Article: A few facts and figures regarding our ins and outs | Football, Newcastle

Here is an article regarding our transfer dealings this summer.

http://www.nufcblog.com/2011/09/01/here-are-the-comings-and-goings-at-newcastle-this-summer/

We have got rid of some established key players and brought in some decent young prospects, reducing the age of the squad but also the amount of Premiership experience.

The important figures for me are that we have spent roughly the same amount that we have received in transfer fees but are £100k per week better off. This will easily swallow the additional wages that we are paying Tiote on the new contract he signed earlier this year.

Which begs the question........................where the **** is the £35 million that we got for Carroll?

The signing fees and agent costs of signing Ba, Marveaux and Abeid on free transfers and the expense of improving our training facilities don't come anywhere near a fraction of this figure.

The truth is that Ashley never had any intention of spending this money. He wouldn't have openly admitted this as he would know that it would have a detrimental effect on season ticket sales.

By investing in a top quality striker, a left back and cover for central defence he could have had a team and manager capable of challenging for a top 8 spot and would still have made a profit, and just as importantly, these signings would not have increased the weekly wage bill from last season. Plus, bringing in a top striker always leads to an increase in shirt sales and would probably entice many of the 10,000 fans missing from the last home game back on Saturday afternoons.

Instead he is once again gambling with the future of our club. A couple of serious injuries to the wrong players and we could be in deep trouble. The good points tally from the first 3 games of the season has disguised the fact that we have not played well in any of those games and could well have been out of them by half time. We even struggled against a League 1 team in the cup.

Obviously the team will take time to gel, but the warning signs are there for all to see.