Your 14 years under Ashley

[bhoywhonder]

Was trying for a bairn with mrs BW when that fucker rolled into town, giving up tabs, alcohol, caffeine, all forms of fun to make my swimmers work. It did the trick and he's just turned 13...unsurprisingly has never been taken to SJP. That's gonna change real soon...

 

 

Edited October 8, 2021 by bhoywhonder

[Chapo]

I actually got suckered back into following the club when Ashley took over. I fell out of love during the Souness years and barely checked our results. That summer I got excited again some of the signings and a new owner . Anyway, I’m mid 30’s now half way to my pension and 2 kids who

i promised my missus that I wouldn’t let support Newcastle but that’s about to change. 

[stlouismag]

My son was in Kindergarten, my daughter still in preschool. He's now in his second year of uni, and she is a senior in high school. 

 

[Bowie]

On 07/10/2021 at 22:25, Kid Icarus said:

Maybe one for tomorrow, but it's  mad to think of the things that we'll have all got up to in the time that Ashley's owned the club, how old we were then vs now, where we've been, what we've done. Would love to read what's changed for everyone. 

 

Aye, didn't really like thinking about that tbh. 

 

Age 17-31 was/is an absolute heed the baal era and I'm not even sure I can blame Ashley for that.

[Theregulars]

I was thinking about this as I drove home from St Mary’s. I realised that I had just had one of the best nights in years - I was purely and completely content, all sung out, felt smug and proud of the community. Letting all the love and excitement has been almost like a drug hit, I have let it wash over me over the last month. It’s been so beautiful to watch our club be competent and respectable, and attract plainly good players and decent people. I will bleat about it to whatever poor prick happens to be in the vicinity. 
 

So the circumstances that led to that being possible; that’s how it felt. The opposite of everything good about being a football supporter. If you’d have told me when I was a teenager / early twenties that Newcastle United would make me feel uncontrollably sad and furious on a daily basis, that id have to fake apathy, that id adopt other sides just like some cheap way to numb the pain, I’d have looked at you like you were pissing on my shoes while insulting my father in Spanish. 
 

In a really horrible way he was also my gateway to learning how awful and corrupt the world can be, and that having to like very viscerally understand that “bad” often wins. I genuinely couldn’t grasp for a few years why we wouldn’t try, it didn’t compute in how I used to understand the world. It really took away some innocence and joy.

 

Just a bewilderingly slow, painful bleed which made you feel stupid and ashamed for still watching or following. I never could do the apathy, and I sincerely wanted to. 
 

I also hated the way it felt like nobody understood or really cared, because outside of us, they didn’t. It felt like someone you knew and loved was getting abused in broad daylight and nobody could do a damn thing. 
 

Fuck him, man. Fuck him. I wish him pure ill and I hope every unhappiness, misfortune and pain manifests for him. I sincerely believe that he’s a malevolent criminal sociopath. Whoever raised that should be so deeply ashamed and concerned. If he was run over by a bus then raped by a shark I’d still hope a bird shat on him. The Mike, The.

[Mountain]

Well tell us what you really think

[Bowie]

In all seriousness I was a whole range of emotions when the official news came through. I kind of paced me living room whilst looking out of the window in disbelief. 

 

Having well and truly giving up my last shred of hope in our club when Rafa left and was replaced with Steve Bruce, I felt a bit undeserving of happiness having already giving up.

 

I also felt terrible for me fatha, again. By this point I preferred watching England play, when in the past I'd rather the toon won a throw-in than England winning a major tournament. 

 

He died two months after the toon were relegated for the second time in nine years and two weeks after England were knocked out in a major tournament against fucking Iceland. Poor bastard.

 

Every great footballing moment is still tinged with sadness because of him tbh. It's gradually getting less and less but I definitely don't think it'll ever gan away entirely like. Nevermind.

 

 

[OpenC]

Welcome back man

[Yorkie]

Good to see you back posting, @Bowie

[LV]

He’d want you to enjoy it for him @Bowie I’m sure. Drink it in and live it for both of you. 

