The Magpie Group

[Rich]

Some fair points Benwell, although I do think you’re missing the bigger picture with what the group is trying to do.

 

As an aim at the meeting last night, people seemed to be in general consensus that getting Ashley to get fed up enough to sell the club at a reasonable price is realistic and achievable. At the minute there’s no way he sells unless a truly insane offer gets made, that’s narrowing the pool of people with clout you’re speaking of even further.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I think people need to be much more generous towards the predicament fans are in. We're not like customers of a normal business. If Apple start behaving appallingly I just go and buy my laptop somewhere else.

 

Fans are locked in, they're there through thick and thin, things like that are normally strengths.

 

Of course that's what allows owners to exploit fans so much, or at least to ignore them. But nevertheless it's a fact and I think it's harsh to criticise fans for being slow to agree to things like boycotts.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Sheep 

Not sure that insulting people who don't totally agree with you has ever been the best way to influence them and make them change their mind.

The problem may be that, although the majority of the 50,000 "sheep" want to see Ashley out, they take the view that it's just the same old bunch of attention seekers, promoting the same ultimately ineffective, form of protest.

The original Magpie Group, unlike today's version, was strongly backed by savvy and successful businessmen who knew how to really make things change and realised that singing "sack the board" every time we went a goal down wasn't going to do it.

Scaring a few teenage, minimum wage earning SD employees, and asking the staff of crammed pre-match pubs to distinguish between prices for those who are wearing a sticker or not wearing a sticker may get the approval of the zealots on here but I think the majority of the "sheep" are hoping that someone with serious intent and a realistic strategy to remove Ashley will come forward.

 

 

Tbf you've completely missed the point here like. TMG is doing the things that the original Magpie Group did.

[Benwell Lad]

Sheep 

Not sure that insulting people who don't totally agree with you has ever been the best way to influence them and make them change their mind.

The problem may be that, although the majority of the 50,000 "sheep" want to see Ashley out, they take the view that it's just the same old bunch of attention seekers, promoting the same ultimately ineffective, form of protest.

The original Magpie Group, unlike today's version, was strongly backed by savvy and successful businessmen who knew how to really make things change and realised that singing "sack the board" every time we went a goal down wasn't going to do it.

Scaring a few teenage, minimum wage earning SD employees, and asking the staff of crammed pre-match pubs to distinguish between prices for those who are wearing a sticker or not wearing a sticker may get the approval of the zealots on here but I think the majority of the "sheep" are hoping that someone with serious intent and a realistic strategy to remove Ashley will come forward.

 

 

You don't appear to understand what TMG is doing.

 

Possibly not, but I'd then say that apart from the same couple of dozen who post on this thread regularly the vast majority of the "sheep" may not understand, so are they getting their message over ?

What I do know is that a lot of us have seen this (or very similar) before and know that the fat lad will hardly be quaking in his boots about a twitter campaign or a couple of hundred people shouting outside one of his stores every once in a while.

Nothing wrong with a bit of protest in the meantime if you think it helps or makes you feel good but ultimately change will only come when someone with real clout and finances fancies taking it on.

 

 

You might well be of an age to have seen the original group and I couldn’t possibly comment on that. Think you’re getting a bit hung up on the sheep label touted by less tactful characters on here. Haven’t heard that expressed by TMG yet. I’m 31 and have never seen anything like this being done with tools like SM and direct conflict against media elements so I’m not sure what’s gone before is directly comparable. KPMG retracted an article based on protest. Pretty unprecedented.

 

I’ve not seen anything as serious as this in my few couple of decades of support so I’m definitely watching this space.

 

I totally get how having seen it all before or not can affect our views but definitely concede that today's use of SM makes it different.

Not really "hung up" about the sheep label but I did think it's counter-productive to use it against 50,000 odd supporters who won't be standing outside of SD on Saturday, for whatever reason. Insults will never make people change their minds.

This thread has pretty been the same couple of dozen people airing their views and while a different perspective is not always welcome it's not really a bad thing 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

As an aim at the meeting last night, people seemed to be in general consensus that getting Ashley to get fed up enough to sell the club at a reasonable price is realistic and achievable. At the minute there’s no way he sells unless a truly insane offer gets made, that’s narrowing the pool of people with clout you’re speaking of even further.

 

I guess we can't afford to worry too much about whether there's a buyer. Personally that's the reason I can't see Ashley going, because he'll always want more than a sensible buyer will be willing to pay.

