It looks like the Times and George Caulkin, one of the best journalists around on Newcastle, seem to be getting the inside track on what is happening with the sale of the club.
The current leadership at Newcastle United
It was in fact the Times and not the Journal who first reported the deal will likely go through this weekend, and a formal announcement made early to mid next week.
And the Times believe they know the timeline of the deal:
- Keith Harris will receive formal bids for Newcastle today. Ashley is seeking £100M for the club, but there are several complicated factors, including the continuing legal case between Newcastle and former manager Kevin Keegan.
- By Thursday or Friday, Harris should be in position to offer Ashley his recommendation. Ashley will likely accept the highest bid, although Harris, a football man, unlike Ashley, is aware of his responsibilities to the Newcastle club. again unlike Ashley.
- A formal announcement could then come Tuesday or Wednesday next week
- Alan Shearer supposedly could then be appointed within a couple of days following the formal announcement, and could be in place for the trip to play the first pre-season friendly at Shamrock Rovers in Dublin, a week on Saturday.
We were told that the two consortia that have seemingly pulled into the lead, although it’s not clear one of them is headed by Freddy Shepherd, are both believed to want Alan as manager, so we have to think that includes the American consortium, who seem to be in the lead right now.
One of the things that Keith Harris had done really well, is to somehow keep the identities of all bidding groups secret, and we still don’t have too much idea who the four consortia are, although best guesses have been made of course.
There has been some negative feedback from yesterday that Freddy Shepherd would be taking over the club, and we think it would be better if we made a fresh start, and let some new consortia come in and rebuild the club.
If the Americans win, look for them to appoint Alan as manager, a good Chairman, and then let them get on with it. That’s much like what the Glazer family did at Manchester United, and Randy Lerner did at Aston Villa.
While Alan Shearer failed to get the 6 points in 8 games that it turned out we needed to stay up, he put in place some discipline and other procedures, that seemed to be sadly missing at the training ground.
And with Iain Dowie and Paul Ferris he started to turn the club upside down, for the better, in the 8 weeks he had control of the club. If he becomes manager he will make Newcastle a big draw for players, and hopefully will soon get the club back to the Premier League.
Alan still has everything to prove on the coaching front, and that will be to the club’s advantage, as he presses ahead to try to get the team promoted in his first season in charge, with help of Iain Dowie of course.
It’s only Mike Ashley’s stubbornness that has left Alan on the sidelines for over 5 weeks now, and that has again plunged the club into complete disarray, and now in danger of not being properly prepared for the upcoming season – an important one to say the least.
Shades of last summer all over again.
Comments welcome.
52 responses so far ↓
1 RyanToon // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:10 AM
sorry but i give up my hope
2 Stuart79 // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:13 AM
I respect Caulkin I just want it finished.
3 Eaststander // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:13 AM
We Are on The BBC against West Brom!!!
4 WELSHMAG // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:15 AM
yeah bbc against west brom, then again away to ipswitch, then on sky vs cardiff! wow! I’ll get to see more games than when we were in the prem!
5 hitman // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:19 AM
oba hasnt sowd up for training
6 hitman // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:19 AM
showed
7 Midlandmagpie // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Turned our beloved club into a laughing stock all over the country and world iv lost hope now nothing ever goes rite for us MA doesnt know how to run a club for sh** cant believe were in this mess tbh i wont be surprised if it gets worse sorry for the selfpity i cant help it it feels like my hearts been ripped from my chest
8 Stuart79 // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:22 AM
When the day finally comes that Ashley goes I think they should televise the removal of that ridiculous Sports Direct sign over the gallowgate.
9 RyanToon // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:30 AM
hitman
he wasnt expected to be back as he was involved in internationals
10 shrews mag // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:32 AM
problem is we are now all pinning our hopes on next Tuesday or Wednesday … on the basis of a newspaper article where the reporter is guessing
Just a point … but they have been wrong before (in fact in terms of speculation it would easier to cite the few occassions when they have been right)
patience is required … but of course I hope that the article is right about the timing and the appointment of AS
11 Eaststander // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:32 AM
Aye Stu I cant wait to see the back of that f**king sign the cheap pathetic bastard. I Think it will be better than winning the Champions Leauge when he finally signs the club over. I am going on the lash all weekend when he f**ks off
12 RyanToon // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:37 AM
andrew surman signed for wolves
one of our ”targets gone”
13 batty // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:40 AM
RyanToon // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:37 AM
andrew surman signed for wolves
one of our ”targets gone”
<<<< how do you know he was 1 of our targets m8
14 Prince Bassong // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:46 AM
Oba’s injured. He had an operation on his hernia at the end of the season and probably won’t be back to any sort of training for at least a couple of weeks if there are no complications.
15 batty // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:50 AM
my m8 who lives in stoke has just rang me and said martins is in stoke talking to peter coats and pulis and my m8 is best m8s with peter coates son
16 bowburnmag // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:53 AM
I’m going to make a bid myself. Ashley didn’t do any due diligence and he hasn’t faired too badly?
