It seems that Newcastle United are finally realizing there is great peril in ignoring Newcastle United fans for almost 5 months.
Derek Llambias – stay with us – stick with the team
Apparently the club had had numerous calls about season tickets, but that’s not to get them for next season, but rather to ask how they can get out of the fixed-price, three-year season ticket scheme that was introduced last year.
And Newcastle now seem anxious to stop the rot, but when the life and blood of the club, the Newcastle fans, are treated with disdain and ignored by the club’s hierarchy, what do you expect?
And the club has hardly had a good time of it on the playing side of things this season, sorry to bring this up, and the likelihood is that attendances will continue to drop, unless the Board make some big changes in the way they run the club. Some professionalism would certainly help.
Derek Llambias said only last week:
“Stay with us. Be strong, this is an incredible club and we need you to be behind us. We’re putting our money up front and we need you to support us.”
“You can’t have it overnight, stay with your team.” “You’ve seen uglier football, stick with the team. We will get there.”
But whether these rather late pleas will do the trick is debatable, and although we did get 3 good players through the door in January, it wasn’t enough in terms of numbers, or what the fans expected.
Sunderland and Portsmouth have already announced price cuts for season tickets next season, as long as they are renewed before the end of March, and Newcastle are believed to be preparing a similar package to lure the fed-up Newcastle fans.
Of course this is exactly what you get when you ignore the club’s fans, and it’s still hard to believe what Ashley and his cronies have done these last 5 months.
But on the positive side, we can only hope that they have made most of the mistakes they will make, and now they will at least tell the fans what’s going on, and try to repair the terrible damage they have done to the relationship with Newcastle fans.
Of course, there’s nothing like winning games to increase the interest in the club, and a good end to the season and some good players arriving early in the summer transfer market, can do wonders to ignite the interest on Tyneside.
It’s just a pity the Board had to take the fans to hell and back first, before they started to realize how a club should be run, and that indeed fans must come first.
It’s business 101, but it seems Ashley just didn’t get it – we hope he does now.
Comments welcome.
33 comments so far
steviemac14
Feb 17, 2009 at 10:10 AM
Comment #11st – I was thinking of canceling my direct debit as I am one of those mugs who signed up for three years. Has anyone else done this and if so have they heard anything from the club yet?
Born Again Geordie
Feb 17, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Comment #2How about a reduction on the cost of the tickets for next season then Deggsy ?
It is the very least you can do & will have to if we get relegated !!!
You want us to stick with you well where is the incentive ?
Born Again Geordie
Feb 17, 2009 at 10:14 AM
Comment #3steviemac14,
someone on here a while back rang the club and said they were going to live in Australia, the club cancelled the direct debit 🙂
ginkoh
Feb 17, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Comment #4But on the positive side, we can only hope that they have made most of the mistakes they will make, and now they will at least tell the fans what’s going on, and try to repair the terrible damage they have done to the relationship with Newcastle fans.
<< that’s only 1 thing we can relieve. Let’s go on with it Mike. Do your job the best, it’s louder than words you said.
I am the Newcastle fan not Ashley, Keegan or anyone else so whoever done, whatever happen with my club. I still here and go on the every game I can, that’s all.
Fresh
Feb 17, 2009 at 10:24 AM
Comment #5Its a shame we can not barter with Mike Ashley and tell him to get rid off useless people like llambias (who I personally feel is the biggest problem in Newcastle) in return for us buying season tickets.
valle
Feb 17, 2009 at 10:35 AM
Comment #6With many people having tight finances in can understand why football has to move down in the financial priorities, even if it is NUFC… But i hope those that can afford it and who would have renewed had it not been for our downfall will stay with the club, we are truly in dire straits if we fall further down in attendances.
