Tractor-Boys.com

Newcastle United v Ipswich Town



Saturday 26th April 2025 – 15:00


St James Park







Pre-Match Thoughts - Mike

If things go as expected this weekend it will confirm our swift return to the Championship for next season. While it's never easy to accept relegation at any time it has to be said that it has looked inevitable for some time now and when taking into account the strides we have made over the Two previous seasons it is fair to say many expected it before a ball was kicked this campaign. The manner in which we have ultimately failed in our goal for the season can maybe be questioned in some quarters but there is no doubt whatsoever that people at the club will be hurting and some ego's and pride will have taken a huge knock.

Of course as has been mentioned numerous times it is not the games against the Arsenal's & Newcastle's etc that are the reason we are going down, defeats in these type of games were always likely and expected, we all know where we perhaps should really have done much better and where we let wins and points slip through our fingers.

For me personally I am embracing the fact that we are once again about to do battle at a level where we can compete, where we will almost certainly be far more entertained and where our team will be One of the "big boys" with high expectation and a target on our backs, this is where Kieran McKenna will excel, on the assumption of course that he will still be with us which does look likely as things stand. I genuinely do see this set back as a positive in our process, our success happened too quickly and the pressure on the entire club from top to bottom was way too much in the toughest of Football Leagues anywhere in the world. We now have the infrastructure in place that have aligned with our excellent owners, what we need now is to grow on the Football side of things at a pace which is sensible and sustainable for seasons to come, I believe going back to the Championship for a season can only help this and enhance or chances of survival next time around.

Getting back to the Football side of things, I missed the home defeat against Arsenal but from what I have seen and read we barely laid a glove on them throughout it's entirety and at times it appears it resembled a training session for the Arsenal players, zero shots on target kinda says it all really. Of course the Red card handed to Leif Davis for a stupid challenge did little to help the cause but it probably would have made little difference as with many games this season when it comes to defending we have often been missing Davis even when he is on the field.

A trip to Newcastle is probably not where I would have chosen to have relegation confirmed, what with the Bobby Robson connection and the fact they put us to the sword in embarrassing fashion at Portman Road earlier in the season, this could we go horribly wrong should they score early doors, it is going to be tough enough for the boys knowing what the likely scenario is going to be come 4.50pm, heads will be down, tears will probably flow but our incredible fans will know doubt let them know that despite everything we are, and always will be so very proud of everyone of them for giving their all against all the odds week after week.

We just have to get through this game and then Four more before we can all reset and look ahead to a very interesting Summer and better times for sure, financially we are sound as a club and we have a great club, a club to be very proud of again. Keep the faith, stay behind the boys and see what happens. COYB'S.



The Opposition – Newcastle United - Honours


League


First Division / Premier League

Champions: 1904–05, 1906–07, 1908–09, 1926–27
Runners-up: 1995–96, 1996–97

Second Division / First Division / Championship

Champions: 1964–65, 1992–93, 2009–10, 2016–17
Runners-up: 1897–98, 1947–48


Cup


FA Cup

Winners: 1909–10, 1923–24, 1931–32, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1954–55
Runners-up: 1904–05, 1905–06, 1907–08, 1910–11, 1973–74, 1997–98, 1998–99

Football League Cup / EFL Cup

Runners-up: 1975–76, 2022–23

FA Charity Shield

Winners: 1909
Runners-up: 1932, 1951, 1952, 1955, 1996

Inter-Cities Fairs Cup

Winners: 1968–69



The Manager – Eddie Howe









League Table as at 23.04.2025








Form Guide




Newcastle United



2 Apr Newcastle Utd 2 - 1 Brentford

7 Apr Leicester City 0 - 3 Newcastle Utd

13 Apr Newcastle Utd 4 - 1 Manchester Utd

16 Apr Newcastle Utd 5 - 0 Crystal Palace

19 Apr Aston Villa 4 - 1 Newcastle Utd





Ipswich Town



15 Mar Ipswich Town 2 - 4 Nottm Forest

2 Apr Bournemouth 1 - 2 Ipswich Town

5 Apr Ipswich Town 1 - 2 Wolverhampton

13 Apr Chelsea 2 - 2 Ipswich Town

20 Apr Ipswich Town 0 - 4 Arsenal





Head to Head







Match Referee – Michael Salisbury







NEWCASTLE UNITED 2 IPSWICH TOWN 1

I had 4-0 in my head until the level of our
injuries was revealed, now I'm upping it by 2more goals to 6-0 .... can't see anything else happening tbh . But I'll be in the rafters singing my head off COYBS

Must be a back four with O Shea at RB and greaves at LB?

