The Newcastle United Blog

102 responses so far ↓

• 1 GOERDIE IN NORWAY // Jan 2, 2009 at 10:53 AM

  money talks though

  good luck shay

• 2 M.Stockley // Jan 2, 2009 at 10:53 AM

  he better show us ambition now by splashing cash….he needs to move FAST and show shay that we do want to push foward….this guy has taken our club to a new low and needs to shit or get off the pot the time is now mike, what you going to do?

• 3 Kam // Jan 2, 2009 at 10:55 AM

  …and its past glories

  I assume you mean the domestic trophies we have won in the last 50 years

• 4 Chris G // Jan 2, 2009 at 10:56 AM

  Spot on Ed

  The alarm bells started going off for me a few months ago

• 5 Nick C // Jan 2, 2009 at 10:58 AM

  I think its an over reaction over Given. I understand everyones concerns cos with Ashley at the helm inactivity seems to be the order of the day.
  However, I still berlieve we should wait to see what happens in this window before we hit the panic button.

  If we get say £8-10 Mill for Shay and he adds another few to that we could end up in a much better position than where we are now.

  Think about it.

• 6 Marguerite // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:00 AM

  Could not agree more Ed. It would not surprise me if he is the first of many getting out and who can blame them?

  I would be sad if he leaves but wish him well.

• 7 leeds, here we comeq // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:05 AM

  seriously, i think we will be the next LEEDS

• 8 jenson // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:08 AM

  DID NOT I TOLD THAT WE ARE IN SHAMBLES YET AGAIN . GET RID OF M.ASHLEY

• 9 MATTY_G // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:10 AM

  jenson – how do you propose we git rid of ashley when nobody wants to buy us????

• 10 Ryan Peacock // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:11 AM

  if given goes, we go to the championship

• 11 Whumpie // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:11 AM

  Quite right Ed. I can’t get my head around how Ashley can do so much for the club in business terms, and yet get the footballing side so hopelessly, continuously and infuriatingly wrong.

  While I’m gutted and disappointed about the statement from Shay’s lawyer, you can’t blame the fella.

  Here’s a thought: will Steve Harper be playing for England in the world cup finals?

• 12 Stuart // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:13 AM

  Best most honest blog for a long while Ed.

  I totally agree with what you say.

  I hope some of these Ashley c*c* suckers will stop backing him up and realise what he’s doing to the club?

  Can anyone remember what happened the last time were a selling club? Yup we ended up relegated!

  De ja vu anyone?

• 13 beyethegreat // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:13 AM

  at 1st i was gutted and pi$$ed off
  2nd i thought maybe this would just be the signal of a new beginning
  lastley i rememberred that new beginning would be with kinnear and ashley

• 14 keith // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:13 AM

  I love the over reaction here, has he left yet? has he even come out and said anything? no it was his agent who said, how many times has an agent or in this lawyer come and said x is very unhappy here and wants to leave yet its utter crap, lets see what happens before we all jump to conclusions

• 15 keith // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:14 AM

  I love the over reaction here, has he left yet? has he even come out and said anything? no it was his agent who said, how many times has an agent or in this case lawyer come and said x is very unhappy here and wants to leave yet its utter crap, lets see what happens before we all jump to conclusions

• 16 Turkish Magpie // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:15 AM

  exactly Keith, look at what Nzogbias agent did!

• 17 Nick // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:18 AM

  I think a massive clear out of all our over paid, sick note dead wood is exactly what’s needed.
  Obviously Shay isn’t in that category but GK is one position where I am not too worried as KRUL is the real deal. Being a great keeper couldn’t stop 5 goals going in and look where we are in the league. Stick Krul in with Harper back up and concentrate on getting some creativity in to the side. Shay needs to move on for his own sanity. His demeanour at the moment is not going to be a good thing in the dressing room is it, in all honesty.

  Re Viduka – yet another fantastic waste of money by Allardyce to go along with .

  Cacapa
  Geremi
  Viduka
  Smith
  Barton (never available 1 reason or another)
  Rozenhal

  Add that to Butt and Duff and I would love to know what exactly Mssrs Souness, Roeder and Allardyce were getting so obscenely well paid for under the alleged title of premiership manager.

  The only conclusion is that for over a decade we have been totally run by idiots and buffoons from top to bottom.

  Regarding Given and Owen, I say blood KRUL & RANGER and move on.

  The only bit of good news I’ve heard is this below:-

  And sources in Spain claim that Newcastle are keeping their options open over Kinnear’s future beyond this season, with Benfica boss Quique Sanchez Flores sounded out about the job.

  Kinnear is considering a move for young Marseille full-back Taiye Taiwo and Blackburn defender Chris Samba, 24. But he also faces a battle with transfer chief Dennis Wise who will have to be persuaded to go for established players like Papa Bouba Diop on large fees.

