Happinesstan

The hypocrisy of journalists shouldn't come as any surprise.

FYP

They came up with the 'Pochetoono' headline first, then made the rest work around that. Don't they know we're 'Toons' these days.

Nothing changes, for now. My celebrations that Ashley is gone will be smothered by the knowledge of what is to come, leaving me in exactly the same position I am now. NUFC will always be my club so I will continue watching from afar. I do know that if they succeed I will get excited again. That's the deal isn't it? They excite me and I forget who they are.

Whilst accepting wages through their Saudi funded newspapers. Do they have a choice who owns their employer? These people still need to provide a living to their families. If your so adamantly against the regime then get another job/move to another publication not funded by the Saudis. They'd better cycle to their new jobs, petrol isn't allowed.

Is Meunier not a realistic option at RWB?

WE should be pretty safe with FFP for the first year. We must have credit from the last two seasons under Ashley.

Keep him to clean the boots. Oh, actually, no. I forget you don't need a spanner to tighten the studs these days.

yeah i made them, because he's fucking shite and swathes of our fans think he's in some way not unfit to lace rafa's loafers, they're fucking morons i think it'll all be moot anyways, season cancelled and he'll be chucked right in the bin where he deserves to be It would be [financially] moronic to hire the world's most expensive manager when you don't know how long you'll be paying his wage, before he can start.

We're still in the FA Cup. In April.

I wonder, had Ashley pumped money into the club and made us the biggest club in Europe, if the press would have been more cynical towards his other business practices.

Aye, cos rotating SJP is definitely essential work.

What you on about? They're willing to accept that we like to drink so I should be willing to accept that they like to kill people.

I've changed my mind, as it's only fair. If the Saudis are prepared to overlook their own firmly held beliefs on alcohol and not interfere in our own customs, then I should be the bigger man and do the same thing, when possible.

That's why Rafa's the man. He'll have time to get Rondon match fit in time for the new Season.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today reporters will write anything that gets clicks.

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. 2014 for me, fucked it off when they made it clear Pardew was staying. I've barely even watched us play this season so I freely admit that at this point, I'm looking at things as much from a neutral POV as I am a supporter. I consider the money issue to be an irrelevance really, I greatly objected to giving Ashley money because I considered it to be keeping him here (and it was, which is why he's now apparently selling up). Using Uber or buying petrol isn't the same as supporting a football club, quite obviously, and it's not them having my money i object to. It's hard to say where the line is without knowing what the Saudis do politically in future. Like, what is going to happen with their war in Yemen? Our club's good name is always going to be tied to whatever they're up to. I fear that too, but thinking logically I do think after a year or two of ownership, when we’re hopefully performing like a well run football club, it will start to be less relevant. I know it’s not the same, but City get away with far less scrutiny these days in terms of questions of ownership, far less than when they first bought the club. I'm sure that once the money filters through to the pundits, it'll all be peachy. Can't wait for the day Danny Murphy berates Pep for shutting up shop against us.

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. 2014 for me, fucked it off when they made it clear Pardew was staying. I've barely even watched us play this season so I freely admit that at this point, I'm looking at things as much from a neutral POV as I am a supporter. I consider the money issue to be an irrelevance really, I greatly objected to giving Ashley money because I considered it to be keeping him here (and it was, which is why he's now apparently selling up). Using Uber or buying petrol isn't the same as supporting a football club, quite obviously, and it's not them having my money i object to. It's hard to say where the line is without knowing what the Saudis do politically in future. Like, what is going to happen with their war in Yemen? Our club's good name is always going to be tied to whatever they're up to. Our [the fans'] money is now an irrelevance, they simply don't need it. And, if a situation arises that leaves us wanting rid, we have absolutely nothing.

Average ticket price last time they were in the prem was £11. There’s no money in Sunderland . I thought Nissan paid a King's ransom.

Ashley passed. Just sayin'.

Aye but our govt are utter cunts.

I think you either accept it or you don't, as soon as you start the discussion on morality then you begin from a losing position, as the negatives of the regime currently outweigh the positives. Trying to justify if or overtly celebrating it (please no headscarves ) is just painting us in a bad light. Is anyone justifying or celebrating human rights abuses ffs? What absolute nonsense. People are overtly celebrating the departure of the club's horrible owner to be replaced by extremely wealthy new owners. The two issues ARE separate and people will eventually have to come down off their high horses when the realisation of their hypocrisy sets in. You still talking about journalists here? I'm talking about people who are wagging their disapproving fingers at NUFC fans over this takeover, be they journalists, own fans or other clubs' fans. Suddenly internet people have moral issues with the Saudi government? Is the concern for the victims genuine or is it just a fashionable topic to pontificate on? If the concern is genuine what have these people done to put pressure on their own governments to stop actively aiding this regime? Do any of these people actually know the history of the kingdom and how it came to be? Perhaps a slight in-depth understanding of this history might shed a bit of light on the hypocrisy I'm talking about. My overall point is that there's no doubt the Saudis are an oppressive extremist regime who can't be allowed to carry on what they've been doing for decades. Not only on a local but also a regional and international scale. The responsibility of that doesn't lie anywhere near Newcastle United fans though. And if people are happy to turn a blind eye to crimes of other nations/owners/criminals in their sport or league then they can also leave NUFC well the fuck alone to get on with it. That argument swings both ways, doesn't it?

The pitch is currently at most 3 metres from the front row, where are you going to fit in these extra thousands? Pitch-side boxes?

"One person familiar with the conversation" They've invented a new way of saying "our source".

Praise Allah for COVID-19.