Fingers crossed Newcastle United’s Matz Sels proves the abusers wrong

October 29, 2002, was a significant day in my life evolution. Not because Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick gave birth to their first child, or that Winona Ryder was explaining her help yourself approach to shopping.

It was a lesson learned as a fresh faced teenager that changed my view on football fans; the day I first met Gallowgate Gary.

Now picture the scene; Newcastle on a chilly October evening, Tony Britten’s anthem blaring around all corners of St James’ Park. Sir Bobby Robson’s side, led by Alan Shearer, stood ready to take on Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League.

Newcastle legend, Shearer – Photo: Matt Roberts / Offside.

The Toon had lost the first three games in the group and knew only a win would keep their slim chances of progression alive. Nil-nil at half-time, the visitors scored two minutes into the second-half and the meltdown ensued.

I don’t often remember exact phrases shouted at football games, but the one projected by Gallowgate Gary has stuck with me to this day.

“Robson you are hopeless, you are losing this game with your **** tactics. Get Speed off and get Viana on!”

Much like GCSE English, I could spend the rest of the article dissecting the ludicrousness of this outburst, however there is a point somewhere that I need to get to.

In the last 10 days, the current crop of Gallowgate Garys have been out in full force. Boos at the end of a 2-0 home defeat to Wolves that had come a matter of hours after – arguably the most impressive performance of any team in the Championship this season – the 6-0 drubbing of Queens Park Rangers.

Yet, an even nastier moment was on the horizon and one right out of the Gallowgate Gary handbook.

After the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa, Matz Sels took to social media to apologise for his two-point-dropping gaffe.
Rather than messages of support, he was barraged with abuse to the point that he deleted his Twitter account.

I have to admit that I’m unconvinced by him as a number one, but he plays for the team and so we support him.

Abusing any player is wrong; abusing our own is a disgrace.

All I can hope is that the Belgian realised this is the minority and it spurs him on to prove any doubters wrong.

For those who don’t remember the game almost 14 years ago. Gary Speed scored an equaliser, before Shearer won it from the penalty spot. Newcastle made history by becoming the first team to lose their first three games and still qualify for the next round – as well as finishing the Premier League season in third place.

Shot stopper Sels joined the Magpies on a five-year deal from KAA Gent earlier this summer – Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

I often wish I’d bump into that particular Gallowgate Gary and ask him what he thought of that comment. Was he proud that he had questioned one of the greatest English managers of all time, discarded one of the most special players ever to pull on a Newcastle shirt and has he been amazed by the meteoric rise of Hugo Miguel Ferreira Gomes Viana to the summit of world football?

Unfortunately there’s a good chance he is still trudging his way to St James’ Park every other Saturday; a Geordie Andre Rieu, orchestrating a chorus of boos on demand. Gallowgate Gary Jr was probably tapping away his moronic response to our goalkeeper’s apology in-between googling how to be a football hooligan.

I’ve regretfully had a go at players in the past and did it help? Absolutely not.

We still got relegated, we still haven’t won a trophy and we still appointed Joe Kinnear.

The players and manager need the fans behind them through the good and bad, especially in a season that could be one of the most defining in our history.

Being a supporter; the key really is in the name.