BBC: Freddy Shepherd £60m offer for NUFC likely to be accepted

[Karjala]

Shep gets us back up and sells for a profit, making yet more money from the toon!

[ujpest doza]

I think people who would prefer to slam the door in Fred's face, twiddle our thumbs and find out what's in the mystery box are vastly overestimating our attractiveness to a buyer with no previous connection to the club.  After watching Ashley's spiral of mutual destruction you'd need your head seen to if you wanted to buy this club and pump money into it confidently expecting a return.  Shepherd may act solely in the interests of his wallet and his ego but at least his ravenous pursuit of feeding both motivates him in the right direction for the club and we can clearly see that's what drives him.  I'd be very suspicious of both the intentions and the competence of anyone else who's wanting to buy the club for around this £60m sticker price.

Shepherd would be terrible. I would much rather take a chance on somebody else. We would be very very unlucky to end up with someone worse than Shepherd again.

 

What if there is no other option?

If theres no other option other than to die as a club, of course I would take Freddy back. However, from reports it seems like there ARE other options.

 

We don't know how ambitious they will be though. With Shepherd you know he will set his sights on a return to the Prem and will make the funds available to do it. After Ashley, I'm very nervous about the motives of foreign investors unless they are minted.

I would rather see the club safe and well run tbh. With that we will progress on and off the field at the correct pace. If we are well run we will get promoted anyway. Shepherd plunging us into more dept and making a fool of himself holds no attraction to me, especially considering how bad his decision making has proven to be in the past. You can be well run AND ambitious you know. This club can be both considering the potential it has to generate money.

 

I would rather two years in this division sorting ourselves out, than spunking a load of cash we don't have up the wall and Shepherd strutting around making more ridiculous decisions in the Premier League. We would most likely end up back at square one the Shepherd way. How anyone can trust the fat c*** is beyond me.

 

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. Two years "sorting ourselves out" in the Championship is not the way to go for a club this size. We have to show our intent and make sure we are giving ourselves the best chance of blazing back into the Premier and we need an owner with the ambition to go for it.

 

And you think Shepherd is the best man for that, despite his past failure?

What past failure???

 

FFS 16 years spent mainly in the top half of the PL, cup finals, european qualification 13 (i think) times.

 

You don't know your born man.

 

[Yorkie]

If we can get back to how shit we were at the time of Shepherd's departure, in the space of a couple years say, i'll be absolutely delighted.

 

Hoping this will go through soon cos i'm struggling to imagine any other solid interest.

[Dinho lad]

happy that ashley is fucking off. Sick that Shepherd is coming back.

[JJ7]

I think people who would prefer to slam the door in Fred's face, twiddle our thumbs and find out what's in the mystery box are vastly overestimating our attractiveness to a buyer with no previous connection to the club.  After watching Ashley's spiral of mutual destruction you'd need your head seen to if you wanted to buy this club and pump money into it confidently expecting a return.  Shepherd may act solely in the interests of his wallet and his ego but at least his ravenous pursuit of feeding both motivates him in the right direction for the club and we can clearly see that's what drives him.  I'd be very suspicious of both the intentions and the competence of anyone else who's wanting to buy the club for around this £60m sticker price.

Shepherd would be terrible. I would much rather take a chance on somebody else. We would be very very unlucky to end up with someone worse than Shepherd again.

 

What if there is no other option?

If theres no other option other than to die as a club, of course I would take Freddy back. However, from reports it seems like there ARE other options.

 

We don't know how ambitious they will be though. With Shepherd you know he will set his sights on a return to the Prem and will make the funds available to do it. After Ashley, I'm very nervous about the motives of foreign investors unless they are minted.

I would rather see the club safe and well run tbh. With that we will progress on and off the field at the correct pace. If we are well run we will get promoted anyway. Shepherd plunging us into more dept and making a fool of himself holds no attraction to me, especially considering how bad his decision making has proven to be in the past. You can be well run AND ambitious you know. This club can be both considering the potential it has to generate money.

 

I would rather two years in this division sorting ourselves out, than spunking a load of cash we don't have up the wall and Shepherd strutting around making more ridiculous decisions in the Premier League. We would most likely end up back at square one the Shepherd way. How anyone can trust the fat c*** is beyond me.

