At present has Mike Ashley got your backing?

[dcmk]

By the way NE5, I voted no. Remember that in 5 years time when you claim I backed him like everyone else but you

 

no to what ?

 

Speaking of 5 years, Mike Ashley is 2 years into his "plan", which automatically brings success, far better than simply trying to buy good players as they become available, and so keep the ones you alread have happy and try to build on them.  So be patient.

 

 

 

No to the thread question? Keep up fella

 

yep, I changed it, but you didn't reply to the rest.

 

Keep up lad 

 

 

EDIT: Why are you talking to me about having patience with Ashley, when I've clearly just said I'm not backing him?

 

why are you harping on to me when you have finally realised that he's taking the club nowhere ?

 

 

 

I was answering your question.

 

He's carried on taking the club where Fred was taking it.

 

I don't think so. I don't think the Halls and Shepherd would have created a club where our best players all wanted out - 2 of them gone - and did absolutely jack s*** to halt a relegation slide like that which we are in.

 

However, you can carry on ignoring what people other than yourself have seen in the past, and so can see the blindingly obvious - well the ones without their heads up their arse anyway.

 

 

 

Well all Leeds players wanted out.  The Ridsdale era at it's finest had CL football, players happy, supporters happy, backing their manager and spending.

 

Then BOOM! 

 

do you think that Leeds supporters would swap their european games for the last 10 years of a club like, say, Bolton ?

 

I can tell you with absolute certainty that they all loved that time, which goes without saying, just like we did too. You wouldn't swap that for semi-permanent relegation fights would you ? If you do, then stand by, because if we stay up next season will be just like this, and the next, and the next.

 

Success is what football is all about mate, its not about balancing books and being afraid of ambition, its about aiming for success and taking the knocks as well.

 

And - if anybody is taking us down like Leeds and sheffield Wednesday, its Mike Ashley.

 

 

 

No one has heard of them since, we have had those times - and we are grateful but it was always going to end bad with Shepherd.  Newcastle could of been the new Leeds, we were gambling of getting into Europe each year. 

 

Ask a Leeds fan if they would want Ridsdale back.  Now what is your argument? that Shepherd is better than Ashley?

 

Well under Ashley we have our club.  If the club got relegated we will still be able to survive. 

 

Shepherd like it or not was not going to get us back up there.  He had expended all possible resources.

 

No point cherry picking Leeds, for being the only side to collapse to such a degree in about 40 year .... still, whatever suits you. Point is that football is about success, if you don't attempt it - being one of the biggest clubs in the country with the 2nd biggest gate until the Emirates opened - you may as well give up.

 

Which appears to be what a lot of people appear to have done. Give up. I don't know why, maybe to try and demean or discredit the only board we had in 50 years that had ambition in keeping with what we ought to have.

 

Ashley is pointing us towards relegation, and administration by the way. Under him, we will never match the Halls and Shepherd's league positions and european qualifications.

 

 

 

How many clubs have gone into administration by gambling on league positions.  There is so many, Leeds are just the biggest example in England.

[NE5]

By the way NE5, I voted no. Remember that in 5 years time when you claim I backed him like everyone else but you

 

no to what ?

 

Speaking of 5 years, Mike Ashley is 2 years into his "plan", which automatically brings success, far better than simply trying to buy good players as they become available, and so keep the ones you alread have happy and try to build on them.  So be patient.

 

 

 

No to the thread question? Keep up fella

 

yep, I changed it, but you didn't reply to the rest.

 

Keep up lad 

 

 

EDIT: Why are you talking to me about having patience with Ashley, when I've clearly just said I'm not backing him?

 

why are you harping on to me when you have finally realised that he's taking the club nowhere ?

 

 

 

I was answering your question.

 

He's carried on taking the club where Fred was taking it.

 

I don't think so. I don't think the Halls and Shepherd would have created a club where our best players all wanted out - 2 of them gone - and did absolutely jack s*** to halt a relegation slide like that which we are in.

