OzzieMandias

I'd be prepared to take the gamble myself despite accepting that things could go bad and things are not always so simplistic. FS has put none of his own personal wealth into the club so can afford to be wreckless and he's also in a position where he answers to no-one so the burden of responsibility doesn't weigh so heavily on his mind, where as someone buying the club for over 100m is hardly likely to piss about or mess things up. In fact I'd say the opposite is far more likely, i.e. wanting to make the most of that investment and we all know for NUFC to make money it has to be successful. As far as I'm concerned there is no hope under FS and the current board and unless they grow some new brains this is as good as it gets under them, mid-table mediocrity which has been our average finish under them in terms of final league table placings. We need some fresh, independent ideas, some new enthusiasm, some new goals. The current board are hoping by throwing money at the club some fucker is going to one day get it right and that is no way to run a club, i.e. pot luck. That type of management never yeilds sustained success or stability. They've had a good number of years at the job, been paid massive wages and have failed, time for them to move over and give someone else a try, after all isn't that what we do with managers? None of that guarantees they will appoint the right man, or even that they will back him properly. Appointing the right man is the key. I agree, but there is no guarantee this board will appoint that right man either, so vis a vis. Do you think, because there is a possibility that a new board could be just as bad or worse than this one, that we should just accept this board and not look at other alternatives? At what point do you say, hold on, this isn't working? They've had 10 years at the job and spent vast sums as well as hiring and firing a whole host of managers but we are going backwards, and have done every season with the exception of 3 years under SBR a manager who fell into their laps who actually asked them for the job. Could it be that they themselves are part of the problem? A serious question for you HTL: Do you honestly trust and have confidence in the board? Another one, given that there is a possibility that a new board may not be better than this one by the same token could there be a possibility that a new board could be better than this one? I agree with you on many points regarding a new board and the dangers of that but I personally would take the gamble and as a club we should never accept that this lot is our lot and that no-one else can do better, that would be foolish and dangerous. If the board were managers, they'd have been sacked long ago and there would be no complaints, from yourself included. Why the difference of attitude when it comes to the board? We've had shite managers before, yet you wanted rid of Souness who based on what past managers acheieved, did well. You claim he took us backwords and wasted money (which he did) so should be sacked, well so have the board. the problem for people like myself,htl and ne5 is that we have lived the other side,through the truly crap boards.we want to know what will come in before a change,we can't risk going back to a westwood or a mckeag,you may want to take that risk,i dont......i'm pretty sure if the right man comes along myself,ne5 and htl will shout for him to take over.....till he appears,for us the risk of throwing everything in the air and seeing what happens is too great. Well, I've lived through the same crap boards and I want Fred to go. Fuck this "better the devil you know" nonsense. We're now at a point analagous to the point where SJH took over. This board has had its day and has clearly taken the club as far as it can go -- unless we're to drop even further down the leagues, of course. Football is now going through a period of renewed investment. Despite our massive resources, current board have managed us into a position where we haven't even got any money to buy players, never mind invest in other areas of the club. They've had their chance. They've made fortunes out of us. But they've failed to take us up another level and as long as they remain in charge we're going to remain a mediocre, mid-table outfit who'll be lucky to get into the UEFA Cup every now and again -- which is pretty much what we were when I first started going to matches all of 40 years ago.

On what reasoning do you base this extraordinary assertion?

Yes. Managers and players come and go. The board remains the same – and that is where the buck should stop as that is where the crucial decisions and appointments are made. Obviously. What a load of shite. So it seems that when Souness fucked it all up the board should have gone and shithead would still be the manager today? Or are you saying that every club that fails (eg doesn't win th league) should sack the board and sack their manager? Well, I don't know what line of work you're in, chum, but in mine I often have to allocate budgets and put together teams of people to achieve specific tasks. If I handled my budgets unwisely, or made poor appointments, to the detriment of the work, that would be seen as my responsibility by the people who are paying my fees -- and rightly so. You can make every pathetic excuse for him you can think of (not many it seems -- we long ago heard all your "arguments" a dozen times) but the simple, incontrovertible fact is that Fat Fred is steering the ship. If we have a crap manager, or no money to buy players, then that's his responsibility. Obviously. Well done for describing a part of the role of the manager. Well done for ignoring the obvious yet again.

