Sima Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Thanks Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanSkÃrare Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Cynical fucks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallace Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 @lee_ryder: #nufc have frozen season ticket prices for next season and reduced young person's season ticket prices Strange announcement to make now because the prices are already frozen for those on the 10/9/8 year etc schemes who have to renew this week. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beren Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Sell 'em cheap, and stack 'em high. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themanupstairs Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Make it more about the passive day out craic than about the football. Makes sense. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Sell 'em cheap, and stack 'em high. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paully Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11788/9684467/sfa-sets-march-dates-for-rangers-and-mike-ashley-hearings Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATB Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Sell 'em cheap, and stack 'em high. Yep, same as any of his businesses. Unfortunately, lessons from SD show that he is likely to be right and the stadium will still be filled. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Geordiesned Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Sorry if this has already been posted (it's a week old) but it really highlights what a cunt Ashley is. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/mike-ashley-wields-his-iron-fist-once-more-at-usc-9994171.html Mike Ashley wields his iron fist once more at USC A factory stand-off. Debts unpaid. Workers laid off. Simon Neville investigates the messy demise of the billionaire's fashion brand By SIMON NEVILLE Thursday 22 January 2015 Most retailers, if singled out by the leader of the Opposition and held up as a symbol of poor business practice, might resolve to make some changes, or at least watch their step. But most retailers are not like Mike Ashley. The Sports Direct billionaire – denounced by Ed Miliband last year for his “Victorian” employment practices – is a busy man at the moment. He is trying to gain control of the floundering Scottish football club, Rangers. And yesterday Ashley confirmed that he had cashed in £116m-worth of Sports Direct shares, possibly to help finance that football deal. But the failure of Ashley’s fashion brand, USC, this month has thrown the spotlight back on to Ashley’s retail activities – and could end up landing him in hot water. USC announced it was going out of business on 8 January, but last Friday it was bought up by Republic, another arm of Ashley’s Sports Direct empire. This turned out to be a controversial “pre-pack” administration which, though perfectly legal, has left suppliers out of pocket and 88 staff redundant, with some of the costs to be picked up by the taxpayer. One senior politician yesterday called the behaviour a clear abuse of the insolvency rules and staff have outlined to The Independent how they believe they have been mistreated by their employer. Alastair Cook, who had worked for USC for eight years in the company’s Dundonald factory in Ayrshire before being made redundant last week, explained: “The first warning signs were on 4 January when we got some emails, saying we are doing a full warehouse stock-check. It’s not unusual, but it did raise a few eyebrows.” Five days later, at 7.30am, two senior workers from Sports Direct’s head office in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, arrived and told staff that they were to start loading up 50 Sports Direct trucks, which arrived an hour later. Mr Cook explained: “We weren’t told USC was going bust or going into administration. We made some calls to head office to ask what was happening, but no one told us anything. We knew something was up but were told to carry on loading the trucks. We were essentially digging our own graves.” On 8 January the situation turned farcical when the landlords of the warehouse, Sir Tom Hunter’s private equity group West Coast Capital, got wind of the stock being shipped out, and sent their own staff to blockade the departing trucks. By 2.30pm the trucks could not leave and the police arrived. Sir Tom was owed rent and a billionaire’s-standoff ensued which led to the power being shut off to the factory and an eight-hour negotiation. The landlord’s bill was finally settled. Before the power was cut, Mr Cook also noticed that the USC website said “© 2015 Republic.Com Retail Ltd” whereas it had previously said “© 2015 West Coast Capital (USC) Ltd”. “That suggested to us the sale was a done deal – before we had been told anything,” he said. But most retailers are not like Mike Ashley. The Sports Direct billionaire – denounced by Ed Miliband last year for his “Victorian” employment practices – is a busy man at the moment. He is trying to gain control of the floundering Scottish football club, Rangers. And yesterday Ashley confirmed that he had cashed in £116m-worth of Sports Direct shares, possibly to help finance that football deal. But the failure of Ashley’s fashion brand, USC, this month has thrown the spotlight back on to Ashley’s retail activities – and could end up landing him in hot water. USC announced it was going out of business on 8 January, but last Friday it was bought up by Republic, another arm of Ashley’s Sports Direct empire. This turned out to be a controversial “pre-pack” administration which, though perfectly legal, has left suppliers out of pocket and 88 staff redundant, with some of the costs to be picked up by the taxpayer. One senior politician yesterday called the behaviour a clear abuse of