More pathetic pandering to the gravy masses by George Caulkin in The Athletic today. His line about there being a lack of booing towards Bruce due to the fact that the people who would boo have already walked out Didn't that bloke used to be a proper journalist?
They have every kind of protest covered don't they. From walk outs to sit ins they're the protest masters.
Just had this sent to me, it's another 'open letter' from a Mag ... ... what a week this has been My plea to Amanda Staveley Dear Amanda Staveley, I am a lifelong Newcastle United fan of 65 years, supporting my team through thick and thin, good times and bad. I have had the pleasure of witnessing top quality players, some brilliant managers, along with very poor players and managers. Steve Bruce without a doubt has been the worst manager to date. As has been the standard of football played under his reign. I have given him many chances to get things right and have tried to encourage support, clearly though things will not improve under his management. I have watched on as Mike Ashley has slowly driven my beloved club into the ground in every respect, thinking one day he will wake up and things will change. Once again, this clearly is not going to be the case after 14 years. There are no words which can describe my level of pain, mental stress and sheer embarrassment suffered over recent years, more so over the past 36 months. My biggest fear now is that come the January transfer window our remaining quality players will want to leave the club to better their own careers, or will be sold by Ashley anyway, just to increase has personal funds. Only second tier players will want to join the club and not one manager will want to manage a club under Ashley’s rule. I have therefore now made my hardest and most heartfelt decision, to no longer support my team until Ashley and Bruce are gone. However, I cannot bring myself to support any other club, leaving a considerable void to fill. My plea to you is this… If the consortium led by you is still genuinely interested in purchasing NUFC (I would not blame you or anyone else if that desire is waning, or indeed completely gone). PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE can you and the Reuben brothers strike a deal to buy the club as soon as possible, setting the club up to progress and succeed, until the outcome of the pending arbitration hearing is finalised. At which point, the PIF can then either buy Newcastle United from you, or invest heavily in the club. If the PIF have lost interest, then the purchase of NUFC by yourself and the Reuben brothers will in the long-term be a successful investment once in good hands and ran in a manner in which any successful club should be. This would be a win win for all involved, including the disillusioned fans. If Ashley is not removed soon, this club will cease to exist. This may sound a little selfish or petty to some individuals, with what the world has been going through recently, but this club is important to the thousands of fans and one great city. Thank you Amanda Respectfully yours David Y
****ing hell man 1. What is it that they think Mike Ashley is doing so badly? They are a lower-mid PL club 2. Do they honestly believe that money people like Staveley spend their own money? Even if they did, do they honestly believe they could attract anything other than the mediocre players they already have? Genuinely staggered at their delusion
On SSN just now, Ronaldo booked for removing his shirt to celebrate becoming highest international scorer. Reporter said he misses game against Azerbhaijan so will be fresh for debut v mags. Get yersel a hatrick lad
The skunk tops, begging for a rich owner are really just recognising the truth, that since Man City drove a horse and cart through UEFA Financial Fair Play rules ( they received inflated sponsorship from third parties but who were compensated by getting paid more from other not connected bodies .) It is them and us in the Premiership. If you are relatively less well off in the Premiership you will most certainly end up the lower half of the table. When you play the top teams, the hope is to keep the losing score down. When you play lower half teams the hope is to get enough points to not get relegated. You hope for a run in the Cup games you are unlikely to win it also you want to win any local Derbies. So unless you owner is a multi-billionaire you are also rans in the Premiership, waiting for the big clubs with the big stars to grace your stadium.
And they're the facts, in a nutshell. I find this all hilarious tbh. The Mags realised everyone thought they were arrogant and deluded because of their endless demanding. So they came up with 'We're not demanding trophies, just a team that competes'. That sounds reasonable, at first, but it's absolute nonsense. No one would want a team that competes for trophies but never wins any ... ... what do they want, a team that loses semi-finals and is pipped to the title. They're continually tying themselves in knots and embarrassing themselves, it's great
That, unfortunately is the reality of modern Football. The days of Clubs being run by 'Local Worthies', men who had succeeded in their chosen proffession and made a few bob are a memory reserved for us geriatrics. And lets not condem our Freinds to the North too much for their attitude. Remember how pleased WE were, when a group of Irish milionair's, (and one local Travel Agent) bought us out. Then when Nial introduced an American our first reaction was 'he's a billionaire'. We are confident that our current owner, also thought to be a billionaire, will do the job well, but we take comfort in the thought that he can aford to bail us out if it all goes wrong. I suspect that few fans at the top end of Football's pyramid get sentimental about Boards being composed of local businessmen. Most want some mega-rich idiot who wants a Football Club to play with for Xmas, to come and buy them vast success without them having to pay towards it.
