UWP Members Blog #2: London Mag In Exile

In our second United With Pride manners blog we're proud to share one of our Mags in exile stories Duncan. Not only is Duncan a top bloke he's also one of the most generous and genuine people you could ever wish to meet. Over to you Duncan.

The United With Pride group for me was born out of a need for togetherness, support and friendship during the COVID-19 lock downs in early 2020. What started as a social media/online thing for me has now become something more ....I became a committee member then a co-chair of the supporters group getting me involved with a group of like minded friends in the north east. I truly feel that now I have a group of friends up there which I didn’t have 3 years ago. The main reason as to why I didn't travel up to Newcastle as often as I do now because I didn't really know anyone up there, and I was very much going up on my own, staying on my own and coming home on my own if I couldn't persuade any of my friends from back home to come with me. Ultimately this friendship and togetherness has lead me onto taking the plunge, and becoming a season ticket holder, I travel up to most games now, and really enjoy catching up with the group and finding out what everyone's been up to and talking about the game that is about to kick off.

I started supporting Newcastle all the way back in 1994. When I was 14/15, I'd stay at my grandparents every weekend and that's how I got into football in the first place. Watching Match of The Day and generally loving life watching Newcastle on TV and the Euro 96 tournament (at the time) in England. That year in the garden with my nan and granddad (with the big backed TV under a bed sheet hung on the washing line to keep the sun off the screen).

Here's a picture of me when I was 15 and my first trip to the home of Newcastle United St James Park. We travelled back from Scotland where we used to always go on holiday and my dad decided he would stop off at St James's Park. My grandad took me in the club shop bought me this shirt, I wanted my picture outside the gates of St James's Park. One of the most important memories for me and I will never ever forget that day.

My first game that I saw in person was Newcastle v Sheffield Wednesday on the 24th August 1996, we did lose 1-2 but at least I saw a goal and the experience the roar of the crowd at Saint James's Park, back then I travelled up with my mum and grandad on a coach, because that was the only thing that we could afford at the time it took about seven hours and it was one of the longest journeys I've ever had to experience on a bus in my life! I remember we stayed in a hotel near the big market, and although I was only 15 at the time I did walk up and down a big market with my grandad looking at the sites that It had to offer at 10 o'clock at night before a match.

I guess my favourite Newcastle United moment over the last 27 years has to be the Newcastle United 5 Manchester United 0 game. I remember again I was watching this round my Nan and Grandads and it was just one of the most incredible matches I had ever seen, although it was on TV, it felt every bit as if I was there, and especially when Albert chipped the goalkeeper for the fifth goal, it was just pure elation and disbelief.

No matter how bad a day I might be having, football at St James' Park and the vibe I get from being in Newcastle as a city always gives me that feeling of excitement in my stomach. I've been going to games with UWP for about three years and had my season ticket for one year, however I have been going to games home and away for 27 years, away teams like - Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, West Ham, Norwich and Crystal Palace. You can see a theme there with the away games in that they are all London based teams! being a season ticket holder in London away games are easier than getting to my seat in the Gallowgate!

Typically, when I come up for a home game and by the way, that's probably only about half of the games because the amount of cost involved come to every home game and the away games is just too much. I normally travel up by train leaving early in the morning, it takes around 3 1/2 hours door-to-door before arriving in Newcastle, Central Station and then start checking into my hotel and then heading down to Bobbys bar for a pre-match meet, sometimes I also get some food in somewhere like the Gunner and have a quick catch up with friends from both outside the group and other group members.

There is no doubt that supporting Newcastle United from down here can be a lot of travelling, but it's totally worth it for me. If it helps, you're able to meet up with other UWP members pre and post match so that you never truly are alone when you visit Newcastle every other weekend to celebrate goals, express your frustration and give each other emotional support during what ever times you maybe going through. UWP and Newcastle for me is about community and coming together for a shared experience. I have not attended every game, been to every UWP organised event or even be a Geordie! but im still considered a part of the UWP family and a long standing NUFC supporter because we continue to follow our team through the good times and the bad (not so many bad at the moment)

Go and deliver that message when anyone asks you why you support Newcastle and UWP.

Love the Mags and always will.

Essex Geordie,

Duncan