Fans reeling as Newcastle United fall with a whimper

May 25 2009 The Journal

A TOP academic last night sounded a note of hope for desolate Newcastle United fans.

Psychology expert Dr Joan Harvey said the mood of the supporters and the town as a whole could benefit from winning more games in the Championship rather than another year of struggles in the top flight.

She said the unique relationship between Newcastle United and the city would mean the whole population having to adapt, but it need not damage the area in the long term.

And she said the “tribal” nature of following the club would make the hit on supporters’ psyche even worse.

The senior lecturer at Newcastle University pointed to Leeds as an example of a city that had remained bright, vibrant and successful despite the failings of its football club.

Newcastle were relegated yesterday after a 1-0 defeat by Aston Villa and are now facing trips to Scunthorpe and Plymouth rather than Old Trafford and Anfield.

Dr Joan Harvey said while morale will be low now, a good season in the Championship next year could be the best thing for the club.

She said: “Actually, Newcastle going down could be better for morale in the long term if they were to do well in the Championship next year.

“What could hit morale harder is if they had stayed up and run into similar problems again. In terms of restoring long-term morale, you need someone at the helm with long-term commitment to the club who is not just committed to football but to Newcastle.”