Brighton (a) SOLD OUT
Man C (h) SOLD OUT (except for 13-17s)
Wolves (a) ST sale now, 30pts
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Palace (h) ST/member sale now
West Ham (a) ST sale now, 80pts

Carabao Cup:
Toon to Birkenhead



Newcastle's opponents in this season's League Cup Second Round are League Two Tranmere Rovers.

Eddie Howe's side will travel to Birkenhead on a date to be decided in week commencing Monday August 22nd.

That tie kicks off a trio of away fixtures within a week or so, with United at Wolves the following Sunday and Liverpool the Wednesday after that.

This will be the first time that the Magpies have visited Prenton Park since February 2000, when they won 3-2 there in an FA Cup Sixth Round tie.

The two sides have met once before in the League Cup, a Paul Dalglish strike giving Ruud Gullit's side a 1-0 win at Prenton Park back in October 1998.

No mention of Tranmere would be complete without recalling the bizarre evening in October 1991, when they shared 12 goals with Newcastle over 120 minutes before beating the black and whites 3-2 in a penalty shootout to decide a Zenith Data Systems Cup tie.

Currently managed by Micky Mellon, Rovers advanced to Round Two thanks to an epic 12-11 shootout success over Accrington Stanley following a 2-2 draw.

League Cup Second Round draw:

Bolton Wanderers v Aston Villa
Derby County v West Brom/Sheff United
Wolves v Preston North End
Leeds United v Barnsley
Fleetwood Town v Everton
Sheffield Wednesday v Rochdale
Tranmere Rovers v Newcastle
Rotherham United v Morecambe
Barrow v Lincoln City
Stockport County v Leicester City
Bradford City v Blackburn Rovers
Grimsby Town v Nottingham Forest
Shrewsbury Town v Burnley
Stevenage v Peterborough United
Norwich City v Bournemouth
Newport County v Portsmouth
Oxford United v Crystal Palace
Watford v MK Dons
Colchester United v Brentford
Wycombe Wanderers v Bristol City
Walsall v Charlton Athletic
Crawley Town v Fulham
Cambridge United v Southampton
Gillingham vs Exeter City
Forest Green Rovers v Brighton

Magpies @ Prenton Park - all time:

1999/00 won 3-2 (FAC)
1998/99 won 1-0 (LC)
1992/93 won 3-0 (D1)
1991/92 lost 2-3 (D2)
1991/92 drew 6-6 lost on pens (ZDS)
1938/39 won 3-0 (D2)

NUFC - Last 10 LC Second Round ties:

2021/22 Burnley (h) lost on pens
2020/21 Blackburn Rovers (h) won 1-0
2019/20 Leicester City (h) lost on pens
2018/19 Nottingham Forest (a) lost 1-3
2017/18 Nottingham Forest (h) lost 2-3 (aet)
2016/17 Cheltenham Town (h) won 2-0
2015/16 Northampton Town (h) won 4-1
2014/15 Gillingham (a) won 1-0
2013/14 Morecambe (a) won 2-0
2011/12 Scunthorpe United (a) won 2-1

Latest PL fixtures:

Sat 13.08.2022:
Aston Villa v Everton (12.30pm) BT
Arsenal v Leicester City (3pm)
Brighton v Newcastle (3pm)
Manchester City v Bournemouth (3pm)
Southampton v Leeds United (3pm)
Wolves v Fulham (3pm)
Brentford v Manchester United (5.30pm) Sky

Sun 14.08.2022:
Nottingham Forest v West Ham (2pm) Sky
Chelsea v Spurs (4.30pm) Sky

Mon 15.08.2022:
Liverpool v Crystal Palace (8pm) Sky

Premier League:
The clash



Following a Premier League decision to ban Newcastle from wearing any of their three current kits at Brighton on Saturday, United confirm that they will sport their light blue warm-up ensemble at the Amex Stadium.

The previously-announced warm-up shirt incorporates a graphic of the Tyneside city skyline, including SJP.

Quite why this is necessary at all is unclear, with an avoidance of colour clashes surely near the top of the priority list when devising alternative kits. Had the "Saudi Arabian-inspired" change shirt been green with white details then this wouldn't have been an issue....

Newcastle have worn a change kit for seven of their previous eight games against Albion at the Amex - the exception coming in the 2019/20 season, when the home side had a predominantly blue shirt and the Magpies donned black and white.    

PS: this isn't the first time in the PL era that United have been forced to create a bespoke kit in order to avoid a clash with a side playing in blue and white stripes.

Visits to Sheffield Wednesday in both the 1993/94 and 1994/95 seasons saw the Magpies appear in a distinctive green Asics kit at Hillsborough.

Further back in the mists of time, a First Division game against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns in April 1969 saw United clad in orange shirts and black shorts reminiscent of Wolves.

