The Newcastle United Blog

77 responses so far ↓

• 1 george t // Jul 29, 2007 at 9:30 AM

  who is writing for the sunday papers….. victor meldrew ..what a load of bollocks ….i dont think big sam would stand for being restricted to 10 mill
  he has afterall only spent about 3 mill on the four signings already on board

• 2 Michael // Jul 29, 2007 at 9:30 AM

  ‘However, what we do now want to hear is a denial for Chris Mort and that there is sufficient money in the transfer kitty to bring in the class of player Sam Allardyce wants and needs. This acknowledgement must be made very quickly by our new board to clear up this confusion.’

  Why should he? It was an article in the Sunday People, the least reliable of all papers. He’s already said that we need to make signings before the start of the season and we know that allardyce is trying. We could all just use a bit of common sense instead of needing assurances every 5 minutes because some crappy rag is talking shite again.

• 3 richupindisbiatch // Jul 29, 2007 at 9:30 AM

  for a guy who reportedly wanted ronadldinho would av ta cough up more dan that 10 million. the story is jus another peace of bullsh*t

• 4 Shaun // Jul 29, 2007 at 9:35 AM

  I think it’s bollocks, let’s wait and see what happens in the last couple of weeks, if I remember correctly the same papers reported that Ashley was supposed to be looking for a big signing or two.

• 5 Hog // Jul 29, 2007 at 9:37 AM

  Yeah…..load of balls, don’t believe it. But will Sam (get to) spend more than 10million? Different question……….!

• 6 George // Jul 29, 2007 at 9:48 AM

  I can not and will not believe what is in the papers this morning with regards to NUFC.
  1) Sam Allerdyce has only 10 million to spend. Again it is amazing how a repoter can pick a figure out of the air and run it as if it is true. from the day MA took control and at all following press conferences, NO figures were mentioned, not even £40 million. So why, has an old story come up again, and it is an old story, it was out as soon as SA took over. The question asked at a press conference was this “Sam have you got a transfer budget” reply, “Yes i have and somewhat bigger than i ever had at Bolton”, Question how much, reply ” Substantial”. He answered and still the press are not happy.

  2) Kevin Keegan to become director of football at NUFC. Again paper talk. If you were SA how would you feel about KK coming in in that position. If it were true i think it would be “BYE BYE” from SA.
  KK had his chance and moved on and i think he should take heed and not return to a club were he once managed. After all after his outburst at Alex Ferguson, he was never the same, neither was the football team. Then he flew the nest at Fulham when things got bad and he did likewise with the England job. We do not need that kind of person here, will he go or will he stay.

  3) Mike Ashley wants Alan Shearer to take on a more active and permanent role at the club. I do not think many people would disagree with this, but again can we believe the statement. Has AS not said for quite some time now he wants to concentrate on his media career first. He does admit he will do more for the club in the future, but for now he is not interested. I personally think this would be good for NUFC, but AS has made up his mind and again the papers are bringing up old stories again

  In a nutshell, there is obviously some feeling of being ignored with the press recently due to news from other quarters, and they are trying to FLOOD us with old stories in the belief that we might think them true. Wrong. Just like footballers, they forget we supporters do actually have brains, and we do actually remember things what they have said… Have they no morals, lying on the sabbath.

• 7 Leazes Ender // Jul 29, 2007 at 9:51 AM

  I don’t believe this either. Mike Ashley’s business history is a typical “invest to accumulate” strategy. Typically he buys into big brand names or buys the brand outright – then makes cash from his investment. We can therefore believe for now that he wants to make United a world brand – and he’s not going to do that by buying monkeys for the team and paying them peanuts. I’ll be happier when we have a defence though! (for the first time in 10 years…..)

• 8 Mark // Jul 29, 2007 at 9:54 AM

  It would explain why we have spent very little and time is fast running out. Nevermind, at least the young players will establish themselves in the team and gain more experience. Perhaps the board will allow Sam to spend next year after they see how good he is. It’s pointless allowing lots of spending if they have an alternative manager lined up? At the moment, Newcastle isn’t an attractive club to many players, it will take a good few seasons to slowly work back to the top and gain the respect needed to sign top quality.

