Aesop’s myths played a part in my early youth, I especially liked the tale of the tortoise and the hare and maybe that’s where a love for the underdog was formed.
An accomplishment that defies the chances is extra-sweet, particularly one accomplished through grit and decision versus flashy expensive dans.
After all, would every win be commemorated happily if it was simply regular, anticipated, foreseeable?
Mind, a winning routine is definitely more effective to the options.
One of the lazy, ill-informed cliches trotted out by football fans determined on criticising Newcastle United is that we dislike London in specific and southerners in basic.
Well, a southerner called Edward John Frank Howe (born November 29, 1987, in Amersham, Buckinghamshire) is doing his best to show that’s a load of rubbish.
With the regrettable exception of Wembley Stadium, matches in London have actually given substantial joy for the Toon Army this season.
On October 1 we won 4-1 at Craven Cottage.
Three weeks later on we packed Spurs 2-1 at the Naming Rights Here arena.
And on January 3 we ended up being the only group up until now to stop Arsenal scoring at the Emirates in 2022-23.
An ensured display screen at Selhurst Park made another point on January 21.
Two wins and 2 draws from 4 video games was an outstanding return.
Extrapolate that over a complete season and we would end up on 76 points, enough for a vital Champions League berth.
However, amongst the numerous qualities of Eddie and Co, is a rejection to accept anything other than the very best. An average of 2 points a video game from journeys to London was plainly insufficient for Mr Howe.
The midweek romp at the unbelievably called London Stadium (probably considered that name to trick ignorant travelers) was greatly pleasurable. Bruno G was within inches of scoring a magnificent own objective in the opening minutes after Bowen skinned Big Dan Burn. Thankfully, that incorrect relocation by our Brazilian master was almost his last error of the night.
Afterwards, our fans had the high-end of disputing whether 5-1 was a reasonable reflection on the balance of play. My reaction would be: “Who cares?” As Malcolm Supermac Macdonald (born in Fulham and loved by Newcastle United fans of a particular vintage) liked to state when his overall contribution was questioned: “My goals do the talking.”
Younger readers may be shocked to learn that, not so long back, any match in the capital versus London Premier League clubs was most likely to bring dissatisfaction and discouragement.
Bobby Robson’s reign offered the fans some fantastic memories however even he had a hard time to conquer our capital hoodoo. By the time he masterminded the memorable 3-1 win at Highbury in December 2001 (which put us leading) we had actually played 29 succeeding Premier League video games within the M25 and won exactly none.
Almost every match down there appeared to be jinxed. Amid this alarming brochure of beats there were some outright surprises.
Before Sky created football, I was at the Boleyn when West Ham whipped us 8-1 in 1986. That would have been difficult to take under any scenarios. However, when a centre-back’s hat-trick is factored in, scored by Alvin Martin versus 3 various goalkeepers, consisting of Peter Beardsley, who was the very best of them that night, no one might be blamed for ending up being the boy who sobbed wolf.
Probably even worse in my view was the day we lost 5-0 to Arsenal. Again, a not likely challenger went home with the match ball. Their group included Bergkamp, Henry, Kanu, Pires and Ljungberg, each of whom was an accomplished finisher, so you would have been chuckled out of Ye Olde London Town for forecasting the one and just (thank goodness) Raymond Parlour would score 3.
Remarkably, simply 12 months after that embarrassment, Sir Bobby offered whinger Wenger a lesson in how to lose, thanks to the 3-1 table-topping efficiency. As someone as soon as said, “it’s a funny old game.”
All of which brings us to the other day’s encounter at the Gtech Community Stadium, a component I had actually been fearing for months. The scars of many beats in London over the previous 40-odd years may have been fading however they were still noticeable.
The initially 45 minutes of listening to BBC Radio Newcastle was purgatory. Brentford certainly on top, our kids doing not have energy, 2 charges yielded, a Toney objective prohibited, Alexander Isak separated in attack. The Bees were buzzing, while we regrouped at half-time, grateful to be just one down.
Down however not out.
For the very first time as United’s supremo, Eddie made 2 tactical alternatives throughout the period and fine-tuned the development. We looked far much better from the restart, pushing Brentford, penetrating their suspect defence and producing the 2 objectives required to turn the match on its head.
Other factors have actually covered the VAR-related events. Enough said.
What this latest win does is put us within reach of our own personal Premier League record, unmatched as in “never achieved until now in the Premier League history of Newcastle United.” I’m no statistician however have we ever played a complete league season in the leading flight without losing either home or away to among those ‘orrible little clubs from London?
Certainly not in the Premier League, though we went close in the Keegan / Dalglish season of 1996-97, beaten just the once, by Arsenal at St James’ Park on November 30.
With just 2 London competitors in the Championship-winning season of 2016-17, we lost home and away to Fulham.
We were unbeaten versus London clubs in the 2009-10 campaign, as Championship winners, however dealt with just QPR and Palace in the league.
An embarrassment in the capital did function in pre-season, nevertheless, when the rats belatedly leaving the ship they had actually assisted to sink, were whipped 6-1 at Leyton Orient. As silver linings go, that cloud provided a good-looking benefit.
The finest season versus London clubs I can discover, was 30 seasons back, in the 2nd tier, when none of Brentford, Charlton, West Ham or Millwall handled to reduce our flag. We lost at Stamford Bridge on October 28, 1992, to a late Mick Harford objective, however that remained in the League Cup.
Arguably the worst was our Sliding Doors minute in 1991-92, when we looked particular to slip into the 3rd tier for the very first time. In 4 matches versus Millwall and Charlton, we signed up nil points.
United have actually already played 11 matches this time around versus the Cockerneys and their cousins from the capital. In 3 of our 9 staying components, we play Arsenal and Tottenham at home, then Chelsea away on the last day of the campaign.
In this impressive season, stressed by unbeaten runs, umpteen tidy sheets and success in the face of misfortune, the most impressive accomplishment of all would be a rejection to accept defeat by even among these 7 London Premier League clubs.
Cor blimey, guvnor, pull that off and I’ll be darncin’ up them apples like a pearly king on steroids!
