Book:
Ultimate who's who: deadline approaching

Of a similar size and weight to 2011's Ultimate Record, "Newcastle United: The Ultimate Who's Who" is a completely separate, newly -compiled book from club historian Paul Joannou to be published in November.    

Boasting over 1,800 profiles and photos of Toon players and officials, the last date for subscriber copies to be ordered is now only weeks away - place your order online here 

Subscriber copies are individually numbered, feature a personalised certificate mounted within the book, and allow the name of the purchaser to appear on a roll of honour that is reproduced in every copy of the book.

Advance purchase price of £30 is the same as the cover price but subscribers get their copy hand-delivered or posted to them at any address in the UK for no extra charge (overseas orders welcome, shipping at cost).

Non-League #1: 
Tynesiders hoping 
for a good Friday

Conference side Gateshead play the penultimate home game of the regular league season on Friday afternoon, as they look to move another step towards a promotion playoff slot and the dream of a Wembley visit.

A nine game unbeaten run has left the Tynesiders fifth in the table and occupying the final playoff position with a three point advantage over their nearest rivals and just three games remaining.  

Southport provide the opposition at the International Stadium in a 3pm kickoff and a good crowd is expected - not least with SJP season ticket holders able to take advantage of a £5 saving on the £14 adult entry price. 

On production of their NUFC ST card, fans pay just £9 for adult entry, while the deal offering all accompanied U16s entry (not just ST holders) for £2 remains in force.

Over 60s are admitted for £9, while 16/17 year olds and Students can gain entry for £7.

Home fans will be housed in the Tyne & Wear (main) Stand and turnstiles at both ends will open from 2pm.

In addition to the regular car parks there will be some additional capacity on the bottom field near the North  (Tyne) End of the ground.

Remaining GFC fixtures:

Fri 18.04.2014 Southport (h) (3pm)
Mon 21.04.2014 Macclesfield Town (a) (3pm)
Sat 26.04.2014 Cambridge United (h) (5.30pm)

Sides finishing second to fifth will meet in two-legged semi-finalsstaged on Wed 30.04.2014 /Thu 01.05.2014 and Sun 04.05.2014. That will then decide the two sides who play at Wembley on Sunday May 18th to decide which club joins champions Luton Town in going up.

Non-League #2: 
At the Hop



Aside from the latest episode of torture at SJP, there's a wealth of football action across the region this weekend - including another Northern League groundhopper event.

For the uninitiated, part of the Northern League's 125th anniversary celebrations has seen staggered kickoffs at various games, allowing fans to watch two...or more.

The last - and maddest - of these events is the Easter Hop and although the organised travel is all booked out, there's nothing to stop anyone turning up and paying on the gate (around £4-£6 per game).

There are some Thursday night games, but the hop kicks off at North Shields on Friday at 11am, when the top two sides in the Second Division meet - champions Shields receiving their silverware at full time. 
 
Good Friday:
North Shields v West Allotment Celtic 11am (D2)
Whitley Bay v Newcastle Benfield 2:30pm (D1)
Ashington v Crook Town 6:30pm (D1)

Easter Saturday:
Jarrow Roofing BCA v Heaton Stannington 11am (D2)
Washington v Seaham Red Star 2:15pm (D2)
Birtley Town v Chester-le-Street 6pm (D2)

Easter Sunday:
Consett v Durham City Noon (D1)
Ryton & Crawcrook Albion v Whickham 3pm (D2)

Easter Monday:
Bishop Auckland v Crook Town 12 noon (D1)
Spennymoor Town v Team Northumbria 3pm (D1)
Newton Aycliffe v Shildon 6pm (D1)

For details of the other Northern League games over the weekend, directions and other info check online here

Senior Cup: 
Spartans at the double

Northern Premier League side Blyth Spartans face the task of playing on successive days next week, having failed in an attempt to get one of the games altered.

Closing their home programme with the visit of Whitby Town to Croft Park for a 3pm start on Easter Monday, Blyth are then in action the following night in the Techflow Group Northumberland Senior Cup Final.

Their opponents at Gallowgate in a 7pm KO on Tuesday are Newcastle Reserves and the final will be played to a finish - via extra time and penalties if required.

Admission can be gained by paying at the East Stand turnstiles - £6 adults, £3 concessions. NB: NUFC season ticket holders and members do not receive free entry.

