THIS IS THE END

The Geordies all are set to implode but is it any wonder given all their ex-Leeds players? From the Guardian:

"Gallowgate is well named. We'll be hanging off it tomorrow morning if we don't qualify."

In the minutes leading up to Wednesday night's demoralising elimination from the Champions League, the Newcastle United chairman Freddy Shepherd gave an interview to Radio Newcastle in which he said the above.

A couple of hours and four missed Newcastle penalties later, Shepherd bore the face of a condemned man. By three o'clock yesterday afternoon it must have mutated further, twitching furiously as Partizan Belgrade came out in a group with Real Madrid.

Instead of yesterday's Champions League extravaganza, today Newcastle will go into a draw for the Uefa Cup. Amazingly there were some on Tyneside prepared to argue that it is a competition Newcastle could win, seeming to forget that they have not won a trophy since the Uefa Cup's forerunner, the Fairs Cup, in 1969. This is no time to be making assumptions.

By yesterday lunchtime, the club's share price slumping 14%, wiping more than £7m off Newcastle's value. Shepherd also revealed another financial aspect on Wednesday, saying that last season's involvement in the Champions League was worth "some £11m - plus gate receipts". Earlier he had said of the second leg: "It's life or death - we need to win this."

"Suddenly it's a pressure season," said Vinay Bedi, financial analyst with Wise Speke in Newcastle. "Newcastle want to be an established Champions League club, not a yo-yo member. So it's a gut-ache for them and it has implications."

Last January Newcastle stood, albeit briefly, at the top of the Premiership. They were able to purchase Jonathan Woodgate for £8m from Leeds United. Laurent Robert scored a winner against Liverpool.

Robson's total outlay is £60m-plus in nearly four years of steady progress and even in the post-match gloom he insisted: "It's not the end of the club, it's not the end of the team, it's not the end of the players."

Nor is it the end of Robson. But if Birmingham were to win tomorrow, Shepherd would doubtless stare at the manager in the visitors' dug-out. Steve Bruce is a Geordie. He understands the meaning of Gallowgate.