Newcastle United fans are angry. They are hurt. They’ve been let down. They are struggling to find a reason to support their club right now other than sheer loyalty.
St James’ Park hasn’t been a happy place for a long time. There was brief joy under Rafa Benitez, but the threat of disappointment still lingered.
Throughout the Mike Ashley era, there has been disillusionment on Tyneside, an unambitious club floating desperately close to disaster.
Disaster came twice. We were relegated in 2009 and 2016. Fortunately, we came straight back up on both occasions.
There have been some highs. The fifth place finish under Alan Pardew was incredible, as was the Europa League journey that followed. The Benitez era offered hope, and gave fans a reason to believe.
But that reason to believe disappeared in 2019, when Benitez’s contract expired and Steve Bruce was appointed as his replacement.
Despite an underwhelming CV, Bruce was given a chance despite popular belief.
After two years in charge, the fans are sick. They want someone else in charge. But Bruce continues to front a lifeless Newcastle United that were actually on the brink of change last year.
The past 15 months have been torturous for Toon fans, when it could have been the start of the bright future we’ve hoped for.
Lockdown hits as Ashley agrees to sell Newcastle
2020 was a crazy year.
On March 7th, Newcastle beat Southampton 1-0 at St Mary’s. It remains the last Premier League game the Magpies played in front of a full stadium.
Football was put on hold. The nation went into lockdown.
But while everyone was sat at home, Newcastle United were on the brink of a change of ownership.
In April 2020, Ashley agreed a deal to sell the club to PCP Capital Partners.
Backed by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, they had the financial muscle to take Newcastle to the top.
Incredible players and managers were being linked, while football was yet to resume.
All the buyers had to do was pass the Premier League’s Owners’ and Directors’ test. However, that didn’t happen.
By July 2020, the Premier League still hadn’t made a decision. After 17 weeks of waiting, PIF withdrew their interest on July 30th.
Angry Newcastle fans unable to voice their frustrations
Last summer’s takeover heartache was followed by a drab return to Premier League football.
Despite some investment, Bruce’s side weren’t playing well. Yet somehow they were getting results.
But eventually the luck ran out, and the Magpies went on an embarrassing run of 21 games without victory.
From a position of comfort, they slumped into a relegation battle that seemed destined to end in badly for the club.
But still, Toon fans couldn’t voice their frustration. All they could do was tweet and be branded as keyboard warriors. Fans still weren’t allowed in stadiums.
If St James’ Park had been open, the atmosphere would have been poisonous. It’s hard to see how Bruce would have survived it.
But the silence suited the Toon boss, whose side rallied late in the season to finish 12th.
All the while, the takeover has been rumbling along in the background. Arbitration and CAT cases had been launched, as Ashley looked to resurrect a deal.
Normal life returns, but things go from bad to worse for Newcastle
In the summer of 2021, normality is nearing.
Fans returned to St James’ Park on May 19th, with 10,000 supporters witnessing a 1-0 win over Sheffield United.
When the new season starts in August, stadiums will be fully open. No more games behind closed doors. No more soulless football.
But will the Toon Army be excited to return? Absolutely not. While lockdown football was soulless, Newcastle United are a soulless club.
The takeover is in tatters for now. There’s no chance a deal this summer.
Arbitration has been delayed until early 2022, while jurisdiction over the CAT case won’t take place until September.
Ashley is going nowhere right now, but the club is still standing still.
When there was hope of a takeover, you could see why the Toon boss didn’t want to spend any money.
But with no takeover on the horizon, Ashley needs to invest. Bruce needs an improved squad.
15 months of frustration needs to be let out, unless there is a reason to cheer for Newcastle fans
Pre-season has been grim. The Magpies have played three games against lower league opposition, with varying results.
The most recent was a 1-1 draw with Rotherham, where makeshift striker Jeff Hendrick netted a late equaliser.
Fans voiced their frustration, labelling Bruce a ‘s*** Steve McClaren’. Harsh words indeed.
But the Toon Army have every right to voice their frustration. They have every right to be angry.
Last season wasn’t good enough at all. All the while, there were needless comments from Bruce, almost antagonising the fans.
The media didn’t help either, providing their usual ‘insightful’ analysis on Newcastle fans and Bruce.
The football during lockdown was wretched. It was better when they weren’t actually allowed to play.
But frustrations were never released. People were just sat at home watching on their own, unable to voice their frustrations with family or friends like they normally would.
But now fans are back. But absence doesn’t make the heart grow fonder. It’s made the frustration run deeper.
Between the terrible football, the collapsed takeover and everything in between, the Toon Army are furious. And rightly so.
They continue to be let down by an owner who doesn’t care. They’ve got a manager who isn’t up to the task. They have to listen to parts of the media who ask ‘what on earth do they want’.
They’ve been given hope by Amanda Staveley, saying a deal ‘will’ be done, only for that deal to be kicked down the road by the courts.
They’ve been let down and ignored by the Premier League, who issue ‘no comment’ at every turn.
Now we’re less than three weeks away from the new season, with Newcastle considerably worse off than they were last season.
Newcastle aren’t United, and it’s hard to know when they will be once more.
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