The Black and White Tears of a Newcastle United Fan

It's hard being a Newcastle United fan—even harder when you've only been following the team for a few seasons.

Add into the equation that I'm American, and it's even more difficult.

And as many American football/soccer fans know, it's hard supporting a team that's not Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, or Manchester United on a week-in, week-out basis. Fox Soccer Channel and Setanta are nice, but can't connect me to my team weekly.

But why support Newcastle?

Wouldn't it be easier to support a team that wins titles consistently, or one that plays an attacking style of football with lots of flair?

Yeah, it would be.

But like everyone I'm sure, my parents told me when I was young—especially after the Phillies lost in the '94 World Series—that life isn't easy.

Sports and fandom should be no different.

I'm proud to support Newcastle United, despite the tumultuous past, the confusing present, and the uncertain future.

Life is a roller coaster and that's the way I like my sports teams, and ever since I hopped on the Tyneside ride, I have never wanted to get off.

I may be thousands of miles away, but I'm right alongside of that Geordie with the sullen face after a 6-0 drubbing at Old Trafford last year. I, too was celebrating the return of the Messiah like it was Easter morning.

And if I wasn't hooked as a fan, I was when Keegan returned.

The return of the Messiah as the Geordies called him. What a romantic statement.

I'm only 20, and I haven't seen a lot in my years as a sports fan, but I don't recall a point in American sports history as long as I've been alive that has changed the mood of an entire team and its followers as much.

Sure what followed as a boring, goalless draw against Bolton, but still watching that game on TV made me so angry that I wasn't in the stands amongst others like myself.

Being under 21 and in a college town that only cares about (American) football it's hard to find anyone to watch a game with you, especially when everyone else interested in soccer only cares about Man United, Real Madrid, and Liverpool.

There was this one time that I thought I had found another Newcastle fan when I saw someone wearing a kit...

The exchange went something like this:

Me - "Hey man, nice kit. Are you looking forward to this weekend’s game?”

Guy - "Kit? You mean this soccer jersey? It's my friend's, but go Northern Rock!"

Me - "Uh...yeah…Go Northern Rock..."

In that moment, I truly felt alone. Out of 28,500 students, I was the only Newcastle United fan in Morgantown, West Virginia. (probably)

If I had cried at that moment they would have been tears pigmented with black and white.

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