Tickets:
Asian Trophy (n) ST holder sale now

Lower League:
Six-second sucker punch from Lee's lads

Ex-Magpie, Lee Bowyer, did what we all hoped and inflicted a second Wembley defeat for the mackems with a sucker-punch six seconds from the end of normal time to clinch promotion for Charlton Athletic from the third tier.

The unwashed had taken an early lead thanks to an own goal but back came the Addicks before half-time to level.

And just when extra-time and possibly penalties, seemed inevitable, up stepped Patrick Bauer to secure victory and leave the inbreds languishing in League One for another season.

Following on from their Checkatrade shoot-out defeat to Portsmouth at Wembley a few months ago, this is just the icing on a rather delicious cake.

With Micky Gray squirming in the Sky commentary box - having failed against Charlton for the mackems 21 years ago - it was a dream come true for any Mags tuning in.

At the risk of repeating ourselves, who's laughing now...? 

2019/20:
Pre-season: four
games confirmed

Debuchy & Cabella get to work on their excuses

Rather earlier than usual, Friday afternoon saw United confirm details of what they say is a full first team pre-season schedule, comprising of four games.

Beginning with the already-announced double header against Premier League opposition in China on Wednesday July 17th and Saturday July 20th, the Magpies will then head to Edinburgh for a kickaround against Hibernian on Tuesday July 30th (7.45pm).

And the fourth and final fixture brings French Ligue 1 side St. Etienne to Gallowgate on Saturday August 3rd (3pm) - a week before the Premier League begins.

While we've played at Tynecastle twice in the Premier League era against Hearts - most recently in 2017 - this will be United's first visit to Easter Road since a 3-0 testimonial success there back in August 1984 when a certain George Best guested for the hosts.

Finishing fifth in the Scottish Premiership this season, the Hibees missed out on a place in Europe. Following the departure of Neil Lennon earlier this year, they are managed by Paul Heckingbottom, who was Barnsley boss during our 2016/17 Championship-winning season.

Absent from the home side in July will be former United midfielder Gael Bigirimana, whose release by Hibernian was confirmed earlier this week.

St. Etienne meanwhile are assured of a fourth place finish in the French League ahead of their final game this weekend, enough for a place in the Europa League Group Stage during September.

Ahead of their trip to SJP, they'll be spending part of pre-season playing in the USA.

United have never faced Les Verts on Tyneside, but did visit the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard for a pre-season game in July 1971 - our 1-2 defeat featuring a debut goal for Malcolm Macdonald. 

Currently featuring in their squad - and both under contract for next season - are two familiar faces; full back Mathieu Debuchy and midfielder Remy Cabella. 

Championship:
Villans or Rams

The identity of the third side to gain promotion to the Premier League will become known this coming Bank Holiday Monday (May 27th) when Aston Villa face Derby County at Wembley in a 3pm kickoff.

Top-flight returns are already confirmed for Norwich City and Sheffield United. 

Monday's game is the culmination of a weekend of EFL playoffs, which began on Saturday when Newport County faced Tranmere Rovers in the League Two Final.

The Merseysiders prevailed with a goal right at the end of extra-time after County were reduced to ten men just before the extra half hour.

Today brought joy unbounded as Lee Bowyer's Charlton Athletic side inflicted extreme agony on the clowns from down the A19.

Paddy Power are offering a £5 risk free bet for new customers on the Championship play-off here.

Loan:
Day of reckoning  

Henri Saivet (Bursaspor)
Newcastle's last remaining loan player is midfielder Henri, whose adopted side are on the verge of relegation from the Turkish Super Lig this weekend.

Currently sixteenth in the eighteen team league, their final fixture takes them to Yeni Malatyaspor on Sunday, where they'll kick off one point adrift and four goals worse off than Goztepe, who are realistically the only team they can overtake.

Three teams are demoted.

Update:
Fairs Cup print: 
sold out

Many thanks to everyone who ordered a Limited Edition Marcus Reed 50th Anniversary Fairs Cup Print - all 69 prints have now been sold.

