Oh dear. Another wrong turn by Smudger. Just when you thought going to Manchester United was a grave mistake, it turns out going to Newcastle wasn't exactly a smart move either.

I'm not going to excuse the 'toys out of the pram' behaviour at the weekend but it bore all the hallmarks of an extremely frustrated, fed up young man, who had been teetered over the edge just one fatal step too far. I remember him saying in an interview that he didn't go to Newcastle before because of a lack of stability. Well,  looks like nothing has changed at all.

What is it with Newcastle? I thought Leeds were good at pressing the self destruct button but at long last we seem to be stabilising. Do you know why? The players have bonded, the management has survived a rocky patch and my most unfavourite chairman bar Peter Risdale, aka Ken Bates, has steadied the ship.

'It's great that Newcastle fans are so passionate, but there has to be a time when you take stock, calm down and look at things rationally'


Sod wanting European football, sod wanting sexy football. At Leeds both went out the window a long time ago, as indeed did decent performances, BUT . . . points mean prizes, points mean punters, and by and large that's what is happening at Leeds. Its not pretty, not always that skilled but we're getting there. There are still plenty of Leeds fans who expect too much of the club, but the majority with half a brain cell realise there's a long way to go.

It's great that Newcastle fans are so passionate, but there has to be a time when you take stock, calm down and look at things rationally. Until then, it's just going to be hire and fire, pull the trigger, watch the carnage and roll over and die while the rest of the Premier League, and to some extent the rest of the footballing community, shake their heads with raucous laughter at the never ending soap opera.

Get a midfielder, get a motivational manager, get someone a bit more steady away but quietly confident, someone in the mould of Sparky Hughes, Alan Curbishley. Big Sam was full of himself, Glenn Roeder had no bottle, Graeme Souness was all bark and no bite. As for Kevin Keegan, nice enough bloke but not tough enough.

The trouble Newcastle have is trying to pick quality over quantity. So many managers, so many promises, so many unfulfilled dreams. Right now it's a nightmare and the only way to solve it is to pick someone reliable, proven, and give him time. If you don't, say hello to the trap door and goodbye to any pie in the sky dreams about cups and being champions in the next five to ten years, if ever.