We should all stop this nonsense now of pretending that we cannot win the league title, what the hell is everyone playing at? lets all get doon to the bookies,get on the readies and have a stake on our first title win since Pit Bill took his first Scotts emulsion,since school milk was the tipple of the day,when Floridean was a Northumbrian from Eshington, do you not realise that there is guys out there on deep breathing exercises to get them to the end of the campaign . Guys like Phoenix are ready to rise from the ashes,Jonno is poised to post the immortal letters T----, but a hidden force from high has prevented Geordies all from displaying their natural exhuberance in the position we are in. This mystic force is no other than Young Bobby Robson(us auld timers got to stick together lyeuk), in a trackside interview a while back, when asked "Can you win the title Bob"?, replied truthfully "No" and the media,supporters,have jumped on this which at the time had a ring of truth. Not now folks, cast off the shackles, "This is the dawning of the Age of the Geordies", Even Chris the Toon Fan when asked by Ally Pally on the programme tonite followed the party line, even stating that Man U are sweeping all before them at home while we are coming from behind all the time and making hard work of it, true so what I ask and what the hell has Man U gotta do with it, we are the people, we are "Geordies" Hands up anyone on here that thinks Bobby has told any of his players behind closed doors that we just aim for a CL place and not the title!!, no need to put your hands down, cannot see any up. Not sure what the right word is, maybe its arrogance, if so Buff is going to be arrogant, I am fed up playing out a charade, ther are people in this neck of the woods, no allegiance whatsoever to Newcastle continually saying to me , I would like to see your team do it Buff, for Bobby Robson sake too, and I sit there feeling proud and reply the old worn out chestnut "Aye but it is a step to far this year". I should be lynched by the likes of Shay Given who is making saves at crucial times, AAron Hughes (I always said he was a full back Solano who is really plaing with a football head , Speed for assuming responsibility as a senior player, Bellamy for his jackets doon for posts attitude (the big difference), Big Al for being Alan Shearer, Carver , Windy winsper (fitness coach and the inter-toto committee) and the main man, Bobby Robson. To all,we can win the league,lets not do a diservice,lets be positive,we all know it makes sense, ask the bookies when you put your money on the lads in the black n white sharts.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2002

Answers

A Pullitzer

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2002

And now you're gonna believe us and now you're gonna believe us.....

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2002

You're dead right Buff - as I've said on another thread, it's there for the taking, all of the contenders are flawed. We seem as good as any at overcoming those flaws so why not? In fact, while we're on the subject, what about the double???

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2002

steady on Al , One step at a time Sweet Jesus

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2002

sweet Jenas

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2002

Of course Bob believes we can do it, the evidence = Jenas, we were short in midfield and had no cash but found it to keep the temperature turned up. Freddie the Cat had no small part in this either. TMBWYAA

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

ITWY?

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

Well thats blown it! :))

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

There's a little kid inside me (explains the indigestion) who passionately believes that we can do it. He keeps getting these flash- forwards of Shay Given coming up for a corner in the dying seconds at Southampton and volleying the loose ball straight into the top corner. Cue pitch invasion, YBR carried aloft, joy unending, tears etc.

However the big gruff 40 year old on the outside is scared witless. He says sensible things like, "one game at a time", "ManU will win it, they always do", "Newcastle ALWAYS raise ya hopes only to dash them", "A Champions League place will be a victory".

I really cannot bring myself to sing "we're gonna win the league". I can still remember singing it at Ewood Park, one-nil up, 15 minutes to go. That season after leading for so long the pressure was awful. There's a lot to be said for having lower expectations (thank you Messers Dalglish and Gullit), the team seem to be enjoying their football and the fans are happy just being in with a shout.

I envy that little kid though, he KNOWS we're gonna win the league.

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

I never saw us winning the Spurs game...but I was wrong. I thought we'd drop points against Bolton...but I was wrong. Similarly against Southampton, our inconsistency will re-appear, surely?

It's a game by game season, and the nerves are building the closer we get to the unbelievable. But we MUST keep our feet on the ground and judge how good our chances are on performances, not just results. I only say this because it doesn't take much in this season to go from picking up points to picking up nothing. When was the last time we won a game easily?

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

Yer a soft begger aren't ye?! :-) I must say I get a giddy feeling when I imagine the unimaginable...winning the league. It's a nice feeling, but like you I yearn to suppress it with the 'superegoist' side of me in case of heartbreak. Usually a shake of the head snaps me out of it, but the niggling and warming sensation won't go away.

Until 4.50pm on Saturday, when we'll get stuffed by Soton!

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

Boro at home was as easy a game as I've seen in a while...

On this subject, my nephew announced yesterday that he just KNOWS we are going to win the title and I'll admit that I have these little daydreams about a sunny day in May with Big Al lifting the PL trophy he came home to win for us. The other thing is anything can happen so we ARE in with a shout. However, if Hell had me, I wouldn't admit this to anyone outside these four cyber walls.

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

It's like a guilty family secret we're all scared of bringing out into the open. We may think we can win it, but we couldn't possibly comment to outsiders.

