A sad day

[Incognito]

A lot of that is fair enough, but we haven't had a chance of a trophy for years and the recession has also been going on for ages. Granted we are letting some youngsters in cheap but we have managed to maintain good crowds so far.

 

I don't agree we need a major change of signing of players, that is one thing we're pretty much getting right. Falling out with Luke Edwards also means absolutely nothing.

 

I just think it will take a sustained period of poor football to get people to stop going. I'm not saying we'll finish 5th again, but a decent season is all we need to keep most people happy.

 

I agree with most of that, indeed hats off to the club for making it easier for folk to go in these financially testing times. However they could give fans more reason to go by putting a product on the pitch that folk would gladly pay to see.

 

Of course that would mean sacking the current manager and getting someone better and more expensive in.

[merlin]

None of the top clubs have to resort to cheap tickets in order to fill their stadiums - yes..?

 

You think that the fiasco of last year was 'getting it right' in the transfer market ?

 

You think its OK to fall out with one of the country's better newspaper's reporter, who is usually pro the club ?

Especially when his colleagues are going to band together and give poor reviews about the club(apart from the local sycophants, that is...) - all Edwards was guilty of was telling the truth and the club didn't like it.

Allegedly....

 

As usual, we will have to agree to disagree - we'll see what happens after 6 months of next season but I for one would NOT pay to watch Pardew's teams.

[Jack Flash]

None of the top clubs have to resort to cheap tickets in order to fill their stadiums - yes..?

 

Because they win stuff. We almost got relegated and finished with the 3rd highest average attendance so they're doing something right.

 

 

[David Icke - Son of God]

None of the top clubs have to resort to cheap tickets in order to fill their stadiums - yes..?

 

Because they win stuff. We almost got relegated and finished with the 3rd highest average attendance so they're doing something right.

 

 

 

Also, what does he mean by top clubs? Man United sell out every week but then they've got lines of snap happy Asian chappies (forgive me oldtype) queuing for tickets week after week, similar for Liverpool just replace Asian with Irish. The London clubs seem quite secure, but then they have absolutely mammoth fanbases right on their doorstep. Every other club in the league is either playing week on week with an indeterminate number of empty seats in their ground or are looking at ways to get fans through the door.

 

Anyone who criticises a club for making it affordable to supporters to get through the turnstiles and watch their team, especially in this financial climate, is a pillock.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

For me it boils down to the fact that NUFC is failing to live anywhere near up-to its true potential and that is why fans like me,  Stevie etc. are fucking sick. I value my club slightly higher than the owner, MD and manager. Obviously. For me we have the potential to be one of the biggest clubs in England and indeed the world. I base this on the huge gates we receive, our one city title, our history and the fact that only a decade or so we were right up there as a top competing club both domestically and in Europe.

 

The owner, MD and manager have systematically devalued NUFC from a brand all the way to the playing staff. We are constantly told we cannot compete with sovereign states despite being the 20th most wealthiest club in the world and the 6th/7th most successful club in England.

 

For me NUFC can be anything it wants to be as KK and Sir John Hall showed. We can mount a title challenge which we have done several times. We can also win honours which we have done 11 times. ELEVEN fucking times. We can pay good money for players and pay good wages for players. 53,000 pour into the stands week in week out. We are one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

 

Yet the owner, MD and manager would have you think that we are on a similar level to Swansea or fucking Fulham the way they operate and go on.

 

Which is bull shit.

 

The club don't want to win a trophy or qualify for Europe because doing so would raise expectations and result in fans demanding that we at least maintain such levels of success. That means spending money, investing and actually fucking competing with others.

 

The club is happy to finish mid-table and to simply not be relegated. Doing so means we coin in the TV money and thus earn enough to make enough.

 

All the while we will sign promising stars like Ben Arfa to keep bums on seats and everyone on board while trying to play the progressive ambitious club.

 

In reality there is zero ambition. Everything is done on a shoe-string and to penny pinch as evidenced with the quite scandalous disabled season ticket renewal forms. We have one scout. We have a league two manager. We have no ambition whatsoever other than remaining as a PL club. Cups are a distraction, Europe likewise. Top players and top wages are alien to us.

 

We are the Sports Direct of football.

