Cut and pasted this from the uk.sport.football.clubs.newcastle-united newsgroup. Interesting. (Remember - the bloke in question couldn't tell afternoon and evening apart a few weeks back.)

After an unexplained disappearance from the radio, with some twat who can't pronounce Solano "filling in for him", reports in tonight's chronicle suggest that the man who actually did eat all the pies, and stalward of Newcastle United commentary for 10 years Mick Lowes, may have been fired by Metro in a "restructuring" process. It also transpires that the replacement "twat" in question is actually the new sports editor at Metro, obviously keen to try his hand at commentating. This would explain why co-commentator Mick Martin takes every opportunity to pick errors in the new boys woeful match analysis. The chronicle also suggests that several senior NUFC players including a certain sheet metal workers son from Tyneside are now refusing to speak to the station out of protest. When harangued by the press as he attempted to enter a local pastry shop Mr. Martin would only give a gruff "no comment". It's really not on is it. Ten years of service and he's out on his ear with no chance of a new contract. And unlike "some people" he's not already a millionaire. Something really ought to be done.

-- Anonymous, October 21, 2001

Answers

AP

-- Anonymous, October 21, 2001

I've only listened to the new one twice and both times he was woeful, didn't have a clue what he was saying. Sadly I don't have much of an alternative for away games :(

-- Anonymous, October 21, 2001

interesting, i used to sit just in front of Lowes when he was in the old commentary area (last season) and he was very friendly. Handing out teamsheets and info when not on air. The medias a fickle place, isn't it?

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2001

Metro is mostly crap anyway. It's a tricky thing either to listen to Sarah 'I'm from Bolton but follow Man U' Cox on Radio 1 giggle through the morning, or have Brian 'not the rugby one' Moore be unfunny and predictable with that makem.

I'm going upstairs to listen to me tapes

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2001

Rumour has it that his large girth meant that he took up 2 seats and nufc could not sell the other.

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2001