Lots of people believe Ashley owns SJP, lots of people are wrong. Man City & West Ham found buyers because they could take advantage of various circumstances. What does Ashley actually have to sell? Seriously, it's a ropey stadium on someone else's land where they're stuck for ever more. "One of the positives we’ve always had as Newcastle fans is that whoever owns the club doesn’t also own the land, with the Freemen of the City retaining the title of the land." https://www.themag.co.uk/2014/10/newcastle-fans-succeed-st-james-park-safeguarded/
But I’m talking about adjacent land, land which he did own and sold mate, think we’ve crossed wires here. The land to which I refer is at bottom of that article, and has indeed been sold for development.
I never mentioned the adjacent land. "He thought he now owned the ground but found it was only the stadium." No crossed wires here mate.
Common mistake mate. The stadium would cost a fortune to knock down although they'd get a few quid for the famous gates
Mind boggling that you wouldn’t look into that. As a businessman the stadium is almost like security on the club as an asset. Worthless if you can’t touch it.
Nah. He’s a narcissistic billionaire with an ego the size of Australia. The problem is, this is probably holding him back from selling and if everyone else does due diligence, they won’t meet his asking price.
Everyone assumes that clubs that own their stadiums automatically own the land it sits on, most do. If I recall correctly Barclays even once claimed the stadium against money they were owed by Hall or Shepherd. That meant NUFC didn't own either the stadium or land and had around £150 million in debt. Ashley rescued them and now they want his helicopter to crash and kill him ... ... who'd buy a football club eh
I remember Bob Murray making a big deal of making sure the club owned all the land around the ground. It absolutely is a big deal.
This is why Ashley has a problem selling the club. What exactly is he selling, Yedlin, Colback, Manquillo? Let's say a Sheikh/Oligarch/Lottery winner buys Leyton Orient, builds a 50,000 all seater modern ground and appoints an Eddie Howe ... ... how much would that cost?
The Sheikh could look down the road at the club that DOES own the land, and it’s own academy, and is debt free, and had land for expansion in theory...
That's quite true and when I worked for a Sheikh people like Gordon, Sid, Brian, etc would always ask me if I suggested he should buy Sunderland. I didn't want him to because it would totally skew my feelings of how I regard the club. I'd also have felt responsible if he made a mess of it. It would've compromised my position if people started abusing him. But, in reality, what could be the attraction of owning a football club in the ex-industrial North East of England? I love the NE but couldn't do my work there because there's no real wealth, glamour or interest for people like me or him. Where would he take his guests ffs ... the Roker Hotel, the Bigg Market, Joan's Café. Sad to say, the modern world has left the NE far behind and the Mags need to accept that reality.
I don't know that's necessarily true to be fair. The NE has Michelin Starred restaurants, decent hotels etc but it has other things that appeal to billionaires that places like London, the South Coast don't have. There are grouse shooting estates (I believe the al Maktoums own/owned one), good fishing, large country houses still in private ownership that they can buy. It always strikes me as odd that people wanting to market the NE's football clubs to either players or prospective owners/investors don't use these (fairly) unique selling points. Maybe not everyone's cup of tea but it will appeal to some of the people likely to invest in football clubs.
Very true mate. And like it or lump it, Newcastle is a magnificent city, and there is plenty of wealth here, I just have to look off my balcony to see it. In eyeshot right now there’s a Rolls and a Lamborghini. The NE isn’t nearly as depressed an area as folk would seem to think.
Haway man, be serious. Not being rude mate but read your post back and pretend you're trying to convince Antonella Roccuzzo she should bring her husband to the NE. I can only think of one Michelin starred restaurant, House of Tides, and I wasn't overly impressed tbh. I like Newcastle but I'm a working class bloke who enjoys pubs and a bit crack ... ... but I'm not a billionaire looking to buy a football club.
