ATROMITOS 1 THE TOON 1

Posted 'high noon bells' Sunday 26th August 2012

GOAL!***"RYAN TAYLOR***OWER THE WAALL!"

A much langer version of the match/drink report below will follow later when aa get time!---like!
Chelski report later today---sometime!

(Ground number 290)
Date of First Visit: 23rd August 2012
Municipal Stadium of Peristeri, Athens, Greece

Atromitos 1  The Toon 1 (Ryan Taylor) ("through the waall!"

Europa League 4th Rd Qualifyin' 1st leg

Attendance: eetha! 4,872 or! 5,002? (90 Toon fans ('The Bear' coonted them!) (47 tickets sold from NUFC) (plus! 200 or so watchin' from their balconies!) (Er!--plus a doggie waalkin alang the far terrace! (see photo below!)

"SPOT THE DOGGIE!" (middle of photo)
("Er!"---yi might need a magnifyin' glass!)


"100 IN A ROW!" (Whey!--IF!? yi include the Anglo-Italian Cup!---like!)

The epic and lang jorney to Athens began @ '7:30 am bells' from wor hoose to the bus stop some 100yards distant on Wednesday mornin'!
Then it waz a 10 minute ride to 'The Central' to catch wor train to King's Cross--then anotha train to Gatwick Airport and finally the flight to Athens (followed by an hours tube ride to the city centre where wor hotel waz situated!) where we arrived some 12 hours afta leavin' Tyneside!

The temperature waz ower the 100 mark az we dumped wor bags in The Hotel Arethusa and we heeded straight for the forst 'liquid refreshment stop' ower the road.
A few more 'liquid stops' later and we eventually retired for the evenin! "ZZZZzzzz!!!!"

Next day it waz even hotter and az the match didn't kick off til '8:00 bells' we had aall day to sample the 'delights' of Athens, makin' sure to keep oot of the suns rays az we didn't want to get bornt to death!

It waz then oward to the groond which waz situated in the western suborbs of the capital.


The groond waz just wot we expected (a dump!) and on three sides of the groond the people of the high rise villas had an uninterupted view of the proccedings from their roof terraces and balconies (estimated 200 freebeez!)

Dan Gosling touched the baall forst az we kick off towards the end The Toon fans were hoosed behind a runnin' track and this meant that aa had nuw seen The Toon play in 100 consecutive European club competition games in a row strechin' way back to 1977! (Er!--this includes 6 games in the Anglo-Italian Cup az well!) 

However!---things didn't start off well and the home side were oot of their blocks quicker than we were and took the lead when Epstein hit a low shot past Steve Harper in The Toon goal.

The equaliser came deep into injury time when Gosling was fouled and from 25 yards oot Ryan Taylor (who else!?) hit one of his famous free kick 'screamers' 'ower the waall' into the back of the net, givin' the Atromitos keeper 'ne chance' and send the 90 Toon faithful into joyous celebrations! 

Marveaux the magician, Kuqi and Obertan then had chances to score in the second period, but couldn't find the back of the net and we had to settle for a ones each draw to take to the second leg next Thorsday @ St James'

A 'NOT QUITE' MINT CONDITION PROGRAMME!

Toon team: Harper, Taverier, Perch, Williamson, Ryan Taylor, Bigirimana, Anita, Marveaux, (Gutierrez 70), Obertan, Gosling (Amalfitano 64), Cisse (Campbell 77) 

Next day it waz then a 'torturous' jorney back to London (Heathrow Airport this time!)
via Romania for wor game against Chelski @ Stamford Bridge on the Saturday afta just fower hours kip (aye!--we'd stopped 'on the drink' for a canny while after the match!)
And we (eventually!) arrived  at wor hotel in Swiss Cottage (London) aroond aboot 17 hours after leavin' wor hotel in Athens @ '11:30pm bells'!****"Who would be a Toon fan!"?

DOUBLE HEEDER!***ATROMITOS v THE TOON (then!) CHELSKI v THE TOON

Updated '7:00am bells' Wednesday 22nd August 2012

"IT'S AALL GREEK TO ME!?"

Later this mornin 'The Geordie Times' sets off on an epic 'double heeder' of a jorney to London to catch wor flight from Gatwick, and then onward to Athens for the Atromitos game on Thorsday neet and then back to London again for wor game against  Chelski on Saturday @ '5:30 bells'.

We fully expect that wor 'shadow squad' will play in Greece and that wor 'full strength team' will play in west London because of the narrow gap between the two kick off times! (less than 48 hours!) 

The temp in Athens iz predicted to be 102% centigrade! (39 celcius!)---We'll just have to make sure that we have plenty of 'liquid lubrication' to keep us gannin!

We've been telt by the NUFC ticket office that 43 'NUFC mad-sad groundhoppers' have bought away tickets for this match in total! (or shud that be!----43 'mad-sad fools'!)

