Mike Ashley

[Guest Howaythetoon]

That site gets most of its 'news' from 3rd parties btw, all writers/journos are freelancers. Its a site designed simply to drive traffic to SD and generate leads.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I'd happily pay 1K to watch an NUFC side as good as KK's or Sir Bobby's trying to actually win things and in a pleasing way too. Given the amount of good money I spend on tat in my life it would be well worth it.

 

To watch what Pardew serves up.... I would pay a tenner a ticket!

 

That said, I reckon lower ticket prices is a good thing and I wouldn't like to see ours rise even if we were playing good stuff and doing well.

 

Our commercial revenue is appalling though. We have a very shitty kit deal, a shitty sponsor deal and we get nowt in advertising around the ground and even what we do get is from local firms meaning pennies. We outsourced our catering and even the club shop and website makes f*** all.

 

The corporate end is dead these days, people just don't want to pay good money to watch a s*** team and a toxic brand.

 

When KK was manager big companies and very rich men were fighting to get a box and to get tickets. Same with Sir Bobby's era. Today anyone on here can get a seat in an executive box even against the mackems.

 

You do realise what outsourcing means don't you ??

 

It usually means you get a better deal than the cost of running something yourself. Which furthermore is guaranteed for the length of the contract, no ups and downs, guaranteed steady moolah.

 

The commercial revenue is poor, granted, but to sell corporate you've got to have a company with major presence in an area to entertain visitors. Not so sure there's that many around here now, certainly not with schmoosing, entertainment budgets like they used to be.

 

Of course I do, I'm a business owner/manager.

 

For me, outsourcing is like handing over a bit of your business to someone else. While we no doubt get a steady return over the course of a few years, we have no control over the quality nor can we improve our margins while tied to such a deal. To me, its a kop-out. Under FS we made decent money from catering and events and such. I think we make like 2m a year from this as it stands which is piss poor to be honest. 53,000 fans every other week and thousands of people working and being in and around SJP every week?

 

Ashley outsourcing is another clear sign of an exit strategy btw.

 

Me, if I were Ashley I'd buy a Macdonald's franchise and stick one in each stand. The club would make a fortune. I'd even bolt one to the stadium for non-match days too.

[binnsy]

For anyone interested this is a list of the questions, taken from the 500 received that have been given to the club to answer following the meeting in the labour club on Monday night,  some good ones some daft ones as you would expect...

 

Joe Kinnear

1.Why Joe Kinnear? What are his credentials?

2.Was he the only candidate?

3.Aren’t you concerned about his health?

4.Why not somebody like Chris Mort?

5.Why the delay in announcing?

6.Did Llambias walk or was he pushed?

7.Doesn’t this appointment undermine Alan Pardew/ other staff?

8.Who allowed JK on TalkSport?

 

 

General Q’s about JK

1.How will this work? (ie who’s responsible for what - clarity of JK’s role)

2.Who has the final say on players?

3.How do the players feel - especially those whose names he mangled?

4.What action did the Club take after TalkSport?

5.Do the Club not feel embarrassed by TalkSport?

 

 

General Mike Ashley/ Ownership

1.Why did MA buy the Club?

2.Does he still “want” to own NUFC?

3.Can you help us understand what you are trying to achieve with NUFC?

4.What does Mike Ashley want? Why does he do things he knows anger fans?

5.Will you ever issue a statement (from YOU) or communicate directly with fans?

6.Would you sell?

7.Would you consider some form of scheme to allow (partial) fan ownership?

8.How much we now owe Ashley has he been taking the installments back?

9.Would MA accept further (outside) investment into NUFC?

 

 

General NUFC

1.What happened to the “five year plan”?

2.Do you think you are following your own Mission Statement (refresh???)

3.How can we be confident in club when direction changes more than the wind?

4.What does the last week to to encourage stability?

5.What progress have you made as a club?

6.& do you actually understand how important the customer is?

7.What was the MASSIVE commercial deal that was going to be announced at the end of the season?

8.Would you ever consider bringing a safe standing/ singing section back?

9.Will SJP ever be upgraded to hold more?

10.What’ the thinking behind “membership” also do you know how poor an offer it is?

11.Also as a side question can they look at away games, in particular lifting the ban on non season ticket holders and also taking the full quota of tickets offered by the home clubs

12.Have you published the revised disabled supporters’ ticketing policy yet? Who are you consulting with?

 

 

Transfer/ Team questions

1.What is the transfer strategy? Has it changed? Are will still buy young & cheap?

2.Why didn’t we sign players last summer to build on 5th place?

