The Magpie Group

[Guest reefatoon]

If people can’t boycott a game now then they never will. At the moment it should be so easy to sit out a game. The owner is a cunt, the players are shite and the football on show is fucking awful. Some other tactic will have to come into play to try and get the majority of people on board.

[ToonTastic]

If he really wants out he will get it sold, simple as that, so we have to make him want out.

Exactly my point. At the minute I still don't think he does.

[ToonArmy1892]

Alot of people against the boycott idea reference Rafa asking for support etc, i'm afraid we have to ignore that now as much as i love the bloke, it's well past that point, got to go all out, no time for softly softly now.

[Big Geordie]

I think going in to a game 15mins late is a canny idea. Also think that protests outside the club shop should happen at every home game, if that's do-able.

 

With regards to the crowd at St James now - I think there is a large section who are just 'spectators', rather than supporters.

[ToonArmy1892]

Agreed, but even the 'spectators' would probably hold a card up at a certain minute or something.

[Odear]

It’s hard to boycott while Rafa is still here. Although he’d know what was going on.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

This first month or two was when fan feelings were likely to be worst. We'll start picking up results soon and it'll be almost impossible to get people to stay away, or even protest inside SJP.

[timnufc22]

Rafa knows what we think of him. He would know it’s not against him or the team. This is about the club and is bigger than the manager. Would you rather Ashley went now while we still have Rafa or when he is gone? I personally find it frustrating people still going, at least with ST’s, unless it’s taking your kids or seniors.

 

I think what needs to be put to bed is the myth of “it wouldn’t make a difference”.

 

1. It smears sports direct; the backdrop of empty seats & protests of their brandin is a bad association and not what they’d want.

2. It smears the Premier League brand and one of the selling pints (“50k screaming geordies”). Richard Scudamore would be concerned. He would not want it to continue be asking questions why one of the selling points of the PL is being taken away.

3. It hurts Sky/BT who, like the PL, do not want to be showing games at a half empty stadium. They’d stop showing Newcastle at SJP on tv = less money for Ashley and they’d also be asking why this is asking behind the scenes, seen as though they give the club shit loads of money and this is the result.

4. Catering companies who are outsourced would be threatening to pull out because their sales of pies & drinks would plummet. Another headache.

5. If you want to go one further and people cancelled their direct debits then it’s still a lot of money to lose.

[Guest covmag]

Rafa knows what we think of him. He would know it’s not against him or the team. This is about the club and is bigger than the manager. Would you rather Ashley went now while we still have Rafa or when he is gone? I personally find it frustrating people still going, at least with ST’s, unless it’s taking your kids or seniors.

 

I think what needs to be put to bed is the myth of “it wouldn’t make a difference”.

 

1. It smears sports direct; the backdrop of empty seats & protests of their brandin is a bad association and not what they’d want.

2. It smears the Premier League brand and one of the selling pints (“50k screaming geordies”). Richard Scudamore would be concerned. He would not want it to continue be asking questions why one of the selling points of the PL is being taken away.

3. It hurts Sky/BT who, like the PL, do not want to be showing games at a half empty stadium. They’d stop showing Newcastle at SJP on tv = less money for Ashley and they’d also be asking why this is asking behind the scenes, seen as though they give the club shit loads of money and this is the result.

4. Catering companies who are outsourced would be threatening to pull out because their sales of pies & drinks would plummet. Another headache.

5. If you want to go one further and people cancelled their direct debits then it’s still a lot of money to lose.

 

this , ive come to understand that by staying away its as much as i can do to help, plus never to venture into SD or anything he owns 

 

direct debit cancelled

[TRon]

Rafa knows what we think of him. He would know it’s not against him or the team. This is about the club and is bigger than the manager. Would you rather Ashley went now while we still have Rafa or when he is gone? I personally find it frustrating people still going, at least with ST’s, unless it’s taking your kids or seniors.

 

I think what needs to be put to bed is the myth of “it wouldn’t make a difference”.

