Mike Ashley has not yet decided whether he will attend Newcastle’s game against Hull City tomorrow, but we think he will.
Mike Ashley - we expect him at the game tomorrow
Mike will, of course, have to be in the stands for his own protection, and probably will no longer be able to mingle with the fans of Newcastle on the terraces, who have labeled him Public Enemy Number 1 in Newcastle.
The club is again in complete disarray, is without a manager, and even without sufficient players to be able to withstand the injuries the squad is already seeing.
But the news is that Ashley will not get any special protection from the police, if he decides to attend the game and face the Newcastle faithful, who are not too happy with him at all.
Newcastle United’s owner is being advised by friends to face up to the furious Geordie public, still seething at the treatment of their former boss and hero Kevin Keegan, and the general incompetence shown by the Board during the summer transfer window.
Northumbria Police are sending extra police onto the streets to deal with at least two planned protests before and after the clash with Hull City at St James’ Park tomorrow.
But a police spokeman said:
“We have not advised Mike Ashley or Dennis Wise that they’ll need extra security.”
We’d be surprised if Dennis Wise is at the game, because for one thing he hardly ever is, with Newcastle being too far away from his London base, and that about sums up the Newcastle Board right now.
They are just hopeless, and that’s about the best praise we can muster.
Comments welcome.
54 responses so far ↓
1 JMC // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:01 AM
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2 Leo // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:02 AM
he isnt now touching his face in the picture, he is now trying to eat his own face
3 hitman // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:09 AM
i dont think ashley has the balls to turn up the morra like.
4 Laughing Stock // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:10 AM
He’ll be there?? Brave/Stupid bloke
5 Toony Montana // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Off topic but has anyone read this from the mail!!!
Surely they cannot get away with printing this??
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sport/football/article-1054714/Newcastle-suffer-viral-attack–Loony-Toon-targeted-email-pranksters.html?ITO=1490
6 Mark-O // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Who’s meeting for the protest then?
I wonder if he’ll be there to meet us at St James?
I feel lost at the mo! The club seems stuck in yet another rut!
Cant think of anything to say its all been said before over the last few days!
7 Ganiyu // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Now i sold owen 4 27 million to spurs.tryin 2 bid 4 ashton or saviola
8 Born Again Geordie // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:16 AM
He will have to have some brass neck to turn up tomorrow !!
9 Born Again Geordie // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:19 AM
Ganiyu – no offence but do you actually have anything relevant to say ?
10 Laughing Stock // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:21 AM
Toony – That’s a farce granted a couple of them are quite funny but surely there’s gotta be some sort of rules against putting stuff like that up!!
11 daydeburt // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:26 AM
wonder if he will have kink kev 1 on the back of his toon top, the stupid fat twat.
my anger is not based on him regarding the keegan issue, its the way he has been since he joined, a tight fisted billionaire, who is in it for the money, he cudnt give a shite about the fans!!
12 Dominic // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:26 AM
ashley is a wanker
13 Dominic // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:27 AM
hear hear
14 daydeburt // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:28 AM
to the “who ate all the pies tune”..
who do we despise !
who do we despise !
you fat bastard..
you fat bastard..
you and Dennis Wise
15 Bill F Ash Didn't Splash :( // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Toony they are really funny, I can just see Ashley saying “Thats another fine mess you have got me in Lambie”.
16 Bungles Pocket // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:48 AM
if he is there i hope he’s prepared for a few truths to be aired.
i hope his mum/kids etc aren’t listening!
17 Ian // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:49 AM
Bill F-funny!!
He has put the word out to boost ticket sales, if they sell well he wont appear, if they doint he might but..
I reckon even if he sits in at the start so fans outside change their mind and come in he will will leave or hide early, that way he gets his money and has another laugh at our expense.
18 Slam Dunc // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:50 AM
I know I’ll probably get slaughtered for this but actually it has been Keegan who has let us down not Ashley.
This matter all revolves around transfer policy, Ashley wanted young up and coming players who would increase in value. Thats exactly what the recruitement office did i.e. follow the orders of the Owner.
