Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur- Official Match Day Thread

Far too many unknowns if you ask me Nev, and a bit like the blind leading the blind.
I don't like the patronising that's been coming from various attention seeking groups, when they simply don't have any answers to questions.
Its been a bit like playing on the minds of fans in the way Political Parties work.

Speaking to a mate yesterday, and he reckoned I was being selfish for going today.
As he put it, I should be thinking more of the next generation of fans, which to be fair, I can relate too.
I asked my son this morning if he wanted too go or not, and he said he was going.

 

Does anyone have the answer then?......What do we do?

 

That's what I was referring to in an earlier post. I have no idea how old your son is or how long he has been going to games, but I started going when I was 4 on an occasional basis and by the time I was 8 I was going to every (Saturday) home game. Back then I was able to go on my own from 9 years old, as it was only a short walk down from my nana's flat on Stanhope Street. My Dad was a referee for the northern league, as well as lots of the local leagues so he was usually busy on matchday, which was always a Saturday for the weekend games. I lived for Newcastle. Back then I could quote every game of the season in order with scores, scorers and attendance. During the week I would sit and study the statistics in the Pink. My dad on the other hand was disillusioned with the club and the disaster under Gordon Lee and Richard Dinnis and the players threatening to leave because the board were ****ting on them, selling all the best players for a profit and not investing in the team. What I didn't know back then (until he told me later in life) was that the few times he used to get to take me to St James - usually to see us lose - were the happiest weekends of his year. He got to see his son bubbling over with excitement, reeling off fact after boring fact, asking loads of stupid and inane questions (and probably a few accidentally insightful ones too). That along, with the inept performances at a stadium that was falling apart and had piss running down the terraces, used to drive him nuts but he loved it. You only get one childhood and you only get one chance at witnessing your children's childhood. Nobody has the right to judge somebody for wanting to make the most of that.

Whatever people's reasons for going today, or not going and joining in with the boycott, they are their own reasons and they are entitled to have them. There is no shame in choosing to go. The tactics being used by some (and they are the minority but a loud and vocal minority) verge on bullying and emotional blackmail.

 

I don't know what we do. I certainly don't criticise those boycotting, though I don't personally think it will make a blind bit of difference to Mike Ashley. However many people were in the stadium today 47,000 paid to go (whether they were there or not). Even if they hadn't the attendance money is a drop in the ocean compared to tv money.

Ultimately, no matter how much we hate it, we cannot force Ashley out. I would love to think we could find reconciliation with him and have him excited about owning a football club again but I doubt that can ever happen now. Too much water under the bridge. The situation has become poisonous on both sides and it is self-destructive. I do think there are sections of our support who have exploited things for their own egos or gain and made the situation worse, just as I think Ashley is being foolish by thinking it doesn't matter what the fans think. It would be better on both sides to find middle ground.

I hate what we have become and the lack of ambition being shown - especially in the cups. I don't know how we fix it but I am certain that civil war, with fans turning on other fans is not the answer. That happened in the 70s with fans openly fighting each other on the terraces arguing between those demonstrating against the owners and chairman and those wanting to support the team. It destroyed the club in the short term and led to some very bleak years in the late 70s and early 80s. People seem to think its a new thing to have a chairman who acts like this. It's not. The only time we have had success in my lifetime though was when the owners and fans were pulling in the same direction for a few brief years and we had a full house shouting for the team and a team worth shouting for.

 

Well said.

 

Coercion required eh, I may be able to help here given my wolfy and KGB background

 

For what its worth I think you need an AC Milan type boycott - an empty stadium to make Mike even blink.

 

Well, they can do it at Middlesbrough, so why not at St James Park?

 

The only thing I could suggest to actually get rid - The fans groups need to come together and actively lobby potential investors that may interested in buying the club. That is, investors that are football fans who actually want to do something constructive. It will be difficult, but that is the only possible solution. That and a boycott to let Ashley know we are taking his **** anymore.

 

Definition of co-incidences include: when a trolling Liverpool fan stops posting wind-up messages at the same time as his team goes behind against a poorer club in the challenge cup semi-final.

Odd that.