TRon

Bossed a midfield full of players from newcastle who were are paid probably 10 times his wages?

Also, I think there's probably truth in this. Yep. Llambiarse has sprung into action to deflect criticism. It would be nice to give him the benefit of the doubt but his words have proved hollow in the past.

If Shearer was going to be installed manager I would have thought Beye might have stayed. Maybe it's too late to turn the clock back now. He will be abig miss, as not only is he a good right back, he's also probably our best centre half alongside Bassong.

No it won't. We might get some money for Coloccini but forget those others you mentioned. Players who fetch money are those with either some skill or pace who are the right side of 30. That's why despite their being slagged constantly, i always knew we'd get money for Dyer, Jenas, N'Zogbia and now Martins...and will also get good money for Bassong. The ones who are worthless are the "loyal" ones i.e. absolute knackered, tired old shit who no one wants.

No. I am glad they were good enough to get bought and not utter shite like the players we've been left with.

You're right mostly and as I said above he had to go - but it's decent business for who? We are in a different place to virtually every other club right now. Rejoicing over transfer fees went out the window in the aftermath of the Milner / Villa deal tbh. Some stone cold reality sets in finally. The truth is we are weaker than before. Hopefully if the club is sold, someone like Beckford will be brought in assuming Shearer is put in charge.

I think he's suffered from playing in front of a shite midfield same as Owen has. He's not top class but he'll be a dangerous forward for a mid level team.

I think I'll wait until I hear something a bit more concrete about who the new owner is if we've been sold. We have been burned so many times this summer i don't want to get my hopes up until the money's in the bank...although the Oba sale makes me more hopeful than I would be otherwise.

A good analysis of the deal. While others are parping hilariously over his faults and have done so for a couple of seasons, no one else in our awful squad will fetch anything like this fee.

Have you just made that up though? We don't anything about the details of the bids or anything like that, how can we say whether or not Ashley is being unrealistic? Ashley's tenure to date tells us he is an arrogant prick who believes he can do what he wants and get what he wants. The man believed we could succeed without investing in the first 11, that he could appoint KK and then fuck him off without expecting a reaction, let Hughton get on with it, expect managers to fall over themselves to come, appoint JK.......etc Are you suggesting we give Ashley any benefit of doubt? I don't know, everyone can make their own mind up. I'm not going to get into Ashley's corner on anything, but it seems to me that he would be desperate to get out. I don't have any evidence of that, it just seems to make sense. he was "desperate" to get out last season but ended up taking the club off the market when he didn't get the price he wanted. This time if he doesn't sell (at a price which will get the club sold) it will be time to bry the club for the foreseeable future. The Chronicle is right to up the ante. Sell you fat bastard otherwise expect trouble.

That said, I can see him being one of our better players this coming season. Probably true. If we had a manager who could have us organised into something other than a mess, alot of our shit from last season would probably be quality in this league. The fact that Bristol City fans are creaming themselves over signing Paul Hartley says it all to me. There is some real shite in this league. Of the players who are leaving, most of them are our better athletes, what we will be left with is the players who are shot, knackered or just plain shit. This is the same problem as last season, I just don't believe with those players leaving we will be fit or fast enough to challenge at the top of the Championship. It might be a lower level, but the better managers build younger, hungrier sides even at this level. One or two Nicky Butts is good, a team full of them will be over-run and sent packing.

They don't have to say anything, just get the club sold. Exactly, that's what I mean. If the Chronicle or The Mag think that Ashley is realistically going to give details about what is happening they're living in a dreamworld. Sadly all we can do is wait and hope something happens as soon as possible. No we don't have to wait and hope, the local media can certainly make things very uncomfortable for Ashley to string everyone along and contemplate jsut letting the club drift to oblivion. Knowing there is a public storm on the verge of being whipped up give Ashley a bit more incentive to take the best offer and get lost.

...a quality player who doesn't want to play for a joke club any more?

They don't have to say anything, just get the club sold.

That's my thinking as well tbh. These "loyal" players are all paid much more than they would be anywhere else, and their loyalty is more a case of no one wants them because they are shit in reality. While they are assured good headlines, it's these players who have held us back for years and their crapness has eventually seen us relegated. As one of those who witnessed the keegan revolution first time round, one of his strengths was getting rid albeit diplomatically, of some of our most loyal players who just weren't good enough for the level we were competing at. Players like Bracewell, Sellars, Lee Clark, gavin peacock, David Kelly...my god, this current bunch aren't fit to clean their boots but we had strong leadersip back then.

I think the Chronicle was right to hold back until now. It's one thing for fans to vent, but a local newspaper has to try and be objective and give Ashley a chance to prove he's serious, even though it's been apparent for some time he's fucking everyone about. Hopefully with the local journalists patience finaly snapping, Ashley will start shitting his pants that there is likely to be a major backlash with fans mobilising big style, persuading him to fuck off now while he still can.

How do you view those that are showing a good attitude and want to play for us in the Championship next season as mentioned above? You can probably add the likes of Duff, Geremi, ryan Taylor and Butt off the top of my head. The article is about Martins, Beye and Bassong heading for the exit btw, in case you haven't read it.

It might be a list of "stupid questions" by the Chronicle but those quotes from the source sound about right. It's the usual Mike Ashley way of doing things...dither, mess people around, go for drink with his mates instead of a business meeting etc. We've heard it all before. I reckon it would be safe to assume it's Shepherd's lot Probably why Ashley is dragging his heels over the whole thing. He probably figures that Shepherd won't pull out being a local which gives him a bit more time to try and do a deal somewhere else. All these assumptions are on shaky ground and it would be no surprise if they blow up in the fat bastard's face.

. It might be a list of "stupid questions" by the Chronicle but those quotes from the source sound about right. It's the usual Mike Ashley way of doing things...dither, mess people around, go for drink with his mates instead of a business meeting etc. We've heard it all before.

Especially since Arsenal have had trouble finding a number 1 they are happy with since Seaman retired. There's a great opportunity to be a no 1 at a proper club instead of no 2 to a no 2 at newcastle.

Two points: 1) There is absolutely no surprise that Arsenal might be showing an interest in Tim Krul and NOT Harper 2) Arsenal do things right, we always do things wrong.

I would agree except I'm not sure he is motivated enough to play for Newcastle any more, and we don't need players who don't want to be here. other than that, he's still clearly one of our better players and for that reason I would prefer to see others go first.

No idea if it is true or not, but it doesn't surprise me that the only players who are attracting interest are the young, players with some talent and fire in their bellies like Bassong and krul. We'll be left with the tired old farts who are the "heart and soul of the club" like Butt, Nolan, Duff, smith and other such shite who will be the first names on hughton's team sheet next season.

I reached that point months ago tbh, and it's a complete 360 degree turn from a year ago, that's how little faith i have left if Ashley.

As Ashley would be the major creditor, administration would seem an odd move financially. But Ashley could probably take his losses at Newcastle, which would be close to £250m, and set them against profit at his other companies, such as Sports Direct. Ashleys tax liability would then be reduced and his loss not so great. Oh. Shit. Can he actually use tax losses from one company to offset against profits from a totally different company?