So a happy Chris Hughton gets a second (caretaker, but see below for breaking news) Manager of the Month Award on the trot, Newcastle United stay there-or-thereabouts for October, and as always news and non-news away from the squad fills up column inches and news reports.
“It’s very pleasing, but it’s very much an award for this group of lads and the staff I’ve got working with me. It’s very much a team award.
“I’m certainly enjoying it at the moment. It’s very difficult not to when you’ve got a group of lads performing as they are, and we’re at the right end of the table.
“I’ve enjoyed the challenge, and it has been a real challenge at times, but there are certain aspects which have been made easier by the staff that we have and the group of players that we have.”
Well said, Mr. Hughton: here’s our highlights round-up for October, with results and snippets from St. James’ Park.
Following the court settlement with Kevin Keegan, rumblings in the news began again of a quick-sale by Mike Ashley of the North East club, with some pundits suggesting a deal by the end of the same week (!).
On the 7th an announcement came from the Newcastle United Supporters Trust saying they were leading a bid by a group of Magpies fans to buy a share of the club, with £20million already pledged.
Spokesman for the trust Steve Hastie said: “We want to show that a supporters trust can be a truly representative supporters organisation.
“It is about putting Newcastle back into the heart of the city and putting the city back into the heart of the fans.”
Newcastle United FC are believed to be in talks with a total of five consortia at the moment.
Newcastle United FC Coca-Cola Championship Result
Saturday 17th October 2009
Nottingham Forest 1 – 0 Newcastle United
(Blackstock 45)
Dexter Blackstock’s first-half strike gives Forest a slender victory at the City Ground.
Blackstock had already had a couple of chances, and Marlon Harewood hit the woodwork at the other end before the winner went in.
Newcastle came out better in the second half, but the best effort from Kevin Nolan was ruled offside, and the visitors left with nothing.
Afterwards Newcastle caretaker boss Chris Hughton was unhappy but pragmatic: “We paid the price for a poor first-half performance when they were much better than us.
“Forest scoring just before half-time left us with a bigger challenge and although we responded to it, we just could not get the break.
“It’s not pleasant to be leaving here without something but we are still at the end of the table where we want to be.”
Newcastle United: played 12, won 7, drawn 3, lost 2, gd 12, points 24, position 2nd
Newcastle United FC Coca-Cola Championship Result
Tuesday 20th October 2009
Scunthorpe United 2 – 1 Newcastle United
(Woolford 53, 79) (Nolan 65)
Martyn Woolford gets a brace for Scunthorpe as the Toon lose two successive league games and are now four matches without a win.
Scunthorpe’s first goal came from a mistake by Zurab Khizanishvili leading to an easy tap-in for Woolford, but Newcastle struck back ten minutes later after Danny Guthrie put in a long run and laid on Nolan for the equaliser.
But a bit of skill from winger Woolford got his and his team’s second and guaranteed all three points to the home side.
Chris Hughton, who seems to have picked up a MoM curse this month, spoke of the pressure on his squad: “I think this is a pressure on us. “
We are a side in this division that everybody expects to do well and certainly our own supporters expect us to do well and that’s the pressure that we carry with us in every game. That’s a pressure that we’ve got to live with.”
Newcastle United: played 13, won 7, drawn 3, lost 3, gd 11, points 24, position 2nd
The King Kev story rumbled to a close on the 21st October with Newcastle United ordered to pay all Keegan’s costs in his successful claim for constructive dismissal. Figures being mentioned are around the £1.5million mark, on top of the £2million that the tribunal awarded the ex-manager.
Up-for-sale NUFC have yet to comment on either decision.
The tribunal said it rejected the football club’s claims that they should not be liable for costs because they had offered to settle the case before the hearing.
The tribunal statement read: “We direct that the club should pay all of Mr Keegan’s costs.
“Moreover, we reject the club’s attempt to rely on the various offers which it made both prior to and during the hearing to settle the claim, since none of them involved the club’s acceptance that he had been constructively dismissed and all of them involved a condition of secrecy or confidentiality.”
Newcastle United FC Coca-Cola Championship Result
Saturday 24th October 2009
Newcastle United 2 – 1 Doncaster Rovers
(Carroll 67, (Shiels 18)
Nolan 90+2)
An injury-time winner from in-form Kevin Nolan gives Newcastle their first win in five games, with a dramatic victory that takes NUFC back to the top of the Championship.
Doncaster went in at half-time ahead after Martin Woods slotted into an empty net. Newcastle were uneasy for periods of the game, giving the ball away cheaply and squandering chances.
Andy Carroll got Newcastle’s equaliser, then Woods fired a penalty wide following a handball by Steven Taylor.
Newcastle United went down to 10 men when Zurab Khizanishvili was sent off, but a stoppage-time strike from Nolan secured the points.
Afterwards a relieved Chris Hughton said: “I’m certainly relieved that [the penalty] didn’t go in.
“In the first half [Doncaster] played a good tactical game but they will keep possession against any team.
“I thought over the 90 minutes that if there was a side that was going to win the game I felt it was us but at 1-1 and with the penalty you think the worst.”
Newcastle United: played 14, won 8, drawn 3, lost 3, gd 12, points 27, position 1st
Following Newcastle United’s return to the top, Hughton spoke out about moves to make his appointment permanent: “Now we have got [Saturday's] game out of the way – my biggest priority has been football matches – I expect it be done very quickly – a matter of days rather than weeks.
“We’ve had a good start to the season and that gives you optimism and confidence,
“It’s a good reaction I’ve got from most quarters so it gives you more of a lift to take this job and, of course, complete this job.”
…Then late on Tuesday 27th october, the current subplot of the St. James’ Park drama ends: Mike Ashley has taken the Toon off the market – again. Promising to invest some more of his money (£20million) into the club, maximizing Newcastle United’s sponsorship potential and renaming the home ground.
Better news, perhaps, is that caretaker Chris Hughton has been given an 18-month contract to be the manager proper.
Congratulations Chris.
Newcastle’s next match is against Sheffield United on Monday 2nd November at Bramall Lane, kick-off at 7.45pm.
Check Out Newcastle United FC’s Home and Away Fixtures for the 2009/10 Season:
NUFC Fixtures List 2009/10
Read More About Newcastle United Football Club
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