"Shepherd was not a good chairman" - Sibierski

[Guest Knightrider]

All that may be true HTT, but thats all from Bobby's book. I'd like to hear Fred's side of the story tbh.

 

Not all of it is from Bobby's book.

 

Take Woodgate's sale. When announced Sir Bobby live on SSN said "I don't want him to go, I want my chairman to tell Madrid he's not for sale"

 

He then went on to say "I hope the deal falls through for us"

 

Woodgate on leaving "I never wanted to leave Newcastle and didn't even know about their interest"

 

This indicates that FS went behind Sir Bobby's back. He did it with Speed and Bowyer too.

 

On Rooney, we had Alan Shearer trying to convince him to sign yet the manager hadn't even spoken to the player. Whenever asked about Rooney Sir Bobby would either say "you'll have to ask my chairman", "he's a great young player" without ever committing more to it or "we need defenders"

 

Anyway I know exactly what happened with Sir Bobby.

 

Towards the end of the season we had finished 5th the board decided it was time to think about his eventual replacement so they sounded out both Bruce and Allardyce who weren't best pleased they were touting their big mate's job around. Interested of course they said they'd listen when, and only when, Sir Bobby calls it a day.

 

So the board decided to announce that Sir Bobby would be in his final year as NUFC manager, and subsequently held back funds from him as they knew they'd be hiring a new man in 9 months time who would need some money, this also prompted the sale of Woodgate.

 

(Rooney was going to be paid by Northern Rock who later paid for Owen)

 

Anyway Sir Bobby was kicking up a fuss over things such as Woodgate's sale, the Rooney interest "how come you've told me we don't have any funds yet you can chase an 18 year old player for £23m"? and such, that coupled with our start to the season, booing on the stands and talk of dressing room unrest the board panicked and decided to sack Sir Bobby, believing in either Bruce or Allardyce, they had a replacement lined up.

 

Only the pair said no not while a season was underway, come back at the end of the season. Bugger, thought the board. They then made inquiries for O'Leary, McLaren and Moyes but were told to go away.

 

Then the name of Venables popped up, perhaps he could do a caretaker job until the end of the season ala like he did at Boro they asked, so that we can then appoint either Bruce or Allardyce. This was eventually rebuffed due to uncertainty as to whether how the fans would react.

 

Stuck they decided to sound out agents. Some bloke from ProActive Sports told them some juicy gossip about how Souness, a client of theirs, was very close to the sack at Blackburn, he'll be up for the challenge and so on.

 

And the rest is history, with a few quid won at the bookies, sandwiched in between.

[Cronky]

All that may be true HTT, but thats all from Bobby's book. I'd like to hear Fred's side of the story tbh.

 

Not all of it is from Bobby's book.

 

Take Woodgate's sale. When announced Sir Bobby live on SSN said "I don't want him to go, I want my chairman to tell Madrid he's not for sale"

 

He then went on to say "I hope the deal falls through for us"

 

Woodgate on leaving "I never wanted to leave Newcastle and didn't even know about their interest"

 

This indicates that FS went behind Sir Bobby's back. He did it with Speed and Bowyer too.

 

On Rooney, we had Alan Shearer trying to convince him to sign yet the manager hadn't even spoken to the player. Whenever asked about Rooney Sir Bobby would either say "you'll have to ask my chairman", "he's a great young player" without ever committing more to it or "we need defenders"

 

Anyway I know exactly what happened with Sir Bobby.

 

Towards the end of the season we had finished 5th the board decided it was time to think about his eventual replacement so they sounded out both Bruce and Allardyce who weren't best pleased they were touting their big mate's job around. Interested of course they said they'd listen when, and only when, Sir Bobby calls it a day.

 

So the board decided to announce that Sir Bobby would be in his final year as NUFC manager, and subsequently held back funds from him as they knew they'd be hiring a new man in 9 months time who would need some money, this also prompted the sale of Woodgate.

 

(Rooney was going to be paid by Northern Rock who later paid for Owen)

 

Anyway Sir Bobby was kicking up a fuss over things such as Woodgate's sale, the Rooney interest "how come you've told me we don't have any funds yet you can chase an 18 year old player for £23m"? and such, that coupled with our start to the season, booing on the stands and talk of dressing room unrest the board panicked and decided to sack Sir Bobby, believing in either Bruce or Allardyce, they had a replacement lined up.

 

Only the pair said no not while a season was underway, come back at the end of the season. Bugger, thought the board. They then made inquiries for O'Leary, McLaren and Moyes but were told to go away.

 

Then the name of Venables popped up, perhaps he could do a caretaker job until the end of the season ala like he did at Boro they asked, so that we can then appoint either Bruce or Allardyce. This was eventually rebuffed due to uncertainty as to whether how the fans would react.