Four cb’s but I can’t see who would play the other full back role otherwise- ie Johnson as one.

Must be 4231

Yep, that's how I see it too.

Says it all that Godfrey can't even get a game today, shocking signing.

4:4:1:1 According to the submitted team sheet with Enciso lined up behind Delap.

Sam Morsy needs to calm down or we’re likely to end up playing with 10 men. I like his passion but he really needs better discipline and self control.

Another useless tw*t picking up a Red

Charnwood wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 26, 2025 3:31 pm

Sam Morsy needs to calm down or we’re likely to end up playing with 10 men. I like his passion but he really needs better discipline and self control.

I don't think it's Morsy you need to worry about

10 men Town it is but not without Morsy, instead it’s Johnson who’s got himself stupidly sent off for a second totally unnecessary yellow card albeit his first yellow was more than harsh. I feel pissed off forJack Clarke who once again has his afternoon curtailed to make way for a defensive substitution to fill the gap created by Johnson’s sending off.

What the f*ck was Enciso thinking, our discipline is appalling

No way was that an obvious error by the referee and in my opinion another VAR error. Whilst we probably don’t deserve it we should still have 11 players on the pitch and still be level at half time.

Well that was entertaining. Not ideal but entertaining.

With this card happy referee and our lack of self discipline we could well lose Morsy and Delap in the second half. I can’t believe the yellows he gave to Burns and Delap they were both ridiculous. Very poor officiating in my opinion.

Poor goalkeeping by Palmer this afternoon too. He was lucky when he got the benefit of the doubt for their disallowed opener and having gone the right way for their penalty he should probably saved that too.

Will not miss days like this one iota.

Listening and like many occasions, we have a bright start, but a dubious decision and a sheer imbalance of quality and we're done, again.

Don’t you just have to love our travelling fans. A real credit to our football club unlike so many of our snow flakes who’ve only joined in since McKenna’s arrival and never stop moaning. Hopefully many of these will disappear next season.

Thank god that's the end of this sh*te, just Four more games to suffer.

Bluemike wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 26, 2025 5:27 pm

Thank god that's the end of this sh*te, just Four more games to suffer.

All your attention on being a Stranraer fan next week, Mike?

Charnwood wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 26, 2025 5:06 pm

Don’t you just have to love our travelling fans. A real credit to our football club unlike so many of our snow flakes who’ve only joined in since McKenna’s arrival and never stop moaning. Hopefully many of these will disappear next season.

Yeah fair play - nice scenes at the end.

marko69 wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 26, 2025 5:38 pm

Bluemike wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 26, 2025 5:27 pm

Thank god that's the end of this sh*te, just Four more games to suffer.

All your attention on being a Stranraer fan next week, Mike?

Stranraer?!! STRANRAER?!!

Jerry - my angina…

marko69 wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 26, 2025 5:38 pm

Bluemike wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 26, 2025 5:27 pm

Thank god that's the end of this sh*te, just Four more games to suffer.

All your attention on being a Stranraer fan next week, Mike?

Well seeing as we can't do it ourselves then yes I guess we need Stranraer to do us a favour, we just keep bottling it

shabba wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 26, 2025 5:40 pm

marko69 wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 26, 2025 5:38 pm

Bluemike wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 26, 2025 5:27 pm

Thank god that's the end of this sh*te, just Four more games to suffer.

All your attention on being a Stranraer fan next week, Mike?

Stranraer?!! STRANRAER?!!

Jerry - my angina…

Peter Kay, always a laugh.

Bluemike wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 26, 2025 6:03 pm

marko69 wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 26, 2025 5:38 pm

Bluemike wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 26, 2025 5:27 pm

Thank god that's the end of this sh*te, just Four more games to suffer.

All your attention on being a Stranraer fan next week, Mike?

