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Article from today's Telegraphy


Big Geordie

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From nufc.com ;

 

Chairman in the firing line:

Now is the writing of Winter's discontent

 

Writing in Tuesday's Telegraph, Henry Winter has pulled no punches in his damning analysis of what needs fixing on Barrack Road:     

 

Nativity plays in Tyneside schools this year will surely feature boisterous audience outbursts of "Shepherd Out".

 

As Newcastle United writhe in another bout of introspection, the piercing search-light should be focused not on the short-term leadership from the dug-out but the long-term direction from the board-room. Chairman Freddy Shepherd is the problem, not manager Glenn Roeder.

 

Life at Newcastle is often depicted as a soap opera, a sort of North-eastenders with repeating plot-lines of aspiration unfulfilled, yet it is also real life laced with deepening sadness. Away from the chairman's office and certain incompetent corners of the dressing-room, this is a club teeming with proper people, supporters of unbelievable patience and passion, and employees who view the world solely in black and white.

 

When Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer were dragged to the press room to explain their infamous on-field spat, a heart-broken club servant turned the photograph of Jackie Milburn to the wall so that the late, great Geordie No 9 would not see the shame brought on the club he represented so sportingly and selflessly.

 

In Shepherd's defence, a middle-aged suit sitting up in the stands can hardly be held responsible for two midfielders scrapping down below. Not all of Newcastle's ills can be laid at Shepherd's door; the thoroughbred Michael Owen, a Shepherd transfer coup, went lame in England's colours

 

Shepherd has consistently provided funds for excellent recruits such as Scott Parker. He even allowed Roeder to gamble £10 million on Obafemi Martins, the infuriatingly inconsistent Nigerian striker.

 

Sympathy for Shepherd disappears the moment his salary is examined. According to the latest available accounts (year ending July 31 2005), Newcastle's chairman was paid £502,954. Good money for indifferent work. Shepherd is no benefactor in the mould of Middlesbrough's Steve Gibson, the benchmark for "a fit and proper person" to lead a football club.

 

Developments 200 miles to the south also embarrass Shepherd, down at Aston Villa, where Martin O'Neill has again been playing the sleeves-rolled up alchemist. O'Neill is the manager Shepherd should have wooed and appointed this summer, and Newcastle fans understandably gaze enviously at events off Spaghetti Junction. Roeder is an admirable person, a terrific coach, and outstanding Academy director, but he will never be the Pied Piper of Toon Army dreams as O'Neill would have been.

 

Talk swirls around fans' chat-rooms and City circles about a putative take-over, by the Belgravia Group, yet would Shepherd sell? Yesterday, one enraged supporter despatched a missive to Shepherd, pleading with him to leave, arguing that the chairman had wasted the legacy built up by his distinguished predecessor, Sir John Hall.

 

"When you took over the club you were handed the second-best team in the Premiership, a club that was looking like it was destined for greatness and you've destroyed all of that through your utter contempt for the fans and your lust for power and money," wrote Michael Foster. "You've totally failed in everything a chairman is responsible for."

 

Such Newcastle fans deserve better. Those of us neutrals who travel the English football circuit, mixing with fans of all club colours, and gauging the depth of their fervour, readily admit respect for Newcastle's following, home and away. Battered at Manchester United, Newcastle fans never stopped singing.

 

St James' itself is a special place, an arena that makes the pulse quicken when the teams walk out and that extraordinary roar erupts from countless Gallowgate throats. Attending Alan Shearer's testimonial last season was uplifting because of the outpouring of love for a local hero while also painfully poignant. The absence of Shearer's name from the cast-list rips away much of the lingering class clinging to the club.

 

A die-hard Newcastle disciple of this observer's acquaintance is convinced the club will be transformed only when supporters show their dissatisfaction at serial mismanagement by voting with their feet. Empty seats. No queues in the megastores. Might focus a few minds in the board-room. It will never happen.

 

Following Newcastle is a birthright, a religion, a warm-up before the knees-up of a night out. On the Geordie check-list of must-do activities, watching the Toon ranks alongside breathing. Such loyalty merits better leadership. Shepherd Out.

 

---------------------

 

So, the national media seem to be picking up on our discontent now. Will the local rags follow suit ? Probably not.

 

Spot on article, btw.

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Guest hawayman

This is the piece of the article we should all take notice of

 

A die-hard Newcastle disciple of this observer's acquaintance is convinced the club will be transformed only when supporters show their dissatisfaction at serial mismanagement by voting with their feet. Empty seats. No queues in the megastores. Might focus a few minds in the board-room. It will never happen.

 

and never mind it will never happen, it has to because if the money keeps rolling in Shepherd will sit and take the chants knowing everyone is paying him his wages for their say.

