Mike Ashley (former owner)

[Dr.Spaceman]

You never know.

[ianovthetoon]

More chance of me taking over Sports Direct

[Wolfcastle]

Its sooo not happening that we could have a sweepstake on when the 'in the best interests of the club we've called a halt to takeover talks' line comes out. The day Rafa's contract expires is a good shout but a little soon re the transfer window.

[geordiedean]

Fire up the relegation ometer

[gdm]

Its sooo not happening that we could have a sweepstake on when the 'in the best interests of the club we've called a halt to takeover talks' line comes out. The day Rafa's contract expires is a good shout but a little soon re the transfer window.

7th July

[Yorkie]

So, things now seem to be taking a familiar turn.

 

After weeks of silence, Ashley has seemingly decided to leak stuff... first wanting an update on progress (even though his legal people should be able to tell him), and now a deadline allegedly being set for completion.

 

Next statement... the Tyrekicker/Timewaster one.

 

Probably.

 

 

Us old un's understand this reference 

 

Chocolate mousse?

[Bimpy474]

So, things now seem to be taking a familiar turn.

 

After weeks of silence, Ashley has seemingly decided to leak stuff... first wanting an update on progress (even though his legal people should be able to tell him), and now a deadline allegedly being set for completion.

 

Next statement... the Tyrekicker/Timewaster one.

 

Probably.

 

 

Us old un's understand this reference 

 

Chocolate mousse?

 

Wut 

[timinperu]

There never was a takeover, we have all been so duped. There was never any chance of a contract extension, hence the takeover nonsense to create a smokescreen. In my business we have excellent staff, what do we do? Tie them down as soon as possible - 6-9 months before the contract expires, if we want to keep them. God if I had world class staff, they would have a contract that they could name themselves, it would be worth its weight in gold. To leave it to the last week, only says one thing  -never a chance of a contract.

 

The takeover - surely every close season there is a takeover rumour. The questions are; Why do we continually fall for this? Is it blind hope, or blind stupidity in the face of reality (aka intellectual dissonance), or my god Ashley has some damn good PR company working for him (and hasn't he just signed up with one?).

 

Like many others, this is different from previous regimes. I know that Ardilles is named by a few, but at least we did try to play some football, we were mostly being beat, but the joy was there to behold (remember Barnsley and Tranmere both away?). I have just today turned off every newsfeed for football and nufc, it is like being eaten alive from the inside by dementors.

[tmonkey]

I still have faith that the takeover is a possibility, even if it feels like it's getting remoter by the day. Remember when Ashley bought the club? The full takeover didn't happen quickly. IIRC he bought out the Halls' shares fairly giving him a majority holding, but then Freddie Shepherd decided he'd refuse to sell until Ashley upped his offer, dragging things out for an additional 2-3 months. Even remember an article where Freddie from his hospital bed was interviewed where he said he'd refuse to sell his shares and would fight Ashley for control. And of course Shepherd then sold them once he got that better offer. That's probably where Ashley is now with BZG, trying to get whatever he can before he leaves.

 

The reports of Kenyon sniffing around offering a rights based deal that Ashley would prefer, I think that's more likely to be the actual fabrication by Ashley's camp, i.e. they drum up non-existent competition that they can use as leverage in negotiations with BZG over price, or more rights retention. In terms of Rafa, there's a world in which BZG reasonably didn't want him (if they have their own man lined up), or couldn't give the assurances Rafa wanted since the sale could still take time and could also fall through/BZG can't make the offer, and if we're clutching at straws they might even seek to get him back if they manage to buy the club. To claim this takeover was a fakeover, we would need to have:

 

1) The BZG statements confirming price agreed, proof of funds provided in April, fit and proper test stage, etc etc, to have either been entirely fake, or have been paid for by KBA.

2) BZG are a two bit outfit, chancers with no real money, and the pictures/news reports of the 2 billion dollar deal in India like this are all fake as was their 2 billion offer for Liverpool FC. They're only after publicity, even if it's negative publicity (as they'll potentially be viewed as a bunch of time wasters/jokers if this falls through).

3) Monochrome Acquisitions Ltd has been set up as a prank by a mackem, or by an Ashley minion to facilitate the fake bid story, or by BZG who are interested in buying something in the UK that has to do with "monochrome" (which is often synonymous with "black and white").

 

Everything points to the bid being real, unless Ashley is a malevolent mastermind going really out of his way to do something he would just normally do without a second thought (sack Rafa, appoint someone shit, spend no money, ignore fans).

 

If the bid falls through, assuming it hasn't already, it'll be because Ashley changed his mind. That's the most logical explanation to all of this.

[tmonkey]

Another thing to think about is the supposed 1 year contract offer for Rafa, which has been put out in the media either by KBA or by journalists close to Rafa. Why would Ashley offer Rafa a 1 year contract? The most likely explanations are:

 

a) BZG don't want to take over a club with a manager on a long term contract with a huge compensation clause as they have their own man they want to appoint. Remember that Ashley had to sack and pay off Allardyce when he bought the club.

b) Ashley wanted rid of Rafa, so offered something derisory knowing it'd be rejected.

c) No contract was offered, it's all just fake news put out by KBA.

d) Rafa was only willing to consider a 1 year rolling contract with assurances that Ashley wasn't willing to provide.

 

The problem with b) is that Ashley would surely just offer nothing if he wanted rid of Rafa like that? Why even bother to make an offer (especially if he can put out fake news if he wants)? This is an owner who actively doesn't care what fans think as long as we get a decent home crowd to continue lining his pockets, something he knows is guaranteed no matter how he treated Rafa.

