Newcastle United – It’s In The Blood

A HARD BACKED BOOK OF NEWCASTLE UNITED POETRY 

As a lifelong Newcastle United fan, with a passion for writing and poetry, this book seemed a natural transition for me to make.

I have hundreds, if not thousands, of Toon related memories, so I tapped into those to form the basis of each poem.

I thought about the history of the club, our most famous and most iconic players, trophies won (that was a strain on my mind thinking that far back!) and some of Newcastle’s most memorable games.

I hope you enjoy my book and that you feel it captures the pride, the passion and the unwavering support our fans show for a wonderful football club.

Davey Brown

Please note: this book will launched in late November 2015, with all advanced UK orders posted first class to arrive in the first week of December 2015. Overseas postage rates are available on request, please e-mail for further details.

REVIEW

‘It’s In The Blood’ by Davey Brown

Reviewed by Penguin author & lifelong Newcastle United fan, Howard Linskey.

It’s never easy being a Newcastle United supporter, even at the best of times and these are the worst of times. After eight years of catastrophic mismanagement by the loathsome Mike Ashley, it’s easy to forget the team used to win matches once, entertaining fans and neutrals alike with their free-flowing football. They even beat Barcelona, back in the day. If, like me, you find yourself looking to the past so you can cope with the present, then Davey Brown’s collection of poems about our beloved club will definitely appeal to you.

There’s a lovely picture on the front cover of ‘It’s In The Blood’, which neatly sums up the book’s emotional appeal. Seen from the back, a man is holding his young son’s hand as he walks towards St James Park. He could be any of us taking our child to their first Toon match but this picture is of the writer himself, walking with his own son and it’s the perfect image for a collection of poems that will appeal to beleaguered fans of the black and whites.

The title poem ‘It’s in the blood’ is a recollection of the writer’s own first visit to the hallowed ground with his father. Davey Brown has a neat way with words and he ably recreates the intoxicating atmosphere of match day, right down to the smells coming from the hot dog stands outside the ground. It’s guaranteed to get you recalling your own ‘debut’ as a supporter.

Brown recognises Tyneside’s oft quoted love of a ‘proper’ centre forward in ‘Number 9’s’, as he pays homage to legends like Alan Shearer and Jackie Milburn, as well as much-loved, crowd-pleasers Les Ferdinand and Malcolm ‘Supermac’ Macdonald. He does not neglect lesser known but still hugely popular players, who made important contributions during less illustrious eras for the club; like Mickey Quinn and David Kelly. Older fans will smile too at the mention of Wyn Davies and even the mercurial Len White.

Memories are all we really have these days and this collection of poems is packed with them. ‘Newcastle United vs Barcelona’ recalls the heady night when Tino Asprilla but a hat trick past the Barca keeper and sent us all, briefly, into wonderland. It’s worth getting the book for that memory alone. I found myself thinking, ‘blimey we were pretty good once’ then foolishly hoping ‘and we could be again one day under more inspired leadership’, such was the wave of optimism that swept over me as I read Davey Brown’s poems, which shows why this book is a must-buy for long-suffering Newcastle fans everywhere. We can but dream.