 

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. Two years "sorting ourselves out" in the Championship is not the way to go for a club this size. We have to show our intent and make sure we are giving ourselves the best chance of blazing back into the Premier and we need an owner with the ambition to go for it.

 

And you think Shepherd is the best man for that, despite his past failure?

What past failure???

 

FFS 16 years spent mainly in the top half of the PL, cup finals, european qualification 13 (i think) times.

 

You don't know your born man.

Patronising bollock that. There was wrong decision after wrong decision post 2003. The man totally lost the plot and made a fool of himself on TV nearly every week. There may have been worse chairman before him, and Ashley may have been worse since, but that doesnt mean Shepherd is the right man to take over now.

[Guest Geordiecunny]

Surely, if the price goes any lower, Ashley would be tempted to sell our league place and ground space separately, McDons style? If he doesn't sell us soon, I wouldn't put it past him. Pure asset stripping.

[Guest neesy111]

Surely, if the price goes any lower, Ashley would be tempted to sell our league place and ground space separately, McDons style? If he doesn't sell us soon, I wouldn't put it past him. Pure asset stripping.

 

can't, the council own the ground thank god

[Guest Roger Kint]

Is it silly season?

 

Why people are laughably throwing the word 'ambition' around like its the Holy grail? If any person can serious explain why buying NUFC in this league, spunked to the eyeball in gash players and debt is going to be the actions of someone without ambition?

 

Of fucking course they will have it, we are a severe loss making mess at the minute ffs!

 

Its being far too stupidly generous giving Shepherd credit for 16 years in the Premier League mind, the 'success' dried up somewhat once Hall and Fletcher stepped back and Shepherd shuffled forward to claim every penny he could find for himself.

 

End of the day the best part of the past 5 years we have been a mediocre side in the depths of the league ultimately sinking last season. We are where we are for a reason, talk of 'we must go straight back up' is a joke given our shambles of a club and if two years in this league got us well run with players who actually want to play and try for us then how is that a bad thing? Noone is saying we dont want to go straight up but its delusional to expect it tbh.

 

Tin hat on

[bovineblue]

Is it silly season?

 

Why people are laughably throwing the word 'ambition' around like its the Holy grail? If any person can serious explain why buying NUFC in this league, spunked to the eyeball in gash players and debt is going to be the actions of someone without ambition?

 

Of f***ing course they will have it, we are a severe loss making mess at the minute ffs!

 

Its being far too stupidly generous giving Shepherd credit for 16 years in the Premier League mind, the 'success' dried up somewhat once Hall and Fletcher stepped back and Shepherd shuffled forward to claim every penny he could find for himself.

 

End of the day the best part of the past 5 years we have been a mediocre side in the depths of the league ultimately sinking last season. We are where we are for a reason, talk of 'we must go straight back up' is a joke given our shambles of a club and if two years in this league got us well run with players who actually want to play and try for us then how is that a bad thing? Noone is saying we dont want to go straight up but its delusional to expect it tbh.

 

Tin hat on

 

Agree about the ambition thing.  I'm pretty sure every owner has the ambition to own the most successful club in the world.  Ability to make ambition reality is what's needed here.

[ianovthetoon]

Surely, if the price goes any lower, Ashley would be tempted to sell our league place and ground space separately, McDons style? If he doesn't sell us soon, I wouldn't put it past him. Pure asset stripping.

 

I don't think the FA would ratify it. Wimbledon were struggling in every way shape and form, even attendances. Putting a famous footballing establishment completely out of existence would be madness. Plus as he doesn't own the land the buildings are on, he'd only be able to transfer the lease to others wanting to use the ground for it's current purpose. I think now it looks like Ashley will take what he can from this and go back his reclusive self. Keith Harris will justify to him if he's unable to reach the 100m asking price, and settle on a fair sum for him. It's a lot of money he's lost but he's still got more money than he needs to live his current lifestyle and secure the financial future of his kids.

[Guest Roger Kint]

Is it silly season?

 

Why people are laughably throwing the word 'ambition' around like its the Holy grail? If any person can serious explain why buying NUFC in this league, spunked to the eyeball in gash players and debt is going to be the actions of someone without ambition?

 

Of f***ing course they will have it, we are a severe loss making mess at the minute ffs!