No updates will be available til at least Sunday when we eventually get back! (we carnt afford posh phones/laptops etc. to send stuff back!---like!) (we've anly got 'carrier pigeons'!)

In the meeeentime!!!--wor computaa iz gannin into hibernation!!!----"ZZZZZZZzzzzzzz!!!!!!!"

TICKET NEWS!

Posted '10:55am bells' Tuesday 21st August 2012

There are still a few Atromitos (£25) and Chelski (£55!) tickets available for Thorsdays and Saturdays games and tickets for wor forthcomin' away game against 'The Toffee Noses' on Mon Sept 19th are nuw on sale priced @ £38 for big kids, £24 for zimmerframeites and £19 for sprogs!

Tickets for wor home game against 'The Greeks' a week on Thorsday are aalso on sale @ £15 and just a FIVER! for those of yoo with zimmerframes or dummies! 

More to follow on wor 'double heeder' of games against 'The Greeks' and Chelski later on tooneet!

THE TOON 2 SPORS 1

Posted '9:45am bells' Sunday 19th August 2012

 Ben Arfa penalty winner through the heat haze!

A wonder strike from Demba Ba and a Ben Arfa penalty @ The Gallowgate End in the 2nd half sealed the 3 points for The Toon in this evenly contested game in very humid conditions against the 'Hot'spurs (sic!).

It wasn't plain sailin though az Spors had hit the woodwork twice in the forst period and we were lucky to gan in 'nowts each' @ half time! (aalthough Ba went close @ The Leazes End!)

Ba's wonder strike came 10 minutes after the restart, when he struck a right footer into the corner of the net from just inside the penalty area, which sent the near capacity crowd wild! 
Vurnon Anita then made hiz debut to rapturous applause from 50,000 Geordies!

The visitors equalised through Defoe in the 77th minute and at this point it looked az though Spors wud gan on and win it az they had most of the play.

But Ben Arfa waz then 'sandwiched' between two Spors defenders in the box just 3 minutes later and the ref pointed straight to the spot.
Ben Arfa grabbed the baall off Demba Ba (who wanted to take the spot kick!) and he hit his effort to the right of Freidel in the visitors goal, (sendin him the wrang way!) to seal the tight fought victory in the 80th minute of the game.

'I Beg Your Pardew' waz sent to the stands after pushin' the linesman in the technical area not lang before this, after the 'blind official' failed to give us a throw in (we cud see from level 7 in The Milburn Stand that the baall waz oot!---why couldn't he???) 

A great start to the season!---lang may it continue!

Toon team: Krul, Simpson, Perch, Steven Taylor, Santon, Tiote, Cabaye (Inita 71), Gutierrez, Ben Arfa, Ba (Obertan 85), Cisse

Attendance: 52,385 (2,800 Spors fans)

Footnote: The resorves won 6-4 against Spors resorves @ Benton with wor goal comin' from Campbell who got a hat-trick,  Good, Vuckic and Inman.
The U18s aalso played against Spors U18s @ Little Benton next door, losin' 4-0 though! 

THE TOON v SPORS***TODAY!*** PLUS! 'NEW' '100 CHALLENGE'!

Posted '9:40am bells' Saturday 18th August 2012

The new season iz aalmost upon us and kicks off in just under 8 hours time and 'The Geordie Times' haz an excitin' 'new 100 challenge' for the home games! 

Last season wor 'challenge' waz to visit 100 pubs and clubs throughoot the season, visitin' an average of five, before and after each game and we actually visited 102 in total in which we drank at least one pint in each!
(see '100 pub crawl challenge' on the toolbar @ the top of this page)

This challenge iz completeleee different and completeleee the opposite of last season!----
'The Geordie Times' aim iz to drink 100 different beers in ONE pub!

The drinkin' den in question will be!----THE NEWCASTLE ARMS! in St Andrews Street, just roond the corner from Chinatoon and within sight of St James' Park!

We realise that this challenge iz a lot easier than visitin' 100 different boozers, but we are gettin' on a bit and we cannit be bothered to trapes aroond the Toon, 'sniffin oot' new waaterin holes! 

We can anly hope that Neil the landlord haz plenty of real ales on offer throughoot the season!

Anyone who fancy's joinin' us in this challenge iz most welcome to do so!
'The Geordie Times 100 different beers challenge' iz ON!


In the meeentime!---there's aalso a futbaall match to gan te @ 'The Catherdral on the Hill' against Spors @ '5:30 bells' in wor forst Premya Leegue game of the season. (live on ESPN)
The visitors (not suprizingly!) have sold oot their allocation of 2,800 tickets for 'Level 7' of 'The Leazes End' and a 50,000 plus crowd iz guarenteed-------ne team news yet!

