If you come across any interesting items you'd like to pass on to other Toon Army supporters, send them to Gary.

After a nail-biting April, the lads have finally secured another season in the Champions League. We should have listened to Sir Bobby as he was always optimistic that the Toon would get through. (Five more wins and we'd have won the Premiership). With a few months for everyone to get themselves fit, physically and mentally, and expecting that there'll be some major signings during the summer, we can look forward to the new season with a bit more confidence than usual. The likely lads mentioned so far are going to be expensive, but Newcastle's income this season from TV, the FA, and Europe amounted to £40 million - and this didn't include profits from gate receipts which probably amount to £1 million a game.

If you know of any Toon supporters, and particularly Geordies, in North America, tell them about our website We've been trying to put topical items on the home page and provide something interesting for people who log on. One of the best things that's happened this year has been the Yahoo group. We've had some great exchanges about the progress of the team, opinions on players and possible signings, places where we can watch live matches, and helpful information for people who are relocating. So talk up the website.

The BBC is collecting film clips, with audio, taken in the years before 1950. For us oldies that meant no videocams, small snapshot cameras, and only a few people who had television. The first batch have just been put up onto the BBC website and they are from the northeast - Ashington miners, pigeons, whippets, the market on Newcastle Quayside, Durham Miners' Gala, brass bands etc. Fascinating stuff. Visit them at http://www.bbc.co.uk/englandonfilm

- Everybody who contributed to the Yahoo group during the year. - Mark Harper who keeps us all in line and makes his usual pithy (is that how you spell it?) comments from the far reaches of Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Still 25 feet of snow there). - Allison Menjivar who does a superb job with the website. - Gary Clementson, our secretary and provider of merchandise, who's been up to his armpits in babies this year. - Mark Franchi of Passport International Soccer Tours, our travel consultant. - And from yours truly, the old geezer, Harry the Rant, aal the best.

Harry S
Editor-in-Chief
Harry's Rant