  I don’t think Wise is the mug everyone makes him out to be.

• 18 Turkish Magpie // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:19 AM

  is this good or bad news?

  http://www.setanta.com/uk/Articles/Football/2009/2/2/Serie-A-Mourinho-on-Owen/gnid-33651/

• 19 adam // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:20 AM

  shay given best goalkeeper in the world

• 20 Gunnar from Iceland // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:20 AM

  http://www.101greatgoals.com/2009/01/imscoutings-top-50-transfer-tips-part-2/

  check it out! I would gnaw my tounge off for some of these lads.

• 21 Irish John // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:21 AM

  As much as i would love Shay to stay , if there is any area were we can afford to lose one off our better players its the keeper position…Harper has been just as loyal and probably will now get hes chance to be no 1 . Krul as number 2 would be quality for him as he now deserves regular first team selection…

  Shay given without doubt is the best keeper in the prem..And if any player deserves trophies its this guy….I would’nt hold any grudges if he did leave and would truly wish him the best and hope he does well except when he comes back to st james..

• 22 steve // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:21 AM

  lets sell Given as lets be honest we got 2 good keepers in Harper and Krul, and have you noticed when he does get replaced by Harper and then subsequently gets named on bench as Harper plays well he whinges and crys about wanting to be playing or he is off… dont see Harper doing that when he gets dropped…!!! bye bye Given thank you very much for last 11 years but 10-12m will do nicely to improve our squad… we need it.

• 23 Obaman // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:22 AM

  stop jumping on the ashley out bandwagon ur boring.

  personally i think were headoing int he right direction finally just look at the waste of money allardyce spent and look how little weve spent and yet all of them have been good signings.

  if we go down ill eat my hat but all u guys are boring as soon as we win a few ur views change so stop going on. your boring.

• 24 Cyprus-Toon // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:22 AM

  What a load of toss… when are you lot going to take off those blinkers & realise that if Ashley hadn’t come in & brought the TOON, we’d be worse off than Leeds were, we were over £100m in debt & at the wrong end of the table to make that back, no matter what deals FFS did or tried to do, we were seriously heading in the wrong direction & only because Ashley paid off the debt are we able to stay where we are for now!!

  Now it’s upto the board, manager & players to get us safe & to rebuild this club into something instead of blaming Ashley for every flaming mistake this club has made under the old board!, remember, Shay has been here 11 yrs & has in the past said he would leave & if he does, I wish him well but in not just what has happened in the last 12months or so that has made him want to leave, it what isn’t happening that is making him leave… ie: Fans wanting the board out, players not wanting to play, everyone blaming everyone else for whats happened… get a grip, get behind the players & support the club, that’s what we do best, no matter who is in charge, lets ask Ashley to spends in the window, stop demanding he does, do you think he doesn’t read these blogs, do you think he doesn’t know that you’re pissed off with the way its going, but when you start calling him names, demanding he spend HIS money, wanting him out, threatening his family (btw, that is seriously low who ever did that), then I personally wouldn’t want to help if that was me… so start to think what you’re posting, thats maybe why players like Shay, Owen etc want to leave the club because we the fans are too demanding & nothing less than 500% is good enough…..
  Rant over!!!

• 25 AngerOfTheNorth // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:23 AM

  He’ll go (as will Owen, blatantly). We’re a country mile off of winning any silverware for the next few years. Given wants to win something in his career and I agree with Ed, I hope he does that at Arsenal.

  He’ll be sold within a week or so I reckon. We don’t need to find a replacement before selling (with Harper et al already here) so there’s no delay there. We’ll want to sell whilst several interested clubs have still to find the new keeper they’re after, to maximise the sense f a bidding war. We’ll then have around £10m to spend on new outfield players, which we desperately need.

  It’s sad and I’m certainly not happy that this is happening. However I honestly think he’ll be leaving very soon and good uck to him. The money generated along with the new opportunity for the likes of Harper, Krul, Forster and Soderberg may even end up being a good thing for us.

• 26 Obaman // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:26 AM

  well said cyprus-toon.

• 27 Proud to be a Geordie // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:27 AM

  The Original Source for this story was The Daily Mail, who we all know hate Newcastle and would do anything to upset the apple cart, why is it before any big match the Mail comes up with these stories. What footballer uses his solicitor to communicate his feelings, normally it is his agent

• 28 LooneyToon // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:27 AM

  Agree with you Nick lad (17)

  Step up to the plate Mr Steve Harper…

  I would however expect more than 8-10 million for Given….if Buffon is worth 30, then Given is at least worth 15…

• 29 sirjasontoon // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:30 AM

  Ship out the shit and the players that want to leave and we move on Krul and Harps are good enough in my opinion and Ranger can get a start and Lua Lua.

  Ashley must spend now to avoid being relegated,

• 30 workyticket // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:33 AM

  That’s right Ed, get all the bedsheet waving idiots radged up again so we can go on another orgy of self destruction. Well done!

