Matthew Procter

Confidence, the food of the wise man and the liquor of the fool.

[Matthew Procter @matthew_procter]

@MartinSLewis Looks like it is: https://t.co/i2M5jHXQpU

[Andy Burnham @andyburnham]

We need a New Deal for the North.
https://t.co/mOA93BLubV

[Lee Marshall @LeeMarshall9]

This was not approved by anyone connected with Newcastle United. The club was told Sir John wished to film a biographical piece on his own life.

[𐚁 @Whxtevxrr]

#Newcastle 🫶🏽

[Evie ♡ @EFCevie]

the killer was welsh and his parents were from rwanda which is a christian country (92% of the population are christian) yet somehow it’s muslims fault? these lot are so blinded by their bigotry that they don’t realise how stupid they look

[Andy⚫️⚪️ @AndyNufc48]

@I_amMukhtar Clipped beautifully

[Matthew Procter @matthew_procter]

Geeed up man, big up the NE7 massive telling these racist cunts where to go

[Mukhtar @I_amMukhtar]

This lady told a reform activist about himself.

[Matthew Procter @matthew_procter]

@paulmasonnews Hahahahaha you’re an absolute grifter man. How many constituencies will this now be that you’ve tried to get elected in?

[Paddy Power @paddypower]

BREAKING: As well as decorating their stadium with slogans welcoming their hated rivals, Sunderland have confirmed that they will drape a giant Saudi flag from the West Stand, award Sean Longstaff the freedom of the city, and commission an Ant and Dec statue on Millennium Way.

[Matthew Procter @matthew_procter]

Geeeeeeed up

[Freddie Costanzo @FredCostanzo8]

#NUFC

[Matthew Procter @matthew_procter]

Is there a mercy rule in footy like there is in baseball? Asking for Sheffield Utd

[Matthew Procter @matthew_procter]

Don’t make him talk about the funding of health and social care being a political choice. You won’t like him when he talks about the funding of health and social care being a political choice.

[Mark Ruffalo @MarkRuffalo]

When the UK’s PM @rishisunak refuses to hold the super-wealthy accountable, it leads to a healthcare system like the one we have in the US. Or even the system in the time of Charles Dickens.
Sunak should just #TaxTheRich or change his slogan to "Make the UK Sick Again."

[Matthew Procter @matthew_procter]

A thought I was having a stroke earlier man. Could smell it through the closed windows

[The Chronicle @ChronicleLive]

BREAKING NEWS: A huge fire has broken out at Henderson Hall in Heaton. Follow our live blog for all the latest news as we get it: https://t.co/pUvAOaHcos
🎥 Brandon West

[Matthew Procter @matthew_procter]

Horrendous decision this by @UKLabour

[Jamie Driscoll @JamieDriscollNE]

I’ve been barred from standing as North East Mayor by @UKLabour. No explanation has been given.
I’m proud to have created thousands of jobs, fought child poverty, built affordable homes and delivered our Green New Deal. I believe in democracy. Share if you do too. More to follow.

[Newcastle United @NUFC]

JOB DONE!!!!

WE'RE IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!!!!!

[Matthew Procter @matthew_procter]

Cheers sat on the train in tears

[Magpie 24/7 @Magpie24_7]

Whenever a homegrown player does well, we drag out the chant. You know, that one. And it could be literally anything remotely positive that the player has done. A three yard pass, clapping the fans, slyly kicking the ball away to waste a few more seconds in time added on. It doesn’t matter – “He’s one of our own." What’s important is that they came through the system and preferably before that, they lived a similarly ordinary life as the rest of us.

This season we’ve found a new one who deserves the chant . Not Elliot Anderson or Sean Longstaff. Not even one of the Mileys. No, in actual fact he’s been around for ages. With his mix of pace, energy and an excellent line in shithousery Jacob Murphy has transcended geography and academy membership and firmly taken his place as one of our own.

Murphy was signed from Norwich by Rafa Benitez in July 2017. He came with a great deal of promise, but with only one full season for Norwich under his belt, there was more than a hint of ‘one for the future’ about him. He was 22 years old and signing for his boyhood club having just starred for England Under 21's in the Euros; Jacob Murphy had the world at his feet.

In the 6 seasons since he signed for the club, Murphy has made 124 appearances, 66 of which came as a substitute. During those first three seasons he only made 34 appearances for the club as he was shipped out on loan in both 2019 and 2020, to West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday respectively. Suddenly, the world most certainly wasn’t at his feet and the dream move was simply not working out. In fact, I remember people asking if we’d signed the right Murphy – Jacob is a twin, if you didn’t know, and his brother Josh was performing well for Cardiff at the time.