I let them know I had £100m the other week and they seemed happy with my monopoly notes and the mortgage I had against some hotels on Bond Street and Mayfair.
I’m a bit short like because I’ve just bought a bacon and egg sarnie this morning. As a result I’m going in at £13.20. Fairly low but I think Sheperd’s £60m is a bluff and I’ll be the only bidder.
I’ve got a tenner in the petty cash so we’ll be alreet for half-time oranges against Shamrock.
17 Rodzilla // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:56 AM
Stuart79 // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:22 AM
…and its ceremonial burning from the centre spot. But before we get too excited it could get replaced by something even worse!
18 Rodzilla // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Batty, my best mate’s Nana lives in Stoke, and her dog (Patch) knows Tony Pulis’s dog (Felix). He woofed Patch that Martins gave him a pork scratching yesterday morning.
19 RyanToon // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:03 AM
batty i mates with dowies son and shearer wanted him
20 batty // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:04 AM
Rodzilla // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Batty, my best mate’s Nana lives in Stoke, and her dog (Patch) knows Tony Pulis’s dog (Felix). He woofed Patch that Martins gave him a pork scratching yesterday morning.
<<< well there u are m8 so u know iam not bull shittin
21 batty // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:05 AM
ryan well my 2 targets have just signed for real madrid m8
22 Rodzilla // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:06 AM
23 RyanToon // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:08 AM
oh right batts
also my mates, brother said that he saw jonas outside the bernabeu whilst on holiday..
can you believe that?!?
24 bowburnmag // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:09 AM
Rodzilla // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:01 AM
“He woofed Patch”
Class.
25 cicero // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Lazy and conflicting journalism once again; the timeline hasn’t changed since the beginning of the process. No one knows anymore than they did 3-4 weeks ago about the consortiums (who they are and how many they are). The only 2 that we can make an educated guess about are the one fronted by Fat Freddie and the Profitable Group, both of whom have stated they were going to bid; as for the American group and the Sultan of Oman pure speculation on the part of the press and picked up by news starved fans. So what are the facts we actually know:
1. Ashley put the club up for sale at £100m
2. Appointed Seymour Pierce to conduct the sale
3. Interested parties had to show they could raise the £100m asking price by the 17th June.
4. The Data Room opens for potential bidders to review the financial state of the club.
5. First of July formal bid to be lodged with Seymour Pierce
6. Seymour Pierce recommend buyer to Mike Ashley
7. (and this is the big one) Ashley agrees the sale.
In reality this timeline is very short to buy a £100m business, but once again because it is being done professionally and confidentially the press make up any old story. All we can do is wait although it would be nice for an official update from Seymour Pierce.
26 hitman // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:18 AM
http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_5408952,00.html
27 Chris G // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:20 AM
‘…If the Americans win, look for them to appoint Alan as manager’
Hope you’re right Ed, but I’m still thinking about something I read in yesterday’s Guardian:
‘…While two consortiums are believed to comprise largely UK-based businessmen, the other – at this stage regarded as the most likely to end up buying Ashley out – is from overseas. Two of the three, including that fronted by Freddy Shepherd, Newcastle’s former chairman, would install Alan Shearer as manager but one consortium remains unsure about the former England captain’s suitability.’
If there is a consortium that’s unsure about Shearer’s suitability, isn’t it more likely that it’s the one from overseas?
28 Rodzilla // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:24 AM
bowburnmag, Felix also speaks Human Spanish, Russian and English but mi mate’s Nana’s dog ain’t too bright
…reet sorry, some serious posts now. And I need to dee some walk
29 cicero // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:28 AM
‘…If the Americans win, look for them to appoint Alan as manager’
Ed, your getting as bad as the press. On what basis do you make this statement.
30 gorskino10 // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:29 AM
Come on sell the club QUICK so we can get Lita as backup striker who is FREE today and also from Adam Lallana from Southampton who will sell very cheap
.
31 cicero // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:29 AM
Goalkeeper Steve Harper was the first senior man to arrive this morning at 9am, closely followed by the likes of Nicky Butt, Alan Smith, Steven Taylor, Danny Guthrie, Kevin Nolan and Jose Enrique.
Striker Obafemi Martins, who has been linked with Stoke and Portsmouth in recent weeks, was a late arrival, although he did eventually turn up to continue his recovery from hernia surgery during the summer.
Five international players – Damien Duff, Sebastien Bassong, Jonas Gutierrez, Geremi and Xisco – have been given extra time because of their exertions with their countries since the end of last season, while Michael Owen, Mark Viduka, Claudio Cacapa, Peter Lovenkrands, David Edgar and Ignacio Gonzalez were all out of contract at midnight last night.
32 batty // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:40 AM
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/4468291.Shepherd_Tyneside_mystery/
33 Ross // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:41 AM
just looking for all of this to be finished pretty quickly, as its really starting to boil my p!$$ like!
