Happy Face

The Matchday revenue is £24m. The additional TV money could be anywhere between £20m and £40m. He could keep going as he is and give away every ticket in the stadium. He'd have more difficulty keeping up with the other clubs who had increased their spending power. But if you aren't buying any players in 18 months anyway, you're no worse off are you

is that happening? "Match-going fans - deserving of blame?"

seriously? I have my ideas, but they're very similar to the ones that are rejected when Pardew offers them up. So yes, I'm curious what other folk see.

And I don't make fun of this forum. I make fun of the odd post. Must have posted on here for a decade on and off. By and large I'm respectful of everyone and disregard a lot of the petty stuff to give heartfelt responses that engage in the topic rather than snidey shit.

Not you. The title of the thread is "fans to blame" though. There's people in there saying it's "retarded" "romanticism" that is "backwards". That deserves rejecting.

# Perhaps some of the 35 have just said they have when they don't even have a Season Ticket, to try and boost the perception of it being a popular choice. I personally know a couple of dozen lads that go, not forum avatars, but people to drink with, and not one of them has cancelled. Fingers crossed the numbers keep rising and it has the desired effect though Even if that was the case, 100 still doesnt make sense. Everyone I speak to knows someone who had jacked it in. Two lads I go with have chucked it last week (possibly three) and myself. The 100 probably related to cancellations received in time for the cancellation date. I don't doubt they've had more in the couple of days after, and then even more in the last 24 hours as people felt comfortable making the decision in bigger numbers.

I see Bret's voted. Don't forget HF the Soopa Fan. I haven't been to an away game in 2 years. I have to say "yes I am a mug for renewing!" or I'm a superfan for defending the decision against criticism? Fuck off.

Not sure the the 97 (almost two thirds) of posters that don't currently have a season ticket will have an effect? Taking the numbers at face value you have 57% of 68 posters not renewing. 43% will renew. Relatively even split for such an angry forum where "apologists" are much maligned.

# Perhaps some of the 35 have just said they have when they don't even have a Season Ticket, to try and boost the perception of it being a popular choice. I personally know a couple of dozen lads that go, not forum avatars, but people to drink with, and not one of them has cancelled. Fingers crossed the numbers keep rising and it has the desired effect though

I comprehend that. Fine with it. Don't want to be told I'm a mug by the people that were happy to go 5 days ago.

But that they will go on a match by match basis right? The div

Why did Swansea see such a drop in form? I was called a divvy for not understanding the external factors in his lack of longevity elsewhere. Got £20m to spend this season, recouped nowt. That's about the the best he could hope for at Newcastle as well.

Don't think there's a blanket rational which applies to all fans who have now decided to cancel their season tickets tbf. Some, I'm sure are leaving out of principle not wanting to put money into a club where as they see it, it is sucked out straight out by an owner who wants to line his pockets without allowing the club to compete. It's fair to see how for many of these fans, who feel they have been patient with the regime, the sale and non-replacement of Cabaye could have been the final straw. I am sure on the other hand there are also others who have decided to get out now while the going isn't looking so good and the future not so bright. Some will dress it up as principle/self esteem thing, others such as one other opinion I've read, said he had better things to do with his time and some other mug was welcome to take his place if he wanted. In a way it's hard to see why this group of people really got involved with supporting Newcastle in the first place- it's never been about winning things and more often than not has always ended in heartbreak and disappointment. For some I'd imagine it's probably a mixture of the above, it's a complex issue that isn't really black or white if you'll pardon the pun. As far as I'm concerned I'm not gonna get judgemental about others, don't see it as being my place really and I'm sure I'd have a breaking point where I'd jack it in, just I haven't reached it yet. I am keeping my ticket as I enjoy going to support the team and away games in particular are really good crack. And in the same way I am not judgemental of others if some little jumped up cunt from the internet wants to tell me that continuing to go makes me a bad fan or responsible for the owner's actions they can fucking do one to be honest. Spot on.

The bold bit really rang true with me as well. Took my nephew to the Hull game for his first visit to SJP and he started getting teary at the final whistle. Had to tell him to buck his ideas up and get used to it. I blame Nick Hornby.

