NEWCASTLE BOSS IN LIMBO

Fulham defeat leaves Toon facing relegation nightmare

MIKE ASHLEY - relationship

By MARTIN HARDY, 16/05/2009

ALAN SHEARER put planned contract talks on hold after Newcastle's disastrous defeat to Fulham today.

The interim Toon boss was on the brink of pledging his long-term future to Newcastle and staying on as permanent boss. But yesterday's catastrophic defeat has plunged the club to the brink of relegation to the Championship and has seen any talk of his own future shelved.

Shearer and owner Mike Ashley have established a strong relationship in the seven weeks they have worked together.

But the uncertainty that defeat and Hull's draw at Bolton, have created means Shearer's future, like Newcastle's, will now remain uncertain until the season has finished.

Relegation would be a financial hammer blow to the Toon and there would be a cull of the high earners who have pushed the club's wage bill to beyond £70million a year.

Shearer has already proven his desire to take permanent control at Newcastle by the long-term strategies he has put in place. But yesterday's shattering 1-0 defeat by Fulham has cast doubt over all of them.

Shearer was furious Mark Viduka's header was disallowed yesterday by referee Howard Webb. The Toon boss stormed: "I thought he got the big decision wrong. I am bittely disappointed. I couldn't see anything wrong with the goal."

And he admitted: "It's out of our hands. We have got to better Hull next weekend. Whatever they do, we have to better them. But it ain't over. I am sure there are going to be twists and turns next week."

But Joey Barton will never kick another ball for Newcastle.

The midfielder met club bosses on Friday and had his club ban extended for another 10 days. Barton, 26, who was fined almost £200,000 and given a club warning, will now be sold, probably to Bolton, in the summer.

Your comments

This article has 29 comments

haha neville...asmall club we may indeed bebut we're BIG enough for you to follow our fortunes closely and spend time reading about, and commenting on us

don't know who you support, and I don't care, i'm only interested in MY club

By Toon.. Posted May 23 2009 at 11:40 PM.

Newcastle will go down because they have not won enough games, fact. Whether they r a big club or not is absolutely trivial, Leeds Utd were 2 big 2 go down, Forest, Southampton, what have Newcastle done that the previous 3 haven't, nothing, the others have won more trophies than Newcastle have in the last 30-40 years, wake up Geordies, our small club from Birmingham will send you down where u rightly belong, adios losers.

By R Mills.. Posted May 22 2009 at 7:36 AM.

Does anyone have tickets for the Petula Clake gig?

By Slaven Billic Joining the Mackems.. Posted May 18 2009 at 9:29 AM.

What is it with you geordies and the size of the club? It’s irrelevant. You can be top of the FIFA ranking and play in the championship! If your defence carry's on the way it has been playing! Who cares? Do you think Liverpool will be saying we came second but never mind we are a big club? The ONLY thing that matters is winning: Champions, Cup Winners.

And it makes my blood boil :) when people mix their metaphors! “Out of your tree” or “off your head” Take your pick. May be you have eaten too many brown ale bottles already?

Enjoy your away days to Barnsley, Plymouth and if your really lucky maybe even Scunthorpe.

By Mackems_In_Abu_Dhabi.. Posted May 18 2009 at 9:26 AM.

Sorry Callum. I meant Tyneside has the population of over 800,000. I suspect you knew that. (That figure excludes Sunderland as well.) I do not see much in the way of competition up there. Burnley has huge clubs all around it. Pound for pound, Burnley is a massive club - Super Middleweights. Newcastle is a flabby, old, past it, drunken shell of a lumbering heavyweight who cannot punch it's way out of a paper bag. Burnley is the "hotbed" of football. That you are, is a media myth. Numpties!!!

By Bazzer.. Posted May 17 2009 at 9:21 PM.

Rumour has it that Petula Clark has been invited to St James's for an end-of-season gettogether, with a special invite from Big Al to open the evening with a rendition of her 1965 hit: 'When your alone and football's making you lonely you can always gaan DOONTOON'. They shall be back; but, like Captain Oates, Royal Marines:...shall be SOME time. Expected date of return to premiership: not ...until the 12th of NEVER.

Big club, Little club? What does it matter, NUFC's time has been AND gone! Wait until Slavan Bilic gets his hands on the mackems. The yawning gap between the two clubs shall become a chasm ...of Grand Canyon proportions.

Aaaah bless!

By Hereward.. Posted May 17 2009 at 8:24 PM.

as a nufc fan it makes me laugh when other fans say we should have won this with the millions we spent and i agree but thte biggest laugh off all is that numpty saying our population is 800 thousand let me reasure you our pop is only 250 thousand thats 50 thousand less than sunderlands do feel free to look it up as iam the offical for the city council ombudsman 50 tho each week out of 250 tho no team could be that ratio and that includes our red and white f r i end s down the road

By callum.. Posted May 17 2009 at 6:58 PM.

