Newcastle United

Anderlecht striker Aleksandar Mitrovic completed his move to Newcastle United on July 21, taking the next step in his promising career.

The Serbia international has signed a five-year deal with the Tyneside club, subject to receiving the appropriate visa.

Newcastle United confirmed the news via their Twitter account:

IT'S OFFICIAL! Aleksandar Mitrović is a Newcastle United player! More at http://t.co/6wuhjL9BPv. #MitrovićIsAMagpie pic.twitter.com/wycVqYLEjF

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) July 21, 2015

Mitrovic said, per the official Newcastle website:

I visited the stadium and it is amazing. I have played in a lot of impressive stadiums in my career but St. James' Park is so big, I can't wait to play my first game here.

I know how passionate the fans are. This is a club with a very big history and the fans are a big part of that. There will be pressure here, for sure, but I like pressure.

I also know about the famous players who have played for Newcastle United, like Alan Shearer, who is a hero of mine. I hope I can play like him for this club. It will be an honour.

British fans will remember Mitrovic best for his part in the performance at the Emirates against Arsenal last November, when he helped Anderlecht back from a 3-0 deficit in the second half.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrDjrKtOdj0

Mitrovic is an incredible talent who could have moved to a bigger club than Newcastle, given his youth and impressive potential. He's not the fastest striker in the world, but he has very good instincts in the box, a powerful body he uses well and bags of aerial ability.

NUFCVine is excited about this signing, and for good reason:

https://twitter.com/NUFC_Vine/status/618872756181041152

The Guardian's Kristan Heneage couldn't help but crack a joke:

"Mitrovic will sign a contract for five seasons for the former club of Philippe Albert." Will he grow a moustache too?

— Kris Heneage (@KHeneage) July 10, 2015

Mitrovic isn't a perfect prospect, however. He flashed a poor mentality with Anderlecht at times, sulking on the pitch and not giving it his all when things didn't go his way.

The Serb won the team plenty of matches with his goals, but he sometimes needs to rein in his attitude.

He also disappointed during the end-of-season play-offs, one of the main reasons Anderlecht lost out on the Belgian title last season. But he is still young, so this is an area where he can improve in a hurry, if he is guided by a stern coach who can build a strong connection with him.

Mitrovic may have his flaws, but his incredible potential makes him well worth the risk for the Magpies. He has the physical build and playing style to be a success in the Premier League and should be Newcastle's starter from Day 1.

Newcastle United have finalised the signing of midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum from PSV Eindhoven on a five-year deal.

The club confirmed the transfer on their official website on Saturday, with the Netherlands international becoming the third-most expensive acquisition in their history behind Michael Owen and Alan Shearer.

In an accompanying statement, the 24-year-old star revealed he was excited at the prospect of plying his trade in the Premier League:

I felt the time was right for me to move and the Club have shown they really want me, so I'm very happy to be here.

There's a few players here who are from Holland - I know them well and they will help me feel at home in Newcastle.

I know the Club has a great stadium with great fans. I want to play here as soon as possible - I want to feel the atmosphere and hear the crowd. I cannot wait to get started.

Wijnaldum is the first signing made under new Magpies boss Steve McClaren, and in the same article, he hailed the acquisition as a major coup for the north-east team:

This signing is a real statement for the Club. It is a big transfer for a very good player and I am delighted to have Gini here at the Club.

He has lots of energy and a great tempo to his game. He is very skillful but is also capable of playing box-to-box, and - importantly - he can score goals.

He is at the right age and the right fit for Newcastle. He is a leader as well and you will see that. He is someone who always wants the ball, can deal with it, and we need that kind of character in the team.

While Memphis Depay, now of Manchester United, was the man hogging most of the headlines at the forefront of a vibrant young PSV side last season, Wijnaldum was equally important to their title tilt. He’s an adaptable talent and, as noted by McClaren, possesses both intricacy and industry at the heart of midfield.

Simon Bird of the Daily Mirror thinks the club’s summer spending spree can’t stop with the Dutchman, though:

If/when Wijnaldum is signed, #nufc can't be complacent. At least 4 more of quality needed to drive club forward from wreckage of last season

— Simon Bird (@SimonBird_) July 10, 2015

Indeed, Newcastle endured a torrid end to last season, avoiding relegation on the final day. The players involved in the team turned in some tepid displays in the iconic black-and-white jersey, while a backdrop of supporter unrest turned St. James’ Park, which usually conjures one of the most effusive atmospheres around, into a cauldron of invective.