 

 

Edited March 12, 2022 by LV

[Dr Venkman]

The first season ticket that was mine, paid for with my own money, was his first season owning the club 

 

I had wanted one for ages before that but couldn’t afford it, used to go with my dad’s ticket a lot in the Bobby years when he couldn’t go. When MA took over I was excited like most were, looked like we were really about to push on. 
 

Obviously from Keegan walking out it was all downhill but I vividly remember where I was and what I posted on here when he appointed Pardew, it became blindingly obvious what his use for NUFC was at that point. I remained a supporter, kept my season ticket on for a few seasons but eventually ended up going to uni as a mature student and couldn’t afford/justify going to see Pardew overseeing 0-3 losses at home to the mackems.

 

I got very, very angry about it for a while, would tell anyone within earshot that a total boycott was the only way and I still lecture people to this day on Pardew. Eventually just ended up completely numb, I remember a home game under Rafa (maybe Birmingham) around Christmas time when Barry Bannan ran the show  and I just sat there, looked it at, and felt nothing. I was only there as part of the annual lads trip to SJP at Christmas. That was the last time I went to SJP prior to the Brentford game this season. As soon as the takeover news was confirmed I bought myself and my lad memberships and we’ve been to as many games as possible.

 

Despite an almost total boycott of SJP in the latter years one thing I did do was make sure my boy knew he was an NUFC fan, getting kits for him and showing him bits of NUFC games. I also shouted ‘Shearer’ at him every time he kicked a ball to the extent that he does it now naturally despite having very little idea who he is beyond being the bald bloke on MOTD. 

 

I’m absolutely desperate for us both to have season tickets now. He’s still only 6 but he’s happy watching the match and loves the whole game day experience. It’s as much for the future as for now. I know fathers and sons, and I know how important that one (or two) shared interest is.

 

 

Edited March 12, 2022 by Dr Venkman

[Nucasol]

Ashley killed it for me until Rafa. Had a couple of years of relative positivity and then the fucking reptile doubled down on the soul crushing apathy with Brewce.

Went home and away from leaving school until my late 20s. Work ramping up post Global Financial  Crisis and studying for an accounting qualification at weekends meant going to matches started to dwindle by the time we hit Roeder and Allardyce but still hung on transfer rumours and got to every game I could.

 

By the time we got to Carver it was a game or two a season. Emigrated away for three years when Bruce came in which gave me a legitimate excuse not to ruin every weekend watching the turgid shite on offer. Beyond happy that he’s gone and hoping to get back to SJP when seeing family back home and doing as many of the away games as Membership will allow. Hopeful we get some big cup allocations next season too.

[Dr Jinx]

I was 27, old enough to have seen the good times thankfully and I remember being so hopeful when the deal happened. We’d slipped into that mid table nothingness after SBR was fired.

 

That had left a bad taste and what followed was a club that was losing touch with its fanbase. We’d hired Sam Allardyce which was supposed to be a great appointment.. he did do well at Bolton after all.

 

I think in hindsight we’d have been more suss to Mike Ashley much earlier if it hadn’t been for having Chris Mort there who was very likeable.

 

Life events.. a failed 8 year relationship, several jobs and holidays before finally settling down 6 years ago. Bought a house and have a 4 year old lad now and looking forward to bringing him to the games in a year or so. I would say when Ashley took over I lived for the weekends and extracted as much fun as I possibly could from those hours.. I barely drink anymore now ?

[Theregulars]

I remember living in Singapore and watching NUFC get humbled by Sunderland and Bournemouth at like midnight - 2AM with the Singapore Newcastle supporters club, a few expats but mainly local Singaporeans who all fell in love with the Keegan or Robson sides on telly. Those were weirdly grim nights - everyone knew what was likely to happen, but it was like this odd ritual. That kind of crap makes this all so much better. 
 

When I arrived there we still had Pardew - I remember him making one of his double left back switches against Villa, and it was the only time I heard a Singaporean use the c word. When I lived there I couldn’t bring myself to wear a Toon top or tell people who I supported, so I literally would say Bayern Munich as my then girlfriend is from there and I could at least feign interest. It was like football become high end shopping, just following this nice to look at but ultimately meaningless designer brand. 
 