 

Its being far too stupidly generous giving Shepherd credit for 16 years in the Premier League mind, the 'success' dried up somewhat once Hall and Fletcher stepped back and Shepherd shuffled forward to claim every penny he could find for himself.

 

End of the day the best part of the past 5 years we have been a mediocre side in the depths of the league ultimately sinking last season. We are where we are for a reason, talk of 'we must go straight back up' is a joke given our shambles of a club and if two years in this league got us well run with players who actually want to play and try for us then how is that a bad thing? Noone is saying we dont want to go straight up but its delusional to expect it tbh.

 

Tin hat on

 

Agree about the ambition thing.  I'm pretty sure every owner has the ambition to own the most successful club in the world.  Ability to make ambition reality is what's needed here.

 

Well anyone who buys us will have ambition to make money.

 

To make money this club must get to the Premier League.

 

It must then acheive some success otherwise it will be minimal gains.

 

Anyone buying us will beleive they have the ability to do this or they wont risk such a big investment.

[themanupstairs]

Is it silly season?

 

Why people are laughably throwing the word 'ambition' around like its the Holy grail? If any person can serious explain why buying NUFC in this league, spunked to the eyeball in gash players and debt is going to be the actions of someone without ambition?

 

Of f***ing course they will have it, we are a severe loss making mess at the minute ffs!

 

Its being far too stupidly generous giving Shepherd credit for 16 years in the Premier League mind, the 'success' dried up somewhat once Hall and Fletcher stepped back and Shepherd shuffled forward to claim every penny he could find for himself.

 

End of the day the best part of the past 5 years we have been a mediocre side in the depths of the league ultimately sinking last season. We are where we are for a reason, talk of 'we must go straight back up' is a joke given our shambles of a club and if two years in this league got us well run with players who actually want to play and try for us then how is that a bad thing? Noone is saying we dont want to go straight up but its delusional to expect it tbh.

 

Tin hat on

 

 

[TRon]

Is it silly season?

 

Why people are laughably throwing the word 'ambition' around like its the Holy grail? If any person can serious explain why buying NUFC in this league, spunked to the eyeball in gash players and debt is going to be the actions of someone without ambition?

 

Of fucking course they will have it, we are a severe loss making mess at the minute ffs!

 

Its being far too stupidly generous giving Shepherd credit for 16 years in the Premier League mind, the 'success' dried up somewhat once Hall and Fletcher stepped back and Shepherd shuffled forward to claim every penny he could find for himself.

 

End of the day the best part of the past 5 years we have been a mediocre side in the depths of the league ultimately sinking last season. We are where we are for a reason, talk of 'we must go straight back up' is a joke given our shambles of a club and if two years in this league got us well run with players who actually want to play and try for us then how is that a bad thing? Noone is saying we dont want to go straight up but its delusional to expect it tbh.

 

Tin hat on

 

Bollocks. We are among the favourites to go back up, or at least we were before this sale dragged out. We still have a basis of players better than the shite that is in the Championship. If a buyer isn't coming in with a view to fine tuning the squad then taking us straight back up he should fuck off and invest in Scunthorpe.

[BlueStar]

Two years in the Championship "sorting ourselves out" will only result in us being cemented as a championship team.  If we go up after two seasons we'll be going up as a WBA, Derby or Hull and odds on to go straight back down.  Best thing we could do is go up next season.

[JJ7]

Two years in the Championship "sorting ourselves out" will only result in us being cemented as a championship team.  If we go up after two seasons we'll be going up as a WBA, Derby or Hull and odds on to go straight back down.  Best thing we could do is go up next season.

Not really, because this club can generate more cash than those clubs.

[BlueStar]

Mostly because we've not just spent two seasons in the Championship.  In terms of being an attractive prospect for players I'd rather we were seen as a Premiership team that took a brief hiatus in the Championship than a Championship team which is making a brief visit to the Premiership.  It doesn't take too long in the second flight for previous accomplishments to fade away and it's naive to think after failing to get promotion for two seasons we're going to be held any higher than our peers in that league.

[Guest Roger Kint]

 

Even as we sit ownerless, managerless, squad full of rubbish obscenely paid cloggers, no signings lined up and no clue when all this will be resolved people can assume we will go back up? Now that is bollocks, that level of delusion and arrogance is exactly why most football fans in this country find us soo easy to mock.

