Opinion - Newcastle should be embracing relegation, not fearing it
Tom Shiner
Date Published: 16th March 2021
Credit: Chris Brunskill - Getty Images.
Season after season, it seems that Newcastle have had nothing to celebrate other than 1 good result here or there. They complain about the results, the manager, the style of football and of course the owner. Other than the continued misfortune to their biggest rivals, the last time the club really had something to celebrate was on the 7th May 2017. The day in which they won the championship title on the last day of the season.
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Since this day, they have spent 4 seasons in the lower half of the premier league with worries about relegation taking them back down to the second tier. However, Newcastle should not be fearful of this, they should be wishing for it. It seems strange to be rooting for your own team to fail but in the long run, it could be the best thing to happen to the club since a 5th place finish in 2012.
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Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying there will be no negatives if the club was to go down a division. The club would almost certainly lose its best players, including Allan Saint-Maximin who is the most exciting player the club has had in years. But realistically, it’s unlikely he would still be at the club beyond next season anyway with his talent. The fans would also miss out on the opportunity to see some of the words best player throughout the season with games against teams such as Manchester City and Liverpool only a possibility in cup competitions.
However, as much as seeing your team beat a big team is the pinnacle for a Newcastle fan, this is a rarity. This season has seen Newcastle play against the ‘big 6’ teams eight times with the magpies earning only 2 points, a 1-1 at Spurs thanks to a horrendous handball rule which has now been changed and a bore 0-0 against a poor Liverpool side. So far this season Newcastle have only won seven times, half the number of losses they have attained.
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Compare this to last seasons relegated teams. All 3 all currently sitting in the top 7 of the league with a combined 59 wins and only 22 losses. Of course, not being a Newcastle fan myself, I could be wrong in thinking that wins are what the fans would be after the most. Perhaps the satisfaction of staying in Premier League is worth 25 Saturdays of disappointment and boring football week in week out but I highly doubt it. To me, the satisfaction of watching your team win makes your weekend and a loss does the opposite. Add on to this the option of winning a trophy, which in the championship would be exponentially higher for Newcastle with the title or play off winners trophies a realistic target.
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Credit: Getty Images.
The potential bonuses do not stop there. It seems almost every Newcastle fan around the globe has the same negative opinion of the owner. He doesn’t appear to care about the club and is only interested in making money. Take this away by playing in the championship and he may decide it’s time to finally let the club go. Just look at Leeds and Aston Villa, both huge clubs who after a spell in the Championship have found new ownership and are looking up in the table and not down this season.
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Using Leeds and Villa might be an unfair comparison as they spent a long period in the 2nd tier so perhaps comparing the club to Norwich is the way to go. Despite an awful season in the topflight in 2019/20, Norwich have been able to celebrate a title in 2019 and look nailed on to achieve this again at the end of this season. Speaking to a few Norwich fans I know, they would much rather have seasons full of wins and great results alongside terrible years instead of years of mediocrity. This may not be the case for Newcastle either. After the two seasons in the Championship this millennium, Newcastle have gone on to win the title and then continued with that form in the top tier the next year.
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A final pro to a season in the Championship is something that not all fans may like the idea of but there is a chance to play bitter rivals Sunderland again. Of course, this is not a guarantee with the black cats still in league 1 but given their current form and financial power, it’s not unlikely to see them promoted this season. The passion fans show in this game is unmatched and with full crowds looking likely in the summer, the chance to be involved in this derby again is something every fan will relish.
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So there you have it, the reasons why relegation might bring some much needed cheer back to the North East. An increase in wins and a trophy at the end of the season is something I’m sure every Newcastle fan would enjoy and this, is something that can only realistically be achieved by relegation at the end of the season. As the clubs favourite son once said, ‘’Football's not just about scoring goals - it's about winning’’.
TS
Credit: AZ quotes.
Edit: (24th April) Since writing this piece, Newcastle have turned their form around and now look certain to be playing in the Premier League again next season. However, if next season follows the same trend as this for the club, fans may still be looking for somthing to smile about. The Championship is the perfect opportunity for this.