Newcastle United's current obsession with building their future around exuberant youth is a brave if risky policy, and it may be rewarded. The club has this summer bought in the outrageous talent of an 18-year-old Dutch young master, Sean Steur, along with Matias Fernandez-Pardo (21), and two 20-year-olds, Aladji Bamba and Baz Toure, to bolster Lewis Hall at 20, Tino Livramento and Will Osula. A creche has been called for, and rusks on the pre-match menu.
Such a swing may not replicate the Busby Babes or Manchester United's Class of 92, but it prompted a Newcastle fan to make contact and ask, given that I've reported on NUFC for the last 60 years, which youngsters I've witnessed burst onto the scene with blazing promise only to fail to reach the promised land in Geordie black and white.
High-Profile Exits: Gascoigne and Anderson
If looking at the high-profile end of the spectrum, the most obvious two are Paul Gascoigne and Elliot Anderson, who bookend many colourful years. Our Dunston daredevil was sacrificed before Gazzamania gripped the nation during Italia 90 and remained with us during an outpouring of genius and mayhem in equal measure.
Anderson, another Geordie of limitless potential, was hurriedly sold off to comply with 'fair play' rules and went on via Nottingham Forest to become a £116m superstar with Manchester City and England, his price possibly going on to reach £130m after add-ons. Oh what we could have done with Gazza and Elliot here in their pomp.
Sudden Sacrifices and Career-Ending Injuries
Further down the scale is the case of Alan Suddick, an outrageous talent before Gazza brought his tomfoolery into play. Suddy once nipped behind a defensive wall as United were about to take a free-kick and caused mayhem by pulling down the shorts of a defender in the middle of the row! He was naturally loved by the crowd because he had the tricks and the flicks that only the talented dare try to perform, yet Joe Harvey, faced with a growing threat in October 1966, controversially sacrificed Suddick to Blackpool and bought three players with his record £63,000 fee - John McNamee, Tommy Robson and Dave Elliott. United survived their relegation fight and went on to win their only ever European trophy, which unquestionably justifies Harvey's brave decision. Suddy became a legend by the sea.
Talking of the European Fairs Cup brings me nicely on to another unfulfilled talent at SJP. Geoff Allen was literally sensational in United's first European tie in their history against the might of Feyenoord here, sparking a 4-0 victory. Our Rotterdam visitors were to go on to win the European Cup within four years. However, Geoff, who is Elliot Anderson's grandfather of course, was badly injured shortly afterwards, ironically playing against Nottingham Forest where Elliot ended up, and his career was over at the age of 23 after just 26 appearances in all competitions.
Ray Hudson: From Gateshead to American Stardom
Perhaps the ultimate young man of blessed ability to sink out of sight without ever making it in this country was Ray Hudson. Rocky, as he was nicknamed by the fans, was a Gateshead kid with more tricks than a magician and played even less games than Allen before he was shunted off to America. The Yanks were looking for flamboyance to sell the game to a gullible public back in the late seventies, and Rocky blossomed playing against the likes of Pele, George Best, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Muller. He became a star amongst superstars performing for such big clubs as Fort Lauderdale Strikers and Tampa Bay Rowdies before moving on to a broadcasting career which, with his broad Geordie accent and whacky way with words, turned him into a cult figure.
All five of the players I've mentioned - Gazza, Anderson, Suddick, Allen and Hudson - were local lads who loved NUFC regardless of their destiny. I hope the likes of Sean Steur and Lewis Miley make it as big as Gazza and Elliot Anderson but in black and white stripes, while no one deserves the dreadful luck of Geoff Allen or having to travel as far as Rocky Hudson to gain recognition.
Tommy Robson's Legacy Honoured with Statue
Tommy Robson was a Gateshead lad who not only helped save Newcastle United from relegation as I mentioned above but then linked with Wyn Davies to propel the Mags into the European Fairs Cup which they went on to win. However, it was with another United - Peterborough - that Robson became a legend. And thankfully, after six long years of fundraising, the target of £140,000 has been achieved to ensure that a bronze statue will be unveiled outside the club's stadium next year.
It took so long because literally everyone from the Ordinary Joe to Barry Fry and Ron Atkinson, two of football's golden oldies with a sackload of hilarious stories, were needed to raise the funds and honour our Geordie. A legend? How about this - Tommy, a left winger, scored a massive 128 goals over 559 Posh appearances in a 13-season spell at the club between 1969 and 1981. He was the first inductee into Peterborough's Hall of Fame, and was awarded the freedom of the city just before he sadly passed away at aged 76 in October 2020 following a short battle with motor neurone disease.
One of the great joys of working in football is the lifelong friendships you forge, and Tommy, who I first got to know when he signed for us, remained a true pal for the rest of his life. We talked regularly even in his retirement, and I know how proud he would have been to get a statue erected at his beloved Posh.
