The club website writes:

“The board would like to place on record their thanks to Chris for his considerable efforts during the club’s transition from Championship to Premier League football. Chris has shown exceptional character and commitment since being appointed manager in October 2009. The club wishes him well for the future.

“Regrettably the board now feels that an individual with more managerial experience is needed to take the club forward. The task of appointing a new manager now begins. An announcement will be made shortly regarding transitional arrangements pending the appointment of a successor.”

Ashley swings his axe yet gain but he didn’t exactly do Hughton any favours by clouding his future with the talk of contract extension negotiations. Hughton’s tenure has been a little inconsistent at times, winning high profile games against Chelsea and Arsenal but losing miserably against mid-table fodder.

So bets are on! Who would like to take this now poisoned chalice of a job? I personally would hopefully like to get in Martin O’Neil but he’s rejected the post before I’m sure. You never know but what we need now is a minor Christmas miracle to get a decent manager.

We host Chelsea this coming weekend and Ancellotti isn’t the only one looking to get out of a glut of poor results. If we lose Williamson as well, Hughton will have to make do without two key defenders and hoping that Steven Taylor may have to return. We may even get to see the under-used Sol Campbell who hasn’t really seen any action of note.

The least said about the game on Saturday the better. Bolton were able to run the game comfortably and despite the Carroll goal, it was a bad day for the team.

Hopefully, with Chelsea’s own poor form and uncertainties, we can take advantage of  of this and get a point or three.

UPDATE: Mike Williamson has been charged with violent conduct against Bolton striker Johan Elmander. The off-the-ball- incident was reviewed by Howard Webb. Williamson has until 6pm today to contest the charge otherwise he faces an automatic three match suspension.

Chris Hughton has been under some unnecessary pressure due to some recent poor home results. Thanks to the Southern press, the media began to speculate about his future given the club’s past. I reckon it seemed to them like a good story to them.  This was all followed by the club board announcing that contract negotiations will take place in the New Year. This is a tougher league and as a newly promoted club there are bound to be some results that disappoint. Hughton has demonstrated that he can think clearly under pressure over the last fortnight – It’s a difficult call to say whether or not Hughton will deliver Newcastle trophies in the next few years. What we’ve got in a manager in Hughton is clearly a person who the players want to play for but there is an unknown factor in Hughton. He’s a much better manager than Joe Kinnear and Roeder for sure but he’s very much on a learning curve in the Premiership.

The next match would be much tougher prospect with Arsenal. We all know the Carling cup result was a minor disaster and we’ll be certainly watching Theo Walcott much more closely. But hopefully with our highest profile players on the pitch we’ll be able to give them a much better game.

Take today for instance. 4,000 fans gathered to watch what was going to be a decisive match in Hughton’s faulting Premiership career. Was he ever in danger of the overhanging axe being swung? Well, that’s what a London paper said. I wasn’t so sure when I read the headline myself. Hughton is not even in the same space as Hodgson for instance. If there ever was a game where Hughton could answer any criticism it was probably this game, but he was helped by a team that imploded after the Nolan equaliser goal in the first half. Again, we had to come back and although it says something about our spirit and determination for a result, we’ll definitely be cut short against teams of a better depth and strength. We do not want to be in the same situation next weekend for sure.

After  having the indignity of going to court for assault charges, Andy Carroll is still an unknown factor for today’s match. However, Carroll produced a display that would re-open talk about an England place again. He ran into space and tricked and weaved through the Hammers defence. Scoring what was the winning goal from another fine delivery from Barton was icing on the cake for Carroll and dispelled some of the disappointment of the week’s events. He’s nowhere near out of the woods yet but it’s a start.

Another special mention should go to Joey Barton, who did an amazing job as provider for both goals.

Hughton certainly mindful of tiring out his starting eleven for the gruelling Premiership schedule. So off came, Carroll, Barton and Enrique and on came Ranger, Ameobi and Ferguson. Making his debut was Sol Campbell, who is fully fit after making a welcomed transfer into the squad this summer.