But these are the types of signings that will lift the malaise that’s engulfed the Tyneside outfit. Wijnaldum comes with a glittering reputation and potential to grow into one of the top midfielders in the Premier League; here’s hoping he can help expedite a turnaround in fortunes for this sleeping giant of a football club.

Steve McClaren has been appointed as the new manager of Newcastle United, signing a three-year deal at St James' Park. Newcastle announced the news on Wednesday:

Newcastle United are delighted to announce the appointment of Steve McClaren as the Club's new head coach.

McClaren joins United on a deal for an initial term of three years, which could be extended to eight.

Managing director Lee Charnley said: "From my first meeting with Steve I knew he was the perfect fit for Newcastle United.

"I am delighted that we have secured the services of one of the best coaches in English football."

The former Derby County manager takes over from John Carver, who led the Magpies to Premier League safety on the last day of the 2014-15 season. McClaren has also been appointed to the Board of Directors, with Mike Ashley stepping down from his role on the board, the club revealed. 

McClaren discussed the move in the official announcement:

I am privileged to be appointed head coach of Newcastle United. This is a big club with a wonderful heritage.

St. James' Park is like a cathedral on a Saturday afternoon, a symbol for the city and I am excited to be given this opportunity. 

I know how important Newcastle United is to the city and the region.

The supporters are some of the most loyal, passionate and devoted in the world. Despite everything they maintain their faith. We owe it to them to do everything we can to reward them with success. 

There's a lot of work to do, but the Club has made it clear about wanting success and I would not have come here if I didn't believe they were serious.

This Club has waited far too long to win a trophy. That's one of my primary objectives here. 

I've already won trophies as a manager, and a club the size of Newcastle United should be winning cups and finishing in the top eight in the Premier League. 

I'm determined to give the supporters of Newcastle United a team they can be proud of. The hard work starts now.

McClaren was sacked by Derby in May after he failed to secure a place for the Rams in the Championship play-offs.

The Englishman talked about why the time was right to join the Magpies:

The former England boss has been offered the top job at Newcastle twice previously in the last six months. McClaren was sounded out to replace Alan Pardew when the latter left to manage Crystal Palace in December, and the north-east club attempted to bring him in with three games of the season remaining with relegation looking likely, per BBC Sport.

McClaren turned them down on both occasions, but Newcastle have finally got their man.

Former Nottingham Forest manager and Toon player Stuart Pearce thinks McClaren can handle the pressure at Newcastle, according to an interview with Sky Sports:

McClaren has not managed in the Premier League since 2006, when he left his post with Middlesbrough to take up the England job.

In the interim, as well as coaching England, he has managed Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga and won the Eredivisie with FC Twente.

His first order of business will surely be to bring some stability to Newcastle, a side who have endured wildly inconsistent form over the last couple of seasons.

While McClaren will not be viewed as an overly glamorous appointment, his varied experience could well make him a fine asset for the Magpies. 

Jonas Gutierrez's goal for Newcastle on Survival Sunday made for a rare feel-good story at the club after they endured a downright miserable run in 2015 and barely fought off relegation. 

But Gutierrez's departure from the club is far from something of the feel-good variety. In fact, it will give critics of the club even more ammunition against under-fire owner Mike Ashley. 

Ryan Taylor and Gutierrez were both told following the season that they would be released by the club, which didn't come as a massive surprise to either.

On the other hand, the manner in which they were told did.

Gutierrez was informed of his release with a phone call...on Taylor's phone. After Taylor was informed of his fate on his mobile phone, he was asked to hand off his phone to Gutierrez, who was in Northern Ireland with Taylor gaining coaching qualifications. 

Gutierrez, of course, is a fan favourite all around for his courageous story of beating testicular cancer, then returning to football.

Taylor explained the situation to Sky Sports (h/t Daily Mail). 

John Carver rang me and told me the club weren't going to offer me a new deal. 

I then had a chat with him, he's a good friend of mine. I've spent a lot of time with John in and out of the club. 

So I had a chat with him and then he asked me to pass the phone to Jonas, which was unbelievable. 

