Bit early but it's been along summer and with not much else going on thought I'd get a jump on the first matchday thread of the season! NUFC are travelling up to Glasgow for their first preseason friendly of the 2025/26 season at Celtic Park on Saturday 19th July for a 3pm kick off. Having been initially offered 7,200 tickets, there now over 10,000 expected to take up residence in the Lisbon Lions Stand in Parkhead. The last time the teams met in a preseason friendly Newcastle came away with a 4-1 win at SJP in 2007 - Sam Allardyce's first game in charge - with Albert Luque (2), Obafemi Martins and James Milner on the scoresheet, club legend Stevie Harper also got a run out up top from what I've found in reports and a young Andy Carroll had to fill in at CB when Nicky Butt and Steven Taylor respectively went off injured late on leaving the toon down to 10 men. It'll be interesting to see the line up/s for each half although I'd guess it'll be mainly first team players as Howe can start getting them up to speed and even possibly see Anthony Elanga in action for the first time if the club can push the deal over the mythical line any time soon, along with long term injury absentees such as Lewis Miley, Jamal Lacselles, Sven Botman, Emil Krafth, Matt Target and other first team players who missed the last few games of the season like Joelinton and Isak. Lewis Hall is back in training but unlikely to feature much, if at all in preseason. No idea on the ref's yet so no one to moan about for some, but I'm sure when they are announced we can call them all the names under the sun.
Bit early?????? We have Trev driving us up and we're already thinking about leaving to make it on time
Apparently there was a closed doors/training ground friendly today vs Carlisle: https://cumbriacrack.com/2025/07/12/loss-for-carlisle-united-in-closed-doors-friendly/ Joeinton, Longstaff, Murphy and Parkinson on the score sheet in a 4-0 win
