The Andy Walker Column: Why I loved Newcastle United getting relegated

May 26 2009 By Andy Walker

If Newcastle’s 2008/09 season wasn’t farcical enough, the ridiculous fairytale appointment of Alan Shearer was the icing on the cake. A legend he may be but in what other walk of life would it be presumed that a man with absolutely no managerial experience would bring instant success. It appears that being a born-and-bred Geordie is the only quality you need to be deemed a perfect candidate for the top job at Newcastle United, well in that case Jimmy Nail should start preparing for a career change.

Bringing in a managerial rookie from the comfort of a TV studio was never going to work. Mis-management at the very top and an over-paid, over-stocked and over-rated squad of players at St James Park had already done enough to drag the black and white stripes into the second-tier of English football before their supposed messiah had walked through the gates.

A Newcastle captain hasn’t placed his hands on major piece of domestic silverware since the 1955 FA Cup so why they should be classed as a giant of the game? Even fellow relegated neighbours Middlesbrough (who didn’t receive a fraction of the coverage Newcastle attracted for their demise) can better that with their League Cup success in 2004.

I wonder how much the grotesque, pot-bellied, semi-naked Newcastle fans will enjoy freezing their backsides off at Barnsley’s Oakwell, Scunthorpe United’s Glanford Park or Blackpool’s Bloomfield Road next winter?

With Wolves and Blues both joining Villa in the division, I for one can’t wait for the next Premier League season to start and I won’t miss those black and whites stripes in the slightest.