WITH 2017 drawing to a close, it’s time to look back at the last 12 months of covering football in the North-East. Here are some personal highlights and lowlights from the last year


BEST GAME

BRIGHTON vs NEWCASTLE (Feb 28)

The Northern Echo:

When Newcastle travelled to Brighton’s Amex Stadium at the end of February, they were embarking on a three-match run that always looked like it would define their season. That turned out to be the case, with the Magpies’ thrilling 2-1 win on the south coast tipping the promotion battle in their direction.

Trailing to Glenn Murray’s early penalty, Newcastle were in trouble for much of the game against their title rivals, but they looked to have salvaged a draw when Mo Diame somehow deflected Christian Atsu’s mishit shot into the roof of the net.

Things would get even better with one minute left though, with Ayoze Perez slotting home a winner to send the packed away end into a frenzy. It was the night when Newcastle’s Premier League return began to feel inevitable.


WORST GAME

MIDDLESBROUGH vs SUNDERLAND (Apr 26)

The Northern Echo:

It has been tough watching both Middlesbrough and Sunderland for the majority of the last 12 months, and their Tees-Wear derby at the end of last season represented a low for both clubs.

Boro might have won it, but it was an evening that highlighted the limitations of both teams as they slid inexorably towards the Championship.

The standard of the football was dire, and the atmosphere was as flat as a pancake despite the local rivalry between the clubs. This season’s meeting in the second tier was better – but only just.


BEST NORTH-EAST PLAYER

JORDAN PICKFORD

The Northern Echo:

It probably says much that the best North-East player of 2017 only spent five months actually playing for a club in the region. Jordan Pickford left Sunderland for £30m in the summer, with his performances as the Black Cats were relegated having marked him out as something special.

His stand-out display in the second half of last season came at Arsenal, as he performed heroics to prevent a 2-0 defeat from becoming something much more humiliating. Since then, he has helped England Under-21s reach the semi-finals of the European Championships and made his senior England debut.

Jamaal Lascelles and Matt Ritchie have been Newcastle’s most consistent performers during the calendar year, while Ben Gibson impressed for Middlesbrough in the Premier League, although his performance levels have dipped slightly this season.


BEST OPPOSITION PLAYER

EDEN HAZARD

The Northern Echo:

There are plenty of players who tend to turn it on against North-East sides, and most of the Premier League’s big boys have enjoyed success against teams from the region this year.

Eden Hazard stands out though, as every time I see the Chelsea midfielder, he is invariably the best player on the pitch. He was in fine form as Chelsea put three past Middlesbrough in April, and scored one of his side’s five goals against Sunderland on the final day of last season. His best display came earlier this month though, as he ran rings around Newcastle at Stamford Bridge.

It’s also worth flagging up Joshua King’s performance for Bournemouth against Boro towards the end of last season, Paul Pogba’s Man-of-the-Match display against Newcastle at Old Trafford, and Fulham’s Tom Cairney, who shone against the Magpies on two separate occasions last term.


BEST GROUND

THE EMIRATES

The Northern Echo:

Arsenal’s home just edges this category – and it’s not just for the legendary press catering, which is right up there with the best in the league.

The atmosphere might not be all that raucous, but the Emirates has an aura about it. It’s the most attractive of the new generation of grounds that have sprung up in the last decade or so, and it always feels like an occasion whenever you visit. From a logistical point of view, it also helps that it’s right on the doorstep of King’s Cross.

Of the smaller grounds, I always have a bit of a soft spot for Bournemouth and Brighton, and Huddersfield have made a great job of smartening up their stadium this season. In the Championship, Norwich and Ipswich are always great trips, even if they’re a pain to get to.


WORST GROUND

THE LONDON STADIUM

The Northern Echo:

A trip to Stoke’s Britannia Stadium is never that appealing – guess where I’m heading on New Year’s Day – and Selhurst Park remains a ground desperately in need of a face-lift. It’s also the hardest stadium to get to in the country.

The London Stadium is just about as inaccessible though, and even though West Ham are halfway through their second season in Stratford, their home continues to feel like anything other than a football ground. Attending a game there remains an extremely strange experience.


STRANGEST GROUND

LFF STADIONAS, VILNIUS

The Northern Echo:

And speaking of strange, by far the most bizarre footballing experience I’ve had this year was covering England’s final World Cup qualifier in Lithuania in October.

With its plastic pitch, uncovered stands and fence behind one of the goals, the LFF Stadionas felt more like Darlington’s home at Blackwell Meadows than an international football ground. The fact England’s 1-0 win took place in a torrential downpour only added to the sense of the unusual.


BEST INTERVIEWEE

RAFAEL BENITEZ

The Northern Echo:

We’ve got a good group of players to interview in the region at the minute, although one of the best, Jermain Defoe, now resides on the south coast. Rob Elliot and Ayoze Perez are always especially helpful at Newcastle, George Friend and Stewart Downing are a pleasure to deal with at Boro, and all of Sunderland’s players have remained approachable despite this season’s struggles.

Garry Monk and Chris Coleman have settled in well, but Rafael Benitez stands out for his warmth and helpfulness. He might be a Champions League winner, but he’s always willing to sit and chat openly about what is going on, no matter who is on the opposite side of the table.


WORST INTERVIEWEE

VICTOR VALDES

The Northern Echo:

There aren’t too many players at Middlesbrough, Newcastle or Sunderland who think they’re too good to talk to us, but Victor Valdes fell into that camp. He didn’t do a single interview with the local media during his time on Teesside, and gave the impression he thought he was above playing for a side in a relegation battle.

Alvaro Negredo was similarly aloof, and from a work perspective, it was hardly a disappointment when both left. Grant Hanley was prickly and difficult to deal with during his time at Newcastle, while Patrick van Aanholt was hard work in the latter stages of his Sunderland career.


HOPES FOR 2018

It would be nice to think we could head into 2019 with three clubs in the Premier League, but that’s probably a bit far-fetched. So let’s go for Newcastle surviving in 16th position, Middlesbrough winning promotion via the play-offs and Sunderland stabilising successfully to finish tenth.

Off the pitch, it is even more important that Newcastle and Sunderland both change hands in the next 12 months. The departure of Mike Ashley and Ellis Short would probably be the best Christmas present the two clubs could hope for.

Beyond that? Sensible ticket prices would be welcome, and it would be nice to think the footballing authorities would consider the logistics of fans having to travel from the North-East when they agree to fixture changes. Oh, and England winning the World Cup in Russia. If we’re going for one thing that will never happen, we might as well have two.