 

As much as it goes against the grain we must stay away from the games and club stores to hope for a brighter future and I for one will not be attending games until there is a change (apart from home league games as I have paid for season ticket)

 

Shepherd OUT

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Great article from a real newspaper always concise

and pointed whether it be sport or current affairs.

Well done Mr Winter, our discontent mapped.

 

Although I do feel Roeder is also culpable for taking

the job as he must know deep in his heart it is too

big for him.

Posted by Parky on October 24, 2006 11:50 AM

 

 

bluebiggrin.gif

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Agree entirely with that, the non-appointment of M'ON for me has put the last nail in the coffin for Shepherd. No blame goes to Roeder, he is doing what anyone would in his position, trying his best which unfortunately is not good enough, but we all knew that before he took over, how come the chairman didnt?

Posted by Colin MacKay on October 24, 2006 12:14 PM

 

:) Went a bit overboard with the comma's like  :lol:

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Guest Invicta_Toon

Agree entirely with that, the non-appointment of M'ON for me has put the last nail in the coffin for Shepherd. No blame goes to Roeder, he is doing what anyone would in his position, trying his best which unfortunately is not good enough, but we all knew that before he took over, how come the chairman didnt?

Posted by Colin MacKay on October 24, 2006 12:14 PM

 

:) Went a bit overboard with the comma's like  :lol:

 

force him to work for us at the point of gun?

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Great article from a real newspaper always concise

and pointed whether it be sport or current affairs.

Well done Mr Winter, our discontent mapped.

 

Although I do feel Roeder is also culpable for taking

the job as he must know deep in his heart it is too

big for him.

Posted by Parky on October 24, 2006 11:50 AM

 

 

bluebiggrin.gif

 

Dont big up the Torygraph man.

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Agree entirely with that, the non-appointment of M'ON for me has put the last nail in the coffin for Shepherd. No blame goes to Roeder, he is doing what anyone would in his position, trying his best which unfortunately is not good enough, but we all knew that before he took over, how come the chairman didnt?

Posted by Colin MacKay on October 24, 2006 12:14 PM

 

:) Went a bit overboard with the comma's like  :lol:

 

force him to work for us at the point of gun?

 

Who knows if that was the case? Who knows if he was approached in a manner that would have given him enough confidence to take on the job. All i know is that hes not the manager and the person i would blame for that is Shepherd until i know otherwise.

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Guest Invicta_Toon

Agree entirely with that, the non-appointment of M'ON for me has put the last nail in the coffin for Shepherd. No blame goes to Roeder, he is doing what anyone would in his position, trying his best which unfortunately is not good enough, but we all knew that before he took over, how come the chairman didnt?

Posted by Colin MacKay on October 24, 2006 12:14 PM

 

:) Went a bit overboard with the comma's like  :lol:

 

force him to work for us at the point of gun?

 

Who knows if that was the case? Who knows if he was approached in a manner that would have given him enough confidence to take on the job. All i know is that hes not the manager and the person i would blame for that is Shepherd until i know otherwise.

 

you really think after Soumess there was anything that FF could have said to have persuaded MON? Note that not a single person on here ever believes anything coming out of his fat gob, but you expect top managers to do so....

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Guest Darth Toon

A lot of feedback on that article now, 99% of it agreeing with Winter.  Just added mine and waiting for it to be published.

 

Just need someone to send the link to Oliver now!

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Agree entirely with that, the non-appointment of M'ON for me has put the last nail in the coffin for Shepherd. No blame goes to Roeder, he is doing what anyone would in his position, trying his best which unfortunately is not good enough, but we all knew that before he took over, how come the chairman didnt?

Posted by Colin MacKay on October 24, 2006 12:14 PM

 

:) Went a bit overboard with the comma's like  :lol:

 

force him to work for us at the point of gun?

 

Who knows if that was the case? Who knows if he was approached in a manner that would have given him enough confidence to take on the job. All i know is that hes not the manager and the person i would blame for that is Shepherd until i know otherwise.

 

you really think after Soumess there was anything that FF could have said to have persuaded MON? Note that not a single person on here ever believes anything coming out of his fat gob, but you expect top managers to do so....

 

Thats all very true dont get me wrong, but again it all boils down to the fact that if FF hadnt made all these stupid decisions we could have had M'ON here, judging by M'ONs character he would have loved this challenge but of course FF was there to complicate the situation..

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a lot of responses there, and most of them very reasonable. might want to try and keep the "SHEPHERD OOT SHEPHERD OOT" ones to a minimum tho..

 

That was Parky, he cant help himself when hes been on the sauce.

 

those german beers get him every time

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"Great article. This is what all Newcastle fans want (except NE5/Leazes Mag) - a recognition from the man at the top at Newcastle United that his time is up and that his days of pulling the wool over the eyes of the fans with trophy signings and waffling about Geordie power are over. Shepherd out.

Posted by Gemmill on October 24, 2006 9:17 AM"

 

Gemma take the board wars national. tongue.gif

 

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