 

However, you can carry on ignoring what people other than yourself have seen in the past, and so can see the blindingly obvious - well the ones without their heads up their arse anyway.

 

 

 

Well all Leeds players wanted out.  The Ridsdale era at it's finest had CL football, players happy, supporters happy, backing their manager and spending.

 

Then BOOM! 

 

do you think that Leeds supporters would swap their european games for the last 10 years of a club like, say, Bolton ?

 

I can tell you with absolute certainty that they all loved that time, which goes without saying, just like we did too. You wouldn't swap that for semi-permanent relegation fights would you ? If you do, then stand by, because if we stay up next season will be just like this, and the next, and the next.

 

Success is what football is all about mate, its not about balancing books and being afraid of ambition, its about aiming for success and taking the knocks as well.

 

And - if anybody is taking us down like Leeds and sheffield Wednesday, its Mike Ashley.

 

 

 

No one has heard of them since, we have had those times - and we are grateful but it was always going to end bad with Shepherd.  Newcastle could of been the new Leeds, we were gambling of getting into Europe each year. 

 

Ask a Leeds fan if they would want Ridsdale back.  Now what is your argument? that Shepherd is better than Ashley?

 

Well under Ashley we have our club.  If the club got relegated we will still be able to survive. 

 

Shepherd like it or not was not going to get us back up there.  He had expended all possible resources.

 

No point cherry picking Leeds, for being the only side to collapse to such a degree in about 40 year .... still, whatever suits you. Point is that football is about success, if you don't attempt it - being one of the biggest clubs in the country with the 2nd biggest gate until the Emirates opened - you may as well give up.

 

Which appears to be what a lot of people appear to have done. Give up. I don't know why, maybe to try and demean or discredit the only board we had in 50 years that had ambition in keeping with what we ought to have.

 

Ashley is pointing us towards relegation, and administration by the way. Under him, we will never match the Halls and Shepherd's league positions and european qualifications.

 

 

 

How many clubs have gone into administration by gambling on league positions.  There is so many, Leeds are just the biggest example in England.

 

how many have shown ambition ie gambled, and not gone into administration ?

 

How many clubs have qualified for the champions League and not spent big money [and are now not in debt ?]

 

 

[dcmk]

By the way NE5, I voted no. Remember that in 5 years time when you claim I backed him like everyone else but you

 

no to what ?

 

Speaking of 5 years, Mike Ashley is 2 years into his "plan", which automatically brings success, far better than simply trying to buy good players as they become available, and so keep the ones you alread have happy and try to build on them.  So be patient.

 

 

 

No to the thread question? Keep up fella

 

yep, I changed it, but you didn't reply to the rest.

 

Keep up lad 

 

 

EDIT: Why are you talking to me about having patience with Ashley, when I've clearly just said I'm not backing him?

 

why are you harping on to me when you have finally realised that he's taking the club nowhere ?

 

 

 

I was answering your question.

 

He's carried on taking the club where Fred was taking it.

 

I don't think so. I don't think the Halls and Shepherd would have created a club where our best players all wanted out - 2 of them gone - and did absolutely jack s*** to halt a relegation slide like that which we are in.

 

However, you can carry on ignoring what people other than yourself have seen in the past, and so can see the blindingly obvious - well the ones without their heads up their arse anyway.

 

 

 

Well all Leeds players wanted out.  The Ridsdale era at it's finest had CL football, players happy, supporters happy, backing their manager and spending.

 

Then BOOM! 

 

do you think that Leeds supporters would swap their european games for the last 10 years of a club like, say, Bolton ?

 

I can tell you with absolute certainty that they all loved that time, which goes without saying, just like we did too. You wouldn't swap that for semi-permanent relegation fights would you ? If you do, then stand by, because if we stay up next season will be just like this, and the next, and the next.

 

Success is what football is all about mate, its not about balancing books and being afraid of ambition, its about aiming for success and taking the knocks as well.

