So who's going to buy the club?

[S.S.R.]

 

 

He hasn't paid OUR debt off, he's paid HIS debt off. He hasn't given US any money. He's invested it in HIS business, from which HE will get the profits.

 

Falling hook line and sinker for the old Shepherd guff.

 

So when he does something good like pays off £100 million of debt he's only paying off "his debt" but when he does something bad he's making a fool of "our club".  Do you ever post anything positive you miserable little person?

 

 

If he didn't then pass that £100 million onto the next club owner then you'd have a point, but he will so its cost him nothing.

 

[Guest RowanB]

About £1.8 billion, but I think the portfolio is only assets, not capital.

 

Right. Probably not too bad then.

[S.S.R.]

Honestly, I didn't want to stir up the reaction I got, just the more I defended myself, Ashley's disciples took it as a slight on their hero. They see him as a footballing romantic who is just ploughing money into the club never to see it again.

 

Yeah, that's why he took on a club - that he had no previous affiliation with - that was recently in the top 20 richest clubs, instead of the numerous smaller clubs in dire need. There's gold in them thar hills.

 

There seems to be a myth perpetuated that football is a financial black hole, and anyone investing any money into it is just throwing it away for personal glory. Astronomical tv deals, tickets @ £30 a pop, yet apparently there is no money to be made in this business. The bigger the lie, the more it will be believed.

 

[TRon]

Honestly, I didn't want to stir up the reaction I got, just the more I defended myself, Ashley's disciples took it as a slight on their hero. They see him as a footballing romantic who is just ploughing money into the club never to see it again.

 

Yeah, that's why he took on a club - that he had no previous affiliation with - that was recently in the top 20 richest clubs, instead of the numerous smaller clubs in dire need. There's gold in them thar hills.

 

There seems to be a myth perpetuated that football is a financial black hole, and anyone investing any money into it is just throwing it away for personal glory. Astronomical tv deals, tickets @ £30 a pop, yet apparently there is no money to be made in this business. The bigger the lie, the more it will be believed.

 

 

Has the club been sold then?

[afar]

Honestly, I didn't want to stir up the reaction I got, just the more I defended myself, Ashley's disciples took it as a slight on their hero. They see him as a footballing romantic who is just ploughing money into the club never to see it again.

 

Yeah, that's why he took on a club - that he had no previous affiliation with - that was recently in the top 20 richest clubs, instead of the numerous smaller clubs in dire need. There's gold in them thar hills.

 

There seems to be a myth perpetuated that football is a financial black hole, and anyone investing any money into it is just throwing it away for personal glory. Astronomical tv deals, tickets @ £30 a pop, yet apparently there is no money to be made in this business. The bigger the lie, the more it will be believed.

 

 

Ashley's a twat, he'll employ a Joker as DOF and undermine KK, just wait and see. Manure will win the CL, Spain will win the Euros and ManShitty will sign Robinho. You heard it here first

 

 

[indi]

This is the kind of deal he is able to do:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/jun/05/9

 

£29m profit in eight weeks on an investment of £200m

 

That's 14.5% profit in eight weeks!!

 

You reckon he's going to make anything like that on NUFC!?!

 

Aye, actually. Do measure success in how quickly he does it? How much are you willing to bet that the club is worth more than double what it is now in three years?

 

How come the season tickets are going up for next year? He's pissing millions away, apparently. Why does he need an extra £20 off me? Naive beyond belief.

 

 

 

So allegedly he's going to ask $860m for the club

 

$860m is £482m (ish)

 

He apparently paid:

 

£134m to buy the club.

£110m to pay debt.

 

That's £244m total

 

Meaning that he'd get £482m - £244m = £238m profit in what 16 months, or so.

 

Whereas over the same time a deal like the Adidas one above would have got him:

 

(£29m / 8wks) * 4wks = £14.5m/month

 

£14.5m * 16 = £232m

 

So, if the figures quoted are accurate, that's a similar return as for the deal I quoted, but don't get too carried away just yet because I seriously doubt that's what he'll end up receiving.

[Teasy]

 

 

He hasn't paid OUR debt off, he's paid HIS debt off. He hasn't given US any money. He's invested it in HIS business, from which HE will get the profits.

 

Falling hook line and sinker for the old Shepherd guff.

