Tag: Kevin Keegan

Legend Andrew Cole…

Andy Cole. Andrew Cole. Call him either or, because either way, this boy could score goals.

Cole began his career with Arsenal and it was very short lived. After playing just one game for the Gunners and spending most of his time there on loan to Fulham, he moved to Bristol City where he found his goal scoring touch. 20 goals in 41 games for the Robins grabbed the attention of then Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan.

In 1993, Cole signed for the Magpies and it would be the start of an illustrious career and the making of a legend in the Premier League.

However, before his Premier League story began, Cole’s partnership with fellow Newcastle United idol Peter Beardsley led the team to the First Division championship in 1992/93. He scored an incredible 55 goals in 70 games and after only two seasons on Tyneside, he was dramatically sold to Manchester United for a then British record transfer fee, plus Keith Gillespie!

It would prove to be one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s most fruitful investments ever. He formed a lethal partnership up front with Dwight Yorke and was instrumental in Manchester United’s treble winning 1998/99 season. Cole and York drummed up 53 goals between them and Cole ended up being the top scorer in Europe that year. They will go down as the best attacking duo to ever team up for Manchester United.

His glory with Manchester United made up for his mishaps with England. Although his club form did not translate to international level, some will say Cole should have been given more of a chance to prove himself within the England camp. He garnered only 15 caps for his country and missed out on being selected for the World Cup and European Championships in 1998 and 2002.

In 6 storybook seasons with the Red Devils, Andrew Cole scored 93 goals in 195 appearances, has 5 Premier League winners medals, 1 Champions League winners medal and 2 F.A. Cup winners medals. He was named PFA Young Player of the Year in 1994 and won the Premier League Golden Boot for the 1993/94 season. He scored an incredible 187 Premier League goals and is second only to Alan Shearer on the all time list. Cole went on to play for Blackburn, Fulham, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Birmingham, Sunderland, Burnley and Nottingham Forest, but he never experienced or replicated the stunning success he cultivated at Manchester United.

Andrew Cole scored 229 goals in 509 games. Nobody will remember what he did post Manchester United career. And it really doesn’t matter. Cole left fans with everlasting memories from his career in the Premier League and he will definitely go down as a legend. Welcome to the list…

Hello Premier League…

The Toon Army is back in the Premier League! Newcastle United clinched promotion before they even kicked a ball or a Sheffield United player last night. And it’s much relief after the nightmare of being relegated last season. What a difference a year makes.

Mike Ashley’s Newcastle reign started horrifically. We all know the story. He made some terrible decisions. Hiring Dennis Wise. Firing Kevin Keegan. The list goes on and on. He even tried to sell the club when fans got hostile which was scary for his family so he wanted out. But no buyers meant no deal and Ashley had to figure out a plan to save Newcastle. The club was on its knees. What a difference a year makes.

Despite the turmoil of their relegation year, it does appear as though Mike Ashley learned much from his hellish experience. Together with his executive team, manager Chris Hughton and the players, they banded together at the start of their Championship season and made a very important decision. As a group they would fight to get Newcastle promoted. And their inspiration? The same Newcastle United fans that passionately protested against their self-proclaimed football fan owner, Mike Ashley. What a difference a year makes.

Newcastle United fans are without question the most passionate fans in England. It doesn’t matter who their team is playing against, they will turn out in their thousands to watch. And when their beloved Newcastle hit rock bottom, they didn’t let them down. They sucked-up the whole relegation experience and they too made a decision to support their team in the pursuit to get back into the Premier League. Week after week 50,000 would show-up to watch Leeds, Cardiff City or Sheffield Wednesday. They watched and cheered with the same passion they would show against Chelsea, Manchester United or Arsenal. These same fans that were ready to walk away from the Mike Ashley years altogether made a U-Turn. What a difference a year makes.

When you scratch away at a club, whether it’s the owner, the players or the staff, deep beneath the turf lies the heart beat that keeps it all alive and possible. The fan. But in Newcastle’s case something unusual happened in their relegation season. The players, the owner and the staff stuck together with the fans to fight back. Sure a couple of players left to remain in the Premier League, but most however stayed which added to that strong heart beat that runs right through the club. We’re the first to point the finger at players for being greedy, but the likes of Kevin Nolan, Alan Smith, Jonas Gutierrez, Peter Lovenkrands and Fabricio Coloccini could have easily left but they didn’t. They chose to stay with the club that portrayed nothing but dysfunction to the world. They chose to fight for the owner and fans. What a difference a year makes.