• 9 Ed Harrison // Jul 29, 2007 at 9:54 AM

  Michael – understand the comment – this is very like the Michael Owen case. Aren’t the fans going to be a little unhappy at this? The board addressing this is simply to clear that up – we believe Chris Mort should say something – they don’t need to make a big deal of it. Maybe we should first wait for the reaction from the fans – we think it’s shameful for papers to stir things up like this.
  We also thought – as you probabaly know – that Michael should have made statement on his case – why? because there were big stories all over papers about him leaving for this and that club – we felt it was for fans benefit – that is – for our benefit.

• 10 Ed Harrison // Jul 29, 2007 at 9:56 AM

  George – we are not sure if Alan Shearer has that Ambassador role at the club still – does anybody know if he has?
  It was really a Shepherd – Roeder thing – not sure what his job description was.

• 11 jeff // Jul 29, 2007 at 9:57 AM

  obviously with the lack of activity in the transfer market by nufc lately the press have to make something up…………..dont believe a word…….as always the press are talking shit cos they have got nothing else to write about newcastle at this moment in time..

• 12 Brian // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:06 AM

  The problem with the press is that under the old regime there was always someone blabbing their mouth off, that meant the gutter press always had some juicy bit of gossip about Newcastle.

  Now everyone keeps quite, no one knows our transfer targets, no one knows how much we have to spend, no one knows whats going on inside the club, we don’t see “from an inside source” anymore.

  As far as I’m concerned thats the way it should be, better that know one knows how much we have to spend, that just makes clubs we deal with want to push up the price of players. So as long as they keep quite the better off we will be, and let the press speculate and lie, we have been the easy target for too long.

• 13 George // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:11 AM

  Ed, Alan Shearer does still have the abassorderial role at Newcastle. It mainly includes promoting football with youngsters in various country`s.
  The tital was created to keep his involement with the club during his period of doing media work, which is not a full time job as many would think, well paid but not full time.

• 14 rob the geordie // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:14 AM

  saying we only have 10 million to spend is also been reported in the sunday sun (the local north east sunday news paper for those of you not from the newcastle area) and didnt sam come out with something like “we may not get the quality we need in” maybe this is the reason why he said it he already knew he didnt have much money to spend

• 15 nightfall // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:22 AM

  it’s not that bad…i expected worse… if we sell dyer, we have 15m…
  if we exchange emre for appiah, get cicinho on loan, we still have 15m for DL and DC… and chiellini is 7m? and we’ll get sol for free, so… more then enough…

• 16 carl // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:25 AM

  this would explain the lack of transfer activity – yes,but i find it hard to believe as surely ashley and his team know it would be a big f*&^k you to the toon army.and we,d of been better off with 20 mil from shepherd.na- i dont think so, not even ashley and mort can be stupid enought to piss us lot off.but if they do theyl soon see what shepherd had to deal with!

• 17 Josh // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:27 AM

  George – I do agree with you, Papers like that just say ANYTHING as there is nothing else to report on the Newcastle Front, nobody knows what is happening with there transfers, but question George, when did Big Sam say he has a big enough kitty?

• 18 carl // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:27 AM

  i dont agree if we sell dyer for 5 it would be good for us to have 15 mil. we need 4 – 6 players.yes 15 mil might get the mackems 6 players .but not us,not even 4.

• 19 carl // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:31 AM

  it does worry me that sam said ( the pot of quality players has gone down,i may get the numbers in but not the talent) i think thats a load of b***cks.very worrying

• 20 valle // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:32 AM

  Listen… Why in the nine hells of fury would MA buy a club where the supporters are on the verge of a bloody war againts their board and then go and put the club in an even worse situation, it wouldnt take too many brain cells to figure that the supporters would have his head. We are fed up and in no mood for our club to be a money machine instead of a success. Also, there is a loss of hard proof from the papers with no statements and the like… The problem with our transfers lie in the fact that we are being picky, because big Sam apperently only want players with EPL exp, not because the backing aint there.

• 21 valle // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:34 AM

  Furthermore, this article could be spin doctoring or in any case work in our own favour… If we are seen as an Abramovich other clubs will demand overprice, so it might save us some silly prices if other clubs beleive that we are on a low budget.

• 22 carl // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:38 AM

  i agree sam is being too picky,certain height ,epl experience.? it makes the target list very short

• 23 shaun // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:39 AM

  ummm…hasn’t anybody noticed; we’re not actually signing anybody, if there were significant funds available i think we would be, mort didn’t say we need more players actually said we need more in defence.

