Is Mike Ashley the worst person ever to have been associated with NUFC?

[ikri]

This is just purely speculation to what will happen in the coming years based on the assumption that Ashley trying to make NUFC more attractive to potensial buyers:

 

I think this is the latest of Ashley's mistakes.  Surely no one believes that you can actually make money from the Premiership any more?  All the recent purchases have been about raising profiles abroad and merchandising.  The only people who are going to be interested in purchasing a profitable club are going to be those who can acquire a sizeable loan and can carry out a leveraged buyout, probably worse for the club in the long run than having Ashley owning the club.

 

If he wants to sell the club then raising our profile abroad is the easiest route to take, but it would probably require that Ashley actually spend some money.

[geordie jamie]

To become a premier league owner you have to pass the fit and proper test, i feel this test should be carried out every 2-4 yrs to make sure clubs are being ran correctly and proper with the best interest of the club at heart. Not a chance would Ashley pass this test, this would be the only way i could see him leave.

[thedudeabides]

He's not the worst person by a long way. He's just the most unpopular.

 

Indeed.

 

Shepherd pissed away the fantastic opportunity left to him by Hall, milked the club whenever he could and ultimately, it is his debt we are paying for now. But hey, he's a Geordie.

 

Ashley is still a cunt mind, but the club was in decline long before he turned up.

[biggs]

This is just purely speculation to what will happen in the coming years based on the assumption that Ashley trying to make NUFC more attractive to potensial buyers:

 

I think this is the latest of Ashley's mistakes.  Surely no one believes that you can actually make money from the Premiership any more?  All the recent purchases have been about raising profiles abroad and merchandising.  The only people who are going to be interested in purchasing a profitable club are going to be those who can acquire a sizeable loan and can carry out a leveraged buyout, probably worse for the club in the long run than having Ashley owning the club.

 

If he wants to sell the club then raising our profile abroad is the easiest route to take, but it would probably require that Ashley actually spend some money.

If your looking to maximise your merchandising its the Far East where the money is imho not in France .

[Guest TheSummerOf69]

He's not the worst person by a long way. He's just the most unpopular.

 

Indeed.

 

Shepherd p*ssed away the fantastic opportunity left to him by Hall, milked the club whenever he could and ultimately, it is his debt we are paying for now. But hey, he's a Geordie.

 

Ashley is still a c*** mind, but the club was in decline long before he turned up.

 

Hall made a fortune, put his son & Shepherd in charge, and sold us out to Ashley. None are heroes.

[RupertCommunicator]

Shepherd bled the club dry, Ashley wanted a piece of the action, but the pie was just crust.

 

Still hasn't stopping the cockney cunt from defiling the very fabric of NUFC.

 

Definitely the worst person associated with the club in my lifetime.

[Guest Pedro_de_geordieo]

Personally I think Ashley is slowly trying to grind the supporters down, taking away the hope of the fans who he thinks are over demanding  with expectations too high.

 

He wants us to be a mid table team who can buy cheap and sell at a profit using the pitch at a shop window.

 

The problem I have with that is that I am not prepared to pay week in and week out, season after season to watch a mid table team with no hope of EVER achieving more.

 

The last game against Fulham the crowd was 10k down and I think this is a reflection on that.

[Punk77]

Good article indeed. . I think the current squad is promising, we've improved in all areas, even in attack (Ba is obviously Carroll's replacement). But as we all know, the failure to buy the second striker fucked up what could have been a fantastic window. However, with HBA returning,  a Vukic who now really seems to realize his talent and Ba, we actually have three more players to use in attack than we had in the 2nd part of last season. The BIG problem is course the lack of depth. A long time injury on Best or BA is a disaster. On the other hand, we have started this season great, our defensive play has never looked better, so if we're lucky with injuries we might be capable of cementing a a spot in the upper tier of the table, which will make us more attractive for the best talents in the January window. Hopefully our economy has also improved, making it possible for us to pick the best talents in attack and on left back.