 

Thankfully, we are being ran towards an exit strategy.

 

That's why I hope we can get as much as possible for the likes of Cabaye. Again, the sonner the fat cunt claws back what he's 'owed' the better meaning he can sooner fuck off.

 

I've never felt so utterly apathetic towards my club as now. As long as Ashley is the owner we will never do anything.

 

I really believe finishing 5th last season was in Ashley's mind a disater as it meant fans' expectations would rise and with it the demand to spend money. Its no wonder we spent nothing in the summer. Only when our PL survival looked like going wrong did they act. This summer we will do the bare miniumum needed.

 

Everything about NUFC under these cunts smacks of absolute fucking wretchedness. From the appalling and cringe-worthy Wonga deal to the Puma kits and the state of SJP which is fast resembling a concrete Sports Direct.

 

The fact fans allowed our stadium to be tattooed with SD crap and even renamed speaks volumes about the damage to our aspirations, hopes and dreams we all have for our beloved club that these cunts have done.

 

But hey... look at the accounts aren't they great!

 

And that bore hole... surely the 5th best in the world?!

[NG32]

He would get his money back quicker if we were successful to a certain degree, played better football, drew in better sponsorship and brand association.  Actually had a kit that people would be willing to spunk bucket loads on, and a fan base that felt the club were actually trying.

 

But hey ho. Once a bamp always a bamp, doesn't matter how much money you have. 

[Big Geordie]

HTT. There's going to be much more money coming into this club, this coming season  - new TV deal as well as what comes in, if the likes of Cabaye, Cisse and Ben Arfa are sold on.

 

The club is being ran with the mind-set that every penny is a prisoner - no ambition what so ever.

[Mick]

On sunday it will be 4 weeks since we last kicked a ball and I haven't missed it and I've never felt like that before.  I'm usually looking forward to the new season the day the last one ends but not this year.

[Interpolic]

On sunday it will be 4 weeks since we last kicked a ball and I haven't missed it and I've never felt like that before.  I'm usually looking forward to the new season the day the last one ends but not this year.

 

Hope the summer never ends. But it will I reckon.

[Guest neesy111]

On sunday it will be 4 weeks since we last kicked a ball and I haven't missed it and I've never felt like that before.  I'm usually looking forward to the new season the day the last one ends but not this year.

 

Same.

[Ronaldo]

I'm looking forward to it, just not where NUFC is concerned.

[Yorkie]

I'm looking forward to it, just not where NUFC is concerned.

 

Absolutely, can't wait for next season's title race.

 

I've not been this apathetic about an ensuing season since we appointed Roeder and signed nobody. We won't go down, nor will we be any great shakes - failing again to fulfil the potential the squad has. It's the same reason for why I've never been so 'meh' about a transfer window. It really doesn't matter.

[littlelunchbox]

On sunday it will be 4 weeks since we last kicked a ball and I haven't missed it and I've never felt like that before.  I'm usually looking forward to the new season the day the last one ends but not this year.

 

I'm dreading it.  Dreading how predictably shyte it's going to be for us. 

 

You're right though, haven't missed it, in fact it's the best post season Ive had in years, the relief of knowing the shower of shyte is finally finished or at least on pause.

[biggs]

I'm looking forward to it, just not where NUFC is concerned.

 

Absolutely, can't wait for next season's title race.

 

I've not been this apathetic about an ensuing season since we appointed Roeder and signed nobody. We won't go down, nor will we be any great shakes - failing again to fulfil the potential the squad has. It's the same reason for why I've never been so 'meh' about a transfer window. It really doesn't matter.

personally i think relegation battle from the word go ,apathetic myself and hope Cashley sells up when a sugar daddy comes a knocking so i live in hope

[Decky]

On sunday it will be 4 weeks since we last kicked a ball and I haven't missed it and I've never felt like that before.  I'm usually looking forward to the new season the day the last one ends but not this year.

 

Yep.

[merlin]

None of the top clubs have to resort to cheap tickets in order to fill their stadiums - yes..?

 

Because they win stuff. We almost got relegated and finished with the 3rd highest average attendance so they're doing something right.

