PRL

Absolute nonsense. Since corona occurred everyone has known, the Saudis more acutely than anyone, that oil could end up at effectively zero as they run out of space to store it due to the huge drop in demand. Every economist and bank has been writing about $10 barrels for months. They also know that the price drop is temporary and will correct over the months and years to come with shale being far lower margin and there likely being a demand surge as lockdowns unwind. There is zero chance that what is happening now hasn’t been factored in and considered.

The differentiation is that Twitter / Uber etc are passive investments that I would guess involve very little interference at boardroom level, certainly not day to day even if they are taking an activist approach. With Newcastle, they will own us and they will use that ownership for their own means (as any owner would). I said the other day I wouldn't be surprised to see Aramco pop up on the shirts. I know airlines are common but Aramco have floated in the last 12 months, by total market cap are the biggest company in the world and you see Gazprom etc on shirts so no reason why wouldn't they want their biggest and most famous company getting some airtime, even if none of us will likely purchase directly from them - it's global brand recognition before multiple further float and funding rounds in future I'd guess. And of course, their chairman would be ours.

It's not hyperbole to say that the Saudis are one of the closest things on Earth at the moment to the Nazis is it? If you were going to pick the most brutal regime around, is there one worse? North Korea possibly but at least they're not bombing anyone. The UK had pretty good relations with the Nazi regime up until the outbreak of war, Edward VIII was a friend of Hitler. I don't think "our government likes them" is the most robust defence, you could say the same about Assad and Gaddafi, these people are always our "friends" until they're not. You missed the point. Take all that moral s*** stuff to the other thread, not this one. Jeez. This is the main takeover thread. It's going to be discussed whether you like it or not. Jeez. So what do you want to happen, Wullie? Another boycoutt? Not at all. A matter for the individual conscience this one I think. I don't think the FA/PL should be allowing any states to own football clubs but that ship's already sailed. So what will be your personal stance out of interest? Will you continue to support the club and would you go to games? Good question. Honest answer is I don't know. They've not even taken over yet so will just wait and see how things look once their feet are under the table I guess. Could be a long time before a ball is kicked at SJP but I don't have the aversion to giving them money that I had with Ashley. Out of interest, when was the last time you went? Late last season for me but I've not been regularly for several years now, particularly to home games. I must confess I'm desperate to go back, lots driven by sentiment. Telling my old man when Rafa left that I was genuinely done with it all and wouldn't watch or listen anymore was heartbreaking. When he text me about games or asked on the phone, every time he thought I was joking or going to change my mind. I suppose this is another reason why I'm probably also erring on the positives here; Newcastle was our bond and a huge part of my life. I spent several weekends this last year genuinely pleased to have time back, do fun stuff and not worry about the football. But that was because virtually every semblance of hope was lost. Just the idea of having that kernel of hope and those dreams of any form of enjoyment back kicks up all those feelings again.

It's this sort of throwaway trite nonsense that debases debate. You've just tarred three governments / populations over an indefinite time period with an unsubstantiated soundbite in under 30 words. You should apply for a job as a headline writer at the Mail (I edited my last comment, that was out of line and I apologise, I was frustrated but that's no reason to be rude)