 

Tbf it looks like they've been spot on with all the other purchases, which is impressing. Still it's fucking irritating that they're so stubborn in their approach, they refuse to may more than the player is worth..But luckily this also mean that we never will experience another kind of nightmare: Buying a shit player like Crouch for £10 mill, or wasting £4 mill on Jerome.

 

In other words MA is now taking a huge risk, but his strategy MIGHT also result in a huge payoff if we're lucky with injuries and the squad reaches its potential. He's taking a gamble, but with budget discipline and a strong focus on buying the correct players at correct price, the club COULD recover faster. The coin has two sides in other words.

[biggs]

Good article indeed. . I think the current squad is promising, we've improved in all areas, even in attack (Ba is obviously Carroll's replacement). But as we all know, the failure to buy the second striker fucked up what could have been a fantastic window. However, with HBA returning,  a Vukic who now really seems to realize his talent and Ba, we actually have three more players to use in attack than we had in the 2nd part of last season. The BIG problem is course the lack of depth. A long time injury on Best or BA is a disaster. On the other hand, we have started this season great, our defensive play has never looked better, so if we're lucky with injuries we might be capable of cementing a a spot in the upper tier of the table, which will make us more attractive for the best talents in the January window. Hopefully our economy has also improved, making it possible for us to pick the best talents in attack and on left back.

 

Tbf it looks like they've been spot on with all the other purchases, which is impressing. Still it's fucking irritating that they're so stubborn in their approach, they refuse to may more than the player is worth..But luckily this also mean that we never will experience another kind of nightmare: Buying a shit player like Crouch for £10 mill, or wasting £4 mill on Jerome.

 

In other words MA is now taking a huge risk, but his strategy MIGHT also result in a huge payoff if we're lucky with injuries and the squad reaches its potential. He's taking a gamble, but with budget discipline and a strong focus on buying the correct players at correct price, the club COULD recover faster. The coin has two sides in other words.

Too many ifs tbh and time will tell the outcome .

[Punk77]

Jeah, only time will tell..

[geordie jamie]

Good article indeed. . I think the current squad is promising, we've improved in all areas, even in attack (Ba is obviously Carroll's replacement). But as we all know, the failure to buy the second striker f***ed up what could have been a fantastic window. However, with HBA returning,  a Vukic who now really seems to realize his talent and Ba, we actually have three more players to use in attack than we had in the 2nd part of last season. The BIG problem is course the lack of depth. A long time injury on Best or BA is a disaster. On the other hand, we have started this season great, our defensive play has never looked better, so if we're lucky with injuries we might be capable of cementing a a spot in the upper tier of the table, which will make us more attractive for the best talents in the January window. Hopefully our economy has also improved, making it possible for us to pick the best talents in attack and on left back.

 

Tbf it looks like they've been spot on with all the other purchases, which is impressing. Still it's f***ing irritating that they're so stubborn in their approach, they refuse to may more than the player is worth..But luckily this also mean that we never will experience another kind of nightmare: Buying a s*** player like Crouch for £10 mill, or wasting £4 mill on Jerome.

 

In other words MA is now taking a huge risk, but his strategy MIGHT also result in a huge payoff if we're lucky with injuries and the squad reaches its potential. He's taking a gamble, but with budget discipline and a strong focus on buying the correct players at correct price, the club COULD recover faster. The coin has two sides in other words.

 

I agree that we have brought very well but our most important target during transfer widow was to replace Carroll Ashley failed. We had 6 months and i knowwe had players reject us but we had enough time to get a replacement, i dont blame carr as he just targets them I blame MA and DL for negotiating so strictly it was a "we tried" attitude. For us to move forward all member of the board have to leave.

[ponsaelius]

That is a very good piece from Edwards, fair play. So close to a good window, yet ultimately so far. Tightfistness/ineptitude that will needlessly cost us on the pitch this season.

[quayside]

To become a premier league owner you have to pass the fit and proper test, i feel this test should be carried out every 2-4 yrs to make sure clubs are being ran correctly and proper with the best interest of the club at heart. Not a chance would Ashley pass this test, this would be the only way i could see him leave.