Back at Newcastle, he managed to work his way back into the squad but was frequently played out of position by Steve Bruce, the master of wedging square pegs in round holes. The move still wasn’t working out and it felt like he was a player who would definitely be sold, sooner rather than later. Another move that we could all put down to experience.

And then, Jacob Murphy got ‘Eddied’.

Eddie Howe has been transformative for Murphy. I don’t think that’s necessarily been in terms of ability either. Murphy was a very talented player when we signed him and in my opinion was one who suffered with poor man management. For me, Rafa Benitez didn’t seem to know what to do with him and when it looked like he may well be overwhelmed with his ‘dream’ move, Benitez didn’t seem able to help. I think this was and is probably just a flaw of Benitez’s management style, as former players seem to have been at pains to talk about the very formal relationship that they had with their ex boss. As a result, Murphy went out to West Brom on loan in August 2019. He must have felt like his dream move just wasn’t going to work out.

Steve Bruce had a similar effect on Murphy. Shortly after Bruce’s arrival at the club, Murphy was sent on loan again, this time to Sheffield Wednesday with reasonable success. Upon his return to the Newcastle, he was a fairly peripheral figure and for a lot of Bruce’s time he was played out of position as a wing back in a failing system. You could see the confidence draining out of the lad and he seemed to become a specialist in making terrible decisions. This was highlighted with his choice of trying to dink the ball over Watford’s keeper when clean through on goal with the chance of a winner. Instead, he just planted the ball into the keeper’s arms. By the sound of the Radio Newcastle commentary, I don’t think John Anderson will ever get over it!

By the time we were taken over, it felt like the end of the Jacob Murphy story was nigh. He looked almost certain to be sold. And yet, to his eternal credit, he dug in, held on and retained a place in the squad. The rest is, as they say history.

Eddie Howe has repeatedly reminded us of Murphy’s value to the squad. Successive players – Sean Longstaff springs to mind – have stressed his importance in terms of the spirit in the group. Longstaff said, “If it wasn’t for Murph, a lot of the way the group is it wouldn’t be as together, the training standard wouldn’t be as high. You see him coming on in games and the impact he makes.” He went on to refer to Murphy as a “comfort blanket”. And you can see where those sentiments come from. Murphy just seems like the archetypal ‘good lad’; a bit of a laugh, a positive influence and someone who’s always smiling. Jacob Murphy is having a ball.

As fans, our awareness of Jacob Murphy has been raised by his antics on the pitch as well as his improving form. From his mock awkward expression as he brushed past an apoplectic Marco Silva when we’d beaten Fulham, to his waving off of Duje Caleta-Car in the cup semi final against Southampton, right through to the shocked expression on his face after his screamer against Spurs recently. Brilliant to see from a Toon player, but infuriating for the opposition, which seems to be our trademark these days!

In may ways, Jacob Murphy is the poster boy for Eddie Howe’s quiet revolution. He’s certainly the latest to benefit from Howe’s methods and is finally fulfilling what was the undoubted potential he showed when we signed him all those years ago. Murphy’s decision making seems to have got a great deal better and he seems to be brimming with confidence. No more running down blind alleys; these days Murphy seems quite happy to back himself and take defenders on. And as for his second goal against Tottenham? I think his own reaction summed it up, really. As he said himself, he was “feeling juicy”! For me though, it was easily one of the biggest ‘Wow’ moments in a season full of ‘Wow’ moments. As the saying goes, ‘what a hit’! Add in the goal on Thursday night against Everton and Murphy is timing his run to the end of the season just right.

Murphy has been in every match day squad this season, appearing in every game and has also now started 6 of the last 7 matches. Currently, he’s playing brilliantly and keeping Miguel Almiron out of the team. If you’d said these things at the start of the season, I doubt anyone would have believed that they’d actually happen.

Remember as well, that Newcastle United were his boyhood club. He gets to pull on the shirt and is representing that badge brilliantly. He’s loved by the fans and massively appreciated by his team mates, as well as probably being increasingly feared by the opposition. Jacob Murphy is well and truly living the Geordie dream!

#NUFC #NUFCFans #Newcastle #JacobMurphy
Graham for Magpie 24/7
@grahamcrosby on Twitter
https://t.co/jox0PjUnT0

[Matthew Procter @matthew_procter]

Shan this, my emergency alert has only just come through. Why is everyone else getting a 10 minute head start on impending doom.

[Matthew Procter @matthew_procter]

This match man