 

And the issue with point c) is that if it was fake news, why put out fake news that they offered a 1 year contract? As cuntish as the Ashley camp is, they're not that stupid that they'd feign an attempt to keep Rafa and then set that fake attempt at the lowest possible offer which everyone knows is not a reasonable term.

 

Only a) and d) are reasonable possibilities imo. Which still gives me a tiny bit of hope that a takeover could still happen eventually.

[r0cafella]

They initially offered him a longer contract which wouldn't sign because he didn't trust them.

 

The one year contract was meant to be a building trust fudge but the horse had bolted when they didn't even meet his personal terms let alone any of the stuff he wanted on the football side.

 

Seriously, nothing to over think here it's very simple.

 

Ashley doesn't want NUFC to be successful as success isn't cheap. He only knows cheap. His sole goal is to keep us in the league with as little expense as possible.

 

He also has no incentive to sell the club, it's a cash cow which provides free advertising to 100's of millions of eyeballs every week.

 

 

[GeordieDazzler]

Ashley doesn't want NUFC to be successful as success isn't cheap. He only knows cheap. His sole goal is to keep us in the league with as little expense as possible.

 

This has always been obvious but what the hell is his plan now, I struggle to see how the club survives, he's actively getting us relegated.

[TRon]

Is anyone still confident of a takeover going thru?

 

Not by BZG. Seems like Ashley only wants a co-investor in reality, similar to something he was proposing a few years ago.

[Darth Crooks]

Ashley doesn't want NUFC to be successful as success isn't cheap. He only knows cheap. His sole goal is to keep us in the league with as little expense as possible.

 

This has always been obvious but what the hell is his plan now, I struggle to see how the club survives, he's actively getting us relegated.

 

He’s arrogant and deluded enough to think he’ll win out each time. Look at his saviour of the high st stuff, phone is a carrier bag. The blokes a loon.

[Decky]

Is anyone still confident of a takeover going thru?

 

Not by BZG. Seems like Ashley only wants a co-investor in reality, similar to something he was proposing a few years ago.

 

The idea that a club our size in the Premier League needs investment is laughable. Where the fuck is all our money going? Who would invest in a club when the clubs huge income seems to just disappear every year?

 

How the fuck did Ashley make it in business again?

[Optimistic Nut]

Ashley doesn't want NUFC to be successful as success isn't cheap. He only knows cheap. His sole goal is to keep us in the league with as little expense as possible.

 

This has always been obvious but what the hell is his plan now, I struggle to see how the club survives, he's actively getting us relegated.

 

He’s arrogant and deluded enough to think he’ll win out each time. Look at his saviour of the high st stuff, phone is a carrier bag. The blokes a loon.

 

He’ll be thinking he just needs a squad and head coach capable of finishing ahead of Norwich, Sheff Utd and another. Job done.

[Wallsendmag]

Seems like he's refusing to budge on certain aspects of the sale, namely his SD advertising and wanting to retain merchandising rights. He only owned a tiny percentage of Rangers and they still can't shake him off. His SD advertising is still displayed around Ibrox and he still pockets 90% of their merchandising sales (hes had them in court a few times as well) so imagine how hard it's going to be for us to get rid of the parasite.

 

Face it takeover, isn't, and never was happening. Lock the thread up. In fact lock the full club up. Its fucking dead.

[Johneddy]

Agreed - anyone intending to attend the Arsenal game now please state your reasoning - thankyou

[loki679]

I'm going. Reason is to annoy you.

[toontownman]

I'm going. I'm an arsenal fan now.

[Mr Logic]

He only owned a tiny percentage of Rangers and they still can't shake him off. His SD advertising is still displayed around Ibrox and he still pockets 90% of their merchandising sales (hes had them in court a few times as well) so imagine how hard it's going to be for us to get rid of the parasite.

 

This has been in the back of my mind ever since I heard that podcast with the Liverpool and Rangers guys sharing their experiences. It could actually make the club close to unsellable - unless Ashley really does want out, for that's the only time he might offer some meagre compensations.

[HawK]

Agreed - anyone intending to attend the Arsenal game now please state your reasoning - thankyou

 

99% of match goers don't visit this forum.

 

99% of this forum don't regularly attend SJP.

 

Soapboxing on this forum demanding that people don't go is beyond pointless. If you care that much, door-to-door in your spare time rather than preach to the converted on an internet forum which is largely populated by people not even local to the area.

[Guest chopey]

80% of the fans around me forget about the match as they are walking out and don't give Newcastle another thought until they go back in 2 weeks later.

[Toonjam88]

Anyone seen this from the London Magpie Group

 

There are some Geordie fans meeting at the Orange Tree Pub in Totteridge, N20 8NX on Saturday at 2pm, they then plan a little walk down the road to Ashlie’s house after the odd beer or three, if anyone would like to join them? They know he’s not there but security will have to inform him of the loud, vociferous yet peaceful demo.

 

Not sure what to think of that mind outside his house.

[NEEJ]

Anyone seen this from the London Magpie Group

 

There are some Geordie fans meeting at the Orange Tree Pub in Totteridge, N20 8NX on Saturday at 2pm, they then plan a little walk down the road to Ashlie’s house after the odd beer or three, if anyone would like to join them? They know he’s not there but security will have to inform him of the loud, vociferous yet peaceful demo.

 

Not sure what to think of that mind outside his house.

What's wrong with that, like? He's systematically dismantled a massive part of supporters' lives over the past 12 years. Why should people continue to play nice?