 

1. It smears sports direct; the backdrop of empty seats & protests of their brandin is a bad association and not what they’d want.

2. It smears the Premier League brand and one of the selling pints (“50k screaming geordies”). Richard Scudamore would be concerned. He would not want it to continue be asking questions why one of the selling points of the PL is being taken away.

3. It hurts Sky/BT who, like the PL, do not want to be showing games at a half empty stadium. They’d stop showing Newcastle at SJP on tv = less money for Ashley and they’d also be asking why this is asking behind the scenes, seen as though they give the club shit loads of money and this is the result.

4. Catering companies who are outsourced would be threatening to pull out because their sales of pies & drinks would plummet. Another headache.

5. If you want to go one further and people cancelled their direct debits then it’s still a lot of money to lose.

 

  Ashley will be hating all this, that's reason enough to be doing it.

[Away Day Gadgie]

Rafa knows what we think of him. He would know it’s not against him or the team. This is about the club and is bigger than the manager. Would you rather Ashley went now while we still have Rafa or when he is gone? I personally find it frustrating people still going, at least with ST’s, unless it’s taking your kids or seniors.

 

I think what needs to be put to bed is the myth of “it wouldn’t make a difference”.

 

1. It smears sports direct; the backdrop of empty seats & protests of their brandin is a bad association and not what they’d want.

2. It smears the Premier League brand and one of the selling pints (“50k screaming geordies”). Richard Scudamore would be concerned. He would not want it to continue be asking questions why one of the selling points of the PL is being taken away.

3. It hurts Sky/BT who, like the PL, do not want to be showing games at a half empty stadium. They’d stop showing Newcastle at SJP on tv = less money for Ashley and they’d also be asking why this is asking behind the scenes, seen as though they give the club shit loads of money and this is the result.

4. Catering companies who are outsourced would be threatening to pull out because their sales of pies & drinks would plummet. Another headache.

5. If you want to go one further and people cancelled their direct debits then it’s still a lot of money to lose.

 

Excellent post ?

 

If we could get the majority of the fanbase onto this way of thinking, we’d be halfway towards getting rid of him IMO.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Does anyone doubt the reasons for doing it? It’s getting a big enough percentage of fans that’s the hard bit.

[Darth Crooks]

For a lot of people you are asking them to admit that their weekends are built around a complete waste of time in logical terms. Easier for me because I live miles away and it’s more apparent it’s a waste of my time and money. We’re just starting to grapple with that on a scale that matters. I understand the feeling behind ‘he’ll not stop me’ if not the logic.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

For a lot of people you are asking them to admit that their weekends are built around a complete waste of time in logical terms. Easier for me because I live miles away and it’s more apparent it’s a waste of my time and money. We’re just starting to grapple with that on a scale that matters. I understand the feeling behind ‘he’ll not stop me’ if not the logic.

 

Of course, that’s the very thing that football fans are ‘supposed’ to do - go no matter what. That’s the big weakness (if you want to call it that) that allows people like Ashley to exploit them.

 

We’re customers in the most concrete monopoly market you could imagine. With the added bonus it ruins our lives

[midds]

The whole “he’s not going to stop me supporting my team” rationale is a big issue mind, got to be said. For some it’ll be seen as defiance, I’ll keep on going regardless, I’ll be here long after he’s gone etc. It’s admirable in some respects but Ashley knows all about the misplaced loyalty and devotion of a huge swathe of the fan base and it was probably one of the reasons he bought us rather than another club I suspect.

 

Like it or lump it, there’s 40000+ fans who will turn up no matter what. No matter how shit it gets, no matter what he does they’ll be there and they’ll be critical of any attempts that they perceive to be a negative influence of the team. Sustained, mass boycotts and walkouts are simply not on the agenda in my opinion, they’re a complete nonstarter unfortunately

[Guest chopey]

My reasons for staying until Rafa goes is that I'm clinging to the the hope that if he is still here he must know something, I'm willing to attend all protests and demonstrations (just like I did during the sack the board days in the 80's) and if Rafa leaves tomorrow then my direct debit is cancelled and I'm gone, I'm already resigned to the fact that I won't be there next season.