the insolvency rules and staff have outlined to The Independent how they believe they have been mistreated by their employer. Alastair Cook, who had worked for USC for eight years in the company’s Dundonald factory in Ayrshire before being made redundant last week, explained: “The first warning signs were on 4 January when we got some emails, saying we are doing a full warehouse stock-check. It’s not unusual, but it did raise a few eyebrows.” Five days later, at 7.30am, two senior workers from Sports Direct’s head office in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, arrived and told staff that they were to start loading up 50 Sports Direct trucks, which arrived an hour later. Mr Cook explained: “We weren’t told USC was going bust or going into administration. We made some calls to head office to ask what was happening, but no one told us anything. We knew something was up but were told to carry on loading the trucks. We were essentially digging our own graves.” On 8 January the situation turned farcical when the landlords of the warehouse, Sir Tom Hunter’s private equity group West Coast Capital, got wind of the stock being shipped out, and sent their own staff to blockade the departing trucks. By 2.30pm the trucks could not leave and the police arrived. Sir Tom was owed rent and a billionaire’s-standoff ensued which led to the power being shut off to the factory and an eight-hour negotiation. The landlord’s bill was finally settled. Before the power was cut, Mr Cook also noticed that the USC website said “© 2015 Republic.Com Retail Ltd” whereas it had previously said “© 2015 West Coast Capital (USC) Ltd”. “That suggested to us the sale was a done deal – before we had been told anything,” he said. On the trucks were thousands of products bound for stores, including those supplied by Diesel, the company USC cites as the cause of its insolvency after the fashion label demanded remuneration for unpaid stock. Mr Cook said payment delays to suppliers were becoming a regular occurrence at USC. Once the warehouse was empty, staff say they were left to sit in the canteen for eight hours a day, waiting for information. Finally, two administrators from Gallaghers arrived and handed staff a letter informing them that the company was at risk of administration and a consultation period had started. Staff say that just 15 minutes later, a second letter was handed to them, telling them the company had indeed fallen into administration. They claim no one told them that a formal notice of intention to appoint receivers was filed with the High Court a few days earlier. One member of staff, who did not want to be named, said: “Because no information was given to us, we couldn’t even make arrangements for things like benefits, as we didn’t know if we would be redeployed into stores, or paid our owed wages and redundancy.” Adrian Bailey, the Labour MP and chair of the Business Select Committee, said the USC affair demonstrated why the law covering pre-packs should be reformed. “The abuse of pre-pack is usually in the context of directors buying back a bust business themselves. This is a slightly more sophisticated approach and demonstrates contempt for the due processes that regulation is supposed to impose, and also a complete indifference to staff, suppliers and landlords left out of pocket,” he said. “You might also say if they were able to pay the landlords in order to gain access to the warehouse, why can’t they live up to their responsibility and pay the staff?” Questions remain over exactly why USC fell into administration. The company was funded primarily through a £20m revolving loan from Sports Direct and its most recent accounts say “Sports Direct International Plc has agreed not to withdraw finance for the foreseeable future.” The company also made a £1.1m pre-tax profit in its most recently filed accounts, and there are no warnings over the company’s future. So why was the funding suddenly pulled? There were no answers coming from Sports Direct last night. A spokesman said: “Sports Direct notes factual inaccuracies in these allegations but has no further comment.” He failed to elaborate on the inaccuracies, but one thing is sure: Mike Ashley has pulled off yet another display of his iron fist-like retailing behaviour. But at what cost? Pre-pack facts: The real costs Landlords can lose out because the new (old) owners can demand a rent renegotiation or threaten to leave, as all former contracts become null and void. Suppliers can be hit because bosses might renegotiate payment terms for stock already in their possession. Under administration rules, an insolvent company cannot pay its staff, so laid-off employees must claim unpaid hours and statutory redundancy from the taxpayer-financed Insolvency Service. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlies Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 He's just a despicable human really, a rich tight one at that. Its just a shame he wasn't knocking around with some djs in the 80s. Cunt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilikenewcastle Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-articles/fans-reap-benefits-newcastle-head-coach-long-game/ I find it staggering that people can still be so naive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddy Chibas Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Fair play to the landlord (Hunter) for at least trying to prevent the recalcitrant debt dodger from fleeing the scene, like a thief in the night. So from reading all that, he's cut his empire's overheads by running a minor profit turning company into the ground, deliberately by pulling funding - including not paying warehouse rent? Ya, a business restructure alright. I hope the employees receive some of their entitlements. There are some stories out there about Ashley (back in his humble beginnings) ripping off suppliers, by resorting to strong arm tactics (preventing delivery trucks from leaving his shop premises) in order to alter previously agreed to terms. This guy does have thick skin, and seemingly no conscience either. Isn't he still the only sporting clothes mogul who refuses to sign to the anti-child/sweat shop labour treaty? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minhosa Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 It's pretty shit when you realise that January will never be a 'quiet' month for NUFC on the outgoings front. Ashley must fucking love the concept of the window, distressed sellers but, more importantly, pressured buyers meaning he can ramp prices/terms, everything. He must be sat with a fucking rager every new years eve just thinking about how many millions he can make. Clearly the interest in Sissoko wasn't concrete because he'd be gone by now if it was. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 John Hall wants shot for selling his shares of NUFC to this bandit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sempuki Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 As he goes to so many games you would think he would at least like to see a decent side. Cunt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 As he goes to so many games you would think he would at least like to see a decent side. c***. Nah, its purely a business. Awful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sempuki Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 As he goes to so many games you would think he would at least like to see a decent side. c***. Nah, its purely a business. Awful. No balance sheets on show though. Seems a lot of effort to travel around the country to watch a load of shite if you are not interested. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minhosa Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 As he goes to so many games you would think he would at least like to see a decent side. c***. Nah, its purely a business. Awful. No balance sheets on show though. Seems a lot of effort to travel around the country to watch a load of shite if you are not interested. Keeping an eye on his next sale, innit? It's much easier to flog something, anything in fact, if you can talk about it a bit to potential buyers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
r0cafella Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Mad that he doesn't really get much grief at games Aye, can't believe a few hundred of our fans haven't stormed the pish seats and got him told. His security would be totally overwhelmed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minhosa Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 The management of the press is what has prevented this from even looking like happening. He's got them all shit scared nowadays and the ones that aren't (Telegraph/Times) are not exactly lying around the staff canteen for the resident morons likely to attack the cunt. If only the sun/star/chronicle didn't choose to tow the party line. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stifler Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 My step dad was getting all excited because some fucking randomer on true faiths Facebook page said he had sold up to Arabs and will be leaving in the summer. I admire his positivity to cling on to any shred of hope. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedro111 Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Just had the displeasure of spending the day with a Newcastle fan who says he likes Mike Ashley. Basically his argument was that he has stabilised the club and written off our debt and that we have the worst and most demanding fans in the league who ARE THE REASON we never get anywhere as a club. Also said that the Keegan and Robson eras were 'blips' and we are currently at our real level. Said Pardew was a good manager and aarl. Apparently because he was going in the McKeag era and that I was a mere child then makes him right and me wrong. Didn't know whether to laugh or cry tbh. Hard to believe these fuckers actually exist, but they do. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledGeordie Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Just had the displeasure of spending the day with a Newcastle fan who says he likes Mike Ashley. Basically his argument was that he has stabilised the club and written off our debt and that we have the worst and most demanding fans in the league who ARE THE REASON we never get anywhere as a club. Also said that the Keegan and Robson eras were 'blips' and we are currently at our real level. Said Pardew was a good manager and aarl. Apparently because he was going in the McKeag era and that I was a mere child then makes him right and me wrong. Didn't know whether to laugh or cry tbh. Hard to believe these f***ers actually exist, but they do. That's just genuinely bizarre :-/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilikenewcastle Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Just had the displeasure of spending the day with a Newcastle fan who says he likes Mike Ashley. Basically his argument was that he has stabilised the club and written off our debt and that we have the worst and most demanding fans in the league who ARE THE REASON we never get anywhere as a club. Also said that the Keegan and Robson eras were 'blips' and we are currently at our real level. Said Pardew was a good manager and aarl. Apparently because he was going in the McKeag era and that I was a mere child then makes him right and me wrong. Didn't know whether to laugh or cry tbh. Hard to believe these f***ers actually exist, but they do. There's quite a few older fans with genuinely terrible opinions like this. Sounds like this old **** is winding you up! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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