Ashley looking for investors, not buyers

[ChezGiven]

Of course they've still got some work to do and they've got more than enough time to do it in. A lot of clubs haven't done much yet either. If you want to ignore the Modric angle than that's your problem.

I think we'll start seeing a lot more movement on the player front within the next two weeks. I'll get more and more impatient after that if we don't. I'm sure the club are working as hard as possible to improve the squad though, things just really aren't that easy at the end of the day.

 

 

You prefer to give the bullshit in the press over Modric priority over the actual words of the chairman?

 

Only of he is bluffing to keep future prices down can you think that.

[Joey]

You've got to realise he's already spent a shitload on club debts, i'd much prefer he got these paid out and steadied the club instead of keeping the debts and splashing out more. Granted we may not of splashed out on players, but the club itself is more important than trophy players who put us in a worse financial state, im sure in time we'll get the right men.

[UV]

"I am keen to have partners in Newcastle. That's a very expensive seat I sit in. I think I'll start with people from Newcastle.

 

The chairman said he was keen for Newcastle fans to invest alongside him in the club. "A proportion of Newcastle for Newcastle fans would make a lot of sense. If anyone wants to buy one per cent of Newcastle they can buy at the same price as me. I don't care if 100 guys want to club together to buy 0.1 per cent. Newcastle have got to be able to compete."

 

 

Does noone else find it ironic that he's now talking about having a scenario exactly like the position we were in last year before he forced Shepherd and every independent investor (thousands of supporters) to sell up to him?

 

He said: "I think last year, we were on the Titanic and still dancing with the band. This year will be different."

 

Set adrift in a lifeboat, waiting helplessly for someone to pick us up?

 

[Skirge]

Right lads I'll pass a hat roond, everyone chip in..

[mrmojorisin75]

Right lads I'll pass a hat roond, everyone chip in..

 

can't, i live in a cave in afganistan...

[madras]

Right lads I'll pass a hat roond, everyone chip in..

 

can't, i live in a cave in afganistan...

ok pass the turban round at your end.

[mrmojorisin75]

Right lads I'll pass a hat roond, everyone chip in..

 

can't, i live in a cave in afganistan...

ok pass the turban round at your end.

eeeeeeeeasy

[SteveMc]

That titanic quote was about Sports Direct not us

[quayside]

The Spurs comment was either a ploy to gain popularity (file in same place as wearing a shirt and standing with the fans) or a piss take on his his mates like Kemsley. To me the main message is that he can't or won't fund this club to take it to where we want it to be.

[thomas]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dichotomy

[KaKa]

Between today and Sunday I'm expecting at least two signings.

 

Big Mike is just toying with our emotions he's a tease. He said those things yesterday knowing people would be a bit worried and then he will surprise us with a couple of signings.

 

The Barry transfer is holding everything else up this summer I feel. As soon as that goes through, along with Bentley's move then things will certainly start happening.

 

Rangers also need to sign a centre back so Cuellar can finally complete his move also.

[Dave]

Between today and Sunday I'm expecting at least two signings.

 

Big Mike is just toying with our emotions he's a tease. He said those things yesterday knowing people would be a bit worried and then he will surprise us with a couple of signings.

 

The Barry transfer is holding everything else up this summer I feel. As soon as that goes through, along with Bentley's move then things will certainly start happening.

 

Rangers also need to sign a centre back so Cuellar can finally complete his move also.

 

I was going to start a baseless positivity thread, but looking at that it'd be better coming from you.

[Taylor Swift]

Well, I'll say this. The finance stuff is only a means to an end. The end is having a good team on the pitch, a team that KK believes in and a team that can hopefully challenge for the top 6. So, even if we have to continue signing players using the Webster ruling or even relying on a few Bosmans, if we can sign a striker, two central midfielders, a central defender and maybe an extra versatile midfielder, then I'll be happy even if all of them cost nowt. September 1st will be the time to judge the board and KK on our summer, and I have faith that they'll address our needs.

 

But just to add a little caution; even if we don't spend big, the season ain't a write-off. We still have KK, we still have some players who will improve and any new cheap signings we have may have a similar impact to our other cheap signings from last season (Faye and Beye). The time to fully judge everything will actually be the end of the season.

 

I'm only worried (or will only be worried) about the financial situation if it severely restricts our ability to sign and compete for players with the teams in and around our level (Spurs, Villa, Everton etc.). But still, if the team plays well, it won't matter if they collectively cost £1m or £50m.

[NJS]

Would people rather see the club debt free, run as a "proper" business with minimal player spend or the debt still there and a more ambitious approach (bearing in mind Liverpool, Man U etc live with huge debts)?

 

I'd say the latter though reluctantly.

 

 

That is why this option of outside investment giving what looks like a good combo appeals if it transpires.

 

 

 

[Dave]

Well, I'll say this. The finance stuff is only a means to an end. The end is having a good team on the pitch, a team that KK believes in and a team that can hopefully challenge for the top 6. So, even if we have to continue signing players using the Webster ruling or even relying on a few Bosmans, if we can sign a striker, two central midfielders, a central defender and maybe an extra versatile midfielder, then I'll be happy even if all of them cost nowt. September 1st will be the time to judge the board and KK on our summer, and I have faith that they'll address our needs.

 

But just to add a little caution; even if we don't spend big, the season ain't a write-off. We still have KK, we still have some players who will improve and any new cheap signings we have may have a similar impact to our other cheap signings from last season (Faye and Beye). The time to fully judge everything will actually be the end of the season.