Keegan did not accept this, wanted Woodgate, Dunne, Crouch etc and eventually walked when he couldn’t get his own way.
In saying that Ashley has handled the whole situation badly, he should have shook hands with Keegan and sent him on his way rather than go to court.
And the protest is justified in complaining about the way this has been handled. But then can we get back to what we all want i.e. watch the football and cheer on the team.
Try reading this:
http://www.trophy4toon.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=492.0
before you all slag me off for what I’ve said.
19 toon_immigrant // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:56 AM
@daydeburt – That’s the best chant I’ve heard by far. I’ll try and push it every chance I get
20 Ian // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:58 AM
You know, I don’t think Ashely is in it (mainly) for the money. If his only aim was to make money he wouldn’t have bought a football club and he’d have done proper due dilligence. He has spent a fair bit of money (just nowhere near what we had been led to believe he would)
I think he’s actually in it because he thought owning a club would be fun – a big ego boost. He saw himself as a bit of a british Abramovich. I think he was also trying to “buy” himself some mates too. He seemed to really enjoy his time on the terraces and in the bars – and his new found notoriety in the papers.
I think what he really wanted was for Newcastle to become a sort of Portsmouth. A team he could have a “bit of fun” with. Wouldn’t have to spend too much, but would get an exciting cup run every now and then.
His original preferred manager and director of football – Redknapp & Venables – highlight that. They’re not the people you bring in to get a top 4 side – even Ashley would know that. But they are just like him – cockney wheeler-dealers who run a little bit close to the edge in their business affairs. He probably thought he could have a great time with them and with his “little club”.
The trouble is, of course, that that’s not what the fans wanted at all. We want our club to be playing exciting football and challenging for top honours – not to be the plaything of a fat billionaire. And Ashley compounded that by essentially lying to us. By pretending early on that that’s what he wanted too. But all his actions indicate he’s happy with mid-table mediocrity.
21 Adam // Sep 12, 2008 at 12:01 PM
I think Ashley should stop wearing peoples names on the back of his shirt – look what happened to smith and now keegan- curse!
22 Laughing Stock // Sep 12, 2008 at 12:02 PM
I see what you’re trying to get at Dunc but I’m sorry Ashley’s main spin was that he wanted the club to be based on Arsenal under Wenger bringing through youth and selling on. What he forgot was that before the kids started coming through Wenger splashed out on Overmars, Petit, Henry, Jeffers, etc etc and pulled a couple of bargains out the hat at the same time like Anelka and Viera. We pulled a couple of bargains in Jonas and Guthrie but there was no follow through to aid this. He mis calculated the squad badly
23 paulthepom // Sep 12, 2008 at 12:13 PM
well said dunc.read the article and it could be true.no matter how us fans feel about it,at some point we have to move on.the longer we protest the worse it will be.players will get sick and move,we wont get a good manager and we go down.then we have nothing to talk about.whether ashley cares about newcastle is irrelevant.its his club and he can run it how he wants.we have to do whats best for us and the players and thats to stop being negative and beleiving the press all the time and start enjoying the game again.ffs it costs us enough time and money.
24 HATE PRAWN SANDWICHES // Sep 12, 2008 at 12:22 PM
But will Mike Ashley be at the game or is that another way to get fans into the ground??
25 cg // Sep 12, 2008 at 12:22 PM
I think Adam is onto something there
26 Guinea Mag // Sep 12, 2008 at 12:31 PM
As the owner of Newcastle United he’ll be there provided he’s back from his business trip. I think his welcome will be rather hostile though!!!
Bringing back KK was a bad decision as we all knew KK would walk as soon as things upset him. I’m not saying what MA and the board did was right, but KK has gone and that’s a fact……
I’m intrigued who the next Newcastle Manager will be and pleased we are taking the time to appoint him.
I hope there’s no violence or arrests during tomorrow’s planned protests as this will do no one any good, especially the injured or arrested parties.
27 keeeguuurn // Sep 12, 2008 at 12:32 PM
MA is running a business, but other teams are also and they are not solely focussed on making a profit for the owner.