• 31 AndrewNUFC // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:33 AM

  The man deserves better than us, for the past 4/5 years he has been too good for us.

• 32 Spuggy // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:33 AM

  To be honest some of the blame for our position and players wanting to leave has to rest on Keegans shoulders as he walker away from the fans and players, not just the board.

  Answer this – if KK was still here in spite of purchases in Summer do you think we would be in this position?

  No cash from Ash + KK walking = best players leaving and relegation place.

• 33 CLINT FLICK // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:33 AM

  Well said the last few posts.
  Given has stagnated, hes getting worse not better & he whines all the fuc**ng time-seems to me like hes the one who always comes out with this bull when the going gets tough-bye then-off you go to ‘a better team’ manc(big pay off) spuds(big pay off) & last time i looked, in deeper shit than us even.

• 34 Cyprus-Toon // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:34 AM

  I’m sorry but is the Mackem brought Gordon for £9m, then Shay is worth at least £12m minimum, as he’s way better & if we have 3 clubs after him, then let them bid for him & get as much as possible!!
  Btw, did Shay win the EPL while he was at Blackburn????

  We don’t need any more goalies, we have Harper, Forster & Krul, so lets buy some decent defenders & hopefully none of them from teh SPL…..

• 35 Stuart // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:35 AM

  Obaman – can you show me the improvment that proves we have spent less on better players this year? I don’t think we were only 2 points off bottom 3 this time last year!

  Cyprus – Who told you we had 100m quids worth of debt? Who told you we would be like Leeds if Ashley hadn’t bought the club. He ain’t no saviour! He didn’t do due dillegence and if he had he wouldn’t have bought the club!

  Oh and by the way, he hasn’t paid off all our debt. He’s lent the club the money to pay it off. But we still pay him back!

  Do we have to suffer no investment in the 1st team squad for the next 3 years just because he didn’tdo due dillegence?

• 36 LooneyToon // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:35 AM

  When City buy big in the summer, Arsenal wont even qualify for the champions league….

  I hope it works out for Shay but if he wants a chance to win major silverware, ie the premiership or champions league and not the Carling Cup (he wouldnt get the chance to play in that lol) he should join City…Arsenal are being left behind…ironic if he went there and won zip all.

• 37 Chris G // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:36 AM

  Obaman // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:22

  stop jumping on the ashley out bandwagon ur boring.

  personally i think were headoing int he right direction finally just look at the waste of money allardyce spent and look how little weve spent and yet all of them have been good signings.

  if we go down ill eat my hat but all u guys are boring as soon as we win a few ur views change so stop going on. your boring.
  ————————————-

  No, we are NOT boring. We are just extremely worried, as you should be.

• 38 sirjasontoon // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:38 AM

  If players are unhappy move them out as they just bring down the whole team.

  Nobody should be bigger than the club and that includes Given and Owen..get rid and rebuild.

  Does Given realize the damage he is doing at the beginning of a transfer window?
  This should have been kept behind closed doors..keep your gob shut Given and get the hell out.

• 39 kenny g // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:39 AM

  why does everyone lose all sense of reality as soon as a transfer window opens… it’s nothing short of hilarious. A few unsubstantiated articles in the press and all of a sudden we’re the new leeds, lol.
  I prefer to focus on the fact that since JFK has taken charge we’ve only lost 4 times in the 14 or so outings he’s had.
  HTL

• 40 Stuart // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:39 AM

  That has to be the quote of the last 1000yrs by Obaman! ‘Going in the right direction!’

  Unbelievable!!!!!!

  You couldn’t make it up could you?

• 41 nufc1902 // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:39 AM

  if Given goes we will get relegated, our defence isnt the best in the world but, when watching a game and u see the opposition get through our defence, we still had a hope with given. for example the liverpool game.
  5-1 with Given
  7 or 8-1 with out him.
  he is the best in our team, owen is pants, sell him and make some money. but we must keep Given.

• 42 Gs // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:39 AM

  I have said for a long time that it is time to move on in the Goalkeepeing department. Given has world class reactions but does not command his area or defence. I said at the end of last year in the Chronicle that we should be looking to Tim Krul longer term with Steve Harper. If you watch Steve Harper he is always directing the defence, I have never noticed this with Shay. Lets move on and view it as an opportunity!

• 43 scottish mag(jake shearer) // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:40 AM

  gr8 we have been linked with stephen quinn of sheff utd as well. im lovin these names we are bein linked with this window

• 44 LooneyToon // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:44 AM

  Scottish mag….do you think Everton fans were slating there club when they signed Tim Cahill from Millwall? or Lescott from Wolves….

  Dont knock it til you have tried it fella

• 45 CLINT FLICK // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:45 AM

  Excellent post sir jasontoon.

