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2022/23:
Young team
While much attention has been focused on first team transfers ahead of the
new season, Newcastle continue to overhaul their U18 and U21 squads.
And having acquired 18 year-old Alex Murphy from Galway United and 17
year-old Charlie McArthur from Kilmarnock, a third defensive recruit
has been secured in the shape of Jordan Hackett.
The 18 year-old full back wasn't retained by Spurs and had a successful
trial on Tyneside late last season.
Meanwhile, the Magpies are in pursuit of Southampton's Tyler Dibling,
with claims that they are in pole position to sign the highly-rated
youngster despite interest from elsewhere in the Premier League.
16 year-old midfielder Dibling saw his profile raised considerably in April
after hitting a first half treble for the Saints U23s in a 4-2 PL2 victory
at Gallowgate.
United had also been credited with an interest in fellow 16 year-old
midfielder Reuben McAllister of Bristol City, but Dibling looks to be their
top priority.
PS: Newcastle have awarded full-time scholarships to nine
players: Scott Bailey, Dylan Charlton, Josh Donaldson, Johnny Emerson, Lewis
Miley, Carter Milmore, Darren Palmer and the Powell twins - Harry and Rory.
All but Milmore and Palmer featured at U18 level last season, while striker
Emerson had a brief run-out for the U21 side just days after turning 16.
2022/23:
Club memberships
now on sale
NUFC's "Black & White membership" scheme for the coming season opened on
Thursday at 10am, with sign-ups available online only at a cost of £35.
The scheme
gives non-season ticket holders the chance to buy tickets on a
match-by-match basis - restricted to one seat per membership.
Season ticket holders automatically retain membership status and are also
now restricted to buying one additional seat per ST holder, subject to
availability.
At 10.30am, the queue management system used by the club indicated a queue
length of almost 20,000.
2022/23:
Magpie
Mover:
longer for less
This season's Magpie Mover pass is now on sale to NUFC season
ticket holders at a new price of £25 for all age categories
(previously £30) and with an extended period of usage.
Magpie Movers permit public transport use across Tyne and wear on home
matchdays* beginning three hours before kick-off and now valid from any
Newcastle city centre departure point until the end of service that day,
replacing the previous three hour post-match window.
Applications must be made online via the NUFC box office
online here and
passes will be posted out.
* Magpie Movers are valid for Premier League home games and any FA Cup or
Carabao Cup ties at SJP. Friendlies and U18/U23 games aren't included.
2022/23:
Austria friendlies confirmed
Newcastle's pre-season programme continues to take shape, with
news of three further games and confirmation of one other kick-off
time.
Eddie Howe's squad kick off against Gateshead behind closed
doors at Darsley Park on Saturday July 9th, before flying to Austria
for a training camp.
That will include friendlies as follows:
Fri 15.07.2022 1860 Munich (n)
@ Saalfelden Arena, 6pm. Ticket details awaited.
The home of Austrian Regional League side FC Pinzgau Saalfelden
has a 1,500 capacity and regularly stages friendlies involving sides
at training camps in the area.
Red Bull Salzburg and Ajax are also due to play there in July, with
Liverpool among previous visitors.
Our Intertoto opponents in 2001, 1860 now play in the Bundesliga
third tier and have begun their preparations. Their meeting with us
will be their eighth and final scheduled pre-season kickabout.
Mon 18.07.2022 Mainz 05 (n)
@ Kufstein Arena, 5pm. Ticket details awaited.
Another
picturesque venue used by an Austrian Regional League side - FC
Kufstein - the Arena holds 4,500 fans and lies some 40 miles away
from Saalfelden.
Mainz hosted Newcastle in pre-season back in 2017, future Magpie
Yoshinori Muto in the side that beat us 1-2.
The Bundesliga top flight side begin their competitive season with a
cup tie on July 31st and are already in training - beating a local
amateur side 21-0 last week.
Following the Austrian training camp, United will head to Portugal,
with a previously-announced kickabout against Benfica on Tuesday
July 26th.
They then return to Tyneside for games against Atalanta and Bilbao -
the latter now confirmed as a 3pm KO.
