2018/19:
Mitro: Wembley winner

The 2018/19 Premier League season sees Swansea City, Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion all dropping out, replaced by Wolves, Cardiff City and Fulham after the Cottagers beat Aston Villa 1-0 in the Championship playoff Final at Wembley on Saturday.

Aleksandar Mitrovic played the last game of his loan spell at Fulham and went close to scoring with a couple of headers but a Tom Cairney goal in the first half was enough to defeat Steve Bruce's Villans.

The Londoners managed to hold on despite being a man short after Dennis Odoi was sent off for his second yellow card in the 70th minute, with Mitro also getting involved in a melee with Jack Grealish and others.

After the game the Serbian spoke on the pitch:

"Unbelievable, a dream come true. We have brought this club back to where it should be and we're very proud.

"I'm so tired right now, like never in my life, I swear. I can't feel my legs."

Mitro now heads to the World Cup with Serbia without  a goal in his last four club appearances. However, his dozen strikes for Fulham should ensure that they at least attempt to make the loan move permanent - boosting United's transfer "war chest".

The prospect of an additional trip to the capital next season meanwhile is worth it just to see Villa enduring their third successive season out of the top flight.

Despite having sealed our title success in 2017 with a last minute leveller against Brighton, there are few tears on Tyneside for the Villans who revelled in our relegations. 

Another Championship campaign should see them closing sections of the ground again, to the consternation of bonkers owner Tony Xai.

As the song goes, "you laughed at us when we went down, who the **** is laughing now?"

Interview:
Guillem & the gaffer

Ham & pease pudding stotties not pictured

One bloke from Barcelona and one from Madrid met in Newcastle recently: see the interview online here

Internationals:
Toon pair in Toulon

Latest international call-ups:

Adam Armstrong, Freddie Woodman 
(England U21s @ Toulon Tournament)

Sat 26.05.2018 China (n) won 2-1 FR
England got off to a winning start in Aubagne with both Magpies in the starting XI and playing for the full game. 

Appearing for the first time at this level, Arma provided the pass for Tammy Abraham's 89th minute winner.

Wed 29.05.2018 Mexico (n) Salon FR

Fri 01.06.2018 Qatar (n) FR
(Tournament continues until Sat 09.06.2018)

Adam Wilson (England U18s @ Panda Cup)

Wed 23.05.2018 Uruguay (n) drew 2-2 FR
England were held in Chengdu, with midfielder Adam coming off the subs bench in the closing stages.

Fri 25.05.2018 China lost 0-1 (a) FR
The Magpie remained on the bench in Chengdu.

Sun 27.05.2018 Hungary (n) Chengdu FR

Chancel Mbemba (DR Congo)
Sun 27.05.2018 Nigeria (a) Port Harcourt FR

Martin Dubravka (Slovakia)
Thu 31.05.2018 Netherlands (h) Trnava FR
Mon 04.06.2018 Morocco (n) Geneva FR

Matz Sels (Belgium)
Sat 02.06.2018 Portugal (h) Brussels FR

Aleksandar Mitrovic (Serbia)
Mon 04.06.2018 Chile (n) Graz FR

Withdrawals/omissions:

Christian Atsu (Ghana) injured
Ciaran Clark (Ireland) injured
Rob Elliot (Ireland) not selected
Matt Ritchie ( Scotland) injured
DeAndre Yedlin (USA) not selected

(Achraf Lazaar wasn't in contention for selection by Morocco, while Mo Diame previously made himself unavailable for selection by Senegal. Neither Jonjo Shelvey nor Jamaal Lascelles made the 23-man England squad or the five named reserves).

Sels - not cells:
'Have a go' hero?

Some unsurprising comments and some rather less predictable ones from Newcastle United MD Lee Charnley, interviewed by Martin Hardy for The Independent (NB: no mention of HMRC.....)

online here

Update:
Accounts

The full club accounts have now been released and rather than subjecting you to our ill-informed views, we're indebted to lecturer Kieran Maguire aka @PriceofFootball for his dissection online here

An alternative view meanwhile comes from the Swiss Ramble blogger, who hasn't updated his website but gives an overview in a series of tweets online here

NUFC's initial summary is online here

MJS:
Day off

Our sponsors MJS Computer Services continue their popular "Summer madness" offer of 25% off iphone and ipad repairs for NUFC.com readers - but please note that are closed on Bank Holiday Monday.

https://www.mjscomputers.net/

Lands End Mags:
Pass the Duchy...