• 24 valle // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:40 AM

  Brian:

  I like ur thinking, nice one…

• 25 George // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:42 AM

  Josh, very good question. Sam has only said he has a substatial kitty bigger than he had at bolton, he has never mentioned a figure.
  But as you seem to be a person that looks deeply into comments made, what about your thoughts on this, the press are stirring things up mentioning figures, this seems to be on the back of SA saying he may not get the quality he requires. My thoughts are, have the press not tried to make more of this than they should. Was it possible SA said this because of inflated transfer fees all of a sudden and refusing to pay over the top for someone. Me thinks that this could be more to the point.

• 26 derek mooney // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:42 AM

  paper talk is all well and good – but that’s all it is. No businessman worth over a billion would buy a premier league club off the cuff – any fool knows the playing side costs big time, all the time. Tell the world how much money is available to sam and every club and agent in the world will hike up the demands. Patience – adding owen, ameobi,barton,emre, duff and even two defenders to the squad that beat celtic the other night will take the club forward on stage one. Forget the transfer window in january – the only players that move at that time are those that can’t get a run with their clubs – so the key to progress this term has to be improved injury stats. Bearing in mind Bolton’s record with older players the science and back up teams now in place must surely bear fruit. The general quality and power of the pressing game shows the fitness training is better than Paul Winspers – let’s see if the toon hamstring curse goes away as well! Final note – gary speed said last year that prozone does’nt allow a player the chance to hide – heart monitors during friendly games when EVERY player is pushing himself to get in the team is a clever way of setting a benchmark for each player for a season.

• 27 george t // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:44 AM

  josh….. i dont believe sam has ever said how much he is being allowed to spend but we are led to believe it would be *substantial* …your guess about how much that will be is as good as mine ,but i would hope it would be a lot more than ten mill or we could/would be struggling again if more injuries pile up

• 28 nightfall // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:49 AM

  guys it’s not that bad…15m is a lot for manager like sam…
  like i said, if we swap emre with appiah, get cicinho on loan, and sell dyer for 5m and i’m 90% sure sol will come…
  so our squad will be:

  GK: given, harper
  DL: babayaro, (chiellini, shorey, heinze, baines = 7mio)
  DR: geremi, ramage, (cicinho)
  DC : sol, taylor, rozehnal, huntington
  DMC : butt, appiah
  MR : milner, solano
  ML: duff, n’zogbia
  AMC: barton, luque
  ST: viduka, owen, martins, shola, carrol

  our squad will be big enough…(at least) 2 players for each position…plus geremi, solano can both play as defenders or midfielders, milner can play on left or right, n’zogbia can play as DL, ML or MC,… 15m is more then enough…

• 29 Josh // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:52 AM

  To be Honest, in this day and age there is NO team and i mean NO team in the premiership who would dream of spending less than 15m
  It just is NOT true and the paper has done there job of causing gossip and getting people talking, its a load of crap and didn’t the SAME paper go on to say the Birmingham were gonna bid for Raul??? i mean come on

• 30 Ed Harrison // Jul 29, 2007 at 11:03 AM

  George – thanks – maybe they want to talk about what Alan’s role can become once he finishes with the BBC next summer. Think that’s a good move. Also like the way they want to get Keegan involved – if this is all true.
  Those two are heroes in Newcastle and for good reason – one as player and one as manager (and former player).

• 31 Ed Harrison // Jul 29, 2007 at 11:06 AM

  nightfall – your team shows we need a left back badly. Also don’t you think Geremi would be better for us in midfield? Ramage may make a good right back if he give him a run there – that was his position in his debut as we recall.

• 32 sam gardner // Jul 29, 2007 at 11:10 AM

  i agree with nightfall 15 million is good and swaping emre for appiah cincinho on loan and celleini (what ever he is called) for seven million selling dyer is brill

• 33 joel gledhill // Jul 29, 2007 at 11:10 AM

  quickly we need too sign someone,time is running out (tuesday deadline day)

• 34 sam gardner // Jul 29, 2007 at 11:13 AM

  no it is not end of august is the transfer deadline not tuesday

• 35 Ant // Jul 29, 2007 at 11:13 AM

  Got to admit though this makes sence. Does MA really want to give BSA his money to spend when BS isnt MA`s man. What choice did Ashley have….. Sack the manager when hes just been put in place …. how much would that have cost? Or keep him give him a year, on a tiny budget and in that time try to get the man he wants. Speculated to be Wenger.
  So maybe BS is working on a small budget who knows. One things for sure MA isnt going to tell us. At least with Fat Fred we had an idea of where we stood how much was in the kitty and he backed the managers.
  Its been said BS has the backing, nows the time to prove it Mr. Billionaire. We need quality players and we need them soon. With the current squad a mid-table finish will be a good season for us, and with half the injuries we had last season we’ll be flirting with relegation
  for f***s sake Sam spend his money IF you have it.