Tue 26.07.2022 Benfica (a)
@ Estadio da Luz, 8pm.
Ticket details awaited.
Fri 29.07.2022 Atalanta (h)
@ SJP, 7.45pm.
Tickets on sale from Tue 05.07.2022.
Sat 30.07.2022 Athletic Bilbao (h)
@ SJP, 3pm.
Tickets on sale from Tue 05.07.2022.
PS: United's U21 side have confirmed a trio of pre-season games -
with the opener following a training camp in Spain:
Sat 16.07.2022 Elche (n)
@ Pinatar Arena, Spain, 7pm.
Wed 20.07.2022 Blackburn Rovers U21s (a)
@ Brockhall, 2pm.
Wed 27.07.2022 Sheffield United U21s (h)
@ Little Benton, 1pm.
Old boy:
Gills take Jake
Another player released by Newcastle at the end of last season has a
new club, Jake Turner agreeing a permanent deal of
unspecified duration with League Two Gillingham.
The 23 year-old goalkeeper was a free agent when joining Newcastle
ahead of the 2019/20 season, playing for the U23s before loan spells
at
Morecambe and Colchester
United.
Update:
Sven signs....sort of
Update: from NUFC, Tuesday night:
Newcastle United have agreed a deal in principle with LOSC Lille to sign
Dutch defender Sven Botman for an undisclosed fee, holding off competition
from a host of European sides to secure the highly-rated centre-back.
Botman has completed his medical on Tyneside and agreed the
terms of a five-year contract.
The formalities of the transfer are set to be concluded this
week, following which the 22-year-old will officially become a
Newcastle United player.
(The Lille official website made no reference to any Botman
transfer on Tuesday, amid media claims that formal confirmation of
the deal will follow on July 1st for financial reasons).
Earlier: United are closing in their third senior acquisition of the close
season, with Lille central defender Sven Botman
flying into Newcastle by private jet on Monday.
The 22 year-old Dutchman was driven to Darsley Park before later appearing
at St. James' Park. A £35m+ fee is claimed.
Born in a suburb of Amsterdam, Sven began his career in the Ajax Academy and
played second tier football for them from the age of 18.
Featuring for Ajax's first team in summer 2019, Botman then spent the next
season on loan at Heerenveen before a £7.5m switch to Lille followed in July
2020.
A maiden year in French football brought Europa League action and ended with
title success - last season adding Champions League experience and a tenth
place finish in a side featuring SJP old boy Hatem Ben Arfa.
Internationally, Sven represented his home nation from the U15s to the U21s,
recently captaining the latter. Twice on the bench for the Dutch seniors in
2020, he's yet to feature at that level.
Up and under:
Magic... giveaway
Magic Weekend is heading back to Tyneside next month - the sixth
time that Rugby League's annual showpiece event will be staged at SJP.
12 Super League sides will meet over two days:
Sat 09.07.2022:
Wakefield v Toulouse (2.30pm)
St Helens v Wigan (4.45pm)
Leeds v Castleford Tigers (7pm)
Sun 10.07.2022:
Huddersfield v Salford (1pm)
Catalans v Warrington (3.15pm)
Hull FC v Hull KR (5.30pm)
Tickets are available now
online here and we have pairs of weekend passes up for grabs
in a free-to-enter competition.
In order to be in with a chance of winning, tell us which Magic
Weekend side play home games at the venue pictured below, when
hosting the Magpies in its other guise as a football ground.
Entries to
comps@nufc.com subject
line of Magic by Noon on Friday July 1st. No age limit, entries
welcome from anywhere on the planet but tickets will only be posted
out to UK addresses. One entry per person.
2022/23:
Third kit
confirmed
Having brought forward the on sale date for the 2022/23 home kit, Tuesday
saw Newcastle launch their third kit.
Leaked online some weeks ago, it's a white shirt with green detail, which is
accompanied by green shorts.
And has been widely mentioned, the kit bears more than a passing resemblance
to that of the Saudi Arabian national team - although United's is supplied
by Castore, with Nike manufacturing the KSA one.
Asked about that back in May, Magpies boss Eddie Howe said: "I'm aware
of the criticisms. I think from my perspective it's not something
I've had any control over.
