Wandy

22 minutes ago, Scoot said:

It's the disclosure of evidence stage that could see the PL looking to settle the case. That stage comes much quicker than the actual hearing itself. 

I don't understand why that is a reason for hope. All that will happen there is the club claim "we have evidence of the PL doing X, Y & Z. The PL then respond with "we refute all of the club's allegations, see you in court". Meanwhile, the national media will barely give the story a paragraph of exposure.

3 minutes ago, Dr Jinx said:

The Athletic article is missing a trick though. Ashley will go ahead with the CAT case regardless of whether the Saudi’s have walked or not, this is his insurance policy to get paid.

 

So even if the case won’t be heard for a while, if the judge rules that the court does indeed have the jurisdiction to do this, the PL will suddenly be exposed. The disclosure of evidence will happen much sooner and that will be things the club can use in early 2022 in the arbitration while also being something that PL can’t allow to happen as it’s clear they have something to hide.

 

To say it’s over is jumping the gun in my opinion. It’s about risk assessment, would allowing the Saudis into the club pose less risk than all of this potential info coming out?

The arbitration is merely about separation. What could be used from the CAT that is relevant to that question?

The arbitration does not deal with anything to do with the PL acting anti-competitively.

2 minutes ago, Mattoon said:

I think we're stuck in purgatory for the foreseeable, Ashley doesn't back down, he known for "parking the tanks" until he gets his way. It either plays out or it'll take something like the CAT judge refusing to throw the case out for the PL to fold. Like a staring contest between two snakes, no one wins here, least of all us.

Even if it goes ahead, the PL will not fold until right at the death. Which could be years away. The Saudis will not wait that long, we just are not that important. They will move on to the Italian league.

1 minute ago, Doctor Zaius said:

Anyone got that Athletic article? Need something to hammer it home how dead this is.

 I can paste if allowed.

1 minute ago, Bishops Finger said:

I'm not putting another penny into football when/if this takeover falls through. Ashley hasn't had a penny out of me since Rafa left and I haven't had sky or bt for ages. I'm already 99 percent out. Just need that final push. Won't even watch the world Cup. I need to wash my hands with the whole lot

Likewise. I'm hanging around here for a few weeks more in the faintest of hopes that a deal is done before the summer window closes. Not going to happen of course, but may as well hang on for a few weeks more.

If the CAT gets the green light I will check the thread updates in page 1 from time to time for any developments. But really, there is nothing to discuss on this topic anymore. The only thing either of the two threads on here will be good for will be Twitter ITK bullshit.

3 minutes ago, Kanji said:

But the league have no interest in allowing Newcastle United become a powerhouse with the arguably the deepest pockets in football. 

Yes. And for that reason I don't know how any longstanding NUFC fan can continue to follow the game after this.

Below is from The Athletic....

"Could the CAT break the logjam?

In theory, yes.

In practice, nobody knows because sports disputes very rarely end up in CATs. This partly explains why the judge has given the league two extensions to gather evidence for its request to have the case thrown out because the tribunal does not have the jurisdiction for disputes such as this.

We await the judge’s ruling on this matter but if anyone thinks this tribunal is a shortcut to a takeover, they could be in for a further disappointment. As of today, there is only one hearing scheduled in July before a summer break. The next set of dates for case management conferences are in October and the three cases in question started in 2018.

There are 105 active cases on the tribunal’s diary list — only one is newer than Newcastle’s.

What does this mean for Newcastle on the field in 2021-22?

In all likelihood that Ashley will remain owner for the vast majority of the season. At least."

104th in a list of 105 cases.  This will take years to resolve and the Saudis simply won't wait that long. It's over.

The article in The Athletic is grim. This is simply never going to happen. Consider me fully back in the pessimistic camp.

If a supposedly "simple" process like arbitration can be continuously kicked down the road so often and for so long, then it's not unreasonable to assume that the CAT could literally be years away.

6 minutes ago, Stifler said:

This guy has been saying they weren’t interested at the very start, then said they walked away when they obviously hadn’t.

I now think that in reality they have walked away, and meant it last year when they said it back then. They were prepared to come back if they did not have to submit the evidence that is obviously crucial for this to have any chance of happening. But the reality of it is that they were always going to need to  submit that evidence, even for arbitration. 

The PL have played a blinder here and I think Ashley's legal action now looks like a cost-free punt that he has essentially paid for with Staveley's deposit.

6 minutes ago, Ashley17 said:

Wasn’t that the guy who took a strop at Saudis buying us and not MUFC?

