23Jul2001 UK: Football - Bellamy goal cheers faithful. By Tim Rich Newcastle. United 1 Lokeren 0 Newcastle win 5-0 on agg

TRUE FAITH is the name of one of the finer fanzines that chronicle the deeds of Newcastle United and Saturday evening demonstrated the aptness of the title. Some 29,000, the highest attendance in the short and mostly unheralded history of the Intertoto Cup, thronged to St. James' Park to see Newcastle defend a 4-0 first leg lead against a team of unknowns from an obscure part of Belgium. It is not as if there was nothing better to do on Tyneside which was then hosting Radio One's Love Weekend which had jammed every bar and club on the quayside. This, however, was true love, blind love. The Geordies have always liked racing certainties. In September 1995, at the height of Keegan-mania, St James' was sold out for a League Cup tie against Bristol City, who had lost the first leg 5-0. This followed the same pattern. "It's an incredible, unique area," said the equally football-dotty Bobby Robson. "We will get 35,000 against the Germans (1860 Munich) in the next round. The fans probably expected an avalanche of goals but it does not work like that." It did not and by half-time passions were beginning to cool. "By Christ, this is going to be a long season," declared one punter on route to his tea, although Craig Bellamy on his home debut gave them the satisfaction of a win, hooking home Gary Speed's knockdown from Christian Bassedas' cross. "I told him to show the supporters that he was proud to be playing for Newcastle United," said Robson of the man in whom he had invested £6m, although the manager was less impressed by Bellamy's reaction to being substituted. A trip to the Olympic Stadium to face Germany's Manchester City on Wednesday night offers a higher degree of difficulty than Lokeren, who fielded a team drawn mainly from Iceland and the Congo. They were not particularly affected by being reduced to ten men since Alen Mrzlecki had repeatedly and embarrassingly given the ball away. However, Bassedas injured his groin which means Newcastle will be without four midfielders against a side that ran Leeds close in last year's Champions' League qualifiers. Nevertheless, they drew comfort form the performance of Aaron Hughes in central defence. "This is his best position, he is a great reader of the game," said Robson of the young Ulsterman. Robson had just begun to compare Hughes to Bobby Moore when he stopped himself, aware that this is still football's silly season. Goal: Bellamy (60) 1-0. Newcastle United (4-4-2): Given; Barton, Dabizas, Hughes, Elliott; Solano, Bassedas (McClen, 62), Speed, Quinn (Bernard, 70); Ameobi, Bellamy (Lua-Lua, 70). Substitutes not used: Griffin, Caldwell, Gavilan, Harper (gk). Sport Lokeren (4-5-1): Dabanovic; Helgason (Mrzlecki, 26), Foley, Katana, Van Dender; Zoundi, Gretarsson, De Beule, Vidarsson, El Bodmossi; Kimoto (Muzinga, 81). Substitutes not used: Bangoura, De Geest, Zitka (gk). Referee: E Steinborn (Germany). Sending-off: Sport Lokeren: Mrzlecki. Booking: Newcastle: Ameobi. Man of the match: Hughes. Attendance: 29,021. (c) Independent Newspapers (UK) Limited 2001. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, distributed or exploited in any way.

Source: INDEPENDENT 23/07/2001 P9

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

Answers

Hmm - I thought it was Nobby who headed the ball to Bellamy for the goal? Is that just another inacurracy then?

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

I disasgree. The Guardian's Michael Walker piece WAS patronising, but I don't see it here. This is just fluffy broadsheet stuff, facts held together with quotes. The only opinion voiced is that we have true faith and blind love - something we all proudly celebrate on he

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

"The Geordies have always liked racing certainties". Yep, that's why we turned up for two Wembley Finals against teams that had already won the Premiership.

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

The Indy's not too bad, the Guardian was dressed up tabloid crap.

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

The piece isn't too kind to the good people of Lokeren either is it?

a team of unknowns from an obscure part of Belgium.

Tim who?

-- Anonymous, July 24, 2001