed them for long periods and fully deserved to return south with at least a 2-2 draw.
Not when having yet to face a Champions League side a solitary victory remains as elusive as ever after four attempts, three of them at home.
Never mind, Newcastle can now look forward to tackling Manchester United on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Old Trafford debut next up!
Steve Bruce loves to hide behind the belief lady luck frowns upon him and his side.
United conceded a penalty in the home defeat to West Ham, conceded a penalty in the away defeat at Aston Villa, lost a penalty shoot out to Burnley up here in the league cup and dropped two points to a penalty again at home to the Saints.
VAR, of course, is the villain of virtually every piece according to our sainted leader.
Not skipper Jamaal Lascelles who conceded spot kicks on both his PL starts against Villa and Southampton, not Allan Saint-Maximin and Miggy Almiron who missed penalties in the cup.
Not a defence which has conceded eight goals in three PL games. Not tactics, or team selection.
The transfer deadline is tomorrow evening at 11.
United are already in the last chance saloon. They will fail to sign a central defender at their peril.
Even the plus of Callum Wilson and his expected goal was accompanied by the inevitably of him leaving early injured. A sight which cools the blood.
United have won only three matches at SJP in the last eight and a half months which equates to three victories in 16 games on home soil since December 12, 2020. How unlucky is that?
Southampton had 65 per cent possession and created 22 goal attempts so the blighters were dead lucky to nick a point weren’t they?
Even United’s head coach admitted after viewing VAR himself that this time it was a penalty.
You cannot keep denying which way the wind is blowing.
Chants of “we want Brucie out” started after less than half an hour at the Gallowgate End and resurfaced a few times during the remaining see-saw events.
Yet the crowd inside the stadium has not turned viciously on those letting them down.
The diehard detractors have already given up and are boycotting matches.
The attendance was recorded at 44,017 - including just under 1,000 travelling fans.
The longer this goes on, of course, the more voices will be raised in aggrieved unison.
United’s Fab Four have remained steadfast fans, yet like every Geordie will be stewing during the fortnight’s break wondering where the first win is coming from.
Mike Ashley and Bruce, Jamaal Lascelles et al, please put us out of our misery. This is beyond endurance.