Mike Ashley

[Colos Short and Curlies]

No he didn't buy M&M, they are owned by a company called TA - there is no mention of MA on their timeline on their website. MA was a bidder for the company but lost out (according to Google anyway)

[DJ_NUFC]

The stewards would just take it off you and you'd probably get banned for life for daring go up against the regime.

 

Yeah, big banners are a hiding to nothing.

 

I was thinking how good it would be if Banksy did a funny little drawing outside St James' to draw attention to the plight

 

Daft idea, but I think if people want to engage in protest then it's better to not have poorly attended marches or ill-subscribed boycotts.  But to do little things themself.

 

For the price of one match ticket, if someone is going to stop going they can produce a thousand stickers and just hoy them all about the town/stadium.  Standing on public ground outside a Sports Direct or the club shop with a "Golf Sale" style sign a few times would probably get you in the paper.

 

I wouldn't break the law myself but anyone wanting to do a banksy copy at the stadium would have my utmost respect.

 

I've just found this on Google Images. It would make a cracking sticker.

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_V_ruZa2lUjE/TQIdySe0IKI/AAAAAAAABNw/KcFcOp5E6CQ/s1600/dope700%255B1%255D.png

 

In ebonics that actually means 'good.'

[Happy Face]

In ebonics that actually means 'good.'

 

And to "shake your booty" means to wiggle one's butt. Permit me to demonstrate.

[Guest snoopythewriter]

Question:

 

If you were a professional footballer, born and raised a Geordie, and you had the chance to sign for Newcastle under the current regime, where ambition is a no-no, would you?

[Shays Given Tim Flowers]

Yes.

[Matt]

A more effective ploy would require some tinkering with the electronic hoardings during a live game.

[ElDiablo]

Stink bombs in Sports Direct at the busiest times.

[Cajun]

Stink bombs in Sports Direct at the busiest times.

 

Would anyone notice?

[NG32]

http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-articles/newcastle-united-tipping-point-reached-fans/

[Darth Crooks]

Sticker this:

 

 

http://s14.postimg.org/fk2ixr2pd/club_crest.png

 

[HawK]

Sticker this:

 

 

http://s14.postimg.org/fk2ixr2pd/club_crest.png

 

 

[Beren]

http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-articles/newcastle-united-tipping-point-reached-fans/

 

Good read

[Wullie]

http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-articles/newcastle-united-tipping-point-reached-fans/

 

Good read

 

I think he works where I do.

[Guest JS]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whole thing. When Ashley first came about, I heard he was a bit of a maverick with his other business interests and even judging by John Halls accounts, he wanted the club to further sports direct in foreign markets. Surely that would mean we would need to be successful to some degree. Surely that goes hand in hand: A successful club will have more attention, more international fans and so on, more exposure for him and his other businesses if marketed properly. I can't even say that's unfair, to a degree.

 

It seemed to start quite well too. I think he listened to us, potentially the players (?) and saw what was happening under hippo heed and made the right call. In hindsight, that wasn't a bad move either.

 

What I simply can't get my head around is the handling of the club. IMO I do think he was listening to offers for the club after the KK debacle and made it known to sound out potential buyers. I just don't think there are many people willing to do business with this guy and it's telling even now, look at the state of our commercial income. Really hits it home when the only people willing to jump into bed with this clown are Wonga, some Chinese low end betting company and the likes of Adidas pulling the plug. I wouldn't be surprised either if Branson had a part in not wanting Virgin Money on our shirts for the remainder of that deal, even though it seemed the club pulled it.

 

Could it be that he's setting the club up to make the money up from his loan before he sells us off? Could it be that selling the prize assets and banking the money is a step to pushing this through more quickly? It's either that or he really has found a way of making a Premier League football club profitable for him whilst providing a platform of sustainability. The unfortunate victims in all of this is, no surprises, the fans.

 

I'm clutching at the hope of him not wanting us any more, doing what is necessary to make that happen sooner rather than later then getting shot of the club. Why else would he be hanging around if the general population hates him and it's not doing his original objectives any justice?

 

[Minhosa]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whole thing. When Ashley first came about, I heard he was a bit of a maverick with his other business interests and even judging by John Halls accounts, he wanted the club to further sports direct in foreign markets. Surely that would mean we would need to be successful to some degree. Surely that goes hand in hand: A successful club will have more attention, more international fans and so on, more exposure for him and his other businesses if marketed properly. I can't even say that's unfair, to a degree.