 

So when he does something good like pays off £100 million of debt he's only paying off "his debt" but when he does something bad he's making a fool of "our club".  Do you ever post anything positive you miserable little person?

 

 

If he didn't then pass that £100 million onto the next club owner then you'd have a point, but he will so its cost him nothing.

 

 

And?  The fact that he paid off those debts is still a good thing, it just doesn't prove he currently has the best interests of the club at heart that's all.

[Teasy]

This is the kind of deal he is able to do:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/jun/05/9

 

£29m profit in eight weeks on an investment of £200m

 

That's 14.5% profit in eight weeks!!

 

You reckon he's going to make anything like that on NUFC!?!

 

Aye, actually. Do measure success in how quickly he does it? How much are you willing to bet that the club is worth more than double what it is now in three years?

 

How come the season tickets are going up for next year? He's pissing millions away, apparently. Why does he need an extra £20 off me? Naive beyond belief.

 

 

 

If he ends up selling for £450 million then you'd have a point.  I can't see him getting that though.

[Baggio]

About £1.8 billion, but I think the portfolio is only assets, not capital.

 

Is that all?

[Dave]

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sport/football/article-1056777/Dubai-developers-talks-buy-Ashley-Newcastle-hell.html?ITO=1490

A consortium linked to Dubai Sports City last night emerged as the front-runners to take over Newcastle.

 

The club's owner Mike Ashley is in Dubai with Dennis Wise and Tony Jimenez, trying to attract buyers and Sportsmail understands they are in talks with DSC, the world's first purpose-built sports city.

 

Dubai Sports City is a £4billion development and its backers certainly have the finance to buy out Ashley, who publicly admitted his desire to sell for the first time on Sunday.

 

The group are interested in adding a Premier League team to their portfolio.

 

However, negotiations are at an early stage and Ashley has also been in contact with a Chinese consortium.

 

Ashley bought the club for £133mllion 16 months ago and has spent around £100million clearing debts.

 

A Middle East business website yesterday claimed he was in talks with two investment groups linked to Dubai ruler Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.

 

Zabeel Investments, owned by the sheik, were said to have been offered the club for £480m, but his representatives denied the report.

[Robster]

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sport/football/article-1056777/Dubai-developers-talks-buy-Ashley-Newcastle-hell.html?ITO=1490

A consortium linked to Dubai Sports City last night emerged as the front-runners to take over Newcastle.

 

The club's owner Mike Ashley is in Dubai with Dennis Wise and Tony Jimenez, trying to attract buyers and Sportsmail understands they are in talks with DSC, the world's first purpose-built sports city.

 

Dubai Sports City is a £4billion development and its backers certainly have the finance to buy out Ashley, who publicly admitted his desire to sell for the first time on Sunday.

 

The group are interested in adding a Premier League team to their portfolio.

 

However, negotiations are at an early stage and Ashley has also been in contact with a Chinese consortium.

 

Ashley bought the club for £133mllion 16 months ago and has spent around £100million clearing debts.

 

A Middle East business website yesterday claimed he was in talks with two investment groups linked to Dubai ruler Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.

 

Zabeel Investments, owned by the sheik, were said to have been offered the club for £480m, but his representatives denied the report.

 

I cant imagine what it must be like to be sat across the table for someone and for them to say to you "that thing you own, I will give you £480 million for it".

[Tooj]

Whoever it is that takes over is going to have to win my trust this time, I feel like I've been made to feel an absolute mug by Ashley, sorry but that's just the way I feel.

[ChezGiven]

Some proper mafia types would be good, perhaps they could call themselves the Cosa Novocastrians. Omerta would mean Alan Oliver would be dead in weeks too.

[Newcastle Fan]

You got to understand that what happend in City won't happen again, what happend in City was one bored Sheikh who thought that having the best team in the world would be a good thing to brag to his friends about went and bought them, he dosn't care if he wins or loses money as much as he cares about his team getting results.

 

However those invesment groups are bulit to achieve profit, and i highley doubt that buying this club at its current state with the price on offer is going to be a good decsion business wise.

 

On the other hands, i know that their are at least 4  or 5 other people who are just as rich/if not richer than the guy who bought City, so if one of them decides that he wants to play real life PES with him he might just buy or club.