• 46 CLINT FLICK // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:46 AM

  Well said Gs

• 47 BIGPEAOVTHEWEAB // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:48 AM

  if given leaves we might as well all gan n get ourbanners ready for to be the laffin stock of the country again while were on a downward the makems will be laffin there heeds off i think they have a much better squad than us at the min we realy need to bring in some solid players these dont have to be big names just decent players who can hold there own in ther positions

• 48 sirjasontoon // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:49 AM

  Thanks Clint and well said Loony T..I have no probs with trying some championship and spl players the surely must have more hunger than we are currently seeing from our current crop.

  Obviously I want some proven quality internationals as well but I am greedy : )

• 49 NUFCFAN // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:50 AM

  I really wouldnt be that fussed if Given went, he’s 32 and there is good money on the table. We have alot of talented keepers.

  This brings in money to bring in top young players, to improve the quality, size and potential of the squad. I love the idea of Fabian Delph, Joe Ledley, Michael Knightly, Naughton, Sahko etc all being at the club. They all play regually and for the respective under 21 teams, so they definatley have the talent and enough experience let alone the hunger to do well for us. This is what Ashely stated that he wanted us to do to which everyone was praising when he first came in and the last time we tried doing this was under Sir Bobby and it went pretty well and even when we got rid of them we made more money to invest again (Jenas 10mill), plus teams like everton and Villa have done pretty well with the championship players they have brought in. Cahill, Curtis Davies, Ashely Young

• 50 CLINT FLICK // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:50 AM

  How the HELL does a player win motm when we lose 1-5 & hes the F**king goalie letting them in.
  Only at Newcastle.

• 51 geordie jock // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:50 AM

  Why are some of you having a go at Shay Given. He has given us 11 years great service and to stay at a greatly under achieving club for that amount of time deserves praise from the fans not backstabbing from a few idiots. I for one will be gutted to se him leave and if he goes i hope he is lucky enough to win some medals . He surely deserves it.

• 52 CLINT FLICK // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:52 AM

  Exactly sirjasontoon
  everyone needs to get off their high-horse & wake up.
  You’d think top players were just born at top teams & none ever came through the ranks of so called lesser teams or leagues-Divvies.

• 53 nasher // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:53 AM

  i can only see heartache until ashley fecks off tbh.

  i always knew sheppard’s day to day running of the club left something to be desired,

  imagine this scenario,

  sheppard u turn on la liga outfit and buys toon.

  probably get slated for this post but the number one love in my life that is the toon is going to reduce me to tears.

• 54 Cyprus-Toon // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:53 AM

  “Cyprus – Who told you we had 100m quids worth of debt? Who told you we would be like Leeds if Ashley hadn’t bought the club. He ain’t no saviour! He didn’t do due dillegence and if he had he wouldn’t have bought the club!

  Oh and by the way, he hasn’t paid off all our debt. He’s lent the club the money to pay it off. But we still pay him back!”

  Stuart – I think if you look back through all the crap that has been posted since Ashley put the club up for sale, you see that the guy who was in charge of selling the TOON stated that financial statements had been sent out & they stated that the TOON were debt FREE, no monies were owed to anyone including Ashley,,, that’s where I get my infor from!!!

  Unlike Chelski, Ashley used his own monies to pay off the debt so he could sell the club but due to w WORLD recession, he wasn’t able too, so now he’s decided to keep it & do what he wanted to do before the fans wanted him out!!

  Imo I think he’ll spend money this window, maybe not as much as some of you would want him to do but saying that, its reported that Mark Hughes has only £100m to spend & Citeh’s owners are worth £550billion, so in that stance, if Ashley spends £20m, he’s literally spent a bigger % than Citeh’s owners have..

  As for spending money on players, take the Spurts last season, they spent £70m on players but recouped £80m from sales, so who spent less money them or us??? lol

  Take it from me, any club who are £100m in debt & don’t have a Billionaire owner backing them, they’re going to go the way Leeds did & very fast unless someone comes in & buys them soon!!!

• 55 CLINT FLICK // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:54 AM

  Aye it would be just great if Given went to spuds or a.n. other & won trophies-can’t wait to enjoy that-what a divvy idea.

• 56 nasher // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:56 AM

  cant see anything getting better until ashley leaves tbh,

  i know sheppards toon era left something to be desired,

  imagine this for a senario, he turns his back on la liga outfit to rescue toon.

  prob get slated for this post, but had enough now

• 57 Lenny // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:57 AM

  It will be a shame if Given goes… hes the best keeper in the prem! but if theres one area where we are strong its with the keepers.

  Harper is just as good as Given, Krul would be a good sub and then we have some very good young lads coming through… its not the end of the world.