"We were very aware when we went to Saudi Arabia that the
interest in Newcastle is huge. I know I'm making an assumption here
but our kit manufacturers have probably acknowledged that and hence
why we've ended up where we are."
Old boy:
Madman returns
Following previous stints on the island as both a player and
manager, Temuri Ketsbaia has been appointed as the new
national team coach of Cyprus.
Elsewhere this week, Darlington have secured SJP old boy Marcus
Maddison. Playing in League One for Bolton Wanderers 18 months
ago, the 28 year-old midfielder previously announced that he was
leaving full time football in order to become an online gamer.
Meanwhile Northern League First Division Side West Allotment Celtic signed ex-Magpie Michael Chopra.
Now aged 38, the last senior sighting we noted was an unsuccessful trial at
Hartlepool United in 2017 - coming after stints playing in Scotland and
India.
Fellow SJP old boy Guy Bates turned out for West Allotment last season at
the age of 36 - his brother Jay is the manager.
Ex-Magpies with new clubs include:
Tom Allan
(Gateshead)
Jak Alnwick (Cardiff City)
Kieren Aplin (Consett)
Michael Chopra (West Allotment Celtic)
Fraser Forster (Spurs)
Nathan Harker (Whickham)
Mackenzie Heaney (South Shields)
Jack Hunter (FC Halifax Town)
Temuri Ketsbaia (Cyprus Mgr)
Darren Lough (Ashington)
Oisin McEntee (Walsall)
Marcus Maddison
(Darlington)
Alex Nicholson (Blyth Spartans)
Michael Richardson (Blyth Spartans)
Henri Saivet (Pau)
Mo Sangare (Accrington Stanley)
Callum Smith (Birtley Town)
Jon Dahl Tomasson (Blackburn Rovers Mgr)
SJP old boys now without a club:
Sammy Ameobi (Middlesbrough)
Andy Carroll (West Bromwich Albion)
Papiss Cisse (Caykur Rizespor)
Mo Diame (Fuenlabrada)
Carl Finnigan (Morpeth Town)
Paul Huntington (Preston North End)
Peter Lovenkrands (Fremad Mgr)
Neil McDonald (Barrow Asst Mgr)
Mark McGhee (Dundee Mgr)
Alan Pardew (CSKA Sofia Mgr)
Stuart Pearce (West Ham C)
Steve Watson (Chester FC Mgr)
2022/23:
ST sell-out
confirmed
Tuesday morning saw an unspecified number of NUFC season tickets (claimed to
be 1,000*) placed on sale to fans with a box office purchase history since
July 2019.
Available only online, demand was predictably heavy, NUFC confirming at
11.30am that all tickets were sold "in just over an hour".
Those placed in the random queuing system at 10am reported up to 30,000
others in a similar situation - although it's impossible to know quite how
many of those were due to duplicate logons.
* although never officially confirmed by NUFC, that 1,000 place figure was
widely reported by local and national media and as we understand, accurate.
The motivation for only releasing that amount of seats looks to be at least
partly to minimise disruption in the event of changes to the existing
seating layout.
In other words, there's theoretical capacity for ST holders who end up
displaced by redevelopment to be temporarily or permanently re-sited - be it
for safe standing areas or something else.
We're also unsure what the current Premier League stance on accommodating
away fans is; with the previous NUFC administration able to deflect attempts
at opening up areas pitchside to travelling supporters due to the stadium
design.
And while the clamour for season tickets is matched by dissatisfaction
from those who missed out for whatever reason, capping the number sold does
at least offer some hope to those aiming to purchase individual match
tickets - although the days of a public sale for league games look to be
over.
PS: Let's just recall for a moment what was making the news on
December 9th 2019, the now-infamous 10,000 SJP seat giveaway. How times
change....
Newcastle United is offering its current season ticket holders a FREE
additional half-season ticket as the club looks to get a packed St. James’
Park behind the team.
After discussions between head coach Steve Bruce and managing
director Lee Charnley, subject to eligibility criteria, the Magpies
will gift a half-season ticket to qualifying nominees by existing
season ticket holders on a first-come first-served basis.