Since lifting the trophy after beating Blue Star in 1994, Spartans have lost nine times in the final - six of them against Newcastle - the most recent coming in 2011.  

Loan lads:
Abeid scores again 

Trailing 0-1 after the first leg in Crete, a 3-0 home win by Panathinaikos on Wednesday was enough to see off OFI and ensure a place in this season's Greek Cup Final.

The Athens side took just 20 minutes of the second leg to cancel out OFI's lead, with on-loan Magpie Mehdi Abeid bagging his eight goal in all competitions for the Greens.

Watch Mehdi's goal online here

Mehdi and his current team mates will learn the identity of their final opponents later on Wednesday when the other semi-final concludes, current holders Olympiakos taking a 2-1 lead to PAOK. 

And although their hopes of winning the league title are long since over, third-place Panathinaikos are already assured of a place in the end of season playoffs, where the second Champions League spot is decided from the teams finishing second, third, fourth and fifth.

Current Toon loans:

James Tavernier/Haris Vuckic (Rotherham United)
Wolves (a) League One, Friday.

Shane Ferguson (Birmingham City)
Nottingham Forest (a) Championship, Saturday.

Conor Newton / Adam Campbell (St.Mirren)
Hibernian (h) SPFL, Saturday.

Jonas Gutierrez (Norwich City)
Liverpool (h) Premier League, Sunday. 

Romain Amalfitano (Dijon)
A 2-2 home draw with Metz in Ligue 2 on Monday featured the United winger for the first 77 minutes. 

Curtis Good (Dundee United) (injured)
After recovering from a hip problem sustained during his senior international debut for Australia, Curtis is due to resume training on Tayside next week and could be in contention for a squad place when Motherwell visit Tannadice in the SPFL on Saturday week (April 26th).

There's the prospect of another cup final appearance to add to the defender's CV, following an outing for Bradford City against Swansea City in the 2013 League Cup Final.

The Tangerines will face St.Johnstone in the Scottish Cup Final on Saturday May 17th, staged this season at Celtic Park due to rebuilding work at Hampden Park.

Internationals: 
Another cap for Alex

Fresh from scoring twice in United's U18 league victory over Chelsea on Saturday, Toon midfielder Alex Gilliead won his second England U18 cap on Wednesday night.

Alex started for the young Lions in a friendly against Germany at Rotherham United's New York Stadium and although his side were trailing 0-1 when he was replaced after 66 minutes, England eventually ran out 2-1 victors.

U18s: 
Tom topples Tees teens



Newcastle U18s  3  Middlesbrough U18s  2

A second half brace from striker Tom Heardman took him into double figures for the season on Tuesday, as United edged a well-contested Tyne-tees derby fixture.

Having beaten Chelsea 3-2 at Little Benton on Saturday, Dave Watson's youngsters went into this rearranged game looking for a fifth successive win on their own ground - and an eighth home victory in nine outings this year.    

And they got off to a decent start when a low shot from Ben Drennan from the edge of the box seemed to catch out visiting goalkeeper Joe Fryer after 18 minutes.

Boro almost hit back from the kickoff as striker Jordan Jowers exploited some confusion in the United area and shot against the goal frame from a narrow angle. 

The equaliser wasn't long in arriving though and when Jowers was challenged in the box by Ryan McKinnon midway through the first half, referee James Simpson pointed to the spot - and Joe Wheatley converted.

In glorious conditions, Newcastle regained the lead barely two minutes into the second half when Tom Heardman netted from 18 yards - Fryer again less than impressive.

Ten minutes later Heardman struck again, after substitute Liam Gibson wormed his way to the byline and pulled the ball across the six yard box for the 18 year-old striker to force past Fryer and a couple of covering defenders.

That never looked likely to be the end of the scoring though and Boro reduced the arrears on 67 minutes, Lee Hetherington beating Freddie Woodman from close in.

A Boro equaliser seemed inevitable as the visitors began to dominate possession, but some poor shooting and an instinctive stop from Woodman in the final seconds of normal time ensured that United held on for the win.

There were first starts at this level for Jack Hunter and Luke Charman, while Macaulay Gillesphey made his comeback following ankle ligament problems.

