Sorry, that’s all in the past. Newcastle have finally forgotten that banner and are still our mates in a pact against the Big Clubs. Not that there’s anything Big about Newcastle, except perhaps their sense of self-importance. The last time they won a domestic trophy, or indeed any trophy that hasn’t since been scrapped, Anthony Eden was Prime Minister, McDonald’s had opened their first franchise three weeks earlier and Perez ‘Prez’ Prado and his Orchestra were number one in the hit parade*.

Walking up to the away end will burn off some of the Christmas over-eating and you’re so high up you’ll very likely see Santa & his reindeer arriving back at the North Pole. They’ve got the sort of owners who think Manchester City are poor, they’ve spent loads and they’re still Newcastle. Unbelievably Matt Targett is still on their wage bill, probably because he won’t leave considering the money he’s on. I doubt he’ll be playing against us and if you think we did well out of that deal remember they sold us Habib Baye. Their manager used to be the youngest in the Football League. That was a long time ago.

Last season we went here on the opening day, Tyrone Mings got injured and we came second, sharing six goals. Despite getting battered that well-known judge of football Alex Ferguson said we were a team to watch. He always was astute. We’ve got a crap record there and on Boxing Days on the past. Add all this together and it’s another guaranteed three points, but the weather won.t be any better than it was last season. It never is in Newcastle.