Various: Mike Ashley in talks with Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nehayan

[Guest chopey]

Definitely Rafa's fault though...

 

The 25% increase in ticket prices as well as £124 million TV money and £20 million transfer surplus must make us worth £500 million by now.

[wormy]

We have to make up for the biggest wage bill in the history of the second division evar somehow. Big Mike can only foot the bill whilst simultaneously doubling the debt that would ordinarily be paid off by now somehow.

[Charlies]

[huss9]

just read the transcript of the BT sport review.

good on you JJ - especially the point that ashley didnt bank roll us to promotion with his own money. and how much we made from wijnaldum etc.

[Tisd09]

Yeah brilliant from JJ he nailed it to be fair. Rio to me seemed like he didn't really believe in what he was saying just regurgitating the tired old shit that's out there anyway, he didn't seem committed to what he was saying, was laughing at the twat when he was trying to banter it up with Jake over him putting the money in. Spineless fool. Dunne? FFS seemed like he didn't know what planet he was on when Jenas was talking.

[Odear]

As for Richard Dunne, don't think he even has an agenda, just thick as pig s***.

 

Richard Dunne is a certified piss head.

 

The rest though, got Bishops hoof prints all over it. 100% they have a narrative that these ex players & managers are more than happy to swallow.

 

If all of these fuckers appearing on sky are or have recently been represented by KBA, should we be complaining to Sky about it? Has to be some sort of conflict of interest, or are they supposed to give a balanced view of things?

 

Am surprised the local journos haven’t written more about this.

[pedro111]

Jake Humphrey what a hero. The tide is definitely turning come on!

[Geordie Ahmed]

Jake Humphrey and Jenas were spot on.

 

Rio was full of shit, he even came out with the "can't compete with countries" nonsense BUT then his face was a picture when the image of the net spend between us and Brighton/Huddersfield was shown.

 

 

[Away Toon]

#Watford reject £125m offer for 36 per cent of the club from US media company; I think this is only a rumour but if true would value Watford at £347m, so maybe we are worth about 350-400m ?

[Mike]

Ferdinand in that clip, man.

[Manxst]

Clutching at straws here, but the UK’s richest man, Sir Jim Ratcliffe (I think?) had a £2bn bid for Chelsea turned down not so long ago, and is still interested in taking over another football club (apparently according to the Mail on Sunday). Don’t know whether that means he’s going to up his offer for Chelsea or has moved on to another club. Fingers crossed that it’s the latter and obviously that it’s us.....

[Geordie Ahmed]

#Watford reject £125m offer for 36 per cent of the club from US media company; I think this is only a rumour but if true would value Watford at £347m, so maybe we are worth about 350-400m ?

Not sure on what basis we would be worth more? Watford have invested in their squad over the last few years whilst we haven't.

[Si]

#Watford reject £125m offer for 36 per cent of the club from US media company; I think this is only a rumour but if true would value Watford at £347m, so maybe we are worth about 350-400m ?

Not sure on what basis we would be worth more? Watford have invested in their squad over the last few years whilst we haven't.

Pigeon + borehole = cash money.

[Kanji]

Intangible value of us being Newcastle United.

[Geordie Ahmed]

Intangible value of us being Newcastle United.

We're currently Sports Direct United and that's not a good thing, certainly doesn't boost the value.

[HaydnNUFC]

#Watford reject £125m offer for 36 per cent of the club from US media company; I think this is only a rumour but if true would value Watford at £347m, so maybe we are worth about 350-400m ?

Not sure on what basis we would be worth more? Watford have invested in their squad over the last few years whilst we haven't.

And in the training ground, infrastructure etc. If you think about what a new owner would need to invest in to get us up to speed: training ground improvements, academy investment, playing staff investment, you're looking at a lot of cash, probably £150m minimum.

[Geordie Ahmed]

#Watford reject £125m offer for 36 per cent of the club from US media company; I think this is only a rumour but if true would value Watford at £347m, so maybe we are worth about 350-400m ?

Not sure on what basis we would be worth more? Watford have invested in their squad over the last few years whilst we haven't.

And in the training ground, infrastructure etc. If you think about what a new owner would need to invest in to get us up to speed: training ground improvements, academy investment, playing staff investment, you're looking at a lot of cash, probably £150m minimum.

I wasn't sure what Watford had done from a facilities point of view so avoided mentioning that BUT we've certainly neglected them and you're right, if we are fortunate enough to get a new owner then they'll have to spend a bit on different aspects of the club.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

As far as the tide turning goes, I think it has to. It just stands out a mile now, the way Mike Ashley is blantantly taking the piss.