Copies of his 1985 SJP print are still available in the open A2 and limited A1 editions here

2018/19:
Touching Distance Podcast #2

Local scribes Martin Hardy and Michael Walker are back behind the microphone once again, reviewing Newcastle's 2018/19 season here

(If you missed podcast #1 it's here)

Latest:
Tynesiders update

The latest on the sad situation at Gateshead from local journalist Mark Carruthers:

Crisis club Gateshead have been denied a licence to compete in the National League next season.

The league has held a number of disciplinary hearings to investigate the situation surrounding the club’s perilous financial situation and the issues that saw they Heed kicked out of their International Stadium home by the local council.

The outcome has found “multiple breaches” of the league’s membership regulations and the club has been punished with a points deduction for their tally from last season and they have also received a £3,500 fine.

However, the most severe punishment handed out by the league has seen the club suspended from the competition and they have been refused a licence to compete in non-league football’s top tier next season.

It read: “The National League can announce the outcome of disciplinary hearings concerning Gateshead Football Club.

“The club was charged with multiple breaches of the League’s membership rules, and was subject to a review of its financial position and an assessment of its club licence.

“Gateshead FC has been found guilty of failing to obtain security of tenure over its ground, defaulting on football creditors, and breaching League rules concerning financial reporting and permitted loans.

“The club has had 9 points deducted from its playing record for the 2018/19 season and been fined £3,500. The National League table has been amended accordingly.

“Furthermore, the club has been suspended from the competition and the League has refused the club a licence for the 2019/20 season.”

The National League went on to announce that Gateshead have a right to appeal the punishment within five working days and any hearing will take place within 14 days.

The league also confirmed that they would reveal the 68 clubs that will make up their three divisions at their Annual General Meeting on 8th June.

That means that Gateshead owner Dr Ranjan Varghese has two weeks to clarify the ongoing saga surrounding the club’s future after a bizarre week of events.

Heed supporters looked to have completed a takeover on Wednesday after a four-hour long meeting between former general manager Alisha Henry and financial advisor Joseph Cala ended with an agreement in place.

A fee of £25K was agreed and paid and contracts were exchanged between the two parties.

Varghese and the recently appointed Stefano Franciosa were removed from the club’s Companies House file and Southern-based supporter Neil Pinkerton was named as their sole director.

Varghese attended a National League meeting alongside advisor Michael Di Stefano at Wembley on Wednesday before returning to Hong Kong.

Henry had travelled to the home of English football to present the club’s financial plans for the new season and explain the way forward on and off the pitch.

However, she was not given the chance to discuss the situation with the league and returned to Tyneside on the understanding communication would take place via telephone on Thursday.

There was further confusion as Varghese was reinstated on the club’s Companies House file and Pinkerton had his name removed as a director and the ownership situation remains unclear despite several attempts to find clarity.

Pinkerton has taken legal action over the situation and has sent a solicitor’s letter to the Hong Kong-based businessman over the last 24 hours.

What impact the league’s decision will have on Varghese’s plans remains to be seen, but the short and long-term future of Gateshead is now in serious doubt.

2018/19:
Town triumph in Toon

Blyth Town  1  Cullercoats  0

St. James' Park hosted its final competitive match of the season on Thursday when the Northumberland FA Minor Cup Final took place in front of a decent crowd of 764.

Northern Alliance First Division Champions Blyth Town faced runners-up Cullercoats and although Blyth had won both league meetings there was little to choose between the two well-matched sides tonight.

A goalless opening period ended with Cullercoats hitting the crossbar at the Leazes End, Blyth following suit and rattling the woodwork shortly after the restart. 

The silverware ultimately went to Blyth after a close range finish from Adam Johnson (not that one) in the 66th minute, only an instinctive stop from the Town goalkeeper Scott Earle preventing an equaliser soon after.

PS: Fans were housed in the 1892 Club within the Milburn Stand, from which it was evident that the Directors Box has had some new seating installed. 

Our sponsors CentrAle on Newcastle central station continue to source beery delights from across the region, around the UK and far further afield. 

