Season 1978/79 - The Players

A Different Kind of Tension

McGarry began to understand the job he had took on. "This area is a furnace. Football is an obsession with the fans. They are fanatics in a way no other area can match".

"You learn that you are representing an entire area. It puts a lot more pressure on you - but any rewards must be that much greater."

But his team were not there to please. Goals were at a premium but Bill wasn't apologising; "What matters is to get out of this Division - not how"

He struggled to get his higher level imports to perform and his exasperation was made public after scraping past Torquay in the FA Cup. He accused them of shirking in training and warned that; "some players have got to pull their socks up or they are out!".

But results got worse and the club started to slip down the table. McGarry wasn't throwing in the towel though: "I'm the sort of manager who believes he can do any job, no matter how hard. And this is a hard job."

Get Over You

Coach Peter Morris left the club to take over as manager of Peterborough and was surprisingly not replaced.

At the end of the season it was reported that McGarry was trying to persuade England coach Bill Taylor to help him out.

Give 'em Enough Rope

Cigar smoking McGarry certainly kept himself busy in the transfer market. He had already swopped Hibbitt and Connolly for Barrowclough before the end of 1977/78 and during the next twelve months 21 players moved either in or out of Toon.

It was a radical but necessary overhaul: "When I arrived here the club needed cleaning out. There were players who didn't want to play for Newcastle United."

With so many new faces McGarry asked for patience from the fans; "don't expect overnight miracles" he pleaded.

He was also restricted by limited funds in transfer market spiralling out of control. "The cash managers are talking about is absolutely ridiculous. There are no winners in this situation. It has to stop."

English Civil War

Four of the directors were the target of a High Court Petition issued by the Newcastle Supporters Association.

The compulsory winding up petition invited the law men to take action over the way the club was run, claiming that four directors (Westwood, Rutherford, Seymour and Rush) were guilty of "oppressive conduct" in the following areas

Denying share transfers to ensure they only went to supporters of the current board.

Stifling discussion at general meetings in order to prevent matters of concern from being given proper consideration.

Failing to be "open and frank" on matters involving the business interests of two of the directors relating to contracts with the club.

Undermining dressing room morale by not ensuring payment of money promised to a players pool.

A preliminary hearing was set for October 6th and it was believed that former players would be among the witnesses subpoenaed by the rebel shareholders.

It wasn't just the shareholders who wanted a pop. Former player Jim Iley (now manager of Blackburn) branded United's plight as "disgraceful" and suggested "you must look at the men at the top" for responsibility.

The season also saw the passing of a former player, manager and director - the man they dubbed Mr. Newcastle - Stan Seymour Snr.

Mad Daddy

Big Jack was involved in a second coaching series for television; this one involved him "refining" the skills of a group of Newcastle apprentices. The programme was unscripted; lets face it if he can't remember the names of his own players, learning lines would have been unthinkable.

Sometimes his ad libbing went too far and on one occasion he was caught relieving himself behind some bushes.

Don Revie was banned for ten years by the FA when he was found guilty of negotiating a secret deal with the United Arab Emirates whilst still England manager.