 

One thing when you’re comparing us to Man Utd etc, but when literally every other Premier League team is awash with money and spunking hundreds of millions it just looks embarrassing. It’s like the Knightsbridge branch of Sports Direct, people just wouldn’t stomach it.

 

I’m not saying it’ll bother Ashley to the point of changing, but the people on the wrong side of the argument here are really starting to look silly.

 

The richer the league gets and the more teams like Wolves exist, the more impossible it becomes to justify what he’s doing.

[HaydnNUFC]

#Watford reject £125m offer for 36 per cent of the club from US media company; I think this is only a rumour but if true would value Watford at £347m, so maybe we are worth about 350-400m ?

Not sure on what basis we would be worth more? Watford have invested in their squad over the last few years whilst we haven't.

And in the training ground, infrastructure etc. If you think about what a new owner would need to invest in to get us up to speed: training ground improvements, academy investment, playing staff investment, you're looking at a lot of cash, probably £150m minimum.

I wasn't sure what Watford had done from a facilities point of view so avoided mentioning that BUT we've certainly neglected them and you're right, if we are fortunate enough to get a new owner then they'll have to spend a bit on different aspects of the club.

Just after a quick bit of searching, they have a -135 degrees cryotherapy chamber for recovery at the training ground. Hate to think what our lads are forced to make do with. Don't want to know tbh, it's embarrassing.

[Odear]

Clutching at straws here, but the UK’s richest man, Sir Jim Ratcliffe (I think?) had a £2bn bid for Chelsea turned down not so long ago, and is still interested in taking over another football club (apparently according to the Mail on Sunday). Don’t know whether that means he’s going to up his offer for Chelsea or has moved on to another club. Fingers crossed that it’s the latter and obviously that it’s us.....

 

That would be all well and good if the club was actually for sale.

 

Ashley is worth enough to not have to sell to other billionaires. He’s worth enough that he has an army of media c***s on the payroll to back up his lies. He’s worth enough that he can literally take the p*ss out of a football club, it’s fans, even the premier league itself. Nobody with any clout would dare take him on.

 

The reality is that we were probably once upon a time a very attractive prospect to buy but not anymore. Not since he’s turned the club into a living breathing sports direct coloured pot noodle suit.

 

We’re turgid to watch on the telly. Turgid to watch in the stands. It can’t be an attractive prospect for overseas markets any more. So what mega rich c*** is going to watch us and think.. “that’s the club for me”?

 

The playing squad isn’t fit for purpose. The stadium is in need of an overhaul. And there’s generally a toxic atmosphere which more often than not filters down to the supporters.

 

The training facilities are worse than plenty of teams from the lower leagues..

 

The club are still probably under investigation for dodgy payments and avoiding tax. Despite it all going quiet.

 

The only thing going for it is a manager who will very soon be out of contract.

 

Ashley is getting everything from this club that he wants, which is free advertising in the most lucrative league in the world.

 

It would probably take about 2 billion quid to fix all of the things mentioned above.

 

So with that in mind, if Ashley is happy with the current arrangement and some mystical benefactor isn’t forthcoming. Why the f*** so we still think there’s going to be a takeover? There’s no evidence for it.

 

And before anyone brings up Amanda Staveley, that bint never had the shillings to be taken seriously. It wouldn’t surprise me if she or her husband were tied to KBA somehow..

[Manxst]

Clutching at straws here, but the UK’s richest man, Sir Jim Ratcliffe (I think?) had a £2bn bid for Chelsea turned down not so long ago, and is still interested in taking over another football club (apparently according to the Mail on Sunday). Don’t know whether that means he’s going to up his offer for Chelsea or has moved on to another club. Fingers crossed that it’s the latter and obviously that it’s us.....

 

That would be all well and good if the club was actually for sale.

 

Ashley is worth enough to not have to sell to other billionaires. He’s worth enough that he has an army of media c***s on the payroll to back up his lies. He’s worth enough that he can literally take the p*ss out of a football club, it’s fans, even the premier league itself. Nobody with any clout would dare take him on.

 

The reality is that we were probably once upon a time a very attractive prospect to buy but not anymore. Not since he’s turned the club into a living breathing sports direct coloured pot noodle suit.

 

We’re turgid to watch on the telly. Turgid to watch in the stands. It can’t be an attractive prospect for overseas markets any more. So what mega rich c*** is going to watch us and think.. “that’s the club for me”?