3.Why weren't the buys/ sales sorted the week after the last game as promised?

4.Can we get out of the Wonga deal?

5.Do we always have to bring in money first before buying?

6.Could the club look into fan input on how the club is ran?

7.Is the rumour true about Aubameyang been offered shares in SD in a contract offer?

8.How often do you practise corners and do you have any tactics

9.with us £18mil up on transfers and the wage bill down + TV deal, why arent we spending big eg Aubameyeng

10.And how long are we going to have to put up with the fact that the likes of Gutierrez and Tiote are constantly bigged up as being 'key players' for the team when in reality the only thing they contribute is holding us back?

 

Any other business

•Pre - season tournament held at St James' Park each year. Newcastle United and 3 of Sir Bobby's former clubs all taking part. Four teams in the tournament with the opposition rotated each year so they all get a turn. Imagine the interest in this man! They could even donate the gate money to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation

•Why not do themed screenings of classic matches in the off-season?

•Why not embrace the city, embrace the club and its fans - it would help build a winning team.

 

 

[Ameritoon]

Any other business

•Pre - season tournament held at St James' Park each year. Newcastle United and 3 of Sir Bobby's former clubs all taking part. Four teams in the tournament with the opposition rotated each year so they all get a turn. Imagine the interest in this man! They could even donate the gate money to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation

 

I do that all the time in FM, can't believe it's never been done before.

[biggs]

genuine belief here that if he gets the booing ,banners and media against him that he will do everything in his power to shaft us the fans good and proper by selling our best players for personal gain

[Village Idiot]

I dread the day you attempt the "Bobby Robson tournament" because I'm 90% certain we'll refuse the invitation because it'll clash with some idiotic American/Asian tour

[BottledDog]

Are people suggesting an expensive lawyer as a preferable director of football.

 

 

Think I'll be forever bemused at the love that Chris Mort still generates.

[Guest antz1uk]

Are people suggesting an expensive lawyer as a preferable director of football.

 

 

Think I'll be forever bemused at the love that Chris Mort still generates.

 

This x 10

[Interpolic]

Are people suggesting an expensive lawyer as a preferable director of football.

 

 

Think I'll be forever bemused at the love that Chris Mort still generates.

 

It's almost as if you always manage to be behind whatever Ashley's up to at any given time, without ever going to the trouble of criticising any past decisions in any detail.

[Guest neesy111]

Are people suggesting an expensive lawyer as a preferable director of football.

 

 

Think I'll be forever bemused at the love that Chris Mort still generates.

 

This x 10

 

[Guest]

There was at the very least fan interaction from him. We've had none of that for 5 years under Llambias.

[Guest Roger Kint]

genuine belief here that if he gets the booing ,banners and media against him that he will do everything in his power to shaft us the fans good and proper by selling our best players for personal gain

 

Not enough in the world for this man. ffs personal gain? Its like selling your house for half price to a family of chav scum because you hate the neighbours. He gets no fucking gain!

[Guest Roger Kint]

Are people suggesting an expensive lawyer as a preferable director of football.

 

 

Think I'll be forever bemused at the love that Chris Mort still generates.

 

This x 10

 

[Crayola Kid]

genuine belief here that if he gets the booing ,banners and media against him that he will do everything in his power to shaft us the fans good and proper by selling our best players for personal gain

 

Not enough in the world for this man. ffs personal gain? Its like selling your house for half price to a family of chav scum because you hate the neighbours. He gets no f***ing gain!

 

This is something I dont  completely understand - the personal gain thing.  Does anyone know, and I have to say I do not know the answer, whether a business owner can simply take cash out out a business account and put it in his own personal account?

 

I mean, say NUFC sold two players this summer for 30M quid.  Is there a legitimate pathway for that money to be dropped into Ashley's own account, now or in the future, other than as a declared payment against outstanding loans owed to him, which would then be diminished by the amount paid?

 

Anyone? 

 

 

[Guest Roger Kint]

genuine belief here that if he gets the booing ,banners and media against him that he will do everything in his power to shaft us the fans good and proper by selling our best players for personal gain

 

Not enough in the world for this man. ffs personal gain? Its like selling your house for half price to a family of chav scum because you hate the neighbours. He gets no f***ing gain!

 

This is something I dont  completely understand - the personal gain thing.  Does anyone know, and I have to say I do not know the answer, whether a business owner can simply take cash out out a business account and put it in his own personal account?

 

I mean, say NUFC sold two players this summer for 30M quid.  Is there a legitimate pathway for that money to be dropped into Ashley's own account, now or in the future, other than as a declared payment against outstanding loans owed to him, which would then be diminished by the amount paid?