We had at least 4 golden chances against Fulham, with Martins, Owen, Caroll then Viduka, the latter being chalked off for Mr Taylor standing in front of a keeper who crys if he is stood in front of. Schwarzer was looking all along with arms raised for a none existant foul and what a suprize the ref was more than willing.

No offence Villa but I really would like us to go on and win bout 3-0 and for Hull to get a big old thumping by Man Untd's kids.

This is the biggest league in the world because its fun exciting and passionate, its would be alot less exciting and passionate with the geordies not about.

Cmon the lads, give it a real good go!!!

By Daz.. Posted May 17 2009 at 5:10 PM.

Some losers on here really make my blood boil. I cant believe how many people on here dont have a clue about football.

Some one take a look at the current top 20 richest clubs compiled by FIFA and I will eat my Brown Ale bottle if Newcastle United are not in that list. Now tell me newcastle are not a big club.

Its like saying Leeds are not a big club. Just because they are playing in the 3rd tier does not make them a small club and neither will it make Newcastle a small club if we are to be relegated.

What newcastle are not is a successful club. But a big club Yes. And if anyone thinks anything otherwise you are off your tree and know nothing at all about this great sport.

Finally, for the 20 odd years that Manchester Utd won pretty much nothing in the 70's and 80's, were they a small club? I dont think so.

By Chris.. Posted May 17 2009 at 4:47 PM.

SAA - Shearer and Ashley what a combo...... Championship football next season and Div 1 the year after..........

By FTM.. Posted May 17 2009 at 12:43 PM.

get use to it newcastle, you are down ,the gravy train will go as well as your so called stars, they dont deserve the extortionate money they have been on and should give some back, so the season ticket prices next year are affordable for the fans who are left !!!

By ian edwards.. Posted May 17 2009 at 1:23 PM.

Being a "Sunderland fan", am I the only one who will miss the tension of great Derby games next season if NUFC get relegated?

For me I have always found the atmosphere to be electric when both teams play each oether, with the desire to win seen in the faces of both sets of fans.

Winning a Derby game between Sunderland and Newcastle is as good as winning the premiership in my eyes, the feeling of elation cannot be that different!!!!!!!!!!!

Just my thoughts on a long list of many...I have my fingers crossed.

Newcastle stay up...goodluck!!!

By Neil.. Posted May 17 2009 at 11:26 AM.

Newcastle have always been a lower end team. They will go down. I am so happy this has happend to them.

By Mark Foster.. Posted May 17 2009 at 11:10 AM.

Going down, the deluded geordies deserve it.

small club like everton.

By macum and tack em.. Posted May 17 2009 at 10:59 AM.

Newcastle United have got what they deserve, we couldn't manage to beat Fulham at home half knowing that our premiership life depended on it.
You have one man to blame..........
MIKE ASHLEY

By Davie Wood.. Posted May 17 2009 at 10:42 AM.

Newcastle are a big club, anyone who say's different doesn't know football. When clubs go down the papers talk about a 'fire sale' but I think Newcastle need a massive rebuild. They've been papering over the cracks for to long. Get rid of all the ageing stars and rebuild with talent that won't break the bank.

They can go down and come back just as big. Could be a fun year in the championship (ever the optimist)!

By PFL.. Posted May 17 2009 at 10:41 AM.

Newcastle population 800,000. Burnley population 73,000. Possibly swapping divisions. Which one is the BIG club????

By Bazzer.. Posted May 17 2009 at 10:23 AM.

Lol you only average 50,000 week in week out because the only club around for 12 miles in Sunderland other than that Boro (40 miles)

By Sue.. Posted May 17 2009 at 10:13 AM.

Make no mistake relegation would be a disaster ask Leeds(big club) forest(big club). You tell me which other club can average 50,000 week in week out with truely local support. Big club who cares, the premiership will not be the the same without the thousand of Geordies which travel the length and breath of England each week. I'm sure the championship will enjoy the massive gates away a be and a crazy as ever we will still be at s j park week in week out.

By Gregg martin.. Posted May 17 2009 at 8:39 AM.

Just as in business the size of a club is determined by their turnover. In that respect Manchester United and Real Madrid are usually at number one and number two in the world. The cups that they have won has nothing to do with how this is calculated.
Newcastle are in the top twenty and sometimes reach the top ten when playing in Europe. The reason being that the size of income streams from TV, European games, commercial income and fan base make up these streams. The fact that an owner has money or not does not come into it as it is not income gained by the club.

By bill.. Posted May 17 2009 at 8:40 AM.

Being a Newcastle fan, it hurts to see what has become of this once great football club, but the decisions made by the board over the last few years - appointing numerous managers that wanted their shot at the big time, spending fortunes on less than average 'international' players - have condemned the club to the championship next season, and i pray we dont do a leeds and drop further into the mire.

