MarkyMark

The money was paid, not 'pledged' - with no refunds. They've been very clear on that front. It never stacked up - why would Ashley sell even 1% of the club to potentially give himself further headaches? When NUFC were floated under the Halls and Shepherds, they moved the AGM to London because they couldn't hack being questioned over their running of the club. Ashley refused to answer questions when journalists and supporters bought SD shares and headed to the AGM. Buy your tickets, buy your kits, buy your TV subscriptions - but make sure to keep your opinions out of our boardrooms. There is no reason to believe that the new ownership will be any different - though I doubt they would be as aggressively arseholeish as the previous lot. It was the fourth time in my memory where the idea of fan shareholding was seriously floated (Magpie Group in early '90s, floatation in '97, and by the NUST in 2009 to see if Ashley could be bought out). Most people in the NE don't have the disposable income to chuck at club ownership - even less so only 1% so that a handful can continue in their fantasy of being fan leaders. I'd assume that in their 'informal' discussion with the new owners they got a short shrift. Fan ownership of large clubs at this point would require significant government intervention to make it feasible, which I can't see happening any time soon. Effectively, nationalisation before being handed over to supporters groups. Seems unlikely. Either that or the value of the clubs return to a pre-PL value. Also seems unlikely at present. The above is not an argument against Supporters' Trusts (which are A Good Thing, particularly when not hijacked for ego boosts), but an argument against the futility of trying to buy modern football clubs of any significant size. Shame, as the fan-ownership model is the ideal for me.

I don't usually watch these type of vids, but was curious in this instance. The lad was talking sense there for me. Funny thing is, I don't like seeing Northern teams relegated generally - unless it directly impacts us, or the relegated team is the mackems (not arsed by smoggies). Always preferred to have a shorter travel distance for away games; besides, football always 'feels' more like a Northern game (despite there being very little evidence to support this ...)

Inherited business from old man, classic Tory stuff. Remember TF suddenly getting Phoenix ads, which ran contrary to the ethos of fanzines? Me too. He was featured in an article in Financial Times. Bit from the FT which you're looking for: 'A Conservative supporter even before December’s election landslide, he wants the government to bring in measures including business rates exemption to boost activity in struggling town centres like Blyth.' https://www.ft.com/content/cca67e3a-619a-11ea-b3f3-fe4680ea68b5 Edit: if you don't subscribe to the FT, you can usually view articles if you search on google etc - just type the person's name + financial times. You'll be able to view it then

Didn't Tiote also score a beaut vs Man City which was harshly ruled against? Or am I misremembering?

Yeah, I was there that day - it used to take a lot longer for everyone to cotton on to a goal being ruled out. On his left foot too

Yeah, they're fair points - but I don't think Burnley would have sold him to us for 40m without the clause. Just a guess, mind - their new owners may have a different take!

Just a guess, but I think the agent likely let that slip re a release clause and suddenly NUFC were interested - they likely weren't before. No-one around us would sell at this point.

In the current climate - yes, I don't think it is crazy. And certainly no more crazy than the money spent by Rafa on Muto and Almiron, or Bruce on Joelinton.

We've drawn 8 games this season. It isn't unreasonable to think that someone like Wood might have grabbed a winner in one or two of those games - and we'd be out of the relegation zone. That's how we have to view the next four months. If he gets two or three winners, it could well keep us up. He doesn't need to pull up any trees - just be averagely competent. Not Dwight Gayle, basically.

It won't - no more than getting Trippier cheap will mean we get players cheap in the future. We still don't actually know what the fee for Wood is - and I don't think 20m is crazy money for a January transfer in 2022.

Especially if the 'PL clubs won't sell to NUFC clubs' stories have a grain of truth. Certainly Burnley wouldn't have sold to us given our current positions.

Yep. It is certainly worth folks considering that we're in a league of four now. We only need to finish above Watford, Burnley and Norwich. We don't need superstars to get there - just some solid PL pros that the current side is badly lacking. Talented, risky signings can wait.