 

Stuck they decided to sound out agents. Some bloke from ProActive Sports told them some juicy gossip about how Souness, a client of theirs, was very close to the sack at Blackburn, he'll be up for the challenge and so on.

 

And the rest is history, with a few quid won at the bookies, sandwiched in between.

 

I couldn't comment on all those details, but I'm sure that the overall picture is correct. Freddie badly screwed up the whole question of Sir Bob's retirement and the succession.

 

IMO there was a further complication. For a long while, the dream was that Shearer would take over when Sir Bob retired, and the succession would be seamless. It came unstuck when Sir Bob decided that Shearer's successor as a player needed to be brought forward, but Shearer didn't feel it was the right time for him to retire or become a squad player. Freddie backed Shearer, Sir Bob's position became weaker on and off the field, and we went into a decline. When things came to a head with Sir Bob, Freddie ended up appointing a couple of lame duck managers to keep the seat warm for Shearer. No manager of any status was going to walk into a position where the Chairman's blue eyed boy was waiting in the wings, and where the Captain and senior player was exercising such an influence.

 

Basically, Freddie was unprofessional about the whole business, and we paid the price.

[Howaythelads]

Mind-boggling really. Robson did a great job but he was undermined by people like Dyer, not by Fred. That's why you see Robson sitting next to Fred at matches.

 

 

Well I'd defy anyone to read Sir Bob's autobiography, and come away with the conclusion that he wasn't undermined by Shepherd.

 

Sir Bob only started appearing at Freddie's side when the team was starting to flounder under Roeder, and the fans were starting to publicly turn on Freddie. At the same time, Freddie was starting to try and sell the idea that the Halls were undermining his work, and, by implication, that they were responsible for the position the club was in. Sir Bob is a forgiving soul, but in this case I think he was being used.

 

When Shepherd announced to the world that SBR's contract would not be renewed at the end of the 2004/2005 season he made SBR a lame duck manager that the likes of Dire and Bellamy where only too happy to take advantage of.

 

To conclude that Shepherd did not undermine SBR is mind boggling really!

 

I was waiting for someone to come back with the "comments made by Fred" bit because it's just so obvious, and of course this would have undermined the manager given that some of the players were crap professionals. The thing is, the lack of respect from the players didn't happen overnight, it would have grown over time and become obvious to the Board and the Halls and is what led to those in charge beginning to doubt Robson.

 

As I said after we finished 3rd, Robson should have gone then when we were on a high, that was another mistake by the Board and the Halls.

 

Apart from irrational hatred I'm not at all sure why you're lumping Bellamy in with Dyer. Perhaps you can explain?

[Howaythelads]

Mind-boggling really. Robson did a great job but he was undermined by people like Dyer, not by Fred. That's why you see Robson sitting next to Fred at matches.

 

 

Well I'd defy anyone to read Sir Bob's autobiography, and come away with the conclusion that he wasn't undermined by Shepherd.

 

Sir Bob only started appearing at Freddie's side when the team was starting to flounder under Roeder, and the fans were starting to publicly turn on Freddie. At the same time, Freddie was starting to try and sell the idea that the Halls were undermining his work, and, by implication, that they were responsible for the position the club was in. Sir Bob is a forgiving soul, but in this case I think he was being used.

 

I hope you aren't a novelist......

[jimmymag]

Mind-boggling really. Robson did a great job but he was undermined by people like Dyer, not by Fred. That's why you see Robson sitting next to Fred at matches.

 

 

Well I'd defy anyone to read Sir Bob's autobiography, and come away with the conclusion that he wasn't undermined by Shepherd.

 

Sir Bob only started appearing at Freddie's side when the team was starting to flounder under Roeder, and the fans were starting to publicly turn on Freddie. At the same time, Freddie was starting to try and sell the idea that the Halls were undermining his work, and, by implication, that they were responsible for the position the club was in. Sir Bob is a forgiving soul, but in this case I think he was being used.

 

When Shepherd announced to the world that SBR's contract would not be renewed at the end of the 2004/2005 season he made SBR a lame duck manager that the likes of Dire and Bellamy where only too happy to take advantage of.

 

To conclude that Shepherd did not undermine SBR is mind boggling really!

 

I was waiting for someone to come back with the "comments made by Fred" bit because it's just so obvious, and of course this would have undermined the manager given that some of the players were crap professionals. The thing is, the lack of respect from the players didn't happen overnight, it would have grown over time and become obvious to the Board and the Halls and is what led to those in charge beginning to doubt Robson.

 

As I said after we finished 3rd, Robson should have gone then when we were on a high, that was another mistake by the Board and the Halls.