That’s not true though is it? Yes, it is true. Having spent time there with work (our company has since disinvested, some macro reasoning but also based on valuations), I have spoken to tens if not hundreds of people in their twenties and thirties in Riyadh who are open, global and good people who have studied outside Saudi and want to see and be part of it become a more open and tolerant society, while also being fiercely proud of their country and their religion. Saudi Arabia has a million miles to go to become close to being as progressive and advanced in certain areas as they could and should be if held to Western standards, but if you genuinely think they aren't moving forward in this regard when you look at generational trends, then you've not looked beyond headlines in the last few years. By way of a very obvious example, last time I was there several meetings with big banks and the regulator were led by females. Something this simple was inconceivable until fairly recently. Are they trying to use sports to improve their global standing and become more integrated in the western world? Absolutely. Does this make me feel uncomfortable when associated with my team? In some ways it does, in others I'm fairly accepting that this is cause and effect of broader society these days. Am I going to stop following / not attend games as a result? No, it means too much and it's been way too long since I've been able to truly enjoy watching Newcastle. If this comes off then it's mine and my dad's time to get to games and have some hope while he's still able. If it makes me a hypocrite so be it. It does get somewhat boring reading the standard left sided trope rolled out whenever it can be applied of Saudi (or US, or Israel) bad and evil without any balancing factors for the other sides involved in these proxy wars and nothing more than rudimentary understanding of the underlying centuries of religious and political discourse that have got the world to where it is. It becomes even more taxing watching it played out on a football forum. But such is life. And the changes in political trends rather than social trends? If they've changed, great, but all I see in this post is the Saudi version of conflating the generational trends of the average Bernie Sanders supporter with Donald Trump the person. Reasonable question, I'd argue both. Like or loathe him, MBS is the most outward looking ever, on virtually any metric you care to name. I'd imagine even the tyrannical and murderous metrics if we had the data - although that's conjecture on my part as I don't have empirical evidence in front of me. But it's MBS who is pushing forward with reform and leading it. As Chris R mentions, it's a tightrope being walked as if he goes too fast the traditionalists will attempt to cut him down and pull power back a generation. But to be clear, this isn't me saying he's some glorious, open democrat. He's a product of his society and he comes from an incredibly privileged and sheltered upbringing and was raised during a puritanical and strict period which actually makes his views in relative terms to the above, very liberal. And I'd say conflation also applies when you compare a presidential system in a liberal western democracy such as the US, to an ascension within a Royal family where no democracy applies. People in the US have a choice whether they follow Sanders or Trump or anyone else. Nobody in Saudi has any real choice in that regard and yet still the regime and the people are changing. Fingers crossed they carry on doing so and tragedies like Khashoggi are not an outward indication of a return to worse times. Appreciate the response and I'll take it on board. I'm not the slightest bit convinced by MBS tbh, mainly because Khashoggi and Yemen are still the huge elephants in the room, but we'll see I guess. It's probably undeniable that it's put a bigger spotlight on him and Saudi, at the very least among Newcastle supporters, so we can be grateful for that. I think this is a really valid point. It's gonna be on the margins of the bigger picture for the Saudis, but they will now know if they buy us, every week there will be global broadcasts where opposition fans would take great joy singing about such atrocities as and when they occur (as only football fans can...), which would cause a fair amount of embarrassment for MBS et al. As I say, not something they'd likely lose sleep over but something they must have considered. Just another way this is not Ashley - due diligence etc is paramount, so they must have weighed this in.

That’s not true though is it? Yes, it is true. Having spent time there with work (our company has since disinvested, some macro reasoning but also based on valuations), I have spoken to tens if not hundreds of people in their twenties and thirties in Riyadh who are open, global and good people who have studied outside Saudi and want to see and be part of it become a more open and tolerant society, while also being fiercely proud of their country and their religion. Saudi Arabia has a million miles to go to become close to being as progressive and advanced in certain areas as they could and should be if held to Western standards, but if you genuinely think they aren't moving forward in this regard when you look at generational trends, then you've not looked beyond headlines in the last few years. By way of a very obvious example, last time I was there several meetings with big banks and the regulator were led by females. Something this simple was inconceivable until fairly recently. Are they trying to use sports to improve their global standing and become more integrated in the western world? Absolutely. Does this make me feel uncomfortable when associated with my team? In some ways it does, in others I'm fairly accepting that this is cause and effect of broader society these days. Am I going to stop following / not attend games as a result? No, it means too much and it's been way too long since I've been able to truly enjoy watching Newcastle. If this comes off then it's mine and my dad's time to get to games and have some hope while he's still able. If it makes me a hypocrite so be it. It does get somewhat boring reading the standard left sided trope rolled out whenever it can be applied of Saudi (or US, or Israel) bad and evil without any balancing factors for the other sides involved in these proxy wars and nothing more than rudimentary understanding of the underlying centuries of religious and political discourse that have got the world to where it is. It becomes even more taxing watching it played out on a football forum. But such is life. And the changes in political trends rather than social trends? If they've changed, great, but all I see in this post is the Saudi version of conflating the generational trends of the average Bernie Sanders supporter with Donald Trump the person. Reasonable question, I'd argue both. Like or loathe him, MBS is the most outward looking ever, on virtually any metric you care to name. I'd imagine even the tyrannical and murderous metrics if we had the data - although that's conjecture on my part as I don't have empirical evidence in front of me. But it's MBS who is pushing forward with reform and leading it. As Chris R mentions, it's a tightrope being walked as if he goes too fast the traditionalists will attempt to cut him down and pull power back a generation. But to be clear, this isn't me saying he's some glorious, open democrat. He's a product of his society and he comes from an incredibly privileged and sheltered upbringing and was raised during a puritanical and strict period which actually makes his views in relative terms to the above, very liberal. And I'd say conflation also applies when you compare a presidential system in a liberal western democracy such as the US, to an ascension within a Royal family where no democracy applies. People in the US have a choice whether they follow Sanders or Trump or anyone else. Nobody in Saudi has any real choice in that regard and yet still the regime and the people are changing. Fingers crossed they carry on doing so and tragedies like Khashoggi are not an outward indication of a return to worse times.

