Is ashley still a twat, in the eyes of the great unwashed?

He has put the club on a firm financial footing, what do the great unwashed think of him now?


Newcastle United revival reaches boardroom as club prepare to announce return to profit

Newcastle United’s success this season has not been confined to their activity on the pitch as the club prepare to release healthy financial figures which will strengthen their claim to be considered among the Premier League’s elite group.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...lub-prepare-to-announce-return-to-profit.html



Looking up: Mike Ashley's Newcastle are flourishing Photo: EPA













As the dust settles on a fractious derby draw with Sunderland, Newcastle will reflect on the five-point gap they have opened up over seventh-placed Liverpool, as well as the 10-point advantage they hold over their neighbours.


But, with Uefa Financial Fair Play regulations to punish clubs who spend beyond their means, Newcastle’s economic vitality is just as important as the improvements manager Alan Pardew has fashioned.


With only 11 games left, Newcastle are confident they are good enough to qualify for the Europa League and there will be more good news from the boardroom later this week.


Managing director Derek Llambias has overseen a remarkable shift in the health of the club’s accounts and Newcastle are likely to have bucked the Premier League trend and will not record a loss for the first time since Mike Ashley bought the club in the summer of 2007.


The club have also announced a nine-year season ticket price freeze for fans who renew this summer.




Those figures will not include player trading, although Telegraph Sport understands there is still some money left from the sale of Andy Caroll to Liverpool for £35million last year, despite the £10million signing of Papiss Demba Cissé in January.

Despite his unpopularity, inflamed again this season by the decision to rename St James’ Park the Sports Direct Arena, Ashley has dramatically improved the club as a business.

Newcastle also feel better after the 1-1 draw with Sunderland at the weekend than their rivals, with goalkeeper Tim Krul stating Chelsea and Liverpool should be scared of them.

“This will increase the pressure on them,” said the Dutch international. “There’s 11 games to go and it will be a really hard away game next week [at Arsenal]. I think we’ve got a massive chance.

“We’re five points ahead of Liverpool, although of course they’ve got a game in hand. We’re up there and we have to believe now.

“I think if those teams around us watched the Sunderland game and saw the atmosphere, the fans and the commitment we showed, they will have to be afraid of us.”

Sunderland were feeling a little less pleased with themselves after Newcastle scored an injury-time equaliser to deny them their first win on Tyneside since Niall Quinn scored the winner in 2000.

The red cards shown to Stephane Sessegnon and Lee Cattermole mean both will miss the FA Cup quarter-final at Everton in 11 days’ time, as well as Saturday’s home game against Liverpool.

Sessegnon has been banned for three games and Cattermole will be suspended for four, the red card coming in the same game as he reached 10 bookings for the season.

“It’s bad news that we will miss them both,” said centre-back Michael Turner.

“They are key players in our team, so someone will have to come in and fill their boots. We have to forget about them.”

 

Delighted that we have arrived in such a position, and grateful to MA for that as there doesn't seem to be a week go by where a club is going into administration, and what is happening at Rangers is remarkable.

To be where we are without any financial implications is remarkable, and one that must be applauded. It's hard to forgive what happened to us, but that's in the past now and we are certainly moving forward. The business mind has worked wonders, but certain decisions obviously have to be adjusted, such as the stadium name. I don't mind advertising, I even made my peace with the @ St James' Park idea, but it's disappointing to see so much branding for something that won't be bringing any money into the club at all. If it was bringing money then fair enough.

Success on the pitch is all that matters.

 

Thats better Badge, back to football. I honestly think MA was a breath of fresh air for your club, no more Freddie living the dream, and owing the banks trillions of quids, firm financial footing, new rules about fair play etc, he has done you proud, and my gut feeling is " he is not finished" then he will put the club up for sale, and another English club will end up owned by Saudis or whatever. could be a good thing like CITEH, or a not so good thing like Blackburn. time will tell.