Squadron

Squadron Statement: Time For Change

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It has become evident that active support numbers and involvement have been diminishing over the past few months. Some of this is in no small part due to the performances of the team, but we have also been reading a large amount of feedback online as to other reasons people are avoiding the active area.

We moved to Bay 60 as part of a regeneration of active support, there was a number of reasons for this which you can read here but the main reason was the Western Stand was where the majority of supporters now sit. However after being located in Bay 60 since Jan 2014, it is clear that Bay 60 hasn’t reinvigorated active support as we hoped it would.

We are therefore announcing a trial for the final four home games of the season for the active area to be located on the Southern Hill in the seating in Bay 42. This is beneficial for a number of reasons:

  • Active support is traditionally located behind the goals
  • All supporters who are interested in joining the active support will be able to utilise a GA ticket or any membership
  • As the Southern Hill isnt a sanctioned active support area, we wont be allowed to have any flags, drums, megaphones or tifo during the trial.
  • This is the perfect opportunity for those who state they dont like the European/South American style of support (drums & a capo) to attend and trial a different style of support to see if it works

We originally stated when we announced the Bay 60 relocation that our long term aim was to eventually end up on the Southern Hill anyway. However low turnouts and involvement have meant that active support could eventually cease at Hunter Stadium, which we couldn’t allow to happen. Some decisions had to be made to change things to reconnect with general supporters who might want to give active support a go.

So, we are inviting all interested parties who want to be involved in active support or who have previously been involved in active support but no longer attend to come along to bay 42 on the Hill to have a go at active support in a new area and trial a new direction. Plenty of people are happy to offer suggestions and ideas on what should happen with active support, NOW is the time to come forth and make it happen.

We are also stating our intention to hold an open active support forum for any interested parties to attend during the 2016 A-League Finals Series to discuss the future of active support for the Newcastle Jets. This will ensure the off season is spent constructively working towards common goals for active support in season 12 and the future. We will confirm details for the forum in due course.

on behalf of the Committee of The Squadron FSC, Inc

News

Newcastle Jets Youth – Jonty’s Season Review

The Newcastle Jets Youth equalled their best ever finish in the Foxtel National Youth League, with a second-placed finish in Conference B of the revamped competition.

The Junior Jets were pipped to the post for a Grand Final spot on the final afternoon of the regular season by Sydney FC Youth – who were defeated twice by the Jets. Newcastle were the only team to take any points from the eventual national champions. Here, we take a look back at how Clayton Zane’s side fared throughout the course of the season from start to finish:

Round 1 vs WSW (H) – D 3-3

The opening weekend of the season saw the Jets hit the ground running against a shell-shocked Western Sydney Wanderers side who were put under immense pressure in the opening exchanges. The pressure eventually told, as Nick Cowburn put the home side ahead with a seventh-minute free kick. Eventually, the Wanderers got a foothold and turned the match on its head by scoring twice to go into the break with the lead.

Brandon Lundy was the hero of the second half, scoring a scorching equaliser from an acute angle, before the Jets fell behind again. With second half stoppage time ticking away, centre-back Tom Whiteside was thrown forward and the move paid dividends, with the big defender setting up Lundy to finish from close range in the 93rd minute to rescue a point.

Round 2 vs FFA CoE (A) – L 3-4

The Jets set off for Canberra on the longest road trip of the season, without Lundy and captain Andrew Pawiak, who were named on the A-League bench for the F3 derby on the same afternoon the Junior Jets travelled to the capital.

At half time, it appeared the duo were not required anyhow as the side went to the sheds 2-0 up thanks to an early goal from Kristian Brymora and a goal just before the break by Braedyn Crowley.

Unfortunately for Newcastle, it all went pear shaped as they found themselves 3-2 down just 15 minutes after the restart. There was to be late drama when Crowley levelled it up at 3-3 in the 93rd minute for the second week running, only to see the points snatched away with a 96th minute penalty to the CoE after a harsh handball call on Whiteside.