He is focussing on young up and coming players, who can learn and get experience at NUFC, then when their quality improves and they get recognition he will sell them.
He will be happy to have NUFC as a mediocre mid table team and knows the fan (daft geordies in his eyes) will continue to pay through the nose and fill the ground every game.
28 Ian // Sep 12, 2008 at 12:33 PM
Ididnt write that above – original Ian, but there may be some truth in it, but I still run with the making money routine, look what he has done at Sports Direct, got himself almost a billion and then taken the company back on the cheap after the performance was poor straight after he floated it.
29 Lew Davies // Sep 12, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Ian (20) – good comment.
30 keeeguuurn // Sep 12, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Ian —- totally agree
31 Smogboy // Sep 12, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Off Topic, but I see that Ashley Yes man Steve Wraith has been on Setanta Sports, stitching you all up again. . . He really is undermining the impact of the protests. . . He was basically saying that there will only be 250 or so marching tomorrow, and that true fans will be in the ground. . . . what a tw@t in my opinion. . .
32 Kash // Sep 12, 2008 at 1:11 PM
Allegedly from somebody in the know in Newcastle……………
Keegan didn’t want Milner to go but Wise talked him around saying he could get his four targets – Olivier Kapo, Stephen Warnock, Sebastian Sweinsteiger and Sami Hyppia – with the money he got from the sale. He reluctantly agreed.
They also tried to farm Barton off to Pompey, but he didn’t want to go.
Barton phoned Keegan and asked what was happening. Keegan told him he was going nowhere and went to see Wise, who at the same time was trying to flog Owen to four clubs, who were interested, but none of them matched the money the club wanted.
On the Monday (transfer deadline day) Keegan asked Wise what was happening with his players. Wise said he couldn’t get the players Keegan wanted but had these two foreigners.
Keegan said Wise was lying because he had talked to the agents and the four all wanted to come to Newcastle.
Keegan hadn’t heard of the loan guy but said maybe the Cisco kid might be a good long term signing but added he didn’t want any strikers, only midfielders and defenders. Wise said he had already signed the two foreigners and he would just have to get on with it.
Keegan had a stand up row with Wise and Liambias who threatened to sack him.
Keegan lamped him – seriously – and walked out. Then he buggered off to Manchester – a conspiracy of talks then continued but they didn’t have any talks with Keegan. The club were just covering their backs.
All this talk Keegan had a list with Lampard, Henry and the likes is pure propaganda and sh*t-stiring by club insiders.
I think that covered it, oh, and the new owners of Man City actually wanted to buy Newcastle but Ashley doesn’t want to sell up – sadly
33 Ian // Sep 12, 2008 at 1:12 PM
Smogboy-It is everywhere, on NUFC.com on here everywhere, sickening.
However I think that the ground will still have a good crowd even though I am ashamed to say it.
It has been an easy job for them really, but they didnt get on the first ‘three legends’ radio show that showed a different viewpoint.
They have been easy to turn though.
34 bowburnmag // Sep 12, 2008 at 1:15 PM
Specifics aside, tomorrow is going to be one of the weirdest and most surreal match days on record. ‘SuperMac’ is an absolute bell-end as a pundit(sic).
35 SAM // Sep 12, 2008 at 1:15 PM
Slam Dunc – reckons KK let us down cos he didn’t support MA’s strategy of buying and developing young players.
Well time for a few home truths Slam Dunc:
1. MA’s main strategy is not to spend money. This is massaged by saying we want young players blah blah – what he means is cheap/free players and don’t be decieved.
2. MA sold Milner – one of our most promising young players whom Villa and Liverpool both rated. So where is the lets develop and nurture young players strategy.
3. Newcastle nearly got relagated last year. To avoid relagation you need experienced players with PREM experience.
4. To avoid relagation and perform well you need a united and highly motivated team. KK cannot motivate players like Owen when MA is trying to sell them behind his back.
