Toon Crier: Season's Over

The offseason doesn't mean there's no news for Newcastle United. Quite the contrary, actually. This is shaping up to be a very busy summer Tyneside. There's now just 97 days till the season kicks off, and a lot to be done. Let's get to it.

You know how I said it was going to be a busy offseason? That's because Newcastle is looking at letting go seven senior team players. Nothing is set in stone yet, but it seems that Alan Pardew has been given the go-ahead to build his squad.

Speaking of Alan Pardew, as we said yesterday, he's coming back. Newcastle are expected to announce that at a Fan Forum event, which should go over swell.

One of the reasons fans are upset is that in the last two years, Newcastle has lost more matches than 89 other teams in English football. Only Fulham (relegated this year) and Stevenage (last place in League One) lost more. Fine company to keep.

Papiss Cisse wasn't mentioned in the mass exodus article, and reports say he's recovering well from his knee injury. The striker couldn't find his form this year, but many here would argue that's because Pardew's system didn't suit Cisse. Could a squad reshuffling help find set-up men for the man who once took the Premier League by storm?

There was a match yesterday. It went poorly.

By the way, the pre-season fixtures begin on July 15 against Oldham. That's 63 days away. Newcastle will make visits to Germany, New Zealand, and Australia in their lead-up to the start of the Premier League season.

The first half of the Championship Promotion Playoff Final is set as Derby County cruised past Brighton by an aggregate score of 6-2. The Rams will face the winner of QPR-Wigan in Wembly for the right to enter the Premier League.

Fun Derby County fact: Of the 11 points the Rams earned in their last season in the Premier League (2007-08), four came off of Newcastle. Their lone win of the campaign was a 1-0 victory at home against Newcastle, while Derby managed a 2-2 draw at St. James' Park.