Wullie

Fair point, I have muddled them up in the title.

That's quite a question to answer, and I'm not sure if I can provide you a list, but in simple terms, NUFC is a representative of the area in which I was born and raised and of which I am immensely proud. Outside of the area, i've found, that as soon as you mention you are from around Newcastle they immediately think NUFC. NUFC is central to the area and the community. Ashley has taken away it's identity, made us a laughing stock, and I take that very personally. Exactly. I'd be appalled if anybody NUFC as it is today was a representation of the city, the area or the people. I don't find anything at all to be proud of other than a history that existed before he arrived.

Beat me to it. To have a club unrecognisable from how it currently is, would suit me down to the ground. Tell me everything that our football club is to you? And I will tell you which ones will still exist if we're not fighting in one of the top few leagues. Personally I hate the owner, the chairman, the chief scout, most of the players, the state of the shirt and the state of the stadium. Other than a handful of players, the only people I don't detest at NUFC have been there about two months. What are you on about, the 'top few leagues'? If your concern is that Newcastle might find themselves in League 2 because the crowds drop, I really wouldn't worry about it. It's the direct response to whoever said they'd prefer to see in Conference North. Fair point.

Nice missed out on a CL place by 2 points. They'd probably have made it comfortably if the wheels hadn't come off for a month when HBA did his hamstring.

Beat me to it. To have a club unrecognisable from how it currently is, would suit me down to the ground. Tell me everything that our football club is to you? And I will tell you which ones will still exist if we're not fighting in one of the top few leagues. Personally I hate the owner, the chairman, the chief scout, most of the players, the state of the shirt and the state of the stadium. Other than a handful of players, the only people I don't detest at NUFC have been there about two months. What are you on about, the 'top few leagues'? If your concern is that Newcastle might find themselves in League 2 because the crowds drop, I really wouldn't worry about it.

Even if they tell Rafa that he can have full control, I don't think it will be long before they were meddling again in the same way they did with KK. I don't think they'd do it in the Championship - they'll fully want to win that, of that I have no doubt, but they'll want things back to normal once we get back in the top flight imo. I don't think he'd stand for it though and I'd expect him to walk.

I've been reading your posts since waaay before Ashley bought the club. You didn't seem to get much enjoyment out of it back then either. We can't all be the type of people who delude themselves that everything's briliant and absolutely insist that Steve McClaren is the perfect man for the job. I've generally been down on the club because we've been absolute s*** for years, under both owners. Not sure why I should have to justify myself where that's concerned. FWIW I was a big supporter of Hughton and Keegan and the bloke you increasingly seem to want to keep around on a "better the devil you know" basis f***ed them both off. I don't know how many times I have to say it. I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST the notion of protesting. I just personally believe that... A) boycotting is the wrong way to go. B) as I've said over and over again, maybe going for the "low hanging fruit"... More realistic protests, more realistic aims etc might be the way to go. If they work, then look into whether you can go further (or need to go further). C) putting all your eggs into the notion that he'll pack up and leave if we don't go to the games for a bit seems a bit fanciful to me (based on all I've been told). D) most importantly, don't fucking talk down about other supporters if they don't share your desire to stay away. Not everyone has fallen out of love with NUFC as you say you have. Maybe not but from what I can hear when I watch the games, none of them seem in the slightest bit arsed about the state of the club. 90 minutes of either silence or mild grumbling and a boo at full time if they're still there. My advice to them would be to find themselves something better to do on a Saturday and it'll cleanse their conscience knowing they're not funding it. Certainly did for me.

I don't believe that at all, no. I've repeatedly said on here that my favourite season watching us in the last 10 years was our Championship season because it felt like the entire city and club were pulling together in the right direction for the first time since SBR was sacked. However, you're lying if you said that you wouldn't prefer to watch PL football long term. And you do realise that falling down through the tiers would likely mean the club would be completely unrecognisable to how it is now? The level you are talking about, St James' Park would have been sold off quite early in that fall from grace. It's sounding more and more attractive every time you post about it.

Big statement, but actually think about what that means for a second. It would mean I'd be able to go back and support my team. What's not to like? You would really prefer us to be Conference North but without Mike Ashley than in the Premier League with him? Really? Are you not getting that I basically don't support Newcastle anymore? That's not an active choice I have made, it's just how I feel. It's like a girlfriend you've fallen out of love with. I don't feel any disappointment when we lose, I don't feel any joy when we win. It's Sports Direct FC to me. I felt a bit more involved with Rafa here, because it was a tiny something to be proud of, but ultimately when we went down, it was a shrug of the shoulders. Being able to support/be proud of what used to be my club is worth far more than being able to make sure we play Man Utd every season. I really don't give the slightest s*** what division we're in if I get to go back. I have no loyalty to the Premier League. Rafa has proven, even in the short space of time he's been here IN A RELEGATION SEASON, to have given people hope, brought interest back etc. You even admit that to some extent above. Surely, IF Rafa was to stay and get us back up, your interest would be back properly? You can wait for the next Ashley fuck up, but why? Just enjoy the positives that we could take from it. You never know what the future brings - I never thought I would ever pack in to start with - but I'm pretty much out where Ashley's concerned. I won't sit in that stadium with his company daubed all over it.