 

But I suppose the campaign can't afford to worry about that, the job is to make Ashley's life so uncomfortable that he might eventually be more motivated to sell, and therefore the pool of sensible buyers can be bigger.

[Darth Crooks]

Sheep 

Not sure that insulting people who don't totally agree with you has ever been the best way to influence them and make them change their mind.

The problem may be that, although the majority of the 50,000 "sheep" want to see Ashley out, they take the view that it's just the same old bunch of attention seekers, promoting the same ultimately ineffective, form of protest.

The original Magpie Group, unlike today's version, was strongly backed by savvy and successful businessmen who knew how to really make things change and realised that singing "sack the board" every time we went a goal down wasn't going to do it.

Scaring a few teenage, minimum wage earning SD employees, and asking the staff of crammed pre-match pubs to distinguish between prices for those who are wearing a sticker or not wearing a sticker may get the approval of the zealots on here but I think the majority of the "sheep" are hoping that someone with serious intent and a realistic strategy to remove Ashley will come forward.

 

 

You don't appear to understand what TMG is doing.

 

Possibly not, but I'd then say that apart from the same couple of dozen who post on this thread regularly the vast majority of the "sheep" may not understand, so are they getting their message over ?

What I do know is that a lot of us have seen this (or very similar) before and know that the fat lad will hardly be quaking in his boots about a twitter campaign or a couple of hundred people shouting outside one of his stores every once in a while.

Nothing wrong with a bit of protest in the meantime if you think it helps or makes you feel good but ultimately change will only come when someone with real clout and finances fancies taking it on.

 

 

You might well be of an age to have seen the original group and I couldn’t possibly comment on that. Think you’re getting a bit hung up on the sheep label touted by less tactful characters on here. Haven’t heard that expressed by TMG yet. I’m 31 and have never seen anything like this being done with tools like SM and direct conflict against media elements so I’m not sure what’s gone before is directly comparable. KPMG retracted an article based on protest. Pretty unprecedented.

 

I’ve not seen anything as serious as this in my few couple of decades of support so I’m definitely watching this space.

 

I totally get how having seen it all before or not can affect our views but definitely concede that today's use of SM makes it different.

Not really "hung up" about the sheep label but I did think it's counter-productive to use it against 50,000 odd supporters who won't be standing outside of SD on Saturday, for whatever reason. Insults will never make people change their minds.

This thread has pretty been the same couple of dozen people airing their views and while a different perspective is not always welcome it's not really a bad thing 

 

Agreed mate.

[Benwell Lad]

Sheep 

Not sure that insulting people who don't totally agree with you has ever been the best way to influence them and make them change their mind.

The problem may be that, although the majority of the 50,000 "sheep" want to see Ashley out, they take the view that it's just the same old bunch of attention seekers, promoting the same ultimately ineffective, form of protest.

The original Magpie Group, unlike today's version, was strongly backed by savvy and successful businessmen who knew how to really make things change and realised that singing "sack the board" every time we went a goal down wasn't going to do it.

Scaring a few teenage, minimum wage earning SD employees, and asking the staff of crammed pre-match pubs to distinguish between prices for those who are wearing a sticker or not wearing a sticker may get the approval of the zealots on here but I think the majority of the "sheep" are hoping that someone with serious intent and a realistic strategy to remove Ashley will come forward.

 

 

Tbf you've completely missed the point here like. TMG is doing the things that the original Magpie Group did.

 

 

In principle and objective maybe, but it was a completely different structure and up against a much weaker ownership. Ironically the old Magpie Group may have been more effective against the current ownership and vice versa.

Also the original one was almost universally supported across the fan base and city as a whole whereas some of those involved in this latest incarnation do nothing but turn people off.

[cp40]

IIRC the original Magpie group set about finding small share holders, and buying to get to 51%. not really an option to this protest.

[biggs]

Just reached the mentalist on the audio, fucking hell

 

Although TBF, you could argue that ruining a large part of the lives of hundreds of thousands of people warrants almost any reaction.

Yeah and i was there and everyone cringed when he went on like that but later he asked another question and got clapped

 

[Rich]

As an aim at the meeting last night, people seemed to be in general consensus that getting Ashley to get fed up enough to sell the club at a reasonable price is realistic and achievable. At the minute there’s no way he sells unless a truly insane offer gets made, that’s narrowing the pool of people with clout you’re speaking of even further.

 

I guess we can't afford to worry too much about whether there's a buyer. Personally that's the reason I can't see Ashley going, because he'll always want more than a sensible buyer will be willing to pay.

