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DATE:
Sunday 30th October 2005
MATCH PREVIEW BY: Dale Brookes
Back to league action on Sunday then as we face Newcastle
United on our own patch. Hopefully the cup win at Fulham in midweek will
give the players’ confidence a massive boost and hopefully we can take
that cup form into the league and record a second successive home victory. The
main question on Baggies’ fans lips is what will be the team? Robson has
to make at least one change due to Paul Robinson being suspended. Surely
Junichi Inamoto will be given his chance, if he isn’t then I honestly
believe he will be on his way soon either in a loan deal or a permanent
deal. He has now shown exactly how good he really is and there will be a
host of clubs wanting him after Tuesday’s performance and goal. Lets hope
it doesn’t come to that and Sunday is the day Inamoto makes the first of
many starts at The Hawthorns. So prediction time
again and this is going to be a real tough game, Newcastle are up and down
at the moment so it’s hard to say what to expect from them. I think if we
can get at them early we have a chance but if Owen is on form like he was
the last time he played at the Hawthorns then it’s going to be a long hard
day! However I am optimistic and think we’ll at least get a draw out of this
one, as long as Robson picks a decent team that is! I’ll go for 2-2. COME ON YOU BAGGIES!!! ALBION
Manager Bryan Robson could be without at least EIGHT of his first
team squad going into the game at home to Newcastle United. Chris Kirkland
(bruised kidney), Paul Robinson (suspended), Martin Albrechtsen
(hamstring) are all definitely ruled out whilst Zoltan Gera (groin), Steve
Watson (groin), Kanu (hamstring), Darren Carter (knee), Diomansy Kamara
(ankle) are all major doubts. However there is one bit of good news for
the Baggies as Nathan Ellington has declared himself fit after recovering
from a knee problem.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Boss Graeme Souness has been boosted by the return of Michael Owen,
Stephen Carr, Emre, Steve Harper and Shola Ameobi as they visit the
Baggies for the televised clash. Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer are the only
absentees as they both recover from short term knocks.
THIS SEASON
United
currently lie in 11th place in the Barclays Premiership with 12 points from ten
games. Alan Shearer is the club's leading scorer with five league and cup
goals. Newcastle's last match saw them reach the fourth round of the
Carling Cup after defeating Grimsby Town 1-0 at Blundell Park thanks to an
Alan Shearer goal. The club also reached the semi-finals of the Intertoto
Cup before losing to Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna. LAST SEASON Finished 14th in
the Barclays Premiership, were knocked out of the FA Cup in the
semi-finals by Manchester United and were beaten in the 4th round of the Carling Cup by
Chelsea. Also reached the quarter-finals of the Uefa Cup before losing to
Sporting Lisbon. Alan Shearer finished the season as United's top goalscorer
with 19 league and cup goals. THE MANAGER Edinburgh born Graeme
Souness started his playing career at
London giants Tottenham Hotspur signing professional
terms in 1968 as a 15-year-old. He struggled to make an impression at
White Hart Lane and in 1972 moved to Middlesbrough.
He would stay at Ayresome Park for six years during which time he
won the first of his 54 Scottish caps. A £350,000 transfer to
Liverpool followed in 1978 and Souness became part of the side that was
dominant throughout the eighties, winning the championship five times,
three European Cups and four League Cups. In
1984 Souness moved to Italian side Sampdoria for £650,000.
Two years later In April 1986 he accepted
Glasgow Rangers’ offer to become their player/manager.
He spent five years in the Ibrox hot-seat winning the SPL
title on three occasions as well as the League Cup four times. During his
time at Rangers he courted controversy by signing the Roman Catholic Mo
Johnston, thus making him the first Catholic to ever play for the Protestant
club. In 1991 Souness returned to Anfield replacing Kenny Dalglish as
manager of the Reds. His time at Anfield wasn’t a great success. Unable to
recapture the club’s glory years Souness left less than three years later
with just a solitary FA Cup win in 1992 to his name.
His next move saw him take over at Turkish side Galatasaray,
his time there was short-lived but he did guide them to a Turkish FA Cup win
after defeating arch-rivals Fenerbahce in the two legged final. In July 1996
Souness returned to English club management at
Southampton. He lasted just one season at The Dell before
resigning his post at the end of the 1996/97 season
following disagreements with the chairman Rupert Lowe.
Souness returned to Italy in 1997 taking charge at
Torino but just six games into the season and following a poor start he was
sacked. One month later he was back in management taking over at Portuguese
side Benfica. Despite taking the club into the Champions League in his first
season Souness was sacked the next.
