Mike Ashley (former owner)

[Big Geordie]

ITS HAPPENING.

 

That's really poor show if it's an april fools. Some folks are just proper bellends.

 

Aren't Wor Flags, Heron's lot?

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Stuff like shutting down our scouting network etc seems completely at odds with talk of an imminent takeover like.

 

As long as Mike is in charge, we'll take the cheapest, worst option every time.

[Stifler]

They donated £1 for every comment and like they got on their post.

[Scoot]

They donated £1 for every comment and like they got on their post.

 

Tight cunts.

[Kanj]

1. If you're suggesting that George Caulkin is being pressured by the Athletic to make up a story or falsify information to get some clicks and reads, then you're really insulting a man who's very much shown the most integrity and respect to us as fans of this club - who has always told it as it is. If you haven't read the article or listened to the podcast where he gives context to all of this, then please do before coming up with that.

 

2. If you still believe that Kieth Bishop, the warlord mastermind of PR has conjured up a smoke and mirror amidst Covid-19 involving Amanda Staveley, the Reubens, and PIF then you really need your head checked.

 

3. The NEW information over the past few days is that the PL has been notified a deal is near between PIF and Mike Ashley. This was allegedly submitted LAST week. So between that time and today, we very much could have a signed agreement of sale, a deposit, and the test could very much have started. It has been said many times that once that test begins, it becomes a black box until the outcome. In a situation where "no comment" is the norm for MA and NUFC, there is no promise we will hear anything else until its done or failed.

[Robster]

My issue with George Caulkin coming up with the story now is that it isn't a done deal (as far as we are all aware). I'd love to think that history will tell us that at the time of writing, it was all sorted but until that happens, putting the Takeover story back out into the public domain is poor form from a NUFC fan because it's making fans believe that change is finally coming.

I remain skeptical that it is.

 

I'd rather he kept his mouth shut until he was able to confirm that it was signed, sealed and delivered.

[Kanj]

So a few other journalists are knocking the story about - and my assumption here is this: George knows that many NUFC supporters trust his word as no-spin, no MA crony, no Bishop ally, etc. - he's George, man from the NE with no agenda. And that's why he's written it, because not only can he confirm that the PL has this paper work from both sides, but he's got it confirmed from his sources, and he's writing this to show that he's not hiding from the story (giving rise that it's all MA spin).

[pinkeye]

Quick question.

 

Should I order my new season ticket now to avoid the rush later when this is confirmed?

:idiot2:

[Manxst]

My issue with George Caulkin coming up with the story now is that it isn't a done deal (as far as we are all aware). I'd love to think that history will tell us that at the time of writing, it was all sorted but until that happens, putting the Takeover story back out into the public domain is poor form from a NUFC fan because it's making fans believe that change is finally coming.

I remain skeptical that it is.

 

I'd rather he kept his mouth shut until he was able to confirm that it was signed, sealed and delivered.

 

But at the end of the day, he’s not a fans spokesperson, he’s a journalist who gets paid to write (hopefully factual) stories and relay them. If he believes in what he’s written, then he’s doing himself and his employers a disservice by keeping quiet.

[D. Yimentov]

3. The NEW information over the past few days is that the PL has been notified a deal is near between PIF and Mike Ashley. This was allegedly submitted LAST week. So between that time and today, we very much could have a signed agreement of sale, a deposit, and the test could very much have started. It has been said many times that once that test begins, it becomes a black box until the outcome. In a situation where "no comment" is the norm for MA and NUFC, there is no promise we will hear anything else until its done or failed.

 

Is this confirmed though? George didn't confirm it in his article.

 

Also, what does the proper person test involve?

 

"Have you been crucifying atheists?"

 

"Have I been crucifying (voice peters out).................What?"

[RS]

Quick question.

 

Should I order my new season ticket now to avoid the rush later when this is confirmed?