 

 

 

Also, what does he mean by top clubs? Man United sell out every week but then they've got lines of snap happy Asian chappies (forgive me oldtype) queuing for tickets week after week, similar for Liverpool just replace Asian with Irish. The London clubs seem quite secure, but then they have absolutely mammoth fanbases right on their doorstep. Every other club in the league is either playing week on week with an indeterminate number of empty seats in their ground or are looking at ways to get fans through the door.

 

Anyone who criticises a club for making it affordable to supporters to get through the turnstiles and watch their team, especially in this financial climate, is a pillock.

 

Anyone who thinks clubs fill their stadiums for any other reason than that they are successful is the REAL pillock - esp when NUFC have a record of filling the stadium AND having a major waiting list....WHEN they are successful and also for quite a period when they are not....attendances only start to fall off when fans either have no confidence in the club i.e. Board, or dislike the way the team plays.

As for Man U relying on 'Asian types', the only pity is that NUFC should also, by now, have a better world-wide profile. Of course, if you are happy to be a provincial club who make up the numbers, you will be happy with the way the club is run.....certainly seems that some on here revel in that status....

[merlin]

For me it boils down to the fact that NUFC is failing to live anywhere near up-to its true potential and that is why fans like me,  Stevie etc. are f***ing sick. I value my club slightly higher than the owner, MD and manager. Obviously. For me we have the potential to be one of the biggest clubs in England and indeed the world. I base this on the huge gates we receive, our one city title, our history and the fact that only a decade or so we were right up there as a top competing club both domestically and in Europe.

 

The owner, MD and manager have systematically devalued NUFC from a brand all the way to the playing staff. We are constantly told we cannot compete with sovereign states despite being the 20th most wealthiest club in the world and the 6th/7th most successful club in England.

 

For me NUFC can be anything it wants to be as KK and Sir John Hall showed. We can mount a title challenge which we have done several times. We can also win honours which we have done 11 times. ELEVEN f***ing times. We can pay good money for players and pay good wages for players. 53,000 pour into the stands week in week out. We are one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

 

Yet the owner, MD and manager would have you think that we are on a similar level to Swansea or f***ing Fulham the way they operate and go on.

 

Which is bull s***.

 

The club don't want to win a trophy or qualify for Europe because doing so would raise expectations and result in fans demanding that we at least maintain such levels of success. That means spending money, investing and actually f***ing competing with others.

 

The club is happy to finish mid-table and to simply not be relegated. Doing so means we coin in the TV money and thus earn enough to make enough.

 

All the while we will sign promising stars like Ben Arfa to keep bums on seats and everyone on board while trying to play the progressive ambitious club.

 

In reality there is zero ambition. Everything is done on a shoe-string and to penny pinch as evidenced with the quite scandalous disabled season ticket renewal forms. We have one scout. We have a league two manager. We have no ambition whatsoever other than remaining as a PL club. Cups are a distraction, Europe likewise. Top players and top wages are alien to us.

 

We are the Sports Direct of football.

 

Thankfully, we are being ran towards an exit strategy.

 

That's why I hope we can get as much as possible for the likes of Cabaye. Again, the sonner the fat c*** claws back what he's 'owed' the better meaning he can sooner f*** off.

 

I've never felt so utterly apathetic towards my club as now. As long as Ashley is the owner we will never do anything.

 

I really believe finishing 5th last season was in Ashley's mind a disater as it meant fans' expectations would rise and with it the demand to spend money. Its no wonder we spent nothing in the summer. Only when our PL survival looked like going wrong did they act. This summer we will do the bare miniumum needed.

 

Everything about NUFC under these c***s smacks of absolute f***ing wretchedness. From the appalling and cringe-worthy Wonga deal to the Puma kits and the state of SJP which is fast resembling a concrete Sports Direct.

 

The fact fans allowed our stadium to be tattooed with SD crap and even renamed speaks volumes about the damage to our aspirations, hopes and dreams we all have for our beloved club that these c***s have done.

 

But hey... look at the accounts aren't they great!

 

And that bore hole... surely the 5th best in the world?!

Great post HTT - right on the button once again but you just have to read some of the other posts on here to realize that Ashley and Co will always have enough 'pillocks' who will back their lousy strategy.