• 36 t-g-w // Jul 29, 2007 at 11:22 AM

  I, too, believe this story to be a piece of tosh. As for BSA claiming there is not quality out there, that is rubbish aswell. Yes, a lot of his targets have probably gone to other clubs, but that is because they were in a certain price bracket and will have been snapped up first. There is still quality out there, but you just have to pay more for it. Sol Campbell is very much available if we put in a bid and he wouldn’t be that expensive (think this is the last year of his contract at Prtsmouth and he is frustrated there).

  I think part of the problem with BSA is that is afraid of spending money and that the only obstruction to our progress in the transfer market is the manager himself. I do believe that he is the right man for the job and he is a great man manager (like Sir Bobby) and tactician (the best Newcastle manager I can remember), but he must get used to being at a big club and acting like one in the transfer market as opposed to Bolton who were not really expected to finish in the top half – they merely hoped they would. Again, I do not want him to have 50 million to spend and squander it a-la Souness, but I think he needs to learn to grit his teeth, stick his neck out and spend that little bit extra to get in the quality we need – that will make the difference between us finishing 10th or finishing 6th. I also think Ashley is rather impatient and if BSA doesn’t perfrom this year then he will be gone, which is a shame as he is capable of being very successful here. Here’s hoping…

• 37 rich // Jul 29, 2007 at 11:29 AM

  i think if this was ture sam would be spitting fire on skysportsnews (Hes boycotted BBC) and the only thing hes said is that the new owners need to learn to move quicker…. that to me sounds like Sams had targets and the money but Chris Morts people moved too slow (maybe Ben-Haim?)

  I have a feeling BSA will be very truthfull about his new partnership with the board as hes in a unique positoon that they didnt appoint him.

  @ ED CASE

  BBC Gossip column, could be yesterdays wish coming true?:

  Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce is trying to sign Abdoulaye Faye from his former club Bolton Wanderers. (People)

  i just noticed it was reported by The People tooo….:-\

• 38 rich // Jul 29, 2007 at 11:31 AM

  ^^^

  Also in Gossip column:

  New Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is hoping to lure Kevin Keegan out of retirement to become the club’s director of football. (Various)

• 39 Josh // Jul 29, 2007 at 11:31 AM

  George i think your thoughts on it are spot on, i believe Sam is only saying this cos all players he is after are valued to high, nothing to do with not enough money in the kitty, but lets say he is given 25m and he wants to get 4-5 GOOD players out of that, it must be SO frustrating when players worth only 5m are going for 7m then he can only get 3-4 players instead, if u understand my reasoning.

  I am sure he has enough and to be honest from over the years we have brought in a lot of rubbish much better to take time and just get QUALITY players but whilst at same time getting in Europe which in turn will attract better players to us.

• 40 Jinal // Jul 29, 2007 at 11:38 AM

  When Ashley gave in his proposal to buy the club, didn’t he say that he was going to spend 300 million pound on the club in the next 4 years with 50 million for signings this summer? Does anyone recall this or am I mistaken?

  As for the article, just like my fellow mags, I say its bollocks. Ashley and Mort might be wanting to run a business here but judging from their success in other lines of trade, they know that right now they need to invest!

• 41 Phil // Jul 29, 2007 at 11:47 AM

  Sorry for now wading through all the comments but Mort has said in previous interviews that money is availiable. So this is just rubbish made up by the Geordie hating London press.

• 42 MightyMilburn // Jul 29, 2007 at 11:53 AM

  Paper talk.. jadi jadi jada..

• 43 Rich // Jul 29, 2007 at 11:56 AM

  New Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is hoping to lure Kevin Keegan out of retirement to become the club’s director of football. (Various)!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  does this take anyone attention???

  i would be very happy with this, i think its probably a move to try and get someone who has alot of football experience on the non-footballing side of things hopefully to push through transfers etc.. whilst BSA is doing other things or vice versa.

  King Kev, Mike Ashley & Sam Allerdyce…. could be the english trio to bring us sucess!…or am i getting ahead of myself?