 

Apart from irrational hatred I'm not at all sure why you're lumping Bellamy in with Dyer. Perhaps you can explain?

 

It can only be irrational love and respect for Shepherd that you can conclude that he never undermined SBR!

 

If some players didn't have respect for SBR then that's more damning of them than Sir Bobby.

 

Anyway, that's all in the past, the cancer has been cut out of the club, and I'm more than happy to move on and look forward to the future with renewed optimism.....

 

 

 

 

.....but I'm still astounded that you feel that Shepherd never undermined Sir Bobby. 

[Howaythelads]

Mind-boggling really. Robson did a great job but he was undermined by people like Dyer, not by Fred. That's why you see Robson sitting next to Fred at matches.

 

 

Well I'd defy anyone to read Sir Bob's autobiography, and come away with the conclusion that he wasn't undermined by Shepherd.

 

Sir Bob only started appearing at Freddie's side when the team was starting to flounder under Roeder, and the fans were starting to publicly turn on Freddie. At the same time, Freddie was starting to try and sell the idea that the Halls were undermining his work, and, by implication, that they were responsible for the position the club was in. Sir Bob is a forgiving soul, but in this case I think he was being used.

 

When Shepherd announced to the world that SBR's contract would not be renewed at the end of the 2004/2005 season he made SBR a lame duck manager that the likes of Dire and Bellamy where only too happy to take advantage of.

 

To conclude that Shepherd did not undermine SBR is mind boggling really!

 

I was waiting for someone to come back with the "comments made by Fred" bit because it's just so obvious, and of course this would have undermined the manager given that some of the players were crap professionals. The thing is, the lack of respect from the players didn't happen overnight, it would have grown over time and become obvious to the Board and the Halls and is what led to those in charge beginning to doubt Robson.

 

As I said after we finished 3rd, Robson should have gone then when we were on a high, that was another mistake by the Board and the Halls.

 

Apart from irrational hatred I'm not at all sure why you're lumping Bellamy in with Dyer. Perhaps you can explain?

 

It can only be irrational love and respect for Shepherd that you can conclude that he never undermined SBR!

 

If some players didn't have respect for SBR then that's more damning of them than Sir Bobby.

 

Anyway, that's all in the past, the cancer has been cut out of the club, and I'm more than happy to move on and look forward to the future with renewed optimism.....

 

 

 

 

.....but I'm still astounded that you feel that Shepherd never undermined Sir Bobby. 

 

Some things never change. You and some others have missed the overall point of my post in your haste to have a go.

 

I just said that the Board doubting Robson (leading to any undermining of him obviously) was caused by the behaviour and attitude of the players. I obviously didn't explain myself well enough earlier with the comment along those lines, having overlooked there are people like you reading this forum. I think it's pretty obvious I'm blaming the players, so I don't see the point of your second sentence above. It's kind of obvious. By the way, what do you mean by "if the players didn't have respect?" Do you doubt it?

 

You shouldn't mention cancer when it comes to this subject. And to think that you called me an idiot......

[Guest Pie]

Shepherd wasn't all that bad, he just lost it around the time he sacked Robson (which wasn't his idea) and couldn't turn it around after that.

 

Would any of our transfers have been that different this season if Shepherd had still been here? After all he was the one who appointed Allardyce.

 

Would the debt have played a part?

 

Yes it would, but he still would have spent the same or maybe even more than we did this summer with the view of clearing a large chunk of the debt off over the next few years with the extra income from the tv deals, Ashley has paid off £30 million which seems to be under high interest and that's what Shepherd would have knocked off over the next few years.

 

Also Allardyce has said we'll have to wait and see if this board backs him as much as Shepherd said he would this summer.

 

I'm not saying I still want Shepherd here btw as I don't, his time had come to an end and I think he'd taken us as far as he could, it's wide of the mark to just say he was a s*** chairman for us though.

Correct

[Guest Pie]

Mind-boggling really. Robson did a great job but he was undermined by people like Dyer, not by Fred. That's why you see Robson sitting next to Fred at matches.

 

 

Well I'd defy anyone to read Sir Bob's autobiography, and come away with the conclusion that he wasn't undermined by Shepherd.

 

Sir Bob only started appearing at Freddie's side when the team was starting to flounder under Roeder, and the fans were starting to publicly turn on Freddie. At the same time, Freddie was starting to try and sell the idea that the Halls were undermining his work, and, by implication, that they were responsible for the position the club was in. Sir Bob is a forgiving soul, but in this case I think he was being used.

 

When Shepherd announced to the world that SBR's contract would not be renewed at the end of the 2004/2005 season he made SBR a lame duck manager that the likes of Dire and Bellamy where only too happy to take advantage of.