Well seeing as we can't do it ourselves then yes I guess we need Stranraer to do us a favour, we just keep bottling it

Bonnyrigg being poor all season then getting 6 from 6 past two games is a bit of a kick in the nads to Loons fans. Yep, they should’ve been doing better, but still ——>> Typical.
And they’re all fkn jambos, Bonnyrigg fans.

I just hope we get through the last four games without getting thumped.

Well, rhat was another thumping defeat, wasn't it. Having witnessed it first hand, I can say Town, whilst having to defend in depth in that first half, were actually performing well up until the once again dubious yellow card
(Johnson), and the once again ridiculous referring and VAR decisions that always go against " lil ole Ipswich". Yes Johnson was always going to see a 2nd yellow/ red for his " tackle" on the Newcastle player. But the first yellow should never have been given. These two incidents, changed the course of the game. Up until then, Newcastle huffed snd puffed and Palmer didn't really seem to have a lot to do. But down to 10 men, the game was effectively over for us on the stroke of half time. "Thanks" officials, once again, you corrupt bunch of to ssas....

I will say what a wonderful stadium St James Park is, and how friendly the Toon army are. They were actually applauding us Town fans through the game in response to our, once again, magnificent support. I had so many Newcastle fans come up to me before and after the gane saying " yous, will come straight back up".

When reflecting on Town in yet another PL game, it's fair to say, although we defended by and large reasonably well, as an attacking force we were none existent. Our midfield is lightweight, and non existent. Consequently our defence has little protection just in front if them. There is next to no link up play / support between defence and the front line, so hardly surprising we rarely manage a cross into the opposition box. McKenna's insistence on deploying just 2 midfielders is in my view now laughable. We are overrun every single week. Yet still he doesnt change his tactic. I can't be even bothered to comment any more of his forward line tactic.

So we now look to championship footie next season. I can't wait!

hallamblue wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 27, 2025 7:42 am

When reflecting on Town in yet another PL game, it's fair to say, although we defended by and large reasonably well, as an attacking force we were none existent. Our midfield is lightweight, and non existent. Consequently our defence has little protection just in front if them. There is next to no link up play / support between defence and the front line, so hardly surprising we rarely manage a cross into the opposition box. McKenna's insistence on deploying just 2 midfielders is in my view now laughable. We are overrun every single week. Yet still he doesnt change his tactic. I can't be even bothered to comment any more of his forward line tactic.

Totally understand you not being bothered to comment on here about the management, Hallam but if I was a local ITFC fan and was like you (and a few others on here) ——>> i’d make it a priority to get along to an AGM and have my questions aired. I’ve been to a few Hibernian AGM’s , late 90s early 00’s to ask particular questions.
If there is a chance of a Mash-Mess Q&A any time soon, go along there and ask the Messiah why his tictacs are a mess! Get it off your chest. He may add some much needed clarity on the entire season.

I’d be trying to make that a priority before a ball is kicked next season.

And to all supporters who offer “you’ll bounce back next season” —->> , aye ok then! There is being nice yes, but there is also being nice by NOT offering that BS.
To be honest, a TOON fan saying, “Wi Aye mun, you’ll be in the Championship fur a gid few years now like” would be way more acceptable. In my opinion of course. Honesty is better than patronising shyte!!

Did McKenna pick a different start formation yesterday than usual, had to do a damn double-take. Still too overly defensive to trouble any real opposition. No surprise we failed to score. Although by now it's all kind of immaterial.

Not relief the relegation issue is over, just a feeling of intense disappointment. You wait 20 plus years to make a return and for the most part it's been garbage. Highlights and good points have been very few and far between and then some.

See a number of our players for this were reduced to sub roles or bench duty when ideally should have featured but its nothing new. May have been a slight change start line up but as before it was always going to provide a disadvantage when going for goals. Too defensive, not enough emphasis on going forward, McKenna's done great at lower league for us but the same system was always destined to fail at the highest level.

Poor season, too easily picked off by opposition teams. Bottom line being we just haven't been good enough to compete with the best. Was hoping back in August to have made something more of it but what can you do.

Just watched the highlights, unfortunately. I don’t usually comment on Refs, but he was atrocious! Not saying we would have gotten anything from the match, but the Ref ruined it. As if Newcastle needed any help ffs!

It’s all water under the bridge now, but we’ve definitely been treated with bias from match officials.

Looking forward to next season!