Newcastle United Season Preview: Shameful Magpies leave it late

Newcastle United has all too often become a running joke among neutrals in how to run a football club poorly and continually cause fan unrest, and the 2014/15 campaign was no different. Mike Ashley’s damned ownership of the north-east club seemed to come to a head in the spring, with boycott’s and post-match demonstrations notably increasing. Sadly for Newcastle fans it seems he won’t leave anytime soon. Luckily for them though, they avoided the dropping into the Championship for the 2^nd time in five years thanks to last day heroics.

With many clubs the new season comes forth with new hope that things will get better. New players will make a difference and the manager will provide new ideas. The sun will still be shining and people will be merry. Not at Newcastle; the club where dreams go to die. Or, well, not be exactly very night dreams. For far too long a heavy malaise has hung over Newcastle – inextricably linked to the Mike Ashley ownership – and the 2014/15 season was to be very similar to those that have passed.

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Unlike many previous seasons, Newcastle’s season began badly as they failed to win any of their first seven Premier League games of the season. However, Alan Pardew turned things around in dramatic fashion by winning five matches in a row – even claiming the manager of the month award for November in the process. Victory against Liverpool at St. James for the 2^nd year running provided more early joy for fans. The early season form bucked the trend of solid starts, and drawn-out ends. Maybe this season would be closer to the 2011/12 season when Alan Pardew led the Magpies to 5^th?

November saw history repeat itself once again, as Newcastle beat Chelsea for the 2^nd season running, a fine 2-1 victory. Newcastle fans had wanted manager Alan Pardew out for well over a year, and they got their wish later that month, but the phrase ‘be careful what you wish for’ seems rather apt here; given the collapse under the new boss, John Carver.

Having sat in 9th upon Pardew’s departure, Newcastle embarked on a run of eight consecutive defeats from March onwards – their worst run in Premier League history and the worst by any club this season.

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The 3-0 defeat to Leicester was perhaps the low point as Mike Williamson and Daryl Janmaat were both red carded with Carver even suggesting that the former got himself sent off deliberately. The team rallied with a point against West Brom but defeat to QPR left them vulnerable on the final day.

Facing a West Ham side on the final day who personified the ‘on the beach’ attitude, Newcastle did enough to win 2-0 on the day, with a special moment for fans as Jonas got the all important second goal to seal the victory and another year in the top flight.

Next season Ashley promises to invest in the squad – but to what level seems a conspicuous point. While Ashley is in charge Newcastle will never go into a new season with the same hope as other fans and that remains one of the great shames of the Premier League today.