Sussex on Leith
New member
FWIW, I've "followed" (as distinct from "supported") Newcastle for the past 20+ years, having grown up in Newcastle and with a sister and flatmate who are both lifelong toon fans. I would be surprised but extremely chuffed if he came to the Albion.
When he was younger, I always had him down as a poor man's Bobby Z - especially when he was often inexplicably picked ahead of Bobby for England U21s. Talented, but no close control, average finisher and too easily knocked off the ball. But over the past few years, he's built up his strength - to the point that he's now an absolute beast - and turned himself into exactly the kind of hold-up striker that we need to support CMS (assuming he stays).
His finishing and close control have also improved out of sight. Overall scoring record looks average, but bear in mind he's more often than not been on the bench, as he was never going to displace Shearer, Carroll, Cisse etc. Newcastle fans will always love him for his 100% commitment and welcome tendency to score against S*nderland, but they wouldn't be too gutted if he left, as they'd expect the club to set its sights higher after the season they've just had.
My dad (a Newcastle-based Albion fan) has spent the summer telling me we should sign Shola, and I've spent the summer telling him yes he'd be ideal, but that we've got no chance. I don't have any reason to think that we suddenly do have a chance, but I'd be chuffed to bits if it did happen. I suspect Newcastle would sell at the right price - would fit in with their wider transfer policy of buying young, cheap and foreign, and selling more established players to free up cash - but am doubtful whether Shola would be too keen to move so far south - like Steve Harper before him, he's Newcastle through and through and would find it a wrench to move to a city 350 miles away, especially if it meant dropping a division.
If it really is on the cards though, no doubt KLL will be nagging him to come down and get on the end of a few of his crosses.
(Looking back, that's a lot of words to devote to a random twitter rumour. So I'll shut up now.)
When he was younger, I always had him down as a poor man's Bobby Z - especially when he was often inexplicably picked ahead of Bobby for England U21s. Talented, but no close control, average finisher and too easily knocked off the ball. But over the past few years, he's built up his strength - to the point that he's now an absolute beast - and turned himself into exactly the kind of hold-up striker that we need to support CMS (assuming he stays).
His finishing and close control have also improved out of sight. Overall scoring record looks average, but bear in mind he's more often than not been on the bench, as he was never going to displace Shearer, Carroll, Cisse etc. Newcastle fans will always love him for his 100% commitment and welcome tendency to score against S*nderland, but they wouldn't be too gutted if he left, as they'd expect the club to set its sights higher after the season they've just had.
My dad (a Newcastle-based Albion fan) has spent the summer telling me we should sign Shola, and I've spent the summer telling him yes he'd be ideal, but that we've got no chance. I don't have any reason to think that we suddenly do have a chance, but I'd be chuffed to bits if it did happen. I suspect Newcastle would sell at the right price - would fit in with their wider transfer policy of buying young, cheap and foreign, and selling more established players to free up cash - but am doubtful whether Shola would be too keen to move so far south - like Steve Harper before him, he's Newcastle through and through and would find it a wrench to move to a city 350 miles away, especially if it meant dropping a division.
If it really is on the cards though, no doubt KLL will be nagging him to come down and get on the end of a few of his crosses.
(Looking back, that's a lot of words to devote to a random twitter rumour. So I'll shut up now.)
