Newcastle HUMILIATED 8-0 by A-League All-Stars in bizarre post-season friendly as fans demand refund
NEWCASTLE UNITED’s post-season trip to Australia ended in embarrassment as a young side were thrashed 8-0 by the A-League All Stars.
Eddie Howe’s squad made the 10,475-mile plus journey after beating Brentford 4-2 on Sunday.
AFPEddie Howe’s Newcastle suffered an embarrassing end to their post-season Aussie trip[/caption]
GettyA young Toon side were thrashed 8-0 by the A-League All Stars in Melbourne[/caption]
That secured them a seventh-placed finish in the Premier League – which could lead to European football next term if Man utd beat City in the FA Cup Final.
Newcastle drew 1-1 with Tottenham in their first friendly Down Under on Wednesday before beating them on penalties at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
But it was a brutal experience for a host of Toon’s teenagers in front of 53,000 fans at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne today.
And it even left some supporters demanding a refund as Howe left out all of his big-hitters for the friendly.
After fielding a strong line-up for the Spurs game, the Magpies boss had promised to play the youngsters before this one.
Right-back Harrison Ashby, 22 and who spent this season on loan at Swansea, 21-year-old Joe White, recently returning from loan with Crewe, and winger Amadou Diallo, 21, all started.
Midfielder Jay Turner-Cooke, 20, and 32-year-old fourth choice goalie Mark Gillespie, who captained the team, were the most senior players on display.
But they were joined by six teenagers in the starting XI.
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First-team regulars Kieran Trippier, Lewis Hall and Elliot Anderson were named on the bench but not one of them appeared to try and stop the onslaught.
And some fans wanted their money back as the trolling started once Newcastle’s official account shared the full-time score.
“Embarrassing,” declared one as another joked “it could’ve gone either way”.
While another demanded: “Refund travelling fans!”
A fellow fan said: “Imagine travelling 10,485 miles for no reason just to get thrashed 8-0.”
Another fumed: “This is a disgrace. Why have the second game if they are not going to have a senior player on the pitch.”
While a sixth raged: “Pretty embarrassing and possibly disrespectful to field a team as we have. Granted we have alot of players needing rest. Our youth contingent are way off and sad for our Aussie fans having to witness that.”
As a seventh said: “We’re all agreed. Refunds all-round aye?”
South American stars Bruno Guimaraes and Miguel Almiron had already left the Magpies to head for international duty at Copa America.
Brazilian Joelinton is back in Brazil ahead of his wedding.
Top scorer Alexander Isak, who scored against Spurs, and fellow Swede Emil Krafth left the camp early ahead of their countries upcoming friendlies.
And Howe opted to rest the likes of Nick Pope, Dan Burn, Jacob Murphy, Matt Ritchie, Callum Wilson and Harvey Barnes after they played 48 hours previously.
Ben Old gave the All-Stars the lead after four minutes and Nicolas Milanovic and Adam Taggart added to their lead before the break.
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos made it four just after the hour mark and doubled his tally.
Things continued to get worse for the Toon as sub Jake Hollman got his name on the scoresheet with ten minutes left.
However, they refused to show mercy and continued to push forward for more.
The All-Stars made it seven through Jordan Courtney-Perkins before Bozhidar Kraev rounded off the scoring.
Now Howe and what’s left of his squad will be licking their wounds as they prepare for the gruelling 22-hour journey back to the UK after the money-spinning trip.