Nick 69
Feb 17, 2009 at 10:36 AM
Comment #7steviemac – a lad from work phoned up to cancel as he had signed up to the 3 year thing and they cancelled it for him but he had to send them a cheque to make up the difference as it worked out cheaper per year for signing up for 3 yrs, think it was about 50 quid he had to pay but he sits in the platinum club or somewhere like that
valle
Feb 17, 2009 at 10:37 AM
Comment #8sigh, post 5 should read “I” can understand instead of “IN” can understand ofc
Nick 69
Feb 17, 2009 at 10:40 AM
Comment #9valle- i agree we need the fans to stay but why shud even people who can afford it waste their money on watchin the toon in the current state, expecially when all u get is constant lies from the board, of which there is more in this statement from lambias, “We’re putting our money up front and we need you to support us.” erm when have they put their money up front for any players as i seem to remember them making a profit in pretty much every window so far
Toon Graeme
Feb 17, 2009 at 10:56 AM
Comment #10Aye, read this in the journal this morning and its taken how long for them to think ooooh problem there mike.
Will wait and see what happens.
valle
Feb 17, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Comment #11Nick69… I really feel they have the wrong man to communicate to the fans in Llambias and i can understand why you would feel like that. But we all know that our club was going down the drain before MA came, and the 2 reporters that got the interview with Llambias said in the webchat yesterday that they were shown the finances from after FFS had left and to they were scared what would have happened to us if MA hadnt come in… We just cant see what this club can be before the finances are in a healthier state and that will take 2-3 years more (even more if fans abandon the team)… We do need to get a tactical manager in who plays attacking passing football and who could be popular with the fans tho.
Born Again Geordie
Feb 17, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Comment #12I will more than likely renew my ticket next year, because I love the toon and always will. Having said that does anyone not think as a gesture of good will / appology that the club could reduce the cost of next years tickets and show that they really do care about the fans ?
punk skunk...
Feb 17, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Comment #13Yawn-a-mundo-go-go!..
…Once more from the top!..
ELFER
Feb 17, 2009 at 11:09 AM
Comment #14To be fair: Everyone makes mistakes – mostly if something is new to you. So did MA and his board.
Ask yourself, would you like to have an abramowitch or an abu dhabi group owner who spends millions of pounds nuts just to realise on some point, that you ruined the club? The clubs are not able to pay back to hughe amounts to the owners…sooner or later this will lead into disaster.
I like the style of our english owner even if it needs some time to rebuild…I look at our reservere youngsters and that gives me confidence.
Ed, this article isn’t fair and too black painted…I would rather stick with llambias for once and say: WE ARE UNITED!!
Sav
Feb 17, 2009 at 11:10 AM
Comment #15NUSC and the anger of fans who have been acquiescent for years is finally having a positive effect. I know the fall in season ticket sales is only temporary as long as they get their act together. Fans are sick and tired of being treated like sheep.
It may have taken a favourite like Keegan falling out with the board to bring out a sense of righteous indignation and of injustice but his final gesture to the fans may have been worthwhile. Whatever happens, fans should maintain their presence as a voice at the club and seek to increase it from now on.
ELFER
Feb 17, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Comment #16Remember that we not only got black in our dress – there’s also white 😉
Born Again Geordie
Feb 17, 2009 at 11:13 AM
Comment #17Sav,
I agree the fans are indeed the lifeblood of the club and we should be there in numbers not like the fickle mackems !!
Ho’way the lads !!!!
Toon till I die
Stardust
Feb 17, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Comment #18It strikes me that to be a Newcastle Fan that you have to be a qualified Witch Hunter. Something is always wrong, somone is not doing their job and we must get rid of whoever it is. that person goes then the hunt for the next Witch comes along.
Many so called fans disgust me – they arent supporters, they are the type of people who just drag everyone down around them. Personally I will be glad to see the back of them away from the club so we can fill their seats with real supporters and a better class of person.
Born Again Geordie
Feb 17, 2009 at 11:19 AM
Comment #19Any predictions for Sunday anyone ?
I am going for 3 – 1 to the toon. Think Everton will miss Cahill and if we can contain Arteta – well – Happy days 3 more points in the bag.
