James

Thanks Candi for the shout-out. Ashley’s team could formulate a really objective argument as per below. Fan perspectives on Steve Bruce’s ability don’t really matter in the Court context. ‘We appointed Steve Bruce following an extensive and fruitless search for a manager to replace Rafa Benitez and he successfully achieved expectations in the first season by producing a similar level of results to previous seasons, hence sustaining an environment that have our proposed purchasers the confidence they needed to buy the club. However in the second season we were disappointed with results and certain off the pitch events and reached out to Agent A, Manager B etc and here are the emails we received stating that candidates to replace Bruce were not willing to take on the job due to the uncertainty relating to the takeover and the impact of this on their long-term job security. As a result we managed the situation as best as we could be appointing a highly regarded first team coach to give Bruce the required support. in addition, during that prior summer we looked to invest in a number of players to push the team on. Key targets X and Y were not followed through due to the financial constraints in place to keep the house in order ahead of a takeover. In addition, Player Z turned the club down as they felt they would not be able to hold down a first team place following PIF investment. Here are the emails to prove it.’

On the question of why doesn’t Keith shut up I think we are really only seeing the tip of the iceberg from him as far as what he knows. his job, seemingly with the clubs blessing is to distract, obfuscate and throw the fans the occasional tidbit. Imagine the wasted man hours at Bird and Bird having to deal with Keith. if you think about it the PL have effectively worked to silence NUFC about the process. NUFC have actually had to take public disclosure to court so at the very least Keith is helping here. to my recollection there have been just four occasions where NUFC have updated us: 1. PL failed PIF, NUFC going to take legal avenues 2. PL and NUFC in arbitration 3. Arbitrators appointed, NUFC not happy with independent choice 4. Taken on additional anti-competition case against PL. as such two of the four of these are strongly linked to things Keith did to enable this.

I don’t do Twitter so I appreciate this thread as a deep dive into the speculative whilst using the other thread to keep a general track of the official state of play. I enjoy the coexistence. But it’s going to be polarising as views are going to fundamentally differ based on recollection and interpretation of three or four loose but very polarising facts. the divergence should be helpful in breaking conflict so I don’t really understand why the same people feel the need to bring conflict into this thread at all. I suggest no one replies when someone brings their agenda in here. Once they realise they are being ignored they will leave. meanwhile, only time will tell if the earth orbits the sun, or the sun orbits the earth.

Aye it would be so bad for so many people legally

When viewed in isolation NUST appears admirable in what it’s doing in terms of trying to give fans a voice and working to try to get better football governance and for those things they are doing they should be applauded. However, they have repeatedly time and time again refused to confirm to its members that its current objectives are not compatible with protest organisation or more militant tactics. If they admitted this, it would clear space for other more militant fan groups to be set up to deliver the protest side of things. So really despite the good things they are doing, that single failure is really demonstrating a lack of full integrity and is therefore a hindrance to the club.

I think there’s logic to pick a few players who have shown they can come off the bench and uplift a game. Too often have you seen England bring on a sub who is used to starting games and ends up just being an ineffective inferior replacement to whomever they replaced. the best example of course is Solskjaer whom Fergie kept on for years because of how he performed from the bench. It won him the Champions League having that sub specialist.

Now that it’s a 26 man squad for the Euros if I was Southgate I would seriously consider selecting him, not to start but he seems to have this very rare ability to find space in the box when coming on as a sub. It could be an interesting option particularly as the additional extra time sub

Alan Carr as Graham Carr Keith Lemon as Alan Pardew Tom Hanks as Rafa Benitez Meryl Streep as Amanda Staveley

Our defence is intact mostly, will only take him pre-season to get the defensive players back up to speed. plus he might actually be able to sign more ready made players

What if the pistol is at the back of the head of the man ordering the heavy artillery?

I can’t find the article but I’ve found a quote of it in the comments to this article made by Hadrian at 2:09am https://www.nufcblog.com/2008/01/10/we-expect-newcastle-manager-appointment-today/ Alan Oliver article , jan 5th There is never a dull moment where Newcastle United are concerned. At the moment Sam Allardyce is under fire from a good percentage of United fans, but chairman Chris Mort insisted to me at Stamford Bridge that they were happy with their manager. That was on Saturday night. On Sunday night I received a phone call from someone who works for the biggest agents in the world. He wanted Chris Morts mobile number. On Monday the aforesaid top guy’s repesentative contacted the United chairman who repeated what he had told me at Chelsea. But then Chris Mort was suddenly given the name of the someone who would like to manage Newcastle United. And I am told it nearly blew the chairman’s socks off. I know the name of the top agent and his colleague who contacted me. But not the name of the would – be United Manager. That has not stopped me wondering about it. The top man in question is friends with the José Murinho camp. So has José been touted as Newcastle manager? or Marcello Lippi, who is currently out of work? all I can say is watch this space.

No it was definitely Alan Oliver following Allardyce’s sacking. I know this because I made a really shit gif

I thought it was Alan Oliver on Chris Mort’s managerial applicants list

The only thing that stops me making it a 0 is that Fulham have Burnley, Southampton and us to play. That is achievable for them to get 9 points but still would take a really strange sequence of results to see us go down.

With journalists you’ve got to realise that if NUFC were taken over and became a prominent team, high up in the league and active in the transfer market, the current crop of journalists that cover our club will either have to improve to meet national expectations or else either lose their job, be relocated or get a new boss and become their dogsbody. Therefore any self interested journalist is going to be constantly negative about positive change.

Short of relegating them the most effective punishment would be bringing a new billionaire club into the mix

Think Liverpool, Man Utd, Spurs and Arsenal owners will all try to sell

If the PL need a 14th vote Ashley holds all the chips. knowing what we know about Ashley you know he will go all in on his own self interest in that situation. do I agree with it....no......but that is what I think he will do

Good on Pep always felt that he puts his values ahead of his personal success. apart from when he was a prolific doper.

I’m going to predict that Barnes and De Marco will go on NUFC behalf today to the PL meeting and demand concessions on our behalf to secure the 14th and therefore unanimous vote. Whatever happens today will all be down to NUFC

Probably on a commercial contract basis or would be easier to enforce any exclusions at the end of the season

Think it’s worth taking a moment to follow the trend and congratulate NUFC on its 6 PL titles, 2 runners up, and 2 further FA Cup wins

He owns a football league club don’t forget - this affects him hugely and personally

The solution is obvious, the UK and EU governments pass laws that protect the viability of the football pyramids and stops the elite clubs pulling the ladder. The idea that a National League Club could ultimately win the Champions League as the very pinnacle of the football world must be a right enshrined by law, as must be the idea that successively bad Manchester United teams could end up with them in the National League

Like other loan players before him his loan fee will probably be appearance based. Bruce will have been told the budget and have to stick to it. should club management now consider us safe, he won’t play again