 

The fans are being dumbed down, season by season and nobody who relishes good football and ambition will be looking forward to the coming season as a Newcastle fan - on the outside looking in, as has become norm under this regime.....

[Jack Flash]

None of the top clubs have to resort to cheap tickets in order to fill their stadiums - yes..?

 

Because they win stuff. We almost got relegated and finished with the 3rd highest average attendance so they're doing something right.

 

 

 

Also, what does he mean by top clubs? Man United sell out every week but then they've got lines of snap happy Asian chappies (forgive me oldtype) queuing for tickets week after week, similar for Liverpool just replace Asian with Irish. The London clubs seem quite secure, but then they have absolutely mammoth fanbases right on their doorstep. Every other club in the league is either playing week on week with an indeterminate number of empty seats in their ground or are looking at ways to get fans through the door.

 

Anyone who criticises a club for making it affordable to supporters to get through the turnstiles and watch their team, especially in this financial climate, is a pillock.

 

Anyone who thinks clubs fill their stadiums for any other reason than that they are successful is the REAL pillock

 

http://espnfc.com/stats/attendance/_/league/eng.1/barclays-premier-league

 

3rd in that table and almost relegated in the real table. Odd.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Good post HTT but you've taken it too far. Ashley won't splash the cash to push us right to the top, that's true. But I think it's a conclusion too far to say we didn't want to finish fifth or that we don't want to achieve success because it will raise expectations.

 

I'm pretty sure Ashley wants as much success as he can possibly get. He just won't risk a load more of his own money to get it.

 

I agree we have massive potential, but the landscape of football has changed. Our strategy could feasibly see us competing up the top end, around 5th-8th for example. But to break the CL places you really need to spend beyond your means these days. You might think we should, but I can't really argue for this race to see who can spend the most money they don't have. Some clubs are lucky to have owners who don't mind propping everything up with their personal wealth or the wealth of their company/country.

 

I think people are reading too much into the decision to keep Pardew. It doesn't mean Ashley will accept 4th bottom forever. That doesn't seem to fit with his personality or his style of doing business at all. Aye, Sports Direct is cheap and nasty, but it's also massively successful and makes a tonne of money.

 

We're also assembling a squad of absolutely excellent young players, possibly the best we've had in recent times.

 

We should be having a proper go at a cup trophy though, that's one thing I would definitely change.

 

 

[Crayola Kid]

None of the top clubs have to resort to cheap tickets in order to fill their stadiums - yes..?

 

Because they win stuff. We almost got relegated and finished with the 3rd highest average attendance so they're doing something right.

 

 

 

Also, what does he mean by top clubs? Man United sell out every week but then they've got lines of snap happy Asian chappies (forgive me oldtype) queuing for tickets week after week, similar for Liverpool just replace Asian with Irish. The London clubs seem quite secure, but then they have absolutely mammoth fanbases right on their doorstep. Every other club in the league is either playing week on week with an indeterminate number of empty seats in their ground or are looking at ways to get fans through the door.

 

Anyone who criticises a club for making it affordable to supporters to get through the turnstiles and watch their team, especially in this financial climate, is a pillock.

 

Anyone who thinks clubs fill their stadiums for any other reason than that they are successful is the REAL pillock - esp when NUFC have a record of filling the stadium AND having a major waiting list....WHEN they are successful and also for quite a period when they are not....attendances only start to fall off when fans either have no confidence in the club i.e. Board, or dislike the way the team plays.

As for Man U relying on 'Asian types', the only pity is that NUFC should also, by now, have a better world-wide profile. Of course, if you are happy to be a provincial club who make up the numbers, you will be happy with the way the club is run.....certainly seems that some on here revel in that status....

 

i'm not so sure it's about selling all of the tickets, its more about what you get for them, and what revenue comes in from other matchday factors such as corporate suites, and food and drink sales.  the point i made further up was that spurs take nearly half a million quid more per match, on a crowd ten thousand smaller than ours.  assuming a full SJP, we'd need to make an average of ten quid more per head to match spurs, who themselves make much less on matchday than the real earners at the top of the table.

[brummie]

Spurs are always going to make more money per head by virtue of the fact they're in London. They're not making it because they sell more food and drink to those 36k punters, they're making it because their tickets are significantly more expensive and so are their corporate packages (which they can sell far easier).