 

To conclude that Shepherd did not undermine SBR is mind boggling really!

 

I was waiting for someone to come back with the "comments made by Fred" bit because it's just so obvious, and of course this would have undermined the manager given that some of the players were crap professionals. The thing is, the lack of respect from the players didn't happen overnight, it would have grown over time and become obvious to the Board and the Halls and is what led to those in charge beginning to doubt Robson.

 

As I said after we finished 3rd, Robson should have gone then when we were on a high, that was another mistake by the Board and the Halls.

 

Apart from irrational hatred I'm not at all sure why you're lumping Bellamy in with Dyer. Perhaps you can explain?

Smacking John Carver over the head with a chair? Going off to Wales when injured? Getting pissed (note Bobby's comments on Bellamy as well as Dyer) and hitting women? Being a 'strange' boy, as Bobby called him? Having to have Freddie warn him about his conduct?

They might have had something to do with it. Bellamy was a tit, Dyer was a tit. Both did well here under Bobbys managership and both did things professional footballers shouldn't.

[Guest Pie]

Mind-boggling really. Robson did a great job but he was undermined by people like Dyer, not by Fred. That's why you see Robson sitting next to Fred at matches.

 

 

Well I'd defy anyone to read Sir Bob's autobiography, and come away with the conclusion that he wasn't undermined by Shepherd.

 

Sir Bob only started appearing at Freddie's side when the team was starting to flounder under Roeder, and the fans were starting to publicly turn on Freddie. At the same time, Freddie was starting to try and sell the idea that the Halls were undermining his work, and, by implication, that they were responsible for the position the club was in. Sir Bob is a forgiving soul, but in this case I think he was being used.

 

When Shepherd announced to the world that SBR's contract would not be renewed at the end of the 2004/2005 season he made SBR a lame duck manager that the likes of Dire and Bellamy where only too happy to take advantage of.

 

To conclude that Shepherd did not undermine SBR is mind boggling really!

 

I was waiting for someone to come back with the "comments made by Fred" bit because it's just so obvious, and of course this would have undermined the manager given that some of the players were crap professionals. The thing is, the lack of respect from the players didn't happen overnight, it would have grown over time and become obvious to the Board and the Halls and is what led to those in charge beginning to doubt Robson.

 

As I said after we finished 3rd, Robson should have gone then when we were on a high, that was another mistake by the Board and the Halls.

 

Apart from irrational hatred I'm not at all sure why you're lumping Bellamy in with Dyer. Perhaps you can explain?

 

It can only be irrational love and respect for Shepherd that you can conclude that he never undermined SBR!

 

If some players didn't have respect for SBR then that's more damning of them than Sir Bobby.

 

Anyway, that's all in the past, the cancer has been cut out of the club, and I'm more than happy to move on and look forward to the future with renewed optimism.....

 

 

 

 

.....but I'm still astounded that you feel that Shepherd never undermined Sir Bobby. 

 

Some things never change. You and some others have missed the overall point of my post in your haste to have a go.

 

I just said that the Board doubting Robson (leading to any undermining of him obviously) was caused by the behaviour and attitude of the players. I obviously didn't explain myself well enough earlier with the comment along those lines, having overlooked there are people like you reading this forum. It think it's pretty obvious I'm blaming the players, so I don't see the point of your second sentence above. It's kind of obvious. By the way, what do you mean by "if the players didn't have respect?" Do you doubt it?

 

You shouldn't mention cancer when it comes to this subject. And you called me an idiot.

Was selling Gary Speed without telling his manager undermining? him? Or not? It's there to read in black and white unless you feel Bobby was telling lies, something he doesn't appear prone to.

[NE5]

The major mistake was the appointment of Souness. People ignore this or spout the inevitable, "but Fred appointed him." Be that ignorance as it may.

 

 

 

But Fred did appoint him, he never claimed otherwise. Fred also appointed Roeder after claiming it was the 'fans choice'. He also wanted Steve "The Cabbage" Bruce to be Newcastle boss to take charge on account of being a geordie. The best thing Shepherd could have done for Newcastle was to pay someone with better judgement than himself to appoint the manager. He should have done what Ashley has done and brought in a Chris Mort rather than hogging the headlines himself as Mr Newcastle.

 

 

I knew straight away who the people were that would pick out the bits of that post that suited them and nothing else

 

You were one of them

[Guest Knightrider]

The board undermining SBR must have had a direct influence on the players then undermining him, surely? Also when FS slagged the team off towards the end of the season we finished 5th, that couldn't have went down well with the players, not when they were being forced to play 2 games in less than 48 hours due to TV money, i.e. grafting their bollocks off. Indeed a few of them said as much, although pointing out that being the chairman he had a right to have his say on matters.