• 44 Josh // Jul 29, 2007 at 11:56 AM

  and come on!

  It is from THE PEOPLE!!!!

  Hmmmmmmm thats about as trust worthy as The Sport or News of the world!

• 45 MightyMilburn // Jul 29, 2007 at 12:05 PM

  Just read some of the (many) comments – and I agree with Brian.. As frustrating as it is – for all of us Geordies – it is nice to see a change in the clubs behaviour towards the media reg. rumors (transfers etc). I believe that BSA will get the money if he finds the appropiate player(s).. I dont think there is a fixed money pot per transfer window..

  It is bloody frustrating to see our back-up goalie having to come on as a substitute striker due to lack of depth in the squad, but I am confident that there will be some additions to the squad before the new season starts..

  The coming season will no doubt be a re-building season – and next summer hopefully we will have just crept into Europe (I’ll take it in any form it presents itself – InterToto, fair play award) and then we wont have a club take-over interfering with season preparations..

  I like BSA.. and I feel he is saying the right things.. There are few managers I would take in instead – but of course Wenger would not be a bad replacement.. Doubt that he will move so far north..

  Lets keep our faith in the new management and BSA.. and the quality players which we do have at our club.. I love being optimistic before a new season.. I guess because it is all that I have to hang onto (no silver ware.. yet..)

• 46 PK // Jul 29, 2007 at 12:09 PM

  Same OLD story..damn i am furustrated..wonder if the “Keegan” times will ever be back at St.Jame’s actually..avery year its the same story..If we dont bring in players this week..i will really get angry!

• 47 George // Jul 29, 2007 at 12:15 PM

  Josh i think you are on the same wavelength as me.
  You are looking at things with an open mind and looking more deeply.
  The transfer market is a joke as are the following comics THE SUN, NEWS OF THE WORLD, SUNDAY PEOPLE, SUNDAY SPORT, MAIL ON SUNDAY,
  DAILY STAR, DAILY & SUNDAY MIRROR and most local papers. Have i missed anyone out?

• 48 Phil P // Jul 29, 2007 at 12:25 PM

  errr ‘Or keep him give him a year, on a tiny budget and in that time try to get the man he wants. Speculated to be Wenger.’

  Lol Ant you working for the Daily Star?

  I think this story is a load of shit though, I doubt the budget is as big as we originally hoped but this figure is just plucked out the air to fill column inches, as you all say. Have faith, theres still time.

• 49 nightfall // Jul 29, 2007 at 12:26 PM

  ed – if we get cicinho, geremi can play in midfield… if sdb gets injured, we still have this position covered… i’m just worried sam won’t have enough time to prove himself… looks like we need to finish in top 7 if sam wants to keep his job… but for that we need quality signings…ASAP…before their price rises…

• 50 ToonKing // Jul 29, 2007 at 12:27 PM

  There are reports that Big Sam put in a bid of 3M for Fulham’s giant midfielder Papa Bouba Diop, and also i think the same price fordefender Abdoulaye Faye from former team Bolton.

  Anyone can confirm these ?

• 51 Dingo // Jul 29, 2007 at 1:08 PM

  well i just read this as well http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/6918967.stm looks like he aint comming either. for all the comming and goings though I think we are a better team than we were last year… lets look at the Juve match this afternoon and see if it bouys us up again. Whatever cash we got, whoever we bring in, we are bringing them into a new new era at NUFC like it or not. The ball is rolling, as ever we will have to sit back and watch the highlights…… as long as we beat the makkams ill be happy this season, anything else is just a bonus.

• 52 Obafan // Jul 29, 2007 at 1:45 PM

  Don’t know what to believe anymore All the rumours are driving me crazy. Yesterday it was Bosingwa, Hangeland and Cicinho; today it is Chiellini, Diouf and Faye. I don’t care anymore with who we are linked with, cause is this all true? And if its true nothing happens at the moment, so I wait and see what happens. One thing is for sure we need new defenders and that’s that.

  I hope we can play a good game this afternoon against Juve and that we don’t have another injury, cause that is something we don’t wanna happen.

• 53 ToonKing // Jul 29, 2007 at 1:55 PM

  I’m tired to of all the speculations too, i don’t care anymore, when i know 100% that we got someone in then i’ll be happy, no use to wind myself up for all the bull papers write.

  Let’s just enjoy the game today, it’s almost starting.