 

But I suppose the campaign can't afford to worry about that, the job is to make Ashley's life so uncomfortable that he might eventually be more motivated to sell, and therefore the pool of sensible buyers can be bigger.

 

 

Exactly this, and by definition that is doing something.

[biggs]

My take on lasts nights great meeting is make it grow so next meeting bring a friend and use social media to get the message around as doing nothing achieves nothing. Hit his SD group and his other businesses and get the media talking about it and a figurehead was mentioned like Keegan and why not that would get everyone interested as we need a spark to light the fire.

[Matt]

I guess we can't afford to worry too much about whether there's a buyer. Personally that's the reason I can't see Ashley going, because he'll always want more than a sensible buyer will be willing to pay.

 

But I suppose the campaign can't afford to worry about that, the job is to make Ashley's life so uncomfortable that he might eventually be more motivated to sell, and therefore the pool of sensible buyers can be bigger.

 

I think people should be worrying about a buyer. It's arguably more important than any anti-Ashley work, because although those efforts may or may not hasten a sale, there can only ever be a sale with a buyer attached.

 

A lot of people (and I can probably include myself) were just glad in 2007 to be rid of ShepHall at any cost. It's actually really important that fans groups open discuss what they think is a sensible route forward for the club which the supporters could get alongside fully from day 1 of any new era.

[Big Geordie]

Is Merlin still around on here? He was involved with the original Magpie Group. Their aim was very different and was built around chasing folk all over the UK/the world, who had shares in NUFC, which allowed Sir John Hall to mount his takeover. I remember Merlin telling me that he did countless miles on the road, with the likes of Malcolm Dix.

 

I'm old enough to remember that time and the 'Sack the Board' protests - as no doubt some others are on here. It was a desperate time, which involved a supporters boycott (Leeds at home in 1989, when Quinn bagged 4) - I went to that game however! Was also involved in a couple of sit down protests in the Gallowgate. Many of us were young and daft at that point, blinded by our love of NUFC. I didn't stop going. However, now I'm older and wiser - and the only time I go to games now, is to support my best mate as he's a disabled season ticket holder. I still feel the pull to go back - none more so at the end of last season, when Rafa has us all feeling optimistic. However, it didn't take Ashley long to burst the bubble.

 

I think protests inevitably have to move inside the ground - with perhaps the targeting of TV games as we move towards Xmas and 2019. As someone said last night - when Rafa leaves next year, NUFC finally dies.

[biggs]

Is Merlin still around on here? He was involved with the original Magpie Group. Their aim was very different and was built around chasing folk all over the UK/the world, who had shares in NUFC, which allowed Sir John Hall to mount his takeover. I remember Merlin telling me that he did countless miles on the road, with the likes of Malcolm Dix.

 

I'm old enough to remember that time and the 'Sack the Board' protests - as no doubt some others are on here. It was a desperate time, which involved a supporters boycott (Leeds at home in 1989, when Quinn bagged 4) - I went to that game however! Was also involved in a couple of sit down protests in the Gallowgate. Many of us were young and daft at that point, blinded by our love of NUFC. I didn't stop going. However, now I'm older and wiser - and the only time I go to games now, is to support my best mate as he's a disabled season ticket holder. I still feel the pull to go back - none more so at the end of last season, when Rafa has us all feeling optimistic. However, it didn't take Ashley long to burst the bubble.

 

I think protests inevitably have to move inside the ground - with perhaps the targeting of TV games as we move towards Xmas and 2019. As someone said last night - when Rafa leaves next year, NUFC finally dies.

it was said last night that placards held by fans on a certain minute flashed up live on sky would make a huge impact and get the world talking or even not going to seats till after ten minutes would look bad on sky as it could delay kick off .

 

[Benwell Lad]

IIRC the original Magpie group set about finding small share holders, and buying to get to 51%. not really an option to this protest.

 

Aye it was very different back then.

What it took though was a group of powerful, committed people who knew what they were doing and had deep enough pockets (at the time) to pay above the going rate and blow the opposition out of the water.

It will take something similar this time but what they end up buying will be a very different corporate entity to those days.

 

[Greg]

I guess we can't afford to worry too much about whether there's a buyer. Personally that's the reason I can't see Ashley going, because he'll always want more than a sensible buyer will be willing to pay.

 

But I suppose the campaign can't afford to worry about that, the job is to make Ashley's life so uncomfortable that he might eventually be more motivated to sell, and therefore the pool of sensible buyers can be bigger.

