Chris_R

Whilst I agree, he'll find it pretty fucking tricky to do from the bench.

I'll tell you now, he's not capable of delivering within my expectations. Ashley's, perhaps, but not mine. And Wullie is spot on about Pardew. He's not a good man manager at all. Keegan was, he'd have players running through walls for him but if they crossed him they'd be out. He got the best from everyone, made them feel 10 feet tall going onto the pitch. We believed we could beat anyone, and because of that we often did. Padew's a coward, he often has us beaten before the game even kicks off. Sure the players like him, but that's because there's no pressure on them and no expectations. I'd much rather we had a good manager the players feared than a weak and cowardly one that they liked.

Ah, sorry. I didn't realise that the only options were "Pay and be happy" or "Shut up and withold money". Here's me thinking that voicing discontent was an option. How foolish of me. For what it's worth, I've already said quite clearly (somewhere on here!) that I'll not be giving them another penny until there's a visible shred of ambition from them. I'll be going to no matches, buying no merchandise, no Sky subscription, and certainly will not be frequenting his tatty charva clothing shops (they're not even worthy of being called sports shops, as they barely stock sports equipment). But that cannot be the limit of what I'm allowed to do. I can, and will, complain loudly about the running of a club that quite simply is part of me. Part of my upbringing. I've been going to matches for over 20 years now, rain or shine, good or bad. But at least during the bad times of Allardyce, Souness, Ardilles, Gullitt etc there was a feeling that it was an appointment gone wrong from the board, that we just had to see out the bad times and wait to see who would be next in and then it might get better. Just bad luck, if you like, and that we (Board included) were all in it together. Under those circumstances, I never even contemplated not going. Now though it's a deeper issue. Now, we're nothing but a cash cow and money laundering resource for a tatty clothes shop. Our poor performances are not bad luck from a poor appointment that will soon be rectified. No, they're a sign that the owner has set the bar at mediocrity. It's not that we aren't competing, it's that we don't even want to compete. He's realised he can never fully own the soul of Newcastle United, so he's turning it into nothing but an advertising vehicle for his other business and a money generation tool, whilst treating everyone who cares for the club with utter contempt. And after 20+ years of watching us, Newcastle is too deeply in my blood to just quietly slink off and say "oh well, that's fine, I'll just not go anymore". Maybe some can, but that's not an option for me. I can do the not going bit (Living some distance away for the last 4 years helps, but I normally I've always tried to get to as many games as I can when I'm back 'home'), but I can't do the not caring bit. Those emotions cannot be switched off, I can't get to Saturday, know Newcastle are playing and not give a shit. So instead I'll complain. Loudly and repeatedly. If anyone finds my complaining more offensive, annoying or having a more of an adverse effect on their life than what is happening under Ashley's tenure to Newcastle United, then I'd question your priorities somewhat and your reason for being on a Newcastle related discussion forum.

I think you're missing the point. Sure, we're not spending next seasons inflated money. I get that. Why though can't we spend this seasons? What we spend in January was surely last seasons because we spent almost nowt the summer before, so where's that gone? In fact, over the last 5 years we have a net spend of 0. Behind every other club in the league. Here, have a look: http://www.transferleague.co.uk/league-tables/transfer-league-table-last-five-seasons.html We're not spending any of our TV money ever, so what gives you the remotest confidence that Ashley is going to do anything other than trouser next years as well?

I see no harm in adding them on, they are costs when all said and done. But you've got to fucking take them back off again when you sell half a dozen too. And you have to actually acknowledge that we're raking in countless millions through TV money, prize money and gate receipts so balancing costs of players in Vs players out isn't necessary to turn a profit. It's the "Have my cake and eat it" mentality. They think we're idiots. Though given that nearly 50,000 rock up every fortnight in replica shirts and barely say a peep in protest, they've probably got a point.

Indeed. Next he'll probably suggest we do something really batshit crazy like pay market rate for a player or look outside of France where we might have to offer them a competitive wage. Best off getting rid of him now. Seriously though, can you imagine the kind of shit we'd be in if Ashley's mental, overly limited transfer policy of only buying damaged goods from France with minimum fee release clauses or 6 months left to run and under 27 wasn't backed up by one of the best scouts in the land? I think Carr's about the only person I'd trust to even get close to making such a suicidal strategy work. If / when he ever leaves, we're utterly fucked because we all know that plan B will be to get some mentalist like Kinnear (Or more likely, Kinnear himself) to try to do exactly the same thing.

