Unbelievable

Wrong the noise, passion, feeling of belonging will be greater after this takeover than at any point in the last 13 years. So would having any other owner. That's what people told me 13 years ago when I was cautious about Ashley being definitely better than the previous lot.

Ironically, having owners who will invest in the club, the buildings and the city will bring back the noise, the pride and the passion IMO. It's been the exact opposite when we've been run like a cold hard business. Bingo

I can't speak for anybody else, but to me this (PCP) and the stage is at is a "now or never" moment given everything we know about Ashley and the numerous other interested parties and "bids" from the past that have come to absolutely nothing. If the PL turns down the PCP bid we could be looking at another decade of Mike Ashley, and that would really mean curtains as far as I am concerned. I barely watch our games anymore as it is. To start next season (whenever it starts) with Bruce in the dugout and Ashley in the stands would be hugely deflating after this latest takeover attempt. I understand why some people oppose the Saudi backed bid and see in them a reason to continue to not return or go to St James' anymore. I am uneasy with their human rights record myself, but this takeover is about much more than that to me. It's about finally getting our club back from the grim hold that Mike Ashley has kept on it for the past 13 miserable years. Ideally we would have squeaky clean new owners who have the club and the city's interest at heart, but I think to suggest such an owner is just waiting in the wings is fantasy dreamland considering what we know to be true about Mike Ashley. In reality it's Amanda Stavely's PCP, the Rueben Brothers and the PIF on the one side or Mike Ashley on the other. Of those two I'll take the first option any day of the week thank you very much. I'd be fairly confident they would be better custodians of the club than Ashley has ever been, and if not we'll cross that bridge when we get there. There is no certainty any other prospective owner would be better. I don't think any Newcastle fan demands that they buy the best players in the world and have us challenging for the Champions League anytime soon. Let's start by getting our club back and see it trying to be the best it can be when it's not being actively being destroyed by a parasite owner. That doesn't mean I condone everything the new owners do or can't oppose or condemn their actions if I feel like it. I use the services and buy the products of many companies that do stuff I don't agree with and I think many people do, knowingly or unknowingly. If the Saudi's don't end up buying us they'll get another club in England or elsewhere. I'd rather it was us and finally see the back of Mike Ashley.

Let’s not. Let’s ignore him. He’s an irrelevance.

FFS

"Remember everyone, if more people watch and enjoy football for free, the sport as we know it will die!" I'm personally dead against the Saudis taking us over, but it tells you everything you need to know about the priorities and tone deafness of the likes of Keys that they're arguing against the takeover on commercial grounds rather than ethical grounds, while putting forward the idea that the commercialisation of football over the years - something I think many fans would say is what's sucked the soul out of the game - is in fact what gives football its soul. I actually agree that "It matters because if theft of sports rights becomes the norm - sport as we know it dies." I just happen to think it was the likes of Sky that stole it back in the '90s and it's slowly died from then onwards. I'd be more than happy for the sport in its current state to die tbh.

We'll see. They reportedly wanted to invest 100m euros in Feyenoord last summer and were rejected.

Reported by Henry Winter, but if they are and their interest is genuine, they're well late and could have come forward sometime in the past twelve years really, couldn't they?

Thank you for posting that. I agree with everything he's said there about Ashley, the takeover, our prospective new owners and about how it affects us all as fans. There's been a lot of tension on here the last couple of days even amongst old timers. I'd hope we could at least all agree that we could be happy we're finally rid of Ashley (if indeed it happens), concerned about the new majority shareholder's stance and record on human rights, but at the same time excited about what the future might hold for Newcastle United and the city with ambitious owners seemingly willing to engage and invest in us.

Bloody hell, that's below the belt that is

extremely tedious and stupid No it's not, it's fair. he’s congratulating the team and its manager on winning the league ffs. And it’s a comically-poor attempt at a gotcha! moment. Wait so he's separating the football side of things from the ownership? Is that what you're saying?

Nah, but a few years down the line when everyone will have forgotten about the circumstances he will no doubt come out and claim he came to Holland taking over and a club doomed for the drop and miraculously kept them up against all the odds.

Guilty of what though? Illegal broadcasting? I don’t think that’s bloody obvious at all from what I’ve read. Saudi Arabia are guilty as they come regarding it. Saudi Arabia as in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the country?

Guilty of what though? Illegal broadcasting? I don’t think that’s bloody obvious at all from what I’ve read.

I don’t think the test says anything about the proposed owner or director “doing enough against” piracy does it? It just says something about not having been actively involved in what effectively amounts to IP theft.

It's not illegal internet streaming. It's hijacking the transmission broadcasts of Bein and then broadcasting as their own with beoutQ branding. Correct me if I’m wrong. SA nor PIF is accused of doing this themselves*, but SA is accused of not policing it hard enough, right? * last court case to this effect in France came to nothing, so I doubt the PL can assume direct involvement as a ground for not passing the O&D test

I know a million sources have reported it already, but is this not the first official confirmation that we get that a O&D test for the takeover of NUFC is indeed ongoing, quite apart from what else the letter says and implies? Putative - generally considered or reputed to be. I see your point, but if there was no test ongoing they probably wouldn’t have commented at all or poured cold water on it you’d have thought. Why respond publicly to a theoretical situation?

I know a million sources have reported it already, but is this not the first official confirmation that we get that a O&D test for the takeover of NUFC is indeed ongoing, quite apart from what else the letter says and implies?

Not sure if others have responded to this already, but isn't she contesting the apparent fact it was reported as being 144m at the time he took over, when it was much lower (around 70m if memory serves)?

Well done Greg

Hope the big guy returns if/when the party starts Yeah me too. It'd be nice to see Dave back as well.

Hope the big guy returns if/when the party starts

I’ve not read many media reports, but Louise Taylor seemed to be implying it was 200m up front and up to 150m in staged payments to cover the “interest free” loan facility, although she also says 310 to 340 total depending on targets being met. Would be surprisingly low all things considered. I always assumed it was 300+ million for the club plus the 110m or whatever it is for the loan.

Newcastle. I knew it

Must.Resist.Hope Where’s this supposed deal at lads?