Plus our home record against them is good !
GM
Feb 17, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Comment #20My 3 year subscription is cancelled, I rang the club up said I was redundant and couldnt pay the DD. Had to pay the difference, £45.
punk skunk...
Feb 17, 2009 at 11:26 AM
Comment #21Let’s just SUPPORT the team out of this struggle & move on!..
…Walkin’ away will solve nothin’ & anyway, how ya’ gonna walk away from your heritage?..
…Newcastle United will always be the lifeblood of the city!..
…Ho’way the Lads, forever, come what may!..
punk skunk...
Feb 17, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Comment #22Bye then GM!..
Sav
Feb 17, 2009 at 11:37 AM
Comment #23Stardust, I know you’re an Ashley fan, but if you think there’s nothing wrong at NUFC, you are certainly in the minority. Probably a minority of one.
Can we also have a thread without sociopathic comments about ‘a better class of person’, overblown language like, ‘so-called fans disgust me’ , and repeated disparaging remarks about the intellectual capacity of contributors with whom you disagree?
You can come across like some retired Boer War colonel who regrets the demise of summary floggings and the time when fuzzy-wuzzies and downstairs staff knew their place.
Pons Aelius
Feb 17, 2009 at 12:36 PM
Comment #24I agree that their is definitely something wrong with Newcastle at the moment, but I don’t see how walking away from the club in it’s our of need will help.
If you can’t afford a season ticket then fair enough. But otherwise please stick with the team.
Pons Aelius
Feb 17, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Comment #25Sorry ‘hour of need’ haha!
Little Willie
Feb 17, 2009 at 12:43 PM
Comment #26So Newcastle fans are not the most loyalist supporters the World has ever had then?
bettyswollocks
Feb 17, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Comment #27no fear of me giving mine up. it gets me out the house and away from the mrs for a day. if nowt else – whether the toon play great or crap (more often) – it’s a good enough excuse to stagger in the front door stinking of kebab and stale beer late in the evening.
Sav
Feb 17, 2009 at 1:26 PM
Comment #28Not stop going. The fact they are worrying about the threat of it may be enough. If everyone is signed up for years in advance you could see how it could make the management complacent.
Doocey
Feb 17, 2009 at 1:37 PM
Comment #29Reduce the price, Sunderland have. £20 pound for a season ticket now I believe?
Ericles
Feb 17, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Comment #30I will follow the team regardless of who is playing, managing, or cocking up. It is “wire in the blood”. Ever since a bairn I have felt the heart lift every time I saw the stripes play. So there.
Toon Down Under
Feb 18, 2009 at 2:13 AM
Comment #31The biggest issue at NUFC besides the global financial crisis, is the boards management of the club finances, & the fans are sick of bailing the club out of trouble through season tickets!
Crap players on high wages, is what has got the club into this mess.
After this past transfer window, I think the club did okay with what they achieved. But the club needs to throw some toon youngstars into the first team to see what needs to be invested in during the summer!
lesh
Feb 18, 2009 at 8:41 AM
Comment #32Ah ha! The penny’s finally dropped that the club’s supported by loyal fans who are also paying customers that can choose to spend theire hard-earned money elswhere!
Forgive me Stardust, but it’s taken long enough for Llambias to realise that customer dis-satisfaction and the resultant threat to the club’s revenue stream were ineviable given this season’s debacle. It should have been obvious to the Board long ago and that prospect should have been factord into their decision-=making process!!
Fresh // Feb 17, 2009 at 10:24 AM, the fans can barter – it’s called the threat of a boycott on renewals ’til there’s some changes made at the top!!
It’s all for the good and will threaten the so calledfive year plan and make them think, or should make them think!
magpieboy6
Feb 18, 2009 at 10:59 AM
Comment #33Doocey,
£20 for a Sunderland season ticket?
I’ve told you a million times, don’t exaggerate!Come on, let’s be realistic. We all know it’s £20 for a FAMILY season ticket (and we all know how big their families are..)