 

I honestly don't think it is possible to compete for the title without an artificial source of huge amounts of money. It doesn't really matter how much you generate yourselves, if someone comes along like the Man City people, then you're just not going to be able to match them.

 

Look at Arsenal, one of the most profitable clubs in the world, and they can't compete at the top level. They've become the Wigan of the CL places.

 

I think a lot of owners have realised it's not worth it now. They can invest tens of millions of pounds of their own money, and for what? to finish 8th instead of 10th? Where is the incentive for anyone (who isnt Man City rich or Abrahmovich rich and Abrahmovich crazy) to invest that sort of extra money in someone like Everton?

 

What are they ultimately trying to do? Get into the Champions League? And then what? How much more money do you need to invest to compete well in the CL and to stay in it?

 

It must be great to be one of the mentally monied clubs these days, but if I were Ashley or Lerner or Coates or whichever club owner, I wouldn't be pouring huge amounts of my own money into a club, either, because however much you put in, it is almost certainly not going to be enough.

 

Money has been hugely important in the English game for years now, that's not new, but I do think that the really, really big changing point was when out of nowhere, the Man City owners appeared and took the spending to a whole new level. That was the point at which having a billionaire owner wasn't enough, you now needed a multi-billionaire.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Spot on brummie, sad but true. The landscape has fundamentally changed and many clubs are in a situation where the money required to compete at the top is either impossible to find or not worth risking. It's not all bad, at the moment every week in the PL provides enough interest to almost forget that the wider competition is pointless.

[Ryan_Taylor]

I'm not sure what my issue is with football, but I find my self feeling very apathetic towards it all. My club are seemingly happy to not even bother trying to win a cup or to compete with 10 of the teams in the league. The rest of the league are seemingly competing for 5th. The national team are a joke with no sign of change on the horizon. I'm not at all sure what it is I'm supposed to be enjoying anymore. I barely enjoy playing anymore either.

[Crayola Kid]

Spurs are always going to make more money per head by virtue of the fact they're in London. They're not making it because they sell more food and drink to those 36k punters, they're making it because their tickets are significantly more expensive and so are their corporate packages (which they can sell far easier).

 

I honestly don't think it is possible to compete for the title without an artificial source of huge amounts of money. It doesn't really matter how much you generate yourselves, if someone comes along like the Man City people, then you're just not going to be able to match them.

 

Look at Arsenal, one of the most profitable clubs in the world, and they can't compete at the top level. They've become the Wigan of the CL places.

 

I think a lot of owners have realised it's not worth it now. They can invest tens of millions of pounds of their own money, and for what? to finish 8th instead of 10th? Where is the incentive for anyone (who isnt Man City rich or Abrahmovich rich and Abrahmovich crazy) to invest that sort of extra money in someone like Everton?

 

What are they ultimately trying to do? Get into the Champions League? And then what? How much more money do you need to invest to compete well in the CL and to stay in it?

 

It must be great to be one of the mentally monied clubs these days, but if I were Ashley or Lerner or Coates or whichever club owner, I wouldn't be pouring huge amounts of my own money into a club, either, because however much you put in, it is almost certainly not going to be enough.

 

Money has been hugely important in the English game for years now, that's not new, but I do think that the really, really big changing point was when out of nowhere, the Man City owners appeared and took the spending to a whole new level. That was the point at which having a billionaire owner wasn't enough, you now needed a multi-billionaire.

 

agree of course brummie, i brought these figures up to show the difference between the market spurs (for example) are operating in and our own (and yours, i'd guess).

 

there's nothing to say we cant attack the top 4/5 spots, last season showed that, but if and when it happens it should be recognised for the achievement it is rather than seen as things being put right "finally" in spite of having laurel and hardy running the club

[Crayola Kid]

I'm not sure what my issue is with football, but I find my self feeling very apathetic towards it all. My club are seemingly happy to not even bother trying to win a cup or to compete with 10 of the teams in the league. The rest of the league are seemingly competing for 5th. The national team are a joke with no sign of change on the horizon. I'm not at all sure what it is I'm supposed to be enjoying anymore. I barely enjoy playing anymore either.

 

have you tried drugs?  passes the time, you might like em