Have we done enough as fans....

[AyeDubbleYoo]

We would need to get the home crowds down to 30k at least, not sure that's possible.

 

Even then Ashley might not be able to find a buyer.

 

Even then the buyer might be worse.

[Hanshithispantz]

I suppose we could have hires some lunatic to kill him/kidnap his family, other than thattheres literaly fuck all we can/could do/have done.

[Skeletor]

He'd probably demand £35m for his family then leave them to die whilst telling the police that his family wanted to die so he couldn't turn it down.

[UV]

There's nothing the fans can do, at least nothing that they realistically will do.

 

You could have an assault course filled with deadly animals surrounding St James' Park and at least 35,000 people would make it in. We love the club and going to the match too much to give it up because of Ashley.

 

We would need to get the home crowds down to 30k at least, not sure that's possible.

 

Even then Ashley might not be able to find a buyer.

 

Even then the buyer might be worse.

 

 

2 years ago you'd probably have used 45,000 and 40k in those posts.

 

Apathy is the enemy of protest, but it will also eventually be Ashley's downfall too. Keep running the club as he has been and crowds will only get lower which will mean less spent on the team which will mean it will be sooner rather than later that we get relegated again, and it wont be so easy to bounce back next time.

 

Then it will only depend on whether he decides to cut his losses at that point to avoid the agro, or decides he's nothing to lose and keep it ticking over as a plaything hoping to get lucky.

[JH]

Liverpool were able to get rid of their board because there was a buyer interested. As simple as that.

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

I can't believe Sports Direct in Eldon is still standing tbh

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I sort of agreed with you UV, but I just think that the reduced attendances is likely to have hit the floor, rather than be a continuous trend.

 

I think it's more likely that us having a hard time has just trimmed the casual fans and left the more serious ones. Don't forget we've just been relegated as well.

 

It's probably impossible to tell right now, but I think a little bit of excitement from Ben Arfa and a finish a bit above the relegation zone will mean that there's no way people will stop going to games in large enough numbers to make Ashley notice.

[Guest neesy111]

Apathy really is starting to set in, even I who have been to protests etc can't be bothered with the whole thing anymore.  I'll still support the team, but for me everything that is happening is just far too much effort.  I tried to put a brave face on it last night, but something is wrong with football itself not just NUFC for me.  The sooner the bubble bursts the better for me, too much money, greed and media attention in the whole thing.

[sparkzter]

Apathy really is starting to set in, even I who have been to protests etc can't be bothered with the whole thing anymore.  I'll still support the team, but for me everything that is happening is just far too much effort.  I tried to put a brave face on it last night, but something is wrong with football itself not just NUFC for me.  The sooner the bubble bursts the better for me, too much money, greed and media attention in the whole thing.

This.

 

I really want the financial thing it football to break.  Means tests, Percentage of wages to turnover set, salary capping etc

 

Doubt it will ever happen, but wish it would

[Guest sicko2ndbest]

He will go when he is sick of the club!

 

He won't run it into the ground as he will want a return

 

It cannot be fun for him anymore

 

We just need a buyer

[UV]

Apathy really is starting to set in, even I who have been to protests etc can't be bothered with the whole thing anymore.  I'll still support the team, but for me everything that is happening is just far too much effort.  I tried to put a brave face on it last night, but something is wrong with football itself not just NUFC for me.  The sooner the bubble bursts the better for me, too much money, greed and media attention in the whole thing.

 

It'll deflate, but it wont burst.

 

Football has always been about money. The richest clubs/owners have always taken the best players from the poorer ones. For a couple of decades we've been mostly shielded from the harsh reality of what that means to a supporter of a club lower down the pecking order because we've been one of the rich kids taking the players not losing them.

 

Despite what people would have you believe we're still one of the richest teams in the league and the world - we'd have made a profit this year without the sale of Carroll, and will now make a club record profit which will probably only be bettered by Arsenal, and maybe Spurs, but we're still acting like paupers an if it continues we genuinely will be.

[OzzieMandias]

Apathy really is starting to set in, even I who have been to protests etc can't be bothered with the whole thing anymore.  I'll still support the team, but for me everything that is happening is just far too much effort.  I tried to put a brave face on it last night, but something is wrong with football itself not just NUFC for me.  The sooner the bubble bursts the better for me, too much money, greed and media attention in the whole thing.

 

It'll deflate, but it wont burst.

 

Football has always been about money. The richest clubs/owners have always taken the best players from the poorer ones. For a couple of decades we've been mostly shielded from the harsh reality of what that means to a supporter of a club lower down the pecking order because we've been one of the rich kids taking the players not losing them.

 

Despite what people would have you believe we're still one of the richest teams in the league and the world - we'd have made a profit this year without the sale of Carroll, and will now make a club record profit which will probably only be bettered by Arsenal, and maybe Spurs, but we're still acting like paupers an if it continues we genuinely will be.

 

Go on, then. Give us all a laugh by showing us the made-up figures which supposedly prove that one.

[Wilky]

I haven't been to a home game for two years now, I made a concious decision not to put any money into Ashley's plaything. I fully expect to get abuse for that but I refuse to be called a 'casual fan'. I went to many away games in the Championship, although not as many as I would have liked since promotion. The only way to get the guy to move on is to cut his cashflow, obviously with TV money it is more difficult that in the early 90s but I really can't understand anyone purchasing a season ticket next year. By all means get individual tickets for games but thousands of people stumping up hundreds of pounds only sends one message to Ashley. He can do what he likes. This club has no ambition and the best we can hope for is treading water. The longer the fans rock up unquestioning the longer this will continue.

[Vinny Green Balls]

All we can really do is show a bit of defiance.  But as I stated earlier, fuck him.  I am not letting him chase me out of this club.  I've been supporting them for too long.  And I am fairly certain that most people who now say that the last straw was pulled will be back.  Your logic will only take you so far away from the club. 

 

We are all daft to support the Toon.  Most of us had no choice in the matter.  And those of us that did in all probability really didn't.  The club picked us whether we like it or not.  Maybe I was Hitler's oil boy in my last life, and this is my karmic fate.  But karmic fate or no, this club is inside me, and an overinflated douchebag isn't going to drive it out.