[Thespence]

You got to understanding that what happend in City won't happen again, what happend in City was one bored Sheikh who thought that having the best team in the world would be a good thing to brag to his friends about went and bought them, he dosn't care if he wins or loses money as much as he cares about his team getting results.

 

However those invesment groups are bulit to achieve profit, and i highley doubt that buying this club at its current state with the price on offer is going to be a good decsion business wise.

 

On the other hands, i know that their are at least 4  or 5 other people who are just as rich/if not richer than the guy who bought City, so if one of them decides that he wants to play real life PES with him he might just buy or club.

 

I dont know a great deal about horse racing but speaking to people that do, I have been told that it is all about the winning & owning the best horses rather than the money for the people involved in horse racing from the middle east. They take great delight in beating fellow Arabs on winning a major race or out bidding one for horses. Is this stuff true?

[Newcastle Fan]

You got to understanding that what happend in City won't happen again, what happend in City was one bored Sheikh who thought that having the best team in the world would be a good thing to brag to his friends about went and bought them, he dosn't care if he wins or loses money as much as he cares about his team getting results.

 

However those invesment groups are bulit to achieve profit, and i highley doubt that buying this club at its current state with the price on offer is going to be a good decsion business wise.

 

On the other hands, i know that their are at least 4  or 5 other people who are just as rich/if not richer than the guy who bought City, so if one of them decides that he wants to play real life PES with him he might just buy or club.

 

I dont know a great deal about horse racing but speaking to people that do, I have been told that it is all about the winning & owning the best horses rather than the money for the people involved in horse racing from the middle east. They take great delight in beating fellow Arabs on winning a major race or out bidding one for horses. Is this stuff true?

 

True when it comes to Horse races in the UAE, Camel races in Saudi  Arabia, sadley even though we are in 2008 and even though those people own so much money they still think as if this was 1850, for them winning a horse race and owning the best horse is a source of great pride and honour, they would pay millions to get the best horse and will stop at nothing to get it, its truely ridiculous.

[Robster]

You got to understanding that what happend in City won't happen again, what happend in City was one bored Sheikh who thought that having the best team in the world would be a good thing to brag to his friends about went and bought them, he dosn't care if he wins or loses money as much as he cares about his team getting results.

 

However those invesment groups are bulit to achieve profit, and i highley doubt that buying this club at its current state with the price on offer is going to be a good decsion business wise.

 

On the other hands, i know that their are at least 4  or 5 other people who are just as rich/if not richer than the guy who bought City, so if one of them decides that he wants to play real life PES with him he might just buy or club.

 

I dont know a great deal about horse racing but speaking to people that do, I have been told that it is all about the winning & owning the best horses rather than the money for the people involved in horse racing from the middle east. They take great delight in beating fellow Arabs on winning a major race or out bidding one for horses. Is this stuff true?

 

True when it comes to Horse races in the UAE, Camel races in Saudi  Arabia, sadley even though we are in 2008 and even though those people own so much money they still think as if this was 1850, for them winning a horse race and owning the best horse is a source of great pride and honour, they would pay millions to get the best horse and will stop at nothing to get it, its truely ridiculous.

 

I am not sure about horse racing but I have a good friend who works for Emirates Airlines and with them being a Dubai based Airline and from travelling there frequently for training courses etc, he says that they are very competetive with their fellow Arab States and are always looking to outdo each other.

 

 

[Thespence]

You got to understanding that what happend in City won't happen again, what happend in City was one bored Sheikh who thought that having the best team in the world would be a good thing to brag to his friends about went and bought them, he dosn't care if he wins or loses money as much as he cares about his team getting results.

 

However those invesment groups are bulit to achieve profit, and i highley doubt that buying this club at its current state with the price on offer is going to be a good decsion business wise.

 

On the other hands, i know that their are at least 4  or 5 other people who are just as rich/if not richer than the guy who bought City, so if one of them decides that he wants to play real life PES with him he might just buy or club.

 

I dont know a great deal about horse racing but speaking to people that do, I have been told that it is all about the winning & owning the best horses rather than the money for the people involved in horse racing from the middle east. They take great delight in beating fellow Arabs on winning a major race or out bidding one for horses. Is this stuff true?