 

It's too easy to say SBR lost the dressing room or that the players were to blame for his sacking. I mean they must have been doing something right, we finished 4th, 3rd and 5th in succession, doesn't seem to me like the mark of a split camp or a manager who had lost his dressing room.

 

I actually agree with HTL that SBR should have been replaced the season we'd finished 3rd but I don't blame the board for sticking with him, there would have been an outcry had they done that. However they got his sacking all wrong and we won't even talk about his successor and who followed that ill-fated appointment which really, brought about the end of them as a boardroom and rightly so.

 

It wasn't all bad of course, during those three seasons under Bobby we looked to be going places but I never once got the impression the board could keep it all going and I was proved right, sadly. I say sadly because the board's failure is NUFC's failure and at the end of the day, I'm sure we'd have all loved to see them succeed. They didn't and are now history. We once again appear to be heading in a good direction after years of going in the wrong direction. Time will tell whether it stays this way. Me, I believe it will so fingers crossed.

 

Onwards and upwards as they say.

[NE5]

Shepherd undermined Sir Bobby Robson massively in his final years as a Newcastle manager. It started with the pitch issues, denying Sir Bobby a new pitch, then FS had a go at the manager and players over the Wolves away fixture which we ridiculously played less than 48 hours after a European match away, so we could earn a few quid with it being televised. Then towards the end of that season FS had his big rant about paying Rolls Royce wages only to get Ford performances which didn't help matters, regardless of whether he was right or not. Then in the summer he sold Gary Speed without Sir Bobby's say so, tried to flog Bowyer again without his say so, sold Woodgate without his say so and tried to sign Rooney which at the time was "news to me" from Bobby. He also left him out to dry over Nobby's sale, regarding the price, which the club fixed with Villa, not Sir Bobby, yet he took all the flack.

 

He also denied him funds or permission to sign that Greek full-back, Miguel, Carrick, Smith, Beattie and when he sold Woodgate, while Robson was wanting defenders, FS was chasing an 18-year old striker.

 

And that's not even mentioning the public announcement that this would be Bobby's final season which again, came as news to Bobby who was told live about it at a Tennis match, much to his shock.

 

Then there was the Shearer incident against Valerenga, again Sir Bobby was left out to dry, and Celtic's interest in him. FS said "no" to their offer without even consulting the manager who may have considered it a good deal to sell him.

 

Further back FS didn't renew Wadsworth's contract which left Sir Bobby fuming, wouldn't allow him to bring in a DOF and wouldn't allow him to install Prozone. All things that served to handicap Robson's quest to manage the club as he saw fit, something he earned due to first saving us from relegation and then leading us to our most successful stint in the top-flight in terms of successive league finishes.

 

Was Sir Bobby undermined? Do bears shit in the woods...

 

How much more money do you think the board should have gave Bobby Robson ?

 

 

[NE5]

All that may be true HTT, but thats all from Bobby's book. I'd like to hear Fred's side of the story tbh.

 

Not all of it is from Bobby's book.

 

Take Woodgate's sale. When announced Sir Bobby live on SSN said "I don't want him to go, I want my chairman to tell Madrid he's not for sale"

 

He then went on to say "I hope the deal falls through for us"

 

Woodgate on leaving "I never wanted to leave Newcastle and didn't even know about their interest"

 

This indicates that FS went behind Sir Bobby's back. He did it with Speed and Bowyer too.

 

On Rooney, we had Alan Shearer trying to convince him to sign yet the manager hadn't even spoken to the player. Whenever asked about Rooney Sir Bobby would either say "you'll have to ask my chairman", "he's a great young player" without ever committing more to it or "we need defenders"

 

Anyway I know exactly what happened with Sir Bobby.

 

Towards the end of the season we had finished 5th the board decided it was time to think about his eventual replacement so they sounded out both Bruce and Allardyce who weren't best pleased they were touting their big mate's job around. Interested of course they said they'd listen when, and only when, Sir Bobby calls it a day.

 

So the board decided to announce that Sir Bobby would be in his final year as NUFC manager, and subsequently held back funds from him as they knew they'd be hiring a new man in 9 months time who would need some money, this also prompted the sale of Woodgate.

 

(Rooney was going to be paid by Northern Rock who later paid for Owen)

 

Anyway Sir Bobby was kicking up a fuss over things such as Woodgate's sale, the Rooney interest "how come you've told me we don't have any funds yet you can chase an 18 year old player for £23m"? and such, that coupled with our start to the season, booing on the stands and talk of dressing room unrest the board panicked and decided to sack Sir Bobby, believing in either Bruce or Allardyce, they had a replacement lined up.

