Eddy Chibas

Is Ashley, through his web of companies, still the lone wolf & maverick (in the sports apparel industry) to not sign up to the Atlanta Agreement ie. the treaty aimed at combating child labour in Asian sweatshops?

Given that an undermined manager was a huge influence which swayed him into joining (on loan) I'd rather he refuse to sign (on a permanent deal) in the wake of a resignation. It will be sickening to watch Ashley, this regime, shuffle themselves into a massive pay day position (further sale) on the back of Rafa's astute recruitment, after a Summer transfer window where they deliberately stifled the manager's 'project' building effort. Can easily see Rafa having a word with this lad with a view to signing him, from Dortmund with a larger fee attached, at his next managerial post. This club deserves nothing less - to be royally f***ed over somehow as described.

20 starts (taking into account the purchase clause) is beginning to look like an impressive CV building opportunity, in the shop window, for Ashley. *under the proviso that Rafa hangs around for those 20 games, and then some.

Christ I still can't believe this happened. No amount of tactical nous will ever replace Pards' passion & guts, and willingness to take one for the team.

Mike Ashley........ the gift, errrr the interest free loan when the banks were cough-cough banging down the doors, which keeps on giving.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTJo5Ww0_oM/UL34HqZTCrI/AAAAAAAAANs/FejRulea8uI/s9600/Stadion_Gospin_Dolac_06.jpg Tough task, to not ruin the unique aesthetics. The walkway is clever though. http://poskok.info/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Prostorni_prikaz_005.jpg

It's the ideal time to hire a top coach (like Rafa) who is capable of re-energizing the squad and give them the 'new manager' bounce. Sleepwalking through an appetizing set of upconing fixtures with a "dead man walking" manager amounts to commiting suicide, from the perspective of risking their seat on the EPL Gravy Train.

Man City's owners before they bought them apparently! If only! Allegedly told his offsider something along the lines of, when he was pissed in a bar, "Fuck em', they can come to me".

Technically we can secure a permanent deal in Jan for 6.5m (if the 20 game obligation kicks in and Merino agrees terms) and then offload the lad in a big money sale next Summer? Sounds like the dream scenario for Sports Direct United, perennial big hitters in The Spreadsheet Cup.

When Ashley first took over (way before Keegangate) I recall about four or five members who saw through Ashley and were laughed off this forum, for our pro-FS/anti-Ashley positions ...... They were NE5, Howaythelads, myself (old account/The Shaman) and a couple of others. Purely based on his early business dealings I called him out as being a "razor cutting rat". Not claiming the higher ground, or the mystic Meg position. Have to admit though, in hindsight, Ashley played a PR blinder, pulled out his A Game at the time before his conartist standard of ethics began to shine through ie. drinking piss with the match going supporters, wanting to be one of the lads in terraces.

Agreed. In addition I believe this kid would hit a wall if The King returned this season. Pardew would punish him for the quick, forward ball movement (in our own half) shown so far - too daring. Under Pardew, one misplaced outlet ball/mistake, and he's fucked.

If Barnesy intends to nail the Anton Chigurh 'Mr Fix-It' persona he needs to tone down the smile, wear contacts, and grow & thicken those bowlcut bangs some more.

Not so sure this time tbh. Previous occasion (Keegangate) the regime was so bloody brazen in how they went about undermining the manager ie. the conference calls spring to mind, where Ashley & Co would declare their intent to sabotage moves for players with derisory bids. I suspect Barnes, the transfer blocker & Ashley's Mr Fix It, has covered the club's arse legally.

Romantic headline incoming, if Pardew returns & rescues his golden child from the kids' training pitch.

lol Justin Barnes proof read and approved the final draft.

Potential-wise I see more Hamaan (pre-Liverpool, and the switch to primarily shielding the back 4) in him, than Cabaye. Greater physical presence, bigger engine than Cabaye. If Pardew returns I think this kid, silky as f*** and dares to venture forward, is somebody whom The King would pick apart & criticize with Prozone & Opta stats and freeze his development.

Not sure whether he's a Pardew player though.

From the RAWK forum ^^^^. In our case .... enter Justin Barnes timely arrival, back in December, ahead of the January window.

The fan base collectively has been Ashley's latest Dave Whelan "whipping boy" for years. The "fat cunt bastard" chants probably still haunt his brittle & massive ego long after the fact - probably ranks up there, as a slight, with Whelan mistaking him for and brushing him off as the hired garden help at a business meeting. Sure he's business man first & foremost, the moniker Sports Direct United exists for a reason - I refuse to acknowledge this incarnation of the club by it's proper name. Make no mistake though, the man's spite & vindictiveness has no boundaries and the fanbase is his bitch, just like he once made Whelan his bitch.

A zombie club existence.... simply surviving, stinking the place up with a Sports Direct sticker affixed to it's rotting arse.

Condescending statement drenched in irony, coming from a guy who has deprived the club of the extra finances (because ShitDirect pays bugger all for what amounts to exclusive stadium advertising rights) needed to give it some extra clout in the transfer market, potentially catapaulting it's finishing place one or two slots higher at the very least.

This PR exercise was genuine as his old rinse & repeat 'closing down sale' trick (back in ShitDirect's formative years). The bloke is a conman, and he's trolling the supporter base.

Ashley pockets more coin while continuing to troll the city. Granted the city council could have stopped this vandalism in it's tracks.

This broadcast, explaining the club's genius level planning on the transfer front, was brought to you by The Sports Direct United Transfer Window War Room Channel. Oh btw....... Hi Justin.

Rafa is big time, Ashley's Sports Direct United is and will always be a zombie club in need of a company man, without any semblance of professional & competitive pride to coach the team. The disconnect between the current manager and the regime is massive. May as well bring back Pardew. This lot must have breathed a huge sigh of relief when when a potential albeit costly gem/Iheanacho (on Rafa's hit list) evnetually secured a move to Leicester. Will be a gut punch, for Rafa, if Perez secures an escape from Arsenal, with a move to Turkey or Spain, while we were playing the sell-to-buy game.