Makes no odds. He has got this one right.

5 minutes ago, HaydnNUFC said:

 

Another strongly worded letter. 

Go and fuck yourselves NUST. You are an embarrassing joke of an organisation.

8 minutes ago, UpTheToon said:

 

Yep, there you go. It's over.

9 minutes ago, gdm said:

 

Someone make him stop. Now all of a sudden he was worried about arbitration. 

The guy is a complete helmet. Its clear that the PL don't give a fuck about the CAT case either and know that it won't hurt them, beyond a pittance in compensation to Ashley.

Just now, Stifler said:

Aye, take no notice of an Edwards article.

Guy is a cunt, and desperate for Ashley to sell to some chancers.

Unfortunately, my gut instinct says he has got it right. I think Ashley will quietly let this fizzle out and start sounding out alternatives.

Honestly, its time for people to decide if they want to continue their interest in football in a post-failed Saudi takeover world. I know what my answer is to that particular question.

Did Benitez get wind of this happening, hence the move to Everton? Certainly looking like it now.

I am amazed at how unbothered I feel by this, even though it does feel like it's over.

What I would say though is, if the CAT does go ahead and NUFC are relegated this season then Ashley could legitimately claim the damages for it this time IMO. This is beyond parody now.

Holy Shit. 

I can't see the Saudis coming back now. This has gone way, way beyond a piss take.

The thing about Rafa is he gets half decent players performing briliantly as a collective. Therefore signing the likes of Townsend (still a very good player btw) might not blow people's socks off but you just know that collectively they will have Everton easily pushing for a top 6 place.

9 hours ago, Stifler said:

No.

If the takeover fails we know arbitration fails.

If it goes through, then either we have reached a settlement or won arbitration.

 

Christ, I had no idea it was going to be that concealed. Surely the club can at least release a statement stating that it has concluded?

I know that we failed to get transparacy of all the intricate details as to how the arbitration verdict was reached but....the actual verdict has to be made public as soon as it has been reached, doesnt it?

10 hours ago, Stifler said:

You want to know why NUST are not quick to protest, because our fans largely aren’t interested in protesting. It’s ok saying the demand is there by looking at Twitter, but in reality it isn’t.

I was there holding a banner up when the Magpie Group were protesting, instead we got people shouting for Ashley to go as they walked through the turnstile. We had the kid who does Toon Polls grassing us up which resulted in the Keegan flag being confiscated by stewards.

We asked fans how they wanted to protest, people kept saying they wanted a boycott, and late walk in’s, we did both, people went in fucking early and still went to the games.

We organised a protest to SD’s HQ which the fans said they wanted, we had to cancel because we didn’t get enough people to even cover the price for 1 bus.

Just because the majority of NUFC's support are not interested in protests, this does not give the NUST a free pass to say that they shouldn't do it either.

In the late 80s the Supporters For Change group had a similar uphill battle, trying to get fans to boycott matches in order to force out Gordon McKeag and his cronies, and allow John Hall to get control of the club. The fact that only a few thousand, at best, took part in the boycotts, this did not deter the SFC in carrying on with their campaign. And eventually, they played their part in getting the change that was needed.

Our support has always been like this. The vast majority just want to turn up and watch the game, and cannot be bothered with the politics. It's unfortunate, but that's the way it is and always will be. Which makes it even more important for a supporters group to be vocal...and militant...when real change is within grasp. NUST don't want to do the real graft like unappetising protests 300 miles away and want to stick to lame, powderpuff stuff like strongly worded emails and letters to politicians.

1 minute ago, ToonArmy1892 said:

Was gonna like the post till the Wraith bit 

 

But aye, apart from that spot on.

I'm neither a fan nor a detractor of him tbh. Yeah, he does the self publicity thing well, but plenty of people have used the club in the past for their own ends whilst still making efforts to make the club better at the same time. Sir John Hall being one of them. Hall made a fortune out of NUFC but that was fine as everyone knew he was also striving to make the club better too. Whatever you think of Wraith, his passion for NUFC is not in question IMO.

1 minute ago, Slim said:

Pretty sure the clubs official status is fight for this takeover please.

Club put out a fucking official statement saying we want the takeover.  WTF more do NUST want.

It's the most important thing to happen to NUFC and the city in generations and they have just sat on their hands. Fucking appalling.

1 hour ago, nbthree3 said:

 

 

 

 

Great to see this as she spoke so well. Passionate and eloquent too.