 

It seemed to start quite well too. I think he listened to us, potentially the players (?) and saw what was happening under hippo heed and made the right call. In hindsight, that wasn't a bad move either.

 

What I simply can't get my head around is the handling of the club. IMO I do think he was listening to offers for the club after the KK debacle and made it known to sound out potential buyers. I just don't think there are many people willing to do business with this guy and it's telling even now, look at the state of our commercial income. Really hits it home when the only people willing to jump into bed with this clown are Wonga, some Chinese low end betting company and the likes of Adidas pulling the plug. I wouldn't be surprised either if Branson had a part in not wanting Virgin Money on our shirts for the remainder of that deal, even though it seemed the club pulled it.

 

Could it be that he's setting the club up to make the money up from his loan before he sells us off? Could it be that selling the prize assets and banking the money is a step to pushing this through more quickly? It's either that or he really has found a way of making a Premier League football club profitable for him whilst providing a platform of sustainability. The unfortunate victims in all of this is, no surprises, the fans.

 

I'm clutching at the hope of him not wanting us any more, doing what is necessary to make that happen sooner rather than later then getting shot of the club. Why else would he be hanging around if the general population hates him and it's not doing his original objectives any justice?

 

 

I think it depends upon how you define success. To us, the mere football fan, we would define it as achievements in either league position (top 6?) and in cups (finals/winning).

 

MA probably defines success in terms of his overall investment in the club. Maintaining the big dollar (TV Money) and generating enough revenue through player sales etc whilst keeping costs right down equaling profit.

 

Result is a lean investment that owes him little, turns in a profit every year and is worth more than he paid for it. The Brucey Bonus being the Sports Direct exposure for nowt.

 

There's a school of thought to say he's executed that little aspiration to the fucking letter.

 

The question is at what point does he accept an offer to move on and my feeling is that time will be a long way off because, like in every other negotiation with Ashley, he'll be wanting to get an absolute maximum return meaning it'll have to be a sugar daddy and not a corporation buying it off him.

 

Forgive me if I'm mistaken but I don't see too many sugar daddies wandering around looking to waste money on a football team at the minute.

[Mattoon]

Premier league teams no longer need to be successful to be shown around the world, we're almost at saturation point with TV exposure, that's all he needs. It doesn't benefit him for us to have worldwide fans, merely global exposure for his shitty brand. Ergo (I love an ergo) us simply existing in the top tier is his only requirement.

 

You're right in suggesting no one wants to deal with him in business as they know he fleeces the market, he will only sell NUFC if he did it for a song. Our only hope is to somehow, some way bring him (in regards to NUFC) to his knees, if he wants out enough, really wants out, our best chance is him accepting a break even offer. If we manage to make it worthless to him or risk him losing money/face he will sell up acceptably, as it stands we're worth more to him than any potential buyer would be willing to pay.

[Elliottman]

Sent a tweet into total sports before saying I couldn't believe how ignorant the presenter was to our current plight. John Anderson replied 'what plight' ?

 

Then you read articles like that in the mag, you realise they have their heads burried in the sand. Unreal.

[loki679]

He's an intensely private man by all accounts.  You want to fuck with him start publishing pictures of his house, his address etc etc.

[cp40]

Sent a tweet into total sports before saying I couldn't believe how ignorant the presenter was to our current plight. John Anderson replied 'what plight' ?

 

Then you read articles like that in the mag, you realise they have their heads burried in the sand. Unreal.

 

 

 

Heard that- sick of John Anderson making excuses for the cunts in charge.

[TK-421]

Sent a tweet into total sports before saying I couldn't believe how ignorant the presenter was to our current plight. Hm Anderson replied 'what plight' ?

 

Then you read articles like that in the mag, you realise they have their heads burried in the sand. Unreal.

 

Yeah, heard that - they keep talking about how good a season we have had, and the fact we are still 8th.

 

No mention of the public lack of ambition, progress in cup competitions, etc.

 

We should just be grateful to have beaten Man Utd, Chelsea and Spurs earlier in the season.

 

The Man Utd result is looking weaker as the season goes on, with more and more teams beating them for the first time in however many years!

[AyeDubbleYoo]

It's genuinely difficult to think of a football motivated buyer TBH. If there was such a thing, then they would need to be prepared to sink massive amounts of cash into the club to force us very far beyond the top 5 or 6 reliably. Buying a football club is basically a money pit for most people, without the SD promotion sideline that Ashley has.

