Ray Baartz
Craig Johnston
Someone else
No need to yet
Slobs
This has been in the media the last few days.
Thought i would introduce a Poll to actually gauge what NF Forum users are thinking who the Western Stand should be named after.
Craig Johnstone has been mentioned by Dillon and now Lord Mayor Jeff McCloy.
Personally I am leaning more towards Ray Baartz.
I too am more in favor of Baartzy. He represented Australia close to 50 times and still lives in Newcastle, rather than the US.
EDIT: I suppose someone will ask where is Slobs?
Middleby Gone
Lawrie Out
Con Constantine would be my choice. He got the club started and contributed in assembling the team that won the grand final. Not to mention donations made to the Knights when they were struggling financially.
Joel Griffiths - Most of us would have loved to see him finish his career as a Jet and of course have the western stand named after him. Unfortunately, the club didn't even offer him the opportunity of finishing his career as a Jet so it's totally unlikely.
Baartz played for Frank Lowy's Hakoah and was responsible for signing Jason Culina - so he's out.
Craig Johnstone played for Liverpool, was born in Sth Africa, Played u21 for England, and declined the offer to play for the socceroos - so he's out
Last edited by The Dunster; 31-12-2012 at 02:27 PM.
Should be Kurt Fearnley.
Newy legend.
PC police will probs step in though so will go with Baartz/Salisbury stand.
She deserves as much recognition as anyone in our sport (plus she reps the Jaffas so she is awesome).
Everyone wins.
Deadset as much as I love Craig Johnston the bloke never rep'd Newy like those other two and now spends too much of his time fraternizing with Gypos.
I heard Van Egmond voted for the Gary Van Egmond stand.
Also, love the Con choice as well but no way that's happening.
At least get the great man a statue or something.
When did Craig Johnston's name become Craig Johnstone? Will probs need to spell it right before we get the sign made hey.
Also, the answer is Griff.
emile heskey memorial smoothie.stand
srsly, col curran or reg date. baartzy's lost it with the people, the other bloke is south african.
we will loose
When he declined the offer to play for Australia.Originally Posted by militiamon
Graham Jennings played for Australia 83 or so times.
reg date
baartz said no to smeltz, Johnston said no to Australia - dead to me
OK
I really don't get the love in for Craig Johnson. Greatest ever player from hunter? No. Reg Date wins that one hads down.
Played for the biggest club in the world at the time? Fair enough.... What's that got to do with Newcastle?
Salisbury, baartz, col curran, Troy halpin, eags, eags' knee, Andy Roberts..... The list is endless of those who have one more in Newcastle football.
Andy Roberts isn't a bad option either....most capped player ever for Newcastle at National League level. Unofficially Jets #1 supporter since A-League began. I would rather him then Johnston anyday.
reg date
It's all pointless anyway.
Stadium is under state govt control, Grahame analsley will have final say.
It will be named after some RL referee from Newcastle, or Paul harragon
Could paint the stand gold
Instead of naming it after someone who has been and gone and left their mark on the game lets get revolutionary with this idea.
Lets name it after a bloke who hasn't made a ripple yet.
Call it the Kale Bradbery Stand
In years too come people will think back about how much foresight we had to name it after a bloke who hadn't even made his debut for the club yet
Name it after him and make him live up to the HYPE!!
The way GVE is recruiting young players from outside (Corey Brown is the latest) I wouldn't be surprised if we see the likes of Bradbery and Hoole end up playing for rival clubs.Instead of naming it after someone who has been and gone and left their mark on the game lets get revolutionary with this idea.
Lets name it after a bloke who hasn't made a ripple yet.
Call it the Kale Bradbery Stand
In years too come people will think back about how much foresight we had to name it after a bloke who hadn't even made his debut for the club yet
Name it after him and make him live up to the HYPE!!
How quick people seem to conveniently forget that Joel was offered the marquee position just prior to season 5 (correct me if I'm wrong) but chose to take up the big money in China. Now the club is to blame for supposedly not offering him "the opportunity of finishing his career as a Jet". If he had stayed he would barring injury be the Jets most capped player and easily be the highest goal scorer ever for a Newcastle team in the NSL/HAL with over 100 goals by now.....he would truly deserve to have the stand named in his honour.
To be perfectly fair to GVE other than Chilli Peppz Bradbery and Hoole who in the yoof team that is local would you have step up at the moment??
The reality is that the NNSW program has been severely letting top level football down in Newy for years and years. Hopefully the Emerging Jets program will go someway to rectifying this where the talent coming through it in time will be GOOD ENOUGH and NEWY BORN & BRED.
Poor Kale is always gonna be up against it getting a gig in the first team when we go out and sign blokes like Heskey. Just have a look at how much Heskey's arrival has stunted opportunity for Taggart!! Kid keeps banging them away in the NYL I am pretty certain he will get a run this season even if in a bit part cameo role in the HAL side. Another solid year banging 20+ away in the NBN League and he will be up there with Taggz in the pecking order. Due to his size needs to work on a few aspects of his game to make up for the fact physically he won't make much of an impact playing at the pointy end of the Front 3 away from goal. Get him the ball in and around the box though and he finds the net. That chance Taggz blew the other night V Victree in the last couple of mins where Coe saved the shot I would back Kale to be putting that away and us to have got a draw. Kid knows where the net is. That is a skill that can't be coached and is worth a goldmine
Hooley on the other hand needs to learn to play his position a bit more. Talented yes. Out of position a lot YES. Couple that with his lack of discipline at times where he collects yellow cards for doing stupid stuff and the issue lies with him. Fix his short comings and he will be in the team. Neville ain't exactly keeping him out on form.
Fully expect these 2 to be put on the Yoof contracts the likes of Chilli Galloway Pepper have been on in recent years
Agree with sentiments re: Kale. Quality player. Remember playing against him when he was at Magic. Practically, stands still, does some trickery, next minute he's got space, rips a shot, top corner. And considering his size, he can hit a ball. Just hope he is managed appropriately, otherwise he won't reach his potential.
As far as the Stadium name... I agree with Gary, it'll 99% be named after a Rugby League player. Whether we like it or not, the Knights success in 97 and 01 overshadows our premiership. Knights have played their games at Hunter Stadium much longer than we have. I can't see them naming the new 'fancy', main stand after a sokkah player. The people making the final decisions will most likely be egg ball fans. However, if the main stand was named the Andrew Johns, it may have been a possibility of getting the 'old' stand getting a football associated name.
Realistically, I think RL will get to name the two stands, and we will get to name the ends. Too much politics.
Regardless, I wouldn't be opposed to Baartz, Salisbury, Roberts or Date.
I think Johnston is out, as others have said, because he declined to play for Aus. Granted it was a different era and playing for Australia, opposed to England was seen almost as prestigious as making the Equatorial Guinea Olympic swim team.
I don't think this should be taken lightly though. Making hasty decisions to name a stand. Johns was one of the world's best RL players ever. I don't think we can say we've even produced Australia's best footballer, give it some time.
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