Yes. Managers and players come and go. The board remains the same – and that is where the buck should stop as that is where the crucial decisions and appointments are made. Obviously. What a load of shite. So it seems that when Souness fucked it all up the board should have gone and shithead would still be the manager today? Or are you saying that every club that fails (eg doesn't win th league) should sack the board and sack their manager? Well, I don't know what line of work you're in, chum, but in mine I often have to allocate budgets and put together teams of people to achieve specific tasks. If I handled my budgets unwisely, or made poor appointments, to the detriment of the work, that would be seen as my responsibility by the people who are paying my fees -- and rightly so. You can make every pathetic excuse for him you can think of (not many it seems -- we long ago heard all your "arguments" a dozen times) but the simple, incontrovertible fact is that Fat Fred is steering the ship. If we have a crap manager, or no money to buy players, then that's his responsibility. Obviously.

Barnes was shite, though not as shite as Rush. I hated us having those two. After waiting for some decent new striker, at the last minute we get these useless clapped-out scousers and suddenly it's crystal that all our cash is sunk into the injured Shearer. Bit like now, really, but we get Sibierski instead.

Yes. Managers and players come and go. The board remains the same – and that is where the buck should stop as that is where the crucial decisions and appointments are made. Obviously.

I am not defending "Freddy in so many topics." I'm pointing out where people are posting rubbish, where they are attributing responsibility to the Chairman that really rests with the manager and even with the players. Such as Robson putting out weakened teams in a competition we could have won or the players failing to turn up on the big day. Apparently everything is down to the Chairman and the Board. The fact they have given successive managers more than adequate resources to bring some success to the club yet failed to do that is the fault of the board. We could have won the FA Cup the League Cup and the Uefa Cup under this board had the managers got it right on the day, had the players turned up and performed at all in line with their ability. Those things not happening are not the responsibility of the board, they are the responsibility of the manager. (Cue the drone about, "who appoints the manager", blah blah blah) BTW I could just as easily mention the "slating of Freddy in so many topics." I have never started a thread in order to praise the Board, I reply to those who continually post ignoring how far we've come under the current Board. If you want to interpret that as a belief I think the current lot are fantastic and can do no wrong, then you are as wrong as some of the others. They have made mistakes, bad mistakes but imo not bad enough that I'd like them to be replaced just yet. Yes, strangely, many people feel the responsibility for running the club rests with the people who have the responsibility for running the club. A difficult concept for some, it would seem.

Why not stick to football? There's really no need for you to stick your oar in with an insult, but you do tend to do this a lot, contributing nowt to the discussion. As you've moved the thread off topic with an insult I'll say that the more off topic interjections you post to insult other members the more I'm sure you're really a soft shite acting tough from behind the safety of your computer. Aye, Leazes Parrot would never do that. Good job YOU'RE above all that, eh. No, good job I'm not some dimwitted hypocrite who self-righteously slags others for doing something I do myself.

Why not stick to football? There's really no need for you to stick your oar in with an insult, but you do tend to do this a lot, contributing nowt to the discussion. As you've moved the thread off topic with an insult I'll say that the more off topic interjections you post to insult other members the more I'm sure you're really a soft shite acting tough from behind the safety of your computer. Aye, Leazes Parrot would never do that.

Perhaps, but my prediction is NE5 for the Freddy saviour. Different name, same Fat Freddy apologist. Oh, good to know that. Don't worry about the mackem, he'll disappear when we win a couple of games. or when he dishes the dirt on the club to a London journo Squawk! as Micktoon said, you serve no purpose. Are you still backing your man Souness in his rebuilding job ? Who's a naughty boy, then? Squawk!!

Perhaps, but my prediction is NE5 for the Freddy saviour. Different name, same Fat Freddy apologist. Oh, good to know that. Don't worry about the mackem, he'll disappear when we win a couple of games. or when he dishes the dirt on the club to a London journo Squawk!

The point is that football is in the process of taking another step up the economic ladder. Last time there was one of those moments -- founding of the Premier League and the increase in revenue that resulted -- we were taken over by SJH, who understood that investment would bring rewards. Hence the Keegan era, when we partly rocketed ahead of most other teams because we had more money than anyone else and a talented manager to make the most of it. And in the end SJH will make tens of millions out of the relatively (by today's standards) small amount of cash he put in. That era is long over. Now there's about to be another big step up, but we're still stuck with the old guard. SJH wants to sell out, realising his investment It's like the Premier League starting up, but you've still got McKeag in charge. More money coming in, but no investment strategy (no investment possibility, I suppose) to make the most of it.

I'll post whatever I damn well please. But hey, thanks for caring!

