As FA Cup Third Round ties were finishing up and down the country, everyone's attention soon turned to ITV1 and what was to be the draw for the Fourth Round. Only one Non-league side remained thanks to our 1-1 draw with Wrexham yesterday, and with a number of replays still to be played, there wasn't really a clear picture on who would be playing who in the next stage of the competition.
I somewhat rudely interrupted table conversation at dinner to ask for permission to leave so I could watch the draw, and after harsh stares from football-hating mother and her boyfriend, I managed to escape. I sat alone in the lounge as the only one with any genuine interest in the game and flicked over as Jim Rosenthal was doing the introductions for the occasions.
I took one final look at the teams and still couldn't highlight a name that I would have preferred. I was half expecting us to draw a team in the same league as us, just like we always do, however I thought with the replay at the Racecourse Ground beckoning, this time things could have been a bit different.
Us Albion fans didn't have long to wait as Dave Jones pulled out ball number 13 first, another home tie in cup competition, our fifth home cup game this season, out of a possible five.At this point I slid towards the edge of my seat as we potentially have full pickings from the list, any team could have come out, and the last one I probably expected did...
Newcastle United.
I was pleasantly surprised at this as well, the surprise package in the Premier League potentially coming to the Amex has the feeling of a mouthwatering affair, providing we can get past Wrexham, that is.
Alan Pardew's side saw off fellow Premier League outfit Blackburn Rovers, as another disappointing performance from Steve Kean's men saw the Toon overcome a 1-0 deficit to emerge 2-1 winners, with Hatem Ben Arfa and Jonas Gutierrez grabbing the goals.
We've had our tussles with Newcastle off the pitch already this season, after continuous negotiations over the eventual transfer of Kazenga LuaLua seemed to last forever, with the Tyneside club apparently to blame. We also had disagreements over Steve Harper's loan, which was originally meant to last three months, but only lasted the one after Pardew's intervention.
However, providing we beat the Dragons at the Racecourse it will be what happens on the pitch that's most important. Luckily, Newcastle should be without hitman Demba Ba as he serves his duty for Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations, which also applies for midfield maestro Cheik Tiote, who is with the Ivory Coast.
All in all, an interesting tie beckons if we can beat our non-league counterparts in the Third Round replay. It will be a different challenge than the Premier League challenges we have already faced this season, as on the evidence I've seen this season Newcastle seem a very organised side who will attack from the off and try to use their pace and pin-point accuracy to split open our defence. Roll on the potential tie on the weekend of the 28th, I'll certainly be there if we get through!
FA Cup Fourth Round draw:
Arsenal/Leeds v Aston Villa
Blackpool v Sheffield Wednesday
Brighton/Wrexham v Newcastle
Dag & Red/Millwall v Southampton
Derby v Stoke
Everton v Fulham
Hull v Crawley Town
Liverpool v Man Utd
Macclesfield/Bolton v Swansea
Milton Keynes Dons/QPR v Chelsea
Sheffield Utd v Birmingham/Wolves
Stevenage v Notts County
Sunderland v Middlesbrough
Watford v Tottenham
West Bromwich v Norwich
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