• 58 scottish mag(jake shearer) // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:58 AM

  shay is the only player i think deserves his wages(maybe a few others) but he deserves to go to better things, win trophies etc he has been loyal for 11 years for cryin out loud giv the man a break

• 59 BIGPEAOVTHEWEAB // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:59 AM

  if shepherd was still here we would ov been docked points for going in to administration probly letting all the half decent players we have go for a song ashley has done a few decent things just not many

• 60 murvar // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:59 AM

  I think he has used his solicitor to indicate that if necessary he will go to law to get moved out. And he’s right – he deserves better than this debacle after his loyal service. I cannot understand how people on here can call him a whinger and cry baby – he’s been here far longer than most players ever stay at a club these days. He deserves the chance to win the medals that his quality justifies. And Steve Harper could well get into the England squad with a long first team run – he is quality too. As for Krul – our impressions of him are based on that short flurry of appearances a year or two ago. I wonder whether the club isn’t so keen on him now having had him watched at Falkirk and Carlisle – otherwise why would they seem to be interested in Kaddy Penny or whatever he’s called?

• 61 Guinea Mag // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:00 PM

  I guess we’re all concerned with Shay’s statement but goalkeeper is a position we can afford to offload at this time as we have Harper, Krul and Forster waiting in the wings.

  If we can get 10M to 12m for Shay, lets use the money to rebuild this team as we have too many overpaid non-performing players at the club.

• 62 Stuart // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:01 PM

  Cyprus Toon – Keith Harris said alot of things when he was trying to sell the club!

  However I do think that over the next 2/3 years clubs aren’t going to send alot of money cos they won’t be able to borrow it from the banks. I f Ashley sticks to his promise and invests 20m a season we would be in a good position and possibly challanging for top4 in a couple of years due to other clubs cutting back who don’t have a billionaire like we do. However I fear Ashley won’t stick to his word and invest the money he said he would. If he did we’d be happy and quite possibly successful

• 63 GOERDIE IN NORWAY // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:06 PM

  buy championship players and thats where well end up

• 64 Cyprus-Toon // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:08 PM

  Am I the only one who read this but Shays lawyer said it was the defeat against Pool 5-1 that has made Shay want to finally leave… so are they saying that the previous matches when we had several clean sheets & a stead back 4, that Shay didn’t want to leave??

  I’m not having a go at Shay as I believe he’s been a true saviour of ours over the years & deserves success, I’m just wondering if we hadn’t lost Beye, Bassong & Enrique at the Wigan game & has the solid back 4 for the POOL game, would we be talking about Shay leaving??

  Your thoughts??

• 65 Sir Erec // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:10 PM

  hello lads, just wanting to give my opinion:

  im absolutely sick of this fickle fan bollocks. everytime we win half of us seem to be delirious aiming for europe. when we lose a game its the end of the world.

  is shay given is quality? yes.
  is he more important than the club? no
  did shay or shay’s agent say this? shay’s agent

  even if shay does go we still have harps who is more than capable of replacing shay. he did it last year for 21 someit games and we did quite well with him.

  also, if you still insist on flabbing your gob cuz he’s leaving well NEWSFLASH he hasn’t gone yet has he?

  that being said, im hoping for an interesting transfer window

• 66 CLINT FLICK // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:12 PM

  Its a F**king excuse mate-of the most childish & transparent-Pathetic.
  He played well for 1/3 of the liverpoo game, matches last 90+ mins, not 30.

  Its not the first time hes come out with this kind of bull, is it?

• 67 cause I got the girth // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:12 PM

  well firstly, we need to chill, nowts happened yet, and it was only his lawyer that said it, so maybe we should just wait and see (prob will happen though)
  secondly, getting £10m+ for a 33 yr old, is that really the work of a club being run badly? Bit of rationality wouldnt go a miss like lads! we have an outstanding and immediate replacement in Harper and, for what it seems, some outstanding young keepers coming through. Forget its Shay and seriously, wheres the drama?
  If he doesnt want to be here, leave! Good luck to him, thanks for the service, you deserve better, but remember, its NUFC not Shay Utd, we’ll still be here supporting and tommorrow will happen for all you doom mongers!

• 68 CLINT FLICK // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:13 PM

  Aye sir erec

• 69 Cyprus-Toon // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:16 PM

  Stuart, I think you’ll find that the majority of TOON fans expected Ashley to spend £50m+ every season as FFS did, that’s why when he said he would only spend £20m a season, they didn’t like it & wanted him out for not splashing his money as they wanted him to do…
  I think it was a case of, we have a billionaire owner who’s going to spend £250m like Abrmovich did at Chelski & we’re going to win everything like Chelski did… but then Ashley said, I’ve just spent £100m on paying off debts, so I’ll only spend £20m on transfers which they didn’t like!!! especially as £20m doesn’t buy you 1 seriously great player, never mind more.. lol

  Anyway, if I’ve got this right, we should have £12m from the Milner sale, another £10-12m for Shay plus the £20 promised, should give JFK approx £40-42m for fransfers..

