Futbol Chronicles: Newcastle United are Slowly Becoming Bottom Feeders

This is not the case with northeast challengers Manchester United and Manchester City, who are enjoying finer times as of late and could potentially create a more classic Mancunian battle of football supremacy for years to come.

Both clubs have the money—and lots of it, City meanwhile are reaping the harvests of the transfer market along with Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid. City will only need to make a couple of marquee signings, particularly one up front (Carlos Tevez or Samuel Eto'o), and quite possibly a star defender (John Terry) or midfielder.

United have sold Ronaldo and Tevez respectively, but fans shouldn't count them out. 

Newcastle are in a dire situation: most of the fringe players responsible for the club's demise from the Premiership last season are still there, including the likes of Nicky Butt, Damian Duff, and Joey Barton.

What's even more appalling is the lasted report from the Telegraph which stated that ticket sales at St. James park have fallen to about 20 percent this summer. Not a good way to make way for the new season, especially for such a once proud and storied club like Newcastle United.

It doesn't help that club are unfortunately still handled in the care of unpopular owner Mike Ashley, who's handling of the club affairs since he bought the team is anything but horrible.

Things were so bad at Newcastle that at one point, the owner was forced to refrain himself from attending the games at St James park for fear of his safety.

When the club's supporters are in a point to where they feel they can physically turn on their club's owners, than that's usually a sign that a club probably is in major trouble.

For Newcastle, the writing has been on the wall for far too long, some might argue the writing started when Sir Bobby Robson finally decided to retire a few years ago. 

Keven Keegan made a miraculous comeback to Newcastle, but was only there for a brief period before he finally left the club when he fully began to realize the rot that was stenching up the place at St. James park.

It didn't help that Dennis Wise. perhaps considered to be one of Newcastle supporters' arch enemy, was running the show, and at one point was seen as the major obstacle to Keegan himself.

One thins is for sure: Premiership football would never be the same again without the likes of Leeds, Nottingham, and Newcastle competing in the ranks. Football has lost another of its golden shoes, and now Toon Army supporters would have to hope, and possibly pray that Newcastle do not fall ever further down towards the bottom.

Stay tuned.

The best Newcastle United newsletter on the web