I've been reading your posts since waaay before Ashley bought the club. You didn't seem to get much enjoyment out of it back then either. We can't all be the type of people who delude themselves that everything's briliant and absolutely insist that Steve McClaren is the perfect man for the job. I've generally been down on the club because we've been absolute shit for years, under both owners. Not sure why I should have to justify myself where that's concerned. FWIW I was a big supporter of Hughton and Keegan and the bloke you increasingly seem to want to keep around on a "better the devil you know" basis fucked them both off.

Big statement, but actually think about what that means for a second. It would mean I'd be able to go back and support my team. What's not to like? You would really prefer us to be Conference North but without Mike Ashley than in the Premier League with him? Really? Are you not getting that I basically don't support Newcastle anymore? That's not an active choice I have made, it's just how I feel. It's like a girlfriend you've fallen out of love with. I don't feel any disappointment when we lose, I don't feel any joy when we win. It's Sports Direct FC to me. I felt a bit more involved with Rafa here, because it was a tiny something to be proud of, but ultimately when we went down, it was a shrug of the shoulders. Being able to support/be proud of what used to be my club is worth far more than being able to make sure we play Man Utd every season. I really don't give the slightest shit what division we're in if I get to go back. I have no loyalty to the Premier League.

Big statement, but actually think about what that means for a second. It would mean I'd be able to go back and support my team. What's not to like?

Blown our chances of ever getting back to the PL? Howay man, we're not Bournemouth. Course there's no guarantee of what the next owners will do. That is not a reason to stick with Ashley and you know it. How bad does it have to get before this will stop being put forward as a reason not to rock the boat? And you keep saying the fans are depriving themselves of enjoyment. I packed in my ST two years ago and I haven't regretted it for a single second. What enjoyment have I missed in that time that would have been worth £2k to my household?

No one has answered the question yet of why he would sell if the stadium was empty? This is Mike Ashley we're talking about. Is he more likely (not 'would sell', nobody's psychic) to sell if he's receiving £25m a season or if he's not receiving it? If the only customer base he has all tell him they won't be consuming his product at all from now on - which then affects the advertising potential and the chances of the team being promoted back to the big money league? Is this a serious question? Ashley has more than enough money to cut his losses - he's lost massive money a few times gambling on shares. I don't believe getting his money back or even making a profit is his main priority, anything he'll make on the club is pocket change. The only way to get him to sell (if such a thing can be done) is to create a situation where owning NUFC is simply not worth his time/effort/money anymore - not worth it for his company's advertising, not worth it financially in terms of TV/matchday/merchandising income. That's when he'll cut and run imo, not when the club is doing 'well' (i.e. in the PL).

Cardiff organised their boycott for an FA Cup match - 4000 turned up when their typical attendance is mid 20s. They'd been turning up for years with protests and marches to no effect. As soon as the threat of people voting with their feet emerged - bam, here's your blue back. Voting with your feet/wallet is the only power we have as fans. Not for a second suggesting it will be quick or easy like that but the idea he's going to sell up while his stadium is full as opposed to it being empty is ludicrous. Why would he? His stadium being full is a vote of confidence.

Well put.

Equalised at Stoke late in the relegation season, think he'd scored against West Ham as well.

Some of the posts from that match thread, including one from me: He was shocking like.

Everything suddenly seemed to click for him after he scored twice against WBA in the cup. Remember when he came on against Man City at home and was a complete waste of time, everybody was absolutely foaming with him.

For me as well. No question.

Just an interesting hypothetical question for a day with a real paucity of decent football. Would you rather: a) Rafa walks next week, takes the Spain/Valencia/Everton/Forest Green job, decides to get a job in Tesco, whatever. A week later, Ashley decides he's had enough and sells up - take your chances with a new buyer, who will then be tasked with finding a new manager. or b) Rafa stays next week, Ashley reiterates that he's staying too. This does not discount the possibility that Ashley will simply fuck Rafa around before next season even starts, it's not a guarantee either that Rafa will see his contract out. Just simply Rafa going forward under Ashley.

I'm not shouting down any form of protest. I'm just doubting what not showing up is going to achieve. That's exactly what you're doing. "It won't work so don't bother" Being in the Championship massively increases the chances of a sustained boycott having an effect with the Premier League money taken out of the equation, because the matchday revenue again becomes the main source of income, especially if you don't get promoted first time back and the parachute payments decrease. I got a text from an Everton mate of mine last night: "Just read (Ashley's statement). Ashley would have been long hounded out at Liverpool or Man Utd, or Arsenal. An entirely empty stadium just once would do it." The perception within football is that we are so desperate to show our "loyalty" that we'll keep going come hell or high water, even when they're actively taking the piss. Nobody knows that better than Mike Ashley and that's why he sticks around. He's like Donald Trump where Newcastle are concerned: “I could stand in the middle of Northumberland St and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any supporters.” Cardiff boycotted one single game and within a week, they had their blue shirts back. Liverpool organised one walkout and within a week, the club had changed their pricing policy. At Newcastle though? Nah, definitely won't work, don't even try. I can't leave him, he loves me and he promises he'll change. Shut up and take my money Mike.

He's got a right little fan club like, probably the only journalist in the world who is completely untouchable on this forum despite the fact he's posted more utter shite about NUFC than the rest of them put together. The way he used to defend Ashley and Pardew on here was absolutely reprehensible. He's done well for himself, no question. That says far more about the state of the people they allow into football journalism than it does about him.

Is he still kissing Ashley's arse like he used to on here?