 

True when it comes to Horse races in the UAE, Camel races in Saudi  Arabia, sadley even though we are in 2008 and even though those people own so much money they still think as if this was 1850, for them winning a horse race and owning the best horse is a source of great pride and honour, they would pay millions to get the best horse and will stop at nothing to get it, its truely ridiculous.

 

As your our man in the middle east, do you think the same would be adopted to running a football team wanting to own the best players, wanting the glory of trophies? With the people being linked with Newcastle United

[Newcastle Fan]

You got to understanding that what happend in City won't happen again, what happend in City was one bored Sheikh who thought that having the best team in the world would be a good thing to brag to his friends about went and bought them, he dosn't care if he wins or loses money as much as he cares about his team getting results.

 

However those invesment groups are bulit to achieve profit, and i highley doubt that buying this club at its current state with the price on offer is going to be a good decsion business wise.

 

On the other hands, i know that their are at least 4  or 5 other people who are just as rich/if not richer than the guy who bought City, so if one of them decides that he wants to play real life PES with him he might just buy or club.

 

I dont know a great deal about horse racing but speaking to people that do, I have been told that it is all about the winning & owning the best horses rather than the money for the people involved in horse racing from the middle east. They take great delight in beating fellow Arabs on winning a major race or out bidding one for horses. Is this stuff true?

 

True when it comes to Horse races in the UAE, Camel races in Saudi  Arabia, sadley even though we are in 2008 and even though those people own so much money they still think as if this was 1850, for them winning a horse race and owning the best horse is a source of great pride and honour, they would pay millions to get the best horse and will stop at nothing to get it, its truely ridiculous.

 

I am not sure about horse racing but I have a good friend who works for Emirates Airlines and with them being a Dubai based Airline and from travelling there frequently for training courses etc, he says that they are very competetive with their fellow Arab States and are always looking to outdo each other.

 

 

 

Thats true, in UAE's case they have inner states such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi always trying to outdo each other, while UAE the country spends ridiculous amounts of money just to make sure its the foucs point of the region, i don't think there are many places in the world that come near Dubai when it comes to the quality of that place, anything is possible there, all it takes to make it possible is for one sheikh to think "why not?", thing is they always look at what other people did and try to do it again, only better, and larger, we bulit an F1 track here in Bahrain, they were so pissed they bulit an island, with a F1 track as one of the  attractions in the island.

 

At least their national team is/was and always will be shit

[GM]

You'd have thought that having fallen prey to the fake Sheikh scam under previous management, those in charge of NUFC would be more wary and circumspect about serenading strange Arabian businessmen...

 

...can't wait for next week's News of the World EXCLUSIVE.

[Newcastle Fan]

You got to understanding that what happend in City won't happen again, what happend in City was one bored Sheikh who thought that having the best team in the world would be a good thing to brag to his friends about went and bought them, he dosn't care if he wins or loses money as much as he cares about his team getting results.

 

However those invesment groups are bulit to achieve profit, and i highley doubt that buying this club at its current state with the price on offer is going to be a good decsion business wise.

 

On the other hands, i know that their are at least 4  or 5 other people who are just as rich/if not richer than the guy who bought City, so if one of them decides that he wants to play real life PES with him he might just buy or club.

 

I dont know a great deal about horse racing but speaking to people that do, I have been told that it is all about the winning & owning the best horses rather than the money for the people involved in horse racing from the middle east. They take great delight in beating fellow Arabs on winning a major race or out bidding one for horses. Is this stuff true?

 

True when it comes to Horse races in the UAE, Camel races in Saudi  Arabia, sadley even though we are in 2008 and even though those people own so much money they still think as if this was 1850, for them winning a horse race and owning the best horse is a source of great pride and honour, they would pay millions to get the best horse and will stop at nothing to get it, its truely ridiculous.

 

As your our man in the middle east, do you think the same would be adopted to running a football team wanting to own the best players, wanting the glory of trophies? With the people being linked with Newcastle United

 

Pretty much yeah, if they put their mind on something they'll stop at nothing to make it happen, and if we got bought by someone from Dubai for example then their is no doubt they'll want to outdo the Abu Dhabi based Man City.

 

However lets not forget that this is football, its not a bunch of animal running in circles, money isn't always everything here athough it does play a huge part.