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

I wish my confidence was as high, but I thought we were highly average against Bolton, Sarfampton are battling well and we have trouble agaist battling teams, I cant see us getting owt against Arse and Pool. Blackburn were unlucky at our place and things could be different at theirs. All in all Im wishing for a CL place but id be on the beer for a month if we won the league I cant see it . Sorry but im forever the pesamist with nufc ive been heartbroken too many times.
KB

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

I don't buy this YBR = wily old fox thing. I think he's been pretty straight down the line all season as far as our chances of winning the league are concerned, and has reflected what the majority of fans have thought at any given time. First, 'we won't win it', now, 'weeelll...we probably won't win it but we're in the mixer'. And behind the scenes? I'm sure he's not telling his players to settle for the CL, but neither will he be taking the KK inspirational 'you are Olympian gods' route.

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

Sarfampton are battling well and we have trouble agaist battling teams, I cant see us getting owt against Arse and Pool. Blackburn were unlucky at our place and things could be different at theirs.

Well thats my feet knees firmly back on the ground then. :-)

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

when you've been and tried and failed as we did you don't want to be hurt again, you become wary of women who give you the come on just to slam the front door in your face when you think you're close to heaven, that's why nobody is talking about us winning the thing.

The last two weeks have changed it for me, getting a point at Leicester, winning at Spurs and twice coming from behind against Bolton would have had me thinking long and hard about our credentials, Friday was the real turning point though. There are two times to invest in players, over the summer and just before the run in. The summer signings are the main ones, but the spring ones are equally as important, they can make or break the rest of the season. On the same day we managed to offload a 32 year old journeyman fullback and buy an 18 year old budding star. That one step has shown we are looking forward.

I came away from the game on Saturday feeling we can win the league. We won again, we played some lovely football, we play football with a smile, we have pace and skill, we have tenacity, we know we're doing well and know we won't lose. The post Keegan years have knocked our confidence badly, we expect the worst, we expect to struggle against Leicester, Bolton, Spurs we have come out of that.

I'm slowly convincing myslef that we will win it. We beat sides, we don't stuff them as far as scorelines go but we demolish them in a footballing sense. Villa came to us as the top team, full of themselves and never psychologically recoevered from the footballing lesson we gave them. Leeds came to us and were totally and utterly demolished, they looked like a relegation side in comparison to our pace, verve and passion to win. They will not receover from that beating.

The title has been in our hands for a few weeks, easy equation .... win every game. Reality is probably less than that but that's what we need.

Liverpool and Arsenal await us but even drawing those two games wouldn't be a problem, as Man U have the fun of Leeds, Chelsea, Arsenal in their last 6 games.

We are reluctant to believe we can win the thing cos we saw Spurs (H) and West Ham (A) and cannot comprehend that those performances could come from champions. They can, and they have.

A final thought on the team. Who thinks/hopes Jenas will actually improve our side ? Think about what you're believing in if you do go down that route. You are suggesting that we can be better than winning at Arsenal, better than a double over Leeds, better than all those lovely victories over the last few weeks.

I travelled back north after the game on Saturday with a couple of lads going back to Kilmarnock who asked if I would be trying to go to Southampton. I said I wouldn't be able to get a ticket and that I'd be physically sick if we need to win anyway. They said they would be travelling to Newcastle and watch the game in a pub, cos there was no way they couldn't be in town. It's time for us to set our dreams free, let our minds think about Shearer lifting the trophy, Dabidas running to the fans shirt twirling above his head, manic pride, Solano with the biggest grin in the world, Dyer dancing like Olazabal winning the Ryder cup, Robert looking cool, Lua2 doing cartwheels, Bellamy running around like billy whizz on speed, and off to the side, standing watching it all, glowing with pride, smiling at what he's done, Bobby Robson. The cameras pan around to the fans, it's just like 6 years ago, but so so different. Just like then Geordies are crying on the telly, a taunt that gets buried by joy.

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

I don't think we'll do it. No, really, I don't. Of course, I have been wrong (just a few times!!) in the past.....................

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

Sorry Jonno , But ill be the first to cry in your beer if we get soo close and hoy it away again...
I still get the 12 points clear thing hoyed in my face all the time. People never mention the 15 points clear man u were before arsenal caught them. I guess thats becasue it annoys us more than others cos were so much more passionate eh ;-)

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

Hahah Bobby. I know the giddy sensation. I'd be careful about the warming sensation though, as it could indicate another problem, especially when pissed.

Seriously though, it is a case of suppression at the moment. Not even a half hour can go by without the thought creeping back up with it's associated physical side-effects (starry eyed elation, or a warm trouser leg if you're Bobby) before having to hurriedly dispell such ridiculous sentiments. Get a grip everyone. we won't win anything. We never do ;-)

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

flippin 'eck macbeth... you've made me get tears welling up inside already.

I Believe. I believe that we WILL win all our remaining games. I can't see how anyone can beat us.

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

For a few months now I have been reckoning that this season is a bit like the season that Leeds won the title. No one believed they would do it. It genuinely was the most open title race in years. Each team took points off each other and Leeds sneaked it. Cantona left them for ManU the next season and the dominance of ManU began.

