Big Geordie

Profit is only any good if it is reinvested in the side inorder to make it better. If that doesn't happen then it leaves two possiblities - that we will be being fattened up for a sale (in the medium-long term) or the owner wants to start clawing back what is owed to him in terms of the loans. NUFC has pretty much always been ran for profit for those that run the club, at the expense of the side. However it's true that Mike Ashley is probably the first owner that put his own cash into the club, but that is because he had to because of his own stupidity. If the intent is to tread water in the PL, whilst being ran for profit - where is the ambition that will attract quality players? This is what happened in the 60's, 70's, and 80's and we all know what happened there eventually.

Just read about the ITK stuff - not surprised if it turns out to be true. The Carroll cash was never gonna all be spent on transfers - it's more likely being used to support the infrastructure of the club. If this is the way the club is going to be ran over the next few years, then it's going to end up making someone a lot of money, even if we only break even next year. Years after that will be running at more and more profit being made. I would take Bridge if Enrique leaves, but only on loan and if some of his wages are covered by Citeh. Then again, he's struck me as a player in recent years who is content to rake in the wages with giving little back in return.

I'm getting more cynical in my old age.

Yeah, it's nearly July, time to give up, they'll be no more money spent. Funny how we are being linked with all of these quality names and after weeks of speculation we begin to find out that we aren't in the race. Some people would suggest there is a pattern there, though I agree that the time to judge will be at the end of August.

If today's Journal is to be believed, then it's not unexpected. All this talk of big deals for a quality striker was never gonna happen - bargain basement once again, with the Carroll cash remaining unspent!

*Like*

Ferguson obviously, but I'm also keen to see Vuckic progress. He could probs do with a stint out on loan next season - somewhere like Hartlepool?

Darren Gibson - if the Mancs are prepared to sell him, he's not good enough to come here. Far better signing a player who sees us as a step up, rather than a step down. Have we learned nothing?

Doubtlessly he'll get loads of grief on/off the pitch which gets a from me.

Yup - I know. Got Sky at home, not ESPN.

I thought it was ESPN who have the rights this year?

It would be far too expensive to extend the Gallowgate at present and lets face it, demand is not there at the moment.

It's been a while since we've seen some Mag bashing in one of the national rags. What's brought this on from Samuel? Trying to deflect the attention away from his own club?

Bumping this after this bitter 'effort' from Martin Samuel (The Mail) REPORTAGE - 20/JUN/11 So, what's left to make the Toon swoon? - Martin Samuel, The Mail It was the eve of a European away game in Germany a few years ago. Manchester United were playing, but Newcastle United were giving them a run back home. A few journalists, a few beers and the talk turned to that most futile of debates: what constitutes a big club? Specifically, did Newcastle now qualify? There was a significant Geordie presence around the table. The sceptics were outnumbered. And yet, as much as anybody ever wins a pub argument, we thought we carried this one. Our case was that the reach of a truly big club must extend beyond their locality. International stature was required, and therefore a significant European pedigree. Newcastle were huge in the North East, granted, but invisible beyond. Kids in areas not served by a Premier League football club did not gravitate towards them the way they did Manchester United or Liverpool. Half of Singapore were not signed up to the supporters’ club. Name the biggest club in Germany. Easy: Bayern Munich. Now the second. The consensus was for Borussia Dortmund, very strong at the time. And the third? There was much discussion. Finally, it was agreed: Hamburg. And nobody even mentioned Schalke 04. Nobody advocated the third best-supported club in Germany, regularly pulling in crowds of more than 60,000 from the industrial outpost of Gelsenkirchen. Schalke were omitted for the same reason Newcastle would be absent from any list of English juggernauts — because they had never experienced great success in Europe. Hamburg played Nottingham Forest in the 1980 European Cup final and signed Kevin Keegan in his prime. These men, of a certain age, all knew Hamburg. None would recognise Schalke as greater simply because of local support. QED, the same applies to Newcastle. Now, who’s getting the beers in? And without wishing to reignite the hoariest of disputes, never has Newcastle’s place in the hierarchy of football been more relevant than now, having lost arguably their best performer, Kevin Nolan, to second-tier West Ham United. Nolan missed out to Joey Barton in the player of the year polls, but Barton is likely to be on his way, too, as is Jose Enrique, Jonas Gutierrez and perhaps Fabricio Coloccini. Even with £35million from the sale of Andy Carroll in the bank, the men who own Newcastle have looked at the numbers and decided many salaries are too rich for their tastes. Size does matter. The Toon Army will consume the dreadful new shirt and fill the ground as always, they will plaster the name of Demba Ba on the back while waiting for the next local hero to emerge, but it is no longer enough. Nolan was earning roughly £45,000 per week and was offered an extra year on his contract at £50,000, plus a £500,000 bonus if Newcastle finished in the top 10. West Ham proposed £55,000 per week and the chance to work with Sam Allardyce again, and Nolan took it. Potential is the key here. West Ham may be in the Championship, but the club are eyeing a swift return to the Premier League and a move to the cavernous Olympic stadium. Mike Ashley, Newcastle owner, clearly believes his club are operating at capacity. What would it take to compete with the new elite as represented by Manchester City and Chelsea, or even those bubbling under, like Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur? Ashley needs resources that Newcastle cannot generate alone, money that requires global revenue streams he has been unable to exploit. He either throws his own fortune at the problem, or finds a conservative third way. So Newcastle are in limbo. Still big on expectation, hope and desire, just not big enough to stop their best midfielder dropping a division. Previous owners may have been unrealistic in their ambitions but at least they shared them with those in the Gallowgate End. Ashley, an outsider, simply sees Newcastle for what they are. He would have been on the side of cold, hard logic that night in Germany but where is the fun in that?

Great read in what was a real season of ups and downs. Quinn's and McGhee's goals, the cameos from John Gallagher and ended with that awful defeat to the mackems. I never missed a home game that year - even went to the Simod Cup game (v Derby, IIRC) The playoff defeat was a bad night with me and my pals being in the Gallowgate Corner towards the back. We left when the nuggets at the front decided to run on the pitch in an effort to get the game abandoned. Was a very quiet and difficult bus journey home. *Edit* didn't realize this has been bumped from over a year ago. ::

He'll go to Blackburn - is Salgado still there?

Too old at 29, IMO.

Ian - it is what seems to be happening at the moment. The club seems intent on shifting out the higher wage earners/those with re-sale value and bringing in Bosmans.

What does everyone usually mean? If the price is right he will be sold. Hardly allows for a side to be built because as soon as offers come in for the better players, the club will seek to move them on. What is the intent from Ashley here? Is he raising funds to claw back the money he has had to pump into the club?

'Everyone up for sale' - does that include Tiote?

I'd take Bendtner, but he would have to lose the big time charlie attitude and also start putting himself about a bit more, ala Carroll. For a lad that is as big as our ex striker, he plays like a pansy at times.

The future of English football looks pretty rank then! Reap what you sow, etc.

Sounds garbage (listening on 5Live) Nailed on that Pearce will blame tiredness, rather than not being good enough which is the case.

Don't know owt about the lad, but on a Bosman then why not? Seems as if we are to become the new 'Arsenal' though - shipping out many of the english players and bringing in imports.

He's served his purpose and we got the fee back. What were they expected to do; sign him on for as long as he wants and accept diminishing returns? No place for sentimentality - we need to make progress. Some of you would have rather we kept Gavin Peacock and David Kelly. People believed in Keegan and Sir John. Who believes in Ashley, Llambias and Pardew to take us forward?