 

I think he would easily pass the test. You try and convince an outsider that financial prudence, a manageable wage bill and buying young players with a future isn't in the club's best interest. And the f*cking up of transfer negotiations wouldn't come into it at all. Not that the fit and proper test goes that deep anway.

[Guest bimpy474]

I dont think wages are the problem as much as the price of the player, it seems we will go in with our valuation and stick to it and not budge, it works virtually none of the time as we've seen, it becomes more annoying when you find out it would have took just a little more to get a great player.

[Punk77]

That is a very good piece from Edwards, fair play. So close to a good window, yet ultimately so far. Tightfistness/ineptitude that will needlessly cost us on the pitch this season.

 

That is not sure: If the defense functions, that security/confidence could spread to the rest of the team too..

 

[Guest bimpy474]

To become a premier league owner you have to pass the fit and proper test, i feel this test should be carried out every 2-4 yrs to make sure clubs are being ran correctly and proper with the best interest of the club at heart. Not a chance would Ashley pass this test, this would be the only way i could see him leave.

 

I think he would easily pass the test. You try and convince an outsider that financial prudence, a manageable wage bill and buying young players with a future isn't in the club's best interest. And the f*cking up of transfer negotiations wouldn't come into it at all. Not that the fit and proper test goes that deep anway.

 

He would pass the test with flying colours, unfortunately

[geordie jamie]

To become a premier league owner you have to pass the fit and proper test, i feel this test should be carried out every 2-4 yrs to make sure clubs are being ran correctly and proper with the best interest of the club at heart. Not a chance would Ashley pass this test, this would be the only way i could see him leave.

 

I think he would easily pass the test. You try and convince an outsider that financial prudence, a manageable wage bill and buying young players with a future isn't in the club's best interest. And the f*cking up of transfer negotiations wouldn't come into it at all. Not that the fit and proper test goes that deep anway.

 

He is destroying the club something has to give, Liverpool managed to drive their shit owners now look at them why cant we do the same.

 

Saying that if Pompey's previous owners managed to pass the test anyone could

[ponsaelius]

That is a very good piece from Edwards, fair play. So close to a good window, yet ultimately so far. Tightfistness/ineptitude that will needlessly cost us on the pitch this season.

 

That is not sure: If the defense functions, that security/confidence could spread to the rest of the team too..

 

 

I think we'll be fine this season, but there will be spells where we struggle for goals and there will almost certainly be spells where a thin defence costs us.

 

Their tightfistedness has got us some bargains but it's cost us from having a complete team/squad. Double edged sword.

[Guest bimpy474]

To become a premier league owner you have to pass the fit and proper test, i feel this test should be carried out every 2-4 yrs to make sure clubs are being ran correctly and proper with the best interest of the club at heart. Not a chance would Ashley pass this test, this would be the only way i could see him leave.

 

I think he would easily pass the test. You try and convince an outsider that financial prudence, a manageable wage bill and buying young players with a future isn't in the club's best interest. And the f*cking up of transfer negotiations wouldn't come into it at all. Not that the fit and proper test goes that deep anway.

 

He is destroying the club something has to give, Liverpool managed to drive their s*** owners now look at them why cant we do the same.

 

Saying that if Pompey's previous owners managed to pass the test anyone could

 

But they didn't drive them out, thats a massive myth, the owners ran out of money and RBS took control of the club and forced them to accept JW Henry's offer, one of them went to court in America to try to stop the sale to Henry but got nowhere as American courts had no control over RBS's decision.

[geordie jamie]

To become a premier league owner you have to pass the fit and proper test, i feel this test should be carried out every 2-4 yrs to make sure clubs are being ran correctly and proper with the best interest of the club at heart. Not a chance would Ashley pass this test, this would be the only way i could see him leave.

 

I think he would easily pass the test. You try and convince an outsider that financial prudence, a manageable wage bill and buying young players with a future isn't in the club's best interest. And the f*cking up of transfer negotiations wouldn't come into it at all. Not that the fit and proper test goes that deep anway.