 

Only the pair said no not while a season was underway, come back at the end of the season. Bugger, thought the board. They then made inquiries for O'Leary, McLaren and Moyes but were told to go away.

 

Then the name of Venables popped up, perhaps he could do a caretaker job until the end of the season ala like he did at Boro they asked, so that we can then appoint either Bruce or Allardyce. This was eventually rebuffed due to uncertainty as to whether how the fans would react.

 

Stuck they decided to sound out agents. Some bloke from ProActive Sports told them some juicy gossip about how Souness, a client of theirs, was very close to the sack at Blackburn, he'll be up for the challenge and so on.

 

And the rest is history, with a few quid won at the bookies, sandwiched in between.

 

a manager gave his word to join Newcastle United, then changed his mind, leaving us without a boss.

 

 

 

[NE5]

All that may be true HTT, but thats all from Bobby's book. I'd like to hear Fred's side of the story tbh.

 

Not all of it is from Bobby's book.

 

Take Woodgate's sale. When announced Sir Bobby live on SSN said "I don't want him to go, I want my chairman to tell Madrid he's not for sale"

 

He then went on to say "I hope the deal falls through for us"

 

Woodgate on leaving "I never wanted to leave Newcastle and didn't even know about their interest"

 

This indicates that FS went behind Sir Bobby's back. He did it with Speed and Bowyer too.

 

On Rooney, we had Alan Shearer trying to convince him to sign yet the manager hadn't even spoken to the player. Whenever asked about Rooney Sir Bobby would either say "you'll have to ask my chairman", "he's a great young player" without ever committing more to it or "we need defenders"

 

Anyway I know exactly what happened with Sir Bobby.

 

Towards the end of the season we had finished 5th the board decided it was time to think about his eventual replacement so they sounded out both Bruce and Allardyce who weren't best pleased they were touting their big mate's job around. Interested of course they said they'd listen when, and only when, Sir Bobby calls it a day.

 

So the board decided to announce that Sir Bobby would be in his final year as NUFC manager, and subsequently held back funds from him as they knew they'd be hiring a new man in 9 months time who would need some money, this also prompted the sale of Woodgate.

 

(Rooney was going to be paid by Northern Rock who later paid for Owen)

 

Anyway Sir Bobby was kicking up a fuss over things such as Woodgate's sale, the Rooney interest "how come you've told me we don't have any funds yet you can chase an 18 year old player for £23m"? and such, that coupled with our start to the season, booing on the stands and talk of dressing room unrest the board panicked and decided to sack Sir Bobby, believing in either Bruce or Allardyce, they had a replacement lined up.

 

Only the pair said no not while a season was underway, come back at the end of the season. Bugger, thought the board. They then made inquiries for O'Leary, McLaren and Moyes but were told to go away.

 

Then the name of Venables popped up, perhaps he could do a caretaker job until the end of the season ala like he did at Boro they asked, so that we can then appoint either Bruce or Allardyce. This was eventually rebuffed due to uncertainty as to whether how the fans would react.

 

Stuck they decided to sound out agents. Some bloke from ProActive Sports told them some juicy gossip about how Souness, a client of theirs, was very close to the sack at Blackburn, he'll be up for the challenge and so on.

 

And the rest is history, with a few quid won at the bookies, sandwiched in between.

 

I couldn't comment on all those details, but I'm sure that the overall picture is correct. Freddie badly screwed up the whole question of Sir Bob's retirement and the succession.

 

IMO there was a further complication. For a long while, the dream was that Shearer would take over when Sir Bob retired, and the succession would be seamless. It came unstuck when Sir Bob decided that Shearer's successor as a player needed to be brought forward, but Shearer didn't feel it was the right time for him to retire or become a squad player. Freddie backed Shearer, Sir Bob's position became weaker on and off the field, and we went into a decline. When things came to a head with Sir Bob, Freddie ended up appointing a couple of lame duck managers to keep the seat warm for Shearer. No manager of any status was going to walk into a position where the Chairman's blue eyed boy was waiting in the wings, and where the Captain and senior player was exercising such an influence.

 

Basically, Freddie was unprofessional about the whole business, and we paid the price.

 

complete fiction, tbh

 

 

[Guest Knightrider]

Shepherd undermined Sir Bobby Robson massively in his final years as a Newcastle manager. It started with the pitch issues, denying Sir Bobby a new pitch, then FS had a go at the manager and players over the Wolves away fixture which we ridiculously played less than 48 hours after a European match away, so we could earn a few quid with it being televised. Then towards the end of that season FS had his big rant about paying Rolls Royce wages only to get Ford performances which didn't help matters, regardless of whether he was right or not. Then in the summer he sold Gary Speed without Sir Bobby's say so, tried to flog Bowyer again without his say so, sold Woodgate without his say so and tried to sign Rooney which at the time was "news to me" from Bobby. He also left him out to dry over Nobby's sale, regarding the price, which the club fixed with Villa, not Sir Bobby, yet he took all the flack.