He was made to do it, he obviously was upset in doing it. I spoke to him and he seemed upset about telling two good pros who have been there a long time that it's come to an end. 

I can't really blame John because he's under instructions on what to do. 

Gutierrez, for his part, also wasn't shocked by the news but was unappreciative of the way it was delivered.

"I didn't get offered a new contract but it's not about that, you have to move on," he said. "The more important thing is that they can pick up a phone and call me or call my agent and say, 'Listen, thank you for everything, we are going to release you.' 

"That is more the way to do it." 

[Sky Sports, h/t Daily Mail] 

Amid the relief and celebrations at avoiding relegation on the final day of the season, there was still rancour and division at St James' Park.

Following the 2-0 win over West Ham on Sunday afternoon, Newcastle’s manager John Carver punched the air, owner Mike Ashley grinned in the stands, and the players hugged each other on the pitch, the wearied Newcastle fans were not in the mood to forgive, and forget the unrelenting misery of the last five months.

“Get out of our club, get out of our club,” the Newcastle fans chanted with passion, as reported by the BBC, towards the hated Ashley.

These fans wanted the Newcastle hierarchy to understand one win against a disinterested West Ham, incredibly only the club’s third win since the turn of the year, changed absolutely nothing.

Next season Newcastle United will be a Premier League club, but unless there is an entirely different approach, they will face another season hovering around the relegation zone.

Newcastle’s troubles this season have been self-inflicted, and stem from their policy of embracing, and even accepting, mediocrity.

Their season has been a study in what happens if a club seemingly gives up and stops trying, both on the pitch and in the boardroom.

The club have gradually expelled the very notion of being ambitious or aspirational, which have almost become dangerous and dirty words.

Instead the onus is on getting by, merely remaining in the Premier League, and showing no interest in the League Cup or the FA Cup.

This has turned Newcastle, in the memorable words of the Newcastle fanzine editor Michael Martin, via the Guardian, in to “a zombie club, half alive, half dead, going nowhere.”

It is an unusual spectacle in the Premier League where the mantra amongst every club is to get bigger and better; to seek to climb the table, and grasp some silverware along the way.

Last season Newcastle allowed their best player Yohan Cabaye to leave at the end of the January transfer window, and refused to replace him, leading to a run of 11 defeats in their final 15 league games.

They didn’t learn their lesson, and this season made an even worse decision by allowing Alan Pardew to leave for Crystal Palace and replacing him with John Carver.

Under Carver, Newcastle lost 12 of their 19 Premier League games to ensure a slide down the table that left them vulnerable to relegation until the final five minutes of the season.

If you fail to replenish your playing squad, and also your manager, with similar quality, then you are simply overseeing a slow decline.

This is Newcastle United; the 19th-richest club in the world, the seventh-richest club in the Premier League, who also have the seventh-highest wage bill.

The club boasts the 13th-highest attendance in European football, bigger than Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus.

The Newcastle fans who help to swell St James Park with attendances of over 50,000 deserve so much better.

After nearly being sucked into the Championship, there are signs that Mike Ashley might finally start to change his approach at Newcastle.

Before the game on Sunday afternoon he gave his first-ever television interview in which he told Sky Sports, via the Guardian, about his shock and disappointment at this season, and then declared, “Now [my intention] is definitely to win something, and by the way, I won’t be selling it until I do.”

“I will continue the policy of investing in the football club,” he added. “We’ve got the club on a very sound financial footing so we are able to spend, and punch above our weight thanks to the current financial situation the club finds itself in. We may have the cart but we now need to bolt the horse on and we are going to.”

Having built up the Sports Direct empire, and a personal fortune estimated to be around £4 billion, Ashley is clearly a successful businessman, and he has been forced to realise that continuing the approach of the last two seasons will only lead to relegation.

With the unprecedented riches of the new television deal about to flood into the game from next year, he knows he cannot afford to be cut off from this in the Championship.

There is already money there, with Newcastle recording record profits of £18.7 million last season, and also having £34 million sitting in the bank.

Some of this needs to be urgently spent on new players, for Newcastle finished the season with a chronically weakened squad.

Before entering the transfer market, the club need to make sure they retain their leading players, which include Tim Krul, Daryl Janmaat, Moussa Sissoko, Papiss Cisse and Fabricio Coloccini.

A new manager is also required to bring new energy and direction to St James' Park.

