Don’t get me wrong, the Toon Army have had lean years for decades now and for a side in the lower reaches of the Premier League to have 50,000-plus supporters is commendable. But since when did those kind of factors equate to loyalty?

I think this misnomer has almost become a parody of itself. Cameramen look for those in the crowd brave (stupid) enough to strip themselves in the sub-zero temperatures just so the co-commentator can announce: “They love their football in the north-east, it’s their life”. Please!

Ninety per cent of the football pyramid has been starved of real success, but their following is not exalted by all and sundry. I am convinced that the majority of fans are embarrassed by this assumption. Maybe even Magpies fans themselves are sick to the back teeth with the attention their loyal masses are subjected to.

'You can be sure that any message board of any football club has at one time or another pondered how this myth came about'


I know that the kne- jerk reaction from Newcastle fans will be, “What are you talking about” or “This is ill-informed opinion . . ." Well, I would ask Newcastle fans if they truly believe the myth?

This is not meant to be an attack on the fans at St James' Park. They are as good as any others. Maybe they are as annoyed by this false media construction as anyone else. You can be sure that any message board of any football club has at one time or another pondered how this myth came about.

There is no real way of measuring loyalty in football and it would be absurd to attempt to do so.

People bring up the issue of catchment areas to explain the huge backing that Kevin Keegan’s side enjoy, and that is clearly an issue. But one could argue that a few thousand die-hards who go to watch Rochdale struggle year on year, but Rochdale have never left the lower rungs of the footballing ladder! Surely anyone regularly visiting Spotland has just as much of a claim to the 'most loyal fans' crown as anyone else.

In my opinion, this treatment of Newcastle fans stinks of laziness. It’s just an easy brush to paint their fans with. Every incoming manager spouts about how great the support is, then inevitably that same support hound out their coach and waits for the next failure to begin his stint.