Mike Ashley

[Carlito]

I think when it comes to protesting we really need to have everyone pulling in the same direction. In the past our protests against the mismanagement of our club have barely ever had an impact because the crowd is always split. I think the one thing that MOST of our support can agree on however is that Mike Ashley is the source of all of our problems. Something needs to be done to get this slimy scumbag out of here once and for all.

 

The only protest that will make any difference is a large cheque. What we think doesn't bother him in the slightest. His only aim is getting as much as his money back as he can.

 

If so why do these interviews and not just carry on regardless?

 

The prospect of nobody renewing their season tickets last year really made him shit a house. For him to go live on TV at that stage of the season showed he'd hit the panic button.

[Guest chopey]

This really is a chance to rebuild the club from the bottom up, I reckon this could be easier from the championship

[B-more Mag]

Why couldn't that made up sheikh have bought us when he had the chance?

[Howaythelads]

From facebook

Ten Years of Mike Ashley: - Feel free to share this the next time a fan of another club tells you "he hasn't done a bad job".

 

Twice relegated (pending the inevitable)

Twice appointed Joe Kinnear

Only two top ten finishes in ten years.

Five relegation fights.

Twice lost major lawsuits launched by his own staff (Keegan/Gutierez)

Branded a "liar" by a high court judge in the Keegan trial.

Found guilty of firing a player because he had cancer in the Gutierez trial!

Had John Carver fire two senior players by telephone (the same call - to save money) then...fired John Carver.

Hired John Carver.

Fired the popular Chris Hughton after he masterminded the club's return to the Premier League and a 5-1 thrashing of Sunderland. Hired Alan Pardew who became the first ever NUFC manager to lose four consecutive derbies and the worst losing streak for 100 years!

Inherited debt of 129 million when he bought the club - this has remained static for TEN YEARS, despite his media friends telling everyone he "cleared the debt" - he hasn't...not a penny. He transferred it to himself so that instead of NUFC owing a bank £129 million we owe HIM £129 million.A figure that never reduces despite the vast profits he has turned over in player sales nearly every season.

None of this debt has ever been cleared despite this benevolence allowing him to cream transfer profits and use the stadium as his own personal advertising space for Sports Direct FOR FREE!

 

Here's a few other things he did:

 

Changed the name of St. James Park to "Sports Direct Arena". Total funds received from Sports Direct for this honour: £0

 

Declared it club policy at a fans forum that winning cups was "not a priority" as it interfered with club's stated goal of "finishing tenth".

 

Declared "The buck stops here" after the club dodged relegation last year.

 

Declared "Don't come crying to me" around a month ago when it became apparent that the club will now be relegated for the second time under his watch.

 

Declared "I have virtually nil effect on Newcastle United" in the same interview.

 

The Newcastle United that I grew up watching challenged for the title 20 years ago, played regularly in Europe and reached two FA cup Finals. They played in the Champions league under Bobby Robson and even when they were terrible under Dalglish and Gullit they reached FA Cup Finals and had a soul.

 

The NUFC I have watched under the Ashley Regime is not the same institution, he has leached and bled the heart out of the club, turning the stadium into a tacky billboard for a zero hours contract charver clothes store, the shirt into a barely recognisable advert for a classless payday lender, the playing staff into a revolving door of legends in their own minds, whose only interest is to step into a shop window and be sold for profit to whoever will have them.

He has isolated and alienated club legends and sucked the willpower out of supporters who were once considered some of the noisiest in the country.

 

NUFC under Ashley is a hollow vacant shell so don't peddle your "he's done a good job" myths or your "but he cleared the debt" fantasies at me.

 

Until he is gone you can look forward to the Sports Direct Boot stamping on your face forever.

 

Wake up Newcastle. Do whatever it takes to get rid of this parasite...and no, I don't mean throwing a bunch of fucking beachballs onto the pitch.

 

‪#‎ashleyout‬

 

But people still go and support this shit...

I won't repeat myself, I remember the flak and abuse too well.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

HTL, its not about FS or who is worse or better. That 'debate' went out the window years ago.

