Number 9 - What does it mean?

Alan Pardew has today admitted that he is looking for a player to take over the number nine shirt that was vacated by Andy Carroll when he left for Liverpool on transfer deadline day.

The worrying thing for me is that he says that he could be looking for someone from within the club to 'step up to the plate' and fill the void left by Carroll, but then he also says that they are scouring the transfer market in one of those 'look at us we're really looking' kind of speeches that are becoming more and more common these days.

Now I'll probably end up getting a little bitter during this, but it won't be directed at anyone in particular. It will just be more of a general rambling about the way I feel about a shirt I love. To be honest, the last few words of the last sentence are kind of my point - "the way I feel about a shirt I love" - I love - We love!.

The number nine just doesn't matter any more, not to anybody who will end up wearing the shirt anyway. Foolishly I thought that Carroll may have picked up the baton where Alan Shearer left off and become the next great Newcastle number nine. After all, it is what he said when he used to tell us how he was 'living the dream' and all that stuff. In truth it was easy to listen to as it was one of our own telling us, and you tend to listen a bit more when one of your own has something to say, or at least I do, or did, anyway.

Carroll dropped the baton though and off he went to Liverpool. Now I'm not debating the the reasons behind his sale, why he was sold, who was to blame, or anything like that. Quite simply that has been done a million times now and it's always ends up being the same argument. What Newcastle, and us fans as well of course, must do now is focus on the next one.

That's if it even matters any more. The legend of Milburn, Gallacher, Supermac, Shearer, Paul Goddard ;) is just that now - a legend. The thought of any of our current crop of players filling the shirt sends shivers down my spine if I'm being honest. Don't get me wrong, some of our strikers have surprised me, especially Leon Best, but he ain't no number nine, not for Newcastle United anyway!

To me the number nine should be someone who is talismanic, a figurehead for the club and an ambassador of loyalty to the black and white stripes that ALL of us value so highly. Unfortunately that theory fell over when I mentioned the word loyalty. Silly me. The very last shred of loyalty will disappear from the Premier League when Ryan Giggs hangs up his boots.

With that disappearing loyalty goes with it the legend of the number nine shirt in my view. Put simply it may as well be retired and awarded to the fans at NUFC as they are the only people that it really matters to any more. At least that way we can remember those who wore it with pride rather than those who would give it up for a few bob.

It's a sad situation, but it's true unfortunately. The legendary number nine can buy you things that money can never buy you, but unfortunately it won't buy you another Ferrari!

R.I.P - 9!