TRon

Happy Face on TT (and sometimes here) put forward the idea that in the event there is no sale imminent, the supporters group could look to engage with the current owners as to how to move the club forward. That sounds like the way a supporters club could be constructive but I realise that it will go against the NUSC agenda of Ashley out. I am all for Ashley selling too btw, but also requires someone to buy the club, and I don't think NUSC are giving a good impression to would be buyers.

Ashley's 'structured' plan as you put it was designed to raise the sell-on value of the club, nothing more. Clubs with debt are less attractive options, even more so in a credit crunch. Clubs without debt are very attractive options, even more so in a credit crunch. He will find this out very soon despite the on-field mess as he gets himself a healthy profit for his initial investment. That has been his intention all along. I'm not surprised you see it another way though, given your absurd claims in the opening post. More like KK blew a hole in your hopes that Ashley was the real deal, that's what this is all about. You don't want to admit he isn't and never was the real deal. Instead you'd rather denigrate a man who has done far more for this club than the man you laughingly claim as the best ever chairman or owner we've ever had. Look on the bright side HTT, as he's made the club a more attractive package by clearing the debt, at least there's a better chance of the club getting sold which is after all what everyone wants right?

Did you bother reading any of the criticisms or do you think they should be allowed to say anything they like in the name of Newcastle supporters? Again - where have they said they are representative of all Newcastle fans? What do you think calling yourself Newcastle United Supporters Club implies?

Did you bother reading any of the criticisms or do you think they should be allowed to say anything they like in the name of Newcastle supporters?

Tell the NUSC that Unfortunately this is the impression of the club we are now creating with rent-a-mong pressure groups being shown on tvs all over the world demanding the club be run a certain way.

They come across as basically a protest group, very active in pointing to problems and who they are against, but it's easy to be a critic. Putting things right is only going to be done by whoever has the money and inclination to invest heavily in the club. That's something you can't protest into happening...although you could arguably protest loudly enough to put off any potential investors.

Well the club is in turmoil and has been put up for sale. Why are you still expecting Ashley to subsidise the squad with £20m? That was his plan when he was sitting with the supporters as owner with KK in charge. Things have moved on quite a bit since then.

I agree that KK was probably led to believe he was going to get more money than he did. Apparently £20m was going to be made available but it never got spent. Whether that was due to disagreements over transfer targets is just speculation ATM. Until the club gets sold and a new owner comes in looks at appointing Keegan we won't really know the answers.

Even in those scenarios you mentioned KK was up there spending with the top clubs we were in competition with. For that to happen now will take a serious transfer war chest whern you consider the top four are capable of spending £20m on a single player. Keegan would probably be looking to compete in the tier below that with Villa and Everton which would still require some serious spending power. The fact you mentioned him not being happy with Owen not being offered a mega deal does indicate he isn't comfortable working within a budget. Hopefully whoever buys the club if they want KK as manager, will be able to give him decent funds to compete.

Because they are vocal. Because they have a strong media presence on tv, web and written press. Because we are in recession and new buyers or sponsors won't necessarily want to invest in a club with a dwindling and hostile fan base.

That bit I'd agree with. Keegan's not going to win much IMO, but it's very easy to talk of moving on sometimes it's easy to forget what you have got. Keegan's been good for Newcastle for the most part but he will need a blank chequebook to be kept happy.

How do you know that the money he was forced to pay (about £45m?) wasn't earmarked for transfers? Do you think the new owners of West Ham potentially having to pay £30m compensation to Sheff Utd won't have an impact on their transfer budget?

I will get back to you around December So none then, as of today's date? None that I know of. None. I don't think he did buy the club for a quick profit but what he has done in his business career so far isn't concrete proof that he didn't is it? He's very good at making money for himself and doesn't always do it by buying a minority stake in something and flogging it on. He floated 43% of of his 100% in Sports Direct at £3 a share and trousered nearly a £billion in the process. Its been a disastrous flotation by the way and the share price was at about 75p pre the recent Stock Exchange meltdown and now stands at 44p, he's been busy buying back the stock at the lower prices and last I heard he is now holding about 75% of it. Criticisms of his running of Sports Direct include: poor communication, poor PR, people retained in key jobs because of his allegiance to them rather than their ability, difficulty in working with his management team. Nothing we haven't heard I think. He knows how to make money but he can't run a business to suit anyone's purposes other than his own. As I said above I don't think he was looking for a quick buck when he bought us he was looking for the kudos (and yes fun) of owning a Premiership football club. He bought it without doing any due diligence and soon found out he hadn't got the resources to take it anywhere. Add to that his basic weaknesses when it comes to running a business and you arrive at where we are now. The club in a mess and Ashley about to unload it for a profit. Didn't Hall and Shepherd do something similar when they floated the club on the stock market? Yes, but people can only do this if people sell there shares. If people are running a company they believe in & they can buy shares cheaper than what they originally sold them for of course they are going to do it. Yes Hall and Shepherd did (to a much lesser extent) with the club's shares what Ashley has done with Sports Direct. It hadn't crossed my mind that there was an old board/new board angle when I posted that There is if one sides being portrayed as goodness and light and the other is evil incarnate which does sometimes happen here

