Will the Newcastle United members turn up for this AFC Wimbledon match? I think not | OneFootball

Since the Newcastle United takeover we see so many articles on various platforms talking about ticket allocation/ballots for both home and away games.

Indeed, there is a bit of of a divide now as opinions differ, the very eloquent Tony M commented on one such article, something along the lines of ‘you didn’t watch us when we were bobbins but now you want a ticket’, I found this comment quite amusing but also in many ways quite accurate.

Well next week all those Newcastle United members who have been unfortunate to miss out on ballots etc should get their opportunity, as the Wombles visit St James’ Park in a hastily rearranged fixture due to issues with their own Plough Lane ground.

So next Tuesday, St James’ Park will be bouncing, it will be full, as fans (Newcastle United members) who can’t normally get a ticket will be clamouring to attend… or will they?

This rearranged fixture has created a bit of an attendance subplot.

If all the Newcastle United members who have missed out on ballots for Premier League matches apply again, then we will have a full stadium.

Or will the reality kick in that this is not Liverpool, or Man Utd et al, but the lowly not so attractive Wimbledon treading on the hallowed SJP turf.

Maybe the demand won’t be so high from these Newcastle United members / fans and just the original bobbin watchers will attend.

It will still be a healthy attendance but I have feeling that the sold out signs won’t go up for this one.

Hopefully I am proved wrong.

The last time we played Wimbledon in a cup game at SJP was in February 1988 and it was memorable for the wrong (or right ) reasons, as at full-time and after an unexpected but disappointing defeat, our enigmatically unpredictable Brazillian Centre Forward Mirandinha sprinted a full 30 yards to boot future Newcastle United goalkeeper Dave Beasant up the backside… before making a hasty departure. Realising he had not just annoyed Big Dave but Vinnie Jones had also taken exception and was intent on retribution.

Historically, games against Wimbledon could be entertaining, who could ever forget the aforementioned Vinnie Jones going in goal and playing the comedy villain at the Gallowgate end as he made a few saves despite us scoring six.

Anyway, back to the matter in hand, it is a real opportunity for fans who don’t normally go to attend and maybe take your kids to their first game. In my day, although attendances were healthy, my dad just tipped the gateman and I went in over the turnstile, I was hooked after game one and have been ever since despite being mostly a bobbin watcher for many decades.

Back to on pitch matters and Saturday is an opportunity to put right the wrongs of last Saturday, Man City have their own issues, but as they have a £100 million player in virtually every position I can’t see them being too worried.

However, last few times we have given them a good game up here and I fully expect the team and of course the crowd to be fully up for this one and go after them from the start.

I am not going to say who should or should not be playing, we all have opinions, but only one matters and that is Eddie Howe’s.

This is one I am looking forward to, as I really do think we will have a positive reaction. The soothsayers will point out something is wrong and Joe Bloggs’ attitude is not right. I point out that when we do click we can beat anyone and the next few weeks we have some challenging fixtures, so if in the top six in half a dozen games time it will be very positive for us to kick on.

The only downside to Saturday’s fixture is the kick-off time, I hate the early kick-offs as it means being in the pub from before 10am, this invariably means more than the necessary daily intake of alcohol, or sloping off early. Either way, it’s an unhealthy Sunday morning dog walk before starting again.