The X Files – Newcastle United are not alone | OneFootball

Newcastle United and The X-Files, what’s that all about?

The X-Files was an American science fiction drama television series created by Chris Carter that was first broadcast back in the 1990s.

The series revolved around FBI Special Agents investigating the “X-Files”: unexplained/unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena.

So now, in the spirit of the X-Files, I am looking to investigate the unexplained/unsolved modern day cases, involving Newcastle United and football in general.

The first two cases to look at, which have sparked this theme, are…

Newcastle 1 Bournemouth 4

Newcastle 1 Fulham 2

So many Newcastle United fans simply can’t come to terms with the fact that United could lose to two other top half teams.

Is it possible to find anything else so baffling elsewhere in football…?

Brighton spent over £200m just in the summer 2024 transfer window, more than any other club in the world. In their last two Premier League matches they have managed to lose 1-0 at home to Everton and then 7-0 at Forest.

Forest lost 5-0 at Bournemouth and then defeated Brighton 7-0 in their next PL game.

Top of the 2025 Deloitte World Football Rich List, La Liga leaders Real Madrid lost to city ‘rivals’/paupers Espanyol who were in the relegation zone, on Saturday.

All conquering Manchester City suddenly in late October 2024, went on a run of playing 13 matches, where they won only one (3-0 against Forest who were in such great form) and losing nine!

Back in 1988 I went to Anfield. Newcastle United ended up relegated but won 2-1 against what was a brilliant Liverpool team at the time, who took the lead on three minutes. There then followed the most remarkable goalkeeping performance ever, as Dave Beasant must have made certainly what felt like 10+ world class saves, as Liverpool must have had 30+ shots. As I remember it, Newcastle only got in their half twice but yet somehow scored both times, Hendrie and a Mirandinha penalty!

Finally…

How about, Man U have won both Premier League matches this season against Fulham, Fulham have won both PL games this season against Newcastle, Newcastle United have won at Old Trafford and I’m sure will end up completing the double over Man U in April at St James’ Park (NUFC have won four of their last five games against Man U).

That is football.

It is 22 players on a pitch and anything can happen in any football match.

Why would you want it any different?

If one team was guaranteed to win every match, what would be the point of going to games?

Of course, it is normal to think ahead of any match that based on all available information, one team is MORE likely to defeat the other one.

However, the beauty of football is that there are no guarantees, that moments can and do happen which decide matches. Hitting the woodwork instead of an inch lower and into the net off the woodwork, an individual error, an individual moment of inspiration.

Sometimes a team plays really well for any number of matches and then suddenly plays really poorly.

It doesn’t mean they are rubbish, it just means that they played rubbish in that game.

Enjoy the unpredictability, it works both ways.

All you can hope for as a football fan is that your team wins more than it loses.