A new 'waaterin hole' will aalso be 'christened' in Chinatoon when the old 'Stage Door' nightclub reopens az 'The No. 9 Bar' on Stowell Street. (within eeezy 'hocklin distance' of the groond!)
Former Toon 'number 9s' 'Supermac' and Joe Allon<("er!"--he played in the number 9 shirt a couple of times!)  will be there and they are dein' a 'taalk-in' before the match @ '3 bells'---free admission!---aall welcome!

ATROMITOS AWAY TICKETS NUW ON SALE!

Posted '1:45pm bells' Friday 17th August 2012

'The Geordie Times' haz just hord through the grapevine that tickets for wor game in Greece against Atromitos next Thorsday are nuw on sale to season ticket holders from the NUFC box office above 'Shearers Bar' on a forst come forst sorve basis!

Application forms MUST be filled in with travel and passport details and tickets will cost £25.
They are expected to arrive here from Greece by sometime tomorrow and shud be ready to pick up on Sunday from the ticket office.

VURNON'S YEARNIN'!

Posted 11:00pm bells Thorsday 16th August 2012

'The Geordie Times' haz just received the news from wor faithful carrier pigeon (a day late az usual!) that Vurnon Anita haz signed a 5 year deal for us from Ajax of Amsterdam for a reported fee of £6.7million quid!

The Dutch midfielder will take the vacant number 8 shirt and we are telt that 'Vurnon' iz 'yearnin' to pull on the world famous black 'n' white stripes!

We're not sure if he will feature in Saturday's Premya Leegue opener against Spors @ St James' Park, but he iz a very welcome addition to wor squad!

Remember!---'The Geordie Times' brings yoo the latest 'excluuusive' Toon news, second hand, forst! (or iz it, 'forst hand, second'!???) 

NUFC SQUAD NUMBERS 2012-2013***LATEST UPDATE

Posted 2:30pm bells' Wednesday 15th August 2012

For the latest news on 'The Toon' squad numbers for this season 'click' onto 'NUFC SQUAD NUMBERS' toolbar @ the top of this page

NUFC PRE SEASON FIXTURES & RESULTS *****2012-2013

Updated '10:30am bells' Wednesday 15th August 2012

The Toon and Chemnitzer line up
before the start of the game
@ The Gellert Stadium in east Jawmany

Ticket news



Ne news yet of any ticket sales for the Atromitos away game in Athens next Thorsday?

Chelsea away tickets still on sale at a 'mooth waaterin' £55!




THE STORY SO FAR!

KEY: Gold = TOON 1st team
Yellow = TOON X1
Purple = TOON resorves
Dark green = TOON U18s
Light green = TOON U17/16s
Black = still to play

Friday 13th July
Chemnitzer 1 (Anton 'FINK'!---"argh!") 
The Toon 0
Attendance 6,700 (estimated 200 Toon saddos!)

Saturday 14th July
Toon U18s v Monkey Hangers U18s
Cannit find oot if this game waz actually played!?
"Er!"---just foond oot!--they drew 2-2!

Monday 16th July
The Toon v Monaco in Landsberg, Jawmany @ 7 bells local ('6:00 bells' here) (LIVE on ESPN!)
Won 1-0 (Demba Ba)
Attendance: 900 (30 mad-sad groundhoppers!)
(25 mad-sad tellyhoppers in 'The Porcy'!)

Thorsday 19th July
The Toon resorves 3 v Hamilton Accies 1
The Toon sneaked this game in withoot tellin' anybody??? which waz (apparentleee!) played at Darsley Park, Benton! (goalscores unknown at the moment!)---"Er!"---just foond oot who scored!---trialist Anthony Koura got the forst two and Marcus Maddison got the last one !



Saturday 21st July
Fermanagh v The Toon U16s @ Ferney Park, Fermanagh, Northern Ireland @ '5 bells'
The Toon youngins won 4-0 (Olley 2, Gilliard, Campbell) in front of a 350 crowd

Saturday 21st July
The Toon v Fenebache of Torkey in Austria and NOT Hungary or Jawmany az origionally thought!
(@ FC Ritzing---wherever that iz???) 7:30 bells local (6:30 bells here)
(LIVE on ESPN!) (The Companions Club---The Three Bulls and The Porcy in the city centre, aall have the game live)
Drew 1-1 (Mehdi Abeid)
Attendance: 2,000 estimated (100 Toon fans)
(31 'Tellyhoppers' in The Companions Club!)



