Roar United to victory, Dowie urges the fans
May 11 2009 The Journal
THE backing of a passionate and noisy home crowd is essential to victory in tonight’s Tyne-Tees derby, according to Alan Shearer’s deputy Iain Dowie.
Dowie has appealed for the support to recreate the atmosphere that greeted the players for their recent home game with Portsmouth, which was universally praised even if the team couldn’t respond with a victory.
With Middlesbrough having sold their entire allocation, St James’s Park will be a near sell-out tonight – and Dowie admits that the team ‘owe’ their fans a decent display and result after a season of struggle.
The support of the Newcastle fans has been the one constant of this campaign. After the protests and recriminations of the Hull City game way back in September, the support has loud, loyal and with precious few exceptions they have been mostly positive.
Now Dowie, aware that the players were buoyed by the noise before the Portsmouth game, is asking for more loyal backing for the most important game in recent memory.
“Of course, they’ve got a part to play. In all fairness, despite the performances, they’ve been brilliant since we came in,” said Newcastle’s assistant manager.
“The support away at Liverpool was terrific – they want to see a performance, we owe them a performance. It will be a wonderful occasion to play in and the players should know that. The stakes of the match are absolutely huge but on the flip side it should be a wonderful spectacle and everyone has to rise to the occasion.”
Dowie believes that putting Middlesbrough on the back foot early is absolutely essential – and is looking to the players to match the beginning that they made against Portsmouth.
With just three matches remaining this season, this game is even more important than that one was, but Dowie does not believe that the tension will get to the players.
“Of course, it’s an important game but I don’t think with the experienced players we’ve got there will be tension or nerves,” he said. “I’m not sure there were nerves against Portsmouth and I don’t think there will be against Middlesbrough.
“The first half was not full of nerves – I thought we started really well and penned Portsmouth back in their own half for most of it. We made changes in the end and it sort of destabilised the system.
“Possibly there were a few nerves there and it didn’t work in the late knockings of the game but that shouldn’t worry us unduly for Monday. The first half was a positive display.
“Really, we should have won the game. In fact, we need a similar start on Monday.”
