Pod On The Tyne - A show about Newcastle United

Blood, sweat, tears... a seemingly unending slog with torn thighs, visceral noise, and extreme emotion. But, that's enough about Chris's breakfast... Eddie Howe's Newcastle United, after one of the most arduous campaigns in the club's history, are currently in Australia playing back-to-back friendlies. But, with the league schedule done and dusted we can look back over a season of remarkable moments, a mountain of goals, and yes, some gut-wrenching defeats as well. As we look to the future, there's optimism about where this team and NUFC Women are headed, even if we are relying on someone else to get us one more positive result. To be fair, though, it is Manchester City. PRODUCER: Ollie Bellwood Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the hope that kills you, and former "World's Grumpiest Man" George Caulkin, made the fatal error of going to Old Trafford to report on Newcastle United with positive expectations. Knowing they could, and perhaps should, win the game, Eddie Howe's team created their own downfall, albeit they got some assistance from the VAR unit (is their brief reign coming to an end?) Was it missed chances or haphazard defending that cost us the game, and potentially a European place next season? Does it matter? Why are we here? Did you leave the iron on? Big questions, vague answers. PRODUCER: Ollie Bellwood Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Newcastle's final home game of the season ended in a draw for Eddie Howe's men against Brighton. Slightly disappointing? Probably, but the home form overall has been pretty spectacular. If they are to qualify for Europe, though, they'll have to take points on the road at Manchester United, where they've won one league game in 51 years, and at Brentford. Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn are confident, and so are we. With a round-up of some awards news, congratulations to Gateshead, and a birthday to celebrate, it's a bright, breezy, spring edition of PotT! PRODUCER: Ollie Bellwood Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eddie Howe's Europe-chasing Mags have a crucial period coming up, starting with the last home game of the Premier League season as an unsettled Brighton travel to St James's Park. Chris is worryingly confident, but with Anthony Gordon winning pens all over the gaffe and potential starts for returning players like Pope, Joelinton, and Miggy Almiron, you can maybe understand where he's coming from. There's an update on the club's pursuit of a new sporting director. It seeems we are down to the last two candidates, with Dougie Freedman rumoured to be the front-runner... and, we reminisce about Newcastle "flops" who have flourished elsewhere, after Joselu, (Joselu!) scored twice to send Real Madrid to the Champions League final! PRODUCER: Ollie Bellwood Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A mellow bank holiday episode for you today, one that follows the most beautiful result in football; namely, a routine away win. Callum Wilson scored the opener and lead the line with zeal as Gareth Southgate watched on, so inevitably Chris has decided to write about the prospect of him being sold! And, it was 7 up for Sean Longstaff, and twenty's plenty for Isak (goals) and Gordon (goal contributions) in the Premier League this season. Roll on Europe*! *fingers crossed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're taking a trip down memory lane today, inspired by Eddie Howe's goal-tastic Mags, who are on course to become the most prolific scorers in Newcastle's Premier League era. Howe takes charge of his 100th league match as Newcastle manager this Saturday at Burnley, his former home and the team he first beat with the Toon. And there's a fairly eclectic round-up of new stories, with plenty going on behind the scenes both football-related and further afield. HOST: Taylor Payne WITH: George Caulkin and Chris Waugh PRODUCER: Ollie Bellwood Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you win 5-1 and, in doing so, beat the Premier League record for goals scored against one opponent in a season. When your star striker and record signing scores for the 7th consecutive home game, matching all bar your club's legendary goal hero. When your other striker reaches a Premier League tally second only to that self-same legend. When those things happen, you should be ecstatically happy, right? Well, we are happy, very much so. But, we also feel a strange sense of fragility, having allowed our opponents, bottom of the league and staring relegation in the face, the run of our stadium for 45 minutes. Eddie Howe's Newcastle have been a strange beast this season, but with lots of international visitors in attendance, we re-affirmed our ambition. Thanks to Wor Flags, the Swedish contingent, The Lasses, and Burn & Co., we're looking up the table again. Can we dream of fifth? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

