They think it's all over... it is now

This blog has been a wonderful rollercoaster ride for me. It's allowed me a creative outlet to express my opinions about my club, the club that I care about, that is and remains a part of my life.

Through all of the highs and lows, only a very few things have remained constant. 

One is my wife, whose patience has allowed me to spend more spare time than is probably healthy attached to a keyboard.

The other is Ben, who has been the driving force for this blog and who has carried it when I've been tied up with work (something which has increasingly monopolised my time of late). 

Without their support I wouldn't have been able to do this, and had so much fun along the way.  Championship trophy and Intertoto Cup aside, it would have been nice to have had a major trophy success to blog about, but hopefully in the future, under a regime that actually supports the notion of trying to win something, we'll all be able to cheer some success.

So thank you to both of them, and thank you all for reading, and haway the lads!

Paul

* * * * *

I can only echo Paul's sentiments, also thanking my own partner Jenni for her understanding. Over the years the site has not only been a medium for creatively channelling both delight and disgust at goings-on at St James' Park, but also a means by which we've made connections with other supporters (of both Newcastle and other clubs). Thanks to all those who've contributed to posts, and who have invited us to contribute to their sites in turn.

While we've maintained the site for the pure love of it, it wouldn't be fair to deny that we've also enjoyed the opportunities it's brought us - and the occasional gratifying plaudits from both readers and the mainstream press.

If it's not too presumptuous to say, don't bemoan the site's closure - with both The Mag and True Faith going digital only this summer and joining the ever-reliable .com, there's plenty of excellent independent coverage of the club online. (Of course, you should really have been reading all three already...)

We're not retiring completely - we'll be keeping our Twitter going for those occasions when we just can't help ourselves from commenting, and I'll continue to crop up from time to time with contributions on The Two Unfortunates.

But as far as this blog's concerned, that's all folks. It's been a blast.

Thanks for reading.

Ben

The final whistle

Way back in the mists of time - well, August 2004, to be precise - two Toon-supporting university friends decided to join forces and Black & White & Read All Over, a blog "dedicated to the discussion of the splendidly self-destructive and calamitous circus that is Newcastle United", was born. Now, nearly ten years on, the time has sadly come to put the site to sleep.

It's not a decision we've taken lightly, and one for which there are several reasons: both Paul and I are living in exile from the north-east and aren't able to get to as many games as we'd like; one of us has a particularly demanding job; we both now have young families. All of these have meant that we've been finding it increasingly difficult to give the 110% (in footballers' parlance) that the site deserves, and, determined that it shouldn't simply fade away or tail off, we wanted to bring it to a definitive conclusion. And now, at the end of a long and typically turbulent season and with the summer stretching out in front, seemed like the perfect moment.

We aren't alone in taking the end of this season as a curtain call, of course; both The Mag and True Faith have also called time on the production of their hard-copy magazines, moving to online-only publications.

While not a reason for either of us to bring down the curtain on this blog, supporting a club whose sum total of ambition is to finish mid-table with no desire for cup success has also caused a degree of disillusionment and detachment from the club which we've supported for a combined total in excess of 70 years. For many fans, the decision to take a step away from the club is a very real prospect.

The internet is awash with football blog equivalents of the Marie Celeste, once vibrant but long since abandoned and left to float around unattended. While it's unrealistic to expect football blogs to break news, it is important that they react to it relatively swiftly if they're not to appear irrelevant or out of touch, and maintain a consistently decent standard - challenges that have defeated many a talented blogger over the years, but ones that we've doggedly sought to meet (generally with success, we feel). Allow us a self-congratulatory pat on the back for longevity and sheer bloodymindedness, if nothing else.

But, ahead of blowing the final whistle for good on Friday, we won't be transparently attempting to milk your applause by doing a lap of honour or indulging in an open-top bus parade along the highways and byways of the internet. No - instead, incorrigible nostalgics that we are, we'll be looking back over the last decade in the history of Newcastle Utd as refracted through the prism of the blog, reflecting on the highs and lows, the sublime and the ridiculous. Those ten years have seen relegation, promotion, European football, an FA Cup semi-final, no real silverware, changes of ownership and stadium name, and JFK being appointed not once but twice. In short, it's been eventful.

We kick off our reminiscences tomorrow with a look back at ten of our best results of the last decade - and five of the worst...

What's wrong with "modern football"? The word "modern"

My latest contribution to The Two Unfortunates - a review of Tony Collins' Sport In Capitalist Society, incorporating reflections on the "Against Modern Football" movement - appears to have ruffled a few feathers. The book is a fascinating read, offering an invaluable historical perspective on sport in general, though with plenty of reference to the so-called beautiful game. I'll admit to, on occasion, having repeated uncritically what Collins reveals to be myths about football past and present (even if I've never proclaimed myself to be "Against Modern Football") - someone please stop me if in the future I ever start a sentence with "The problem with the modern game..." or whinge that Jabba is "symptomatic of everything that's wrong with twenty-first-century football".

Bloggers united

Friday night saw me making my debut at a London Socrates event, and very enjoyable it was too - gassing with fellow bloggers and podcasters about the merits of Luuk de Jong, receiving threats of legal action from former Carlisle owner Michael Knighton (visit his website for a good chuckle at the man's hubris), and travelling far and wide to watch teams who wear yellow shirts and red shorts for a regular feature in the Watford matchday programme. We even found time for a pint or two. Thanks to Terry and Graham for organising the evening.

Two Unfortunates twice unfortunate

It was a case of close but no cigar at the Football Supporters' Federation Awards last night, as the blog for which I occasionally moonlight, The Two Unfortunates, missed out on the trophies in the two categories for which it was nominated - Independent Website of the Year and Blogger of the Year. No shame in that - though there was in the fact that I queued up to get the signature of Player of the Year Luis Suarez but didn't bother to ask ex-Toon left-back Olivier Bernard for his. As the other half of Black & White & Read All Over has pointed out, I chose to shun a passionate anti-racism campaigner and yet shook hands with someone previously banned for using a racist term. I'm blaming the complimentary wine.

From a Newcastle perspective, interest was provided in the form of the opening remarks from the FSF's Toon-supporting chief executive Kevin Miles. Aside from the predictable comments about it being nice to be at the Emirates Stadium and not cursing another mauling, and about an unfamiliarity with trophies, he concluded by proposing JFK as a readymade replacement for AVB to Spurs...

Meanwhile, the Fanzine of the Year category saw True Faith up against Mackem rag A Love Supreme, but neither was victorious, the award instead going to the non-club-affiliated (and rather childishly named) Stand Against Modern Football.

The Two Unfortunates contingent were sharing our table with the duo behind the Man City podcast Bluemoon (harshly pitched against the likes of the Guardian's Football Weekly, which won) and a couple of staff who work on fan liaison at Arsenal and who were the recipients of the Away Day of the Year award. Those of a cynical nature might have been forgiven for raising an eyebrow and wondering how ticket prices for travelling fans at the Emirates squared with the FSF's own Twenty's Plenty campaign... We would have had another award-winner on our table, had Sky commentator Martin Tyler elected to sit in his designated place rather than elsewhere in the room.

While Tyler might not have been keen to rub shoulders with nerdy internet oiks like us (even ones who'd made an attempt to scrub up for the occasion), other mainstream media award-winners were quick to praise. The Torygraph's Henry Winter (Writer of the Year) and the team behind Football Weekly seized the opportunity to hail the efforts of semi-professionals and amateurs doing what they do as a labour of love. Magnanimous or patronising? In Winter's case, perhaps the latter - his comments came across as somewhat glib.

And finally a mention of the food, and in particular a main course of steak and ale pie, mash and peas that was at once a knowing nod to traditional matchday grub and a significantly superior version of it. If the pies you get at grounds were even half as good as that one, I'd be very happy indeed.

This internet ain't big enough for the both of us

Oi! Get your own blog name, you cheeky sods! We were here first...

Things can only get better?

My most recent contribution to The Two Unfortunates - about football and so-called "failing" towns - might be focused on other clubs (the Smogs and Hartlepool among them), but it does include some reflections on Newcastle fans' responses to the Ronny Gill's recent question as to what the club means, so might be of interest.

On a related note, and if you'll excuse the trumpet-blowing, the site has been nominated in two different categories in this year's Football Supporters' Federation awards - so, if you think it would be deserved, your vote would be very welcome.

Off-topic

A couple of quick non-Toon-related links, in case you're interested...

First is my attempt to overlook Newcastle's deficiencies and offer an objective appraisal of Hull's progress in adapting to life in the Premier League over on The Two Unfortunates. Sod's law that, having helped the Tigers beat us, both Robbie Brady and James Chester are now injured, isn't it?

Second, Kitman is a charming little award-winning short documentary film made by the friend of a friend about Blyth Spartans legend Tony Kennedy. Worth watching for his wasp joke and the anecdote about putting Graham Fenton's boots in the oven...

Men behaving badly

Apologies for the lack of posts here over the last few days. It's been partly because, after the initial flurry of transfer window activity (Ba out, Debuchy in), things have been quiet - rather too quiet, given recent developments - but also because I've spent much of the week putting together a monster piece on football's convicted criminals for The Two Unfortunates. Needless to say, the man we refer to here as ASBO features prominently...

