Big Geordie

Not surprised by this in the slightest. Ashley can't run NUFC the same way as he runs Sports Direct though blatantly he is trying to do so.

If Enrique goes, a new LB is a must and even Ashley can't be so dense as not to see that. If that is done, I reckon that will be it. We will have a squad which is much weaker than the one that started last season.

We could do with George Caulkin coming out and asking questions of the board, etc. He has been unusually quiet of recent. I can understand the local rags needing to keep the club onside, but who do they write the paper for? Is it for the club or the people who actually buy it?

Even though I rarely agree with anything he posts, I do enjoy discussing stuff with him because he's sound. Yup - Ian fights his corner well. Definitely a glass 'half-full' kind of guy. Not sure of his age, but he is devoid of the cynicism that many older black and whites like me (30 years now) have developed.

I wonder if Pardew is still now after only 'One' player as he said at the weekend? Still, if that's what Ashley has decided......

Decky - that's what was said by some fans consistently during 2008/09. Ignore the past at your peril, especially when it is so fresh in the mind.

In a nutshell.

As things stand, we are knackered. A club that consistently sells it's best players is only headed in one direction.

You could argue that if NUFC didn't bother with the local press, then they are further alienating supporters and questions would then have to be asked. I'd like The Journal or The Chron to show some balls, but it's not gonna happen. At least Total Sport allowed views from both sides of the fence during Tues night's show.

Dave - NUFC need the local press - it's up to the latter to show some balls instead of sycophantic agenda driven rubbish.

As others have said before, a fan boycott of games won't happen because people love going to the match. Folk can stop buying pies and beer inside the group, but I feel in that respect that not enough people care or are that bothered to stop. We can only hope that if the plan is for him to sell the club once it's been stripped bare, it happens soon. To make £60million (assuming The Mail are right) in transfers over the last 4 years is staggering and if people want to know what his intentions are, it's a pretty big marker.

Why ? we havent signed a player of that age at all for ages, it'll be a young un, just not a ready one is my fear. Who else is available this close to the start of the season? Which quality younger player is going to come and sign for the club given what's happened over the last couple of weeks?

Can I also add that if the fee is £10 million, that will take i to £60million that Mike Ashley has raked into the club from player sales since he took over.

It's been inevitable (if true) for some time now, but it still feels like another dagger in the back from Mike Ashley. The asset stripping of Newcastle United continues apace - Tiote is bound to be next, even before the end of the month. Full expect Stephen Warnock or Wayne Bridge brought into the club to replace him. A has been to replace a quality player.

I believe we were never in for him. It's been a ghost chase and nout more to placate the supporters.

With any luck, I'll get on Total Sport tonight for a chat with Ando. Am champing at the bit to have my say!

People who don't agree with what Barton has done are NOT CLAIMING THE CLUB IS BEING RUN WELL FFS!! That's nonsense. I don't like who runs our club, I don't like the LARGE majority of the decisions that have been made and I hate the lies we are fed. In this instance however, I believe we have done the right thing. It's just a shame we won't get a fee for him, when he leaves. So the large amount of shock due to how this has been handled, doesnt suggest to you that there was any other way to deal with this situation? You think this decision is the least likely to affect club morale (given the current viewable reaction of the players) & the one most likely to bring us success to Newcastle United? Really ? If Barton genuinely gave a s*** about the club and the morale of the team, he'd pipe the f*** down. He's out there to boost his own ego and he doesn't have the intelligence to realise what consequences his actions will cause. Is how you're choosing to see it. Given his history as quite a driven & affected player, its perhaps more likely that he was talking out frustration given that we'd just lost to leeds & played pretty poorly. His twitter comments would have been forgotten about in about 3 days & is no excuse for those in charge making a decision which would then affect the morale of the team in a much worse manner. Which is what you're trying to claim was the right thing to do. But like I said in a few (million) posts back, his comments on Twitter were just an aggravation in all this if you ask me. His kicking-off in the dressing room at half-time against Leeds and the fact he is publicly telling Alan Pardew that he is making the wrong decision in letting someone else take corners/free kicks, is the issue that's caused all this. Has his 'kicking off at Leeds' been confirmed by anyone else, bar Peter Beardsley who also happens to be in Ashley's pocket? He has spoken in support of the regime before and I'm sure will do so again. /o\

Ben Arfa, cabaye, Ba, Marveaux? DUH! Most of them unproven in the PL! Ba has onyl played 12 games, ffs. And if they joined on the promise of the club pushing on and showing ambition, what do you think will happen next year when hopefully we've managed to stay clear of relegation (which is looking likely)? They will be off quicker than shit off a shovel.

Pardew will say what he is told to and when to do it.

Probably been said, but it seems once again that Ashley not only has the local media in his pocket, but also some of the national media. The local media probably want to keep him sweet, so will watch what they say and I'd imagine that he has mate's in the national press who will look after him too. Didn't one of them used to write for the NotW? Either way, it's a sorry state of affairs when recent history is being revised to get Barton out of the door and also to get NUFC fans to turn against him. What a scummy club we currently support. Makes me ashamed to be a black and white at the moment. Even more so than when those knackers ran on the pitch at Darlington the other week - this is far worse. And again, which quality players are going to come and play for an owner who will stab you in the back at the first available sign of dissent/opportunity?

Why's that then? Losing our best players, hints of dressing room unrest - a patsy for a manager, a very small squad lacking cover in key areas and a failed promise to reinvest the Carroll cash into the team. That enough for you?

As things stand, we are looking very much at a relegation fight. Anyone who thinks that we'll do better than that, I'd question their sanity.

Can I also ask if Ashley is prepared to release him now, why did he not do the same thing when he was locked up?

I reckon Barton will now say that he is staying, regardless of the club making him available for free. What might change the picture is if Pardew is told he is not to pick him for the first time, so forcing Barton's hand. If he wants to play football, he will have to leave. Ashley and Llambias laughing their tits off and also lapping up the support from the apologists.

A mad decision by the club, but should any of us really be surprised? I hope Joey now tells the truth about what's been going on behind the scenes now that he is no longer on the payroll. Unless of course he has been made to sign a confidentiality agreement as part of his release. I'll say it again - we are in massive trouble once again before a ball has even been kicked. Am very tempted to ring my sister (who works for William Hill) and see what odds I can get for us being relegated this season. It's going to happen people - wake up to what this fat c**t is doing to our club.