 

Assuming we're after someone who's not in it just to make money and/or promote their other interests.

[Elliottman]

Sent a tweet into total sports before saying I couldn't believe how ignorant the presenter was to our current plight. John Anderson replied 'what plight' ?

 

Then you read articles like that in the mag, you realise they have their heads burried in the sand. Unreal.

 

 

 

Heard that- sick of John Anderson making excuses for the c***s in charge.

 

Aye, it's always 'well what do people want', 'we are 8th' etc. that cunt presenting said 'if they beat Chelsea it'll all be forgotten'. Absolute tosser.

[Guest neesy111]

Sent a tweet into total sports before saying I couldn't believe how ignorant the presenter was to our current plight. John Anderson replied 'what plight' ?

 

Then you read articles like that in the mag, you realise they have their heads burried in the sand. Unreal.

 

 

 

Heard that- sick of John Anderson making excuses for the c***s in charge.

 

Aye, it's always 'well what do people want', 'we are 8th' etc. that cunt presenting said 'if they beat Chelsea it'll all be forgotten'. Absolute tosser.

 

Seriously think he's defending the club so he doesn't get banned from it.  i.e. out of a job

[Guest snoopythewriter]

I want to go back to May 2007 and stop this nightmare from even beginning.

[Guest JS]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whole thing. When Ashley first came about, I heard he was a bit of a maverick with his other business interests and even judging by John Halls accounts, he wanted the club to further sports direct in foreign markets. Surely that would mean we would need to be successful to some degree. Surely that goes hand in hand: A successful club will have more attention, more international fans and so on, more exposure for him and his other businesses if marketed properly. I can't even say that's unfair, to a degree.

 

It seemed to start quite well too. I think he listened to us, potentially the players (?) and saw what was happening under hippo heed and made the right call. In hindsight, that wasn't a bad move either.

 

What I simply can't get my head around is the handling of the club. IMO I do think he was listening to offers for the club after the KK debacle and made it known to sound out potential buyers. I just don't think there are many people willing to do business with this guy and it's telling even now, look at the state of our commercial income. Really hits it home when the only people willing to jump into bed with this clown are Wonga, some Chinese low end betting company and the likes of Adidas pulling the plug. I wouldn't be surprised either if Branson had a part in not wanting Virgin Money on our shirts for the remainder of that deal, even though it seemed the club pulled it.

 

Could it be that he's setting the club up to make the money up from his loan before he sells us off? Could it be that selling the prize assets and banking the money is a step to pushing this through more quickly? It's either that or he really has found a way of making a Premier League football club profitable for him whilst providing a platform of sustainability. The unfortunate victims in all of this is, no surprises, the fans.

 

I'm clutching at the hope of him not wanting us any more, doing what is necessary to make that happen sooner rather than later then getting shot of the club. Why else would he be hanging around if the general population hates him and it's not doing his original objectives any justice?

 

 

I think it depends upon how you define success. To us, the mere football fan, we would define it as achievements in either league position (top 6?) and in cups (finals/winning).

 

MA probably defines success in terms of his overall investment in the club. Maintaining the big dollar (TV Money) and generating enough revenue through player sales etc whilst keeping costs right down equaling profit.

 

Result is a lean investment that owes him little, turns in a profit every year and is worth more than he paid for it. The Brucey Bonus being the Sports Direct exposure for nowt.

 

There's a school of thought to say he's executed that little aspiration to the f***ing letter.

 

The question is at what point does he accept an offer to move on and my feeling is that time will be a long way off because, like in every other negotiation with Ashley, he'll be wanting to get an absolute maximum return meaning it'll have to be a sugar daddy and not a corporation buying it off him.

 

Forgive me if I'm mistaken but I don't see too many sugar daddies wandering around looking to waste money on a football team at the minute.

 

Your part in bold is my biggest fear. He won't give 2 fucks if half the city hates him, or if the ground fills up to 50% capacity as long as he's still turning profit. The moment NUFC turns into making big losses is probably where he'll draw the line and consider it a failed venture. That or a sugar daddy as you've stated, but to reiterate your point, not many of those kicking about and certainly not in this part of the world.

 

A different point altogether but the TV deal absolutely stinks like. If your main source of revenue isn't coming through the gates or selling the club gear, then there's really no point in having the fans concerns at the forefront of your agenda. If you can hold it out above 17th position every season and Sky continue to throw a club tens of millions just to stay in the premier league, what's the fucking point?