 

He is destroying the club something has to give, Liverpool managed to drive their s*** owners now look at them why cant we do the same.

 

Saying that if Pompey's previous owners managed to pass the test anyone could

 

But they didn't drive them out, thats a massive myth, the owners ran out of money and RBS took control of the club and forced them to accept JW Henry's offer, one of them went to court in America to try to stop the sale to Henry but got nowhere as American courts had no control over RBS's decision.

 

Sorry just clutching at straws.

[Guest bimpy474]

To become a premier league owner you have to pass the fit and proper test, i feel this test should be carried out every 2-4 yrs to make sure clubs are being ran correctly and proper with the best interest of the club at heart. Not a chance would Ashley pass this test, this would be the only way i could see him leave.

 

I think he would easily pass the test. You try and convince an outsider that financial prudence, a manageable wage bill and buying young players with a future isn't in the club's best interest. And the f*cking up of transfer negotiations wouldn't come into it at all. Not that the fit and proper test goes that deep anway.

 

He is destroying the club something has to give, Liverpool managed to drive their s*** owners now look at them why cant we do the same.

 

Saying that if Pompey's previous owners managed to pass the test anyone could

 

But they didn't drive them out, thats a massive myth, the owners ran out of money and RBS took control of the club and forced them to accept JW Henry's offer, one of them went to court in America to try to stop the sale to Henry but got nowhere as American courts had no control over RBS's decision.

 

Sorry just clutching at straws.

 

Dont say sorry mate no need, i'll hold your hand if you like while we clutch at those straws

[geordie jamie]

To become a premier league owner you have to pass the fit and proper test, i feel this test should be carried out every 2-4 yrs to make sure clubs are being ran correctly and proper with the best interest of the club at heart. Not a chance would Ashley pass this test, this would be the only way i could see him leave.

 

I think he would easily pass the test. You try and convince an outsider that financial prudence, a manageable wage bill and buying young players with a future isn't in the club's best interest. And the f*cking up of transfer negotiations wouldn't come into it at all. Not that the fit and proper test goes that deep anway.

 

He is destroying the club something has to give, Liverpool managed to drive their s*** owners now look at them why cant we do the same.

 

Saying that if Pompey's previous owners managed to pass the test anyone could

 

But they didn't drive them out, thats a massive myth, the owners ran out of money and RBS took control of the club and forced them to accept JW Henry's offer, one of them went to court in America to try to stop the sale to Henry but got nowhere as American courts had no control over RBS's decision.

 

Sorry just clutching at straws.

 

Dont say sorry mate no need, i'll hold your hand if you like while we clutch at those straws

 

haha :-)

[quayside]

To become a premier league owner you have to pass the fit and proper test, i feel this test should be carried out every 2-4 yrs to make sure clubs are being ran correctly and proper with the best interest of the club at heart. Not a chance would Ashley pass this test, this would be the only way i could see him leave.

 

I think he would easily pass the test. You try and convince an outsider that financial prudence, a manageable wage bill and buying young players with a future isn't in the club's best interest. And the f*cking up of transfer negotiations wouldn't come into it at all. Not that the fit and proper test goes that deep anway.

 

He is destroying the club something has to give, Liverpool managed to drive their s*** owners now look at them why cant we do the same.

 

Saying that if Pompey's previous owners managed to pass the test anyone could

 

The Liverpool situation was entirely different. They borrowed all the money to buy the club. It was, to use a phrase from another thread title, a "leveraged buyout". Ashley bought us with his own money,  money that he made from a company that he founded from nothing. He floated that company on the London Stock market and he still owns 70% of it. And that pretty much ticks all the boxes of a fit and proper test.

 

 

[Guest bimpy474]

Mark Douglas

@MsiDouglas Mark Douglas

@Fozzie1963 If they won't talk, we'll have to wait until they will. Things in the pipeline though. Why the anger at me?

21 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone

 

Does he mean that they may actually talk to us soon ?

[Sifu]

That is a very good balanced article by Edwards. I think Pardew has been let down.

 

Aye, for once Edwards is talking sense!