Are we talking about his time getting stupendous sums for saying 'Hello and welcome to Match of the Day?' Or as a footballer when he suckered Grampus Eight for millions and kept crying off with a sore toe?

Wouldn't worry about their laughter - fuck 'em

Perfectly reasonable to question any signing IMO. It is what we'd do in a pub with mates pre- or post-match - and a forum should work along the same lines for me. It also isn't the same as not getting behind the player - giving a player stick at the game is shite (and booing shouldn't be done under any circumstances; that's for kids at a pantomime or twats at a bad opera). Again, I think it is a canny signing under the circumstances - but I completely understand why people might not. And it isn't as if the arguments against aren't reasonable. Well, as long as they're not the 'WE WANTED MESSI NOW WE'VE GOT WOOD WHATS GANNIN ON?' twitter twats.

Classic case of nominative determinism; PIF takeover has given us Wood. I'm sticking to what I said when it was first rumoured - I think it's a decent signing based on where we are, and who'd we'd likely get. Lad is an improvement on what we have. I don't give a shit about the fee - it isn't my money - but c.20m for a guy that scores double figures in the PL each season is pretty decent value these days in all honesty. I mean, did we all forget what we paid for Almiron, Joelinton and ASM? And they struggle to score double figures between them. He's obviously not a long-term signing. But if he scores the five or six goals that keep us up, then he's worth every penny.

Twitter twats-a them-a they come and-a we gonna blow down de door One ee come Trippier troo the transfer window So dey sent Ghoudoussi de tweet sayin’ ‘where is Vlahovic’ If we don’ see him we’re gonna call you a bitch

He does have previous with that tbf …

100% mate. Absolute clowns. I pointed out on here that the likes of True Faith aren’t helping by putting up articles re Vlahovic on their website. People need to be calm, and certainly shouldn’t be abusing people on Twitter. I think there are reasoned criticisms to make with the early days of the new regime - but I’d rather see if lessons are learned re mistakes before going overboard.

That needs to stop like. But it won’t; and it’ll get worse as the window rumbles on and closes. Loads of the silly gets weren’t joking about signing players of the M’Bappe level. They’re not going to be shy about their disappointment …

All good points. The Twitter ‘richest club’ shite will stop once the window closes - actually, I’ll correct that. It’ll turn to anger when the silly twats with KSA flags after their handle realise this isn’t a Man City / PSG takeover, and the club will be run based upon income and sizeable though not mind-warping investments each window. ‘We’re the richest club in the world - where’s X player?’ Etc etc I don’t think there’s excuses for the current owners not to have replaced the scouting and DoF positions within three months. Yes, the were caught on the hop - Staveley and Reuben that is; the KSA PIF effectively didn’t arse themselves with their deal brokers and sorted it out themselves - but how long does it take to appoint those roles? A month to get Howe in was pretty slow, all things considered. Lessons will hopefully be learned all round for the next window - but for now, they’ve probably realised that getting value in January is next to impossible - particularly when every club in the world has the same stupid take on the takeover as every daft lad on Twitter. ‘The world’s richest club’.

*make sexist remark - put glasses in pocket*

FIFA is no way to scout players. What are you lot thinking??? If he's 200 potential on his secret stats on Champ Man, then I'm in.

Makes perfect sense in fairness. Of course it was the agent leaking the release clause. Hope has seemed to have a direct line into the club’s new board tbf. I’ll buy that.

Given that we don’t have a DoF, and also given that we’re actively looking to recruit one, it is a pretty safe assumption to say we don’t have an expert (or anyone) in that position. They temporarily appointed Hammond, who has a terrible reputation. Staveley and Reuben are not football transfer experts. And you won’t find me anywhere saying ‘just give them what they want / £30m + add-one’ etc. I’m not daft - I do think these matters are complicated. And given the timescales we’re working with, this isn’t a great time for amateurs to learn.