[Ronaldo]

We were in Europe for each of the last 7 calendar years under FS. Anyone who thinks Ashley is preferable to him can hang themselves from a large, strong tree.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

The inaction of match going fans is a huge part of the problem. The man shouldn't be able to step foot inside SJP for what he has done to this club, but he not only gets to take his seat, people buy his tat wonga tops and sit and appluad the shitfest that masquerades as a team on the pitch. I don't blame the bairns who go or even the older lot, its the inbetweens who willingly spend their hard earned on absolute tat. Ashley has ripped the soul out of the club, but the fans have paid him to do so. Spurs at home last season should have been 5-10K not 20-30K.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

We were in Europe for each of the last 7 calendar years under FS. Anyone who thinks Ashley is preferable to him can hang themselves from a large, strong tree.

 

I doubt anyone does. FS in comparison is like Messi, but lets not pretend he was a source of absolute goodness for NUFC. Even a broken clock is right twice a day...

[Howaythelads]

HTL, its not about FS or who is worse or better. That 'debate' went out the window years ago.

Yes, I know, mate.

 

Thing is, I'm massively hacked off at the situation the club is in but also massively hacked off that a very vocal faction of know-nowts didn't appreciate what ambition means.  I lost count of the times I was called a stupid old bastard for saying stuff like "there's nowt worse than supporting a club that has no ambition, a club that isn't even trying". 

 

That's the last I'll say on it. They know who they are.

 

We're not down yet. If we survive I hope people don't suddenly forget what a total disaster Ashley has been and continues to be for this football club.

[Ronaldo]

Plenty of the wankers at the match think Ashley saved us from evil Fat Fred's financial meltdown, man. Look at the resistance there's been to even the most civilised of protests.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

HTL, its not about FS or who is worse or better. That 'debate' went out the window years ago.

Yes, I know, mate.

 

Thing is, I'm massively hacked at the situation the club is in but also massively hacked off that a very vocal faction of know-nowts didn't appreciate what ambition means.  I lost count of the times I was called a stupid old b****** for saying stuff like "there's nowt worse than supporting a club that has no ambition, a club that isn't even trying". 

 

That's the last I'll say on it. They know who they are.

 

We're not down yet. If we survive I hope people don't suddenly forget what a total disaster Ashley has been and continues to be for this football club.

 

Fair enough. Obviously yourself and others who had known nothing but abject failure constantly look at the era of FS as a golden era and in comparison with Ashley it was more than a golden era, it was the absolute zenith it seems. For what its worth I've softened on FS since Ashley took over. He was incompetent but his heart was in the right place. He was probably too reactionary at times. That said, he used his position at NUFC to make himself and his relatives and friends richer at the expense of the club and for that I will never ever forgive or agree with.

[Big Geordie]

The inaction of match going fans is a huge part of the problem. The man shouldn't be able to step foot inside SJP for what he has done to this club, but he not only gets to take his seat, people buy his tat wonga tops and sit and appluad the shitfest that masquerades as a team on the pitch. I don't blame the bairns who go or even the older lot, its the inbetweens who willingly spend their hard earned on absolute tat. Ashley has ripped the soul out of the club, but the fans have paid him to do so. Spurs at home last season should have been 5-10K not 20-30K.

 

I think a lot of genuine supporters have packed in over the last 2/3/4 years. What you have left are the die-hards, those who see the match as a social experience/badge or honour, those who go merely out of habit.. The danger is here, is that Mike Ashley has damaged Newcastle's future. You tell me why any kid would want to support NUFC at the moment, when they are a laughing joke nationally, and the club treats it's own supporters with complete contempt?

[Disco]

Match going supporters become way, way more important next season. If they wanted to act it would have a much bigger overall effect.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Rant away Poot, I actually agree with some of your sentiments.

