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[Mrs Warbouys]

Bloody hell, this has slipped under the radar, I wonder if curzon will get thier place in the unibond prem then???

http://www.newcastlebluestar.co.uk/main.aspx

[TheCultOfIanTunnacliffe]

Well, this news could at least mean that the truly abysmal programme they issued for our FA Cup tie with them last season (and had the temerity to charge £3.00 for...) will now become a highly-prized collectors' item and, therefore, a potential item to hawk on the Antiques Roadshow in years to come....   

[fuertes]

All that stuff about loving football in the Northeast actually is bollocks isn't it? Newcastle is a one club city and they've been under capacity lately. Sunderland and Middlesbrough can't fill their ground, and nobody watches non league teams up there. Rubbish.

[bigcol]

All that stuff about loving football in the Northeast actually is bollocks isn't it? Newcastle is a one club city and they've been under capacity lately. Sunderland and Middlesbrough can't fill their ground, and nobody watches non league teams up there. Rubbish.

As an exile in the North East, I agree.  Look at the slide of Bishop Auckland, Spenny and Blyth.  Gateshead are the exception, and Darlington are majorly in the doo-doo (although that is more due to George Reynolds than any natives being displeased).

[SW]

Fuertes you are dead right, I spent 3 years up there at the Poly in the mid 80's. I used to watch Newcastle at St James' in the old Div 2, but talk to a geordie about going to Gateshead, Blyth, Whitley Bay, even Ryhope or Bishop Auckland and there was simply no interest at all. So called hotbed, but unfulfilled. Looking at Gateshead's gates at the end of the season and 4000 plus for the play off hopefully the locals have woken up to a new world. I still had the worst pie I've ever bought at Gateshead though.

[baldrick]

In terms of support you can't beat the Mancs. City were still getting 34,000 in the third division and United often had 20,000+ turn up at away games when they were crap in the 70' and 80's.

[ManagementGuru]

Dave Thompson - owner of Newcastle Blue Star and of Newcastle Rugby was my boss for 5 years in the nineties - NON ALTY RELATED TRIVIA!

[JTH]

Only been a part-time resident of Newcastle for a couple of years, but what strikes you is what a small place it is, both in terms of population and geography. Newcastle's population is about 300,000, with about 500,000 more in Gateshead (in total thats about a third of Greater Manchester). St James Park is bang in the City Centre only 1 or 2 miles from all the major residential areas, none of which could be described as 'separate' from the City. I still think its fair to say that whereas Alty, Northwich, Macc, Stalybridge, Hyde etc have managed to retain some indiviudual identity, clubs like Blue Star aren't seen as representing any particular area and because of Newcastle United's geographical proximity to most people in the City, the Toon ARE the local club. If Alty was Gorse Hill how many of us wouldn't follow United?

As regards no-one watches non league teams, well the 2 Conf North teams averages this season are Gateshead (680) and Blyth (563). Not great, but remind me how many turned up for our game against Eastbourne when United were on the telly?



   

[fuertes]

605 for the Eastbourne game. Despite also following United, I was one of those at Moss Lane. The way I see it, if you like football then go to bloody football matches.

I suspect if Gateshead played on a Tuesday at the same time Newcastle were at home and on telly in the European Cup QF, they'd get about 150.

I stand by the opinion that the Northwest is the true heartland of football. We just don't bang on about it.

[JTH]

You'll get no argument from me there - I think the hotbed stuff is rooted in the Region's past - you know the Northern League, Ashington with the Charlton Brothers and all that. I think people (mostly in the media) lump the whole area in with Newcastle and you don't do that up here. 

[casper]

The main backer has realised that pumping money into the club for 80 fans is not sustainable.

glad he went to economics shool then. Still, i suppose we could stop off and reminisce about our FA cup game whilst trekking to Gateshead.

[York Alty]

spot on Fuertes about newcastle & the north east in general being poor footy fans. Been there far too often for my liking.  Very poor support, very poor.