 

As for bookies favourites? When was the last time a team went down and wasnt for gods sake? Difference is most the time they dont need to revant the entire club in the space of a month like us.

[geordie jamie]

no news in the chron today. its so frustrating wating for the takeover to be completed

[Nexumaster]

So much for the end of the month eh?

 

I have no confidence we will go straight back up now. Obvious I know but the longer it goes on the worse our season will be, all this dilly-dally-ing means we are further behind everyone else in preperations.

[JJ7]

Mostly because we've not just spent two seasons in the Championship.  In terms of being an attractive prospect for players I'd rather we were seen as a Premiership team that took a brief hiatus in the Championship than a Championship team which is making a brief visit to the Premiership.  It doesn't take too long in the second flight for previous accomplishments to fade away and it's naive to think after failing to get promotion for two seasons we're going to be held any higher than our peers in that league.

So the only way forward is an idiot in charge spending money we don't have in the name of 'ambition'.

 

If the club is well run, then we won't be in this league for long anyway and we'll go back up better for it, rather than still a joke club who spunks ridiculous sums on players who arent good enough.

[Guest Roger Kint]

Mostly because we've not just spent two seasons in the Championship.  In terms of being an attractive prospect for players I'd rather we were seen as a Premiership team that took a brief hiatus in the Championship than a Championship team which is making a brief visit to the Premiership.  It doesn't take too long in the second flight for previous accomplishments to fade away and it's naive to think after failing to get promotion for two seasons we're going to be held any higher than our peers in that league.

So the only way forward is an idiot in charge spending money we don't have in the name of 'ambition'.

 

If the club is well run, then we won't be in this league for long anyway and we'll go back up better for it, rather than still a joke club who spunks ridiculous sums on players who arent good enough.

 

Well said

[BlueStar]

We need an owner now, being picky and hoping there's some rich footballing genius about to have brain failure and take a gamble on the club is absolute suicide.  If we kick our heels in the Championship for a few seasons we're going to be just as trapped in it as anyone else.  Saying somone might have the club "well run" by then ignores the fact that any other team in the Championship might also end up being "well run" and we may end up with another knacker who doesn't know what they're doing.  We need to knock some of this arrogance on the head and understand we're about as appealing as e-coli at the moment and we're not so big that we won't become just another Championship club if we tread water assuming we're going to end up with a better option than Fred.

 

As for spending money we don't have, we may fucking have to, it's called speculating to accumulate.  The lower divisions are full of teams steadfastly living within their means and being frugal and many of them are doomed to remain where they are because of it.

[Pilko]

We should get James McQuillian in to put a leash on these people who spunk money up the wall.

[JJ7]

We need an owner now, being picky and hoping there's some rich footballing genius about to have brain failure and take a gamble on the club is absolute suicide.  If we kick our heels in the Championship for a few seasons we're going to be just as trapped in it as anyone else.  Saying somone might have the club "well run" by then ignores the fact that any other team in the Championship might also end up being "well run" and we may end up with another knacker who doesn't know what they're doing.  We need to knock some of this arrogance on the head and understand we're about as appealing as e-coli at the moment and we're not so big that we won't become just another Championship club if we tread water assuming we're going to end up with a better option than Fred.

 

As for spending money we don't have, we may f***ing have to, it's called speculating to accumulate.  The lower divisions are full of teams steadfastly living within their means and being frugal and many of them are doomed to remain where they are because of it.

I wouldn't say its being picky considering we know there are other bidders.

 

If we are well run, then it doesnt matter about the other clubs. If every club in the league was well run then we would be most likely to win it, because us well run would generate more cash, and be a bigger attraction to players than anyone else.

 

I wouldnt say any of this is arrogance in the slightest. Not sure how you're even making that conclusion. Its not arrogant to expect a better owner than someone who made a fuck up of the club in the past.

 

The lower divisions have more clubs who have spent beyond their means and are doomed to financial problems for years until the sort it out.

[BlueStar]

It's being picky because we don't know who the other bidders are.  I'd be much happier with the known quantity of Shepherd considering the position we're in, rather than gambling on someone who could take us down another level.