:idiot2:

Beliebe. It’s coming home. Imagine mike Ashley under a house with just his donnay be-stockinged feet sticking out and Rafa stepping out the front door and popping on a pair of ruby slippers.

[LV]

Can't get my head around the same people calling Bruce a dinosaur and yet simultaneously hankering for Keegan coming back.

 

Completely different and its pretty obvious. Dinosaur isn't a reference to age necessarily, but more their characteristics as a coach.

 

Not that I'm on the Keegan bandwagon, but he's the polar opposite of Bruce in so many ways.

 

If you think Keegan, with his years off before us and ten year off after us, will be a more modern and progressive coach than Bruce then I don't even know what to say to you. You simply can't be that dumb.

 

He’d be a million times the manager that Bruce is, even now.

[Kanj]

3. The NEW information over the past few days is that the PL has been notified a deal is near between PIF and Mike Ashley. This was allegedly submitted LAST week. So between that time and today, we very much could have a signed agreement of sale, a deposit, and the test could very much have started. It has been said many times that once that test begins, it becomes a black box until the outcome. In a situation where "no comment" is the norm for MA and NUFC, there is no promise we will hear anything else until its done or failed.

 

Is this confirmed though? George didn't confirm it in his article.

 

Also, what does the proper person test involve?

 

"Have you been crucifying atheists?"

 

"Have I been crucifying (voice peters out).................What?"

 

podcast provided such context that was submitted by both sides.

[Robster]

My issue with George Caulkin coming up with the story now is that it isn't a done deal (as far as we are all aware). I'd love to think that history will tell us that at the time of writing, it was all sorted but until that happens, putting the Takeover story back out into the public domain is poor form from a NUFC fan because it's making fans believe that change is finally coming.

I remain skeptical that it is.

I'd rather he kept his mouth shut until he was able to confirm that it was signed, sealed and delivered.

But at the end of the day, he’s not a fans spokesperson, he’s a journalist who gets paid to write (hopefully factual) stories and relay them. If he believes in what he’s written, then he’s doing himself and his employers a disservice by keeping quiet.

Of course, that's absolutely fair.

I guess I'm just baffled as to why the story has come out now when earlier in the year, he didn't want to touch it with a barge pole.

[STM]

This is absolute horseshit.

[Happinesstan]

Personally think this whole “Keegan wasn’t very good tactically” stuff is over used . Just looks the way Albert would bring the ball out in to midfield at a time when it wasn’t really done same with full backs getting forward. Or in his second managerial stint with the 4-3-3, at a time when 4-4-2 was common. Full backs creating width, Michael Owen playing in a kind of false 9 position. I mean clearly there are better, younger, more progressive managers around but he’s another level to Bruce. Still the best English manager imo.

 

In his early management days, he wasn't. But he had Fazackerley.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

He was way ahead of his time tactically

 

Don’t make me explain

 

tl;dr

[TRon]

My issue with George Caulkin coming up with the story now is that it isn't a done deal (as far as we are all aware). I'd love to think that history will tell us that at the time of writing, it was all sorted but until that happens, putting the Takeover story back out into the public domain is poor form from a NUFC fan because it's making fans believe that change is finally coming.

I remain skeptical that it is.

I'd rather he kept his mouth shut until he was able to confirm that it was signed, sealed and delivered.

But at the end of the day, he’s not a fans spokesperson, he’s a journalist who gets paid to write (hopefully factual) stories and relay them. If he believes in what he’s written, then he’s doing himself and his employers a disservice by keeping quiet.

Of course, that's absolutely fair.

I guess I'm just baffled as to why the story has come out now when earlier in the year, he didn't want to touch it with a barge pole.

 

Because he believes it's true clearly. I haven't always agreed with the general consensus about George on here, but I do think he's a man of integrity.

[TRon]

He was way ahead of his time tactically

 

Don’t make me explain

 

tl;dr

 

Keegan was Klopp when Klopp himself was in short pants basically. Is that near enough the mark? 