Internationals:
Lewis on target
for young Lions

Newcastle midfielder Lewis Miley followed up his debut for England at the weekend with a first international goal on Wednesday.

The 16 year-old was part of the Nordic Tournament in Norway and made his bow as a substitute during a 0-3 loss to the hosts on Saturday.

Starting Monday's 3-0 victory over the Faroe Islands, Lewis then came off the bench to net during England's 2-1 success against Finland on Wednesday.

Let's talk about socks:
Giveaway - answer
 
New from the Tyneside-based Sock Council are two designs inspired by the distinctive goalkeeper jerseys donned by Magpie custodians in the mid-1990s.

Black & white "Shaka" model and orange & black "Pav" socks are both now available online here and we had a pair of each for our latest free-to-enter competition.

We asked who was United's third-choice custodian during the 95/96 season when Srnicek and Hislop shared goalkeeping duties, leaving at the end of that season after failing to get a game.

Most of you knew that it was Mike Hooper and the winners were randomly selected as:

Pav: Colin Floyd
Shaka: Amanda Miller

Latest:
Jonjo blow

The Mail newspaper report that Newcastle midfielder Jonjo Shelvey underwent surgery over the weekend to repair a damaged hamstring.

The 30 year-old was forced off during the second half of United's pre-season loss away to Benfica after falling awkwardly and has been sidelined ever since.

It's claimed that Shelvey will be missing for up to three months, which would see him back training during the World Cup break - and potentially available when our season resumes at Leicester City on Boxing Day.

PS: Although a contract extension will be triggered when he plays a further three games, as it stands Shelvey's contract at SJP expires next summer.     

'Keeper claim:
Hey Jude...



Following a successful trial on Tyneside during pre-season, it's reported that a deal has been agreed with East Fife to sign goalkeeper Jude Smith for an undisclosed fee. 

The 19 year-old former Celtic custodian joined the Fifers in July 2021, signing a new one year deal after making 28 senior appearances for them last season.

Smith has played twice this time round in the League Cup and was an unused substitute for East Fife's opening two league games.

U21s:
Baggies inflict
late knockout

West Brom U21s  2  Newcastle U21s 1

Match report

Youtube footage is online here

Premier League:
Forest flounder
in the Fortress

Newcastle  2  Nottingham Forest  0

Match report

The Borrowers:
Loan lads

Ciaran Clark (Sheffield United):
West Bromwich Albion (a) League Cup, Thursday.

Jeff Hendrick (Reading):
An early exit from the League Cup for the Royals on Tuesday, beaten 1-2 at home by Stevenage. Hendrick was an unused substitute.

Dan Langley (Gateshead):
The Tynesiders marked their return to the National League with a 2-2 draw away at Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday. However injury prevented goalkeeper Dan from making his competitive bow.

Rodrigo Vilca (Universitario):
There was another bench selection for Vilca away to Cienciano in the Primera Division on Sunday. He appeared for the closing 10 minutes of a 0-1 reverse.

Isaac Hayden (Norwich City):
Recovering from a minor knee operation.

Unlikely lads:
Hunty goes home



Ex-Newcastle defender Paul Huntington has completed a free transfer move to his hometown club, Carlisle United.

The 34 year-old was a free agent after leaving Preston North End last season and has agreed a one year deal at Brunton Park

"Hunty" came through Newcastle's youth ranks to play 14 senior competitive games in the 2006/07 season, but was sold to Leeds United following the installation of Sam Allardyce as Magpies boss.

Loaned out to Stockport County in 2009, Paul later made a permanent switch to Yeovil Town before beginning a decade-long association with Preston in 2012. 

U18s:
Carrick claim

The Mail newspaper report that Newcastle will fill their vacancy for an U18 Academy Coach by appointing Graeme Carrick.

A product of Wallsend Boys Club and the younger brother of Michael, he has held a variety of roles at the FA and worked on a national level since 2016. 

Assuming the report is correct, this will be third time that 40 year-old Graeme has been at SJP; released as a schoolboy due to injury before returning as an Academy coach between 2005 and 2007.

Publication:
Shirt book



Lifelong Newcastle fan Gavin Haigh is the proud owner of the most extraordinary NUFC shirt collection we've ever seen - with over 1,000 different items including hundreds of player editions.

He's now selected his favourite match-worn shirts and the stories behind them in "Black and White Stripes" - a new book now available online here

Fan event:
Mags meet down under



Tickets are now on sale for the Australian National NUFC Supporters Meet 2022 in Sydney on and around September 17th.

A joint effort between NUFC Sydney, Aussie Mags, Toon Army Brisbane and Newcastle fans in Perth, the three day event will conclude with live coverage of the Newcastle v Bournemouth game.

Host venue is Cheers Bar near World Square shopping complex and tickets are on sale online here for $30.

Proceeds will be split between The Dylan Tombides Foundation and The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.