ianovthetoon

That must be from the book "How to not get £100m for the sale of your football club". We'd inevitably face a relegation fight to League 1. Ashley or Llambias wouldn't dare come within 5 miles of SJP for fear of a backlash. The way those two fuckers operate there'd be more chance of them sitting in the Director's Box at the Stade de Plop in red and white scarves.

Does anyone see any mileage in an AFC Wimbledon/FC United scenario? I know it's a bit like treachery, but as things stand it's not our club anymore. Both of those clubs are making steady progress through the football pyramid with better support than other teams around them. I know our situation is nowhere near as similar as Wimbledon, but arguably could be slightly compared to FC United. We could take over Blue Star, rename them the Real Newcastle United. I know it's a bit knee jerk, but the way things are going, it would boil my piss to pay my money to enter Fat Ash's pocket with JFK leading us to League One.

This really IS too good to be true. Would have been better if they'd said they were dealing with the organ grinder, not the monkey

An old Roy Chubby Brown song sums Ashley up completely - "The Cunt"

Not a player but I saw Steve McLaren on the easyjet flight to Barcelona from Newcastle last weekend. Miserable cunt as well, a few young uns asked him for his autograph and he ignored them

True those kinds of owners are very very nice BUT an owner that knows football is also a very very nice option, I suppose getting rid of the thick idiot bastard cunt we have now is the most important thing. In a way I agree, but that's very similar to what we thought about Shepherd. If this group gets rid of Ashley then they'll be seen as heroes, but what happens when the financial reality means that they have to scrimp, save and sell to buy like he did? (Not saying that will happen, but it might if they aren't mega-rich) Although they were in the running when the club was up for sale last year, so I think that whilst they may not have lots of oil money like citeh and chelski, they would be able to provide a sizeable budget to get out of the championship and re-establish us back in the top flight According to their website, they have strong links with ESPN, so ultimately they would probably be looking to cash in on the overseas market for TV rights, possibly even an NUFC channel. You never know it may even mean initially more of this seasons games appearing on foreign channels. No doubt once we were back in the premier league we would be embarking on preseason tours of that area, as the Profitable Group attempt to raise our profile in the far east, using the passion the fans have for the club, and of course Alan Shearer to make us the team of choice in Singapore, selling more replica shirts, increasing potential revenues from sponsorship etc. Our relegation has given them the opportunity to buy a very attractive proposition for less than half of what it was worth 12 months ago, knowing they wouldn't have to lay anything near the £160m defecit between the price then and now to put the club's worth back to where it was. If Shearer is given the resources and the choice to keep some players who want to help the club we should do ok. The one thing we have on our side is potential. If any kind of success can be brought to this club, it would be like nothing experienced anywhere else. We also have hope. For the last 20 odd years of supporting the club,each season starts with mounds of sheer optimism that is slowly chipped away at over 9 months, only to do it all over again 3 months later. The way I see it now, whoever takes over can't be any worse than the current shower of shit. Anyone prepared to lay millions of pounds on the line for a Championship Club has to be ambitious and see the potential, especially as they could buy a Premier League Club for similar amounts.

Isn't that the company that Steve McMahon is involved in? He has been seen at SJP when they were supposedly involved in some business with the club. The board, with pictures, is at http://www.profitablegroup.com/group-executives.aspx Steve McMahon looks a lot younger these days but they do have a former (scottish) manager as "UK Operations Advisor" The European Operations Advisor used to be our commercial director too, maybe there is some substance to this story

http://www.profitablegroup.com/index.aspx They have ties with the Bin Dippers apparently, it's also quite apt that the character you use to navigate their Sports Investment page is a fat bloke in a Black and White striped top :laugh:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/newcastle/2962624/Mike-Ashleys-potential-buyers-for-Newcastle-United---Premier-League-Football.html Could it be the profitable group again???