Monday 23rd July
Toon resorves 5 Ashington 1
Behind closed doors again!
Toon goalscorers were: Brad Inman (2) JJ Hooper, Marcus Maddison and Michael Richardson 

Monday 23rd July
Pachuca of Mexico v The Toon U17's @ Ballymena Showgrounds, Ballymena, Northern Ireland @ 6 bells
Won 6-0 (Adam Campbell (2), Alex Gilliead, Ronaldo Aaron, Greg Olley, Ryan McKinnon)
Attendance: 200 (or so) 



Tuesday 24th July
CSKA Moscow of Russia v The Toon U17s @ Riada Stadium, Ballymoney, Northern Ireland @ 7 bells
Won 3-1 (Adam Campbell (2), Liam Smith)
Attendance: 300-ish!



Wednesday 25th July Friday 27th July
"Ne Where Near Bolton", Wanderers U17s v The Toon U17s in Ballymoney @ 7:30 bells
Won 2-0 to progress to the final where we will meet Desportivo of Brazil in Ballymena.
Goalscorers: Adam Campbell and Ronaldo Aarons


Thursday 26th July
Desportivo of Brazil v The Toon U17s
Milk Cup final @ '8:20 bells in Ballymena (live on Northern Ireland telly!)
Lost 3-0 Attendance not known yet?

The Toon v Olympiakos of  Greece in The Algarve Stadium, Faro, Portugal @ 8:45 bells---live on ESPN
Drew 1-1 (Steven Taylor) and then 4-4 on penalties
Attendance: 600-1,000 (400 Toon fans--7 Olympiakos fans!)


Saturday 28th July
The Toon v Braga of Portugal in The Algarve Stadium @ 8:45 bells---live on ESPN
Won 'The Algarve Cup' 2-1 (Ba, Ryan Taylor) Attendance: 600-1,000 (again 400 Toon fans---40 Braga fans)(2 Blackborn fans!)


Wednesday 1st August
Gatesheed v The Toon resorves @ Gatesheed Stadium @ 7:30 bells
Won 4-1 (Abeid, Amalfitano, Newton, Maddison)
Attendance: 1,274 (half Toon, half Heed) 



Saturday 4th August
ADO Den Haag (The 'Millwaall' of Holland!) v The Toon @ Kyocera Stadium, The Hague, Holland @ '5 bells' (game conformed by NUFC!) (miracles DE happen!)
Drew 0-0
Attendance: 8,000? (wild guess!) (anly 300 or so Toon fans) "Er!"--mee 'wild guess' waz 880 oot and the official attendance waz!---7,120!

Tuesday 7th August
The Monkey Hangers of Hartlepool v  Toon X1 @ Victoria Park @ 7:30 bells
Won 5-1 (Shola Ameobi, Marveaux (2),Vuckic, Obertan)
Attendance: 4,802 (2,503 Toon fans)

Wednesday 8th August
Leeds resorves 1 The Toon resorves 1
(Haris Vuckic)
Behind closed doors @ Thorpe Arch near Wetherby

AND FINALLY!

Saturday 11th August 
Blackpool X1  1  Toon X1  1 (Dennis Knight)
Behind closed doors

Saturday 11th August
Toon X1  3  Blyth Spartans 2  (???, Gregg Olley, Dan Barlassa) 
Behind closed doors

Saturday 11th August
Cardiff City 'Redwings' v The Toon @ Cardiff City (Redwings!) Stadium, Wales @ 3 bells
Lost 4-1 (Shola Ameobi (pen)
Attendance: 9,682 (1,000 or so Toon fans)

AND FINALLY!--FINALLY!
Two more behind closed doors fixtures were added to the list!

Tuesday 14th August
Oldham resorves 1  The Toon resorves 2 (Adam Campbell, Brad Inman)

Tuesday 14th August
The Toon U18s 3  Clyde U18s 1 (Ronaldo Aarons (pen), Liam Smith (pen), Alex Gilliead)

EUROPA LEEGUE CONFIRMATION!

Updated '9:30am bells' Tuesday 14th August 2012

"IT'S AALL GREEK TO ME!"---"LIKE!"

Confirmation that wor Europa Leegue ties against Atromitos of Greece will NOT be changed, haz been annoonced by UEFA @ '5 bells' last neet!---and we will have to fly to Athens on Wednesday week for the game on Thorsday neet and then onto London for wor Premya Leegue game against Chelski on the followin' Saturday neet! (a gap of less than 48 hours between the final whistle in Athens and the kick off @ Stamford Bridge!)

Just why UEFA said that the two clubs could change dates and venues if both agreed, and then say that they couldn't , iz bafflin' to say the least!?

We nuw have to fly from (London) Gatwick on Wednesday week to Athens and then back to London on the Friday neet for wor game against 'The Pensioners' the next day! (That's a total of fower days away--like!)
Why couldn't they tell us this last Friday, instead of p*ssin' us aboot!???????

And ticket news for the Greek game!???---divvint haad yer breath!

The game dates are az follows: 'Away' on Thorsday 23rd August and then 'home' on Thorsday 30th August! (Chelski iz on Saturday the 25th!)