Round 4 vs CCM (H) – W 3-0

For the third match in a row, Newcastle’s attack was firing on all cylinders with another three goals. This time, the defence was on-song, as the Jets collected their first clean sheet of the season and their first victory.

Once again, the Jets drew first blood early as Pawiak brought down a poor keeper clearance. With cries of ‘shoot’ in the air, he elected instead to thread Mitch Cooper into a better position to fire home.

Lundy and Josh Barresi added two quick goals midway through the second half to finish the Mariners off to round out a convincing win.

Round 5 vs SYD (A) – W 2-1

Newcastle travelled to Leichhardt to take on the undefeated Sydney FC Youth. Although only halfway through the competition, a win here for the Sky Blues in this six-pointer may well have already sealed the Conference B title. The task was made all the more difficult with the leaders naming a very strong line-up featuring Olyroo Brandon O’Neill and other first-team players Robert Stambolziev, Aaron Calver, Chris Naumoff and Alex Mullen.

Despite going behind to a Naumoff goal early on, Lundy restored parity with a quarter of an hour played, bravely sliding in at the far post to tap home, which saw several players end up in the net. Cody Carroll netted just before half time to take an unlikely lead to the break.

Sydney FC threw everything at the Jets and despite having them under siege in the second half, Newcastle defended heroically and held strong to pull off an upset which blew the title race wide open. Zane went on to say the performance was the best he had been involved in as youth coach.

Round 6 vs FFA CoE (H) – W 1-0

With Sydney FC in their sights, the Jets needed to collect another three points against the FFA Centre of Excellence and avenge their late defeat in Canberra – and they did just that. A 15th minute Brymora goal proved to be the difference on the day.

Despite the CoE fielding a strong side with players who have since been snapped up by A-League clubs and having the vast majority of possession on the day, the Jets never really looked under threat and could have hit four or five, had it not been for the woodwork and some outstanding goalkeeping.

Round 8 vs WSW (A) – L 1-2

With the Wanderers already out of the title race, the best they could do on the day was to dent the Jets’ title hopes, which they did.

Missing Lundy and Cooper for this one, Zane fielded a young forward line and young winger Finn Parris re-paid the coach’s faith by opening the scoring in the sixth-minute. Despite the frantic pace of the game, just one goal was scored in the first half.

The comeback was complete for the Wanderers on the hour mark, with two quick goals putting the home side ahead.

The match continued to go end to end with both sides creating chances, but the Red-and-Black weathered the storm to send the Jets home empty handed and put their title hopes on life support.

Round 9 vs SYD (H) – W 1-0

This match was do-or-die for the Jets, as anything less than a win would effectively hand the Conference B title to Sydney FC.

Andy Brennan’s fourth-minute goal got the vocal home crowd on board as the 12th man. Just as the Sky Blues were pressing hard for an equaliser in the second half, they were reduced to 10 men as they had a player dismissed for two yellow cards, his second for simulation as he tried winning a penalty under the referee’s nose.

The result meant the Jets had to win the F3 derby the next week and hope that the CoE could spring the upset of the season by beating Sydney FC away from home.

Round 10 vs CCM (A) – W 3-2

The Jets entered their second do-or-die clash in six days as they travelled down the freeway to take on the Mariners. Parris opened the scoring with yet another early goal, before conceding twice before the half hour. Just four minutes later, the title hopefuls were ahead with two goals to Barresi in the space of 30 seconds. The Jets went to break 3-2 ahead and hung onto that scoreline in the second half to temporarily top the conference and pile all the pressure onto Sydney FC the following afternoon.

The Jets came within a whisker of the grand final when the CoE made it 2-2 in Sydney with 12 minutes left and pressed hard for the goal that would see the Jets qualify for the showpiece. With the CoE committing numbers forward to try and end their season on a high, a counter attack in the 86th minute saw the Sky Blues extinguish the Jets’ season. Sydney FC went onto defeat Adelaide United 5-2 in the title decider the following week.