 

He also denied him funds or permission to sign that Greek full-back, Miguel, Carrick, Smith, Beattie and when he sold Woodgate, while Robson was wanting defenders, FS was chasing an 18-year old striker.

 

And that's not even mentioning the public announcement that this would be Bobby's final season which again, came as news to Bobby who was told live about it at a Tennis match, much to his shock.

 

Then there was the Shearer incident against Valerenga, again Sir Bobby was left out to dry, and Celtic's interest in him. FS said "no" to their offer without even consulting the manager who may have considered it a good deal to sell him.

 

Further back FS didn't renew Wadsworth's contract which left Sir Bobby fuming, wouldn't allow him to bring in a DOF and wouldn't allow him to install Prozone. All things that served to handicap Robson's quest to manage the club as he saw fit, something he earned due to first saving us from relegation and then leading us to our most successful stint in the top-flight in terms of successive league finishes.

 

Was Sir Bobby undermined? Do bears shit in the woods...

 

How much more money do you think the board should have gave Bobby Robson ?

 

 

 

I don't know, that's not my job to determine those things. All I know is they were telling him there were no funds left for defenders one week, then putting record bids in for an 18-year old striker the next. Regardless of what I think about it all, how must Sir Bobby have felt?

[Guest Knightrider]

All that may be true HTT, but thats all from Bobby's book. I'd like to hear Fred's side of the story tbh.

 

Not all of it is from Bobby's book.

 

Take Woodgate's sale. When announced Sir Bobby live on SSN said "I don't want him to go, I want my chairman to tell Madrid he's not for sale"

 

He then went on to say "I hope the deal falls through for us"

 

Woodgate on leaving "I never wanted to leave Newcastle and didn't even know about their interest"

 

This indicates that FS went behind Sir Bobby's back. He did it with Speed and Bowyer too.

 

On Rooney, we had Alan Shearer trying to convince him to sign yet the manager hadn't even spoken to the player. Whenever asked about Rooney Sir Bobby would either say "you'll have to ask my chairman", "he's a great young player" without ever committing more to it or "we need defenders"

 

Anyway I know exactly what happened with Sir Bobby.

 

Towards the end of the season we had finished 5th the board decided it was time to think about his eventual replacement so they sounded out both Bruce and Allardyce who weren't best pleased they were touting their big mate's job around. Interested of course they said they'd listen when, and only when, Sir Bobby calls it a day.

 

So the board decided to announce that Sir Bobby would be in his final year as NUFC manager, and subsequently held back funds from him as they knew they'd be hiring a new man in 9 months time who would need some money, this also prompted the sale of Woodgate.

 

(Rooney was going to be paid by Northern Rock who later paid for Owen)

 

Anyway Sir Bobby was kicking up a fuss over things such as Woodgate's sale, the Rooney interest "how come you've told me we don't have any funds yet you can chase an 18 year old player for £23m"? and such, that coupled with our start to the season, booing on the stands and talk of dressing room unrest the board panicked and decided to sack Sir Bobby, believing in either Bruce or Allardyce, they had a replacement lined up.

 

Only the pair said no not while a season was underway, come back at the end of the season. Bugger, thought the board. They then made inquiries for O'Leary, McLaren and Moyes but were told to go away.

 

Then the name of Venables popped up, perhaps he could do a caretaker job until the end of the season ala like he did at Boro they asked, so that we can then appoint either Bruce or Allardyce. This was eventually rebuffed due to uncertainty as to whether how the fans would react.

 

Stuck they decided to sound out agents. Some bloke from ProActive Sports told them some juicy gossip about how Souness, a client of theirs, was very close to the sack at Blackburn, he'll be up for the challenge and so on.

 

And the rest is history, with a few quid won at the bookies, sandwiched in between.

 

a manager gave his word to join Newcastle United, then changed his mind, leaving us without a boss.

 

 

 

 

Who?

 

No manager gave their word, two did say they were very interested and to come back when and only when Sir Bobby had called it a day, those managers were Steve Bruce and Sam Allardyce.

 

We also asked O'Leary, Moyes and McLaren as well as Venables when those two said they wouldn't leave their respective clubs during a season.

 

Others say we asked MON too but I'm not so sure we did. The rest though, excluding El Tel, all basically turned down our overtures, or their clubs did.

 

Except Blackburn and Souness...

