BBC Sport comments from ‘neutrals’ – Interesting on Newcastle United 5-1 Sheffield United game | OneFootball

Intriguing to read through these BBC Sport comments, following on from Newcastle United’s intriguing 5-1 victory over Sheffield United.

The comments from neutrals especially telling…

A lot of it different to what Newcastle United fans had come to expect from the BBC Sport ‘neutrals’.

The BBC Sport comments from neutrals in the past had been overwhelmingly a catalogue of abuse aimed at NUFC supporters.

Particularly stuff about the Newcastle United owners and the media inspired pile-ons that NUFC fans have become used to, when blamed for who now owns their club.

On this occasion though, the politics almost totally absent.

A lot to debate in this game.

The BBC Sport readers comments from neutrals, Sheffield United fans and the odd Newcastle supporter also contributing:

‘As a blade, disappointing but the nightmare’s over.

If it was going to end, glad it finally happened at St James Park.

Newcastle fans understand that feeling and are not rubbing our faces in it, its appreciated.

Class club, class fans, class city.

Good luck with the rest of your season.’

‘How Newcastle United are not above Manchester United in the league is beyond me. One keeps battering teams, the other gets scabby results. Bring on the decider at Old Trafford.’

‘Losing to Crystal Palace probably didn’t help.’

‘To be honest I’d have taken a few more scabby results this season against teams like Bournemouth, Forest and Luton. We could have been up there with Spurs and Villa – at least.’

‘Because you get 3 points for a win regardless of how much you win by. Pretty easy to understand.’

‘As a Newcastle fan, if we end up in the Europa Conference League, that’s great. I won’t ever take anything for granted after the Mike Ashley years.

What Ashley tried to do was beyond awful. The complete death of any hope. Just making up the numbers in the PL – if we were lucky.

Compared to that, a race for 6th/7th is fantastic, especially vs. Man Utd. I’ll love it if we beat them, love it!’

‘Isak is some player. Well done the Toon, great result, especially with all the injuries.’

‘Apart from Guardiola, Arteta and maybe Emery, can any Premier League manager be safer than Eddie Howe?’

‘Our enemies are desperate for Howe to be gone, and for Isak and Bruno to be sold. Sadly for them, as always, they are destined for disappointment!’

‘But to be fair he is likely to finish below man u and/or chelsea who should sack their managers for being utter rubbish. Right?’

‘Both Man Utd (fined by UEFA) and Chelsea (hotel sale not approved by PL; questions will be asked in the coming months, especially by Everton & Forest) have broken financial rules to spend literally £1bn each on their squads. They should be challenging for the league.

Newcastle are spending within their means and still building back from Ashley’s bad ownership.

There’s no comparison.’

‘Chelsea have spent 1 BILLION POUNDS to end up in a similar position to a team who were very recently in danger of relegation. So yes, Poch should be at much more of a risk of the sack than Howe. (Although, unlike Ten Hag, he isn’t entirely to blame for his teams useless performances)’

‘Everyone has spent money. Newcastle spent less than all the clubs above them and several below them.’

‘Yet another BBC report ignoring the fact that its Newcastle United not just Newcastle.’

‘There is only one team in Newcastle so the use of the suffix is unnecessary.

It is needed for Sheffield in order to avoid any confusion with Sheffield Wednesday in much the same way as you would use it for Manchester to avoid any confusion with a football team.’

‘There is only 1 team in Newcastle, formerly there were 2, Newcastle East and Newcastle West, which merged to create Newcastle United. It is fair to say we have the right to be called United, unlike other cities clubs which just aren’t united!?’

‘I’m a Coventry supporter. I would say The Blades are no better than us. The difference next season will be they have millions to spend due to the parachute payment farce. The Championship is NOT a level playing field and this should be addressed immediately.’

’97 goals conceeded in 35 games so almost certain to break the 100 goal mark for the first time since Swindon Town which will be a PL record.

Embarassing stuff.’

‘Given all the injuries throughout the season, finishing in European places will rank in my eyes as a better achievement than last season’s champions league qualification.’

‘I think a lot of fans of other clubs just don’t appreciate the sheer amount of injuries, length of injuries or days missed by injuries this season. The table shows us a country mile clear of the second most affected team – and that doesn’t even take the Tonali suspension into account (our marquee summer signing of last year’s window).

A drop of ONLY 2 league places on last season is incredible.’

‘Sheff U should take pride in the fact that Man United celebrated their win against them as if they had just won the champions league.’

‘Isak is a fabulous player. Totally calm. Whenever I see him shoot I expect him to score.’

‘Question for Newcastle fans (real ones), what is the animosity to Longstaff about? I always thought he was okay but loads say different, good luck for future UTB.’

‘Longstaff (to me) is one of those players who could play without being noticed, but when you watch them they are actually doing a great deal of work. You can go some games without noticing anything special from Bruno, but if he doesn’t play you certainly see a difference. Longstaff can be a little like that. The main gripe for me is that he falls over too much, but i wouldn’t class it as animosity.’

‘In general a nice mix of posts on this HYS from obviously pleased Newcastle fans, accepting of their fate Sheffield United fans, a few disparaging Owls fans, and of course the usual plague of those Sunderland trolls still obsessed with everything Newcastle United. Very sad!’

‘But relatively few fake-social-justice-warriors demanding we all stop supporting our team because they don’t like the current owners. That’s an improvement.’

‘As a Hammer, Newcastle, Villa and *cough* Tottenham have been the stand-outs of this season for me.’

‘Based on recent performances, results and fixtures, NUFC will finish above MUFC this season…

Only a bit of depth needed to secure NUFC as a top 6 club and CL contender for many seasons to come.’

Stats via BBC Sport:

Newcastle United 5 Sheffield United 1 – Saturday 27 April 3pm

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Isak 26 61 pen, Bruno 54, OG 65, Wilson 72

Sheffield United:

Ahmedhodzic 5

(Half-time stats in brackets)

Possession was Sheff Utd 41% (42%) Newcastle 59% (58%)

Total shots were Sheff Utd 14 (10) Newcastle 20 (10)

Shots on target were Sheff Utd 5 (3) Newcastle 7 (2)

Corners were Sheff Utd 5 (4) Newcastle 4 (1)

Referee: Tony Harrington

Newcastle team v Crystal Palace:

Dubravka, Livramento, Schar (Krafth 46), Burn, Hall (A Murphy 82), Longstaff, Bruno, Anderson (Wilson 66), J Murphy (Barnes 66), Gordon (Ritchie 82), Isak

Unused subs:

Karius, Dummett, White, Parkinson

(Match Report – A few more of these please before we hit the beaches in our new Adidas gear – Read HERE)

(I thought I was going to have a heart attack – Chris Wilder on Newcastle United 5 Sheffield United 1 – Read HERE)

(Newcastle United 5 Sheffield United 1 – Instant Newcastle fan / writer reaction – Read HERE)

(Newcastle United 5 Sheffield United 1 – How do you explain this? Read HERE)

Newcastle United matches now confirmed for rest of the season:

Saturday 4 May 2024 – Burnley v Newcastle (3pm)

Saturday 11 May 2024 – Newcastle v Brighton (3pm)

Wednesday 15 May 2024 – Man U v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports

Sunday 19 May 2024 – Brentford v Newcastle (4pm)

(The final day of the season live TV matches will be selected closer to the day but all 10 PL games will be same time same day)

Wednesday 22 May 2024 – Tottenham v Newcastle (at MCG – Melbourne Cricket Ground)

Friday 24 May 2024 – A-League All Stars team v Newcastle (at Marvel Stadium, Melbourne)