Not at all, just so long as people realise the hatred of Fred tripe they post is not based on fact. Nor is the recent trend to the daily references to a lack of planning. Does anybody on this forum know what is happening inside the club? I don't, that's for sure. Nor do I believe everything uttered by Roeder or FS, both will say what they are expected to say and they have no duty to spill the beans to the supporters. It doesn't matter whether or not Fred is incompetent, the Board has a history of releasing funds for new players to the point they are slagged off for paying transfer fees that are too high and for shelling out too much on wages. People can't have it both ways. They get slagged for over spending and then slagged for not spending. If the club isn't able to bring players in right now there will be a reason and it won't be down to the the latest and greatest craze of pointing to a lack of planning or the Board being tight fisted. It seems that some people think that if they post certain criticisms often enough they will become facts. Speaking personally, I'd like our club to be run by someone who knows what they're doing. However you slice it, we're one of the world's richest clubs and we're going into our third transfer window in a row without any money. It is Fat Fred who has managed us into this situation, and no one else. I do understand that context is difficult for some. And the big picture impossible for others. We're one of the 20 richest clubs in the world. We've got no money to spend -- again! -- even though we desperately need reinforcements. What's to blame? Gremlins? The weather? Or, just a wild and crazy guess here, the people who are actually running the club? and before the Halls and Shepherd we were ? They bought your idol Tina Arsprilla too, you know that bloke who scored 2 league goals in a season you said was "a success". Its also about time you dug the dirt on the club to a scumbag Lundon journo again ........ Who's a naughty boy, then? Pretty Craigie! Pretty Craigie!

Not at all, just so long as people realise the hatred of Fred tripe they post is not based on fact. Nor is the recent trend to the daily references to a lack of planning. Does anybody on this forum know what is happening inside the club? I don't, that's for sure. Nor do I believe everything uttered by Roeder or FS, both will say what they are expected to say and they have no duty to spill the beans to the supporters. It doesn't matter whether or not Fred is incompetent, the Board has a history of releasing funds for new players to the point they are slagged off for paying transfer fees that are too high and for shelling out too much on wages. People can't have it both ways. They get slagged for over spending and then slagged for not spending. If the club isn't able to bring players in right now there will be a reason and it won't be down to the the latest and greatest craze of pointing to a lack of planning or the Board being tight fisted. It seems that some people think that if they post certain criticisms often enough they will become facts. Speaking personally, I'd like our club to be run by someone who knows what they're doing. However you slice it, we're one of the world's richest clubs and we're going into our third transfer window in a row without any money. It is Fat Fred who has managed us into this situation, and no one else. I do understand that context is difficult for some. And the big picture impossible for others. We're one of the 20 richest clubs in the world. We've got no money to spend -- again! -- even though we desperately need reinforcements. What's to blame? Gremlins? The weather? Or, just a wild and crazy guess here, the people who are actually running the club? Again? Your post above shows that you don't understand the tiny picture, let alone the big picture. Same old insults, no actual argument. Who runs the club? (Posters who don't have their heads stuck up their arses may find it easier to answer this question.) Heads? Arses? If you need any help telling the difference between the two, feel free to ask.

Yeah, because hes done a huge amount in keeping our necks above water. Yeah thats right Owen delibrately injured himself FFS. I agree the amount spent on the aforementioned is ridiculous. A fit owen will provide more than the others put together 10 mill for Luque, 8 for Viana, 8 for Boumsong, 7 for Cort. Apart from chelsea has any club in history wasted as much money as us on utter shite. The mind absolutely fucking boggles Aye, I agree. My mind boggles that mindless fuckers blame the Board for spending this money on Owen, he's a top player signed to replace a top player, which is what you do if you have ambition. The Board has backed successive managers in this way and the managers haven't got it right, through a mixture of bad luck and incompetence in the case of shithead. I really can't see what else the Board can do other than back the manager to the limit and they've done that. The manager is the single most important person in the football club imo and it is very, very difficult to get the right man. Which means it's really, really important that the man who appoints the manager has some kind of a clue. Or isn't a fat arrogant lying tosser that no self-respecting manager would want to work for, given the choice, unless they're a failure looking for another chance, or maybe a lifelong supporter of the club approaching retirement.

Perhaps, but my prediction is NE5 for the Freddy saviour. Different name, same Fat Freddy apologist.