[GM]

You got to understanding that what happend in City won't happen again, what happend in City was one bored Sheikh who thought that having the best team in the world would be a good thing to brag to his friends about went and bought them, he dosn't care if he wins or loses money as much as he cares about his team getting results.

 

However those invesment groups are bulit to achieve profit, and i highley doubt that buying this club at its current state with the price on offer is going to be a good decsion business wise.

 

On the other hands, i know that their are at least 4  or 5 other people who are just as rich/if not richer than the guy who bought City, so if one of them decides that he wants to play real life PES with him he might just buy or club.

 

I dont know a great deal about horse racing but speaking to people that do, I have been told that it is all about the winning & owning the best horses rather than the money for the people involved in horse racing from the middle east. They take great delight in beating fellow Arabs on winning a major race or out bidding one for horses. Is this stuff true?

 

True when it comes to Horse races in the UAE, Camel races in Saudi  Arabia, sadley even though we are in 2008 and even though those people own so much money they still think as if this was 1850, for them winning a horse race and owning the best horse is a source of great pride and honour, they would pay millions to get the best horse and will stop at nothing to get it, its truely ridiculous.

 

As your our man in the middle east, do you think the same would be adopted to running a football team wanting to own the best players, wanting the glory of trophies? With the people being linked with Newcastle United

 

Pretty much yeah, if they put their mind on something they'll stop at nothing to make it happen, and if we got bought by someone from Dubai for example then their is no doubt they'll want to outdo the Abu Dhabi based Man City.

 

However lets not forget that this is football, its not a bunch of animal running in circles, money isn't always everything here athough it does play a huge part.

 

Would we all need to bring prayer mats to the match in future (for half time)?

[Guest Gallowgate Mag]

MIKE ASHLEY is hoping to sell Newcastle United in double-quick time to a Dubai-based investment company, but he will have to lower his £400million-plus asking price.

 

Ashley was in talks last night with Zabeel Investments chairman Mohammed Ali Al Hashimi and another Dubai investment company, but neither are willing to go above £300m for the crisis-torn club.

Newcastle are stuck in limbo – managerless and saddled with an owner whose sole priority now is to sell his stake.

 

While Ashley wants to cash in on his disastrous tenure at St James’ Park, he may eventually have to accept the lower figure, which would still represent a healthy profit.

Al Hashimi has already told Kevin Keegan he will be offered his old job back, just a fortnight after the ‘Geordie messiah’ resigned his post on Tyneside.

Founded two and a half years ago, Zabeel Investments have a £12.4billion portfolio.

 

Al Hashimi has been eager to buy a Premier League club, but will face competition from other oil-rich tycoons.

 

He is convinced, however, he can get billionaire Ashley to lower his asking price, especially as he has no option but to sell following Keegan’s resignation which sparked a furious fans’ response before, during and after Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat by Hull.

 

New Magpies striker Xisco’s arrival a fortnight ago may have been the final straw which led to Keegan’s resignation – he was bought without the manager’s knowledge or approval – but he has urged Ashley to help bring stability back to the club as quickly as possible.

 

Spain Under-21 striker Xisco, who scored on his debut against Hull, said:  “These are matters that do not help the team’s performances at all.

 

“We need to remain focused, play our football and try to win matches. Then we will see what happens once the situation sorts itself out.

 

“Newcastle’s team is built to compete for a place in Europe, but it is clear that we have not started the season as everyone had wished. However, there is still time for us to turn matters around.”

 

Fans’ groups met last night in an attempt to create a uniform strategy over the next few weeks, while denying that Ashley has ever been under physical threat.

 

On Sunday, Ashley claimed he had been told to stay away from St James’ Park for fear that he would be assaulted, but Northumbria Police say they issued him no such advice

[Mick]

 

Would we all need to bring prayer mats to the match in future (for half time)?

 

No but camel might be on the menu for the feast of Ramadan.

[Jamie87]

I'm sorry guys, but I'm not actually the newcastle united fan I have claimed to be. I lied for good reasons though. I've been posing as a football fan on many club forums for a TV show centred on clubs in dire situations. The show is called the secret billionaire. My real name is Bill, I own a succesfull software company you may have heard of, and I'd like to give you £450million to buy your football club.