Just going to keep my thoughts on 2025 to myself for time being until I see the team that runs out… | OneFootball

Close seasons.

Don’t you just love them?

I certainly love the summer, but when it comes to Newcastle United, June and July are very hard work.

That’s because summer sports only get my interest fleetingly. There is a limit to how much time I have for the likes of Joe Root, Jack Draper or Tommy Fleetwood.

But it’s the transfer season that I really hate. Or should I say, I really really hate.

That is if I had the legs to get away with a Union Jack dress.

It’s fair to say that the Summer of 2025 has taken the proverbial biscuit when it comes to being hacked off .

I do try to remove myself from the circus, spending a lot less time listening and reading about the club, because it just winds me up.

But you can’t help get drawn in, especially now that our number 14 is all over the media.

Well I’m not going to comment on those goings on, because there is enough of that elsewhere, so instead I thought I’d remember a few Newcastle United close seasons from the past.

Good and bad.

1982

I was serving out in Germany at that time. Back then there were no mobiles, no Sky TV and even our daily papers were delivered a day late.

So on this day I walk into the NAAFI to buy my Daily Mirror, to be literally rendered speechless when I see the back page.

Kevin Keegan has joined Newcastle United.

I remember walking back into the shop and buying a copy of every paper available, so I could keep on reading about it. I just could not believe it was true.

I’m not sure that any signing since then has had such an impact on me as this one did. Little old second division Newcastle United are buying Keegan.

1988

We have sold Gazza but in a very short space of time, Newcastle United, a side who normally bought no one, has brought in Dave Beasant, Andy Thorn, John Robertson and John Hendrie.

The 7,000 of us who went to Everton for the first game really believed we were going places.

We were.

I think we were relegated by March.

1995

I’m on the Calais – Dover ferry, when yet again I pick up a copy of the Mirror, and discover Newcastle United have bought some Frenchman called Ginola.

Never heard of him

But the Mirror write up speaks of the long haired winger being pretty useful, so off I go to find a French member of staff to get their opinion.

I corner the fella who is doing the currency exchange and doing my best Oz impression, I point at Ginola’s picture, give a thumbs up sign and shout “is he very bon, mate?”

I think you will agree that in that first six months of the season especially, David Ginola was very bon indeed.

1996

I’m out of the country again, visiting my mate over in Maastricht and guess what, he brings in a copy of the Daily Mirror.

Let me just explain to the kids. Back then newspapers were an integral part of our life before the internet turned the world on its head.

And this time the paper tells me Newcastle have broken the world record and signed Alan Shearer.

What the actual…is going on at my club?

This was a crazy time to be a Geordie. Truly wonderful.

2012

We bought Vurnon Anita.

So this summer I’m just going to keep my thoughts on 2025 to myself for the time being, until I see the team that runs out at Villa Park.