Ex-Newcastle defender Williamson reflects on UCL miss in 2011/2012

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Former Newcastle United defender Mike Williamson has opened up about the club’s brilliant 2011/2012 season, claiming the ensuing lack of investment following their fifth-placed ‘knocked the dressing room’.

Williamson represented the club for six seasons between 2010-2015.

The Englishman was picked up from Portsmouth and established himself as something of a cult hero during his time at St. James’ Park.

Arguably Williamson’s best season came in 2011/2012 as the team almost broke into the top four.

The team ultimately finished four points behind Tottenham Hotspur in fourth.

It meant they made it into the Europa League for 2012/13, but it was a case of what might have been for the Magpies.

‘Hoping for investment’

Williamson and his teammates played out of their skin under Alan Pardew that season, but it would appear qualifying for the Europa League didn’t warrant the appropriate investment from owner Mike Ashley.

He told Chronicle Live: “I think it did affect certain players because I think when we had such a successful season and a great foundation, a lot of the players were hoping for investment from the club. We all did, to be honest, it would have given us a chance to push on and get a better finish.

“It would have been great to spend millions and attract the best players in the world but the fact is you’re still playing at one of the biggest clubs in the world and for me personally, I wanted to enjoy as much as I could about it.”

What might have been

Things could have panned out so differently had the team snook into the top four ahead of Tottenham.

That would have made them a Champions League club (assuming they won their qualifier), in theory making them more desirable to Europe’s most talented players.

Ashley may have felt more compelled to invest, and perhaps the struggles of the next few years could have been avoided.

As it were, Williamson’s ‘hoping for investment’ comments are certainly interesting as not an awful lot has changed since then.

Perhaps Miguel Almiron’s recent £20 million transfer could be the start of a change though.