I'm sure any potential buyers of the club will be really encouraged to know they will be inheriting a militant organised support group who will actively discourage sponsors and advertisers if their demands aren't met. Spot on. Sitting in the Leazes last game I was shocked to see a number of boxes not in use & quite a few with no names above them but in use, I am guessing they are ones sold on a match by match basis. Cheers to Big Al for taking a free one. Also the Directors box area had stacks of big money seats empty. Thank the lord Fred got NR sponsorship cash upfront or we could of been a West Ham playing with numbers on our chest & money not paid. Look at WBA they have no sponsor because sponsors are unwilling to pay the rate to nothing clubs they were paying. So the last thing we need now in declining marketplace is these militants spouting. Of course once Mike sells the new owners can start charing for SportsDirect & ITAT logos all over SJP. My problem with these fuckers is that I honestly think some of them would prefer the club to suffer as long as Ashley's forced to sell at a lower price, even at the risk of relegation. Like all useless tosspots, great at pointing to the problem, absolutely clueless in providing a solution.

I'm sure any potential buyers of the club will be really encouraged to know they will be inheriting a militant organised support group who will actively discourage sponsors and advertisers if their demands aren't met.

I will get back to you around December So none then, as of today's date? None that I know of. None. I don't think he did buy the club for a quick profit but what he has done in his business career so far isn't concrete proof that he didn't is it? He's very good at making money for himself and doesn't always do it by buying a minority stake in something and flogging it on. He floated 43% of of his 100% in Sports Direct at £3 a share and trousered nearly a £billion in the process. Its been a disastrous flotation by the way and the share price was at about 75p pre the recent Stock Exchange meltdown and now stands at 44p, he's been busy buying back the stock at the lower prices and last I heard he is now holding about 75% of it. Criticisms of his running of Sports Direct include: poor communication, poor PR, people retained in key jobs because of his allegiance to them rather than their ability, difficulty in working with his management team. Nothing we haven't heard I think. He knows how to make money but he can't run a business to suit anyone's purposes other than his own. As I said above I don't think he was looking for a quick buck when he bought us he was looking for the kudos (and yes fun) of owning a Premiership football club. He bought it without doing any due diligence and soon found out he hadn't got the resources to take it anywhere. Add to that his basic weaknesses when it comes to running a business and you arrive at where we are now. The club in a mess and Ashley about to unload it for a profit. Didn't Hall and Shepherd do something similar when they floated the club on the stock market?

At the end of the day, if Owen can find a better club who are willing to pay him as much or more than we will then good luck to him and goodbye as far as I'm concerned. I think he's been offered a good deal but he might just prefer to be somewhere else, in which case I wouldn't lose much sleep over him leaving.

We were playing far worse than now, with a much stronger 1st team due to lack of injuries. I will never forget Sam being shit scared of every run of the mill side we played against and how his players reflected his fears.

Neither do I. If he'd rather be somewhere else he's best gone IMO.

And he had Zayette on trial, and for whatever reason didn't sign him. We also needed a creative midfielder and a back up striker for Viduka, which we got on transfer deadline day which KK wasn't too happy with by all accounts. Time will tell on those dealings I suppose.

I don't think either Taylor or Geremi are acceptable back up really. One's a big centre back, the other a midfielder with limited mobility.

Keegan wanted another left back (Warnock?) but our first choice Enrique is under pressure for his place from Bassong and we also have Zog who can fill in (badly usually). If Beye's injured there doesn't seem to be any back up at all. Was it right to make such a fuss about left back all things considered?

As long as Capello is getting results with the strikers he prefers, he's under no obligation to pick Owen tbh.

Even if he did want to buy the club and sell for a profit, I find it a bit rich that this fat bastard is complaining when sanctioning some of his big money signings has proved extremely expensive. Barton, Smith and Viduka are hardly earning their massive salaries are they?

I find it hard to believe Fat Sam has the nerve to complain he only got £9m net to spend considering how it was spent. Alan Smith alone is probably costing us £10-12m, I dread to think who else he'd have bought given a chance.