Not at all, just so long as people realise the hatred of Fred tripe they post is not based on fact. Nor is the recent trend to the daily references to a lack of planning. Does anybody on this forum know what is happening inside the club? I don't, that's for sure. Nor do I believe everything uttered by Roeder or FS, both will say what they are expected to say and they have no duty to spill the beans to the supporters. It doesn't matter whether or not Fred is incompetent, the Board has a history of releasing funds for new players to the point they are slagged off for paying transfer fees that are too high and for shelling out too much on wages. People can't have it both ways. They get slagged for over spending and then slagged for not spending. If the club isn't able to bring players in right now there will be a reason and it won't be down to the the latest and greatest craze of pointing to a lack of planning or the Board being tight fisted. It seems that some people think that if they post certain criticisms often enough they will become facts. Speaking personally, I'd like our club to be run by someone who knows what they're doing. However you slice it, we're one of the world's richest clubs and we're going into our third transfer window in a row without any money. It is Fat Fred who has managed us into this situation, and no one else. I do understand that context is difficult for some. And the big picture impossible for others. We're one of the 20 richest clubs in the world. We've got no money to spend -- again! -- even though we desperately need reinforcements. What's to blame? Gremlins? The weather? Or, just a wild and crazy guess here, the people who are actually running the club? Again? Your post above shows that you don't understand the tiny picture, let alone the big picture. Same old insults, no actual argument. Who runs the club? (Posters who don't have their heads stuck up their arses may find it easier to answer this question.)

Freddie need have no worries. HTL and Leazes Parrot will save him from the mob.

Not at all, just so long as people realise the hatred of Fred tripe they post is not based on fact. Nor is the recent trend to the daily references to a lack of planning. Does anybody on this forum know what is happening inside the club? I don't, that's for sure. Nor do I believe everything uttered by Roeder or FS, both will say what they are expected to say and they have no duty to spill the beans to the supporters. It doesn't matter whether or not Fred is incompetent, the Board has a history of releasing funds for new players to the point they are slagged off for paying transfer fees that are too high and for shelling out too much on wages. People can't have it both ways. They get slagged for over spending and then slagged for not spending. If the club isn't able to bring players in right now there will be a reason and it won't be down to the the latest and greatest craze of pointing to a lack of planning or the Board being tight fisted. It seems that some people think that if they post certain criticisms often enough they will become facts. Speaking personally, I'd like our club to be run by someone who knows what they're doing. However you slice it, we're one of the world's richest clubs and we're going into our third transfer window in a row without any money. It is Fat Fred who has managed us into this situation, and no one else. I do understand that context is difficult for some. And the big picture impossible for others. We're one of the 20 richest clubs in the world. We've got no money to spend -- again! -- even though we desperately need reinforcements. What's to blame? Gremlins? The weather? Or, just a wild and crazy guess here, the people who are actually running the club?

Not at all, just so long as people realise the hatred of Fred tripe they post is not based on fact. Nor is the recent trend to the daily references to a lack of planning. Does anybody on this forum know what is happening inside the club? I don't, that's for sure. Nor do I believe everything uttered by Roeder or FS, both will say what they are expected to say and they have no duty to spill the beans to the supporters. It doesn't matter whether or not Fred is incompetent, the Board has a history of releasing funds for new players to the point they are slagged off for paying transfer fees that are too high and for shelling out too much on wages. People can't have it both ways. They get slagged for over spending and then slagged for not spending. If the club isn't able to bring players in right now there will be a reason and it won't be down to the the latest and greatest craze of pointing to a lack of planning or the Board being tight fisted. It seems that some people think that if they post certain criticisms often enough they will become facts. Speaking personally, I'd like our club to be run by someone who knows what they're doing. However you slice it, we're one of the world's richest clubs and we're going into our third transfer window in a row without any money. It is Fat Fred who has managed us into this situation, and no one else.

It's an evil conspiracy against the poor, shat-upon scousers.

He was/is legendary, but mostly for things achieved before he arrived at Newcastle, or for his whole career including Newcastle. His finest moment was probably winning the UEFA with Ipswich. Good manager for us, though. As others have said, pity we got him so late in his life. If he'd picked us up where Keegan left off, maybe we would have consolidated our position in the top four. As it was, he nearly got us back there again.

Are you talking about the loan which was taken out to redevelop the ground? Or has there been some new loan also secured against future season ticket sales? And is there a link to something which suggests this was the reason why Polygon and/or Belgravia backed away?

you'd think it wouldn't fall through because of fat fred being unwilling as belgravia or polygon would still have been majority shareholders after buying up cameron/halls shares and in a position to kick freds arse about a bit,like glazer did at man utd to squeeze out those who didn't want to play ball Nah, it wouldn't make any sense for them to buy some of the club. Polygon or Belgravia would want it all too.