We were 8th at new year and there was no suggestion of a boycott. Don't think there was after we finished 16th and signed no-one either. But we've dropped to 17th in the form table and got trounced in a derby since then, and without any signings that doesn't look like improving. Might want to have a look at the thread about renewing or not, noting when it was started. Have a look at the Ashley thread. Have a look at the Kinnear thread, or the one about transfers in the summer. People have been losing the will for some time now. Ask Gemmill what he thinks. Take a look at your own blog. Wouldn't the "renew or not?" thread have been started because renewals were due and there's been a lot that's happened since last January, rather than as a concerted effort at kick-starting a boycott across social media? I don't doubt there's been some individuals that have been advocating a boycott day in and out for years, but It's only in the last couple of days it's caught fire with Wraith and his poxy twitter sycophants jumping on board. Not sure what my blog or Gemmill cancelling his ticket ages ago has to do with that either. What grates me, as I said, is that people seem to have found their principals between the Sunderland result and now. People who didn't see fit to cancel ahead of the well publicised deadline, when we all knew everything we needed to about the owner, but have now taken it upon themselves to partake in a campaign to get everyone to boycott and look down upon those that aren't. Couple of other posts on the subject from elsewhere which I found a lot to agree with....

We were 8th at new year and there was no suggestion of a boycott. Don't think there was after we finished 16th and signed no-one either. But we've dropped to 17th in the form table and got trounced in a derbysince then, and without any signings that doesn't look like improving.

A bit strong but I get what you're saying in general. On the other hand, people could argue that they've just finally been worn down. Chances are I don't renew whenever my letter gets here.

Being bothered by it would be a direct result of (and the primary intention behind) the goading taking place. The entire debate started from Someone saying it's ok to boycott now, if you don't like the way the chairman is running things. That supporting your team through thick and thin wouldn't be applicable in those circumstances. As if the Man U fans that go to old trafford in Green and Gold would get a pass if their attendances dropped to 40k now that Moyes is doing a bit shit. It's not a stand being made on principal if you decide to take that stand 7 years after the owner arrived, or 3 years after he appointed the manager and sold your other biggest assets. If you enjoyed the season where his approach took you to 5th place and then the Europa campaign that followed, but decided to make the stand when you're playing shit and get beaten in the derby then you are doing the opposite of supporting the team through thick and thin, and you're trying to justify it with high minded footballese. In reality you're throwing your toys out the pram and going in a huff. There's no principal to it whatsoever and anyone making out otherwise is a charlatan.

Just being into football is a childish pursuit we don't ever grow out of. Grown men spending our time posting on a football forum would be cringe inducing to the more pompous arsehole. "Plastics" "Glory hunters" "Fairweather" "Your support is fucking shit" "Where' d'you park your minibus" "Sell all your tickets, you couldn't sell..." Supporters have more ways of baiting each other than eskimos have words for snow. It's half the fun. Anyone who takes that stuff seriously is a wanker, but no fan should ever give it the Billy big bollocks that all that shite is beneath them, like they're a more enlightened supporter. Sorry like. but what has the fact that football fans goad each other in different ways mean that we should be bothered about what we think about our attendances. I don't see the link between that and those examples other than the blanket field of football fan. Sorry, I don't understand those sentences.

It wasn't really a major reason, it was just an example of the successor dilemma. We can worry about the successor dilemma when there is one. Until the time comes it's just speculation that it will be another backward appointment. Wha? But I mean, if you think the successor is likely to be worse then surely you would take that into account before sacking the bloke you've got? Or you could do what Sunderland did - sack a bad manager and appoint one from the lower leagues who has a growing reputation. Something that was scoffed at on here a year ago but now looks to have been exactly the right move - assuming Ashley won't spend what's required to hire a proven manager. Di Canio was appointed as a manager from the lower leagues with a growing reputation as well. In 13 games Di Canio won 12 points. Poyet managed 13 points in his first 13. This past month for Poyet could prove to be as "flukey" as Pardew's November.

No, first you jump out of the plane...then you check for a parachute. Did no harm when we ended up with Souness. Ok. You jump out of the plane knowing if you jump and you haven't got a parachute you'll die You're point about Souness is churlish. You denigrate from your sensible posts with nonsense like this. It could be that we bring in a better manager, one who is happy to work with Ashley, but who is also happy to slag him off consistently when we have fuck ups like the last transfer window. That's a must to keep the fans happy with him, but he'll also require enough of a twinkle in his eye that Ashley loves him to bits and is happy to take the criticism and such ability that he can play attractive, attacking football against all opponents with Shola Ameobi, Steven Taylor and Mike Williamson as starters. It could be that they start offering blowjobs and bacon butties with every ticket as well. History suggests neither of those are likely and we'll have a twat of a manager, unsucked cocks and empty bellies as long as we have this twat of an owner.

No, first you jump out of the plane...then you check for a parachute. Did no harm when we ended up with Souness.

What would make his skill for talent spotting transferable to running a club and cut-throat negotiation? Why don't we employ someone with actual experience who's done well elsewhere. Nicola Cortese for example. Too much ambition.

http://www.thejournal.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/don-hutchison-gives-view-tyne-wear-6670477 Evil bastard

Under the terms of the Wonga deal he was only allowed to sort out loans.