TRon

Looking at the name, the most obvious conclusion is that it's been done to piss people off. There'll be other motives, but that was definitely one of them. Ashley flew in with his helicopter like the big boss, handed Hughton a contract, took the club off the market and gave the stadium a comedy name which has left fans up and down the country laughing at us again. He wants to prove he's in charge. Who's going to argue with him? Llambias? Hughton? Just to eliminate any doubt in your mind, I will remind you of our stadium's new name: Sports Direct @ St James Park Stadium. It's clearly a pisstake man, look at it. They have even tagged 'stadium' on the end of 'park' just to emphasize the name change. Ask fans of other clubs what they think and they will tell you it's clearly a pisstake, that's half the reason they're finding it so funny. absolutely. Ashley seems to have this siege mentality in whatever he does, ie 'parking the tanks on the lawn' of his opponents or calling his shareholders 'crybabies' or the dubai shenanigans or offering unqualified outsiders like Llambias, Hughton & Kinnear contracts. He does things his own way and revels in causing a controversy. I don't buy the line that he's ran the club into the ground out of spite - that makes no sense. And i genuinely think he wants to sell the naming rights to make some money. But the temporary naming, a move which gives the club absolutely no benefit whatsoever, is clearly a two fingers up at detractors. I think those that think it's a pisstake are crediting Ashley with too much intelligence. His track record at the club proves beyond all doubt that he's intellectually out of his depth in anything other than the "pile them high, sell them cheap and lie about the rest" mentality that is behind his success at Sports Direct. I do agree with your point about him always doing things his own way, but he has shown relentlessly that he is too thick to twig when he's in danger of dropping a bollock or indeed when he's already dropped one. There's a sort of neanderthal stubborness about him. Agree 100%. He's convinced me that not only is he far stupider than I previously thought possible, he's also managed to make Freddie Shepherd look a class act, which is some achievement.

Incidentally why isn't Moat part of it? Has he been approached? Has Shepherd? I would have thought fans with that sort of financial muscle would be ideal investors. It's been mentioned before that Moat has been approached. Has it been mentioned whether he's backing the NUST bid?

Or he could just play it safe and continue shuffling into the background with his inoffensive tracksuit.

Incidentally why isn't Moat part of it? Has he been approached? Has Shepherd? I would have thought fans with that sort of financial muscle would be ideal investors.

is this a charity begging bowl or a show of financial muscle?

I don't have any problem with Shearer's methods or principles, I just don't know if there are that many clubs out there that will provide him with a top salary and spending budget from the word go. Not without any track record to speak of.

It's the one he's been carryng for a year or so it's called cantplayfootballitis. NOt serious many CCC players have built careers despite it. We realise Parky, not many players at the club are fit to wear the shirt at our glorious club (in the CCC) but which left-sided midfielder would you play in place of thiswasteofspace?

how so ? stadium sponsorship was mentioned under the previous regime at about the time they changed the stand names without all this hoo-haa. I find the cack handed methods of Llambias piss me off far more than the subject matter itself. This could have been handled much better and people probably would have kicked up less of a fuss. If it had been made clear that it was the stadium rather than the ground name which was being put up for sponsorship he might have looked less of a buffoon trying to backtrack afterwards.

It doesn't matter anyway, Hughton won't survive much past this season. If we get promoted he'll be way out of his depth in the premier, just like his clueless bosses.

You take care of the little things, the big things take care of themselves. I think if we put Hughton in a suit, instantly he'd be more commanding and authoritative. Absolutely correct. Hughtpn gives the impression he is too matey with the players to begin with, a suit would definitely give him more of a manager clout impression wise. Shearer wasn't daft and he donned a suit and looked all the more impressive for it. Can't see it happening though, Chris just isn't that bold to make the move.

How is he not worth £4m? What does that sort of money buy you when it comes to strikers anyhow? I would think mediocre teams that can't play football would pay that much just for his nuisance value. He might not be the most polished striker but he's big, strong and gives defenders a hard time. He scores the odd goal as well which isn't the worst quality in the world. Agree with all of that, provided he's playing at this level. If we go up and he plays regularly I don't think he'd be anywhere near as effective against PL defenders. How many PL strikers can you buy for £4m? Very few? That's my argument. I honestly don't think he's good enough for the PL so I don't think he's worth the £4m that's being bandied about for him. When you have teams likeBolton, Portsmouth, Stoke, Wolves, Burnley and West Ham in the Premiership I don't think you can claim they are too good to pay £4m for a big target man. I don't think they'd pay £4m for him because they already have better forwards than Carroll already on their books imo. Going round in circles here tbh. Like who? Elmander, Dindane, Beattie, Doyle, Nugent and Carlton Cole off the top of my head. I'm sure there's more too. Anyway, off to bed. Just for the record I'd keep him til we get promoted but he's not good enough for the PL. He might be in the future but I, personally, don't think he will be. We'll have to see I suppose. How many of those are under 25? Doesn't that factor into their valuation?

