Are Geordies Singing the Right Song

How long is it exactly that Graeme Souness has been ‘on the brink’? How big is this ‘brink’ anyway? And when he eventually gets off it, sooner or later, will it be by dismissal or through the working of a miracle?

After a home defeat to Blackburn engineered by an infringement of the laws which went unnoticed and therefore unpunished, there were the inevitable demonstrations from passionate fans tormented by long years of depression and driven by sheer frustration to call for the usual prescription.

The question is, are they singing the wrong song? If (or perhaps when) their chants of “Souness out!” have the desired effect, will the fortunes of their beloved Newcastle United improve?

History is not on their side. Consider the facts. Newcastle have not won a trophy for a very long time. What they have had is a lot of managers, particularly in recent years. But the bewildering succession of managers has not brought the ‘silverware’ they crave; neither has it been matched by frequent changes in the office of chairman. How many of those managers were appointed by the current chairman? And if they are all failures, how can he be judged a success?

Is it possible that Newcastle’s loyal fans are calling out the wrong name?