 

Myself, I see a lot of people who go to SJP as day trippers. Not so much die hard fans but people who fill their weekend with a match and a few beers with lads and a bit of betting. The score and results is inconsequential. The same kind of folk who come out for the debry match and fill the pubs and clubs wearing the toon tops and shouting how much they hate the mackems but couldn't name half the toon players. Basically the kind of people who suddenly get interested in horse racing when the GN is on or boxing when a big fight is on. These typs have replaced the old timers and the die hards who have packed it in.

[Foluwashola]

The inaction of match going fans is a huge part of the problem. The man shouldn't be able to step foot inside SJP for what he has done to this club, but he not only gets to take his seat, people buy his tat wonga tops and sit and appluad the shitfest that masquerades as a team on the pitch. I don't blame the bairns who go or even the older lot, its the inbetweens who willingly spend their hard earned on absolute tat. Ashley has ripped the soul out of the club, but the fans have paid him to do so. Spurs at home last season should have been 5-10K not 20-30K.

 

It's not a huge part of the problem at all. Most of the AO lot where match going fans. Most of the armchair whingers and pointers have done fuck all despite having the opportunity. If anyone wants to stop MA going to SJP...they can. Doesn't have to be a match goer. In fact...it's easier for a non-match goer...I would have thought.

 

The fans are quiet: "Fucking shit support!". Fans are loud and cheering: "Fucking wongaloids". It's so easy to point and blame them. But they just believe in their team and want things to improve. Not sure how you can let off old people but not other adults, either, like. Surely that's the same thing. But it's all of us who have to try and protest in one way or another.

 

For every MA supporter in the ground there are shitloads on Twitter, Social Media etc who've never been to a game. Likewise...for every MA hater in the ground there are shitloads who've never been to a game.

 

It would be great if even one match was empty...but it's unrealistic to expect that. That Spurs game was an epic achievement from the AO lot. Despite the fudged official figures. Claiming it a failure is a bit flippant of a great achievement.

 

Matchday goers contribute a small percentage of income for the club compared to all other revenues. There are other, more deserving targets of insulting, finger-pointing, easy blame. But they're not easy targets and require more thinking...so lets continue to go for the little guy.

 

That's not a different perspective aimed at you HTT. You're a solid guy. But your post is reflective of a lot of people who are angry at MA, hence I'm using it to have my own rant The club is ran despite the fans, not for them.

 

Great post.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Aye, you're probably close to the truth with the day-tripper thing. I think that's a PL problem, too.

 

Good point previously about the future generation. Seeing a football team constantly being dire and depressing isn't going to entice the next lot in and get them hooked. Could very well be a missing generation.

 

Its not even a problem for the PL because day trippers are the ideal fans. They buy their tickets, their replica shirts, eat in the stadiums, drink the booze before KO and take their seat and sit quiet and clap when they get to see the majesty of Rooney or if they are extra lucky, a foreigner turning up on a wet and cold night in Stoke midweek.

 

There are no fans today in most stadia, just consumers consuming the PL brand.

 

I've probably been to about 20 games max since we were relegated and most of them were in the Championship. The last time I went was against Hull in Pardew's final season and I was shocked at just how mute our fans had become. Under FS there would have been riots.

 

Ashley and co have done well to dumb fans down but since KK left second time around I think spiritually the club lost a lot of its core fans that day, replaced by day trippers and people with no soul for the club or indeed game.

 

There are a couple of lads who play football with us, good lads, ST holders, but my god I'd love to slap the fuck out of them. Without Ashley we would be where Leeds are, Pardew was a good manager, he got us fith etc. AO are a joke, Ben Arfa was lazy. These blokes,  in their mid thirties, go on FB and say things like, cant wait for the match today, 3 points to the mighty Toon. And when we lose its always, need better players, foreigners have no heart etc.

 

Urghhhh!!!!!!!!! Thankfully I get some kind of retribution against these pricks by kicking them during our games.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Toon fans need to get angry and need to reclaim our club. Get military. Top and bottom of it. Do so on masse and Ashley shits his pants and fucks off.

[Interpolic]

Toon fans need to get angry and need to reclaim our club. Get military. Top and bottom of it. Do so on masse and Ashley shits his pants and fucks off.