 

The playing squad isn’t fit for purpose. The stadium is in need of an overhaul. And there’s generally a toxic atmosphere which more often than not filters down to the supporters.

 

The training facilities are worse than plenty of teams from the lower leagues..

 

The club are still probably under investigation for dodgy payments and avoiding tax. Despite it all going quiet.

 

The only thing going for it is a manager who will very soon be out of contract.

 

Ashley is getting everything from this club that he wants, which is free advertising in the most lucrative league in the world.

 

It would probably take about 2 billion quid to fix all of the things mentioned above.

 

So with that in mind, if Ashley is happy with the current arrangement and some mystical benefactor isn’t forthcoming. Why the f*** so we still think there’s going to be a takeover? There’s no evidence for it.

 

And before anyone brings up Amanda Staveley, that bint never had the shillings to be taken seriously. It wouldn’t surprise me if she or her husband were tied to KBA somehow..

 

The stadium, playing squad and training facilities you describe are pretty much exactly that of Man City pre the Arab take over. If you think no one will ever take us over, then what exactly is the point of all the anti-Ashley rhetoric and activity which is taking place? You might as well give up supporting right now. If all that we have at the moment is some (even small) element of hope for change, then I’m willing to give the club (not Ashley) my full support still. At some point, all the demonstrations, positive press etc, if it keeps rolling onwards in the manner that it is now, will cause a tsunami of change at the club which I want to be there to see. It’s the fans that make our club what it is. Not the annually changing squad. Not the training ground or even stadium. Certainly not the owner. All those things eventually come and go. Believe me, ive had more than enough of Ashley- the blokes a prize c*nt. Sometimes I think that I can’t bear to watch the games, and each time matchday comes up, I tell myself that I won’t be there. But each time, there I am, cheering us in. He’s a c*nt, a sh*t owner, BUT there’s no way that he’s going to drive me away from our club- he will leave before I do, that I promise.

[Hhtoon]

As for Richard Dunne, don't think he even has an agenda, just thick as pig s***.

 

Richard Dunne is a certified piss head.

 

The rest though, got Bishops hoof prints all over it. 100% they have a narrative that these ex players & managers are more than happy to swallow.

 

If all of these fuckers appearing on sky are or have recently been represented by KBA, should we be complaining to Sky about it? Has to be some sort of conflict of interest, or are they supposed to give a balanced view of things?

 

Am surprised the local journos haven’t written more about this.

 

Come on man, there always needs to be 2 sides to a discussion or else what's the point? Should Shearer be allowed to comment about us as sure he has a bias towards NUFC. Carragher got a champions league medal under Rafa - should he be banned from supporting him?

Fact is, a lot of people will give Ashley a lot of credit for "helping" us to get promoted after relegation unlike clubs like Sunderland, Aston Villa etc.

 

I'd much rather these morons were given a voice so that people like Jenas and Humphrey can make them look stupid, by using the actual facts rather than spouting shite with no substance.

Anyone neutral watching surely would have been firmly swayed on to our side of the argument....

[Hhtoon]

#Watford reject £125m offer for 36 per cent of the club from US media company; I think this is only a rumour but if true would value Watford at £347m, so maybe we are worth about 350-400m ?

Not sure on what basis we would be worth more? Watford have invested in their squad over the last few years whilst we haven't.

And in the training ground, infrastructure etc. If you think about what a new owner would need to invest in to get us up to speed: training ground improvements, academy investment, playing staff investment, you're looking at a lot of cash, probably £150m minimum.

 

Yeah, I live in Watford and the stadium used to be a shit hole, in a shit location. The location is still ropey but the stadium has been given a massive makeover especially externally and I'd say it's improved that particular area as looks so much better. They also had a stand closed due to disrepair that has obviously been fixed now.

[Greg]

SACK THE BOARD.

[rgk_lfc]

Rio 'I'm just playing devils advocate"

 

Nah, you are just a spineless shithouse.

 

The idea behind a devil's advocate is someone deliberately taking a contrarian stance so that an issue is looked at from all angles. The basis being such a discussion will lead to a deeper understanding of an issue which is not well understood.

 

You can easily understand Ashley's impact on Newcastle by a five-minute look at numbers and facts - league position during his ownership and before his ownership, comparison of net spend with championship and other premier league clubs, money invested in training and youth facilities etc. This is not string theory. The damage can be measured by looking at numbers and facts. There is no devil's advocate role here as there is nothing deep or complex to understand and debate. Unless you are so thick that you cannot understand basic arithmetic where 110 million (money spent by Brighton) is greater than 1 million (money spent by Newcastle).