May 2008 Archives

A year ago this weekend Mike Ashley launched a surprise attack on former Newcastle United chairman Freddie Shepherd, buying out the Sir John Hall family shares to effectively begin a hostile takeover of the club.

Considering Shepherd had only a matter of days earlier insisted nobody could buy the club as he would not sell his shares, the unfolding events, I have to admit, did cause me some amusement.

For many Newcastle fans, the fact Ashley was responsible for ending the Shepherd years - no trophies, mounting debts, interventions in the transfer market, appointment of Graeme Souness, Glenn Roeder and Sam Allardyce as manager - will always endear him to them.

But, one year on, what sort of state is the club in now and is Ashley’s largely London-based regime still looking like a good thing for Newcastle United?

Given the black humour of the terraces it would not be a surprise if some Newcastle fans are intent on singing “He’s fat, he’s round, he punches people to the ground, Joey Barton, Joey Barton.� when following their side in the Premier League next season.

But it is indicative of the strength of feeling which the controversial midfielder provokes that others will hope the only black and white stripes they see the Scouser wearing in the future is his prison uniform.

It is important we do not trivialise what Barton has done, even on a light-hearted blog like this. He has, according to the judge who sentenced him to six months in prison on Tuesday, committed a “violent and cowardly act.�

It is only now as I sit at my desk in mid-May, just three days after the end of the Premier League season, that I realise the full extent of Steve McClaren’s crimes against English football.

What I mean is, no England at the European Championships so an absolute disaster, a catastrophe, a major pain in the backside which has not only humiliated us on the international stage, but has left a gaping hole in my summer.

What a clown that guy was. God, I can still see him looking like a rabbit stuck in the glare of the headlights with that (insert swear word of your choice) umbrella against Croatia!

Right then, so that’s that for another football season. All that is left is to wrap up the good, the bad, the great and the ugly from the last nine months in the 2008 Luke Who’s Talking Football Awards.

Newcastle finally got rid of Freddie Shepherd as chairman, appointed two new managers and remained a mid-table Premier League side, albeit with the brief worry of relegation to keep things exciting.

At Sunderland, Roy Keane spent more than £40m to keep the Black Cats in the Premier League and now he wants to revamp the squad by getting rid of some of his - ahem - less than successful signings.

As ever, there is plenty to get your teeth into so here are the categories. I’ve given my choices with each question but please send me yours as well...

Testing, testing. 1-2-3. Ah yes that's better, after a few technical problems - namely a Bank Holiday Weekend and a few days off in the sunshine in Manchester - I'm back and ready to give my insight into the events of the last few days.

So where to start? Well I guess Kevin Keegan and his not so shocking (unless you want to cause mischief) statement that the Premier League has become too predictable.

As you will know (unless you're finding your way on to this site for the first time) I have long advocated such a view and it is far from controversial to suggest that the same four teams - Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United - will once again be the favourites for all of the major honours again next season.

I resent the fact I’m being forced to do it and it pains me to even mention it in public, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to become a Manchester United supporter for the rest of the season.

I have no great love for Manchester United. In fact, I don’t even like them. Mild dislike would probably best sum up my feelings towards them.

Swaggering around in the self-annointed Theatre of Dreams, darlings of the national media, they are arrogant, conceited and generally irritating - and that’s just the few Mancs who support them. Nope, I do not have a secret soft spot for the Red Devils.