magpie1892

Well, they've failed to show up for meetings over there in the past, and there have been rumours recently about asking prices being changed upwards after a sniff of interest, so it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. It's worth bearing in mind that anyone with even the loosest grasp of commercial nous would not let NUFC go. It is, quite simply a money pot - money for nothing as long as we retain our premiership status or even go down again for a season or two. I would certainly not let NUFC go for less than half a billion in cash up front, and this is additionally so when we consider that other parts of MASH are performing relatively poorly. We're stuck with him. I'd give good money he'll still be the owner in five years' time, more likely ten. Merry Christmas everyone. Pass the razor blades. He could always die of obesity. The latter part of your sentence is an unpleasant one to countenance, but I reluctantly hope for something of this ilk.

Well, they've failed to show up for meetings over there in the past, and there have been rumours recently about asking prices being changed upwards after a sniff of interest, so it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. It's worth bearing in mind that anyone with even the loosest grasp of commercial nous would not let NUFC go. It is, quite simply a money pot - money for nothing as long as we retain our premiership status or even go down again for a season or two. I would certainly not let NUFC go for less than half a billion in cash up front, and this is additionally so when we consider that other parts of MASH are performing relatively poorly. We're stuck with him. I'd give good money he'll still be the owner in five years' time, more likely ten. Merry Christmas everyone. Merry ******* Christmas from Shirebrook.

Well, they've failed to show up for meetings over there in the past, and there have been rumours recently about asking prices being changed upwards after a sniff of interest, so it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. It's worth bearing in mind that anyone with even the loosest grasp of commercial nous would not let NUFC go. It is, quite simply, a money pot - money for nothing really, as long as we retain our premiership status or even go down again for a season or two. If I was not a supporter, I would certainly not let NUFC go for less than half a billion in cash up front, and this additionally so when we consider that other parts of MASH are performing relatively poorly - some very much so. We're stuck with him. I'd give good money he'll still be the owner in five years' time, more likely ten.

No bother. If I can come back with something better then I will of course try to sell the story/give it to Biffa/stick it on here - depending on the circumstances.

No. Nothing more than rumours, albeit I am assured that conversations have taken place. The progress of these discussions? Sad to report that they have progressed far less than anyone who wants rid of the slug might want. i.e., it would be generous to describe any potential deal even as 'putative'. I really wish there were more, but the party who apparently made the bid is, of course, Dubai Royal Family, and I know from personal experience (2006-8 I was business editor of a national daily in the same country - a job that brought more red flags to my desk daily than you'd see at a Komsomol rally) that you need to be very, very careful about what you print - even stuff that's triple sourced and you know to be 100% true. I had to spike dozens of absolutely dynamite economic stories because I'd have ended up in jail/deported/etc. So it literally is a case of this being more than his job's worth. Couple of colleagues of mine lost their jobs over innocuous stories. One got the sack for using the word 'bitch' in a piece. Neither the Editor or the GM wanted to let him go, of course, but phone calls had been received and commandments cast down. I'm sure you're aware that glitzy as it may be, Dubai in general and the UAE in particular is still a banana republic.

Friend/former colleague of mine who used to work at The Sun is now sports editor of one of the UAE papers. There are very strong rumours that someone in Dubai has come in with £300m which Ashley knocked back immediately, saying he wants £1/2 billion. Guy is desperate to be able to stand the story up for obvious reasons - but he can't. Insists that conversations have taken place but no quotes = no story.

Fine with me. At least I'd still have a club to support. I would prefer us to be in league one tbh I wouldn't bother if we were in the Conference if that fat turd was no longer involved. We'd get 40,000 in the fifth tier with a new owner interested in developing the club, and not one like the current incumbent, whose sole interest seems to be stealing hundreds of millions of pounds from the club.

Fine with me. At least I'd still have a club to support.

Hardly a case of them 'throwing it away' if they do. The mackems have been the better side - streets ahead of us in every department. OK, game over, but startling how much better the mackems look than us.