 

And - if anybody is taking us down like Leeds and sheffield Wednesday, its Mike Ashley.

 

 

 

No one has heard of them since, we have had those times - and we are grateful but it was always going to end bad with Shepherd.  Newcastle could of been the new Leeds, we were gambling of getting into Europe each year. 

 

Ask a Leeds fan if they would want Ridsdale back.  Now what is your argument? that Shepherd is better than Ashley?

 

Well under Ashley we have our club.  If the club got relegated we will still be able to survive. 

 

Shepherd like it or not was not going to get us back up there.  He had expended all possible resources.

 

No point cherry picking Leeds, for being the only side to collapse to such a degree in about 40 year .... still, whatever suits you. Point is that football is about success, if you don't attempt it - being one of the biggest clubs in the country with the 2nd biggest gate until the Emirates opened - you may as well give up.

 

Which appears to be what a lot of people appear to have done. Give up. I don't know why, maybe to try and demean or discredit the only board we had in 50 years that had ambition in keeping with what we ought to have.

 

Ashley is pointing us towards relegation, and administration by the way. Under him, we will never match the Halls and Shepherd's league positions and european qualifications.

 

 

 

How many clubs have gone into administration by gambling on league positions.  There is so many, Leeds are just the biggest example in England.

 

how many have shown ambition ie gambled, and not gone into administration ?

 

How many clubs have qualified for the champions League and not spent big money [and are now not in debt ?]

 

 

 

Man Utd was debt free, profit year on year before the Glaziers took over.

 

The rest spend within there means to compete not taking it to Shepherd levels which were unsustainable.  Your right majority of clubs have debt.  I don't think anyone has ever argued against that.

 

Those debts are sustainable and these clubs don't gamble on European football league positions like we were.  They may gamble on Premier League status but not 6/7th every year...like Leeds also did.  We started to under perform.  Books were getting old of hand, Shepherd couldn't continue like that.  No chairman could.  What he tried to do, is the closest we will get for foreseeable future for sure.

 

That's not the point if it continued to fail, we would probably over the course of next 3-5 years be in alot worse situation than we are now.  Unsustainable, surely you would agree on that?  It's common knowledge we were over spending.

 

Hall saw this and sold up sharpish.

[bealios]

Why are we still being referred to as a 'minority' when over 50% of the people here are against Ashley?

 

I think the 10% or so supporting Ashley would roughly correspond to those with IQs under 80, and the 35% stupid enough to reserve judgement until February safely fill out 'below average intelligence but still functional' bracket.

 

Just goes to prove the old adage. You can't fool all of the people all of the time, but you can fool all the stupid ones most of the time. Ashley's been running Sportsdirect on that adage for years, so he should know.

 

 

I hate to say 'I told you so', but I told you so.

 

To those of you who feel the need to 're-assess' every time Ashley comes out with another empty promise, please be aware you are stupid, and he's taking you for a ride. There is overwhelming evidence that he paid far too much for the club, and is now determined to get his money back regardless of the impact to the club in the meantime.

 

Please do not embarrass yourselves any further by falling over yourselves to give him a chance when he makes an announcement in two months time that he recognises the squad needs improving, and will be acting in the summer.

 

Its all lies. Freddy & co. ripped him off and he'll burn this club to the ground if thats what it takes to get his money back.

 

To be fair, I reckon the majority of people supporting Ashley are those who have read and understand the accounts and realise what a complete mess the club were in financially BEFORE Ashley took over, and appreciate that given the absence of anyone prepared to buy the club and keep it afloat, he is the only one available. Not sure you can say that this equates to those with a low IQ.

 

Conversely, the Anti- Ashley activisits and the "Cockney Mafia Out" brigade don't seem to be the sharpest tools in the box. The allegations that Ashley is only in it for the money and that he is "asset stripping" are ludicrous. Incompetent decision making and poorly advised certainly, but can you point out one profitable football club please? They're all fucked - apart from possibly Man Utd with their global turnover.

