OptimusSlime

They’ve spent a few quid to be fair, the boxes have all been renovated and platinum club too. Then add in the rooftops and whatever the wings is and they are modernising (horribly overdue).

Agree, and there is significant capacity to increase revenue from the existing SJP by creating more hospitality/corporate and generally increasing prices. There continues to be several thousand £86 child season tickets in the family enclosure - cannot see it continuing.

SJP has 77 boxes as it is which isn’t a mile away from close to 100. All sold out this season mind.

I fancy him to start Barnes.

I don’t remember the debate of the time just have an awareness that the freemen have a firm protect the moor mentality.

I get a bit confused about the various moors but are we basically talking about building on partly student accommodation and partly grass e.g. the town moor? Where the freemen graze the cows? Again would see huge opposition from environmentalists to that added to the complex ownership of that land (council the land and freemen of the city the turf).

I expect:- Pope Schar (hopeful perhaps) Botman Trippier Burn Bruno Joelinton Longstaff Almiron Barnes Isak Tonali, Gordon and Wilson to get decent minutes off the bench.

I just don’t think building in Leazes Park is as viable as many seem to think on here. It’s a Grade II listed Victorian park. I don’t go there often but I see bigger barriers to building there than I do Leazes Terrace. The only viable site I can think of for a new city centre stadium is where the arena is. Other than that you are out in the sticks.

Has anyone been unable to get a seat who dosn’t have an ST and missed out in ballot or resale? Everyone I know in real life who wanted a ticket has managed to get one… Wonder if we truly need a 75k capacity stadium after all…

Agree completely. It’s back to the 90s when supply is exceeding demand. if any season ticket holder can’t/won’t afford the price increases that will come in over the next couple of years, someone else will step in your place. This is the last season of the 10+ year deals and an opportunity for the club to amend season ticket pricing at the end.

And the club is now in a position to Jack prices up because if the current ST holder can’t or won’t pay there is someone desperate to be queuing up to do so. The club can make so much more money from the current stadium, people nowadays will pay big money to be part of big live events (and let’s face it in Newcastle PL football is the only show in town).

So again why build a new stadium/spend up to or over £100m on an expansion if you can just turn existing areas of the ground corporate? Save a fortune on investment and make loads more £££ from current St James (with some modernisation/luxury added). I saw an advert for “The Wings” the newest hospitality area this weekend on the big screen. That to be added to the former Sports Bar in the Milburn end and the “Rooftops” - it’s happening already.

I was thinking about capacity and the ground when in St James today. The thing is if you are the owners (Staveley, Rueben, PIF are investing, want success but are ultimately capitalists looking at Chelsea, Spurs etc for inspiration) - do you:- A) Spend at least £80 million expanding the ground to say 64k (that’s what Anfield cost apparently)? Then make an extra say £12 million per year (12k seats x £1k per season ticket) B) Spend £1 billion to build a new stadium (cost of Spurs ground apparently) to make an extra £15 to £20 million per year depending how many seats you fit in? C) Keep ground as is. Get rid of the cheaper family enclosure, add 30% to all season tickets and make an extra minimum of £9 million per year instantly (30k season tickets x average £300 per year increase) Spurs new ground made a lot more since as they were stuck with 36k seats at White Hart Lane. I don’t see how the investment makes sense for a brand new stadium for us unless unless we are adding at least 25k additional seats. Unless we are taking about a new stadium being a PIF vanity project.

Parts of the Leazes/Milburn had people seated in line with/above the lower bowl but below L7 I thought the 34k attendance today sounded accurate. Yesterday they issued pass outs too. Those are outstanding numbers for 2 x consecutive days of freindlies whichever way you spin it. Thought the atmosphere today was strong for a friendly primarily due to Strawberry corner standing section. Like having a block of Newcastle away fans at St James. Villarreal acting like shits at times helped. We are going to need more safe standing.

To be fair if you are coming from Dubai you probably don’t think much of dropping £400 to sit in a corporate suite. FWIW I don’t think the prior queue method was fair. If you work in a hospital, factory etc etc at 10am very difficult to sit on your phone in a queue managing multiple browsers. If you work from home, are tech savvy etc you were massively favoured. Back in the day my day told me about going to the pub at night then after last orders getting in the queue for the box office for Wembley tickets for the 74 cup final and standing there all night so accessing tickets has constantly changed over the decades. Unfortunately while demand outstrips supply many are going to miss out. I can though see changes after this season of pricing for season ticket holders (particularly those on the final year of Ashley special deals). I could also see changes to the Family enclosure i.e. reduction of that area as kids age out of it. We could then see season tickets on sale and a waiting list in place.

I’m clueless as to the pre KK era due to my age. Growing up in the 90s with multiple siblings we 1) As a family couldn’t really afford tickets (my dad never explicitly said this but I just sort of understood). I’d be interested to see what pricing was in the 90s, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was higher as a proportion of income as it is nowadays. 2) Even if we could afford you just could not get in regardless if you didn’t have a season ticket, demand was massive with a 36k capacity I did manage to attend a few Cup ties, the Beardsley testimonial etc but going to St James felt like a once every couple of years event as a young kid. I never even went to a PL match until after the expansion. After the expansion to 52k it was much easier to get in especially for non PL ties. As a teenager in the 00s it was required a bit of effort for certain games but could usually get single match tickets in different parts of the ground. Since the first relegation it became extremely easy to get tickets for pretty much every game bar derbies and certain glamour PL games.

I’ve just thought was it Xavi?

Aye I get that, but what is the origin of 6 being a midfielder? Traditionally this was always the 4.

When did this patter of referring to a defensive midfielder as a 6 come from? Like is it a particular country that traditionally structure 1 to 11 with the number 6 as a midfielder? A 6 was always a left sided centre back, - or Roberto Carlos for Brazil, when I was a lad.

Thanks, I’ve made a few posts so would be great if you could take a look.

I don’t have permission to see that?

100% agree and I’d take it further by saying the I want everything and I want it now attitude of a growing number of our fans is becoming embarrassing.

I can’t say this enough - we really need to try and enjoy this period rather than getting anxious about who we may or may not sign at certain positions. We will get there in the coming years. It will take time and it will be exciting. We continue to carry a few duffers in the squad, football manager is not real life and it is evidently very hard to move players on who paid above their ability. Other than that brief unsustained upturn under Pardew, this is the best it’s been for 20 years. I’ll be looking to soak up each game and enjoy the journey the club is on. I also have faith that the executive team, management and coaching staff know what they are doing. They can and will make the odd mistake, it’s football and we are talking about humans here - but the trajectory is very exciting. I still can’t believe we managed to sign Tonali from Milan and I’m confident there is more business to be done before the transfer window closes.

Anthony Gordon, I’m sure is the plan.

Big fan of ASM he will sit in that category of at times flawed but mercurial French winger that we have seen a lot of at NUFC. Ginola, Robert, Ben Arfa - all different but all among the best in the world on their day. Going to the Saudi league at age 26 feels like a waste of a career but good luck to him. I am surprised he is giving up on ever playing for France. I completely trust that the club know what they are doing - and know better than me - so wish Maxi well and look forward to what is next.