A Magpies XI are set to make a rare visit to Cornwall during July, as one of four sides playing in a youth tournament to be staged in the Penzance area.

The Endorsed Cup pits Academy sides from United, Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers against a side representing Mousehole AFC.

South West Peninsular League side Mousehole are hosting the two day event at their Trungle Parc stadium - situated about three miles west of Penzance. 

And Mousehole will kick off proceedings against Huddersfield at 5.30pm on Friday July 20th, before Newcastle facing the Trotters immediately after.

Saturday July 21st then sees the two losing sides meet at 1pm followed by the final at 4pm.

(Although United have previously faced Torquay United, Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City in Devon, we're unaware of them ever playing in Cornwall).  

Gallowgate lags:
Aarons sentenced

After pleading guilty to a charge of affray, Newcastle winger Rolando Aarons received a 10 month suspended sentence with 100 hours community service at Newcastle Crown Court on Tuesday.

The offence took place inside city centre bar Livellos back in October 2016, Aarons reportedly punching and head butting another man during a mass brawl.

Among several others convicted was Aarons' mother, who received a 28 week sentence suspended for 12 months, with a two month curfew.

Update:
Sels sale soon

Informed sources in Belgium report that a deal is in the offing for Anderlecht to re-sign goalkeeper Matz Sels from Newcastle, with an unspecified transfer fee agreed and the player willing to take a wage cut.

The 26 year-old custodian spent last season on loan with Anderlecht and is in the preliminary squad for Belgium at the World Cup.

A £5m signing from Gent on a five year deal ahead of the 2016/17 season, Sels made just 14 senior starts for United and soon fell from favour, ending his first season playing for Newcastle's reserve side before a loan deal to Anderlecht was sealed in June 2017.

Whether the imminent departure of Sels prompts a permanent deal for Martin Dubravka remains to be seen, but the Sparta Prague 'keeper gave little away when speaking after a charity game in his native Slovakia earlier this week.

PS: Despite being repeated verbatim by various outlets, we understand that stories linking fellow Anderlecht old boy Chancel Mbemba with a return are incorrect - with recent claims of interest from Celtic in the central defender also dismissed.

Old boys:
Sho stopper?

Following their failure to reach the League Two playoff finals, a squad cull at Notts County by manager Kevin Nolan has resulted in 11 departures, including fellow SJP old boys Shola Ameobi and Alan Smith.

35 year-old Nolan has opted to release 36 year-old Ameobi and 37 year-old Smith, in addition to former Newcastle reserve goalkeeper Adam Collin.  

Unlikely lads - close season movements:

Sam Allardyce sacked as Everton manager
Shola Ameobi released by Notts County
Hatem Ben Arfa left Paris SG tbc
Adam Collin released by Notts County
Facundo Ferreyra left Shaktar Donetsk
Jamie Holmes released by South Shields
Stephen Ireland left Stoke City tbc
Alan Irvine sacked as West Ham coach
Brian Kerr resigned as Albion Rovers manager
Alex Nicholson released by South Shields
James Perch released by QPR
Marcus Maddison transfer-listed by Peterborough
Stuart Pearce sacked as West Ham coach
Alan Smith released by Notts County
Steven Taylor transfer-listed by Peterborough
Ben Tozer left Newport County
Mike Williamson released by Oxford United 

New clubs for old boys:

Steve McClaren now QPR manager
Chris Moore now manager of Consett
Mark Stimson now manager of Waltham Abbey
Ben Tozer now at Cheltenham Town

Giveaways:
Winners

We received some nice feedback from three recent NUFC.com reader competition winners as follows:

Thanks to Coral, Simon Greaves took part in a fan game on the pitch at SJP on Monday:

"Just wanted to thank you again for the chance to have such an incredible day that will stay with me forever. Didn't disgrace myself and even played a key role in setting up our second goal in a 3-3 draw!