• 70 wsq // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:17 PM

  no matter what it is. ASHLEY STILL HAS TO BE SHOWN THE DOOR! ASHLEY OUT!

  DRAG HIM OUT OF THE DOOR!

  F SAKE doesn’t matter given is sold due to him being tempted by money he’s more important than the team or not!

  We wouldn’t be talking about this if it wasn’t for MIKE ASHLEY! CROOK OUT CROOK!

• 71 Stuart // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:18 PM

  I agree we should sell him for 8-10m. It does make perfect sense as we have agreat keeper already as a replacement. He has done his bit for us and I wish him all the best.

  I just want to see us invest some money on new players without having to sell to fund it. I would defo ask for Elano in exchange for Given with about 5m also.

• 72 wsq // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:18 PM

  what is this animosity about given being pissed so what if he is pissed why are we worried about “given united”.

  so what you idiots. so what if given leaves. the fact doesn’t change

  we are BACKWARDS period! relegation here we come.

• 73 Macas // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:19 PM

  Cyprus-Toon – I think you’re more likely to be right with ‘plus the £20 promised’…

• 74 CLINT FLICK // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:24 PM

  Ashley out-HOW?
  Who in?
  You can’t sack the owner-GROW UP.

• 75 Stuart // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:25 PM

  Cyprus – Ya spot on with what we SHOULD have to spend but what do you think we’ll have to spend? I think he’ll give Joe about 5m. Which depending on which way you look at it is a disgrace or sensible.

  Should he give Joe a load of cash and then replace in the summer. I think I’d rather get a couple of decent loan players for now to make sure we stay up and then give a new manager the money for the summer. I don’t think we’ll spend serious money again!

• 76 Chris G // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:25 PM

  workyticket // Jan 2, 2009 at 11:33

  That’s right Ed, get all the bedsheet waving idiots radged up again so we can go on another orgy of self destruction. Well done!
  ————————————————————-
  No need to get all the bedsheet waving idiots radged(?) up again, mate. Newcastle United is more than capable of going on another orgy of self destruction all by itself!

• 77 Cyprus-Toon // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:26 PM

  wsq, what is your problem? who would you have run the club if, as you put it, we show Ashley the door?? Who says that the person(s) buy the club aren’t worse than Ashley, god forbid they be like Shinawtra & be corrupt!!
  At least now with Ashley, we have an idea now as to what we have in an owner, instead of another 12months of uncertaintly, which the club doesn’t need now!!
  What we do need now tho, is for Ashley to get a decent Director in, someone who knows footie & has loads of contact & can work well with JFK in getting some decent new players into the club..

  As for Given, ‘paddypower betting’ has Citeh favorites to land him, if not them, thenhe won’t leave, he’ll stay at the TOON..

• 78 nasher // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:27 PM

  ashleys a muppett,

  12mil for milner, we were told that was going straight on a replacement in aug??

  keegan wanted sweinsteiger instead he got nacho and xisco and directions to the gallowgate exit.

  aaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggggghhhhh

• 79 Toon_Ksk // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:37 PM

  Bye Given, thanks for the service and I really thought you are going to show as much loyalty as Shearer.

• 80 Cyprus-Toon // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:39 PM

  So nasher, you think the club was going places under that last regime did you??
  FFS was sending us nearer to administration then anyone knew & lending money to pay off debts, imagine what it would be like now with all the banks stopping lending of large amount, where would the TOON be now?? probably relegated & in debt upto its eye balls… worse off than Leeds by a massive mile!!
  So think on that before you want Ashley out..

• 81 CLINT FLICK // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:46 PM

  Or as much loyalty as Harper.
  Not even close.

• 82 workyticket // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:49 PM

  Chris G – ‘Radged’ = Northern (and Scots) slang for mad, silly, stupid etc.

• 83 xisco biscuits // Jan 2, 2009 at 12:59 PM

  gutted about shay but as a few of the more sensible posts have said – it’s actually sensible from a footballing point of view. that said, its only sensible provided the money is spent on improving and bolstering our feeble squad.

  i’d be happy with £12m for shay (or £5m + bale, lennon, diaby, denilson or song), and i’d rip mr mourinho’s arm off for £5m + adriano or suazo for owen. i rate owen as a goalscorer but he needs things put on a plate these days and we dont have a side capable of doing that unfortunately

  getting £5m + £5m a year off the wage bill aswell as a ready-made replacement is surely good sense. and adriano was the best striker in the world not too long ago, he just needs to rediscover his love for the game and what better place to do it??

  i’d also sell zog for the right money and replace him with kightly and probably make a profit there too

  problem is, we need to be guaranteed that the money will be reinvested in the team, and not lining MA’s casino wallet!!

• 84 MAGPIE // Jan 2, 2009 at 1:16 PM

  We have made enquiries for Upson and Bullard – I know this to be FACT.