  The Old Lady will get a taste of Big Sam and his Toon Army today!!!!
  HOWAY THE LADS!!!

• 54 apan // Jul 29, 2007 at 2:14 PM

  lets back him up u guys, at least he doesnt spend on rubbish players like souness he only spend less than 2 mil for 4 quality players and we are like the lowest spender in the EPL currently, do u want him to spend 20 30 million on players that arent certain to pull it off in epl (boumsong, luque to name a few) so i think better for him to spend wisely than spend like an idiot buying remember this is not Football manager and not as easy as some will thought, different players have different personality so yeah some will like the club but not the place, some will come for the epl popularity, most is for the money only a bunch will come here really for the football…

  expect some shocking transfer in the next 1 2 weeks im sure BSA can pull him off he just need the support and backing from the management and the fans! HOWAY THE LADS!

• 55 Obafan // Jul 29, 2007 at 2:18 PM

  apan – we maybe are the lowest spenders, but that’s also because we don’t spend at all (not in the last weeks). BS is always speaking about quality, but if you don’t spend for quality then it is simple; no quality is coming. Okay, the 4 new players are all quality for a low price (or free); well done on that, but it’s just not enough.

  If you want quality players then you have to offer money; it’s as simple as that in this period of managing in football world.

• 56 Ed Harrison // Jul 29, 2007 at 2:25 PM

  Josh – there’s a bigger article in the Sunday Sun on the same topic.
  http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/newcastleunited/sundaysun/tm_headline=show-me-the-money%26method=full%26objectid=19535649%26siteid=50081-name_page.html

• 57 ToonKing // Jul 29, 2007 at 2:26 PM

  I just read on Newcastle World that Cacapa left Lyon and is a free agent, and we could be in the race to bring him in. He not that tall, only 1.80, but he’s strong and a quality player. It would be great to get him for free.

• 58 t-g-w // Jul 29, 2007 at 3:05 PM

  Anyone else worried that neither Owen nor Ameobi are on the bench for us this afternoon?

• 59 ToonKing // Jul 29, 2007 at 3:20 PM

  Damn we need a LB fast, Huntington is terrible as a LB.

• 60 t-g-w // Jul 29, 2007 at 3:24 PM

  Luque again!!!! Albeit a penalty…

• 61 t-g-w // Jul 29, 2007 at 3:42 PM

  Get in – And Carroll!!!!

• 62 ToonKing // Jul 29, 2007 at 3:55 PM

  Given is the shiiiiittttt!!! ) Awesome as always.

  Oh and did i mention we need a LB fast ?

• 63 Phil // Jul 29, 2007 at 4:26 PM

  Anyone notice how BS has blanked Mort all game!

• 64 Ivan // Jul 29, 2007 at 4:50 PM

  keep dyer!!!!!!!
  please

• 65 Josh // Jul 29, 2007 at 4:50 PM

  Ed – Do you believe all this not enough money stuff??/????

• 66 Craig // Jul 29, 2007 at 6:46 PM

  I don’t think it’s true, but would explain our slowness in the transfer market at late. I really don’t think Mort should be chairman, can’t we employ someone with more experience in running a football, I think he’s struggling already.

• 67 lenshk // Jul 29, 2007 at 8:02 PM

  Im afraid to tell you that i know for a fact that ashley has no interest in the football side, he bought the club to enable him to tie the toon to 10 yr shirt deal to one of his companies these words came from ashleys mouth unfortunately!!
  he plans to oust addidas as he has probs with them in his main business he has plans to sell the toon once he has achieved this,

  also believe what you hear about keegan and shearer being new manager within weeks this came from terry macs lips last thursday

• 68 apan // Jul 29, 2007 at 8:20 PM

  we are debt ridden, so i guess chris mort is being cautious cpz well theyre still a businessman after all but if they want extra money they need to spend so that we can get europe spot next year then the cash will flow in

• 69 valle // Jul 29, 2007 at 8:25 PM

  I know for a fact that Ashley want to make the toon the worlds biggest club and he is willing to use all of his 2billion to archieve this. His mother told my mothers friend and so on… Well, there have been enough BS on this board alrdy so lets stop it here. As i said earlier, MA would be the dumbest man alive if he bought Newcastle only to as a cash machine. We have been on the verge of revolt for years and i will bet all i own that if that really was his intentions, the supporters of NUFC would howl him in the tyne river. The place have a sense of hope and a new dawn about it, can u imagine if that just turn out to be a false dawn?… Nah, MA didnt earn all his money by doing stupid things like that, which would ruin his name, not only in the North east but in all of england where football lovers have felt our pain for years. He will want to make a name for himself and his bussiness by making the toon into a high profile club which he can then use to promote his other companies.