5. Wise is Director of Football – he doesn’t watch the home games so how does he know what players are playing well, where the team need improving etc. This is stupid. I am amazed no journalists have asked how this setup can possibly work – its like paying for a consultant to improve your business without the consultant even visiting the business!!!!!!
6. Last point – please don’t read MA twisted press stories and start believing KK was the wrong man for the club. Fact is KK inherited a very poor team and had the inteligence to play Owen deep and we saw a dramatic improvement. KK is/was happy to be judged by the fans providing the club were fair and honest with him – this did not happen.
36 Ian // Sep 12, 2008 at 1:16 PM
Kash sounds about right.
37 Ian // Sep 12, 2008 at 1:18 PM
well said SAM
Looks like we ahave some real fans on here who actually watch the games and know what goes on.
38 Slam Dunc // Sep 12, 2008 at 1:23 PM
But I think the point is all about the reason why only 3 players arrived during the transfer window. From what we’ve heard plenty players were offered to Keegan but he was playing roulette with Ashley and refusing to approve them. None of the players Keegan wanted fitted with the recruitement policy outlined by the owner i.e. young up and coming players not fading stars like we have had in the past.
At the last minute Keegans game of roulette back fired and we were left with only 3 players.
The real problem is lack of unity i.e. all parties had to agree to the signing, but they couldn’t hence only 3 were signed.
Shortage of money from Ashley was not the problem, he was prepared to fund the players but his management team could not agree who to sign.
And sadly, fact of life, it’s the owner who decides who his management team should be.
Have the protest tomorrow over the way this has been handled then lets get back to winning football matches
39 FrayBentos // Sep 12, 2008 at 1:26 PM
To all you people wanting to boycott Hull game. Why do you think 1 game will make a difference? to be honest the only boycott which would work sufficiently would be a long sustained boycott. Why do you think 1 game would make any impact?
40 SAM // Sep 12, 2008 at 1:34 PM
Ian – you reckon MA didn’t buy the club to make money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
few points to consider:
1. Most businesses/investments in last 12 months have lost massive value. MA’s Newcastle when sold will make a significant profit.
2. MA keeps everything secret and London based – this is to allow him to keep finance and allow him to sell it secretly without the fans and manager getting a sniff.
3. Please don’t believe MA bought the club in 1 day without any preparation. I think this is simply a story to explain how Hall got FS out. No business man worth about 700m will spend 150m on buying something and then find it has extra debts of 100m he wasn’t told about. If you believe this is a credible story then no logic will make you reconsider…
4. MA summer transfers were basically zero – no investment and you reckon MA is not in it for the money.
5. My own guess is that MA was trying to flog the club to the Arabs and when the deal failed he suddenly tried to bring in cash by selling Milner (tried to sell Owen). I reckon MA has no cash and is looking to sell the club for a fat profit.
41 Bill F Ash Didn't Splash :( // Sep 12, 2008 at 1:42 PM
Kash, if it true it’s a pity it wasn’t caught on camera, it would have been worth seeing although KK may have ended up in Joeys old cell.
42 SAM // Sep 12, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Slam Dunc – seriously are you a fan or are you working for MA!!!
You reckon the reason only 3 players joined was becasue of KK and also you reckon money was not an issue.
This is insane. If MA has loads of money why sell Milner and try to suddenly flog Owen/barton in the last few days of the transfer window.
43 ObaFan2 // Sep 12, 2008 at 1:46 PM
Well let’s hope he checks his bank balance come Monday as there should be plenty protesting with their wallets one way or another and hit the fat greedy barsteward where it really hurts.
44 Phil,Gosforth // Sep 12, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Adam // Sep 12, 2008 at 12:01
I think Ashley should stop wearing peoples names on the back of his shirt – look what happened to smith and now keegan- curse!
I’ll buy him one then,xxxxl with Ashley and a big fat zero on the back.:P
45 Slam Dunc // Sep 12, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Well Sam I’m not argueing with you, you are entitled to your views.
However most people I know think £12 million for Milner was a bl*ody good deal because if you check the Opta stats you will see that actually although you could not fault Milner for effort, his distribution was one of the worst in the team.