The relief at remaining in the Premier League should not lead to Carver remaining in the job beyond this season, and Newcastle need to aim higher than Steve McClaren.

When Mike Ashley took charge of Newcastle in 2007, he said, as reported in the Daily Mail, he wanted to “have fun and win some trophies.”

Eight years later, discounting the Championship, only won following a relegation, Ashley’s haul of major trophies stands at zero.

If he wants to change that, he first needs to fundamentally change his entire approach, and then radically change the Newcastle squad for next season.

With the season's last fortnight left to parse, nearly everything about the 2014/15 Premier League has been sorted.

Chelsea are champions; Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United should complete the top four. Burnley and Queens Park Rangers will be relegated, and Bournemouth and Watford will take their place. All that remains is the last relegation spot and the Championship play-offs to determine the newest EPL entrant.

Five clubs are in danger of the drop: Aston Villa (38 points), Leicester City (37 points), Sunderland (36 points), Newcastle United (36 points) and Hull City (34 points) are the parties playing an unwanted game of musical chairs.

Of this quintet, the most Jekyll and Hyde-like club has been Newcastle.

Villa, Leicester, Sunderland and Hull have all been relative bottom feeders in 2014/15, but the Toon are an enigmatic case.

Starting the season with four points from their first seven matches, then-manager Alan Pardew was the subject of an intensive campaign by supporters to be sacked. In charge at St. James' Park since the 2010/11 season—winning 38 percent of his matches—the year's beginning appeared a final straw in a largely lacklustre tenure.

Then the Magpies won five straight matches.

Victorious over Leicester, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, West Bromwich Albion and QPR, Pardew's squad rose from 20th position to fifth position in just seven games.

Crisis averted, or so it seemed.

During the Christmas/New Year's schedule, Newcastle again slid down the table. Cries for Pardew's removal became louder, and the former Crystal Palace player grasped at the opportunity to manage his old club when the chance arose 29 December.

By 2 January Pardew was south London-bound, and Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley turned to previous caretaker manager John Carver. Having 27 points and 19 games left, Carver's job appeared simple: Keep Newcastle United out of the Championship.

Seventeen league games, two wins, four draws and 11 losses later, Carver's appointment has proved far more arduous then when first planned.

Those who campaigned for the removal of Pardew, instead of making Newcastle's situation less convoluted, made the situation worse, or—at the absolute least—contributed to a toxic environment untenable for a better manager.

Make no mistake, Ashley oversees one of the biggest clubs in football. Newcastle United were the 19th most profitable club on the continent last season. Deloitte, an accountancy firm, suggests the Magpies generated £111.7 million/€155.1 million in revenue during the 2013/14 season.

One hand of that suggests Newcastle are living within their means and making sound business decisions; the other, however, suggests for the 19th richest team in Europe (and seventh most-profitable in England), being in a relegation battle is hardly adequate.

The politics of money/profits aside, Newcastle have two matches (vs. Queens Park Rangers and West Ham United) to salvage their bipolar 2014/15 campaign. Given that an already-relegated team and one thinking more about offseason vacation spots make up their next opponents, the Magpies will have only themselves to blame should they fall into the Championship.

Thirty-five points after 27 games seemed plenty of time to reach the 40-point plateau all teams in the bottom half set their sights upon. Thirty-six points after 36 games, though, and a team's season is invariably perilous.

Newcastle deserve a winning football club. There is a whole summer ahead to find a capable manager, procure talent and rid themselves of bad apples, but looking anywhere but QPR on May 16 would be a massive mistake for the Toon Army.

Many have clamoured for "interesting," as the season closes; it might not have come in the expected or wanted packaging—but "interesting" has certainly been found at St. James' Park.

Follow @danieltiluk

*Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase.com where not noted.

The likes of Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer have been called Messiahs at Newcastle United in the past, but one priest believes the club now needs the real deal to save them.

Stephen Foster is a huge Newcastle fan as well as being a member of the clergy and has called on the man upstairs to try to get owner Mike Ashley out of the club. 

Ashley's running of the club has left Newcastle fans fuming, and they believe his lack of investment is why the Premier League club is now in real danger of being relegated. 

So Father Foster has written a prayer to God that he hopes will be answered. 

He shared it with Katie Davies of the Chronicle:

Dear Father in Heaven

Listen to our prayer in the midst of our suffering.

