Tsunami

This is what Ashley said during the summer. He’s either lying (nah) or it’s off as the story is out there. If the bid is serious and he decides not to sell we may as well give up all hope. 'Put in £10m and it's a joke. OK, that's how the market is. But it's not something I can afford, and it's not something Newcastle can afford while I own it. The over-riding reality is that I am just not wealthy enough to own Newcastle. I genuinely believe you need £1billion. People say £500m but I'd bet anyone that these days you can't do it for that. Not to compete at the very top. 'Manchester City can afford to have an ageing team; they can afford to just write players off. How can we do that? It's not possible. Therefore you have to go for the best young players and hope they develop that little bit and become world-beaters. 'That is our principle and it hasn't changed for many years. But to compete, I need someone to take Newcastle off me who literally wants to put in £1billion.' For the Ashley Out campaign and his many detractors, here comes the bad news. 'So I have to assume I will stay running this football club. There are no offers. Define an offer. I'm not a believer any more. Peter Kenyon convinced me last Christmas that it was going to get done. I'm never doing that again. I think I could own this football club for ever. That is my new mental state. The reality is with these deals that once it gets out, if it's not done, it's probably not going to get done. 'The day someone buys Newcastle, they'll do their due diligence - and finished. It will happen like Manchester City. By the time the media find out, it's already complete. There's no need for a delay with Newcastle. It is, honestly, a very well-run football club. 'The last bid, the one from UAE, he's a prince and he's got £38bn or £100bn, all these numbers — well, why would you even care what you're paying then? What difference would £10m either way make? You would want speed, you would want certainty, you would want the keys and to get on with it. 'I will not stand in the way of Newcastle United. I will not stop that, if it happens. If such a person comes along I will think I've done quite a good job and I will want to keep going to watch them. I'll keep a box, because my parents will demand it. Every time there's a story that I've sold, I get the phone call. "You haven't included our box in the sale?" When you own a football club, the whole family are in.'

Last time around not one of the bidders could put the cash up and Ashley called it all a waste of time, he may have right. This time the funding really can’t be an issue and if the Saudi’s are really in for us, Ashley would be an absolute fool to turn this down, you’d think the money loving business side of him win this time. He’s been given a second chance he probably didn’t think he’d get again. He should be all over this, he’d win and we’d be shot of him.

He’d have to hit the ground running to appease the ‘better than this time last season’ and ‘boring football’ brigade though. If there’s anything to this then the Saudi’s will have already spoken with Rafa, know his thoughts on coming back and what the potential is. I hope they have as Rafa is likely to have encouraged them to make it happen. Makes far too much sense really, a popular, successful manager returning who could set expectations from the start and explain the vision. Fat Mike will bin this off, leaving Bruce to spin plates and buy a new paddling pool from Argos (and some black paint from B&Q).

If there is a takeover and a project ahead Rafa would be the perfect fit. He knows the area, he likes it here, he knows the fans, he knows what infrastructure is needed and I’m pretty sure he’d find a way to win something. FFP will play a role, we’d not be able to go out and splash endless cash on players who may not fancy it here in the first place. None of this will happen of course but, I’d take Rafa as the man to start the transformation.

They’ve probably completed Due Diligence, found out that Ashley has us tucked up nicely in various contracts beneficial to him that would need separate negotiation and all those generous interest free loans when he relegated us twice to be repayable. I can’t see this happening but you have to ask why it came out in the WSJ first and if Staveley is involved you’d have thought she’d be better prepared to negotiate Ashley’s way of conducting business and would also know what to expect from Due Diligence. It makes too much sense for Ashley to bail out now, falling ST numbers, end of the 10 year deal, the whole club needing major investment; he might be tempted but the vindictiveness will get the better of him.

We were truly awful under Pardew at times however, my personal favourite was under master tactician Big Sam where we were 3 down after 11 minutes at home to Pompey. It was like a Monty Python sketch.

Yeah that’s where I know them from Would prefer an outright bid from them They own the land The Stack and The Odeon are on. I’ve heard that they are going to flatten the lot (genuinely), be a great place for a new ground that we actually own (not so genuine)

Not even worth discussing, no chance of this happening. If there have been talks it’s all but over if the buying side have had to resort to leaking the story. No doubt Ashley doing his thing again.

He got proper done off Calvert-Lewin who got booked, nowt to do with training methods. I thought it was a red at the time, reminded me of Kane on Lejeune. Snide as owt.

Great goal

Of course a striker is a priority, trouble is every club knows it and will be playing hard ball. We might not get a striker in and let’s face it, getting a goal scorer in during January is a big ask but it has to be a priority. Not sure what Ashley’s priory is mind.

Should be1-1

The change of tune from p85 to p86 is lovely

Can we get someone to break Pickford in half please. I think Lejeune May have just done the trick.....

Bloody hell, he’s still very raw and he’s suffering from expectations.

No idea if he’s injured or not but his Twitter feed after the Chelsea game was very upbeat and Bruce is on record saying that he was going to be extra cautious with him.

seriously calvert lewin is a kernt Reminded me of the cowards challenge Kane put Lejuenne out with.

Red that, very dangerous

Hayden is renting a house in Darras and has asked if he can out of paying his 3 month notice in case he gets a move.

I found this embarrassing. For all the Newcastle fans saying it was an easy mistake to make....that’s absolute bollocks I’m afraid. I wasn’t born for another 20 years but I know it was ‘74. I know we won 3 FACs in the 1950s (51,52,55). How would you not know that as a fan who LIVED through it? I’m sure the old timers on here would never forget that it was 1974. In fact I bet many of them would say that the game at Hillsbrough v Burnley is up there with the best game they ever attended. Thats how you remember. Bruce is a fucking charlatan man. Aye, I was born in 80 and I know about it. Also go along with the line that it being one of the best games ever for a fan knowing about that era as comparatively I put the Sheffield United and Spurs semis high up on my list. I’ve said it before, his dad might be a fan but he isn’t. This is a bloke who after his playing career ended still wanted Man U to beat us in the cup final. He can fuck off with his supporter shite, I’m away at the moment and haven’t heard what said but if he can’t still feel the pain of ‘74 after what happened in ‘73 he really needs to stop pretending to be a fan. Cried my eyes as a young lad when Alec Lindsey scored (disallowed) and had to do all again in the 2nd half.

Hope he was singing Albert Luque wrapped it up when he’s pointing to that shirt. Hope he does well btw.

Again, the ball hitting the arm directly made the ball go to Neto. It’s handball for me.

Bruce was telling Schär to come off, Schär ignored this and played on for a bit. Happened pretty close to where I sit. ASM was just plain stupid, last minute of the game and he decided to chase the ball like he was in an Olympic Final, I couldn’t believe what I was watching and had no idea at the time that he’d injured himself. There’s clearly too many muscle injuries but certain things can’t be pinned on Bruce. He had subbed ASM there’s a good chance we wouldn’t have gone on to win that game.

Nearly 30k there, genuinely surprised by that.