[mrmojorisin75]

Why are we still being referred to as a 'minority' when over 50% of the people here are against Ashley?

 

I think the 10% or so supporting Ashley would roughly correspond to those with IQs under 80, and the 35% stupid enough to reserve judgement until February safely fill out 'below average intelligence but still functional' bracket.

 

Just goes to prove the old adage. You can't fool all of the people all of the time, but you can fool all the stupid ones most of the time. Ashley's been running Sportsdirect on that adage for years, so he should know.

 

 

I hate to say 'I told you so', but I told you so.

 

To those of you who feel the need to 're-assess' every time Ashley comes out with another empty promise, please be aware you are stupid, and he's taking you for a ride. There is overwhelming evidence that he paid far too much for the club, and is now determined to get his money back regardless of the impact to the club in the meantime.

 

Please do not embarrass yourselves any further by falling over yourselves to give him a chance when he makes an announcement in two months time that he recognises the squad needs improving, and will be acting in the summer.

 

Its all lies. Freddy & co. ripped him off and he'll burn this club to the ground if thats what it takes to get his money back.

 

To be fair, I reckon the majority of people supporting Ashley are those who have read and understand the accounts and realise what a complete mess the club were in financially BEFORE Ashley took over, and appreciate that given the absence of anyone prepared to buy the club and keep it afloat, he is the only one available. Not sure you can say that this equates to those with a low IQ.

 

Conversely, the Anti- Ashley activisits and the "Cockney Mafia Out" brigade don't seem to be the sharpest tools in the box. The allegations that Ashley is only in it for the money and that he is "asset stripping" are ludicrous. Incompetent decision making and poorly advised certainly, but can you point out one profitable football club please? They're all fucked - apart from possibly Man Utd with their global turnover.

 

he's not asset stripping no, but he's certainly allowing the dilution of quality in the squad to presumably rake in some money towards keeping us running rather than invest more of his own money

 

a fair assessment?

 

i'd call this the short view myself 'cause if he's hurting now he's gonna be hurting a fucksite worse come may

 

 

 

[cp40]

See my Avatar.

[Bad Mongo]

To be fair, I reckon the majority of people supporting Ashley are those who have read and understand the accounts and realise what a complete mess the club were in financially BEFORE Ashley took over, and appreciate that given the absence of anyone prepared to buy the club and keep it afloat, he is the only one available. Not sure you can say that this equates to those with a low IQ.

 

Conversely, the Anti- Ashley activisits and the "Cockney Mafia Out" brigade don't seem to be the sharpest tools in the box. The allegations that Ashley is only in it for the money and that he is "asset stripping" are ludicrous. Incompetent decision making and poorly advised certainly, but can you point out one profitable football club please? They're all fucked - apart from possibly Man Utd with their global turnover.

 

Ah, yes, so those who support Ashley do it because they are intelligent and knowledgeable people and those who do not do it because they are stupid. That's the reasoning of an idiot. To spell it out for you: your reasoning is the reasoning of an idiot.

 

Ashley knew what he bought, or at least he should have. Most clubs have huge debts, and Newcastle's were known to be particularly bad. The debts and the cost of running the club were part of the price. If he couldn't afford it, he shouldn't have bought it. That's stupid. Demanding some ambition is not: without it, the club is headed for relegation. Ashley deserves no more sympathy than a landlord who lets his house fall down.

[LooneyToonArmy]

didnt Mike Ashley say he`d make a new statement after the transfer window?

 

(Not the statement that we`d sign fk all )

[quayside]

To be fair, I reckon the majority of people supporting Ashley are those who have read and understand the accounts and realise what a complete mess the club were in financially BEFORE Ashley took over, and appreciate that given the absence of anyone prepared to buy the club and keep it afloat, he is the only one available. Not sure you can say that this equates to those with a low IQ.