• 85 nasher // Jan 2, 2009 at 1:41 PM

  @ cyprus toon,

  i knew id get slated at that thread, was just messing, at least freddie fecking communicated with fans

• 86 ObaFan2 // Jan 2, 2009 at 1:53 PM

  If I had a choice I’d leave this shite club too but I can’t cos I’m a Geordie.

  Ashley is singlehandedly destroying this club and how I would love to hibernate til the fat useless piece of s**t sells up and f’s off.

  I knew months ago there’d be an exodus this January and it seems like my worst fears are coming true. I have no faith that the people running this club can create a good team.

  Ashley is stripping the club of it’s assets. He is paying f’ all for a manager and he is causing our higher earners and better players to leave.

• 87 TROJAN 69 // Jan 2, 2009 at 2:05 PM

  that is it though if shay left us for ten million say,it would be a good deal because he is thirty two.
  the problem thereafter would be,can you trust jabba the hutt not to pocket the money and bring in pie tester paddy kenny?

• 88 TROJAN 69 // Jan 2, 2009 at 2:09 PM

  the milner situation was the same,on the surface it looked like a good deal if he was replaced by someone better,but we all know what happened.

• 89 TROJAN 69 // Jan 2, 2009 at 2:15 PM

  lets be honest poor joe is no more than the nice old doorman on your local working mens club.
  he is acting as a buffer zone between us and the management,and that is where his role ends.
  joe kinnear is kind of like a un peacekeeping force,as they are f**king useless as well.
  i feel sorry for him though,i hope he doesn,t let gollum and the rest of ugly sisters to push him around.

• 90 Sir Erec // Jan 2, 2009 at 2:35 PM

  hello again lads, just had a realisation that i wanted to put up for thoughts:

  STRIKERS:

  i wouldn’t mind losing michael owen if we sold him for a decent amount and found a replacement

  because: he doesn’t really seem to contribute much to games apart from the moment he scores a goal, he seems to be hiding for most of the match.

  we continuously play high balls to him when in fact i think only ameobi or viduka or suitable for this as they actually have some height

  HOWEVER- if we actually used possesion more responsibly and stopped giving the ball away, then yes, owen would be good to have if we made good opportunities as he is a good finisher

  POSSESSION:

  the reason that we have won i do believe around only 5 premier league matches this season is because our boys play worse than pub footballers at times. now, i’m not slating off our boys as we need to remember they are PROFFESIONALS. they do this for a living, they are the best of the best. however, at newcastle united many players don’t play to their best on a consistent basis

  ALAN SMITH:

  it breaks my heart every time to see people writing up on their posts to sell smith in january. however, they are entitled to their opinion as am i and i completely respect that.

  my view on smith is he works much harder than our other forwards. people complain about him picking up too many fouls and too many cards. well imo he does this most of the time because our players many times are not making challenges or our midfield is really gone missing at times whether smith is playing or not

  examples: losing 6-0, 5-1 to man utd. carrick continuously made fools of our midfield but to be honest my next door neighbour could have done it as well as our midfield was appalling.

  liverpool game last week: i believe it was the 4-1 goal from gerrard that absolutely pissed me off as gerrard and co must have run for ages and no attempts to take the ball off them lead to a goal.

  the 5-1 loss to liverpool: first half was absolutely tormenting for me and left me very frustrated

  n’zogbia and our midfield just did not have a good day in the office for the first half and really wasted the ball too many times. him and enrique made many passes that made me wonder what the hell were they thinking.

  however credit to the lads for really stepping up in the 2nd half and creating quite a few goal chances.

  to sum it up, our players are proffesionals in name, proffession, wages but some just at times not their performances

  i have confidence that our club staff will work hard to sort this out

  thanks for shout out lads, happy transfer hunting

• 91 ObaMartins // Jan 2, 2009 at 3:07 PM

  Cyprus toon….60 million of that debt was linked to the football stadium if Newcastle was ever Sold, we also were Owed money in on tranfers so STOP the BS, we were never going to be a Leeds….stop sucking up to Ashley and Joke Kinnear…they need gone, ita a SHAMBLES, did you hear that ?? SHAMBLES

• 92 Shiftay // Jan 2, 2009 at 3:14 PM

  To be honest, I’m sick of my fellow fans bemoaning our chairman

  We are not a top 4 team, nor are we a team who has the quality to fight for European spots – so stop demanding it.

  You all expect Ashley to come out and compete with Man City spending ridiculous money on players….you all seem to forget we have been there and done that before and it got us nowhere.

  I’m not surprised Liverpool stuffed us, hell, I’m not surprised Wigan beat us – because they are our current level.

  The club needs time, no more quick fixes – let Given go – he deserves to be at a better club.

  Get rid of the Viduka’s, the smith’s, the duff’s and the Owen’s and concentrate on the youth.