Unless like us, in the third division, where crowd ticket money matters. TV money and Sponsorship are the big bucks. Hence the Champions League and its riches are a must make for many clubs. Although I don't know that much about Real Madrid and Barcelona, my understanding is that they are hugely in debt. That is why they are desperate for a Super League as they reckon on even more TV and Sponsorship money. Ownership of the Spanish two is a bit like in Germany not one mega rich owner? i suppose whoever is holding the loans is the real owner and wants them to be a going concern, otherwise they would be bankrupt, or do a Glascow Rangers...? Obviously France and PSG is another very rich owner. Ps I have had a quick Google, Barcelona are heavily in debt Real Madrid not so.
Ps I have had a quick Google, Barcelona are heavily in debt Real Madrid not so.[/QUOTE] I'm GUESSING that part of the reason for that is 'POLITICS'. Barcelona are in that part of Spain that wants to be independant. Not a lot of Government support for them then. I'm told that a few years ago Real Madrid were vastly in debt. But their training faccilities were in a fashionable area and worth a great deal. Sadly though the land was legaly classified as not for developement, In our terms, in a green belt. But the madrid Local Authorities approched the Government asking for special dispensation to allow this piece of choice 'Real Estate' to be developed. No problem. Real bought another bit of land, on the cheap, turned this ino their up-to-date training faccility and hey presto, just like magic, they are solvent with money in the Bank. And not an oil Sheik to be seen. (I should point out that this tale was related to me, with much bitterness, by a Barcelona Fan).
'PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE can you and the Reuben brothers strike a deal to buy the club as soon as possible, setting the club up to progress and succeed, until the outcome of the pending arbitration hearing is finalised.' Which is basically saying 'PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE can you buy the club and risk being lumbered with it if PIF finally pull out?' Does this chap think AS and the Reubens are gonna read this and think 'By jove, he's right, lets do that!' do all the paperwork and buy the club this weekend? 'At which point, the PIF can then either buy Newcastle United from you, or invest heavily in the club. If the PIF have lost interest, then the purchase of NUFC by yourself and the Reuben brothers will in the long-term be a successful investment once in good hands and ran in a manner in which any successful club should be. This would be a win win for all involved, including the disillusioned fans.'
"Invest heavily." That's all he needed to say because that's all they're interested in. That's fair enough, we'd all take that tbh. What's ridiculous is that Staveley doesn't have money to 'invest' otherwise she'd buy the club she's tried to twice. The Ruebens were brought in to add credibility, and cloud the water, which failed. Their investments earn millions, buying NUFC could lose them millions, why bother when they have no interest in the club. The club needs millions spending on a ground they'll never own, the training facilities need more millions and the squad multi millions. If the current squad was sold today and a new competitive squad bought the net spend would be easily around £200m. So that's 'an investment' of 350m for the club, 50m for infrastructure upgrades and 200m for the squad. 600m for NUFC,? If the Ruebens could move the club into a subsidised/sponsored modern stadium, develop the land at SJP and sell on they might just be interested ... ... as it is they're stuck with Ashley and he's struck with the club. It's wonderful
Lets assume for the moment that YOU are a Multi Billionaire. And lets further assume that you have a sudden fancy to buy a Premier League Club. We continue with assumptions and reason that you are a self made man and pretty smart. So, how will you go about it? You will get expert help in to advise for a start. You will be told that Mike Ashley when he bought NUFC didn't do this. He didn't even complete 'due dilligence', and has regreted it ever since. You will ask which Clubs are for sale, and be told that most of them are if enough is offered. However the one most actively looking for a buyer is NUFC. Mr Ashley, who paid too much to start with wants his money back. You are a diligent soul, so you get on a N/C bound train and book into a N/C hotel for a few days. Keeping a low profile you leave the Rolls behind. You visit the local Pubs. Go to a game at St James Park. Listen to what the Fans are saying. Go home. On the way just consider what you have learned. The owner is hated more than any other in Football. The previous owners who milked the Club dry are worshiped. The fans have massive expectation of whoever buys the Club. IF these expectations are not met, all the bile that currently heads Mike way, will be aimed at them. And your name will be a byword for failure. Now, Mr smart streetwise milti billionaire, what do you do next? Perhaps, just perhaps, you change your target to a lower league club where the Stadium is in good nick, excellent training faccilities and fair size crowds. One with fans with realistic expectations and where with sensible Management and investment, some degree of success, and therefore reflected glory, is inevitable. Take your pick !!!!
Ashley does wants out, that is very old news. There has been a couple of times it has nearly happened. Price is a consideration to him undoubtedly... but he must just want rid... by now.... probably he would like to drop the fans in it, with an awful new owner?
I wonder if it involves walking out of the match after 9 minutes to honour that world famous shirt - that'll show Ashley and the world they mean business!