• 70 valle // Jul 29, 2007 at 8:30 PM

  Have anyone else noticed that from time to time, new names pop up on this MB to spread doom and gloom… I wonder what SFC fans are up to these days, besides changing the names on their shirts everytime a new player turns them down.

• 71 lenshk // Jul 29, 2007 at 8:39 PM

  dream on! by doing what youve said is bad business, im gutted by what ive heard but never the less these words came from ashley i will say no more but when this happens which i pray dosent you track me down,

• 72 Gangstalord // Jul 29, 2007 at 8:57 PM

  every1 this is bull shit dnt b dragged in to thi whole “chris mort is being cautious”, no MA just spenr 133million buying the club hes not going to just stop their. i dont think i need to explain why this article about us having only ten million is not true ….cough ‘the people’ ‘sunday mirror’, !!!WTF THE TRANSFER DEADLINE IS THIS TUESDAY!! pleasde can someone tell me its not true

• 73 valle // Jul 29, 2007 at 9:10 PM

  No its not, its free advertizing… When he was about to take over, rumours had it that he was aiming for champs league medals. Now im not saying that its a realistic goal as things are, but imagine the rub of on his other companies if he could succeed, he would have free access to use united players to promote his stuff and if any of them should become national icons… well. Ur rumours might sound more true if u could say how u came in a position to hear such things otherwise im old and experienced enough to know that allot of ppl live through lies on the net.

• 74 bb // Jul 29, 2007 at 9:32 PM

  I think what were seeing from the moment FS left Sam strugling on quality but not on numbers, we need to sell before we can buy, veryone costs too much, the new directors dont understand anything about football, dyer can only go if we get top money etc etc

  relax lads for the first time in years we have someone playing the transfer window with a bit of knowledge and an experienced manager who wont be driven by the media.. still not giving interviews to the bbc.. the sunday people transfer kitty story doesnt bother me its either them bitter at not getting hints of targets or sam feeding them rubbish to try and drive down prices either way it helps us…. viduka for nothing or chopra for £5mill what would you prefer

  plus isnt it funny that since fs left the newcatle insider the chronicle uses so much seems to have dried up

  all the best and relax, i think we are gonna havea decent season

• 75 iain // Jul 29, 2007 at 10:13 PM

  if this is true its obvious that its becuse Ashley doesnt want Sam here beyond this season.

  But even if it is ashley is taking the piss becuase the new tv deal is £30m that the club could split 50/50 for fees and wages. thats why all the clubs like fulham/pompey etc are spending becuase its not actually costing them anything beyond there means with the increase in income.

  If its true Ashley would be well advised to stay away from matches as he wont half get some grief of some sections of the support over this.

  i tottally agree that the club would be mad to come out and say this our budget as the agents would be licking there lips at the thought of their 15%.

  the only thing that allows all this to make sense is that the clubs debt has gone beyond being serviceable and ashley is having to fork out millions to clear some of it.

• 76 lenshk // Jul 29, 2007 at 11:33 PM

  im a businessman and intelligent enough to know that the knock on effect of what you call free advertising (does £131 mill equate to free advertising maybe im missing something here) would never give a return worthy of that investment,the reason i know this is im close to someone who was very close to a deal with Freddy Shepherd before this mike ashley came from nowhere to steal the deal,my contact has spoken with ashley and has a verbal that he can have 1st refusal on the club as soon as he has done what he needs to do.this has pissed me right off because there was going to be b ig money spent with this other deal.i cant say much more only that just watch the clock ticking away on the transfer window,i know people throw these daft ones about but if you can believe what ashley says well these were his words which to me are not only shocking but the halls have got alot to answer for if this is his real motive lets hope he is playing a game of bluff,im hoping!

• 77 valle // Jul 31, 2007 at 6:03 PM

  Well i am a business man to, and u can be pretty sure that this story is bullocks. MA knew that there was debt when he bought this club, almost all clubs have debt, that not to say that they cannot be milked, there are loads of money going into EPL clubs each year (More the higher u finish, making investment profitable) that can be transfered to his other businesses. If all u got from football clubs was debt, then ur friends friend woulndt want to be neither now would he?