Newcastle United 0, Derby County 0

Dec 29 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

A miserable year came to a fittingly-disappointing conclusion last night as Newcastle United were held to a frustrating goalless draw by struggling Derby County.

The result was enough to extend United’s unbeaten run to 11 games but having only managed a draw at Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day, the Magpies’ lead at the top of the table has been cut to six points.

It is a more than healthy advantage at this stage of the season, yet at the same time, given their excellent run of form leading up to Christmas, it is tantamount to a little wobble for the league leaders.

Then again, given everything that has preceded it this year we should perhaps just be relieved that Newcastle are in a position which suggests their absence from the Premier League will only be a short one.

It may have ended with at least some renewed cause for optimism, but few at Newcastle United will be sorry to see the back of 2009.

As impressive as United’s promotion push has been under Chris Hughton there is no getting away from the fact the last 12 months have been disastrous for a club which looked in danger of going into meltdown following its relegation to the Championship.

That it has not owes much to Hughton’s calm leadership in the eye of the storm, as well as the spirit and commitment of a group of players who knew they were as a responsible as anyone for dropping out of the top flight.

Newcastle United may have hit its lowest point at the end of the summer when a drawn-out takeover saga ended in a failure to find a buyer, and Mike Ashley’s decision to take the club off the market for a second time because of a lack of viable interest.

Since then, thanks to results on the pitch, Ashley has been able to muddle along relatively hassle-free, even if he attends Newcastle’s games knowing he will have to listen to repeated calls for his departure, as well as grief about his weight from supporters who will probably never forgive him for some of the blunders he has made as the club’s owner.