Newcastle must finish fairytale off – Beresford
PAR FOR THE COURSE ... Ex-Newcastle United stars John Beresford, right, and Mick Martin at a golf day for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.
NEWCASTLE United are more than capable of finishing in the Premier League’s top six – and making a long-overdue return to Europe.
That’s the verdict of John Beresford ahead of Saturday’s home game against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Beresford was in the United team which won promotion to the Premier League under Kevin Keegan in 1993, and then stunned the top flight the following season by finishing third and qualifying for European football.
Newcastle last competed on the continent in the 2006/07 campaign.
In the years since, they suffered the indignity of relegation, but Beresford believes the club – which is sixth in the table and just a point off the Champions League places – is now stronger for the experience.
“They must now finish it off,” said Beresford, who spent almost six years at the club.
“It’s great now. Newcastle fans aren’t getting carried away.
“They’re realistic, but this club needs European football. There’s a knock-on effect.
“If you get into Europe, you can attract better players.
“If the better players come in, you can challenge the teams above you.
“If they keep doing what they’re doing, they’ll finish in that top six.”
Beresford works at St James’s Park on matchdays, and the 45-year-old developed a strong bond with the club – and city – during his time on Tyneside.
“I’ve got an affinity with the club and the people,” he said.
“When they got relegated, it sucked the life out of the city for a little bit, but I think it did them the world of good.
“I feared for them a little bit at the start of the season, and to be honest, nobody could have expected the club to be where it is now.
“Not even fortune tellers would have said they’d be in this position.
“Alan Pardew’s done brilliantly – it’s been a fairytale. They’ve just got to finish it off, and make sure this season doesn’t peter out.”
Newcastle were beaten 5-0 by Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on their last outing, but they remain well placed ahead of the visit of managerless Wolves.
Newcastle’s Euro bid is still on course – Guthrie
“They had a wake up call, but Spurs can do that to anybody,” said Beresford.
“I think Wolves at home’s a brilliant game to have coming up. I’m expecting Newcastle to get back to winning ways.”
There’s an air of optimism on Tyneside, and Beresford’s hopeful the club can again compete with the best, just as it did under Keegan.
United’s time in the Premier League under Keegan will live long in the memory, not least their first season back in the top flight when goals from Andy Cole and Peter Beardsley lit up the division, and the team earned the nickname ‘The Entertainers’.
Beresford said: “When we got promoted (under Keegan), people said it was all about survival.
“Kevin Keegan never ever spoke about survival.
“He would just say ‘we’re better than this team’. I don’t think any team will finish third in their first season ever again.”
Their reward was European football, and the club’s first game back on the continent – a 5-0 win at Royal Antwerp – went down in Geordie folklore.
“I remember the excitement of those European nights,” recalls Beresford. “Some of the greatest moments I had with Newcastle were in European football.”
Meanwhile, Beresford was in Newcastle last week for the launch of former team-mate Robbie Elliott’s 3,500-mile charity cycle ride between the eight teams managed by Sir Bobby Robson.
“What will drive him on is the cause – it’s unbelievable what he’s doing,” said Beresford.
“Bobby was a phenomenon. He touched so many people, both inside and outside the game.”
n To back Robbie Elliott’s charity cycle ride, log on to www.bikeforbobby.com.
Twitter: @milesstarforth
Email to a friend
Print this page- Newcastle United weigh up bids for defensive duo
- Transfer Rumours update May 22: Sunderland, Newcastle United, Liverpool, West Ham United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham and QPR.
- Transfer Rumours May 22: Newcastle United, Sunderland, Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Barcelona, Wigan, QPR, West Ham and Blackpool
- Transfer Rumours May 12: Sunderland, Newcastle, Chelsea, West Ham, Liverpool, Blackpool, Reading, Tottenham, West Brom
- Transfer Rumours May 23: Newcastle United, Sunderland, Arsenal, Manchester United, Everton, Blackburn, Tottenham and Wolves.
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Jarrow
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.