32
GO ON YOUR WAY ACCORDINGLY
BY MARC CORBY
One of the most annoying traits some of the
Newcastle United supporters have is a tendency
to pick and focus on a scapegoat on the pitch
when the going gets tough but also an apparent
obsession of venting fury at the players who
have walked away and been branded a ‘Judas’.
Now don’t get me wrong, Michael Owen
could arguably be our most hated opposition player
in recent memory when he returned with Man Utd
in April 2011, and rightly so. But without wanting
to run the rule over all who lefts God’s Country, the
most surprising was listening to a growing number
of fans who, over the years, are taking some sort of
satisfaction in Shay Given’s rapid fall from grace
since departing NE1 in January 2009. Have we
really fallen that far that some are interested in
slating a man who left the club almost 5 years ago
but ultimately served us so well?
“
Let’s face facts; Shay
Given spat his
dummy out once in
almost 12 full
seasons at the club. . .
”
Let’s face facts; Shay Given spat his dummy out
once in almost 12 full seasons at the club when he
slapped in a transfer request in retaliation to Sir
Bobby’s preference towards Steve Harper midway
through the 2000-01 season. 10 years later, he was
seen to be doing the same at Man City when Joe
Hart claimed the gloves. Surely this shows a man
who isn’t around to pick up his wages and simply
wants to play every game possible?
Always the model pro (let’s not forget he
was always going to be sold once the right offer
came in) not once did he rise to the almost annual
speculation that Arsenal were looking for a new
keeper. As discontent grew around him resulting in
a simple request for Mike As