[Guest Knightrider]

BTW there are quotes from Ellis saying he refused O'Leary permission to speak to Newcastle, quotes from Kenwright denying Moyes had spoken to NUFC and quotes from Bruce, McLaren and Allardyce all saying they turned us down or decided to stay at their clubs despite being sounded out for the Newcastle job.

 

Terry Venables also claimed in a sunday column he did that he had been offered the job and was looking forward to getting back into management, which indicated he was going to say yes. A few weeks later he said he had more talks with FS and that it was decided that wouldn't happen, he then went on to wish us well.

 

Literally a few days later, to the horror of us all, Graeme Souness was appointed.

 

I had all the quotes on the old Htt.com website regarding all the names above, I remember them vividly.

 

Oh and another name who was strongly linked was George Graham, but I never heard anything concrete that he was even discussed.

[Dave]

David O'Leary. Top work Freddy.

[Dave]

a manager gave his word to join Newcastle United, then changed his mind, leaving us without a boss.

 

Is that a FACT?

 

Source?

[Guest K9]

I wouldn't have minded Venables, canny manager imo

[NE5]

I wouldn't have minded Venables, canny manager imo

 

they shouldn't have binned him from the england job, or forced him to resign, it suited him down to the ground

 

 

[Guest Knightrider]

I wouldn't have minded Venables, canny manager imo

 

In preference to Souness, without a doubt. Actually that was probably their best idea, to appoint him as caretaker until they could get their right man. But when their right man was Bruce, well...

 

All in all they completely screwed up over SBR's sacking and findinga  successor and never recovered from that. Unlike them, the club has a second chance though under Big Sam and Ashley and Mort and that's all I'm bothered about so howay the lads to those and let bygones be bygones.

[Guest Knightrider]

I wouldn't have minded Venables, canny manager imo

 

they shouldn't have binned him from the england job, or forced him to resign, it suited him down to the ground

 

 

 

Aye, he was a good national manager and England were class at times under him. Decent coach, not sure he's cut out for club management because that would involve transfers and I don't think he should be trusted with money.

[NE5]

David O'Leary. Top work Freddy.

 

O'Leary was highly rated at the time DAve, touted as a future ManU boss, the real deal. Why, I've absolutely no idea. Daft journalist from the people [the one that Ozzie Mandiarse dished the dirt on the club to] said in his rag column once too often for me how good he was and how much of a failure Keegan was. I emailed him and told him that O'Leary would never build a team as good as Keegans for as long as he had a hole in his arse no matter how much money he spent.

 

I got a reply, saying that he admired my support of Keegan, so I said again that time would tell.

 

Didn't stop the arsehole carry on making the odd jibe about Keegan though.

 

 

 

[Howaythelads]

Mind-boggling really. Robson did a great job but he was undermined by people like Dyer, not by Fred. That's why you see Robson sitting next to Fred at matches.

 

 

Well I'd defy anyone to read Sir Bob's autobiography, and come away with the conclusion that he wasn't undermined by Shepherd.

 

Sir Bob only started appearing at Freddie's side when the team was starting to flounder under Roeder, and the fans were starting to publicly turn on Freddie. At the same time, Freddie was starting to try and sell the idea that the Halls were undermining his work, and, by implication, that they were responsible for the position the club was in. Sir Bob is a forgiving soul, but in this case I think he was being used.

 

When Shepherd announced to the world that SBR's contract would not be renewed at the end of the 2004/2005 season he made SBR a lame duck manager that the likes of Dire and Bellamy where only too happy to take advantage of.

 

To conclude that Shepherd did not undermine SBR is mind boggling really!

 

I was waiting for someone to come back with the "comments made by Fred" bit because it's just so obvious, and of course this would have undermined the manager given that some of the players were crap professionals. The thing is, the lack of respect from the players didn't happen overnight, it would have grown over time and become obvious to the Board and the Halls and is what led to those in charge beginning to doubt Robson.

 

As I said after we finished 3rd, Robson should have gone then when we were on a high, that was another mistake by the Board and the Halls.

 

Apart from irrational hatred I'm not at all sure why you're lumping Bellamy in with Dyer. Perhaps you can explain?

Smacking John Carver over the head with a chair? Going off to Wales when injured? Getting pissed (note Bobby's comments on Bellamy as well as Dyer) and hitting women? Being a 'strange' boy, as Bobby called him? Having to have Freddie warn him about his conduct?

They might have had something to do with it. Bellamy was a tit, Dyer was a tit. Both did well here under Bobbys managership and both did things professional footballers shouldn't.

 

Let's include the hero Shearer then eh. Kicking Lennon in the mush, smacking Gillespie in the mush. Definitely material that undermines the position of a manager.

 

Under the time of Robson, Dyer didn't do anything like as well as Bellamy. To suggest otherwise and to lump them together is absurd.