Newcastle United fans away from home make more noise than anyone outside the River Plate derby | OneFootball

The Qatar World Cup break interrupting this Newcastle United season.

An ideal time to get a snapshot of views from NUFC fans on how they think things are going.

So we sent out various questions to a number of regular / irregular contributors to The Mag.

Next up we have Davey Hat-Trick:

Best atmosphere at a match this season?

That’s a difficult one.

Sometimes I get too wrapped up in the game to notice the atmosphere.

I have to say, Newcastle away fans make more noise than anyone outside the River Plate derby, so any away game has always provided the best atmosphere, even when we were rubbish.

As for home games, I’ll pick Man City this season. That was a proper game of football. 90 minutes of passion, effort and quality. We gave what is probably the best team in the world a run for their money, and even though we only got a draw, the fact we deserved it was a statement of the progress we have made. Man City couldn’t say they played badly, couldn’t blame luck, couldn’t accuse us of parking the bus, and to be fair to them, acknowledged that Newcastle were very good.

The crowd lived every second of entertainment, jeopardy, risk and triumph. It was a cracker.

Has the ‘big six’ already become a ‘big seven’?

Who cares?

If you support a team, it’s a big team to you, no matter where in the pyramid they play.

I knew a bloke who’d been to every Hartlepool game – home and away – for 17 years. Tell him he supports a small team!

Arguing about whether Newcastle is bigger than, say, Villa or Everton, is pointless.

Having said that, the ‘big six’ narrative is so well established that it’s a given in the offices of Sky and other media outlets. I’m pretty sure Newcastle have elbowed their way into this group, purely because some fans of these other clubs – and one manager in particular – are acting like someone stole their dinner money.

People who didn’t have an opinion on Newcastle United now hate us, so we must be doing something right.

If we are not there now, we soon will be. Newcastle have always had a huge fanbase, and always had huge potential. Now that we have the finance and the infrastructure to match that, I see no reason why we shouldn’t be regarded as equals to the Sky Six.

Eight months or so ago I said I thought we could sell out an 80,000 stadium. Some of The Mag’s readers said I was being silly. Well, my view hasn’t changed. In fact, make that 90,000.

A must win game and the whole squad fit and available, which 11 would you select?

Pope

Trippier

Schär

Botman

Targett

Bruno

Joelinton

Longstaff

Miggy

Wilson

Isak

Apologies to Dan Burn, who lost on the toss of a coin. Also, Longstaff could have been Willock or Shelvey.

How big an advantage (if any) is it likely to be for NUFC when the Premier League kicks off again in late December, considering how many each of the ‘big seven’ have at the World Cup (16 Manchester City, 15 Manchester United, 12 Chelsea, 11 Tottenham, 10 Arsenal, 7 Liverpool, 5 Newcastle United)?

I don’t see it making much of a difference, to be honest, and of course it depends on who gets injured. Our first team is as good as just about anyone’s. Our squad is not. Man City and Liverpool could withstand a few tired limbs or injuries. I’m not sure we could.

Eddie Howe’s selection for the Palace League Cup game, three days before Chelsea in the Premier League, eight outfield changes. What did you think when you heard the team before kick-off, then what were your thoughts after the win (on penalties!) on the team Eddie had selected?

I supported Eddie’s decision at the time and I still do.

Were we 12th in the table and looking like staying there, I’d have liked us to have fielded a stronger side, but he did what I wanted him to in the circumstances. Some players – Anderson in particular, sadly – fluffed their lines, but for me, the end justified the means. I have no idea who or what we’ll see in the next round. We’ll play Bournemouth with some players who haven’t had a competitive fixture in six weeks and there may be others who are still full of duty free and jet lag after the World Cup. It will be a lottery. Just please don’t let Bruno take a penalty…

On a scale of 1 to 10, how interested are you in England at the World Cup?

Maybe 5.

7 if we get beyond the quarter finals – which I don’t think we will – and 10 should we reach the final.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how interested are you in this Qatar World Cup?

3 or 4. If there’s a Brazil v France, Germany v Holland, Argentina v Portugal etc, it will go up. But the bug has NOT bitten anyone at Hat-Trick Towers

An aside – Señora Hat-Trick is Colombian…this house would be a 9 already if they’d qualified.

I imagine I’m in a majority in England who prioritise their club over country. In her part of the world, it’s the polar opposite. Everyone from grandmothers to small children are fanatical about their national side.

Exciting, joyful, united.

Would you rather win the League Cup or finish top four and qualify for Champions League?

Champions League please. I know I’m supposed to say a trophy would be better…but CL qualification brings money and better players.

Best (realistic) signing Newcastle United could make in January?

If we were sitting in 8th place (which was a realistic target back in August), I couldn’t see us spending anything in January. There is no value for money in that window.

But if the hierarchy believe we have a chance of finishing top four, I can see them going down the cashpoint.

Who would we buy? I have no idea.

Someone whose contract runs out pretty soon, I guess. James Maddison is – according to the ‘in the know’ merchants – on the way, but these are the same people who were telling us that João Pedro was having a medical at St James’s Park and Paquetá had been spotted in the queue at Chicken Cottage. Maddison might be a realistic prospect; Leicester no longer look like relegation fodder and they do like to sell.

Over 13 months now since the takeover, what are your thoughts now on the debate that surrounds the identity of the Newcastle United owners?

The debate has died down a bit, I’d say, and some of the people who were most vocal in their opposition to the Saudi regime are currently on expenses in Qatar.

I’d feel much more comfortable were the Saudi government more enthusiastic about democracy and less enthusiastic about execution and murder, but everything our owners have done so far has been to the benefit of Newcastle United, their fans, and the city. They haven’t put a foot wrong, so all our critics have left is the nationality of the ownership. And that is old news.

Newcastle United third in the table, how are you feeling?

I’m terrified of admitting Newcastle are a good side.

We were so poor for such a long time, I’m scared I’ll break the spell.

If I’m honest, I’m not convinced we’ll finish as high as third, but to answer the question, I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time.

Player of the season so far (top choice and then second and third)?

Almiron

Bruno

Schar

The three most improved players this season (in order)?

Longstaff