Well in a week where if you read about North East sport in the popular press all you here is doom and gloom, the Head Coach having thinly disguised pops at The Owner and the inability to get the players they want over the line, let’s look at a properly run professional sports team in Newcastle!

There may have even been NUFC supporters at The Airport this week frantically scanning the gates of both the International and Domestic arrivals. If there were they’d have seen no fewer than six new players coming through those gates to add to the one that arrived last Friday.

Three big forwards too and one of them an international. A “midfield general”, a scoring shooter and a valuable back-up to that “midfield general.” Yep, The Esh Group Eagles Newcastle more than managed to get their players over the line.

With the backing of their Owner Paul Blake who not only sorted out the budget but was also on hand to pick-up some of those players and is responsible for producing those photos where some players looked visibly shocked to be greeted by Uncle Jeff, in they came.

From Amsterdam via Atlanta and Winnipeg, from Copenhagen direct and via Zagreb, from Dublin via New York and Atlanta in they rolled and whilst there may have been some baggage left behind none of them carried any unwanted through although one would have liked to have carried a bit more!

Yes, we have to give a huge pat on the back to Mr Blake for his backing and then turn our attentions to the fine job Chief Recruiter and Assistant Coach Dave Forrester did in finding the players and presenting them to Fab and Ian for vetting and selection.

And I say that with the caveat that this very, very, very exciting team that they have put together might not gel, they might not hit the ground running and what looks good on paper might not be as good on court……… BUT, I feel optimistic.

Last night was first practice and yes, at times it was disjointed and raw but there were also moments of brilliance and promise from all and then you add in Fab, Drew and Darius who certainly let the new guys know they were around and it was guess what? Yep, exciting!

What will follow no-one knows but the signs are encouraging and one thing’s certain if you find the right pieces and can form them into the pattern that’s on paper then perhaps you can build something that works and is harmonious.

Perhaps we can be a lesson for others to follow!!!