AT THE MATCH

Just pottered around at home till it was time to get the bus to Newcastle.  Newcastle had a home game against Liverpool - 5.30pm kick off. 

There were special flags in my stand to mark what would have been the 90th birthday of former manager Sir Bobby Robson.  You can see a couple of them in my blip.  There was also a  huge flag which was unfurled just before kick off. 

We heard the sad news this morning that one of our former players Christian Atsu had died in the Turkish earthquake.  We knew he was missing but hoped he would be one of those who survived.  He was only 31 years old and leaves a wife and three young children - the oldest is 9.. They were at the match today.   There was a minutes applause before kick off.  In my collage you can see the Newcastle players lined up ready for the applause.  It was emotional and I must admit I shed some tears.

When I got to my seat I spotted a bunch of flowers on the seat in front of me. At first I thought they might be a tribute for Bobby Robson... part of the flag display  or in memory of Christian Atsu but when I read the card it showed the name Steve Mull.  So I'm wondering if they are in memory of the chap who used to sit on that seat. He used to come to every match and accompany another chap in a wheelchair but neither of them have been to any games this season and I did wonder why.  Ive missed them as I have been sitting behind them for many years. 

On the  match.............. for the first 10 mins Newcastle were brilliant. On the attack and all fired up.  Then all of a sudden, against the run of play, Liverpool scored.  Then they scored again after 17 mins.  As if this wasn't bad enough on the 22nd minute our goalkeeper Nick Pope got a red card and was sent off.  So we had to bring on our second choice goalie Dubravka - and take off Anderson - a midfielder.

Newcastle actually did well for the rest of the match considering they were down to 10 men but they didn't manage to score.  Final score Newcastle 0 Liverpool 2.  Newcastle's first home defeat this season.  They are still clinging on to 4th place in the Premiership though.

Now to the bad news ..... Goalkeeper  Nick Pope's sending off means he can't play in the Cup Final match next Sunday.  Neither can the second choice goalkeeper Dubravka  as hes already played in the competition for our opponents Manchester United when he was on loan to them earlier in the season.  And our third choice goalie is on loan to another club at the moment.... don't know if he can be recalled.  4th choice goalie joined Newcastle last September but hasn't played a first team game for us yet so if he has to play next Sunday he will be thrown in at the deep end.  Not the ideal situation but you never know he might do OK.  

I will end with a quote from Bobby Robson..........

“What is a club in any case?  Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it. It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes. It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city. It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.”


Apologies for all the above if you are not a footie fan. Nothing else to report today

Steps today  - 7,095