[Carlito]

Did someone actually claim that Steve Bruce is a more progressive manager than Kevin Keegan??

 

[Stifler]

If this goes ahead then I don’t think the club should really look back.

Ok, so maybe Rafa might comeback, but I don’t think we should pursue it unless it was already the plan for the new owners.

 

The new owners I presume will want a new manager. We don’t know though if they will do that straight away, during the off season, or when Bruce hits a poor run of form.

 

If they bring someone new in straight away then the media will be on their back because ‘of the job Bruce has done’, at least in our current league standings. Any manager coming in from them on will have the media waiting for him to slip up. Some elements of our support who believe the ‘Bruce is a Geordie’ guff will also be waiting for them to fail as well.

 

I honestly think they would wait until the season has finished before making a change. I certainly can’t see them handing Bruce new players, be that Mbappe ? or just fairly standard Premier League players.

 

The only way I can see the new manager being Rafa is if there is already some sort of verbal agreement. I think bringing Rafa back would be different because Rafa only left less than a year ago. He’s still very got some influence in the dressing room/tactics and connection with the place.

 

Keegan on the other hand has been out of the game a long time. If I’m honest here, his style has passed football by. He came close to winning something 20 years ago with an all out attacking approach. 20/25 years on you can’t get away with it. In fact it was very much the reason why Arsenal have fell so far down the pecking order. Successful teams now demand much more structure, much more strength, and composure. Keegan’s tactics honestly wouldn’t get you much past the halfway mark in the Premier League these days. A group who are spending £300m+ is going to have a 5,10, and 15 year plan for competing and winning things. Mid table and pushing for Europe will be more towards the initial stages of the plan, not mid-long term.

All of this is even assuming Keegan would jump back in.

 

As for behind the scenes roles. You are forgetting that Staveley is ultimately wanting control of the club as it’s CEO, chairwoman, or whatever name you give her. The Rueban guy is going to be a director at least. PIF are going to have at least 1 person high up in the club. There isn’t really going to be a role for Keegan or Shearer at the club, aside from an ambassador role which gives them no power or influence. If they want to give Keegan or Shearer that then great, however anyone who’s thinking it will be anything more than them making ‘feel good in the community’ roles is deluded. Not that the club shouldn’t do that, I strongly believe they should. However that role isn’t going to impact on what happens on the pitch, training ground, academy, or boardroom.

 

In my honest opinion, the club needs to look forward and not back. It needs to create a new chapter in it’s era, not go over the Keegan or SBR years. We need new targets, we need new ambition, we need a new direction. I can understand if Rafa is a part of that because from the initial stages he would have been an integral part of their plans. As for that, I think we should respect the past, but leave it where it is.

[Happinesstan]

He said he hasn’t wanted to write anything till there something substantial. Has that position changed? Up to a point. It’s got to point it’s went on for so long now it feels strange not writing about it. He doesn’t want to get people over excited for no reason but felt after story that PL had been notified about the groups interest it’s got to point it looks like he’s dismissing it as something that shouldn’t be considered so he wrote article. Says it’s categorically not bishop spin for Ashley

 

"The premier league have been notified about the group's interest" means fuck all, TBH. It certainly doesn't imply that any deal has been concluded.

[Wolfcastle]

Did someone actually claim that Steve Bruce is a more progressive manager than Kevin Keegan??

 

 

He's progressed through many more clubs

 

On the topic, its worth baring in mind these headlines from not even a year ago

Managing Director of Bin Zayed Group releases statement having 'agreed terms' to buy Newcastle United

Mike Ashley agrees to sell Newcastle United - Report

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley agrees to SELL Toon to Arab Sheikh for £350million

Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nehayan representative says deal to buy Newcastle is concluded - Report

 

Its really no different now.

 

[Guest Howaythetoon]

This will happen this time

[Dr Jinx]

Thanks to Coronavirus. I’m not really sure how to feel about that.