Relegation might be what this club needs, as long as Ashley sells to someone with an interest in the club, town etc. The key to instant promotion next season, will be keeping Shearer on as manager, and keeping a few of our key players - we have a great youth system in place and now we need to see if it will reap rewards next season when we visit the lower league teams.

The writing was on the wall along time ago for this club and like most newcastle fans, i know we havent won anything for 40+ years, and at the minute, i dont argue that we are a top 6 team that should be in Europe, but what still grinds my gears, is so called 'football fans' slating Newcastle, when the clubs they apparantly follow are either worse, or 'new money' - buying there way to success.

We may not be great at the minute, but one thing is for sure, supporting Newcastle is a rollercoaster of emotions, but i would take that over watching boring chelsea, with their overpaid thugs, winning 1-0 week in week out.

where's the fun in that?

By Austen.. Posted May 17 2009 at 9:49 AM.

By Gregg martin.. Posted May 17 2009 at 8:43 AM.

newcastle fans,youve got every chance of getting something at villa park next sunday,our home record isnt the best,and the way were playing at the moment anythings possible.yesterday it took us 45 minutes before we got going,heskeys a waste of money,only 4 or 5 players at villa deserve to wear the shirt,friedels past it,our best defender retired last week due to a reoccuring knee injury and will be missed big time,we need a solid centre half to play next to curtis davis,speculation that gareth barry could be goin to liverpool,man utd or arsenal,and chelsea eyeing ashley young,i feel theres some kind of unsettling feeling at the club,just hope freddie bouma comes back 100% fit for next season as he`s a player we have missed at the back also.So next week Newcastle fans have faith cause i feel its goin to be a typical relegation cliff hanger and youll get something to stay up,its gonna be a thrilla at the villa !!!!

By rob avfc.. Posted May 17 2009 at 9:47 AM.

Newcastle ARE a BIG Club Neville. They have many fan clubs around the world, including here in New Zealand. What other club in England, (or the World) would get over 50,000 fans to a match, 3rd bottom and on the brink of relegation, with nothing to show for 40 years! Being A "Big" club is not just for the rich clubs.

By Steve Manning.. Posted May 17 2009 at 8:49 AM.

As a die hard Newcastle fan I have to start agreeing with some of the comments on here. Newcastle are no longer a big club, and under the present regime they never will be. The inability to beat Fulham at home to stay in the premiership sums it all up I'm afraid...We now have to rely on Hull loosing Man U reserves to stand a chance of staying up....Oh, there is also the little fact that we have to get something at Villa. Can't really see it happening...

To be honest we are where we deserve to be and the heady days of Europen football seem a long time ago. MA has demonstrated he has no idea how to run a football club, decisions he has made are commical...I could list them here but to be honest I can't be bothered...

MOTD without the Toon !!! If shearer has any sense thats where he will be next season..

RIP Newcastle United, you've got what you deserve,,,

By John.. Posted May 17 2009 at 8:24 AM.

For Des Bennett

I get it - financial and supporter base determine if a club is "big" not their success.

Therefore the biggest clubs in the world by that logic are:

Financial = Saudi Arabian champions Al Hilal (owned by oil multi-billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud)

Fan base = Eqyptian Champions Al-Ahly

I think the cheap ale up there is going to your head mate.

By Neville.. Posted May 17 2009 at 4:14 AM.

I am not a Newcastle fan, but a few I work with have said, it wont be they bad if they go down, rebuild, regroup, etc, but I dont agree...I think it will be a disaster for the club, financially and psychologically. And in all honesty I feel sorry for them, since Sir Bobby was harshly forced out a number of years ago, it has all went downhill on a gradual scale...and what a disaster Mike Ashley has been, he has presided over a disaster, KK did well at the end of last season, and had he been given some decent money to spend in transfers, he could have turned around that decline. Ashley has treated the club like a plaything, and appointing Joe Kinnear an absolutely flabbergasting decision, and boy has it cost them dearly. A shame for a teriffic set of fans, but I just have this feeling they will sneak a win at a demoralised Villa Park next week.

By Des Bennett.. Posted May 17 2009 at 1:00 AM.

I take it you've never been to Newcastle then, Neville?
Both Newcastle and Sunderland are big clubs with a huge regional fanbase, I know it's hard to understand the size of a club when the nearest you get is soccer saturday with Jeff Stelling dancing to James Brown but trust the words of people that do.

By matt.. Posted May 17 2009 at 12:38 AM.

Newcastle are a small club - not sure why people are shocked at them being relegated. They have won nought in the last 40 years. It's just a club where overpaid prima donnas go when their career is going down hill - can always rely on the toon to fork out 100k a week for a washed up player.

By Neville.. Posted May 17 2009 at 12:15 AM.

We have to check every comment before we can allow it to be published. But don't worry, we've got a team on it 24/7 - so check back soon! Please note that we cannot publish all comments received. The editor's decision is final. Please note that your email address will not be displayed next to your comment.