  I personally believe the club can achieve great things under Ashley – calling him every name under the sun will not help.

  Newcastle is full of time wasters who want to bench warm and pick up 50k a week for the pleasure of.

  I want to see Kinnear do a Phil Brown and sit the our players down in the middle of the pitch and give them a royal bollocking – i think he’s the type.

• 93 supershay // Jan 2, 2009 at 3:55 PM

  If Given goes I’ll cry. I haven’t cried over this club since the Fa cup final defeat. Oh the joys.

• 94 dan // Jan 2, 2009 at 4:11 PM

  Don’t panic Mr Mannering

• 95 StevieA // Jan 2, 2009 at 7:20 PM

  Judge Mike Ashley and co at the end of January and no before eh lads?

  Give them a chance to right the wrongs.

• 96 StevieA // Jan 2, 2009 at 7:21 PM

  Also just to add that this is the first opportunity for Mike Ashley to put money into the club since the summer. He didn’t let us down then so why would he let us down in January? It’s in his best interests for Newcastle to be in the top 10 for gods sake.

  I know what I would do if I was in his position. Spend!

• 97 StevieA // Jan 2, 2009 at 7:28 PM

  Regarding the lawyers statement this could mean 1 of 2 things.

  a) Shay Given wants to leave but the only person that knows of his intent is his lawyer, he hasn’t got the balls to tell Joe Kinnear and the fans.

  b) Shay Givens lawyer is trying to get other clubs interested so that they put a bid in for his client. However if he has done this without Shay’s say-so then he won’t be Shay’s lawyer for long.

  Either way it’s a bit of a mess but I think Harper can fill his shoes. We have a lot of good quality young goalkeepers too so I am not too worried.

  It’s interesting that we have been scouting keepers though, good to know the club is thinking ahead in that way. Always good to have a plan B in business.

• 98 chuck // Jan 2, 2009 at 8:31 PM

  The self proclaimed” best fans in the country”
  have spoken and revealed themselves as the most ignorant and biggest backstabbers in the country.
  Harper & Krul, as good as Shea ? in your Fu****g
  dreams morons, niether could lace his boots.
  He`s a good reaction goalie but he does`nt control his area, he hoofs it up the pitch he whines etc, etc.
  Cant you dumb Fu**s think for yourself and not keep repeating what you have read in these blogs.
  If your talking whining just go back and read what you have just said, Newcastle fans are renown for their whining.
  Give it a rest and show some Fu****g respect for a great goalie and a loyal servant.

• 99 Sav // Jan 2, 2009 at 9:27 PM

  Michael Kennedy always comes across as a clever, measured sort of bloke. It may be a sensible move for the club to sell Shay, although top goalies are so hard to find, I haven’t seen better than Shay in 40 years supporting Newcastle. However, for him to leave under these circumstances, out of desperation, would be an indictment on the club.

  We all lament the lack of communication from within. JFK is the main mouthpiece and he is so pro-Ashley (can’t really blame him for that) that you can’t believe all he says, either. But when Givewn issues (directly or indirectly) a statement like this, we can clearly infer the state of morale and the general feeling within the dressing room about how the club is being run.

• 100 Geordie Exile // Jan 3, 2009 at 12:32 AM

  This alleged solicitors statement that Given is unhappy could be pure mischief making. The southern press like nothing better than to stick the knife into the toon and the Mail who ran the story especially, has a habit of being this way.

  As others have stated Given has been a loyal servant for more than a decade and should one of the top clubs put in a substantial bid I am sure he will leave. If he does then good-luck to him because he deserves that from us.

  It all really boils down to ambition and unless the fat controller decides to spend a reasonable amount to recruit for our injury ravaged squad then I fear that we will be playing in the championship next season.

• 101 bill // Jan 3, 2009 at 9:17 AM

  Considering how short we are in depth why is this article in the local press:

  But the Newcastle manager suggested that while he still awaits confirmation from Mike Ashley regarding how much money he has to spend on new talent, he has tasked Executive Director (Football) Dennis Wise to find buyers for a trio of the club’s players.

  “There are certain players I am trying to sell at the moment who cost decent money so a lot will depend on how much I get back from that,”

  Surely, we should be increasing the size of the squad not just maintaining it’s size.

  As Ed say’s the alarm bells should be ringing.

• 102 CHUCK // Jan 3, 2009 at 8:31 PM

  There should be more than alarm bells going off,
  this club has reached a critical state, just a couple of points from relegation, with no guarantee of survival.
  The implications of which we are all very aware.
  A few million invested wisely at this time could bring a more secure future in the top flight, whereas to not invest could result in disaster.
  Face it with the squad we have at present the best we can hope for is survival, whereas a few seasons ago with Sir Bobby we were challenging for a european spot.
  Where did you go wrong Mr Ashley ?