Nickname(s): The Magpies, The Toon
2008/2009 Position: 17th
2007/2008 Finish: 12th
Coach: Joe Kinnear (Ireland)
Stadium: St. James Park (52,387 capacity)
Key Players: Michael Owen, Obafemi Martins, Damien Duff
History:
Newcastle was founded in 1892 as a result of the merger of two clubs, Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End. They have not had any league success since 1927, and have not won any major tournament of note since the 1960s. The team is now mired in financial trouble and looks to be heading towards the back of the Premier League.
The downward spiral could be traced to 2007 when Mike Ashley bought the Magpies. Ashley is a billionaire retail entrepreneur with an estimated fortune of over $2 billion. The man himself doesn’t attend many functions and he rarely grants interviews. In many ways, he is an enigma. He is now seeking to unload the team and I am sure he will find a suitor soon enough.
Newcastle has a fierce rivalry with neighbor Sunderland. Their cross-town rivalry nearly always results in nasty match-ups. Newcastle’s supporters, The Toon Army, always come out in full force for home matches. While they may play in a one club city, Newcastle is still a small town by all standards and their average home attendance record is really something to be proud of.
Legends: Malcolm Macdonald, Paul Gascoigne, Alan Shearer
American Sports Doppelganger: The Miami Dophins
2008/2009 Prediction: 17th
