Bad day at the Blaydon Races

So the Toon are down and taken the Smoggies with them (and the Baggies from last week) down to "The Championship" or Division 2 as we used to know it back in the days before Sky TV's blanket coverage of football. It's strange to think that a whole generation of kids have grown up thinking that the way things are today is the norm.

They see Manchester United battling it out with Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool for the league title as the way things have always been. The truth is that Liverpool have been a spent force for most of the last 20 years, Chelsea are a recent money funded phenomenon and Arsenal have always been there or thereabouts for a long, time time.

This brings me to the subject of Manchester United. Currently reigning World Club, European (until next week) and English Champions. Holders of the Carling (League Cup) and until they were defeated by "plucky" (why are well organised, less well funded teams always plucky?) Everton, were on course for a possible clean sweep of every competition they entered at the start of the season.

It hasn't always been that way ...

League Champions - Leeds United (third title in their history and came only 2 years after promotion back to the top Division in English football)
FA Cup Winners - Liverpool
League Cup Winners - Manchester United (first time in their history)
European Champions - Barcelona (the classic final vs Sampdoria)
World Club Champions - Sao Paulo

That was only 17 years ago ...

But let's go back to the poor Geordies. They haven't won anything since 1955, they have resorted to Alan Shearer, a legend in anyone's eyes and yet despite all the effort, desire of the 52,000 who regularly attend St. James' Park, they lost at Villa Park and so were consigned back to the Second Division.

They become a less attractive proposition to sponsors, less attractive to ambitious players and of course a lower earner in terms of tv fees, entrance fees and merchandising. In truth it becomes harder for them to buy their way out of the trouble the find themselves in. Being a supporter of Leeds United, I can understand their frustration. One way or the other, I can see our two teams meeting in season 2010-11. Let's hope it's in the Championship. It's a long way back my friends ...