As for Ashley and the cash. Well I don’t work for Mike Ashley but people that do are beginning to talk about it. Ashley was prepared to buy Modric but we missed out. He was prepared to buy Schweinsteiger but he wouldn’t come as he is on a Bosman at the end of the year. Apparently Keegan would not even consider Skjelberg, Arda, Gomis, Veloso, Inler or Derdiyok. But again Ashley was prepared to buy those .
But I’m just expressing an opinion based on what I know.
You don’t have to believe me and are entitled to your own views.
46 PK-Norway // Sep 12, 2008 at 2:02 PM
I dont understand people who says that MA have done nothing wrong…YOUTH POLICY???
WE sold our best young player for 12 mill pounds,to a rival club.And people dont think MA isnt here for the money?…Bring up good youngsters and sell them when clubs want to pay a lot for them..i dont understand,how can we win something then?..isnt MA’s goal to win major trophys??..it doesnt sounds like that..we sold for 12 mill pounds..we get Xisco for 5…what about the rest?..for me MA is using Newcastle for business only…with this policy we will not win anything big..there is no ambition ,and MA havent said anything about keegans exit.Believe me…we wont win anything under his regime.Only hope if we get a real passionate manager..like Fatih Terim,or Keegan like..and let THEM say who is going out and in …i tought Wise and Keegan will sit down and talk about who they want to buy and sell and so on..it didnt seem so..sad
47 ObaFan2 // Sep 12, 2008 at 2:08 PM
Slam Dunc, it is difficult to believe anything about our club from over the summer regarding transfer targets as firstly, we are not told anything by the club and secondly Ashley and Wise have been shown to be downright liars.
48 SAM // Sep 12, 2008 at 2:31 PM
Slam Dunc so now you ‘know’ that “Keegan would not even consider Skjelberg, Arda, Gomis, Veloso, Inler or Derdiyok. But again Ashley was prepared to buy those”.
As your name implies you are obviously looking to score points and amuse yourself by pretending to be a newcastle fan. What a sad life you must have.
49 Slam Dunc // Sep 12, 2008 at 2:36 PM
Bye Sam, nice knowing you !!
50 paulthepom // Sep 12, 2008 at 2:39 PM
milner wasnt the best youngster at our club.everyone slagged him constantly last year for not having the skill to go by people and always hitting the first man on his crossing.cant falt the lad for effort but he will never be worth more than 12 million.to try and sign sweinsteigger was the right move.unfortunately world class players wont come at the moment.every real toon fan must be happy with our signings[cant comment on the last 2].i would put money on keegan never even seeing collo or jonas before.why would we sign hypia at 33-34 on a big contract.he was good a few years ago but he would have been shite for us.just hope we dont get ince,poyet or deschamps.would like to see guus hiddink but i couldnt see a legend like him working under wise.
51 Ian // Sep 12, 2008 at 2:54 PM
Sam you realise the other person to use the name Ian wasnt me!! the original one!!!
52 wallsend mag // Sep 12, 2008 at 3:09 PM
Chant for saturday?
Hoorah hoorah hoorah yo
down the premier league we go
we wont get to europe
we wont win a thing
cos asley’s barmy
f*****g barmy
keegan was our king
ya know the tune right?
53 Piers // Sep 12, 2008 at 3:21 PM
Hey Slam Dunc do you mind telling us where u got your info from…….it makes sense if it’s true as Ashley could have some credibility. However, if it was true y wouldn’t Ashley say something and try to silence his critics??
Ashley really needs to start communicating with us in some way. If he doesn’t things end up in a mess and people are led to speculation which isn’t fair for anyone involved. In truth, Ashley should know better as with any business, communication is the key.
54 Steeley // Sep 12, 2008 at 4:05 PM
ToonyMOntana (early post) – if you cant laugh at the link, then you would have to cry!
I dont think theres anything wrong with the mail article! We would all be howling if this happened to Spurs and no doubt you would be one of the first to forward the email on, so chill out. Its only a bit of fun!
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