Newcastle back in top flight
Source: Agencies |
April 7, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
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NEWCASTLE United celebrated its promotion to the English Premier League on Monday with a 2-1 win over Sheffield United highlighted by a stunning winner worthy of the occasion from skipper Kevin Nolan.
Newcastle went into the match at St James' Park knowing it was already assured of going up after Nottingham Forest's failure to beat Cardiff City in a 0-0 draw earlier in the evening.
That result meant Newcastle was guaranteed to finish in one of the two automatic promotion places a year after its traumatic relegation from the top flight when local hero Alan Shearer, brought in for the last few desperate games of the season, failed to save it from the drop.
Chris Hughton, who replaced Shearer initially as interim manager before getting the job full time, told Sky Sports afterwards: "It's an incredible feeling, especially to do it here, in front of these supporters.
"We've still got the title to play for but it's a real honor to be manager of this football club and bring Premier League football back to these supporters."
The "Toon Army" were already in high spirits before the kickoff, but were silenced when the visitors went ahead through Richard Cresswell after 22 minutes.
But they found their voices when Peter Lovekrands equalized with a 45th-minute penalty and were ecstatic when Nolan scored the winner with a scissor-kick in the 73rd.
Newcastle has led the Championship for most of the season and moved to 89 points with five matches to play, six clear of West Bromwich Albion, which has four matches left and seems set to go up with the Magpies.
West Brom would have been promoted on Monday as well if it had won because of Forest's failure to win but the Baggies will have to wait after drawing 1-1 at Watford.
Forest stays third in the table with 72 points from 42 games, while Cardiff remains fourth on 69.
The draw at the City Ground ended Forest's club-record equalling sequence of 12 successive home league wins.
Until last season's relegation, Newcastle had been in the top flight since 1993, twice finishing runner-up and challenging for a league title it has not won since 1927.
But the club ran into financial woes, had to sell top players and, despite consistent home crowds of more than 50,000, dropped out of the Premier League with under-fire owner Mike Ashley trying to sell the club. Ashley has since taken Newcastle off the market and promotion at the first attempt is a major achievement for Hughton.
(Agencies)
Newcastle went into the match at St James' Park knowing it was already assured of going up after Nottingham Forest's failure to beat Cardiff City in a 0-0 draw earlier in the evening.
That result meant Newcastle was guaranteed to finish in one of the two automatic promotion places a year after its traumatic relegation from the top flight when local hero Alan Shearer, brought in for the last few desperate games of the season, failed to save it from the drop.
Chris Hughton, who replaced Shearer initially as interim manager before getting the job full time, told Sky Sports afterwards: "It's an incredible feeling, especially to do it here, in front of these supporters.
"We've still got the title to play for but it's a real honor to be manager of this football club and bring Premier League football back to these supporters."
The "Toon Army" were already in high spirits before the kickoff, but were silenced when the visitors went ahead through Richard Cresswell after 22 minutes.
But they found their voices when Peter Lovekrands equalized with a 45th-minute penalty and were ecstatic when Nolan scored the winner with a scissor-kick in the 73rd.
Newcastle has led the Championship for most of the season and moved to 89 points with five matches to play, six clear of West Bromwich Albion, which has four matches left and seems set to go up with the Magpies.
West Brom would have been promoted on Monday as well if it had won because of Forest's failure to win but the Baggies will have to wait after drawing 1-1 at Watford.
Forest stays third in the table with 72 points from 42 games, while Cardiff remains fourth on 69.
The draw at the City Ground ended Forest's club-record equalling sequence of 12 successive home league wins.
Until last season's relegation, Newcastle had been in the top flight since 1993, twice finishing runner-up and challenging for a league title it has not won since 1927.
But the club ran into financial woes, had to sell top players and, despite consistent home crowds of more than 50,000, dropped out of the Premier League with under-fire owner Mike Ashley trying to sell the club. Ashley has since taken Newcastle off the market and promotion at the first attempt is a major achievement for Hughton.
(Agencies)
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