 

Conversely, the Anti- Ashley activisits and the "Cockney Mafia Out" brigade don't seem to be the sharpest tools in the box. The allegations that Ashley is only in it for the money and that he is "asset stripping" are ludicrous. Incompetent decision making and poorly advised certainly, but can you point out one profitable football club please? They're all f***ed - apart from possibly Man Utd with their global turnover.

 

Ah, yes, so those who support Ashley do it because they are intelligent and knowledgeable people and those who do not do it because they are stupid. That's the reasoning of an idiot. To spell it out for you: your reasoning is the reasoning of an idiot.

 

Ashley knew what he bought, or at least he should have. Most clubs have huge debts, and Newcastle's were known to be particularly bad. The debts and the cost of running the club were part of the price. If he couldn't afford it, he shouldn't have bought it. That's stupid. Demanding some ambition is not: without it, the club is headed for relegation. Ashley deserves no more sympathy than a landlord who lets his house fall down.

 

 

Yup - can only agree with that. Whilst it is irritating to hear people wrongly accuse Ashley of pocketing money and not putting money into the club, he really should not have got involved in something that he could not afford to run properly. It is also quite obvious he knows very little about what it takes to run it successfully. In fact his running of Sports Direct has some remarkable similarities with what he has done at Newcastle. It looks like his decision to buy the club was spur of the moment and nothing more than a "hey look at me I'm a real big boy now I own a Premiership football club"moment.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I think he bought the club for fun, not realising how costly it would be to run it. Even typing that about a successful businessman seems weird, but I can't see any other explanation.

 

I don't know whether he has my 'backing' or not, but I instinctively support NUFC and the people involved in running it... I suppose that's why I find it hard to lash out at him.

 

Also, I realise the situation we were in financially and I can see where he is coming from with regards to making us more self-sufficient. If we don't implode in the next couple of seasons, I really think that will be in the best interests of the club.

 

The main problem I see with Ashley is his lack of a coherent vision, and his unwillingness to stick to his principles.

 

He combined a continental recruitment system with an old-school, emotional manager. Then when it went tits-up he decided he wanted out on a whim. Then when he was forced to stay he employed another bizarre managerial appointment instead of reverting to the original plan.

 

I don't know what to think at the moment, I just hope we make it to the summer in the premiership so we at least have a chance to sort it.

[thomas]

didnt Mike Ashley say he`d make a new statement after the transfer window?

 

(Not the statement that we`d sign fk all )

Think it was JFK who promised a statement from mike, which probably means he just imagined the whole thing anyway.

[TRon]

I think he bought the club for fun, not realising how costly it would be to run it. Even typing that about a successful businessman seems weird, but I can't see any other explanation.

 

I don't know whether he has my 'backing' or not, but I instinctively support NUFC and the people involved in running it... I suppose that's why I find it hard to lash out at him.

 

Also, I realise the situation we were in financially and I can see where he is coming from with regards to making us more self-sufficient. If we don't implode in the next couple of seasons, I really think that will be in the best interests of the club.

 

The main problem I see with Ashley is his lack of a coherent vision, and his unwillingness to stick to his principles.

 

He combined a continental recruitment system with an old-school, emotional manager. Then when it went tits-up he decided he wanted out on a whim. Then when he was forced to stay he employed another bizarre managerial appointment instead of reverting to the original plan.

 

I don't know what to think at the moment, I just hope we make it to the summer in the premiership so we at least have a chance to sort it.

 

A fair assessment. It's hard to back such bumbling incompetence which is becoming more and more apparent every day though. I've a real fear that Kinnear is going to be given full reign as manager and he's going to end up turning us into a north east Wimbledon.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Aye, I'd never be able to support a decision to keep JFK on permanently. Although Ashley wouldn't be the only owner to make a bad managerial appointment!

[LooneyToonArmy]

Ashley pledges to spend more time running NUFC

 

Feb 5 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

 

MIKE Ashley has pledged to spend more time in the North East running Newcastle United as he looks to adopt a more ‘hands on’ role at the club he was prepared to sell before Christmas.