Know it sounds paranoid, but it'd the only thing which makes logical sense in terms of what could possibly be behind the comedy of errors that Ashley's reign has seen. No billionaire businessman can be this incompetent: it simply beggars belief. The longer this goes on, the more likely this scenario looks. We're a huge joke in close season through this email fiasco, and we pretty much had the piss taken out of us with the Joe Kinnear situation. We've got three weeks until the start of the season, no manager, no policy towards ingoing and outgoing transfers, and we haven't sent out ST Renewals. All the words post relegation about how they wanted Shearer etc are being completely contradicted by the actions (or lack of). When Ashley bought the club he said "He was going to have some fun". Well at this minute in time he's either genuinely full of remorse or sitting pissing himself laughing with his cockney pals somewhere thinking up the next piece of humiliation he can thrust upon us. If he has no interest in us, it would be in his best interests to sell the club as soon as possible. If he does not plan to inject the cash required to gain promotion our value will plummet even further, as he has now seen. The fact he turned down (allegedly) £200m last year which would have given him pretty much his money back is even more sickening and adds some substance to the theory he wants to ruin us. It would seem he now just wants to get back what he can in some sort of damage limitation, and whilst I've dismissed it as codswallop, I'm starting to think he could take us in to administration, which would allow him to essentially sell anyone worth anything (promising youngsters included) and sell the club for a derisory amount, walking away with more money than we could hope to see in a lifetime. We'd then be left with a few weeks till the start of the season, no players, management and on -10 points. If this happens he'll likely be fooled by some undercover NOTW reporter, where he'll brag royally how he ruined a once great club. It sounds like the plot of a far fetched film, but you never know...........................

Yeah, I hear Ronaldo is sick of playing for Man U and is refusing to sign a new contract. He might be fancy dropping down a league if we offer Man U a set of strips and a free bar in Shearer's on the Championship's opening weekend to see the lad go against Barnsley

The plain and simple fact is though, like any other industry, a good manager surrounds himself with people who can do the things you can't. The buck stops with the manager, but it's generally the people who work under him who are just as important and effective. As long as Shearer does this we'll be ok. Look at people like Brian Kidd, won all the plaudits as SAF's assistant at Manure, but when given the chance to go it alone he failed spectactularly. Put the right people in the important jobs and Shearer will do ok I reckon

If they are going to spend £200m on that shower of shit would do well to send Big Niall his CV. We'll let him have Nolan and Raylor for £7m each

One thing we're nailed on to see next season is the Sports Direct Logo on the back of the shirts above the name and number. I really hope not but it's inevitable

It's not directly with regards to our takeover, but I wonder how much that Texan hillbilly has paid for the mackems to take total control? If the mooted potential transfer budget is to be believed, then he will have made a substantial investment, given the £80m Keane was given to spunk on shite. My point is, I know we're in the Championship, but surely given our Stadium, fanbase ,potential and profile, were we to be successful, surely we make a much more attractive proposition than them. This is why I do see these takeover rumours having some mileage, even with Shepherd involved. The positive thing is though, if he was essentially the figurehead/guardian of other people's investment, he would be far more accountable, and wouldn't be given as free a reign as he had last time. It'll be boiling his piss thinking the Mackems have this fantastic opportunity to usurp our achievements of the last 15 years or so

That would be like one in the same thing wouldn't it? Would fit in well with Mike's cost cutting. No need for a team bus, metro day tickets all round!!

That would be like one in the same thing wouldn't it?

As it's difficult to make money out of a football club, I can't see Richard Branson entering the sport any time soon. He'd want to come in and be the best and most innovative, and given the level of investment that would require he'd be on until the day he dies. Only time I could possibly see him entering the game is if Clubs are allowed to negotiate their own TV deals, given he has the ideal platform to enter from. And to be honest, if he did come in and buy us we'd become even more of a laughing stock than we already are. Not only would we have virgin emblazoned across the top, I'm pretty sure he'd rename the ground as well.

How does it work with the Football League selling overseas TV rights? It's not beyond the realms of possibility that some foreign TV networks could approach them to buy rights of games as we do have decent support in some countries. Are there still the same restraints as the Premier League? Or could we hawk our own TV coverage around with a view to adding some shekels to the coffers?

Ashley: Don't know what these miserable fuckers want, I've virtually guaranteed them top six football next season and two games in Europe.

