At the turn of the year things looked pretty rosy for the North East's two Premier League clubs, but two transfer requests have done untold damage to regional morale, writes Stuart Rayner.
THEY say January is the most depressing month of the year for British people, and it could hardly have been much worse for fans of Newcastle United and Sunderland.
They were shaken out of their post-Christmas slumbers by humiliating FA Cup defeats by lower league sides, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. Far, far more demoralising to the region’s footballing psyche was the news that their star players had headed for the hills after handing in transfer requests.
On New Year’s Day both clubs had talismanic figures leading their lines and their goalscoring charts. As Fabio Capello revamped his England squad after the 2010 World Cup, it seemed Andy Carroll and Darren Bent had key parts to play in the Three Lions’ future. But they were absolutely fundamental to their clubs’ presents, not only for their talent but their apparent dedication to the cause.
Bent was the southerner won over by the North East’s charm and footballing culture, Carroll the local boy wearing the shirt of his dreams. You could compile their quotes together in a brochure and save the region’s tourist boards a job. They have a hollow ring.
It was supposed to be a pretty uneventful transfer window in the footballing hotbed, but it proved anything but. Certainly both managers were caught on the hop.
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce went into it predicting little movement. He had his eye on a couple of loan signings to bolster the squad, but with the purse strings tightened, clearing out the squad’s dead wood was his most pressing job. His Newcastle counterpart, Alan Pardew, had much loftier aims. For him the pain will be that much greater.
Pardew had been the Magpies’ manager a matter of hours before he told the Press how good he was at twisting chairmen’s arms to get transfer funds. He knew his squad was too thin, and had his eyes on a couple of additions. But that was assuming no major departures.
Even then, Carroll’s name topped the agenda. Young, English, hugely talented and a prolific striker to boot, the then-21-year-old was the identikit of a dream target for this country’s top clubs. Pardew knew the questions that were coming.
“When I arrived (to join as manager) after some of the negotiations were done on the telephone, one of my first questions was ‘is he staying?’, because he is absolutely important,” Pardew revealed at his official unveiling. “I was reassured he has just signed a new contract and he is staying.
“That is absolutely brilliant news for Newcastle fans, because he really does look like he can carry that (number nine) shirt. I think you have seen in the past not everyone is able to do that.
“The fact he is a local boy and has a certain je ne sais quoi bodes well.
“He is somebody the Toon Army loves, and I guarantee while I am here he will be here.”
