Sir John Hall chips in...

Let's hope this rouses the fans for one last push.
We need to get the three points and then give Ashley what for when we are safe.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/former-newcastle-owner-sir-john-5648166

Newcastle stars have been told the prospect of relegation is “horrible” - by the man who almost led the club to title glory.
Sir John Hall, who oversaw the rebirth of Newcastle United in the 1990s, says there is “not time for dissent” as the club faces the drop.
John Carver's side are two points above the relegation zone and entertain West Brom at the weekend.
Protests from fans against the owner Mike Ashley and the lack of ambition shown by his regime, are likely to be temporarily suspended.
Hall, who sold the club to Ashley on the assurances he would “globalise” it, says the terrace fury at the current plight has to be put on hold.

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Glory days: Les Ferdinand and Alan Shearer nearly won the title under Sir John Hall and Kevin Keegan
Hall appointed Kevin Keegan and sanctioned ambitious investment in the team to produce a side known as The Entertainers, who narrowly missed silverware.
He said in a statement on Wednesday: “Once again, the club finds itself in a relegation battle. Once again, we read of dissension at the club and, like many fans, I find myself asking, ‘Why is the club in this situation again?’
“The loyalty of the fans is under extreme pressure but I would appeal to all of them not to lose hope, for it’s critical that in these frustrating times we, the fans, put aside all of our despondency and support the club in its hour of need.
“At the next two home matches, please fill the ground and support the team and let the players know we are behind them as we always have been. This is no time for dissent – just think what the alternative to the Premier League could be.
“I can see where they are coming from but the alternative is horrible, because it will take a lot to get out of that division.
"The alternative to the Premier League is nothingness. We have to get behind the players and they, in turn, have to repay the supporters with performances which will make sure the team stay in the Premier League.”
Hall sold up his majority holding to Ashley in 2008, forcing co-owner Freddy Shepherd to relinquish his stake too in a combined £133million deal.
Defender Paul Dummett says: “Everyone is gutted. We need to have a good couple of days training before West Brom. And we need to put it right.”
Dummett is a fitness doubt which a a major headache with Mike Williamson and Daryl Janmaat suspended.

 

he's no better than the rest.borrowed a couple of million pounds bought the club.made a very good living out of it.then made the decision to sell to Ashley for a hundred and whatever million

 

A property developer who in the end reverted back to type, and made millions from the Club.
He knew what he was doing selling to Ashley, but, it didn't stop him filling up his bank account with Ashley's loot.
Still he had the balls to have a stand name after himself.

 

and now he is trying to give it - hey I'm one of you'd.let's get behind the lads F O.TWAT

 

I like SJH.
He delivered the best period of football I've ever seen for the Toon and sank a lot of his own money into the club in those early years.
I know this as his accountancy firm at the time (Arthur Ansdersen) had my cousin working on his books.
Without SJH we would have gone pop. For that I'll always be grateful.

 

Sir John Hall is infinitely better than Ashley for me. Yes he has to carry his share of blame for selling to Ashley. At least when he was making money out of the club though, it had ambition along the way. It had a go. Now its just shell of a club.

 

Genuine question, what money did Hall make out of the club? I didn't pay as much attention to club finances back then. I know he drew a director's salary but I think that is fair enough, and he obviously made money selling his share in the club, but then he built the club up so the profit is just a product of that and it's not taking money from the club. But beyond that was he taking dividends from the club which could have been re-invested? I always got the impression everything was put back in and if anything we overspent.

 

John Hall was the best thing to happen to the Toon in decades.

 

The club was profitable and entertaining up until the time that Sir John's son and Freddie took over. Then losses started to creep in.
Our happy time ended with the sale of a few of Keegan's team - starting with Les Ferdinand (though Shearer's broken ankle at Everton happened at the same time).

 

Indeed and as Dalglish has revealed, it was Douglas and Freddie who were putting the pressure on to sell them to balance the books. They then went the other way and spent money they didn't have. Piss and brewery spring to mind. Shearer was the best and worst thing to happen to the club in many ways. Hall commented that it was Shepherd's closing of that deal that persuaded him he could hand over the reins to him and Douglas. Fake Sheik and the spiral began. Hall must take some blame of course for misjudging both Shepherd and Ashley.

However under him we were doing the right things.