By all means be an arrogant fucker, just don't try and make out your money is better than anyone else's.

How is he not worth £4m? What does that sort of money buy you when it comes to strikers anyhow? I would think mediocre teams that can't play football would pay that much just for his nuisance value. He might not be the most polished striker but he's big, strong and gives defenders a hard time. He scores the odd goal as well which isn't the worst quality in the world. Agree with all of that, provided he's playing at this level. If we go up and he plays regularly I don't think he'd be anywhere near as effective against PL defenders. How many PL strikers can you buy for £4m? Very few? That's my argument. I honestly don't think he's good enough for the PL so I don't think he's worth the £4m that's being bandied about for him. When you have teams likeBolton, Portsmouth, Stoke, Wolves, Burnley and West Ham in the Premiership I don't think you can claim they are too good to pay £4m for a big target man. I don't think they'd pay £4m for him because they already have better forwards than Carroll already on their books imo. Going round in circles here tbh. Like who?

How is he not worth £4m? What does that sort of money buy you when it comes to strikers anyhow? I would think mediocre teams that can't play football would pay that much just for his nuisance value. He might not be the most polished striker but he's big, strong and gives defenders a hard time. He scores the odd goal as well which isn't the worst quality in the world. Agree with all of that, provided he's playing at this level. If we go up and he plays regularly I don't think he'd be anywhere near as effective against PL defenders. How many PL strikers can you buy for £4m? Very few? That's my argument. I honestly don't think he's good enough for the PL so I don't think he's worth the £4m that's being bandied about for him. When you have teams likeBolton, Portsmouth, Stoke, Wolves, Burnley and West Ham in the Premiership I don't think you can claim they are too good to pay £4m for a big target man.

Hughton is clearly not a manager and in reality he's not doing much management other than letting the senior players decide what they want to do each week. That said, Shearer probably could have had the job if he'd dropped his demands a bit. The only jobs he's been linked with since as a manager are at Southampton and Hull, and I doubt they would pay anywhere near what we would have.

How is he not worth £4m? What does that sort of money buy you when it comes to strikers anyhow? I would think mediocre teams that can't play football would pay that much just for his nuisance value. He might not be the most polished striker but he's big, strong and gives defenders a hard time. He scores the odd goal as well which isn't the worst quality in the world. Agree with all of that, provided he's playing at this level. If we go up and he plays regularly I don't think he'd be anywhere near as effective against PL defenders. How many PL strikers can you buy for £4m?

the only one who is holier than thou is you mate with your "I go to the games" bullshit which makes you think your opinions are more valid. For what it's worth I used to have a season ticket but had to give it up for work reasons a few years ago. That said I still pay Sky subscriptions soley so I can watch the games when I'm in, so my money's still paying it's way just like yours is so give the superior attitude a rest.

How is he not worth £4m? What does that sort of money buy you when it comes to strikers anyhow? I would think mediocre teams that can't play football would pay that much just for his nuisance value. He might not be the most polished striker but he's big, strong and gives defenders a hard time. He scores the odd goal as well which isn't the worst quality in the world.

Is that the same Harry Orange that used to be a Newcastle hardman/gangster type who sent gofers round the city centre selling cheap nik naks?

If he wants to be at Newcastle that can only be a good thing. It means even if we do sell him it should be at a decent price.

I think that's spot on. The only reason we weren't enjoying the premier was because our football was ugly and the players were over the hill and over-paid. People might not like me saying it but watching Spurs pass us off the park last season was embarassing. The better teams in the premier play football light years ahead of us but that's where we want to be rather than watching us hoof our way to the top of this crap division.

Maybe so, but £4m doesn't buy you much these days. For teams that can't afford proper midfielders and strikers he's a decent option.

only if the fat one stays in charge. I have no doubt whatsoever that we will go down next season if we get promoted this! Maybe but I'd rather cross that hurdle when we come to it. No way in hell would I give up my promotion hopes just to be rid of Ashley. Especially as no one wants us bad enough to pay the money he's asking, even if the club is over-priced.

While we are sitting top of the table Ashley is not going to be too concerned about protests, however loud they get. Catch 22 situation for me. While I want the fat bastard out if we don't get promotion this season I think there is a real danger that we'll become entrenched as a second tier club long term, so results first for me, Ashley out is secondary.

My suspicion is that these stories are surfacing for this reason. Carroll won't be a highly paid player by Premiership standards, and destitute clubs like West Ham and Bolton's best chances of landing a player are by turning the heads of young lads like him. Leaking stories through friendly southern based rags like NOW is probably step one.