What if the military are busy doing other stuff?

[Big Geordie]

One thing is, that we might see the day-trippers tail off next season, with no PL football to entice them. I remember our first home game back in the Championship, in 2009 pulling in 36000 (a 3-0 home win v Reading - Shola treble) I can see attendances dropping a lot further than that, next season - particularly if protests and boycotts are organized. That will hopefully involve the likes of .com, The Mag, True Faith, Ashleyout and The Mike Ashley Out Campaign all banding together. Hopefully the will is there.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I can see 25K attendances next season if Rafa doesn't stay on as the die hards are gone, a lot of the old timers too and as said a big number of the day trippers will fuck off. 

[Ronaldo]

One thing is, that we might see the day-trippers tail off next season, with no PL football to entice them. I remember our first home game back in the Championship, in 2009 pulling in 36000 (a 3-0 home win v Reading - Shola treble)

 

It was televised, that's why. It was back up to 45K plus soon after. Our gutless support will turn up whenever/whatever, man.

[levelsevenlee]

The inaction of match going fans is a huge part of the problem. The man shouldn't be able to step foot inside SJP for what he has done to this club, but he not only gets to take his seat, people buy his tat wonga tops and sit and appluad the shitfest that masquerades as a team on the pitch. I don't blame the bairns who go or even the older lot, its the inbetweens who willingly spend their hard earned on absolute tat. Ashley has ripped the soul out of the club, but the fans have paid him to do so. Spurs at home last season should have been 5-10K not 20-30K.

 

I think a lot of genuine supporters have packed in over the last 2/3/4 years. What you have left are the die-hards, those who see the match as a social experience/badge or honour, those who go merely out of habit.. The danger is here, is that Mike Ashley has damaged Newcastle's future. You tell me why any kid would want to support NUFC at the moment, when they are a laughing joke nationally, and the club treats it's own supporters with complete contempt?

 

My son, who's 8, has just discovered football. Has been a few times this year, and is wanting to get season tickets next year. I have to say, I'm a bit torn by it all.

[midds]

The inaction of match going fans is a huge part of the problem. The man shouldn't be able to step foot inside SJP for what he has done to this club, but he not only gets to take his seat, people buy his tat wonga tops and sit and appluad the shitfest that masquerades as a team on the pitch. I don't blame the bairns who go or even the older lot, its the inbetweens who willingly spend their hard earned on absolute tat. Ashley has ripped the soul out of the club, but the fans have paid him to do so. Spurs at home last season should have been 5-10K not 20-30K.

 

I think a lot of genuine supporters have packed in over the last 2/3/4 years. What you have left are the die-hards, those who see the match as a social experience/badge or honour, those who go merely out of habit.. The danger is here, is that Mike Ashley has damaged Newcastle's future. You tell me why any kid would want to support NUFC at the moment, when they are a laughing joke nationally, and the club treats it's own supporters with complete contempt?

 

My son, who's 8, has just discovered football. Has been a few times this year, and is wanting to get season tickets next year. I have to say, I'm a bit torn by it all.

 

Snap.

 

Really don't want to but fully aware that if I don't do something to get him bang into it he'll either give up on Newcastle and follow someone else or give up on football. It would go against everything I feel but I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

[Big Geordie]

My little girl has asked a couple of times too and I'd love nothing more than to be able to take her along, as my dad did with me, when I was a kid. The worry is though, that they will sharp lose interest anyway, if they see players who don't care and getting battered most weeks. Kids need to see hope and ambition too, to be able to buy into the magic. It's being lost, though.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I long to take my boys, but not to this version of NUFC. The oldest his first game was Gateshead and he loved it. My mate his son has an ST, he's 14 and while he loves the Toon he also enjoys seeing the top players turning up at SJP like Aguero for example who is his fave player. I remember when I was a teenager, although I idolised Cole, I also loved QPRs Sir Les, Blackburn's Shearer and Saints' Le Tissier. It was all about the football as a bairn.