That’s not true though is it? Yes, it is true. Having spent time there with work (our company has since disinvested, some macro reasoning but also based on valuations), I have spoken to tens if not hundreds of people in their twenties and thirties in Riyadh who are open, global and good people who have studied outside Saudi and want to see and be part of it become a more open and tolerant society, while also being fiercely proud of their country and their religion. Saudi Arabia has a million miles to go to become close to being as progressive and advanced in certain areas as they could and should be if held to Western standards, but if you genuinely think they aren't moving forward in this regard when you look at generational trends, then you've not looked beyond headlines in the last few years. By way of a very obvious example, last time I was there several meetings with big banks and the regulator were led by females. Something this simple was inconceivable until fairly recently. Are they trying to use sports to improve their global standing and become more integrated in the western world? Absolutely. Does this make me feel uncomfortable when associated with my team? In some ways it does, in others I'm fairly accepting that this is cause and effect of broader society these days. Am I going to stop following / not attend games as a result? No, it means too much and it's been way too long since I've been able to truly enjoy watching Newcastle. If this comes off then it's mine and my dad's time to get to games and have some hope while he's still able. If it makes me a hypocrite so be it. It does get somewhat boring reading the standard left sided trope rolled out whenever it can be applied of Saudi (or US, or Israel) bad and evil without any balancing factors for the other sides involved in these proxy wars and nothing more than rudimentary understanding of the underlying centuries of religious and political discourse that have got the world to where it is. It becomes even more taxing watching it played out on a football forum. But such is life.

Get rid of puma & fun88 Aren't their contracts ending this summer? Theoretically, who would you guys like to have instead? Aramco would do as a sponsor

Yup. This. I don't remember City or Chelsea fans caring about other fans when they got bought

PSG will be richer. How? I’ve heard a few times these have the the wealthiest investment fund I think he world? The investment fund that owns PSG is worth more than PIF’s and the Saudi’s combined. Not that much more, but more. It means nothing as neither country is going to invest the whole funding into the clubs, but if you want to get technical, PSG will be richer, although we could quite easily match them in terms of investment. As mentioned above... it's a state backed fund so the present size really means very little. Saudis could whack half a trillion in the fund tomorrow if they wanted to, they just allocate money elsewhere. Even with oil being royally fucked, Aramco is still one of, if not -more likely - the, biggest company in the world, and is owned by the Saudi state. They've sold a small stake and will sell more as the years progress and oil recovers. They could then put that in PIF or elsewhere. But to judge the wealth of each investor on the vehicle being used isn't correct.

PSG will be richer. How? I’ve heard a few times these have the the wealthiest investment fund I think he world? It's all very opaque. Kuwait for example has a state fund worth over half a trillion and PIF reported as worth $300bn, but that's just the wealth that the state has chosen to put in that vehicle, as opposed to the wealth of the state itself

PSG will be richer. Not so sure. If you're valuing fund v fund maybe, but if you look at underlying beneficiary (AKA the state), then Saudi is more wealthy than Qatar. Don't want to go too far with these chats though, keep thinking of SunDELLand and the lad on here with his graphs showing them as richest club in world

Probably mentioned earlier and purely conjecture, but the idea of PIF or MBS failing the fit and proper person test when the UK is about to try and negotiate trade deals with the Emirate States as part of Brexit, is somewhat unlikely... It's not like Abramovitch who is one person, this would be telling one of (if not) the richest of these states and one of our large trade partners, that their business wasn't welcome. While I realise the PL isn't the UK government, I'm fairly sure the PL would fall into line if it's a matter of harming negotiations.