 

Anyone? 

 

 

 

Theres nothing really stopping him taking money out at all, he has done so over the years. Its the idiocy of selling the best players for 'personal gain' resulting in getting us relegated and losing tens of millions in the process that is such a backward notion. His greatest personal gain would be to spend as little as possible while ensuring we stay in the PL and paying off his debts til he starts taking out profit year on year. In other words what he is doing now.

[Crayola Kid]

genuine belief here that if he gets the booing ,banners and media against him that he will do everything in his power to shaft us the fans good and proper by selling our best players for personal gain

 

Not enough in the world for this man. ffs personal gain? Its like selling your house for half price to a family of chav scum because you hate the neighbours. He gets no f***ing gain!

 

This is something I dont  completely understand - the personal gain thing.  Does anyone know, and I have to say I do not know the answer, whether a business owner can simply take cash out out a business account and put it in his own personal account?

 

I mean, say NUFC sold two players this summer for 30M quid.  Is there a legitimate pathway for that money to be dropped into Ashley's own account, now or in the future, other than as a declared payment against outstanding loans owed to him, which would then be diminished by the amount paid?

 

Anyone? 

 

 

 

Theres nothing really stopping him taking money out at all, he has done so over the years. Its the idiocy of selling the best players for 'personal gain' resulting in getting us relegated and losing tens of millions in the process that is such a backward notion. His greatest personal gain would be to spend as little as possible while ensuring we stay in the PL and paying off his debts til he starts taking out profit year on year. In other words what he is doing now.

 

Do you know this to be true though?  I mean, the accounts are scrutinised publicly for this kind of business, can you really just put your hand in the till as an owner (any type of business) without tax implications etc?

 

You can maybe guess, I'm no accountant.  It doesnt feel like it should be that straightforward, though?

[Guest Howaythetoon]

genuine belief here that if he gets the booing ,banners and media against him that he will do everything in his power to shaft us the fans good and proper by selling our best players for personal gain

 

Not enough in the world for this man. ffs personal gain? Its like selling your house for half price to a family of chav scum because you hate the neighbours. He gets no f***ing gain!

 

This is something I dont  completely understand - the personal gain thing.  Does anyone know, and I have to say I do not know the answer, whether a business owner can simply take cash out out a business account and put it in his own personal account?

 

I mean, say NUFC sold two players this summer for 30M quid.  Is there a legitimate pathway for that money to be dropped into Ashley's own account, now or in the future, other than as a declared payment against outstanding loans owed to him, which would then be diminished by the amount paid?

 

Anyone? 

 

 

 

Theres nothing really stopping him taking money out at all, he has done so over the years. Its the idiocy of selling the best players for 'personal gain' resulting in getting us relegated and losing tens of millions in the process that is such a backward notion. His greatest personal gain would be to spend as little as possible while ensuring we stay in the PL and paying off his debts til he starts taking out profit year on year. In other words what he is doing now.

 

Do you know this to be true though?  I mean, the accounts are scrutinised publicly for this kind of business, can you really just put your hand in the till as an owner (any type of business) without tax implications etc?

 

You can maybe guess, I'm no accountant.  It doesnt feel like it should be that straightforward, though?

 

I'm a director of my business and I draw a wage and get a directors dividend at the end of the business year. I can only take more money out of the business via a higher salary or a bigger dividend, all of which gets taxed.

 

I imagine its the same for Ashley, although if he is owed money from the business by way of loans/credit then that's another thing altogether.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

If he is the only shareholder/director he can pay himself dividends basically whenever he wants as long as we make a profit. Yes, that information would have to be publicised in the accounts. He could pay himself a salary before profit in theory, but that would be subject to full income tax so he wouldn't do that.

[Guest Roger Kint]

genuine belief here that if he gets the booing ,banners and media against him that he will do everything in his power to shaft us the fans good and proper by selling our best players for personal gain

 

Not enough in the world for this man. ffs personal gain? Its like selling your house for half price to a family of chav scum because you hate the neighbours. He gets no f***ing gain!

 

This is something I dont  completely understand - the personal gain thing.  Does anyone know, and I have to say I do not know the answer, whether a business owner can simply take cash out out a business account and put it in his own personal account?

 

I mean, say NUFC sold two players this summer for 30M quid.  Is there a legitimate pathway for that money to be dropped into Ashley's own account, now or in the future, other than as a declared payment against outstanding loans owed to him, which would then be diminished by the amount paid?

 

Anyone? 