 

I'm only worried (or will only be worried) about the financial situation if it severely restricts our ability to sign and compete for players with the teams in and around our level (Spurs, Villa, Everton etc.). But still, if the team plays well, it won't matter if they collectively cost £1m or £50m.

 

Good post. I've no idea why some continue to maintain that spending money is the be all and end all. As Newcastle fans we should know more than any others that it's not as simple as that. There are loads of good players in this league that were unearthed for not much money, it'd be nice if we could do that a little more. If the players Keegan wants cost a shitload, it's up to Ashley to back him, but I'm not going to automatically condemn any signings purely on the basis of their price tag. As long as Keegan is happy (and if he's not, we'll know about it), that's good enough for me.

 

Many of our squad have massively underperformed for a while now. If Keegan is half the manager we know he can be, he'll fancy his chances of getting those players going again.

[KaKa]

Between today and Sunday I'm expecting at least two signings.

 

Big Mike is just toying with our emotions he's a tease. He said those things yesterday knowing people would be a bit worried and then he will surprise us with a couple of signings.

 

The Barry transfer is holding everything else up this summer I feel. As soon as that goes through, along with Bentley's move then things will certainly start happening.

 

Rangers also need to sign a centre back so Cuellar can finally complete his move also.

 

I was going to start a baseless positivity thread, but looking at that it'd be better coming from you.

 

Big Mike is a world class WUM. We'll start rolling in the players shortly.

[Dave]

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sport/football/article-1034320/I-hate-Spurs-insists-Toon-owner-Ashley.html?ITO=1490

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has reacted accusations that he is really a Tottenham fan by saying that he 'absolutely hates Spurs'.

 

Sportsmail's cricket correspondent Paul Newman accused the Toon chief,  whose Sports Direct empire has announced a huge drop in profits, of being a closet Spurs supporter during his round-up of this morning's newspapers on Sky Sports News and Ashley has been quick to react.

 

Ashley said : 'It's not true. I absolutely hate Spurs and always have done.'

 

Eh?

[Guest icemanblue]

Haha, those quotes are going to be recycled a hell of a lot more I'd imagine.

 

eg. Mike Ashley is facing a backlash over racist comments made when he was asked how he felt about doing business with Middle Eastern companies. 'I'm not doing business with someone stuck in a cave in Afghanistan', said the narrow minded racist monster.  Reports suggest Mr Ashley also kills little cute puppies for a laugh, although he was unavailable for comment on these claims.

[Guest sondre]

don't know if it has been posted

 

Ashley, whose Sports Direct empire announced a huge drop in profits yesterday, has also moved to end suggestions his real passion is for Tottenham.

 

He said: "It's not true. I absolutely hate Spurs and always have done.

 

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,1780_3805236,00.html

 

:celb: :celb: :celb:

[Syrette]

People just don't bother reading threads nowadays do they? Not even TWO posts earlier.

[Guest sondre]

sorry m8, was in a rush :-[

[Syrette]

Sorry I'm in a bit of a bad mood because of N'Zogbia.

[Guest icemanblue]

[lovejoy]

Mike Ashley, the maverick businessman behind Newcastle United, today said he hoped to sell part of the club to local investors, but denied persistent rumours that he is looking to offload it outright. Ashley also rubbished recent stories that he has been in talks to sell Newcastle to the family of Osama Bin Laden, headlines that had infuriated fans who instantly threatened a boycott.

 

"Genuinely, genuinely, I am not looking for Newcastle shareholders in a cave in Afghanistan," he said. "Good morning Bin, how are you in your cave in Afghanistan? Would you like to come and sit next to me at the Toon army? Clearly not. Is that a rucksack you've got with you? Oh good."

 

Ashley has been dogged by rumours that he is looking for a way out of Newcastle ever since he took over at the club 14 months ago for £134m. The club was forced to issue a statement earlier this week insisting that Ashley remains a fully committed owner, but the once reclusive businessman has not previously spoken publicly about his plans.

 

Ashley also denied a story from last week that he had hawked the Premier League club for £420m to the American private equity firm InterMedia Partners. "There is absolutely no truth in that at all. It is absolutely bullshit."

 

Instead Ashley, who was raised in Slough, said he hoped to sell a "portion" of the club to local Newcastle businessmen. "It would be quite nice, be quite nice for the fans and everything else if we can get one or two partners in Newcastle United who are from Newcastle, so that's what we will try and do," he said.

 

Asked what percentage of the club he was looking to sell, he replied: "I would be quite happy to sell 1%. Just local guys, mad Newcastle fans and everything. I meet them and they say the only thing we regret is when you took the club, we then couldn't be a shareholder. If you want 1% of Newcastle, buy 1% of Newcastle for exactly the same price I paid for it. You can put in your money every year like I do, sit on the pitch and say this is one expensive season ticket, but I am having a lovely time.

 

"Newcastle United is not a thing you would make a profit on," he added. "Newcastle United is a thing you have to enjoy and love and enjoy going to the games and everything else. It would be very useful if we had some multi-billionaire partners that wanted a stake in Newcastle United. It would help."

 

Ashley said he would also welcome fans who wanted to club together and buy a stake, no matter how small, but that he had not yet held any formal talks with investors. "It would be quite nice if we were able to do something. It's good for Newcastle, for everybody to get together behind it."

 

Ashley made almost £1bn when he floated Sports Direct on the stock market in March last year. He said he wasn't personally bothered by the media attention he has had since buying the club but said he sometimes felt sorry for the fans. "It is upsetting for them to read these things; they read I am a mad Spurs fan and this sort of thing, and of course it is not true – I absolutely hate Spurs. I always have done."

 

 

 

www.nufc.com

[Dave]

Is that just to wind Role Model up?