Credit to Newcastle. I for one am delighted they are back. Hopefully Mike Ashley will do it right this time around in the Premier League. He will need to invest in players and build around the core that played so valiantly throughout their Championship season. The one question remains. Will Chris Hughton be given the big job? Who would have thought he’d still be standing at Newcastle United after everything that’s gone on? In football, anything is possible. The Toon Army can say hello again to the Premier League. What a difference a year makes…

Newcastle are gone baby gone…

newcastle-shearer_1392814cNewcastle United have been relegated. After almost 20 years in the top flight of British football, the once impressive and glamorous Toon Army are toast. Their fall from grace was heard across the football universe today and Chairman Mike Ashley, his executive team and even the players can point the finger at themselves for this disaster. 

Were any of them aware that it’s a privilege and not a right to play in the Premier League? Their arrogance was intolerable to observe. They made some bad decisions. They screwed it up. They are to blame and now it’s the fans that will pay the price. Instead of relishing an encounter with Manchester United, Liverpool or Chelsea next season, they can look forward to playing teams like Preston North End, Doncaster Rovers and Plymouth Argyle. And to make it even more painful, Newcastle’s bitter rivals Sunderland survived being relegated which means they get to play Premier League football again next term. That’s rotten.

I’ve never felt the pain of my team being relegated and I can’t imagine there is anything worse to experience as a fan of football. To lose the elite status of being a Premier League team is not only gut-wrenching, but it also costs your team millions and can set them back for years to come. There is no guarantee of an immediate return. Just ask Leeds United, Charlton and Southampton fans. It’s got to hurt worse than a punch from Mike Tyson circa 1986. It’s got to hurt worse than a root canal. It’s got to be the worse pain in the world. 

The sad thing for Newcastle fans is not even their hero Alan Shearer could save them from the drop. He probably feels the same pain as they do today. Perhaps it’s a little easier for Shearer though. A nice family holiday in the Bahamas or Bermuda will help ease the pain of relegation. But what will the hard-up Newcastle supporters do to erase the memory of the 2008-09 season? My guess is they’ll dust themselves off, buy a new shirt and start talking about how they are going to return to the Premier League. Football is in their blood. Football is their life. Football is Newcastle United. But who will lead them? Shearer? Or will King Kev return? Let’s hope for the fans sake, the club makes the right decision…

Legend Alan Shearer…

shearerHe played for Southampton, Blackburn and Newcastle. He was captain of the England football team. He scored goals…lots of goals. He was built like a Hummer. So strong, physically and mentally. The chants were simple. The name was clear. Shearer, Shearer, Shearer. 

Alan Shearer will go down as one of the greatest English strikers to have played the beautiful game. When he made a choice to leave Southampton, he decided to join Jack Walker’s revolution at Blackburn Rovers and at the time, he cost a record-breaking 3.3 million pounds. Loose change in the transfer market these days! Surprisingly, Shearer won the title with Blackburn in the 1994-95 season. He never won it again.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson tried to buy Alan Shearer twice. Once from Southampton and then from Blackburn. Instead of joining the Red Devils after a successful Euro 96 campaign with England, Shearer followed his heart and chose to join his boyhood club, Newcastle United. He wanted to go and play football for his hero Kevin Keegan. Perhaps he should have followed his head instead of his heart. Shearer won nothing at Newcastle. The 1996-97 season was particularly a harsh one for him. With the team 11 points clear over their rivals Manchester United, they imploded and lost the title. Shearer was also a losing finalist in the F.A. Cup…twice. In 1998, Arsenal destroyed his dream and in 1999, Manchester United dealt Shearer another dagger to the heart.

Regardless of the few medals he won, Shearer was a world class striker. He has scored more goals than any other player in the Premier League. He was a predator in front of that goal. Thank goodness for his title at Blackburn. Otherwise, Shearer could have been one of the greatest strikers to have played the game and won nothing. Where do you rank him?