 

 

 

Theres nothing really stopping him taking money out at all, he has done so over the years. Its the idiocy of selling the best players for 'personal gain' resulting in getting us relegated and losing tens of millions in the process that is such a backward notion. His greatest personal gain would be to spend as little as possible while ensuring we stay in the PL and paying off his debts til he starts taking out profit year on year. In other words what he is doing now.

 

Do you know this to be true though?  I mean, the accounts are scrutinised publicly for this kind of business, can you really just put your hand in the till as an owner (any type of business) without tax implications etc?

 

You can maybe guess, I'm no accountant.  It doesnt feel like it should be that straightforward, though?

 

His loan has gone down £29m in two years. He can claim it when he likes providing the cash is there. He cant take cash out the till like a regular shopkeeper can but he is well within his rights to take money out he is owed.

[Dokko]

Sell all our best players for daft money, replace them on the cheap, pray we stay in the division and we'd be a huge step closer to getting rid of him.

 

If we could pay him £100m without going in to the red I think there would be loads of people wanting us at that reduced price.

 

It's the only way I see us being in a position to be sold.

[Guest Roger Kint]

If he is the only shareholder/director he can pay himself dividends basically whenever he wants as long as we make a profit. Yes, that information would have to be publicised in the accounts. He could pay himself a salary before profit in theory, but that would be subject to full income tax so he wouldn't do that.

 

Aye obviously as you and HTT say if he wants to take money out aside from his loan he would need to suffer tax implications of salary/dividends.

[Crayola Kid]

genuine belief here that if he gets the booing ,banners and media against him that he will do everything in his power to shaft us the fans good and proper by selling our best players for personal gain

 

Not enough in the world for this man. ffs personal gain? Its like selling your house for half price to a family of chav scum because you hate the neighbours. He gets no f***ing gain!

 

This is something I dont  completely understand - the personal gain thing.  Does anyone know, and I have to say I do not know the answer, whether a business owner can simply take cash out out a business account and put it in his own personal account?

 

I mean, say NUFC sold two players this summer for 30M quid.  Is there a legitimate pathway for that money to be dropped into Ashley's own account, now or in the future, other than as a declared payment against outstanding loans owed to him, which would then be diminished by the amount paid?

 

Anyone? 

 

 

 

Theres nothing really stopping him taking money out at all, he has done so over the years. Its the idiocy of selling the best players for 'personal gain' resulting in getting us relegated and losing tens of millions in the process that is such a backward notion. His greatest personal gain would be to spend as little as possible while ensuring we stay in the PL and paying off his debts til he starts taking out profit year on year. In other words what he is doing now.

 

Do you know this to be true though?  I mean, the accounts are scrutinised publicly for this kind of business, can you really just put your hand in the till as an owner (any type of business) without tax implications etc?

 

You can maybe guess, I'm no accountant.  It doesnt feel like it should be that straightforward, though?

 

I'm a director of my business and I draw a wage and get a directors dividend at the end of the business year. I can only take more money out of the business via a higher salary or a bigger dividend, all of which gets taxed.

 

I imagine its the same for Ashley, although if he is owed money from the business by way of loans/credit then that's another thing altogether.

 

Fucking Bingo.  Hoped someone with knowledge of this kind of thing would be on here.  Glad to know we cant be ripped in this particular way, cheers.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Loan repayments I guess are separate, I've never loaned any money to my company so I'm not sure how this works.

 

He could pay himself salary out of gross income, but that would be fully taxed.

 

He could pay himself dividends if there is profit in the business, that is taxed at a lower level because the company has already paid tax on its profits.

[Guest Roger Kint]

Sell all our best players for daft money, replace them on the cheap, pray we stay in the division and we'd be a huge step closer to getting rid of him.

 

If we could pay him £100m without going in to the red I think there would be loads of people wanting us at that reduced price.

 

It's the only way I see us being in a position to be sold.

 

If he finds a way to clear his debts and still have a PL team with crowds still turning up why on earth would he leave? He will be raking in the cash year on year. He is a businessman they dont usually walk away when the profits start coming in.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Sell all our best players for daft money, replace them on the cheap, pray we stay in the division and we'd be a huge step closer to getting rid of him.

 

If we could pay him £100m without going in to the red I think there would be loads of people wanting us at that reduced price.

 

It's the only way I see us being in a position to be sold.

 

We would never stay up while raising £100m from player sales though, surely.

 

If Ashley was really desperate to leave, he could always extend the debt terms to the new owner so they could service the debt over a long period like he is doing with himself now. It might not be that he would want it all back immediately. Dunno obviously.