Wednesday 8 May 2013

Extra column for around the grounds in TwentyFour7Football

So what's it like?

Any opposition fan that has been lucky enough to watch a game in a packed St James' Park can admit that the atmosphere is breathtaking. Even though they are stuck up "In the gods", a number of away fans have commented on how intimidating the stadium and how passionate the fans are, 52,000 Geordies singing Blaydon Races is certainly a sound to be savoured. Talk to any Sunderland fan about the wave of noise that hit them after each of Newcastle's five goals in the derby game in 2011and I'm sure that even they will admit it was loud. There is never a quiet moment because the Toon Army in the Gallowgate end are continuously singing and supporting their team for the whole 90 minutes.

There are a number of places to go before the game including the greatest pub in the world, The Strawberry. Situated right outside the ground, the pub is jam packed on match day. Memorabilia line the walls and it's certainly an atmosphere to experience, away fans are welcome (Apart from Sunderland or Middlesbrough obviously). The Back page shop is an oasis of football memorabilia for all football fans, from Barcelona to Barnet. The Gate in the city centre has bars, restaurants and even a Casino.

In terms of refreshments within the ground, a number of pies are on offer including the chicken balti pie and burgers and hot dogs are also available, all of which come in a Newcastle branded packaging. Alcohol, which is also served in branded Newcastle cups, is also available for those who haven't had enough before venturing inside the ground to watch the game.

Newcastle can also lay claim to two multi talented people as fans, Ant and Dec. The pair who were both born in the city are lifelong supporters of the club. They both share their famous fan status and passion for the club, along with cricketer Graeme Swann, who regularly voices his love for the club and actor turned fisherman, Robson Green. Along with ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Around the grounds piece for TwentyFour7Football

Since 1892 Newcastle United Football Club have resided in this magnificent stadium. St James' Park can boast at being the third highest capacity stadium in the Barclays Premier League, beaten only by Manchester United's Old Trafford and Arsenal's Emirates stadium.

The ground is steeped in history and has seen some amazing games over the years, including the 5-0 drubbing of Barcelona and more recently the humiliation of local rivals Sunderland in a 5-1 victory on Halloween.

Since 1892 disagreements and worrying financial positions had meant that the stadium wasn't developed to its full potential, apart from the West Stand being renovated and named the Milburn stand in honour of Newcastle's greatest number 9, Jackie Milburn. Until 1992 when Sir John Hall arrived on Tyneside, the Gallowgate end was transformed and the Leazes end structure rose from the ground and was re-named the Sir John Hall stand.

In the following years United's popularity grew to an extent that lead to a second tier being added to the Milburn and Leazes ends. Work was completed in August 2000 and the stadium now has the largest cantilever roof in Europe.

Although the stadium was re-named the Sports Direct Arena for a short period of time, new sponsors Wonga.com brought back the legendary name at the end of last year. Everyone knows that as long as this truly breathtaking stadium is seen on the beautiful skyline in Newcastle, it will forever be known as St James' Park.


Football affective disorder's (FAD's)

Many people across the world suffer from a condition known as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), where the weather can have an adverse effect on one’s mood and general happiness. I am writing to inform you of important new studies into the condition known as FAD (Football Affective Disorder). This condition tends to develop as a young supporter grows older and much more susceptible to FAD tendencies. These tendencies can widely vary across two ends of the spectrum.

We have RTG (Rose Tinted Glasses) which stems from an improbable result, or in rare cases a string of results and can last from anything between hours to several years. With RTG the sufferer will feel a sense of overwhelming calm and euphoria. Colours seem brighter and stress levels are reduced. However, as these symptoms subside, there is a rather nasty Liverpool derived turning point known as KOP (Knocked Off Pedestal), where a rather harsh reality takes place and the initial Euphoria is replaced by disappointment and a realisation of how delusional they may have sounded throughout the week and face up to some terrible side effects such as outlandish predictions, sometimes even backed up with money. I have paid my own penance towards RTG in the past with £5 on my beloved Newcastle to win the Europa League, Newcastle have in fact have played an integral role in this study and have allowed me to experience the other end of the spectrum known as PMS (Post Match Stress).

PMS will have had an impact on most supporters, I have had the opportunity to experience the full, long term effects of this affliction and the devastation it can bring. The most common response is ramblings of tactics that could have been used, bile infused rhetoric in which a scapegoat is vilified and the answer to your team’s problems is glaringly obvious to you, but nobody else. This will fuel the PMS and it can spill into your home life. The first non-football fan you meet will generally bear the brunt and be ignored in the best case scenario or subjected to the ramblings of tactic laced hatred towards players or manager, of which they know nothing, care little and don’t want to hear about.

Much like the symptoms of RTG this will mellow and subside in stages. First comes the paranoia, the FA, the referee, your own players or manager are out to sabotage your club. You nervously look at tables and imagine the teams below you hurtling past at breakneck speed and a general feeling of fear substitutes the anger you once felt. This is a horrible situation as you now suffer in silence, the passionate outbursts of the previous stages are replaced with an internal monologue, distracting you from work and making the world a terrible place. Finally though you are given the mercy of apathy, you stop caring about the results, you stop looking at fixtures and a sad expression reminiscent of a time when you broke a toy you loved will remain on your face until the next hit of RTG.

So what can we do? There is nothing to stop FADs I’m afraid, the best thing to do is not let it affect life outside the game. For those in the paranoia stage this is a time to remember that there is life outside the game and remember FADs don’t last very long. They swing wildly and whatever your club has done to your poor mind will probably change next weekend and this time next month it’ll be a fresh dose of RTG for us all. Two signings and we’ll win the league! We can do it! I feel my hit of RTG, where’s my fiver!