Its as if: Must equal Otherwise we're risking financial ruin. By omission, we're told to forget forget: Wages saved on players sold, merchandising, sponsorship, prize money, gate receipts, TV money and f*** knows what else. It's not "smoke and mirrors" as r0cafella so generously put it, its horseshit. Good old-fashioned horseshit. And it's being forced down our mouths at every turn, yet some still seem keen to say that it doesn't really taste that bad, and since Uncle Mike is cooking dinner he can cook whatever he wants because he's paying for it, and on that basis they'd like another serving. There really is no helping some people.

Really? Why didn't I think of that?

Look, I realise I'm stretching my GCSE maths to its limit here, but I've added up 5.5 + 6.7 + 2.0 + 2.2 + 1.2 and I'm not getting 33. I even used a calculator, and got the wife to check it too. Sure, we've got to pay wages to these people but I've noticed that the policy of adding shit like that into the cost of signing people is only ever done one way, and nobody ever takes back the wages we saved on Guthrie, Smith, Lovenkrands, Ba, Simpson, Forster, Harper and Perch. Never mind their wages, if you're playing the "Net cost" game at least deduct the £13m that we raised in player sales in that vacuum where we signed nobody at all either side of that "spending spree". That £33m is nothing but an absolute fucking lie. [Agree with the rest of the article, though]

So is Mike Williamson So's my Grandad, and he's dead.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23766730 Until Cole actually signs for West Ham, I'll not rest easy.

http://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/football_pics/9775COLE.jpg

I've just been to the bathroom and released my own statement on the transfer window.

Yeah, learn the language, get out and about and make some friends. Get a part time job somewhere, not for the money but to socialise. Or join some clubs. She must be a complete berk or a neurotic agoraphobe if she just sat in the hotel room for a year.

The thing is, at the ground etc there is NO Pardew hatred to go into overdrive. It's only on here, and it's very little use on here.

They're gone unless they get rid of Di Canio. Which tbh any sensible club would do once it became obvious how much shit they were in. If they keep him, they're doomed though.

I don't think we'll hear a peep from him until the next scheduled press conference before the Villa game on 14th September. He'll keep quiet until then in an attempt to let people's anger subside. And sadly to an extent it'll probably work.

Look, we'll probably have enough to be alright. But that's the saddening thing. "Alright" is our ambition now. We have no wish or desire to push on any further, because that risks not maximising our profit margins. It stinks.

alternatively, the quicker he gets his loan back, the lower the sale price, the quicker he goes. come on do your bit, put your hand in your pocket to help him on his way. If he announced in the press tomorrow that he'd go when he got his money back, I'd remortgage my house to help out. Sadly I can't see it. He's here to stay, to rake in as much as he can from us for as long as he can. It's painfully obvious.

Disgusting effort from all concerned, but utterly predictable. Not getting one penny from me until they start showing even a tiny bit of ambition. I don't have Sky, so they'll get nothing from me there. I'll not be at the games anymore, I'll just stream them all off the internet for free. And I'll certainly not be in any of his tatty charva clothes shops. I can wait, I'm younger and significantly healthier than that fat fuck. I'll be back.

I do too, actually. I mean he's a shit manager, but he's not being backed by the board either. But I'll stop feeling sorry for him the very instant he opens his mouth and defends this summer's transfer dealings. Which he will do, because he's a fucking spineless prat.

Shut up, there's 2 fucking minutes left yet. Ashley's probably calling as many people as he can right now.

Fair enough. Must be pretty depressing for him. "Mike, I'd really like to go and look at a young chap called Sebastian Polter. He's young, creative, scores goals, could be an excellent addition." "Ok Graham. Who's he play for?" "FSV Mainz" "Not heard of them. Where abouts in France is that?" "Mike, it's not in France. It's in Germany." "Germany? f***ing GERMANY? HOW MANY TIMES, GRAHAM. France! They're 10%cheaper. Now pack a Beret and f*** off to Paris again. We've bought you a Eurostar ticket. Economy class."

Care to elaborate?

Didn't Kinnear say "Judge me on the transfer window"? Can we start yet, or do we have to wait for the next 42 pointless minutes and 23 seconds?