To be at St James Park is where we want to be. To win is great. To see passion, excitement, endeavour and skill is ecstatic.

To lose is always terrible. It takes some time to recover. But now we are being attacked from within. We are more financially secure now, but the cost is great. No involvement in cups is allowed. Best players sold. Mediocre mid-table finish is what is demanded.

The balance sheet has become the most important thing.

But this is not what we want.

And so Heavenly Father, grant that the owner will see more to this than profit and balance sheet. That there is more to life than money. It’s about families and belonging. Being happy.

If you spend your hard-earned money on a match ticket, it's an insult to witness passionless, mercenary football.

Our family is Newcastle. Give us what we want.

But, if he is not prepared to change Heavenly Father, give him the insight to know it's time to go.

Give us a new owner (or a new mentality for the present owner) who will take our spirit and not crush it but revive it. Give us someone who will not rename our stadium from St James Park, not change the colour of our strip. Not rebrand us into something we are not.

We've had highs and lows. Notably the Fairs Cup. That was a great year. But too many lows.

Help us now,

Amen.

 Father Foster also explained why he wrote the prayer, saying:

It's a prayer to the Lord to try and change the mentality of the owner and the club.

It's about getting the best for the fans. We are going through a difficult time but things can improve.

Amen to that, indeed.

[Chronicle]

Speculation is mounting over the future of Newcastle United manager John Carver with the club now flirting with relegation from the Premier League following eight consecutive defeats.

Continue for updates.

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McClaren 'Never Tempted' by Newcastle Job

Wednesday, May 6

Richard Conway of the BBC reported that Derby County manager Steve McClaren was "never tempted" to take the job at Newcastle, and noted that the club would need to work to "detoxify" the position. 

McLaren had been linked with a late-season move to Newcastle, but the former England boss was first reported as not being interested in the job, per Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph.

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Carver Potentially in Jeopardy After Poor Run of Form

Monday, May 4 

Newcastle released a statement on Monday on the back of Saturday's 3-0 defeat to Leicester City, indicating that Carver will stay in charge until the end of the season, per the club's website: 

Following the result at Leicester City on Saturday, there has been two days of frank dialogue with John Carverand senior players. The outcome of those discussions is that the board, John Carver, his staff and players are absolutely focused on our current situation and the three hugely-important fixtures that remain this season, two of which are at St. James' Park. All parties accept responsibility for the current situation but are determined, together, to ensure this Club - your Club - retains its Premier League status. That is the only focus at this time.

Carver took over the top job at St. James' Park after Alan Pardew's switch to Crystal Palace, and Newcastle now sit just two points above the relegation zone with three games remaining—against West Bromwich Albion, Queens Park Rangers and West Ham United.

BBC Sport pundit Martin Keown does not believe Carver has the ability to succeed in the Premier League with Newcastle:

Martin Keown says John Carver is out of his depth. Agree? http://t.co/dLlxct0DQQ #bbcfootball pic.twitter.com/Y3OS3xQ95J

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 2, 2015

He certainly seems to be feeling the pressure of the situation, accusing centre-back Mike Williamson of deliberately getting himself sent off during the Leicester defeat by bringing down Jamie Vardy over the sideline, per The Guardian's Paul Doyle: "I thought he meant it. My first reaction when he was five yards away was ‘don’t do it’ and he did it. Vardy is off the pitch, Willo is off the pitch and the ball is off the pitch, there’s no need to do it. I’m not accepting that."

The Mapgies sat ninth in the Premier League and 10 points clear of relegation in December after Pardew's last game in charge, a 3-2 win over Everton.

Carver initially took over as caretaker manager before being handed the full-time job until the end of the season, and he has overseen a miserable spell of form, per Opta:

9 - No side have won fewer points in the Premier League than Newcastle United (9 - level with QPR) since John Carver took charge. Worries.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 4, 2015

Newcastle clearly feel that the 50-year-old can do enough to avoid relegation, but with the likes of drop-rivals Leicester, Hull City and Sunderland in decent form of late, the Toon must find at least one win from somewhere.

Even if Newcastle do survive the drop, it seems highly unlikely that Carver will continue as manager past the end of the season.

