A curious one popped up on my Twitter feed, saying the Newcastle United board had met after the defeat at Bournemouth, with them deciding Eddie Howe has taken the club as far as he can.

This is a real modern day media tale.

Never mind whether the claims on the Newcastle United board are true or not, exactly who is the 'Sports journalist' running the story.

I saw the story because it had been retweeted by well known people who do definitely exist.

I am still not sure really what to think...

The claims have come from Tony Campari on Twitter, his Twitter bio stating 'Sports journalist (and a little personal life) for AP, Reuters and Eco. Milano Alumini Occasional Podder. Friend of the friendly.'

Tony Campari on Twitter - 12 November 2023:

'NEW: Newcastle's board convened last night re: the future of Head Coach Eddie Howe. Consensus amongst head figures is he's taken the club as far as he can. No imminent decision to be taken in days ahead but likely to change in weeks ahead if results continue. More to follow.'

Tony Campari on Twitter - 12 November 2023:

'MORE: The two names put forward as prospective replacements should Howe depart were Unai Emery of #AVFC and Zinedine Zidane. No confirmation of any preference between two as of yet.'

Tony Campari on Twitter - 12 November 2023:

Now I am not abusing anybody (the same as any normal person), but I still really have no idea, for sure, what this is all about.

My first thought on hearing 'Tony Campari' was along the lines of Swiss Toni and Julio Geordio, a made up name for amusement / mischief purposes, but you just never know these days.

If he is really a Sports journalist and had a scoop on a Newcastle United board meeting having been held and a decision taken on Eddie Howe having taken the team / club as far as he can... then surely 'Tony' would be writing up a world exclusive for one of the media he claims to work for (and get paid handsomely by, presumably), rather than just putting the info out for free on Twitter to try and get some attention.

As I say above, his Twitter bio states 'Sports journalist (and a little personal life) for AP, Reuters and Eco. Milano Alumini Occasional Podder. Friend of the friendly.'

I have searched online and can't find any articles whatsoever by Tony Campari, whether for AP, Reuters or whoever. Although again, in these strange modern day media times, that isn't necessarily totally conclusive. Reading the responses on his Twitter timeline it is a similar story, many people taking it / him seriously, whilst a few thinking this is a wind up on Newcastle United.

I obviously think / know there is nothing in a story from anybody who would claim the Newcastle United board have decided Eddie Howe has taken things as far as he can at this point. A point where NUFC have the second best form of any Premier League club these past 10 weeks and with 12 players unavailable at Bournemouth once Almiron was forced off early in the match.

Considering just how tightly things are controlled at Newcastle United these days in terms of nothing leaking out, with no NUFC journalist even having a clue before any match as to which players are / aren't available, to believe that 'Tony' or indeed any other media, made up or otherwise, would somehow have knowledge of a secret Newcastle United board meeting AND what was talked about and decided, is a 'little' unlikely.

If anything is 'leaked' out at Newcastle United board level then these days you know that this is deliberate for sure, the club using trusted journalists to put whatever 'leak' they want to put out.

As for Swiss Toni... sorry, Tony Campari, if indeed he is a spoof, doing it for a wind up, then it is all a bit lame.

For these things to be funny, they have to draw you in and get you believing something, BUT at the same time it has to be then obvious it has been a wind up if you do even a little bit of scratching the surface.

If Tony is a spoof / wind up, then stating that he works for the likes of AP and Reuters would be lame in the extreme, not hilarious.

Compare that to our fanbase's very own brilliant intrepid Newcastle United in the know character, Francis Chipp.

Now @FrancisChipp gets scoop after scoop and fools journalists and members of the public time after time with his NUFC exclusives.

However, if any lazy journalist (or fan / member of the public) does take even two seconds to check Wor Francis out, they might get a clue or two as to the truth, as his Twitter bio reads, 'Everything I post is fake / made up / make believe / false / parody / fabricated / etc'

Now that is funny when journalists are fooled by such a character!