 

Ashley has told manager Joe Kinnear that he intends to be a more visible presence at the club’s training ground from now on – and that he will start to take more responsibility for the key decisions at the club.

 

He also agreed to Kinnear’s request for a regular fortnightly meeting.

 

It follows a prolonged visit by Ashley to the club’s training ground last week ahead of transfer deadline day, which Kinnear believes invigorated his commitment to Newcastle United. “Mike will be back in Newcastle today. He definitely wants to become more hands on in the running of his football club,” said Kinnear.

 

“He has been in Newcastle three days a week and that will be a regular thing from now on.

 

“He wants to see how things work and he’s committed to a fortnightly major meeting between everyone at the club so that we can start moving things in the right direction. It is a new world for him. Over the last week or so we’ve had him down at the training ground talking to the players, eating his lunch with them and giving them the kind of reassurances on their contracts and their future that they’ve needed to hear.

 

“He hasn’t seen players train and work first hand before but he told me it has opened his eyes, and he’s definitely willing to back up his words.”

 

Kinnear added: “I know people still have to be convinced about things but there is a sense of unity at the club now.

 

“The guys at the top know they need to communicate better, which is why they are speaking to the two local papers. I think they will sit down with supporters’ groups and fans and the people of Newcastle at the end of the season – I know they want to do that.

 

“When I came in I kept getting caught between different people wanting different things but hopefully that has now disappeared and we can start to look forward.”

[gray]

http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs13/f/2007/048/b/2/My_ridiculous_self_portrait_by_ViestursLinks.jpg

[mrmojorisin75]

what

 

the

 

fuck?

 

[gray]

[nobby_solano]

i have to say no, he's trying to use a puncture repair kit to fix the titanic.

ringing sunderland to bid for richardson when we knew there was no chance of it happening, he might as well have rang real up and said 'we'd like to sign sneijder, no chance you say? ah well we knew you'd say that but how are you doing by the way? us? we're alright, just trying to make it look like we're trying to sign players...wink wink...nudge nudge'

[AyeDubbleYoo]

The Journal article is encouraging if what JK is saying is true.

[Guest The Libertine]

I think they will sit down with supporters’ groups and fans and the people of Newcastle at the end of the season – I know they want to do that.

 

no end of window statement like you said then?

 

does kinnear have any redeeming qualities?

 

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Ashley pledges to spend more time running NUFC

 

Feb 5 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

 

MIKE Ashley has pledged to spend more time in the North East running Newcastle United as he looks to adopt a more ‘hands on’ role at the club he was prepared to sell before Christmas.

 

Ashley has told manager Joe Kinnear that he intends to be a more visible presence at the club’s training ground from now on – and that he will start to take more responsibility for the key decisions at the club.

 

He also agreed to Kinnear’s request for a regular fortnightly meeting.

 

It follows a prolonged visit by Ashley to the club’s training ground last week ahead of transfer deadline day, which Kinnear believes invigorated his commitment to Newcastle United. “Mike will be back in Newcastle today. He definitely wants to become more hands on in the running of his football club,” said Kinnear.

 

“He has been in Newcastle three days a week and that will be a regular thing from now on.

 

“He wants to see how things work and he’s committed to a fortnightly major meeting between everyone at the club so that we can start moving things in the right direction. It is a new world for him. Over the last week or so we’ve had him down at the training ground talking to the players, eating his lunch with them and giving them the kind of reassurances on their contracts and their future that they’ve needed to hear.

 

“He hasn’t seen players train and work first hand before but he told me it has opened his eyes, and he’s definitely willing to back up his words.”

 

Kinnear added: “I know people still have to be convinced about things but there is a sense of unity at the club now.

 

“The guys at the top know they need to communicate better, which is why they are speaking to the two local papers. I think they will sit down with supporters’ groups and fans and the people of Newcastle at the end of the season – I know they want to do that.