.@NUFC dump photos of Bobby Robson's 2001-2002 team in skip #nufc #NorthEasthttp://t.co/oYPwjMgjjo pic.twitter.com/zghr5ZEByR

— The Chronicle (@ChronicleLive) April 15, 2015

Newcastle have scored a PR own goal by being caught dumping photographs of Sir Bobby Robson's immensely popular 2001/02 team in a skip. 

The discarded framed photographs were spotted by local newspaper the Chronicle, which has had a tempestuous relationship with the club's current board headed by owner Mike Ashley. 

The Chronicle was banned from St. James' Park for 14 months in 2013 and 2014.

Kate Proctor notes in the report about the dumped photographs: 

Sir Bobby, flanked by his star players Alan Shearer and Gary Speed are shown standing proudly in their squad line-up photo—but the image has been removed from the walls of St James’ Park.

Alongside around 30 other framed photographs, the team picture now lies discarded in a skip, alongside grass cuttings and building materials.

It is understood that the pictures had been on the walls of the club’s 100 corporate boxes but have now been replaced by more up to date images of the current team.

Steve Wraith, of NUFC Fans United, expressed his disappointment about the club throwing out the photographs, saying: 

They could have auctioned them for charity, but just to put these things in the bin is awful. Now fans are talking about going and helping themselves.

They are pictures of club legends. I don’t think the club want people to be reminded of a time when they were doing well because they are doing so badly at the moment.

Newcastle finished fourth in the Premier League in the 2001/02 season and then third the season after.

They have not finished as high since then.

[Chronicle]

Papiss Cisse will serve a seven-match ban after he spat at Jonny Evans during Newcastle United's 1-0 loss to Manchester United on Wednesday.

Continue for updates.

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Walters: Spitting 'Lowest of the Low'

Friday, Mar. 6

Stoke City forward Jonathan Walters believes spitting is among the worst acts a player can commit on the field. He spoke to talkSPORT (h/t Oliver Todd of the MailOnline):

As a player you take anything off the ball; pinches and kicks that are meant to wind you up. Little things like that go on in any match. But spitting is pretty low. If it happened to me and someone spat at my face or towards me then I think he'd be eating his supper through a straw that night. I wouldn't be that happy. It's the lowest of the low.

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Cisse's Seven-Match Ban Confirmed

Thursday, Mar. 5

Cisse's ban was confirmed on Thursday by Sky Sports News HQ:

BREAKING: Cisse will serve seven match ban after admitting charge. #SSNHQ

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) March 5, 2015

The Magpies have confirmed that they have accepted the charge in a statement on their official website. In the passage, the club’s managing director Lee Charnley insists the player must front up for what he’s done:

Both ourselves and Papiss agree that this kind of behaviour is not acceptable.

In life, when you do something wrong you have to front up, admit your mistakes and accept the punishment. Papiss was proactive this morning in making a full and heartfelt apology, which he did in advance of any notification from the FA regarding this charge.

This was something he felt strongly about and we fully support him in quickly accepting the charge.

The incident was caught on camera during the match, and as noted previously, the forward subsequently apologised for his behaviour. Here’s a look at what Cisse had to say in his apology and how Bleacher Report’s Stan Collymore thinks issues like this should be treated in the future:

‘We should put spitting, diving and biting in the same bracket,’ writes @StanCollymore http://t.co/eevxMVPnfI pic.twitter.com/Fbir4ZAG9g

— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 5, 2015

Evans was also accused of spitting at his opponent, but he denied it in a statement on the Red Devils' official website (per the Press Association, via The Guardian). The United man was also charged by The FA, per BBC Sport.

After Cisse was levied with a suspension in December for violent conduct following a clash with Everton’s Seamus Coleman, the ban administered to him here was upgraded from six to seven games.

Here’s a look at the matches the 29-year-old will miss as a result of these sanctions:

If Cisse were suspended - he'd get an extra game due to an earlier ban for violent conduct this season. #SSNHQ pic.twitter.com/ZSmiS1yEdo

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) March 5, 2015

For a Newcastle team currently languishing in midtable, their No. 9's absence shouldn't be too costly during the run-in.

Cisse’s apology seems sincere, and the red mist can occasionally descend in the heat of the moment, but spitting at an opponent is one of the foulest things a player can do on the field.

After two extremely unsavoury moments in the space of four months, hopefully Cisse learns from these incidents and steers clear of comparable controversies for the remainder of his career as a Newcastle player.