Newsletter

Get your daily update and weekly newsletter by signing up today!

Opinion

That was the week that was in football – Now for the big-un

10 months ago
Share

We had the FA Cup Final on Saturday that brought the curtain down on the 2022/23 domestic football season (I’m also glad that Manchester City beat their Salford neighbours).

The week before had seen Leeds United and Leicester City join Southampton in next season’s Championship.

Everton survived again but it’s about time this awful club received the appropriate punishment and sanctions that their financial irregularities warrant.

I won’t miss Leicester or the Saints, but since Leeds went up in 2020 (after a long hiatus from playing in the EPL), I believe that some of the previous rivalry that had existed between Newcastle and Leeds fans in decades gone by, has de-frosted with time. The appointment of ‘Fat Sham’ was an unmitigated disaster for the Elland Road club but hopefully with a proper manager they will quickly bounce back.

In the Championship it was little Luton who muscled their way through the play-offs, to join Burnley and Sheffield United in next season’s top flight.

When they come up to St James’ Park it would be good if Kenny Wharton could sit on the ball in front of Big Mick Harford once again, for the half-time entertainment.

In the League One play-offs, Sheffield Wednesday pulled off a feat of Lazarus like proportions to get to Wembley, winning the final against local rivals Barnsley with a last gasp goal by Newcastle’s FA Cup nemesis this season, Josh Windass.

Carlisle booked their place in League One, after a penalty shoot-out victory against Dave Challinor’s Stockport County.

In Europe, the man who has always got to be centre stage, Jose Mourinho, once again showed how totally classless he has always been, as his Roma side finally succumbed to Europa League masters Sevilla.

I would like to extend my best wishes to another United (West Ham), when they take on Fiorentina in the Europa Conference Final this week.

And then it’s the big-un.

Internazionale v Manchester City in the Champions League Final

The ‘Nerazzurri’ were one of the most famous clubs in the world back in the 1960s.

Players like Faschetti and Mazola were footballing icons.

Now Pep Guardiola has got Manchester City on the brink of lifting their first European Cup.

I think that Man City will do it in style against one of their old boys in Eden Dzeko.

The transfer window officially opens in ten days time (Wednesday 14 June) and that will keep our interest intact.

I believe that Newcastle United will conduct our business fairly early in the window in preparation for a longer haul next season.

I’ll be watching my usual fair amount of cricket and I’m looking forward to whiling away the hours by relaxing in various beer gardens in the company of my dog and best pal, Little Edd.

I would finally like to take this opportunity to wish Savannah Marshall all the best in her forthcoming World title fight.

She is very good friends with our very own April Hunter from North Shields and I believe April has turned her Toon daft.

As one of mine and the Editor’s favourite bands, The Undertones, would say… “Here comes the Summer”

Share

If you would like to feature on The Mag, submit your article to contribute@themag.co.uk

Have your say

© 2024 The Mag. All Rights Reserved. Design & Build by Mediaworks