 

“When I came in I kept getting caught between different people wanting different things but hopefully that has now disappeared and we can start to look forward.”

 

More bollocks - not surprised crap like this is coming out.

 

Made a profit in the transfer window and is now trying to buy some time - well fuck you Ashley, you are a fat lying bastard.

 

Less words and more action is required

[dcmk]

You noticed in the article the words 'sense of unity at the club now' its nailed on JFK is getting a longer contract in my opinion.

[ianovthetoon]

You noticed in the article the words 'sense of unity at the club now' its nailed on JFK is getting a longer contract in my opinion.

 

Nah Ashley's gonna pick his footballing "brain" in readiness to run the thing himself ala Niall Quinn 

[bealios]

To be fair, I reckon the majority of people supporting Ashley are those who have read and understand the accounts and realise what a complete mess the club were in financially BEFORE Ashley took over, and appreciate that given the absence of anyone prepared to buy the club and keep it afloat, he is the only one available. Not sure you can say that this equates to those with a low IQ.

 

Conversely, the Anti- Ashley activisits and the "Cockney Mafia Out" brigade don't seem to be the sharpest tools in the box. The allegations that Ashley is only in it for the money and that he is "asset stripping" are ludicrous. Incompetent decision making and poorly advised certainly, but can you point out one profitable football club please? They're all fucked - apart from possibly Man Utd with their global turnover.

 

Ah, yes, so those who support Ashley do it because they are intelligent and knowledgeable people and those who do not do it because they are stupid. That's the reasoning of an idiot. To spell it out for you: your reasoning is the reasoning of an idiot.

 

Ashley knew what he bought, or at least he should have. Most clubs have huge debts, and Newcastle's were known to be particularly bad. The debts and the cost of running the club were part of the price. If he couldn't afford it, he shouldn't have bought it. That's stupid. Demanding some ambition is not: without it, the club is headed for relegation. Ashley deserves no more sympathy than a landlord who lets his house fall down.

 

I think if you look at the whole post I was trying to comment on the ridiculous statement in the earlier post which referred to all those supporting Ashley had low IQ's - it was meant slightly tongue in cheek.

 

Re your second paragraph, we all know that Ashley bought the club with only rudimentary due diligence - not because he is stupid, but because the Halls would only sell the shareholding if a deal was done there and then. I believe he had a deadline of less than a week. The due diligence could only be done on limited financial statements - to do detailed due diligence would have required Freddie to allow acces to confidential documents. Only when the club was bought was it apparent what a mess the club were in from a funding perspective (i.e. future income used to secure loans, immediately repayable on change of ownership), and from an operating cost perspective (a load of useless crap on long contracts at £3m+ per year).

 

Ashley probably could have afforded the club when he bought it, and the £20m operating costs. But the financial world has changed since then, coupled with the fan base turning against him so he can't go to games or enjoy owning the club, which is to my mind without a doubt the reason he bought it. As someone else said elsewhere, it's like finding one of your toys is broken - would you spend a load of money fixing it if you know you weren't allowed to play with it!

 

I don't have sympathy for Ashley, I want what is best for NUFC. And what is best is focusing on the things we can change, or at least influence i.e. -

 

- demanding a proper football man (Kenyon/Dein type) is appointed to the board. I have no doubt that our poor performance in higher profile transfers so far is not through wanting to make profit, but in basic inadequacy dealing with agents and other club. Llambias??

- thank JFK for his short term efforts, and demand a proper manager is brought in

 

Demanding Ashley writes off £100m and lets the club go to someone else is wishful thinking.

 

 

[Guest black n white]

This means to me that mike ashley has lost everything and nufc is his only remaining valuable asset and i could'nt be happier, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to see this person crash and burn, if it takes relegation to rid nufc of this idiot then bring it on,

 

He needs to be treated as he has treated others "what goes around comes around fatty"