Current crop could learn from United true heroes

May 31 2009 by Steve Brown, Sunday Sun

A LITTLE after seven on Thursday in the Lancastrian Suite of the Fed Brewery in Dunston, they played Bowie’s “Heroes”, and thereafter, one by one, they emerged on stage.

The 1969 Fairs Cup winners. Men who brought honour – Newcastle’s last major one – to the club.

Four days earlier their modern-day successors in black and white delivered upon it only shame.

The contrast is obvious, a cheap cliche perhaps; the game has changed, football’s moved on, and all that.

Maybe so.

But that doesn’t invalidate the point.

Typically, when it comes to the insanity that is Newcastle United, it took a mad man to make it best.

Hosting the 40th anniversary reunion of the cup-winning side, local DJ and co-owner of The Back Page book shop, “Mad Mick” Edmondson hit the nail on the head when in comparison to today’s so-called superstars, players who achieve little yet think themselves untouchable, and above criticism, he introduced Bob Moncur et al as simply . . . heroes.

They are not world-renowned, nor all that rich.

They don’t own mansions, and a fleet of ostentatious, pimped-up rides.

They don’t gabble away at their agent on the latest Blackberry.

But listen here.

They achieved more in their playing careers than most of the current United squad ever will.

On Thursday Alan Foggon – and for those present-day players who don’t know but might just care, he scored in the final – spoke of the honour he felt at having represented the club.

The late Joe Harvey was afforded a standing ovation.

If the presence of Newcastle’s current crop of dummies would not have besmirched an occasion respectfully befitting of its more glorious subjects, they ought to have been made to sit there and take it all in.

You could just picture their faces.

Instead, most will be on a beach by now.