If you look at Ashley's statement from last night, the final sentence about discussing how to take the club forward could relate to the takeover. It might be a bit of a conspiracy theory but I reckon this could have been the plan from the first day Shearer took over. There was a mention of it at the time, and it would make sense, given that Shearer has at times been highly critical of Ashley's regime in the past. Kinnear has kept his trap shut, probably with a confidentiality clause in any payoff he was given. It would also make good sense given that a billionaire has just assumed control of our closest rivals, and whilst we are at best 12 months behind them, as a club we would want to lose as little ground as possible on them. If they have a vision and plan to make the best out of a bad situation, great. The optimism created by a fresh look at the top, coupled with a reasonable transfer kitty and (hopefully) good solid performances from the outset, should ensure that crowds remain high, keeping gate receipts at a reasonable level. I don't know how much we make from replica shirts, but the sponsor change and potential celebration of being promoted at the first time of asking could mean a complete new kit for the start of the 2010 campaign, so that might help bring in a few extra quid. In terms of television deals, it would be interesting if we were able to sell rights to our championship games abroad, as I'm sure there would be no shortage of takers. This would help bring in some revenue as well. Although we will inevitably still be short of what we make in the premier league, I'd say in the right hands we are still an attractive investment for anyone. We'd lose money in a season in the championship, but with promotion at the first time of asking, and good levels of investment in years 1 and 2 the club would be back to it's "Premier League" value in no time at all. We may not be a big club in terms of trophies and Champions League Football, but in terms of potential revenues and global fanbase we're still massive. At the end of the day it's the potential to make money that dictates a football club's value as much as winning trophies etc. How many teams in years gone by have had so much media coverage in the wake of relegation? Man City were relegated a few years ago and look at them now. They may have had to go right down before they got back to where they are now, but with the right management and outlook we can hopefully avoid that, and bounce back stronger. If you'd asked their fans back then if they could foresee one of the best players in the world signing for them at a cost of £30m they'd have laughed at you. So here's hoping.........

If Shearer stays on, he'll already have an idea who he will be getting rid of, and who he'd like to stay. Given comments in the media, I'd think Beye will stay on, and I'd like to hope he could persuade Bassong that a season in the Championship would be far better than warming the bench at the Emirates. I'd be surprised if Enrique stays on, so we'd be looking for one, perhaps two left backs, although on a reduced wage, Duff could more than do a job in that position in this division. Taylor has already said he'll stay, so that would be the defence sorted, with the likes of Tozer and Kadar being decent backups. Midfield is the main concern. Guthrie should stay, Butt inevitably will but hopefully will be used sparingly. I think Gutierrez will be away, but should he stay I think he'd terrify a lot of Championship defences. So we need 3 young quality midfielders. Up front, Carroll will do a job in the Championship with the right nurturing, and if we perhaps added Lita on a Bosman, he'd do a job, as he has for other sides in this division. We have Nile Ranger who should get his chance, and again, add a young promising striker who could come off the bench and do a job, and step up to the plate if required through injury. In goal, I'd rather we gave Krul his chance with Forster on the bench. Everyone not mentioned I'd sell for what we can get, and use youth to cover positions. We should ensure we have two players of similar quality for every position, and I think with the right mindset instilled by the management team we'll do alright. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but we've been here before in years gone by and bounced back. We'll be a big draw for clubs like Doncaster, Scunthorpe etc, and we'll go to places we've never been before. If we can hit the ground running, attendances won't drop by much, and we can show the Premier League what they're missing It's a ride we didn't really want to take, but we have to now, so we may as well try to enjoy it!

Given Shearer's comments about mistakes etc etc, I'd say there's more chance of Bungle, Zippy and George being in charge next season. AS regardless will be leaving the clowns in charge under no doubt whatsoever that they are culpable in this season's fiasco. I wouldn't even put Kinnear in charge of the bait van. If Shearer stays, we'll be there or thereabouts with 35k plus

Could see it being Owen. Media would love it... repays his transfer fee in his last game for the Toon etc etc etc....... To be fair, if we had that scenario, couldn't really argue with it, given the shit we're in