None of the podcast team were at Selhurst Park on Wednesday night, which in hindsight feels like a merciful stroke of luck after Eddie Howe's Spurs-destroying Mags turned to jelly in the face of an excellent Crystal Palace side. So, what exactly happened? Was it the tactical plan (which had worked so well at home against Tottenham), was it the execution from the players, or was it the shortage of options Howe had to mix things up. As it is, we're hunting high and low for positives. Maybe Callum Wilson's return, Sheffield United at home next. Donnez moi un break, Rodney! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're suffering from football cold turkey this Monday morning; The Lasses (TM) did play on Sunday, but they were held to a goalless draw away at Halifax having sealed the league title a week earlier. Eddie Howe's Resurgent Mags resume hostilities at Crystal Palace on Wednesday night after an eleven day break. It's virtually impossible for them to achieve back-to-back Champions' League campaigns but the other European competitions are looking very attainable. We've a quick update on a frustrating development for our riverside neighbours Gateshead, and various other bits of nonsense in this compact Monday morning edition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After our epic effort on Monday, everyone is suffering the effects of adrenaline withdrawal. Everyone except George's mam, that is, and Monday's star performer returns to get us off to a flyer. We're scraping the barrel of Chris's new weekly Newcastle United Q&A, with second-rate questions about squad strengthening and pre-season, PSR (of course) and potential sales! Eddie Howe's men have a week off and The Lasses (TM) have already won the league, so George has been hunting for inspiration elsewhere and found it! North-East actress Catherine Dryden drops by to tell us about her latest gig, starring in a one-woman show at the Theatre Royal about First World War munitions worker turned goal-machine Bella Reay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's an epic edition of PotT with no apologies from us as we've already bumped as much news to Thursday as we possibly can after a weekend most football fans can only dream of! Becky Langley and Newcastle United Women are the champions of FAWNL Premier Northern Division. It's their second title, and promotion, in as many years and they will be playing Championship football next season. George was at Kingston Park to cheer them home. Meanwhile, Newcastle's men thrashed Spurs at home for the second season running to keep alive their slim hopes of a repeat campaign in the Champions League. Watched by Chris and George, and a very special guest indeed. HOST: Taylor Payne WITH: George Caulkin and Chris Waugh PRODUCER: Ollie Bellwood Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's another big weekend for Newcastle United with Ange Postecoglu's Tottenham looking to defy an interesting pattern among teams to win at St James's Park this season, and Huddersfield Town rounding off a punishing eight-day spell by trying to stop Becky Langley's women from sealing back-to-back league promotions. But, there are a few off-pitch matters to catch up on as well. Joelinton's contract negotiations are picking up pace, so it looks like he's staying on. Great, but prompts the painful question: if you have to bring in money through player sales, which of our current squad would you choose to offload? If we want to make enforced sales a thing of the past, we'll have to grow revenues. Ticket prices would be an unpopular choice, but what about lucrative tours abroad? When we have the worst injury record in the division, compromising pre- and post-season plans also seems risky. Oh, yeah, and Cock van der Palm! HOST: Taylor Payne WITH: George Caulkin and Chris Waugh PRODUCER: Ollie Bellwood By George Caulkin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are Eddie Howe's sh1thousing Mags back? After an abominable start at Craven Cottage, Newcastle 'keeper Martin Dubravka took an 'injury timeout', much to the annoyance of Marco Silva, and Howe read the riot act to his charges. After that, things steadily improved and, despite a controversially disallowed goal, Bruno Guimaraes saved the day in his 100th appearance for the club. Anderson and Barnes also impressed from the bench again, and it was our first PL clean sheet away from home since beating Sheffield United 8-0 in September. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Channel, Jacob Whitehead took in two Feyenoord games on an extended scouting trip in the Netherlands. He watched Garang Kuol sit on the bench while Yankubah Minteh underwhelmed against Volendam, but then witnessed a tour de force from the Gambian as his side dismantled Ajax 6-0. HOST: Taylor Payne WITH: George Caulkin, Chris Waugh (aka Sausageman), & Jacob Whitehead PRODUCER: Ollie Bellwood Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Full house on the podcast for this, slightly extracurricular, Wednesday recording. Unfortunately, having booked Jacob Whitehead at half-time during the Everton match, he failed to respond to seventeen messages asking him to stand down. Yes, it fell flat in the end, and Paul Dummett's clumsy challenge on Ashley Young with the ball passing harmlessly overhead was a real frustration. But, we're actually in a decent frame of mind after Newcastle dominated the early stages, got a terrific goal through Barnes and Isak, and actually looked "in control" for the first time in ages. Injuries continue to be the overwhelming problem and, with a remarkably strong XI stuck on the sidelines, it's anyone's guess what will happen at Craven Cottage against an equally unpredictable Fulham. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An incredible comeback against West Ham came completely out of the blue, or did it? Newcastle had been performing well in their first game following a squad 'reset' over the international break, but some haphazard defending and yet more freak injuries had us wondering if the season was shuddering to a halt. But, after Isak coolly slotted home his second penalty (both won by Anthony Gordon), it was Harvey Barnes to the rescue... cue pandemonium at SJP. Can the podcast team hold it together like they usually don't? On Sunday, Newcastle's women returned to home action for the first time in 42 days and they delivered in style. With Nottingham Forest only able to draw at Derby, the Lasses (TM) are one win from back-to-back league titles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eddie Howe's men (the ones not on international duty at least) have taken to warmer climes as management aim to 'reset' for the final stages of an arduous campaign. The podcast team haven't had that luxury, unfortunately. We took our hopes and dreams to Kenilworth Road where things got very Newcastle cup final-y for Becky Langley's lasses. Perspective is important, though, and we take solace in meeting up with friends and the culmination of a largely magnificent season. The men take on West Ham this Saturday lunchtime; a huge game, but one they'll have to manage without Sven Botman (knee knack) and Lewis Miley (back knack). If it's positivity you're after, best to ignore Chris. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an effort to recapture the magic of our (frankly) unexpectedly magnificent result at Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup, Chris and George attempted to retrace their tyre-treads and summon the power of Tebay. Unfortunately, this sequel proved to be as uninspired as many Hollywood cash grabs, and our duo returned to the North East with their very damp tails between their very knackered legs. A thorough dissection of Newcastle's FA Cup exit is attempted, but meat-based diversions abound. As it is, we've got cup fever, and the only prescription is more from The Lasses (TM). Their magnificent comeback win at Wolves maintained their seemingly unstoppable momentum as they prepare for the FAWNL Cup Final at Kenilworth Road. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're recording after Eddie Howe's pre-match press conference and everyone is excited about the FA Cup quarter final at the Etihad, nobody more than Chris Waugh it seems. Is there any scope for optimism going into this one with our terrible record at City? George thinks so, and he mounts a strong defence of Newcastle's local lads who have been playing through the pain in a difficult season. Whether this is the end of the road for Eddie Howe's squad in its current form is another matter, with the manager suggesting radical changes in personnel will be difficult to achieve this summer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eddie Howe's Newcastle threw away any positive momentum they had built with the wins against Blackburn and Wolves with an abject defensive performance at Chelsea. Chris Waugh was at Stamford Bridge covering Newcastle for The Athletic and he recounts tales of embarrassment and woe, on and off the pitch, to Taylor Payne and George Caulkin. A daunting trip to Manchester CIty next for Howe and the boys, which we'll preview on Friday, but the lasses keep on winning (in the Midlands) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Newcastle's outgoing Sporting Director Dan Ashworth has left a hole at the centre of his metaphorical wheel. Taylor Payne, Chris Waugh, and George Caulkin mangle ananalogies aplenty as they try to shed some light on the current state of affairs in the executive lounge. No association football for us until Sunday, when The LassesTM head to Stourbridge. The formbook says three points for the Mags in that one but it's not so clear for Stamford Bridge on Monday night. The fortunes of two fullbacks, both Chelsea Academy products, come into focus ahead of that game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices