Season ticket renewals

[NG32]

Bummed - True Faith article.

 

 

I had wanted to come to this week’s stream of Mag consciousness with a bit of a mellow vibe. Man! After all, we know there are currently accountants from interested parties preparing to go through the club’s books with a fine toothcomb and by all accounts there is no shortage of potential buyers interested in getting hold of Newcastle United Football Club. If they have sight of the money thing and then proceed then at least we’ll know they know exactly what they are getting into. Newcastle United expects. Cautious optimism that a corner may have been turned and we were a day closer to Ashley being fucked off out of our club. That may or not be the case but until that is known for certain, we have a job to do.

That job is to sit on those season ticket renewal packs, keep our money in our bank accounts and not give this bastard the steam off our piss until he has hit the road.

That doesn’t mean we don’t go to games next season but what it does mean is Ashley doesn’t get to bank our money early. He gets it on match-day. And no earlier!

 

Ashley has broken the bond between the club and the support. He is completely undeserving of our trust. Shelling out c.£500+ for whatever they call Division Two football these days with absolutely no commitment from the top of our club in providing good stewardship, investment or indeed a scintilla of competence - is not loyalty, it is blind stupidity. Some will say the club needs all the money it can get in this the darkest period in its history but frankly there is absolutely no guarantee whatsoever as to what will happen to that money once it has been banked.

 

Thousands of you reading this tripe will have received a “Pease Give Us Your Money” plea from Derek Llambias – the clueless, classless prick who has demonstrated in the last twelve months he couldn’t run a bath let alone a major sporting institution. In that letter there is no mention of the appointment of a manager, no mention of how we will “bounce back” or how we will “regroup”. This useless arsehole is allowing the club to drift completely onto rocks that threaten the future of our club. No pre-season friendlies planned and no-one in there to buy and sell the players for our “promotion push”. The only “bouncing back” the overwhelming majority of us want is for him and his fat fuck of a boss out of our football club and out of our city. For good!

 

Keep your renewal packs in the drawer. You are hardly likely to lose your seat in the rush for renewals are you?

 

I am disappointed the Newcastle United Supporters Club (NUSC) hasn’t provided a statement or have a policy regarding season ticket renewals. Now is the time to be providing firm leadership and direction but whilst establishing a Supporters Trust is an admirable and positive move, surely it isn’t the only show in town and isn’t going to get Ashley out of our football club. A Shareholders Trust is a great thing but it isn’t going to deliver the kind of results we want any time soon and shouldn’t prevent proper affirmative action, which will push Ashley closer to the exits.

 

Let’s get this right on the table – there is no evidence the money you are putting into the club by way of season ticket renewals will be used to benefit Newcastle United FC. How do we know that hard earned money of ours isn’t simply going down the fat throat of Mike Ashley?

 

Buying a season ticket should be a statement of support for the club. Right now, in June 2009, renewing your season ticket is a highly foolish option. You aren’t being disloyal by sitting on your season ticket renewal. You are seeing the big picture and the big picture is – Ashley Out!

 

Of course, noone can guarantee what comes next will be good. With strong rumours of Shepherd being instrumental in one of the potential bids for the club, I have to confess to being utterly depressed by the prospect of a man who presided over a decade of complete and utter folly returning to a club, which still suffers the problems created on his watch. Though I am far from absolving Tory gobshite, Sir John Hall of any blame. This oaf appears to have adopted the airs and graces of some wise and respected sage. He’s not – he’s a self interested greedy bastard who was only ever into NUFC for what he could get out. And there is plenty evidence there to demonstrate that. This man more than any other, sold us out when he sold up to Ashley.

 

But what we do know is far from “bouncing back” under Ashley, next season promises to be another grim battle for survival in whatever they are calling the Second Division these days (WTACTSDTD). The man has no clue and no class. Whoever takes over from him will have our best wishes but I’m afraid they will have to earn our confidence and trust. Ashley and his people have broken the spirit of supporters in this last season and those taking over the club are inheriting a fan-base with a damaged psyche.

 

That said, with Ashley – we don’t have a prayer next season. With someone new, who has checked the books and STILL decided to buy the club - then there is hope.

 

*

 

It now seems abundantly clear the only terms Ashley wanted Alan Shearer at NUFC on was to sell season tickets to supporters under a smokescreen of optimism – not with a plan or investment to turn the club around. In my opinion, Ashley via Wise shafted KK last summer but whilst our ex-No.7 may have fallen for it, our ex-No.9 has not been so easy to fool in my opinion. He has form for using club icons for his own ends. Shearer wants proper money to build a promotion team and he’s not prepared to be fucked about. Ashley wants a pussy to manage the team – be that the useless prick Kinnear or the latest sap to be associated with the club – Alan Curbishley – who must be desperate if he is prepared to walk into the firestorm awaiting him on Barrack Road. Is Curbishley up for being part of the big Cockney con? Just my opinion!

 

Ashley and Llambias have behaved appallingly with Shearer – a bona-fide club legend – one of us and has come to represent the contempt Ashley has displayed towards Newcastle United Football Club, the city, the people of the North East and those of us who care deeply about our football club.

 

There are no statements from Ashley or his lap dog Llambias even though it is two weeks before pre-season training when the hapless and hopeless Chris Hughton will welcome a pack of underperforming, overpaid pricks back to Darsley Park to do whatever it is they do. It’s a joke!

 

*

 

This stuff with Llambias’ car? Fucking hell, man – what kind of organisation can’t work out the company cars for crying out loud? Knackas.

 

*

 

I have to confess to being amused at the press falling for the spoof takeover story, perpetrated by some half-wit Mackem who has maybe committed a schoolboy error in getting his ugly dial in the media. By the way, what was that growing out of his forehead? I don’t know any supporter who fell for this nonsense but plenty in the national press did, failing to conduct even the most cursory of background checks into the alleged buyer before having the tale splashed all over the joint. There it was – all over the media - demonstrating – as if it needed to be – just how fucking dumb the football press is bar one or two notable and rare exceptions. Are they all as thick as Ashley?

 

*

 

There will be a good night at the Irish Centre this coming Thursday (18t/Jun/09) as the NUSC has a comedy night featuring Viz’s very own Simon Donald and Gavin Webster. It promises to be a great night and you can have a laugh watching this half-arsed scribbler being bollocked for the call for a season ticket boycott until Ashley is off. It would be good to have the place packed out and perhaps it might be a tonic to have a load of mags together having a laugh for a change rather than the miseries we endured together last season. Tickets are £7 and £5 for NUSC Members. Tickets can be got from the Irish Centre or down at The Backpage – where you can pick up a TF72 while you are in. Get yersel down, man!

 

Keep On, Keepin’ On …

[Interpolic]

It’s very simple. The importance of gate receipts is far more important in the championship. If we as supporters withdraw our custom Ashley will be forced to sell the club for what he can get. If we hand over a years worth of money now he’ll be free to do what he likes, which given his track record will surely be to fuck the club over.

 

By not renewing supporters can respond to events, at what point I’d withdraw my custom is hard to say but at least I won’t be impotent like you and Wullie.

 

What you do with your season ticket has virtually no impact on the sale of the club, a process which is clearly well underway already.

 

It would take 120 fans to hold on to their cash to have the same impact at Alan Smith staying at the club for another week. Drop in the ocean stuff.

 

I don't see how Ashley will 'fuck us over' given that pretty much every penny of season ticket money will be working its way out to our wonderfully talented playing staff.

 

If you want to force the club into administration, fine. But given Ashley will sell (probably for less than what he wants) then I'd rather have a sensibly worked out sale process (at least sensible from the bidders, clearly not the club) than a panic-stations administration sale, replete with hasty player departures and -10 in the points column.

 

A good point well put.

 

Also goes without saying that the hit on corporate matchday revenue from relegation must be absolutely massive. 

[Yorkie]

Fuckkkkkkkk. I've got money set aside for a season ticket (whilst i've got it, with the inevitable restraints of university next year...). Can't decide whether to go through with it or not.   Chances are, i'm gonna be in Toon aswell.

[Dave]

Fuckkkkkkkk. I've got money set aside for a season ticket (whilst i've got it, with the inevitable restraints of university next year...). Can't decide whether to go through with it or not.   Chances are, i'm gonna be in Toon aswell.

 

Of course go through with it man! Just not yet.

[Guest fading star]

It’s very simple. The importance of gate receipts is far more important in the championship. If we as supporters withdraw our custom Ashley will be forced to sell the club for what he can get. If we hand over a years worth of money now he’ll be free to do what he likes, which given his track record will surely be to f*** the club over.

 

By not renewing supporters can respond to events, at what point I’d withdraw my custom is hard to say but at least I won’t be impotent like you and Wullie.

 

I can't stand Ashley and I can see the principle of not renewing, but in the scenario you mentioned Ashley would still be losing money hand over fist.

Not if he’s using any spare income to repay his £100m loan.

[Guest fading star]

It’s very simple. The importance of gate receipts is far more important in the championship. If we as supporters withdraw our custom Ashley will be forced to sell the club for what he can get. If we hand over a years worth of money now he’ll be free to do what he likes, which given his track record will surely be to f*** the club over.

 

By not renewing supporters can respond to events, at what point I’d withdraw my custom is hard to say but at least I won’t be impotent like you and Wullie.

Fair enough i can see your point about fewer renewals maybe forcing a quicker/cheaper sale. What i can't understand however, is that despite telling us not to buy season tickets, you will continue to pay on match day. I don't see how that is going to force his hand, because you'll pay more to see games than us. If you really want to hit him in the pocket then surely you have to stay away.

It’s a cash flow thing. By not renewing supporters can render the business unsustainable in a matter of weeks, it’s like having a gun pointing at Ashley’s head. Look after club or face the consequences.

[MW]

If we paid for the three years up front then do we get anything in post?

[Guest fading star]

It’s very simple. The importance of gate receipts is far more important in the championship. If we as supporters withdraw our custom Ashley will be forced to sell the club for what he can get. If we hand over a years worth of money now he’ll be free to do what he likes, which given his track record will surely be to f*** the club over.

 

By not renewing supporters can respond to events, at what point I’d withdraw my custom is hard to say but at least I won’t be impotent like you and Wullie.

 

What you do with your season ticket has virtually no impact on the sale of the club, a process which is clearly well underway already.

 

It would take 120 fans to hold on to their cash to have the same impact at Alan Smith staying at the club for another week. Drop in the ocean stuff.

 

I don't see how Ashley will 'f*** us over' given that pretty much every penny of season ticket money will be working its way out to our wonderfully talented playing staff.

 

If you want to force the club into administration, fine. But given Ashley will sell (probably for less than what he wants) then I'd rather have a sensibly worked out sale process (at least sensible from the bidders, clearly not the club) than a panic-stations administration sale, replete with hasty player departures and -10 in the points column.

 

A good point well put.

 

Also goes without saying that the hit on corporate matchday revenue from relegation must be absolutely massive. 

You’re missing the point, gate receipts will be the only substantive form of income next season. Alan Smith’s wages are expenditure. Without the former, the latter will have to come out of Ashley's pocket.

 

Ask yourself this, if he can’t sell this summer how will he try to minimise his losses?

[Guest fading star]

If we paid for the three years up front then do we get anything in post?

Aye, a badge with the word mug written on it.

[Dave]

If we paid for the three years up front then do we get anything in post?

Aye, a badge with the word mug written on it.

 

He's a mug for paying less for something he was going to buy anyway?

[Guest toonlass]

If we paid for the three years up front then do we get anything in post?

Aye, a badge with the word mug written on it.

 

What right do you have to criticise people who are continuing with their season tickets? Mike Ashley has said he will sell if he is offered £100 million. They will have projected figures for season ticket sales, and hopefully Mike Ashley will be gone by the time next season starts. Why does it make any difference to you if someone has renewed or not?

[Interpolic]

It’s very simple. The importance of gate receipts is far more important in the championship. If we as supporters withdraw our custom Ashley will be forced to sell the club for what he can get. If we hand over a years worth of money now he’ll be free to do what he likes, which given his track record will surely be to f*** the club over.

 

By not renewing supporters can respond to events, at what point I’d withdraw my custom is hard to say but at least I won’t be impotent like you and Wullie.

 

What you do with your season ticket has virtually no impact on the sale of the club, a process which is clearly well underway already.

 

It would take 120 fans to hold on to their cash to have the same impact at Alan Smith staying at the club for another week. Drop in the ocean stuff.

 

I don't see how Ashley will 'f*** us over' given that pretty much every penny of season ticket money will be working its way out to our wonderfully talented playing staff.

 

If you want to force the club into administration, fine. But given Ashley will sell (probably for less than what he wants) then I'd rather have a sensibly worked out sale process (at least sensible from the bidders, clearly not the club) than a panic-stations administration sale, replete with hasty player departures and -10 in the points column.

 

A good point well put.

 

Also goes without saying that the hit on corporate matchday revenue from relegation must be absolutely massive. 

You’re missing the point, gate receipts will be the only substantive form of income next season. Alan Smith’s wages are expenditure. Without the former, the latter will have to come out of Ashley's pocket.

 

Ask yourself this, if he can’t sell this summer how will he try to minimise his losses?

 

Aye but the way way I read it was even if 1 or 10 or 100 people are influenced by True Faith's piece or what people say on a messageboard, the majority are going to act in way that is completely oblivious/ unaffected by these views.  A few people deciding not to renew makes no difference and the majority of Newcastle fans are not exposed/ influenced to these factors.  Same reason why NUSC never took off - NUFC fans are a tough bunch to generalise or pigeonhole, which is of course massively contrary to what the media suggest.

 

Edit: by that I mean season ticket holders / prospective season ticket holders.

[Guest fading star]

If we paid for the three years up front then do we get anything in post?

Aye, a badge with the word mug written on it.

 

What right do you have to criticise people who are continuing with their season tickets? Mike Ashley has said he will sell if he is offered £100 million. They will have projected figures for season ticket sales, and hopefully Mike Ashley will be gone by the time next season starts. Why does it make any difference to you if someone has renewed or not?

The issue is about renewing before he sells up, not renewing per se. Save your indignation for when you’ve learnt to read.

 

He was going to sell last year but wanted far too much money, what makes you so sure it’ll be different this time?

[Matt]

You’re missing the point, gate receipts will be the only substantive form of income next season. Alan Smith’s wages are expenditure. Without the former, the latter will have to come out of Ashley's pocket.

 

Ask yourself this, if he can’t sell this summer how will he try to minimise his losses?

 

Nothing's coming out of Ashley's pocket. Not a penny more. So Alan Smith's wages won't be paid by Ashley- they'd just go unpaid and the club would end up in administration.

 

He minimises his losses by selling for the best offer he gets this summer. If the club remained unsold, he clearly won't back it further so the sale would be forced by being ordered into administration by the courts.

 

Also it seems that our only way of continuing in the medium term is with a loan from Barclays- they will only procide a loan on the basis that they get paid in full before Ashley gets anything so he'd need to extract a lot of cash to get anything.

 

And if Ashley uses ST money to repay himself, it will disappear straight off the sale price of the club.

 

I still reckon the £60-80m he might be offered in the next few weeks will be far more paletable than the £20-30m he might get out of admin.

[madras]

If we paid for the three years up front then do we get anything in post?

Aye, a badge with the word mug written on it.

if it wasn't for those mugs at various times in the history of nufc...you wouldn't have an nufc to support.

[Guest toonlass]

If we paid for the three years up front then do we get anything in post?

Aye, a badge with the word mug written on it.

 

What right do you have to criticise people who are continuing with their season tickets? Mike Ashley has said he will sell if he is offered £100 million. They will have projected figures for season ticket sales, and hopefully Mike Ashley will be gone by the time next season starts. Why does it make any difference to you if someone has renewed or not?

The issue is about renewing before he sells up, not renewing per se. Save your indignation for when you’ve learnt to read.

 

He was going to sell last year but wanted far too much money, what makes you so sure it’ll be different this time?

 

You seem to be criticising anyone who is renewing though. I take it you will be staying away from St James altogether if Mike stays, as it would be awful to be hypocritical wouldn't it?

[Interpolic]

If we paid for the three years up front then do we get anything in post?

Aye, a badge with the word mug written on it.

 

What right do you have to criticise people who are continuing with their season tickets? Mike Ashley has said he will sell if he is offered £100 million. They will have projected figures for season ticket sales, and hopefully Mike Ashley will be gone by the time next season starts. Why does it make any difference to you if someone has renewed or not?

The issue is about renewing before he sells up, not renewing per se. Save your indignation for when you’ve learnt to read.

 

He was going to sell last year but wanted far too much money, what makes you so sure it’ll be different this time?

 

From your previous reply I can only guess you're suggesting that Ashley could be:

 

1.  Falsely implying that he's putting the club on the market

2.  Pocketing any income (i.e. using transfer fees to pay off the loan he extended to the club)

3.  Re-allocating the LOSSES that Newcastle are by all accounts making to go into further bank loans, overdrafts, credit cards, chucky.  This seems highly unlikely in the current climate - where is he getting the credit from so that the cash is there to service this debt?

 

Correct me if I'm wrong and you're suggesting otherwise.  I feel like I've just defended Ashley in some way, shape or form and I feel scruffy so thanks for that!

[Guest fading star]

You’re missing the point, gate receipts will be the only substantive form of income next season. Alan Smith’s wages are expenditure. Without the former, the latter will have to come out of Ashley's pocket.

 

Ask yourself this, if he can’t sell this summer how will he try to minimise his losses?

 

Nothing's coming out of Ashley's pocket. Not a penny more. So Alan Smith's wages won't be paid by Ashley- they'd just go unpaid and the club would end up in administration.

 

He minimises his losses by selling for the best offer he gets this summer. If the club remained unsold, he clearly won't back it further so the sale would be forced by being ordered into administration by the courts.

 

Also it seems that our only way of continuing in the medium term is with a loan from Barclays- they will only procide a loan on the basis that they get paid in full before Ashley gets anything so he'd need to extract a lot of cash to get anything.