Focus on Forest

As part of the Two Unfortunates' new Unexpected Rivalries series, I've written a piece on our fractious relationship with Nottingham Forest and their fans, complete with references to a 1974 FA Cup tie, the Miners' Strike, landscape architecture, prawn sandwiches and Spandau Ballet's Tony Hadley. When it comes to bearing a grudge, both sets of supporters are pretty steadfast.

A leap of faith

If you've got a spare half-hour, you might like to take a peek at my latest bit of moonlighting for The Two Unfortunates, a post on the subject of players leaping up divisions. While it's not strictly Toon-related, there is some consideration given to Master T.

Ups and downs

Not Toon-related, but Saturday's trip to the Madejski to witness Reading at first hand occasioned this post assessing the starts made to the 2012-13 season by the Royals and the five other teams either promoted from or relegated to the Championship. It was a bit upsetting having to be complimentary about Fat Sam, but there was at least the consolation of getting to mention Kevin Nolan being the Mackems' bogeyman.

Question time

Thanks to Reading blog The Tilehurst End for inviting us to participate in a preview feature ahead of tomorrow's match against the Royals. You can read the piece here. I'd stand by my view that we don't have much to fear from our opponents, but should have added that our biggest enemy (as usual) could be ourselves...

Dirty money

An interesting post about the ethics of sponsorship over on the always excellent Two Unfortunates, which makes reference to our being sponsored for a short while by taxpayers' money via Northern Rock. I've politely disagreed with the assessment of that particular situation - why not pay a visit, have a read and add your own view?

Eight years on

Sunday marked the eighth birthday of Black & White & Read All Over.

Staggeringly, it's now eight years since we flogged Jonathan Woodgate to Real Madrid and began a completely futile pursuit of a young Everton striker with an appreciation for grandmothers.

Over the last eight years, we've watched and endured countless stirring victories and even more gut-wrenching moments of self-destruction, marquee signings flop and managers come and go with more frequency than is frankly healthy.

Interestingly, we're now back in a broadly similar position to the one we enjoyed then, with a team who finished fifth last season looking to kick on again under a silver-haired manager playing decent football and embarking on hopefully a fruitful European adventure.

Back in 2004 it didn't take too long for the wheels to fall off and the dark era of Sourness to be ushered in. Hopefully this time round the Silver Fox can look forward to another productive season at the helm with the support of an owner who isn't sharpening the knives behind his back.

Ha'way the lads!

The downward spiral

Oh what a pleasure it was to have been able to write a post surveying the prime candidates for relegation from the Premier League without having to contemplate our own prospects for survival...

Partisanship vs perspective

Here's a little something I wrote for The Two Unfortunates, inspired by the reaction to our comments on Huddersfield sacking Lee Clark. Warning: contains mild scenes of self-flagellation, and also defends the right of fans of other clubs to call us Toon supporters deluded and unrealistic - sincere apologies but, y'know, you just have to follow wherever the direction of your argument leads you...

Back of the net - again and again and again

A propos of nothing other than the fact that I've just come across it and our next opponents are Aston Villa, against whom Alan Shearer hit one of his most memorable strikes, here's a video of Wor Al's Toon goals - all record-breaking 206 of 'em. 25 minutes of bliss. He absolutely terrorised defences, didn't he?

Thanks to tt9m for the link - a new blog to us, but well worth a look for well-written musings on the club and some superb statistical and graphical analysis. While I wrote yesterday about how the club's current transfer policy is youth-focused, this site actually has the data and the graphs to back it up.

Wey aye

Meeting and greeting online is all fine and well, but sometimes you've just got to get real. Oxford was the location for a "Soxrates" bloggers' get-together on Saturday, organised by Lanterne Rouge and Lloyd of The Two Unfortunates. Naturally, pubs were involved, as was a real live game (Oxford City's 2-0 win over Weymouth on a classically sticky pitch - suitably so, given that the division's sponsors are Evostik...) and some televised football in the early evening too (but let's not dwell on that...).

It was a pleasure to meet a bunch of fellow online scribblers with a similar hunger for all things football-related (not to mention off-colour pints and dubious burgers), including those behind The Real FA Cup, Adventures In Tinpot and Put A Jumper On. AIT founder and Weymouth fan Kenny's superb write-up of the live football segment of the day can be found here, complete with references to Jimmy Saville and Aswad.

Here's to a rematch before too long.

Twitter tosser

While bigotry on the pitch has been the subject of much comment of late, it seems it's equally alive and well online. Following on from the racist abuse directed at Little Big Lad on Twitter, it's now emerged that the club as a whole has been a target. Well done, whoever you are, on proving yourself both big and clever.

On a tangential note, my first contribution to the revamped and relaunched Two Unfortunates site is an interview with Stan Horne, the first black ever player to turn out for Manchester City, Aston Villa and Fulham.