However I am still saying we cannot win it to take the pressure off my expectations as YBR is taking the pressure off the players and everyone associated with the club. That is the way to do it and on the last day when we are second and 3 points behind and you don't think we can do it think how much more pressure will be on Man U who are supposed to win it than on us.

Also think of the joy you feel at something you never thought would happen but does compared with the joy you feel when something happens when you knew all along it would.

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

Nail on the head Macbeth. It is only the years of having hopes dashed that are holding me back.

But, I'm much more confident lately, in fact since the Villa game. There's a look about the side that stops me kakking me keks every time tha ball is in our half of the field, but I haven't the faintest idea why it suddenly changed when we beat Villa.

It could be something as daft as having the impression we get more of the breaks these days, even including the clangers that got Bolton ahead twice.

Even with the remaining weaknesses in defense, we now have the firepower that can counterbalance those weaknesses. My biggest hope is that we've now had our full share of injuries, at least for this season. Not having had our full share is, for me, the one thing that could screw things up.

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

I'm a one game at a time man myself. Southampton is gonna be tough. They'll play with one up front and 10 behind the ball. I'm confident we'll be OK.

I'd love to win the FA Cup n'aal and I think we've got a hell of a chance. Man City will come here and go for it and we'll murder them.

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

Bl**dy H*ll where's me hanky? As one of the old'uns on here hanging on til the end of the season with me finga nails, I believe championships are written in the stars (terrible I know for a professional scientist). The Old Man of football, the local hero hanging up his international boots to help his neighbourhood team, the media constantly decrying our "overachieving" league position and the rival managers not even mentioning our name when they discuss possible winners. It's all in place for a fairy-tale ending.

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

I don't believe we'll do it...and I think you're all mental!

Yes we're scoring goals but we're actually playing a tactically weak system....as i've said earlier, we struggle against teams who play for draws.....

Anyway, enjoy your fun while it lasts you crazy people! :))

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

As the song says "......30 years of hurt, never stopped me dreaming....."

A thread of wonderful posts. It's all been said really...... we simply dare not think the unthinkable, dare not believe the unbeleivable.

Of course, we could win it - but we've been there before, had it ripped so cruelly from our grasp: geet hard Geordies blubbing on the telly - to painful to watch: couldn't bear it to happen again. I want to win the PL so much it hurts - for myself, for the wonderful Toon Army, perhaps most of all for Bobby Robson.

As a life-long pessimist, I worry about our defence - before every game - we still cannot defend. But we have wonderful attacking talent, and critically we have a collective spirit, a togetherness, that can overcome our biggest weakness.

As we move towards the climax, as nerves start jangling, we have to hold our nerve, keep playing to our strengths when the temptation is to become more cautious - that will become BR's biggest management challenge. If we can continue playing to our undoubted strengths during this period we can do it - frankly, the SJP crowd can do so much more than they have been, and need to.

The very thought of winning it is just too thrilling, potentially to emotional, for me to even contemplate. But I do dream about it.

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

You need either a team of hardened professionals or a team who know no better to win things.

Shearer and Speed are the only ones who've been there, Shearer's steely certianty will be needed.

At the other end of the scale are Dyer, Hughes, Bellamy, Jenas, O'Brien who've no experience at all of going for something. We'll find out what they are made of from now on. Because our game is so based on pace it is different to last time. Last time we had ball playing footballers in Ginola, Beardsley, Tino, Lee, if they had a bout of nerves then they would change their game to compensate. I can't really see how Bellamy can change his game, Dyer the same. Hughes may get more nervous and defend rather than overlap, but I think he has that steely will to win that will pull through.

We will overcome, and there won't be a dry eye in the house.

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

Count me in the one-game-at-a-time camp. For me, the pain of disappointment following unbridled optimism is nearly too much to bear. And, as was pointed out above somewhere, the joy of the unexpected is undescribably wonderful compared to when you expect something to happen. At least that's how it is for me. So I refuse to allow myself to seriously think we'll win until we're sitting at the top and it's mathematically impossible for anyone to pass us.

However, I do find myself starting to watch airfares to England somewhere's around May. I hear the Republic of Ireland is playing a match over there. Might be nice to give them my support and good wishes before they head out to the Far East. ;-)

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DON'T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's too much to comprehend. Having had the heartbreak of THAT season plus 2 lost cup finals in recent history, I can't even bring myself to hope.

'One game at a time sweet jesus' (Jenas?)

-- Anonymous, February 05, 2002

NO!!!!!!

I REFUSE to start thinking like this yet. I'll start making myself ill.

One Game At A Time.

I'm definitely coming back for the last 3 or 4 weeks if we are even in with a chance though!

-- Anonymous, February 06, 2002

Once we get a draw in our next game, lose the one after that, and get knocked out of the FA cup, we'll all be happier.

-- Anonymous, February 06, 2002

Spot on Nick....something needs to happen to knock the stuffing out of these optimists, they're doing my head in......

-- Anonymous, February 07, 2002