Things looked like it was going to be one of those nights when Patrick Van Aanholt bagged a goal within 6 minutes. Goals from Ryan Taylor and Nile Ranger soon followed making the scoreline 2-1 to us by half time. Chelsea began the fight back soon after with Anelka scoring a brace. One goal coming from a penalty which looked more like a leisurely kick which completely wrong-footed Krul. The hero of the match, Shola Ameobi, managed to get us back level. By then Chelsea were down to 10 men due to them using all their subs up and giving us a slight advantage. It took an injury time header from Ameobi to make sure that we progressed through to the fourth round of the Carling Cup.

What an amazing achievement from the team. I’m not sure Ancelotti will be having any sleepless nights by losing this match but the significance of winning means a whole lot more to the Hughton and the lads. I’m not sure that taking Carling cup is on the agenda  for Hughton given our task in the Premiership but this victory serves as a reminder that with a little bit of belief, Newcastle can reach some pretty big heights.

Football betting with Totesport – You can bet on the latest Carling cup odds with live in-match betting options.

Well, the unpredictablity of football is what keeps us fans on edge and playing the Toffees on their prime hunting ground wasn’t exactly going to be a stroll. This kind of makes the result even more sensationally. We had not won at Goodison for 9 years!

On the downside, we lost Harper to injury having been taken down by former target signing, Jermaine Beckford. On came Krul, who I think is more than capable between the sticks. Talk of bringing back Shay on loan is nonsense. For a start he’s not interested in being a loan signing at all given his ambitions.

We got two very tough matches ahead of us. The Carling cup will probably be a write-off with Chelsea easily being the best club in Prem. I’m not sure Hughton or fans expect us to seriously carry a Carling cup campaign. Stoke on the weekend will be tough. Stoke are a good side and they’ve attracted some good players so never good to underestimate them.

Speaking on the official site, Carroll said:

“I had my chance, and I should have put it away. We had a few other chances as well, and we could have been ahead.

“But overall, I thought we did well. We knew it was going to be difficult, and it was, but for the first 35 minutes we did well.

“We kept the ball well and didn’t let them do what they wanted to do. Then the first goal went in and they took control.”

It was great effort but unfortunately the finish wasn’t there. We know players in the squad like Carroll will deliver when it comes to Sunday and beyond. This Man Utd game is far from being the defining point of the season. It was always going to be a massive battle at Old Trafford to get the first goal but utlimately Berbatov managed the first goal. Not many teams have the honour of  beating Man Utd at home.

However, it does expose our fragility which would concern Hughton and not to mention Ashley. Perhaps a couple of new names on the roster wouldn’t be amiss particularly when we have a bit of an injury issue in areas across the team. Let’s see what Hughton’s next move shall be.

“There isn’t anything. We are aware of the speculation and that he has been linked to us but he is very much a Marseille player. There hasn’t been any direct contact.”

I’m not sure why rumours weren’t stumped out earlier. This transfer story seems like its been around for months now.

Speaking at Sky News, Hughton added:

“We have said all along that we need to boost the squad but it is difficult,” he added.

“It’s not only us that have found it difficult, it’s finding the right players and the right values.

“We know how difficult this league will be and we need to be ready for it.”

Well, there you have it, Arfa is not coming to Newcastle.

However, conflicting messages from Marseille aren’t helping with club president Jean-Claude Dassier, saying talks are still ongoing. We hope that the deal will be signed off soon so we can get this promising player into the squad. However, on the downside, he does have a fiery temperament which has landed him in several disputes with the current manager at Marseille. But Hughton has to deal with two temperamental players already and fans will hope Hughton can bring out the best of this emerging talent whenever Arfa kick starts his Newcastle career.

Other news elsewhere suggest Nile Ranger maybe put on loan. Often used as a sub, the forward scored four times last season. He looks likely to head off to the other newly promoted club, Blackpool.

UPDATE: Afraid it ain’t happening

Yesterday, Sol Campbell joined our ranks and his signing was made even more important for us with this news of Taylor’s setback

Elsewhere, Tim Krul has pledged another  four years of service to Newcastle. Steve Harper continues to provide solid service between the sticks but Krul has been something special as well for making some superb quick reactionary saves for the team.

There’s quite an interesting article here
about Newcastle’s chances and this article summises that we are well positioned to finish in the top half this season. Personally, I think this season will be tough and with the unwelcomed dark cloud of injuries again hanging over the team, it could be tougher. Hughton is right to strengthen the side with what transfer kitty was given to him and if Newcastle finish in the top 10, I’d be delighted.

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