Got a link for that? Been following the Woodford story. No specific link, but if you look at the details of the story and how Woodford was floating stocks into Guernsey and seeing huge upticks in Level 2 and 3 assets year on year, the audit should have been full of fairly material qualifications alerting the FCA and investors (this should have been picked up in fairness, particularly by the FCA and firms like Hargreaves Lansdown, regardless). We fight a battle every year with our auditors over what they wish to make material and how they present our data and we are as white as white in that regard. No idea how Woodford got what he got through his accountants without alarm bells all over the shop. Also, GT also auditor of Patisserie Valerie, which is another accounting shitshow. They appear to either be very unfortunate or a go-to for those who want flexibility in what they're showing their investors.

Bold line is of interest - Grant Thornton were seemingly letting Woodford do all kinds of dubious things before his funds went to shit...

I’ve gone from going to at least half our games home and away every year, regardless of where I have lived, to one home game in six years. This is me completely done home and away until Ashley has gone. Three weeks ago when the takeover news broke I was planning my first season ticket since I moved to london, now I’m faced with turning my back on it all indefinitely. But I just feel numb rather than gutted

Yeah, you're not likely to get info like that in written form. Ha. I’ll ask them on the phone tomorrow. Request was more tongue in cheek as been talking to the guys there for last 12 weeks Why bother if there's no deal because no one in the Middle East will touch him with a shitty stick ? I mean, that was well over a year ago and a drunk man in a bar telling me. He could have easily have not worked anywhere in the legal profession. That bit was all about me subtly searching for Michelle Gayle nudes

They won’t tell me anything about any takeover. Moreover they won’t know. At a mid tier investment bank dealing with M&A as a daily task there was a team of 10 or so who knew what they were working on. Law firms likely the same or less. There will be Chinese Walls and NDAs all over the shop.

Yeah, you're not likely to get info like that in written form. Ha. I’ll ask them on the phone tomorrow. Request was more tongue in cheek as been talking to the guys there for last 12 weeks

Been watching this thread for an age and it’s meandered so much I’m going to bowl in with some thoughts and stories of zero value... I went to league cup final last year and was sat with a group i didn’t know. One was a lawyer (firm I forget) who was insistent there was any number of bids that had been made for us and Ashley messed them all around to the extent no one in Middle East would touch him with a shitty stick. The one he had got close with was two Kuwaiti brothers who fell out midway through due to Ashley being awkward! To make this more relevant, once I finished that convo I started talking to the girl on my right. She was lovely and mentioned she was into singing and acting. Then mentioned she used to be married to Mark Bright and was friends with Les Ferdinand. It was only after I’d left I googled and found out it was 90s Eastenders favourite Michelle Gayle. Re Pinsent Masons. Working on them on a property deal at the mo (they represent the whole Portman Estate). Literally ignored my email entirely asking if they had any info on a Newcastle takeover. I sincerely hope I’m wrong Odin, but the idea that anyone from a law firm gave you any insight on this seems so unlikely. My missus worked on a takeover while working at Lazard and she wouldn’t tell me the companies involved until it completed and was made public.

Normally follow every game on here as I watch but tonight just watched and actually thought we played pretty well against a decent arsenal team.

https://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/looks-like-ndong-may-have-found-himself-a-club.1456252/page-2 Topic moved to Borini... Lovely fans.

BBC world just said manager is being reported as being aboard too. Not seen anywhere else so repeated with scepticism

SD’s stock price would be affected if his investors pared their holdings. Explains why he was stood outside Odey's the other day - firefighting after sales from one of their biggest shareholders...

Knocking around on the corner of Park St and Upper Grosvenor St in London about 30 mins ago, shit eating grin on his face with barely a care in the world. Definitely not on holiday for once.