Jurriën timber
Friday’s game saw a final scoreline of A-League All Stars 8 Newcastle United 0.
After a penalty shootout win over Tottenham on the Wednesday, a very different experience.
However, with so many first team squad players not travelling to Australia and then many of those who featured against Brentford on Sunday AND then against Tottenham less than 72 hours later on the other side of the world, Eddie Howe picking ten outfield players against the A-League All Stars with an average age of 19.
None of them, nor keeper Mark Gillespie, ever having started a single Premier League game in their careers.
Interested to see what Newcastle United fans had to say about it all, especially those down under.
Here are a selection of comments left on The Mag commenting section, plus what we have received direct from fans…
Second match made no sense at all.
I was at the Spuds game at MCG and with an 80k crowd, a few fireworks and being able to drink a few slurps in the stands with my kids whilst watching a largely first team squad to start the match all made for a great atmosphere. Granted, the pace and physicality of the game had an exhibition feel to it but the kids got to see the first team in action even though most had been subbed off at the hour mark. To me that should have been it really. The second match in the same city just two days later against the Farmers league “all-stars” (oxymoron there!), second billed to the Arsenal womens match, was always gonna be a total waste of time and I don’t blame Eddie for turning out the kids. Its the board that needs to take a long look in the mirror for that decision, not Eddie!
Jammy Dodger
Well why did they bother playing the second game?
My son is a student and paid $250 to watch this shambles, what a disappointment.
I’m at Geordie born in Blyth, my son has supported Newcastle because of me and has never had the opportunity to go St James park as he lives in Australia. Couldn’t you have done better than this?
Either don’t bother coming to Australia? Don’t play the second game? Give my son and other supporters something to see? Don’t patronise the Aussie fans?
This is a PR disaster and for the first time in my life, I’m questioning my unquestioning support of Newcastle United. Really not your finest hour lads.
Rhonda
No one expected the first team or high intensity football. You expect a fair number of first team or fringe players running about for 30 mins. That’s not too much to ask. A lot of people travelled a long way and paid good money. Yes they will still be fans but a lot of goodwill has been lost and maybe family or friends will be less inclined to jump on board.
It was a total embarrassment.
C3PO
I was there in Melbourne Tuesday to Thursday for the Spurs game, what I can tell you is that the pubs were heaving and everyone was having a great time, I understand people who travelled for just the Friday game will be upset, but hopefully the vast majority are now in the pub and the world will be looking a better place with a sing song and a couple of jars. There is no other fan experience to be out with us Geordies and hopefully that what people will remember rather than the embarrassing result.
Faraway Shores
Terrible timing for this.
Never underestimate the disconnect between the bean counting suits (e.g., Eales or whoever) and the coaching staff and squad. I mean, yeah, we all want more beans. But there’s a cost to everything.
63soul
The team sent out was in the NUFC name and the result *is* a disgrace. Terrible timing, terrible publicity. My son and I were going to fly over for the weekend from NZ, glad we didn’t!
No one who’s not a fan cares about who was in the team, all they see is the result and the NUFC name. That names been tarnished by the farce of a tour, I’m copping dogs abuse this morning from all my football fan mates over here.
I was going to fly over with my boy from NZ in the hope of seeing a few of the big boys play, just like the last tour in Dunedin. I’m glad we kept our hands in our pockets, I’d have been pretty sick if we’d shelled out a few grand just to see the U21s humped 8-0.
MrPNZ
A big error of judgement.
The real money is in expanding the fan base to millions of fans worldwide. That was the point of this tour and fielding unknown kids was a slap in the face to those fans.
I don’t think Howe had much choice with 3 games in 5 days on opposite sides of the world and star players desperate to protect themselves for the Euros and Copa America.
The board should take the blame for this. We should have done what Spurs did. Agree one game.
NUFC9
I am an expat toon fan, took my kids with a couple of mates and their kids too at an average price of around 70 quid a ticket. We all understand the financial realities and why they did this but we are left with the overwhelming feeling that’s this was something of pi.. take off the pitch and an embarrassment on it. Can’t see how this helps anyone.
Eazy 71
When I booked my tickets for the streams I was in two minds cos I knew it’s be like 75% kids over the 2 games. In the end I wanted to see how those young players got on and if any of them looked up to joining the first team squad next season. I kinda feel like if people bought tickets expecting to see the first team might not have thought it through properly.
I’m not trying to be patronising or mean. But it just wasn’t realistic to think our players would be playing 3 games in 6 days with a 20+ hour flight and a loada jetlag in between. I feel like a supporter that knows how tight the turn around was and how hard our season was with injury would have understood this.
Anyone First
The reason I won’t lose any sleep by not gaining Australian fans is because of the reasoning behind it. Foreign “Fans” are fickle and follow successful teams based on trophy hauls usually. They have no affinity, ties or passion for Newcastle as a City or the people that live here. By all means be a fan but as someone who goes to games and grew up in the area I wouldn’t give a glory hunter fan a second thought. They are ultimately a revenue stream for merchandise. The ex pat thing is different as there are real ties to the area. Anyone from anywhere in the world supporting newcastle at St James would be welcome but I won’t ever lose sleep over not gaining new “fans” in Australia or anywhere.
I agree that the club could have communicated their plans for todays game for the paying customers in advance as it looked like a decent crowd for such a daft pointless and totally unnecessary game. Looked like 10-15 thousand which is a shame.
Grievesy