LoveItIfWeBeatU

The club has only been officially for sale for five days. We know from bitter recent experience that we haven't got a clue what is happening behind the scenes. Too early to write everything off.

He'd struggle to sell the club if we're relegated. It will also be worth less than he paid for (including all the debt clearing). It's in his interest to keep us up.

What happened to those supporter/club meetings Chris Mort organised? Did they stop when Mort left?

It would be good to get a proper Newcastle supporters group going. If for no other reason than to stop Frank Gilmour (chairman of the Independent Newcastle United Supporters’ Association), Steve Wraith, etc speaking on behalf of everyone.

Has he brought in any good players? Was it Wise who brought them in or was it Tony Jimenez? No one outside the NUFC board really knows what Wise does. He is said to bring youth in. Did he get Ranger? If Wise did have more of a say than Keegan in the buying and selling of players why? Why is Dennis Wise considered to have football knowledge superior to Kevin Keegan?

As I read the first half of Ashley's statement I thought to myself "I'm quite happy with that approach" buying cheaper, young players. It then turned into "I'm selling because I can't bank role the fans demands". If he'd said his vision from the start it would have managed expectations. Why was Keegan 'told off' for saying we are miles behind the likes of Chelsea? It's obvious we are and always will be with a transfer budget of £20m. 6th is the new top of the table for every club apart from Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and now Man City. I am happy with the players brought in. All the people saying Keegan left because he couldn't get mega money buys, Warnock doesn't come into that category and Keegan was supposed to want him. As for Modric, we bid £16m of our transfer budget on one player? It's also funny how all these other clubs fans are slagging us off believing every word of Ashley's statement. I thought people were angry with the NUFC board for forcing Keegan out by not letting him have a say in which players came and went. What's that got to do with fan demands for megabucks signings?

I'm expecting a lot of the squad to hand in transfer requests. Given must have the patience of a saint. How many more screw ups and then promised recoveries are we going to have?

Now Ashley's shafted us by saying he's gone if he can find a buyer we won't get a new manager as there is no job security. Is there any chance we could get a proper caretaker manager/coach on a short term basis?

This statement throws up a lot of questions. What has Dennis Wise ever done to be considered more of a football expert than Keegan? That £20m out of Ashley's own pocket. What about the TV money, season ticket sales, merchandise sales, etc? Surely he'd be making a profit every year. Thanks a lot Mike. You've basically said you aren't going to 'subsidise' the club any more so were fucked until you find a buyer as no one will want to be the manager.

I feel like he should have said a lot of it a long time ago. It's a bit late now, especially when you get near the end of the statement to find out he's planning on selling up. Apart from the official magazine interview we've heard next to sod all from Ashley until now. I'm sure if he'd spelled out the situation and his plans a lot earlier he'd have had an easier time managing expectations. Having said that, half the things mentioned he'd have known about if he'd done due diligence before buying the club. We all knew Shepherd had spent money we didn't have. Thanks for saving the club from doing a Leeds Mike. It's a crying shame it's ending this way for all of us.

Totally predictable and depressing result. Same old Newcastle. I honestly wonder who would win in an FA Cup final if it was Newcastle United versus a Non League side.

If Ashley is thinking of selling the club why not do what Keegan wants to get him back? It's not like Wise will have any long term career prospects at NUFC if Ashley sells it. NUFC becomes a much more attractive club to buy with Keegan in charge. For one thing all the 'customers' wouldn't be protesting!

Probably be similar to that, but I would be betting on Geremi and Shola instead of Gonzalez and Xisco.... I'd heard Geremi wasn't playing when I came up with that team. New team that I'd play: - Given Geremi Coloccini Taylor Bassong Gonzalez Guthrie Butt N'Zogbia Xisco Owen Team that will probably play: - Given Taylor/Edgar Coloccini Taylor/Cacapa Bassong Geremi Guthrie Butt N'Zogbia Ameobi Owen

The team might well look like that, but Guthrie will probably play wide right with Gonzalez in the middle. To be honest I don't know anything about Gonzalez apart from he plays in midfield. That's why I put him wide right.

Due to the decimated squad I'd go with: - Given Taylor/Edgar Coloccini Taylor/Cacapa Bassong Gonzalez Guthrie Butt N'Zogbia Xisco Owen

My point was going to be would you not have any of them because they smoke My point is that not only has he totally let himself go but he is smoking as well. Smoking isn't a professional thing for an athlete to do. It's not like eating a cream cake which can be run off. I don't know if Rooney smokes or not but I'd bet Ferguson would kick his arse if he caught him.

I was entertaining the idea that we should try to sign him until I saw those photos of him very overweight and smoking cigarettes. As is said above, I doubt he'd come here anyway. Maybe you could update your photo to the fat smoking one? Berbatov smokes doesnt he? I'm sure i read he does somewhere. I remember seeing photos of Ginola smoking also.

I was entertaining the idea that we should try to sign him until I saw those photos of him very overweight and smoking cigarettes. As is said above, I doubt he'd come here anyway. Maybe you could update your photo to the fat smoking one?

I read the other day (it may have been an Alan Oliver lie) that Keegan wanted to sell Alan Smith but NUFC (Wise and friends) bumped the money we wanted for him up to £2.8m and Everton pulled out of the deal.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1665120.ece

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/7607035.stm

I can just imagine the large crowds for his unveiling: - "Ashley out!" "Fuck off Dennis Wise!" "Fuck off cockneys!"

I think the present board will let them all leave as all these players, bar David Edgar, are on big wages and all are older than 26. It's very difficult to say who I'd like to keep because we don't know how they would be replaced. If as the rumour goes, Xisco is Owen's replacement then we're in the shit. However good Xisco may turn out to be he's not going to be Owen quality over the next season or two.

Yeah he's a real fans favourite (at Chelsea). Why would appointing Zola placate the fans? Oh look, one of Dennis Wise's mates is coming in to coach NUFC. That's just what we want. It will never happen but if we're stuck with Mike Ashley's ownership why not go for someone proven and decent? Frank Rijkaard isn't working at the moment. It may be pie in the sky but we could at least ask if he's interested. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Rijkaard

We'd have sold the same amount or near enough the same if KK hadn't been appointed. Second paragraph is true though Do you really think so? There were a few thousand missing for the Bolton game. The people who haven't bought new season tickets have been sickened off by the Souness, Roeder and Allardyce years. I think without keegan there would have been even less people. We may find out next season.