 

I think people should be worrying about a buyer. It's arguably more important than any anti-Ashley work, because although those efforts may or may not hasten a sale, there can only ever be a sale with a buyer attached.

 

A lot of people (and I can probably include myself) were just glad in 2007 to be rid of ShepHall at any cost. It's actually really important that fans groups open discuss what they think is a sensible route forward for the club which the supporters could get alongside fully from day 1 of any new era.

 

In terms of a buyer - TMG are doing this, but ad explained last night can't give any sort of running commentary as the parties we are targetting would walk away if anything went public.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Well done to veryone who organised this, went and took part. Of course it’s all just a fad and will blow over soon...

 

 

[Darth Crooks]

Well done to veryone who organised this, went and took part. Of course it’s all just a fad and will blow over soon...

 

 

 

[Rich]

Well done to veryone who organised this, went and took part. Of course it’s all just a fad and will blow over soon...

 

 

 

 

Top giffage

[Guest NobbyOhNobby]

I guess we can't afford to worry too much about whether there's a buyer. Personally that's the reason I can't see Ashley going, because he'll always want more than a sensible buyer will be willing to pay.

 

But I suppose the campaign can't afford to worry about that, the job is to make Ashley's life so uncomfortable that he might eventually be more motivated to sell, and therefore the pool of sensible buyers can be bigger.

 

I think people should be worrying about a buyer. It's arguably more important than any anti-Ashley work, because although those efforts may or may not hasten a sale, there can only ever be a sale with a buyer attached.

 

A lot of people (and I can probably include myself) were just glad in 2007 to be rid of ShepHall at any cost. It's actually really important that fans groups open discuss what they think is a sensible route forward for the club which the supporters could get alongside fully from day 1 of any new era.

 

In terms of a buyer - TMG are doing this, but ad explained last night can't give any sort of running commentary as the parties we are targetting would walk away if anything went public.

Is it Robson Green?

[Rich]

I went along to the meeting last night as an interested observer and think I'm probably going to try and get more involved in helping The Magpie Group after hearing what they had to say, but also after just having a few chats here and there with other supporters outside of the group who have been looking for an outlet to go after Ashley.

 

Basically, I was trying to have a wander and chat to some of the older groups of blokes in attendance and the passion they still have to get Ashley out is staggering, although sadly the majority had given up their tickets despite having gone for decades. They still turned up and were keen to go to any and all future protests, though, which is pretty fantastic.

 

The majority I spoke to heard about the meeting via NUFC.com too, so fair play to Biffa and Niall for publicising it - makes a huge difference.

 

At the end of the night I told some of the lads from the group itself that I'd try to see if there was anyone from N-O interested in helping them out, so here I am...

 

Is there anyone on here who didn't/couldn't attend the meeting but would be keen to get more involved? Not necessarily just in protesting/doing anything in and around the city, but helping in other ways? Giving advice/ideas, providing contacts in local businesses who could be useful, helping with online content/social media, etc.?

 

They were also pushing their newsletter, so if you just want to sign up to that you can find it on the top right of this page (and I've added it to the OP as well for ease): https://themagpiegroup.co.uk

[ToonArmy1892]

I have signed up for the newsletter, was at the first protest outside SD, have been doing my bit to disrupt his stuff online, and i'm currently boycotting the matches.

 

I would be up for being more involved, however my social anxiety means that realistically i'm not going to be at many of the meetings etc, if there are other things i can do on an invividual basis i would be up for it.

 

I couldn't imagine getting up and introducing myself infront of an audience like the lads the other night, public speaking is a no-no for me, i like how the bloke (sorry didn't get his name) acknowledged that some people may be shy and could write their ideas down.

[Big Geordie]

I have signed up for the newsletter, was at the first protest outside SD, have been doing my bit to disrupt his stuff online, and i'm currently boycotting the matches.

 

I would be up for being more involved, however my social anxiety means that realistically i'm not going to be at many of the meetings etc, if there are other things i can do on an invividual basis i would be up for it.

 

I couldn't imagine getting up and introducing myself infront of an audience like the lads the other night, public speaking is a no-no for me, i like how the bloke (sorry didn't get his name) acknowledged that some people may be shy and could write their ideas down.

 

There were suggestion boxes on a few of the tables. It was also possible to send in questions via Twitter.

[Dr.Spaceman]

We need to find someone unhinged enough to fancy a stint in prison.

[Darth Crooks]

We need to find someone unhinged enough to fancy a stint in prison.

 

I reckon tubes is a hairs breadth away from this.