Newcastle United supporters have been left raving about one West Ham star after his standout performance in the Hammers’ vital 3-1 win over them.
The player’s display was so dominant that Magpies fans have admitted he made their team look “rubbish” in a one-sided battle at the London Stadium.
While Newcastle United supporters are often praised in the press, West Ham fans sometimes get a bad rap.
While words like ‘loyal’ and ‘passionate’ are used to describe Newcastle fans, Hammers supporters have been accused of being demanding, fickle, unrealistic, deluded and hard to please.
However, there is no denying West Ham and Newcastle fans know their football.
And both fanbases know a player when they see one.
West Ham and Newcastle fans know a player
Hammers and Magpies fans have seen plenty of special players in their teams down the years.
There have been just as many poor ones too, only helping the two fanbases appreciate the top stars even more.
There is always that little bit extra when it is a player who has come through the Academy, though.
Fans of all clubs love nothing more than seeing ‘one of their own’ making their mark in the first team.
West Ham and Newcastle fans had intense debate over who was the better between Declan Rice and Sean Longstaff when they came through around the same time.
There is a famous video of a Toon fan mocking Rice and saying Longstaff was the better player.
It is fair to say West Ham fans were proved right on that one.
Now Hammers supporters have been vindicated yet again – and this time even Newcastle fans are in agreement.
Because Newcastle fans have been leading the praise for a West Ham star who made them look “rubbish”.
When Academy central midfielder Freddie Potts signed a new four-year deal at the end of last season, many believed it was a sign Graham Potter saw him as a first team starter.
That also looked to be the case when Potts, son of Hammers legend and now first-team coach Steve, started most of West Ham’s pre-season matches, and impressed.
When the new campaign rolled around, though, meek Potter ditched the homegrown Hammer much to the frustration of supporters.
Irons supporters have been calling on Nuno Espirito Santo to start Potts.
Newcastle fans lead praise of West Ham star who made them look “rubbish”
Especially after he came on and helped West Ham take control in Nuno’s first game in charge – the encouraging 1-1 draw at Everton.
Those pleas fell on deaf ears, though, with even Andy Irving starting ahead of Potts.
Dismal defeats to Brentford and Leeds saw Nuno finally come to his senses and listen.
And he will be glad he did as Potts was named the official Premier League player of the match as he dominated one of the most powerful, dynamic and aggressive midfields in England and Europe to help the Hammers beat Newcastle.
That did not go unnoticed by Magpies fans either.
Freddie Potts’ game by numbers vs. Newcastle:
Potts’ performance proved West Ham fans right and it also had Newcastle supporters singing the central midfielder’s praises.
The scale of Potts’ display was highlighted by his statistics.
He completed 33 of 39 passes, won five of seven duels contested, made six clearances, won four tackles, made four crosses and four final third entries, created two chances and had a goal cruelly ruled out for the most marginal half-inch offside you will see all season.
Here are just a few examples of the praise online for homegrown Hammer Potts, led by Newcastle fans.
Big Newcastle X account, Magpie Media, responded to a post-match video message from Potts to West Ham fans, calling him another ‘exceptional English midfield talent’.
“This lad made our midfield look rubbish today, by the way. Another exceptional English midfield talent,” Magpie Media said.
Another Magpies supporter said Potts embarrassed their midfield so much they should be docked their wages.
“Bruno G, Joelinton and Tonali letting FREDDIE POTTS walk away with MOTM they should not be paid any wages for a month,” the fan said.
Hammers fans proved right over Freddie Potts
John the West Ham fan added: “Can’t understand how every fan could see this from preseason but two managers failed to see it. Just what it centre midfield needed. He was absolutely class. Well played.”
A Chelsea fan even chimed in on the Potts bandwagon, saying Potts has proved football fans do know what they are talking about.
“Football fans know more about football than people give them credit for,” the Chelsea fan said.
“West Ham fans have been telling every manager since the beginning to play Potts. They also would’ve told Nuno to play this team from the start. He only listened four games later, and they won.”
Hammers fan Anthony Hufton said fans are ‘always right’ when it comes to knowing whether a young emerging talent is up to it – and ready.
“The fans are always right with this stuff,” he said.
A Portsmouth supporter then responded to Pott’s man of the match award after he spent last season on loan at Fratton Park.
“What a player, he’s missed at Pompey. Lucky to get him on loan last season,” he said.
Hammer David Parris says he was so pleased for Potts after his massive impact on his first Premier League start.
He said: “This is what fans love, a home grown young player playing with passion for us. And that was some midfield he played against today, totally comfortable in all he did, well played Freddie.”
One fan posted a mock-up image showing Potts ‘walking his three dogs’ on leads, with the faces of Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Bruno Tonali on said dogs.
Potts took to social media saying his West Ham debut was ‘a dream come true’.
Final word to former Hammers Rob Green and Michael Carrick, though, who waxed lyrical about Potts’ performance on Match of the Day.