[Scoot]

My reasons for staying until Rafa goes is that I'm clinging to the the hope that if he is still here he must know something, I'm willing to attend all protests and demonstrations (just like I did during the sack the board days in the 80's) and if Rafa leaves tomorrow then my direct debit is cancelled and I'm gone, I'm already resigned to the fact that I won't be there next season.

 

Exactly what I'm doing too.

[Guest The Little Waster]

The whole “he’s not going to stop me supporting my team” rationale is a big issue mind, got to be said. For some it’ll be seen as defiance, I’ll keep on going regardless, I’ll be here long after he’s gone etc. It’s admirable in some respects but Ashley knows all about the misplaced loyalty and devotion of a huge swathe of the fan base and it was probably one of the reasons he bought us rather than another club I suspect.

 

Like it or lump it, there’s 40000+ fans who will turn up no matter what. No matter how shit it gets, no matter what he does they’ll be there and they’ll be critical of any attempts that they perceive to be a negative influence of the team. Sustained, mass boycotts and walkouts are simply not on the agenda in my opinion, they’re a complete nonstarter unfortunately

 

God i love that argument ... " He's not gonna stop me pouring money into his fat pockets so i can watch utter garbage at a dying club "

Those fuckers should take a bow for the most moronic justification of sticking around when the very thing we need is that they leave like the rest of us .

[ToonArmy1892]

[huss9]

The nonsense through the press today about him lowering the asking price must be totally ignored. He's used the tactic before, saying the club is up for sale but nobody is wanting to buy and that stopped a lot of people wanting to do anything. It all needs to be ignored. If nobody wants to buy at that price then he needs to lower it again. Protests stay till he goes.

If he has dropped the price it's good. But the protests must go on untill a takeover is completed.

Continue to put pressure on him!!!

He's asking for £300m no clauses but doesn't say whether that includes all the clauses of paying back the £140m debt and getting shot of all the contracts he's signed the club up to with SD so the club makes no income more or less. Not such a great price then.

 

that amount of debt shouldnt  even exist following his trousering of the premier league cash and the transfer proft.

[UncleBingo]

Would anybody chip in for an Ashley baby balloon plastered with SportsRedirect? It could be flown at the ground for every home game.

[Papavasiliou]

The whole “he’s not going to stop me supporting my team” rationale is a big issue mind, got to be said. For some it’ll be seen as defiance, I’ll keep on going regardless, I’ll be here long after he’s gone etc. It’s admirable in some respects but Ashley knows all about the misplaced loyalty and devotion of a huge swathe of the fan base and it was probably one of the reasons he bought us rather than another club I suspect.

 

Like it or lump it, there’s 40000+ fans who will turn up no matter what. No matter how shit it gets, no matter what he does they’ll be there and they’ll be critical of any attempts that they perceive to be a negative influence of the team. Sustained, mass boycotts and walkouts are simply not on the agenda in my opinion, they’re a complete nonstarter unfortunately

 

True

 

If people didn't want to protest Ashley when Pardew/Carver were stinking the place up with 4-0 losses every week and Ashley was still a shithouse, they're not going to start now.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Would anybody chip in for an Ashley baby balloon plastered with SportsRedirect? It could be flown at the ground for every home game.

 

I would.

[Greg]

It's too expensive. About £60,000 to manufacture and first deployment and then a fair few thousand per deployment.

[mrmojorisin75]

For a lot of people you are asking them to admit that their weekends are built around a complete waste of time in logical terms. Easier for me because I live miles away and it’s more apparent it’s a waste of my time and money. We’re just starting to grapple with that on a scale that matters. I understand the feeling behind ‘he’ll not stop me’ if not the logic.

 

this is spot on, baby steps i reckon - start hitting all televised home games with boycotts etc. but all of them and only them