merlin

Signing Colback proves that the old saying(well almost) still rings true...'If you can't beat 'em, sign 'em..' At least, in Pardew and Ashley's far-off planet....

We had possibly the best 5 seasons in the club's league history under KK and certainly the best football ; it was a tragedy that he wasn't able to finish it off with the PL title which, in my opinion, would have totally altered the destiny of the club. Instead of going from strength to strength, we have declined to such a degree that our own fans believe our rightful place is making up the numbers in the PL and fighting relegation. Sadly, we will never see those heady days at SJP again because Ashley is ruining the club and its relationship with the fans to such a degree that we are not now an attractive target for ambitious investors and therefore will continue to decline. I always had faith that the club was big enough to bounce back from most set-backs but I have lost that now... we shall never compete for the PL title again in my view. All we have is our memories of those years under KK and many fans are not even old enough to remember those clearly. Us oldies can draw on memories of Supermac's goals and watching the likes of Tony Green but players like that are nothing but a dream for this club now.

Aye well, when Keegan gets his statue and it's made out of bluetack and shovels, don't come running to me. KK wouldn't get a scarecrow erected in his memory at SJP as long as Ashley runs the club.....he took on Ashley in court and won - fat man doesn't forget things like that.

Nothing else important in their lives as a hobby and brow-beaten by decline of NE as an industrial area with many young people leaving for jobs elsewhere. It has become an attitude of mind to accept second best.

WRONG - TOTALLY.

Under Ashley, Moyes would be a fantastic coup and very unlikely to happen for a number of reasons. We are likely to get Bruce or an unknown.

This is a non-thread because NUFC have NO - repeat NO - chance of signing Martinez under this regime ; even if we had a rich ambitious owner who was prepared to push the boat out, I could not see Martinez leaving Everton for a couple of years at least. Naturally, he would be most people's choice because he plays attractive football and has been relatively successful with a small club but that has also been noticed by Arsenal for one - and we wouldn't stand a cat in hell's chance against them in competition for a manager, esp under Ashley. Moyes is a possible...but I would put it no higher than that and a very small possibility too. Of current runners, only Bruce would be likely to take the job.

I would be DELIGHTED if we got Moyes because he is a significant improvement on Pardew - then again, William Hague would be a significant improvement on Pardew...! However, as I said in the Sack Race thread, Moyes fails Ashley's requirements as a manager because he; a) hasn't been fired enough times and b) He will be financially independent after his pay-off so not an Ashley puppet. The fact that he hasn't won a trophy will go in his favour, though..!

I would say that Moyes would be ideally suited as Pardew's replacement but for one thing ; he hasn't been sacked enough times to be a candidate for Ashley and he will be financially independent. Ashley needs a puppet.... Otherwise, he suits - no major trophies so no distractions of Cup runs or fighting for CL places......

Worthless.

Very sad indeed and all his life in front of him - tragic for his family.

Not a chance. No way he'd say no to that type of money for us. Was it not 260m he wanted for us? That was my understanding too. There is no way a savvy investor/entrepreneur would buy Villa over NUFC given a choice, the number of ST holders - and potential new fans - would see to that ...second city doesn't even come into it, or the owners of Liverpool would have tried for Villa too. Unless someone comes up with north of 250m, Ashley won't sell.

Reputedly, Villa are likely to be subject to a take-over bid by Americans if they escape relegation this season - a figure of 200m has been mentioned. It would be interesting to find out if Ashley was approached before Villa became the target....

Krul HAS regressed this season - one really good game(Spurs away), but quite a few where he has looked moderate at best...positioning has become suspect. He, like quite a few of the side, would look better - and benefit - from a move to a better-run club.

Probably true to a point. The club don't value cup runs or a second tier European tournament because they don't generate enough revenue. They've made that clear. I'd bet you Ashley would bite you hand off for a bit of the champion's league money, though. I think he wants us to improve, but in very specific ways, on very specific terms. This summer is the big test. He's taking a more active role in the club so here we'll see what his intentions are. If it's just more of the same then I'll hold my hands up and admit defeat. No ambition, no desire to be anything more than mid-table. If we invest then I'm sticking to my guns. Early indicators, with the upgrades to the academy, are that he's going to double down on youth and try to get the best out of kids as offering value for money. I like that prospect. It was great seeing the likes of Bassong and Krul come good. As a fan I find that exciting. Agreed. A more sensible management structure is in place for making decisions, Pardew must know who needs to go and where the team needs strengthening, and there should be some money to spend. There are opportunities to kick on. Which is why I find the current level of hostility a bit frustrating. It's come at the wrong time. Under Ashley we've seen very active transfer windows, and we've seen very quiet ones. This one will be a good indication of his thinking. as if people still think like this. Luca basically admitted he only come in here as a WUM but the fact you actually still think this sort of stuff is insane to me. And indicative of why Ashley takes the p*ss out of us at every turn Agreed - Ashley must laugh all the way to the bank...he - rightly - believes we have the most gullible fans in football. Pathetic.

The club is becoming staffed by losers who are managed by a loser who is dictated to by a mendacious and greedy leech who happens to be a success at piling tat high and selling it cheap... Anyone on the staff is bound to have Pardew's 'thick Geordies' view of the fans because they wouldn't get a sniff of the PL unless they were at this Christmas Club..

Nah, not unbelievable, he's only alright 'Only alright' sounds as if he would just be Ashley's cup of tea....

Safe to say that those backing Pardew are never going to be MENSA candidates...if ever the word 'sheeple' came in useful, it is to describe them perfectly. I'm sad to say that the quality of NUFC support has declined massively in recent years - many have only been able to go because Fat Man has kept ST prices below what they should be if we were a successful club and many older fans have now given up altogether.

Because he's way out of his depth. He's always been scared of this job. He is trying to downsize the club to his level of ability and expectation - unfortunately for us, many fans have accepted this brainwashing and the media are quite happy to see us where they think we belong...mid-table at best. They have never got over the shock that we gave them from 1993-97...

He will if we make it happen. I'd take Pedro in a second, by the way. Not that I think he's manager material, but he's preferable to this prick. He wouldn't last 5 minutes ; the players would soon lose respect for Beardsley....just as I have.

Robson got him most of those. He is the sole reason for our success under him. Dalgleish's was lucky with inheriting a great team before royally f***ing it up. Bobby was backed very well with transfer funds with the exception of one summer. We showed a lot of ambition back then. Not to mention the fact that under Ashley's crock of s***, Robson would have never come to begin with. But in any case Mick is right, Shepherd and Ashley are both s*** for different reasons.... neither are really the answer. This is the best summary about this subject - Shepherd was incompetent and his son had far too much involvement in the club as someone who worked for a Players' Agent ; Ashley is just plain malicious, uncaring about the club, and greedy.

So that's the reason we've thus far been unable to get a replacement for Shola Ameobi? Moncur's a club legend but an absolute f***ing toolbag. I saw Moncur score the goals that were instrumental in winning our last major trophy....his sucking up to the club - no matter WHO is running it, no doubt to keep him getting free admittance and hospitality - has ruined all the respect I had for him. He's in the same boat as Beardsley and couldn't really care less about the club being successful or what the fans are having to put up with - only Shearer and Rob Lee are prepared to tell it like it is, along with KK.

Gosling is a nothing player managed by a nothing manager at a club run by nothings and becoming nothing itself. Are you saying his goose is cooked like? He needs to go on to cold Turkey, or failing that, be tarred and feathered...!

Gosling is a nothing player managed by a nothing manager at a club run by nothings and becoming nothing itself.

IS there a board of directors...? Or is it a dictatorship..?