In March 2000 Souness was appointed manager of First Division
club Blackburn Rovers, the following season he led them back into the
Premiership. A Worthington Cup triumph followed in 2002 and
in 2003 he
led his team to sixth-place in the Premiership and a place in
Europe.
In September 2004 and
after Sir Bobby Robson had been sacked by Newcastle United, Souness became
his replacement. His time at St James’ Park has not been a success, despite
guiding the team to the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and the UEFA
Cup he remains an unpopular figure amongst many Geordies.
SQUAD LIST (Squad numbers in brackets)
Goalkeepers: Defenders: Midfielders: Strikers: ONES
TO WATCH
Michael Owen - Still one
of the World’s best strikers, has scintillating pace matched with top
notch finishing. Alan Shearer - One of the greatest goalscorers to have graced
the game over the last
decade. Still knows exactly where the goal is, fantastic with his head. Charles N’Zogbia - A
teenage sensation that looks like he is going to be one to watch in the
future. Operates usually on the left wing, has a fantastic left foot and
chips in with the odd goal or two.
Albion's best victory over United, indeed one of their
finest ever victories came at St James' Park in September 1953 when a
hat-trick from Johnny Nicholls and two goals from Ronnie Allen helped the
Baggies to a 7-3 victory. Other big wins for Albion include 6-0 in 1960
and 6-1 in 1902 and 1967, all three wins coming at The Hawthorns.
United's best result against Albion is 5-1, achieved in
1931, 1938, 1949 and 1989. All but the last victory were achieved on
Tyneside.
Albion's last league victory over the 'Magpies' came on
Boxing Day 1984 when goals from Steve Hunt and Garry Thompson helped the
club claim a 2-1 victory at The Hawthorns. However, since that last league
victory Albion have beaten United twice in the League Cup, claiming a 1-0
victory in 1989 and a 2-1 win in 2003, both games taking place at St
James' Park.
LAST MEETING AT THE HAWTHORNS
Albion
0-0 Newcastle United
Albion: Hoult,
Albrechtsen, Purse, Clement, Robinson, Scimeca, Wallwork, Johnson,
Earnshaw, Kanu (Gera 83), Horsfield.
Subs not used: Kuszczak (gk),
Contra, Gaardsoe, Koumas Newcastle
United: Given,
Taylor, Bramble, Hughes, Bernard, Dyer, Bowyer, Jenas, N'Zogbia (Milner
76), Robert, Ameobi. Subs not
used: Harper (gk), O'Brien, Ambrose, Brittain Referee:
Neale Barry (North
Lincolnshire)
Half-Time:
Albion 0-0 Newcastle United
Attendance:
25,259
Geoff
Horsfield will be kicking himself after missing a golden opportunity that
could have given
West Brom all three points in this Monday night encounter.
Instead the Baggies had to settle for just a point after the former
Birmingham
City forward failed to convert a clear cut chance for the second time in
as many days. Even though Newcastle came closest to scoring when Lee
Bowyer's low drive cannoned off Russell Hoult's right hand post the
Baggies spirited display from start to finish earned them a well deserved
point at the Hawthorns.
CURRENT CONNECTIONS
Albion defender Steve Watson started his playing career
as a trainee at Newcastle and went on to make over 250 appearances for the
North East club before leaving for Aston Villa in 1998.
PAST CONNECTIONS
Amongst the
players to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: John
Anderson, Franz Carr, Wayne Fereday, Ruel Fox, Andy Hunt, Dennis Martin,
Mick Martin, David Mills, Bob Pailor, George Reilly, Mark Robinson, Colin
Suggett, John Trewick, Imre Varadi and Kenny Wharton.
Ossie Ardiles managed both club's during the 1990's;
ex-England and Newcastle boss Sir Bobby Robson was an Albion player from
1956-62; Gary Megson, Albion manager from 2000-04 had a short spell as a
United player during the 1980's; ex-Albion boss Keith Burkinshaw also
spent time as a coach on Tyneside; Albion manager of the 1950's Jesse
Carver was a United player during the 1930's.
ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS NEWCASTLE UNITED LAST TEN MATCHES AGAINST NEWCASTLE UNITED
Tickets for this category B game are now on general sale from the East Stand ticket office. |
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The very first meeting league meeting between the two sides
came during the 1898/99 season. Albion lost that first meeting 3-0 at St
James' Park before winning the return game at Stoney Lane 2-0, Billy
Bassett and Arthur Smith scoring the Albion goals.