2022/23:
Saudi shirt sleeve
sponsor unveiled
Monday saw Newcastle confirm their new shirt sleeve sponsor, in the shape of
Saudi Arabian e-commerce firm, noon.com.
Seen as the main rival to Amazon in the Middle East, noon was established in
2016 with help from investors including NUFC backers PIF, who have since
providing further financing to aid their expansion.
There had been recent speculation that the Botswana tourist board were set
to acquire the sleeve rights that were last held by travel search engine
KAYAK.
PS: This isn't noon's first association with Premier League football
clubs, having become "the official online business partner in the Middle
East" of Manchester City in 2021.
Collector's corner:
Programme fair
this Sunday
This coming Sunday (July 3rd) sees the North East Summer Programme
and Memorabilia Fair staged in North Shields.
Running from 10.30am until 2.30pm, a range of dealers will be on hand
selling rare and recent programmes, team sheets, books, match tickets,
photos, badges, trading cards and other collectables.
Venue: Tynemouth Scouts HQ
31-35 Norfolk Street
North Shields
NE30 1NQ
Nearest Metro: North Shields
Further details:
iw1963@hotmail.co.uk
2022/23:
Pope
makes pilgrimage
Following the permanent acquisition of Matt Targett, Newcastle have
confirmed their second signing of the summer in the shape of Burnley goalkeeper
Nick Pope.
The 30 year-old England international was seen at St. James' Park on Thursday as he
completed the formalities of his medical before joining Eddie Howe's squad
on a four year contract for a claimed £10m fee.
Pope was in the final year of his deal at Turf Moor and unwilling to drop
into the Championship, while the Clarets had a pressing need to bolster
their squad and meet debt repayments.
He arrives to provide competition for Martin Dubravka, days after United
finalised the sale of Freddie Woodman to Preston North End and with the
future of Karl Darlow yet to be determined.
What was Pope's 141st and final PL game for Burnley saw beaten twice by Callum
Wilson during Newcastle's 2-1 win in Lancashire back in May - a result that
condemned them to relegation.
Released by Ipswich Town at the age of 16, the Cambridgeshire-born 'keeper
was playing for non-league Bury Town when Charlton Athletic took him on
trial in 2011.
Loan spells at Cambridge United, Aldershot, York City and Bury followed
before establishing himself as first choice for the Addicks during 2015/16.
The following season saw Pope sold to Burnley, debuting against Crystal Palace in September 2017. A first senior outing
for England followed against Costa Rica the following June.
The Borrowers:
Loan lads
Rodrigo Vilca (Universitario)
Our man appeared as a 77th minute sub on Sunday as his current
club lost 0-2 at Sport Huancayo in the Primera Division.
Isaac Hayden (Norwich City)
The Canaries kick off their pre-season preparations on Friday night
at local league side Dereham Town.
Compo:
Gig giveaway
This year's Hardwick Festival in County Durham
takes place over the weekend of Saturday August 20th/21st and boasts the
usual eclectic line-up of live music, plus separate arenas for House and
Soul DJs.
Among those appearing are Stereophonics, The Specials, The Proclaimers and
Seasick Steve while the DJ line-up includes Huey Morgan and Arielle Free.
More details/tickets
online
here
We had separate pairs of tickets for both the Saturday and Sunday shows and
asked which football club The Reid brothers aka the Proclaimers supported.
Multitudes of you correctly responded that it was Hibernian* and the winners
were:
Stuart McKinnon
Sean Heslop
* nine misguided souls went for Hearts....
2022/23:
Home again
For the sixth time in seven top flight seasons, Newcastle begin
their Premier League season on home territory, facing newly-promoted
Nottingham Forest.
That game will take place on Saturday August 6th with a
3pm kick-off and won't be shown live on UK TV.
Find the 2022/23 fixture list
online here
Considering rearrangements for opponents in European competition,
Manchester United's Europa League Group Stage commitments mean that
our visit to Old Trafford won't be on a Saturday.
West Ham's progress from the Europa Conference League
Playoffs to the Group Stage would also preclude our game at the
London Stadium in September from going ahead on a Saturday.
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