what does support mean

Do you change teams when the results go bad ? Poor old baldy, the tribulations of supporting Newcastle United. Nick was the talismanic epicenter of the LA Vale team that was unbelievably successful in 2007 - arguably the most successful football team in Los Angeles ever.

2009 and Nick is the talismanic epicenter of the FK Dinamo team, top scorer, captain, pre-match motivator and all round great bloke, basque anarchist, intellectual, debater, supporter, friend.

That's why - in working with Admiral - the FK squad wears black & white stripes. Of course, there's a nod and a wink to the club's Dinamo Internazionale heritage and the great Vandanel black & white striped jersey - but this was a quasi WBA strip with white shorts and black socks. We were going to stick with the great Vandanel people but we had two entire kits held up in US Customs, and could never rely on delivery cycles (no fault of Vandanel) to get urgent shorts, socks...

The Admiral people worked hard to get our business, and overnight shipping and the like was a great incentive to switch out in 2009 - nostalgia informed - of course - but like hearing Andy McMaster sing 'Airport' by The Motors (even though he was Scots) - the reminder of Kevin Keegan and the amazing Terry McDermott, to say nothing of Tony Woodcock, Kenny Samson, Phil Thompson, Trevor (Dirty Leeds) Cherry, Bryan Robson and the ever dignified Mick Mills was, frankly, a bit overwhelming.

We're black we're white, we're fucking dynamite, Dinamo, Dinamo. Not to be chanted by the U10 boys even if they know it.

So when the cunt that owns the club wants to sell the naming rights to one of the most recognizable stadia in the world, what do you do ? Budweiser St James' Park ? St James' Park brought to you by Boddingtons ? Newcastle Brown St James' Park ? Isn't this the ultimate middle finger to the fans ?

Or is it all an evil plan to attract even more attention to Michael Jackson, Uri Geller and Exeter City (the arch rivals of my beloved Torquay United) ?

http://www.footballshirtculture.com/history/the-history-of-admiral-since-1914.html

http://www.englandfootballonline.com/teamunif/Unif1980H.html

I'm perturbed.

So the team went down. I bought Oasis albums when I knew it was more filler than killer, and shelled out to see them live. Paul Weller - god - has done a couple of duffers - but you don't stop supporting your team when they get on a run of draws or losses do you ? You suck it up, you tough it out, you shout to the top and talk of the shit refs and the unluckiness, the run of play, the deflections, the ball-to-hand's and the what not.

Baldy is inseparable from Newcastle - he is Newcastle. I worked MetroCentre not long after it opened, and had an incredible experience in the North East - working out of Manchester 15 years ago, and the Bigg Market, like Dublin, left an indelible mark.

Whether it's a nod and a wink to Baldy - FK's esteemed captain, or the Admiral of old - I'd like to think we're in some way shoulder to shoulder with the St James' Park (the real one) fans. I don't know whether he knew it, but he kissed the brand and the badge four times Tuesday night.

There's something deep and fundamental that connects early 80's England, Newcastle and St James' Park, LA Vale and FK Dinamo. No question - it's Nick.