Glad to see everyone who should have been there apparently did turn up at training (if that article is to be beleived), would have been typical of yet another embarrassing NUFC moment that only Harper and Taylor would turn up and just have to pass a ball between them for half an hour or somethin,lol.
Stuart79 // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:22 AM
When the day finally comes that Ashley goes I think they should televise the removal of that ridiculous Sports Direct sign over the gallowgate.
Agreed, Stuart. It would be to us, what the tearing down of the Saddam Hussein statue was, to Baghdad! haha
34 estechco // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:45 AM
Cicero – Wise words, but I think your No 5 could be the big one!
35 sahota // Jul 1, 2009 at 11:55 AM
I just want end to all these stories. Hopefully we might listen something next week. But this is going on like anything. I am so much frustrated that sometime don’t find courage to even come here and comment and share my pain. I think all Newcastle fans are just praying all this should come to end as soon as possible
36 Chris G // Jul 1, 2009 at 12:01 PM
Hey, what’s all this stuff about Felix the dog? It’s just more inaccurate reporting on this site! Everybody knows that Felix is really a cat -
‘… you and your cat named Felix… both wrapped up in that double helix…that’s what we call intelligent design’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpNoQaB2LT0
37 chuck // Jul 1, 2009 at 12:24 PM
On a different tack, read where David O`Leary would be interesred in the managers job.
Talk about the sublime to the ridiculess, here`s a guy who through his spending at Leeds was mainly responsible for the decline and bankrupcy of a formerly great club.
He has the nerve to recently criticise MO`N. at Villa, a teamwhich he also ran into the ground before being fired, talk about Hutzpah !
Dont let this guy anywhere near St.James`s.
38 tooneskimo // Jul 1, 2009 at 12:28 PM
IT’S unOFFICIAL !!!
NUFC HAS not yet BEEN SOLD!!!
NEW OWNERS probably not
ANNOUNCED TODAY!!!!
39 Doocey // Jul 1, 2009 at 12:29 PM
David O’Leary lol
40 Johno Toon // Jul 1, 2009 at 12:30 PM
But chuck your forgettin david o leary doesnt want to be playing gold david o leary needs to be working! lol what a knob
41 Pons Aelius // Jul 1, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Chuck – I agree that O’Leary is not the man for the job but the spending problem was mainly down to Peter Risdale.
I’ll never forget the story from Seth Johnson when he said he walked into the boardroom with Risdale, crossing his fingers for £18k per week and Risdale came out with an opening offer of £30k per week! He bit his hand off.
42 WELSHMAG // Jul 1, 2009 at 12:52 PM
I actually feel sick when I see a picture of them two muppets.
Quite gutted ’bout Loevenkrands, he’s a good player with a little bit of class, prem quality and would do very well in the championship. I’m sure some of the lower clubs would love him, what do we do? tell him to not bother turning up via a letter. jesus!
43 Ross // Jul 1, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Welshmag-what happened with lovenkrands like? and where did you hear about it?
44 lesh // Jul 1, 2009 at 1:02 PM
Aye Welshmag, they’re good aren’t they.
When they should communicate, they don’t.
When they do communicate, they do it in such a cack handed fashion.
As for Peter L, they’ve tried to be professional but have again shown their ineptness!
The sooner we have regime change, the better.
45 lesh // Jul 1, 2009 at 1:04 PM
Here ye go Ross, it’s in teh Chrin.
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/07/01/united-axe-winger-peter-lovenkrands-by-letter-72703-24041903/
46 batty // Jul 1, 2009 at 1:05 PM
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/07/01/united-axe-winger-peter-lovenkrands-by-letter-72703-24041903/
47 Macas35 // Jul 1, 2009 at 1:07 PM
Who’s to say that it wasn’t Shearer that suggested not offering Lovenkrands a new contract? He was hopeless on the wing and while he looked half decent up front he was nothing special. I seem to remember him missing one or two sitters as well.
48 Big Dave // Jul 1, 2009 at 1:08 PM
Lads it said on 5 live that oba was the last one in for training but he is there
49 punk skunk... // Jul 1, 2009 at 1:12 PM
How Macas,
stop bein’ optimstic mate, it’s all doom & gloom remember!..
50 punk skunk... // Jul 1, 2009 at 1:13 PM
How Big Dave,
stop bein’ optimistic, it’s all doom & gloom, remember!..
51 geordie deb // Jul 1, 2009 at 1:34 PM
Surely Lovenkrands should have been expecting it. He was full of talk a few weeks ago that he wanted to play for a premiership team, his agent was checking out options etc. His temporary contract finised, it’s not been renewed so what. Shearer must have identified him a few weeks ago in his ‘list’ as someone he didn’t want. He’s probably found no-one else wanted him either so he was hoping to stay put. I’m not sure why people think Laurel and Hardy would change the habit of a lifetime and suddenly start communicating with people. In the grand scheme of thinks I’m not bothered.
52 AndyT // Jul 1, 2009 at 2:15 PM
I’m not going to bother getting excited about anything. I’m just gonna wait for it to happen. If i put a date on it, i know that nothing will happen.
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