Final Word

When asked about his standout players through the course of the season, coach Zane noted midfielder Pawiak, winger Parris and number 10 Carroll as his picks. Pawiak ably led his team around the park from the engine room and was a figure of consistency, while Parris and Carroll emerged as starting 11 players after not featuring at all in the early parts of the campaign.

Other honourable mentions must go to keeper Blake Tuxford and defenders Themba Muata-Marlow and Whiteside for their rock solid defence after conceding seven goals in the first two matches.

The team’s success was not just built on having a solid defence, but the ability to score early goals and put the opposition under pressure. The Jets scored an early goal in every match, with the latest of their openers coming in the 16th minute of the game in Sydney.

Balance was another key factor in earning positive results. With the defence and engine room complimenting each other quite well, Barresi added extra physicality, ball winning ability and forward drive after being re-incarnated as a defensive midfielder and linking up well with Carroll and the frontline and was outstanding in the latter stages of the season.

The season proved to be a commendable effort with regular players occasionally missing due to A-League commitments and losing key players Antonee Burke and Tom Waller early in the season due to injury, who will return to strengthen the side this winter in the NPL.

Despite final day disappointment, Clayton Zane and his team have much to be proud of and can take many positives into the upcoming NPL season. With a reasonably young and at times, inexperienced side, they defied the odds and almost went all the way.

Jonty

News

Gaz’s Gone Drinkin – Match Review – Newcastle United Jets FC 1 vs Perth Glory FC 6

Not much can be said that hasn’t already been screamed at the tv, yelled from your stadium seat or innocently stated by your 6 year old family member….. My 6 year old wished me luck when I left for the drive to Newcastle with the parting words “good luck dad! You know they won’t win, but good luck anyway” and when I got home, I tell no lie, she greeted me the next morning with “what did they lose by?” Sweetly, innocently, supportively, lovingly…. Brutally honestly.

Against Perth, the jets weren’t very good. I said to those around me at the game that it was like watching a 1st v Reserves training match where the reserves have been given strict instructions not to tackle, and when they get the ball to kick it straight out for a throw, or pass it straight back to them.

If Boogaard wants to play again, let alone captain the team, he should spend the time he’s suspended, making 9004 phone calls to everyone at the ground an apologize for his sending off. Expletives don’t exist to adequately convey the stupidity of his actions on getting a second yellow for a challenge on half way in first half injury time…. Oh dear god typing that makes me angry.

Birraz had an off game, but he’s saved our arse that many times he can be afforded a bad game every no and then. Still, he needs to command his area, some see him as Jesus in goals, I agree, he really does not like crosses.

Cam Watson was woeful, hoofing it out or back to them when an easier option, or three, were available and was rightly ripped out of the match despite the team losing a central defender behind him.

Carney should go. If his agent is half the wheeler and dealer he says he is, go play in Qatar, at least there you can blame the heat for only running twice in a match. I dont buy into the “he’s involved in all our goals” some of his supporters spout – he regularly causes the other 10 blokes to to have to re-adjust in defense because he ignores his responsibilities when we don’t have the ball. He’s supposed to be the old head leading be example, well his example of switching off in defence has not helped, because many followed that lead and we shipped 6.

Hoff, was solid, and was one of the few still working at the end.

Triff. Usual performance, needs 10 chances to hit the target once. Needs to hit the target ten times to score once…. We really don’t play well enough in the front third to exploit his strengths. Get him the ball in the 6yrd box and he’s effective, except if you do it in the first 3 minutes.

The rest of the team barely earn a mention.

Bloody hell we were bad.

On the way back to the car, the day got decidedly better in two ways. I say a bloke in a jets shirt wearing an Aston villa hat, and thought “at least I’m not that bloke” and when we got back to the car in Waratah, it was still there!

Adelaide next! We always do well there don’t we…..

by and for supporters of football in Newcastle, Australia

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