Team: Woodman, Newberry, Cameron, Hunter, McKinnon, Gillesphey, Kerridge, Drennan (Gibson 50), Heardman, Charman, Laidler.
Subs n/u: Woolston, Tatters, Trodd, Suddick.

U21s: 
City stiffs stalemate



Newcastle U21s  0  Manchester City U21s  0

Match report

Peter Beardsley's side return to action on Tuesday when Blyth Spartans at SJP in the final of the Techflow Group Northumberland Senior Cup.

Premier League: 
Fluke goal - but
defeat no accident

Stoke City  1  Newcastle  0

Match report is online here

2014/15: 
German trip latest



Kick-off times have now been confirmed for the Schalke 04 tournament involving United in August as follows:

Sat Aug 2nd 3pm CET and 5pm CET
Sun Aug 3rd 3pm CET and 5pm CET

NB: On the basis that any drawn game in the tournament proceeds to a penalty shootout after 90 minutes, that second kick-off time may be pushed back slightly.

(CET is one hour ahead of UK time)

The Bundesliga club have now placed tickets on public sale to all fans without any specific segregation details, but confirmation is awaited as to whether NUFC will receive an allocation to sell direct to their fans.
 
PS: to all those asking, we have no information as yet whether other NUFC pre-season games will be scheduled in or around Germany before or after this tournament.

Wed 18.06.2014 Premier League fixtures published.
Sat 16.08.2014 Premier League opening fixtures.

In addition to the Bundesliga hosts and ourselves, West Ham and Spanish Primera Division side Malaga are also now confirmed for the tournament in the German city of Gelsenkirchen (a twin town of Newcastle since 1948). 

The games will be in stark contrast to United's last two games on German soil in 2012, low-key friendlies against third tier outfit Chemnitzer and AS Monaco - the latter played on a neutral field in deepest Bavaria....

Opened in 2001 as a replacement for the Parkstadion that hosted games in the 1974 World Cup, the Veltins Arena (originally christened the Arena AufSchalke) has a capacity of almost 62,000 for domestic fixtures - which reduces to 54,000 when rail seats at one end allowing fans to stand are locked into their down position. 

Boasting a retractable roof, the Arena staged the 2004 Champions League Final and five matches in the 2006 World Cup Finals, including England's defeat on penalties by a Portugal side featuring old boy Hugo Viana.    

United's last meeting with Schalke 04 came back in May 1960 when Charlie Mitten's side won 3-0 in Germany during a post-season tour that also saw kickabouts played in Ireland, Yugoslavia and Spain. 

The only notable player link between the clubs came in 2009, when Peter Lovenkrands moved "on a free from Germany" to SJP after his Schalke deal was cancelled.

PS: There's an interesting article about Schalke, Lovenkrands, Freddy Shepherd & NUFC online here

2014/15: 
Kiwi claims emerge

Reports emanating from New Zealand in recent days suggest that Newcastle are among a handful of Premier League sides under consideration to participate in a pre-season tournament later this year.

Ourselves, Everton and West Ham have all been linked with a proposed series of games involving Wellington Phoenix (who actually play in Australia's A League) at their 34,500 Westpac stadium. 

The option of Auckland's 25,000 North Harbour Stadium hosting games has also been mooted, but like previous reports of United heading to South Africa, the club haven't given any hint that future plans for friendlies involve them going further than mainland Europe.

United have previously visited New Zealand, playing a series of four matches against the national side in May 1985 in Christchurch, Wellington, Napier and Auckland.

Old boy: 
History maker Harps

Despite conceding three goals, former Newcastle goalkeeper Steve Harper enjoyed a successful day at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, as his Hull City side beat Sheffield United 5-3 in their FA Cup Semi Final.

The Tigers will make their first-ever appearance in the FA Cup Final on Saturday May 17th against Arsenal - a serious kidney injury sustained by first-choice custodian Allan McGregor giving Harper an unexpected second chance of glory in this competition, following his losing experience with the Magpies in the 1999 Final. 

Sunday also brought a sniff of cup glory for another ex Toon 'keeper, with Tommy Wright overseeing the first Scottish Cup semi-final success that his St.Johnstone side have enjoyed in their history.

The Perth side will face a Dundee United side including fellow SJP old boy Darren Jackson on their coaching staff in the final at Celtic Park on Saturday May 17th.