Unbelievable

I've defended him loads for his scouting record (and still believe he was hamstrung by Ashley being a cheapskate, i.e. some of his targets we missed out on for the sake of a million or two have gone on to prove themselves massively and triple or quadruple in price while we signed his n-th choice recommendation), but the right time to go was when he dared to suggest his good mate Steve McClaren as our manager. Deserved the boot for that alone, and the idiot who gave him the power to make it happen deserves far worse.

Make. It. Happen. Hang on, it's being linked to the consortium that have officially pulled out. Journalism

Exactly. In that article they seem to imply that another 100m or so a year for the next 6 seasons is required to compete at the top level, which is probably true enough if you want to be challenging for titles regularly. To do better than Ashley nowhere near that much investment would be required. Some football savy and not draining the club from some of its potential revenue growth areas would be a good start. Any penny invested from their own money would already elevate them over anything Ashley has put in since taking over, apart from adding to its debt to pay for his own mistakes. The club is financially strong and we have an excellent manager, so we have strong foundations to build on for somebody who knows what they're doing (which Ashley obviously doesn't).

If clearing the debt amounts to almost doubling it, aye he has cleared the debt.

Presumably the £90 million Short is looking for excludes outstanding external debt of £141 million (2016), which consists of £58 million owed to Short (Drumaville) and £83 million owed to Security Bank Corporation (SBC), the latter of which expires on 27 August 2019 and carries an interest rate of 7.5% plus LIBOR? Mind you, the asking price is less than the £101 million part of the debt Short has converted into equity in recent years (all numbers from a 2016 Swiss Ramble analysis). At first glance £90 million looks quite cheap for them, but you're probably looking at the best part of a quarter of a billion if you include their debt, and than there's the vast losses they will continue to incur year on year, even more so if they can't bounce straight back up, and the investment needed in their playing squad to turn their fortunes around. I expect most investors attracted by the reasonable asking price will run a mile when they dig a little deeper.

I like the thread title. Everybody can read into it what they want

Ado Den Haag. Their owner promised they would soon be challenging for top honours and has been legally charged by the club recently for failing to meet his end of the investment bargain. Seems very much a mixed bag. Still, I'd rather take a mixed bag than a downright crap one.

We have publicly invited external investment before if memory serves?

The way I read the reports is there are multiple parties interested, amongst which a Chinese consortium

It's only a matter of time before Mike fucks up again. For that reason, I'm in.

Good read. I need to step away from this news, it's just too big for my mind to comprehend and my heart to absorb :_)

Can't imagine what this does to our dressing room. The lads who've been around these last few years must all be devastated.

Can we correct the error in his name in the thread title please?

Ah no, just read this now. Life is so cruel.

Nah, no way. Refuse to believe it... Ah fuck, Rest In Peace Cheick, loved to see you play. :'(

Is this the episode where Mike and Derek decided to go out on the lash rather than meet their prospective billionaire buyer?

Dirk Kuyt, once the source of inspiration for my original N-O username, has quit football after scoring a hattrick and handing Feyenoord the Dutch title last Sunday. A rather limited football player who reached the highest levels of football through sheer grid and determination. Thanks for all the memories Dirk!

'88 was a good year

He had Keegan who could have made it work, then Shearer and now Rafa. Maybe it's not true after all what they say about old dogs? Having said that, let's wait and see how the summer unfolds, but the signs right now indicate Ashley may have finally had an epiphany and decided to entrust a knowledgeable person with affairs of which he hasn't the faintest himself. As much of a legend Keegan was here having Rafa is a totally different kettle of fish to him or Shearer. Not sure if I agree, but that wasn't even my point. I meant all three were massively respected by the fans and as long as he backed them appropriately he would be on to a winner until results turned sour. He did however manage to ruin the first two situations completely on his own accord, offering much more backing and support to such unloved luminaries as Kinnear and Pardew. Luckily he seems to have finally got the message, hopefully.

He had Keegan who could have made it work, then Shearer and now Rafa. Maybe it's not true after all what they say about old dogs? Having said that, let's wait and see how the summer unfolds, but the signs right now indicate Ashley may have finally had an epiphany and decided to entrust a knowledgeable person with affairs of which he hasn't the faintest himself.

Seems longer ago than a minute somehow

Feyenoord 2-0 down at minnows Excelsior in the game that should win us the championship

Excellent, get in!!!

Oh yes!

OMFG what a strike