"PS: I bumped into this lad who was oddly familiar.."

(Dyer had just played in a game for a Barclays XI)



Also playing courtesy of Coral was Paul Ginsberg, who called it "an unforgettable day - wonderful to finally achieve a boyhood dream of running out at St. James Park in black and white".



And thanks to the RFL, Keith Gunning was at SJP on Saturday and Sunday for the Magic Weekend rugby: 

"Just to say thanks again for the tickets...I've never seen rugby league live before - the last time I can remember watching it was on Grandstand in the 1970's, with Eddie Waring commentating."

We've got various other things to give away over the coming weeks including beer, books and anything else that we can blag on your behalf....

Happy Valley again:
Golden goals 
bring silverware

Newcastle U21s have made a successful return to the Hong Kong Soccer Sevens tournament after a one year absence, lifting the trophy for the second time.

Magpies hero was Callum Roberts, whose golden goal was enough to overcome Rangers in the final after 20 minutes of play failed to break the deadlock.

Watch Callum's winning goal here

That saw the sides reduced by a player to four-a-side, Newcastle defender Owen Bailey donning the gloves as "rush" 'keeper, with Nathan Harker making way. 

Two minutes later, a patient build up ended with Victor Fernandez centring for Roberts to side-foot his fifth goal of the tournament, before setting off on a victory lap of the field, pursued by his team mates. 

Newcastle captain Owen Bailey then followed in the footsteps of James Tavernier by lifting the trophy United last won in 2012. 

Saturday had seen Ben Dawson's side make it into the Quarter Finals following a win and two draws, and they advanced into the last four by beating Japanese side Kashima Antlers 7-6 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.

Spot kick successes came from Bailey, Fernandez, Barlaser, Roberts, Charman, Watts and Longstaff, with Harker saving an Antlers penalty. 

That brought about a meeting with Leicester City in the semi-final and after another close encounter the young Magpies prevailed, Callum Roberts scoring a golden goal to win 4-3 and seal a place in the Final against a Rangers side they'd already drawn with.

Results - Saturday (seven minutes each way): 

Hong Kong FC drew 1-1 Roberts
Newcastle Jets won 3-1 Roberts 2, Longstaff
Glasgow Rangers drew 0-0

Results - Sunday (ten minutes each way)

Kashima Antlers drew 0-0 (won 7-6 pens)
Leicester City won 4-3 Fernandez 2, Longstaff, Roberts
Rangers won 1-0 Roberts

Squad: Owen Bailey, Dan Barlaser, Tyrique Bartlett, Lewis Cass, Luke Charman, Victor Fernandez, Nathan Harker, Matty Longstaff, Callum Roberts, Kelland Watts.

PS: While the tournament was in progress, news spread that both Matty Longstaff and Lewis Cass had agreed their first professional contracts at NUFC.

2018/19:
First friendly claim

Friday brought unconfirmed reports from Ireland that Newcastle are pencilled in to face St. Patrick's Athletic in a pre-season kickabout.

United are expected to hold a training camp for the third successive season at Carton House near Dublin, a venue Newcastle first visited back in 2009.

That year ended with a friendly against Shamrock Rovers, while the 2016 camp culminated in Rafa's squad facing Bohemians.

However, last year's visit to Carton House was followed by a meeting with Hearts in Edinburgh. 

The League of Ireland side play at the 5,300 capacity Richmond Park in the Dublin suburb of Inchicore.

Season 2018/19 dates:

Thu 14.06.2018 Premier League fixtures @ 9am
Mon 02.07.2018 Pre-season training begins
??.07.2018 First live TV fixture announcement*
Thu 09.08.2018 Transfer window closes
Sat 11.08.2018 Premier League begins 
(theoretically that could be Fri 10.08)

(* last season was on Thu 06.07.2017)

PS: The 2018/19 season will be the third and final one covered by the current £30 ceiling on away ticket prices in the Premier League. 

Premier League:
Just Champion!

Newcastle  3  Chelsea  0

Match report

2018/19:
Kit claims

These two designs are currently doing the rounds, claming to be leaked version of next seasons' kits: