A message to the NUFC 'fans' slating West Brom's Salomon Rondon before he's even signed..

Salomon Rondon is not even a Newcastle United player yet, but I'm seeing quite a few fans already slating his potential arrival - with many taking to social media to write him off before he's even kicked a ball for the club.

People are allowed to have an opinion and question if he's the right man for the job, but how on earth can you call yourself a 'supporter' if you've already got it in for him, deciding he's going to be a certain flop?

The definition of a supporter - "a person who approves of and encourages a public figure".

Quite a few will claim to bleed black and white as Newcastle United 'supporters', yet I see far too many intent on slating and berating their own players (See responses to Joselu's post on social media or the abuse Dummett and Diame have received prior to coming good).

Don't get me wrong, Ashley's lack of investment can easily lead us to a glass half empty mentality, but taking those frustrations out on the wrong people is a dangerous game.

Now, you are well within your rights to have an opinion on Rondon and admit you aren't too fond on the idea of us signing him. What I struggle with is those who write him off before he's even kicked a ball for the club - especially when he's the type of player who'll give 110% if and when he pulls on that black and white jersey.

Remember that phrase 'we don't demand a team that wins, we demand a team that tries'? Yeh..

I understand the frustration to an extent. It's another loan, he's not been prolific at West Brom and the main objective this summer was to sign a PROVEN striker - something he is not based on his three seasons in England so far.

What I will say, however, is this. He's played in some shocking West Brom sides under some awful managers (Pulis, Pardew, Megson) and I for one actually back Benitez to get the best out of him. He does miss more than he should - so I can't use West Brom and their managers as *too* much of an excuse as all goals are the same size - but I back our system and Benitez's management to get the best from him.

You may disagree, and that's fine, but if you don't rate him, can we at least agree to give him a clean slate at Newcastle United and judge him on that - not his previous failings with West Brom?

There's a few who'll compare him to Mitrovic and question if he's any better. My response to that is simple..

He'll do much better than Mitrovic - that's almost a fact. Why? Because Rafa will actually play him! Mitrovic didn't have a future at the club. That was abundantly clear, so I myself am just glad we have a striker of Benitez's choice in Rondon.

Unlike Mitrovic - a player he was clearly not prepared to play - Rafa has a lot to work with when it comes to Rondon. He's 6ft 2', built like an ox, a hard worker, surprisingly mobile for his size and strong in the air - not forgetting just about every West Brom fan I speak too insist what a top bloke he is.

These things don't give us that 15 goals striker we sorely lack, but Rafa will know he has something to work with here - which is more than can be said about Joselu after yet another ineffective performance against Augsburg on Saturday.

If you don't rate him then fine, it's understandable after all, but he'll DEFINITELY not succeed at St James' Park if a few thousand fans are using their energy to get at him, not get behind him.

I totally understand fan's frustration after ANOTHER penny pinching summer, but we really don't need that sort of negativity to be funnelled towards a new signing - especially when strikers often live & die on confidence levels!

So, if indeed he does sign, can we all agree to get behind him and give him the best chance of success under Rafa Benitez - a world class manager who does know what he's doing after all..