 

And if Ashley uses ST money to repay himself, it will disappear straight off the sale price of the club.

 

I still reckon the £60-80m he might be offered in the next few weeks will be far more paletable than the £20-30m he might get out of admin.

Exactly, but Ashley has form for ignoring common sense. He could easily dither about for months in the hope of getting a slightly better price, by which time NUFC’s recovery will have been set back a few more years.

[Guest fading star]

If we paid for the three years up front then do we get anything in post?

Aye, a badge with the word mug written on it.

 

What right do you have to criticise people who are continuing with their season tickets? Mike Ashley has said he will sell if he is offered £100 million. They will have projected figures for season ticket sales, and hopefully Mike Ashley will be gone by the time next season starts. Why does it make any difference to you if someone has renewed or not?

The issue is about renewing before he sells up, not renewing per se. Save your indignation for when you’ve learnt to read.

 

He was going to sell last year but wanted far too much money, what makes you so sure it’ll be different this time?

 

From your previous reply I can only guess you're suggesting that Ashley could be:

 

1.  Falsely implying that he's putting the club on the market

2.  Pocketing any income (i.e. using transfer fees to pay off the loan he extended to the club)

3.  Re-allocating the LOSSES that Newcastle are by all accounts making to go into further bank loans, overdrafts, credit cards, chucky.  This seems highly unlikely in the current climate - where is he getting the credit from so that the cash is there to service this debt?

 

Correct me if I'm wrong and you're suggesting otherwise.  I feel like I've just defended Ashley in some way, shape or form and I feel scruffy so thanks for that!

The club is for sale, and has been for a long while. The question has only ever been the price. Ashley wanted too much last time, and he wants too much this time.  It’s possible somebody will meet his asking price, but they’d have to have a lot more money than sense. More likely, he won’t be able to sell and will revert to plan B.

 

Plan B could take many forms, but it has to involve money going out of the club and into Ashley’s pocket. When the club needs every penny it brings in for rebuilding this can only spell further disaster, and it‘s doubtful NUFC could survive any more catastrophes. 

[WarrenBartonCentrePartin]

where is reasonably priced that offers a decent view nowadays?  I gave up my seat in the Milburn paddock at the end of the 06/07 season after 7 years as I was becoming a student bum and couldn't afford £480.

 

However I've recently come into some inheritence following the death of my grandmother, and am thinking of returning after 2 seasons out.  I've been in L7 before and don't fancy it.  Was thinking of the Leazes...

[madras]

where is reasonably priced that offers a decent view nowadays?  I gave up my seat in the Milburn paddock at the end of the 06/07 season after 7 years as I was becoming a student bum and couldn't afford £480.

 

However I've recently come into some inheritence following the death of my grandmother, and am thinking of returning after 2 seasons out.  I've been in L7 before and don't fancy it.  Was thinking of the Leazes...

gallowgate has similar views and closer to the pubs of the city centre.

[WarrenBartonCentrePartin]

where is reasonably priced that offers a decent view nowadays?  I gave up my seat in the Milburn paddock at the end of the 06/07 season after 7 years as I was becoming a student bum and couldn't afford £480.

 

However I've recently come into some inheritence following the death of my grandmother, and am thinking of returning after 2 seasons out.  I've been in L7 before and don't fancy it.  Was thinking of the Leazes...

gallowgate has similar views and closer to the pubs of the city centre.

Probably would be my second choice after the Leazes.  My seat in the Milburn had a cracking view but there was fuck all atmosphere.

[Pav]

insert load of shite here

 

Please, shut the fuck up. I'll be renewing. If you don't want to support the club, then by all means, fuck off. Cheers.

[Guest Roger Kint]

where is reasonably priced that offers a decent view nowadays?  I gave up my seat in the Milburn paddock at the end of the 06/07 season after 7 years as I was becoming a student bum and couldn't afford £480.

 

However I've recently come into some inheritence following the death of my grandmother, and am thinking of returning after 2 seasons out.  I've been in L7 before and don't fancy it.  Was thinking of the Leazes...

gallowgate has similar views and closer to the pubs of the city centre.

Probably would be my second choice after the Leazes.  My seat in the Milburn had a cracking view but there was f*** all atmosphere.

 

If you stay til the end then dont get Gallowgate upper. Mates in the L7 and Leazes beat me out every game

[Guest fading star]

insert load of s**** here

 

Please, shut the f*** up. I'll be renewing. If you don't want to support the club, then by all means, f*** off. Cheers.

The response of man who knows they’re a fake.