I cannot accurately relay to you how happy I am that is over. It was so discombobulating and stressful. “Bruce is doing a good job” / “what more do you want?” / “Ashley has you debt free” / “You don’t have a divine right to win the league” - all that kind of drivel is now proven for what it was and you can laugh directly in the face of the dickheads who said it. That’s another facet I love about this situation, just going up to friends and asking how Bruce got on last night or whether they think Ashley should buy Chelsea given his immense abilities as a benevolent club owner and debt-hater. 

[Guest HTT II]

Good to see @Bowieback posting, just need @Daveto come back now!

[madras]

3 minutes ago, HTT II said:

Good to see @Bowieback posting, just need @Daveto come back now!

Mick, Chezgiven, LLLO ?

[Guest HTT II]

Just now, madras said:

Mick, Chezgiven, LLLO ?

Oh aye, those as well and who is LLLO?

[madras]

2 minutes ago, HTT II said:

Oh aye, those as well and who is LLLO?

I always wanted to know who it was in his sig. Thought it might've been me for a bit.

[Guest HTT II]

1 minute ago, madras said:

I always wanted to know who it was in his sig. Thought it might've been me for a bit.

You’ve LLLOST me!

[Robster]

55 minutes ago, HTT II said:

You’ve LLLOST me!

You don't remember Liam Liam Liam Oh ?

[Guest HTT II]

19 hours ago, Robster said:

You don't remember Liam Liam Liam Oh ?

Sadly no, I’m useless with names mind!

[Consortium of one]

I started following the club just after Fat Sam was hired.  All I really knew as an owner was Ashley 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

On 12/03/2022 at 14:01, Theregulars said:

I remember living in Singapore and watching NUFC get humbled by Sunderland and Bournemouth at like midnight - 2AM with the Singapore Newcastle supporters club, a few expats but mainly local Singaporeans who all fell in love with the Keegan or Robson sides on telly. Those were weirdly grim nights - everyone knew what was likely to happen, but it was like this odd ritual. That kind of crap makes this all so much better. 
 

When I arrived there we still had Pardew - I remember him making one of his double left back switches against Villa, and it was the only time I heard a Singaporean use the c word. When I lived there I couldn’t bring myself to wear a Toon top or tell people who I supported, so I literally would say Bayern Munich as my then girlfriend is from there and I could at least feign interest. It was like football become high end shopping, just following this nice to look at but ultimately meaningless designer brand. 
 

I cannot accurately relay to you how happy I am that is over. It was so discombobulating and stressful. “Bruce is doing a good job” / “what more do you want?” / “Ashley has you debt free” / “You don’t have a divine right to win the league” - all that kind of drivel is now proven for what it was and you can laugh directly in the face of the dickheads who said it. That’s another facet I love about this situation, just going up to friends and asking how Bruce got on last night or whether they think Ashley should buy Chelsea given his immense abilities as a benevolent club owner and debt-hater. 

That last paragraph is the worst part in a lot of ways. Especially living in London, nobody could understand what it was like. There were fans of other clubs who didn’t even know who Mike Ashley was. 

[Thiago]

It was such an emotionally fucked time in our history.

 

We definitely didn't have the worst because I consider clubs that went bust or into administration as top of that list, but a bit like them I just couldn't look to the future and get excited. As bad as the relegations were I do think the period under Bruce was the nadir. The first time we got relegated I was very young and devastated, but the season after was fun and so too were our first few seasons after promotion. Even the second relegation was comforted by knowing we had an incredibly good manager steering the ship, but by the time Bruce rocked up I was already questioning which manager in their right mind would take the job after him. 

 

The football was awful, the results never felt repeatable, and he was just the perfect embodiment of the era. Even Pardew, for all his misgivings, had ambition. I never saw that in Steve, he was so terrified of losing what he had in this job that he never wanted to rock the boat.