10 Reasons Why Newcastle Fans Wish It Was The 1990s Again

Alan Shearer hit the nail on the head when he said that Newcastle supporters have been attending matches, not for the enjoyment of watching the players aimlessly acquiesce to their opponents, but purely out of habit. Habit is all that is drawing people to St James' Park this season. And it's depressing.

Depressing that a fanbase whose passionate, unwavering support for a football club that lurches from crisis to crisis like a car changing lanes has swiftly waned, replaced by a sterile, funeral-like atmosphere and the chords of mutiny fighting against the current of an oppressive regime.

It's a far cry from the religious pilgrimage that supporters would make during the 90's, when queues would snake around the Strawberry as fans pitched up in the hope of securing a ticket. It goes without saying that, even during the struggles under Ossie Ardiles, Kenny Dalglish and Ruud Gullit, the stadium was rarely less than a full house and overflowing with a cacophony of passion. At the very least, supporters knew they'd witness a performance that justified their own financial outlay.

Now the process of attending games is a laborious chore, with many supporters sacrificing their season tickets in a large scale display of solidarity against Mike Ashley, Lee Charnley and the chronic lack of dedication, heart and empathy on the field for much of the season.