Nah, this is never the best thing. Regardless of the situation, that's still the last thing we want. Not according to the poll on here, 54 % wants to be relegated We've been relegated recently, bounced back with ease and now ended up in exactly the same position except with foreigners who seemingly now don't care rather than overpaid british players who couldn't really be arsed. Yes, Ashley is the biggest problem of all and his on going managerial appointments are f***ing tragic but how many relegations should we suffer? If we go down, we might not runaway with the championship again and if we do go down, and Ashley stays, do we then want another relegation to league 1 to see if that makes him sell the club? I personally just don't think wishing the worst on us is the way forward in sheer hope Ashley eventually caves in. We would need to be down to League 1 at least, if not lower. Basically just giving up on NUFC and waiting is the way to go. Or failing that, try to ignore the bigger picture and just watch the match. I've given up, racked in my ST after 20 years. I would take conference right now if it meant getting rid of the slug. I watch the games on TV/internet and go a couple of times a season now - always last day. I guess I am one of those who is 'waiting'. Not really fussed if we get arse-raped on Sunday. The slug has destroyed the club and it won't recover until he's away.

He could do a job for Blackpool FC. There's another asset-stripping outfit that treats its supporters with contempt, just like ourselves.

Save 50p and get the current shirt from Ali Express which is very, very close in 'quality' to the £48 Puma 'nappy' abortion selling at the moment.

Rangers see it - well done them, that's insight we can only dream of - but he's got RFC by the nads even more than he does us. King doesn't have the money to 'pay him off'. He's several billion quid short.

Bonus kicks in for a 17th-placed finish, presumably... Aye, if it's 80k basic and bonuses kick in for staying up and better then it's a decent gig. Can't blame him for giving it a shot, he'd not be the first person to hitch his cart to a c*** like Ashley for the promise of more down the line. Got it in one. Not many people here would knock that back. Though a real supporter would have to check their soul, integrity and credibility in at reception. Maybe Slugley keeps these in one of them Shit Direct 'bags for life'. Who knows? And, sadly, who cares?

Christ, is that it? Not worth the hassle, honestly. Pretty good coin for being utterly incompetent.

Bonus kicks in for a 17th-placed finish, presumably...

He's on about £80k. I posted this a few months back before some oracle countered with: 'no he's not'.

I racked it in because of Mike Ashley. The excitement of waking on matchday (200 mile round trip for home games) had long since been replaced by absolute dread at having to go. The decision to call it a day? So, so liberating. Seeing that the 'head of security' had been stealing Bruges tickets and selling them on the day - not only keeping his job but evading prosecution - in the city neatly summed up where we were as a club. Things have not improved.

'highly unlikely' doesn't really cover it.

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Hope he's back on his feet soon. He should die in jail, not hospital.

He was briefly in Crook because he wanted to be alone. Someone, I forget who, opined that at the time: 'a black man in Crook would stop traffic'. He relocated to Jesmond not long thereafter. I went to his place a couple of times for bevvy sessions, though he was not a big drinker. All his Shottingham mates were. It wasn't particularly sumptuous, even though he was on £12k/wk at the time. That's, what, £35k now? When we signed Ginola, we were paying him £14k/wk - the third highest in the country at the time. Nah, man, I just meant you quoted the wrong post, no bother. You seem to know a bit, has he got a beef with NUFC? I know he really worked hard after he left us, and good for him. Is he bitter somehow though? Just can't get over that Cup Final thing. After all these years it still hurts. He's no beef with us at all. He was 'difficult' throughout his career.

For about five minutes, until both he and the club realised what he'd done. Then is was 12 Osborne Terrace in Jesmond for 90% of his time with us. Went to a couple of decent parties there. Did you mean to quote the Crook thing there? I know he lived in Jesmond bc he used to swan into Wm Low where stepson 2 worked and big it up . I'll never forgive him for that Cup Final s***, but wish him no ill. He was briefly in Crook because he wanted to be alone. Someone, I forget who, opined that at the time: 'a black man in Crook would stop traffic'. He relocated to Jesmond not long thereafter. I went to his place a couple of times for bevvy sessions, though he was not a big drinker. All his Shottingham mates were. It wasn't particularly sumptuous, even though he was on £12k/wk at the time. That's, what, £35k now? When we signed Ginola, we were paying him £14k/wk - the third highest in the country at the time.

And various saved snapchats of Coman's girlfriend.

For about five minutes, until both he and the club realised what he'd done. Then is was 12 Osborne Terrace in Jesmond for 90% of his time with us. Went to a couple of decent parties there.