Our current favourites are the music-themed range of bottles from Musa Brewery in Portugal. Remember, train beers are not just for the football season.....

Internationals:
Muto omitted

Ahead of the resumption of competitive club football for United in August, various Newcastle squad members are set for international duty in the coming weeks.

Miguel Almiron is set to represent Paraguay, having recovered from the hamstring problem that sidelined him for the closing weeks of the season.

The 25 year-old midfielder is in an initial 40 man selection for Paraguay's Copa America campaign which kicks off on June 14th in Brazil.

12 teams including Venezuela and Japan contest the bi-annual tournament, Paraguay drawn in Group C alongside Qatar, Argentina and Colombia. 

Salomon Rondon is in Venezuela's initial selection but Yoshinori Muto was omitted from the Japan squad for this event and also the Kirin Cup games that precede it. 

News of the Swiss selection for the four team Nations Cup in June is expected soon, with Fabian Schar anticipated to be called up. 

Also involved are hosts Portugal, England and the Netherlands; the latter naming a trio of former Magpies in the preliminary squad: Patrick van Aanholt, Gini Wijnaldum and Luuk de Jong.

A 26 man squad announced for Wales for a training camp in Portugal ahead of two Euro 2020 ties in June has been announced meanwhile - but doesn't include Newcastle's Paul Dummett.

And fellow defender DeAndre Yedlin won't feature for the USA at the Concacaf Gold Cup Finals as he recovers from recent groin surgery.

There's also no place for Ciaran Clark in the Ireland squad selected for their Euro 2020 ties. 

There's tournament action in store for Christian Atsu, who is named in the Ghana squad for the AFCON Finals with their first game on June 25th.

Before that, the Black Stars will hold a three week training camp in Dubai including several low-key kickabouts.

Turning to the U21s and goalkeeper Freddie Woodman has been a part of the England squad as they won through to this summer's European Champions, where they will face France, Romania and Croatia in the group stages.

He'll learn his fate when the squad is published this coming Monday.

The only other possible involvement from our current squad though could be a call-up for striker Elias Sorensen by Denmark, although it appears unlikely.

PS: South Korea are in friendly action next month, but Magpies midfielder Ki Sungyeung won't be involved after announcing his retirement from international football earlier this year.

Premier League:
Asia Trophy update

Details of Newcastle's participation in the Premier League Asia Trophy in July have been confirmed.

Newcastle kick off the event by facing Wolves at Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre on Wednesday July 17th at 6pm local time, before Manchester City and West Ham meet there at 8.30pm.

All four PL sides then move on to the Hongkou Stadium Shanghai on Saturday July 20th, with the losing sides facing each other at 6pm ahead of the final between the winning pair at 8.30pm.

Each has an allocation of tickets for each venue; NUFC selling theirs to season ticket holders for £32 (Nanjing and £43 (Shanghai). Tickets cover the full day and both games at each venue.

That process of obtaining tickets looks to be easier for UK based fans than the PL's parallel guidance of buying from two separate agencies in China (one for each venue). However it appears that tickets bought locally (in China) start at £8. 

The published capacities of each ground are 61,000 (Nanjing) and 33,060 (Shanghai).

PS: Wolves have also published a FAQ here

Old boys:
Hoy oots 

Ex-Magpies now free agents include:

Mehdi Abeid (Dijon)
Hatem Ben Arfa (Rennes)
Gael Bigirimana (Hibernian)
Adam Campbell (Morecambe)
Andy Carroll (West Ham)
Nicky Deverdics (Wrexham)
Ryan Donaldson (Hartlepool United)
Brad Inman (Rochdale)
Dan Leadbitter (Bristol Rovers)
Sylvain Marveaux (Lorient)
Emmanuel Riviere (Metz)
Danny Simpson (Leicester City)
Ryan Taylor (Fleetwood Town)

Paul Stephenson left his post as Boro U23 coach.

Old boys:
Movers 

Ex-Magpies with new clubs include:

Alun Armstrong (Darlington Manager)
Steve Clarke (Scotland Manager)
Carl Finnigan (Whickham)