Beye: Players must spark another great atmosphere

May 15 2009 by Steve Brown, The Journal

HAVING tasted the “best atmosphere I’ve seen” in his two years at Newcastle United, Habib Beye has instructed his team-mates that a sustained repeat of Monday night’s events must, first and foremost, be instigated by themselves.

Supporters present and even observers from further afield have been quick to hail the occasion of United’s 3-1 win over Middlesbrough as the greatest Gallowgate has witnessed in some time.

The importance of the game itself, with both the Magpies and their Teesside rivals in peril, was critical, while flags and fans more than played their part.

Victory followed and, Beye insists, must again tomorrow if Newcastle are to avoid a pressure-enhanced trip to Villa Park on Sunday week.

However, while Fulham’s imminent arrival on Tyneside has spawned talk of a similar atmosphere to Monday night spurring United to three points, Beye believes it is down to the players to set the ball rolling.

“If we want to have that sort of atmosphere every week in St James’s Park it is down to us to do our best to inspire this sort of crowd,” he said.

“They have waited to see the team play the way we did on Monday, and the atmosphere was just amazing. Since I came here two years ago it’s the best atmosphere I’ve seen.

“The fans are always behind us but if we want this quality of atmosphere all the time, and this type of game, then it’s up to us.

“It won’t be easy, we need to work very hard to win the game. If we win we will go to (Aston) Villa with confidence. If we don’t get a result, if we don’t get any points, there will be more pressure at Villa, and it’s never easy to play them with pressure.

“Hull will be doing everything to win (at Bolton, also tomorrow), and save their place in the Premier League but we can’t wait on them to lose. If

we win our games we will be safe. Winning on Monday was so important because it was the first time we went above Hull, with the goal difference. It was massive for us to get out of the bottom three.”