Peter Beardsley?

Not on a consistent basis. The cold hard fact is the squad is simply not that good. Yes, we might finish top half in the odd season where everyone plays out of their skins - and by top half, I mean at very best 7th. But realistically, this squad is mid table to bottom. At the moment, it's almost bottom. A so-called 'better' manager might get the team to mid table and possibly top half on a more consistent basis, but it would be a constant struggle to get the best out of a squad that is not up to being consistently top half.

So as long as we have the current ownership, funding, transfer policy etc., then we are where we are. Top half would be seen as success, with relegation equally as (if not more) likely.

That's my view.

 

I think everyone must know by now that things will continue to range between mediocre and utter crud whilst MA retains ownership. Mediocrity seems the absolute pinnacle of what we can hope for until he sells up.

On that note it's unfortunate that he's never going to sell whilst TV revenue remains so high. The club statement that Ashley will not sell until at least the end of the 2015/16 season is no doubt because that is when the TV rights expire. In the highly unlikely scenario that the TV money drops off a cliff MA will no doubt be happy to sell. If it remains sky high (and with talk of interest from Google and Apple, revenue is only likely to increase further) then I've no doubt we'll enjoy the pleasure of Ma's company well beyond 2015/16.

Interestingly MA is still claiming that he is taking no extra money out of the club (other the £18million to finish repaying the emergency loan from the Championship season). It has also been stated that all merchandising profits are being kept in NUFC coffers, despite all club retail outlets being under the thumb of Sports Direct. Either some very clever accounting is going on or NUFC must be building a very large piggybank... A shame the keys for the padlock to said giant piggy have been misplaced by MA.

 

I think David Moyes could given time perhaps. But I certainly wouldn't expect an instant improvement at all.