Newcastle United have began the process of taking the signs down at their famous St. James’ Park Stadium.
Workers dismantle St. James’ Park sign
Owner Mike Ashley renamed the ground as the Sports Direct Arena in November, after the company he owns and founded, and we hope he’s paying a lot for that privilege.
And whenever Newcastle are playing at home and are on TV, the only signs you can see on the ground are those of Sports Direct – all over the place – so we have to assume Mike Ashley is getting worldwide advertising for his company, at the expense of the club he purchased in the summer of 2007.
The name change of last November was met with vast disapproval by both the Newcastle fans and the Newcastle City Council, who have refused to change the signs to the Stadium.
The St. James’ Park sign will be replaced by Sport Direct Arena signs, but the taking down of the famous name of the Stadium is being met with mass disapproval in Newcastle.
The workers who have been tasked with removing the signs, are even coming in for some barracking, but of course it’s nothing to do with them, they are just doing their jobs.
We suppose Ashley and Derek LLambias are still waiting for a sponsor to come along to pay for the naming rights, but that will mean the name of the Stadium will be continually changed for the length of time each company sponsors the new name of St. James’ Park.
And we suppose the delay in changing the signs was that the Newcastle hierarchy may have been hoping for a sponsor to come along, and no such sponsor has arrived – at least not yet.
The magnificent St. James’ Park shown here via an aerial view
We’ll continue to call the ground what it’s been called for over 120 years – St. James’ Park – and at least that will remain the generic name of the Stadium forever.
And that will not change, even though the “official” name of the Stadium may change – continuously we might add – through the years ahead.
But of course that name is fleeting, and St. James’ Park will live on forever.
At least on this blog it will.
Comments welcome.
196 comments so far
eastend toon
Feb 16, 2012 at 4:58 PM
Comment #1the letters up for auction and money given to charity??
GeordieCoaster
Feb 16, 2012 at 4:58 PM
Comment #2Just seen the usual Chronicle comment when Ashley does something bad.
“The normal crowd will twist on about it! They wont protest they wont do anything except still put money in Ashleys pocket! If they really want to do something boycott ashley altogether!”
Happens every time.
Geordiedoonsooth
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:00 PM
Comment #3What a sad day I know Ashley has done some good things for the club but I am afraid as an expat Geordie living doon sooth it will always be St James’ Park. I am gutted I hope Fat Tw*t & Lamears* are proud of themselves. St. James’ Park forever.
Ibizatoon
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:01 PM
Comment #4Won’t tight ass re-use some of the letters to save some funds on the new signs?
VanToonMan
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:04 PM
Comment #5Hate to sound fickle….but if we finish 4th or 5th this season….especially 4th…..I won’t be too annoyed with the owners or anyone part of the club for that matter.
Ibizatoon
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:07 PM
Comment #6Vantoon…..no one will ever be happy with the same change. However there isn’t too much we can do about it. As far as most of us are concerned it will always be St James’. 4th or 5th and I think we’ll all have to acknowledge there doing something right here at St James’ Park!
Ibizatoon
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:08 PM
Comment #7I shouldn’t say “we’ll all”…as that will never happen. I’ll change it to “all right minded people will have to acknowledge there doing something right here at St James’ Park!”
pbNcl
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:13 PM
Comment #8I don’t feel well. Why does the fat man always go too far and fuxk things up. Remember dennis wise, fatman? Mistake. And this is a mistake I don’t believe he will recover from. Even if we get champions league football, this is history the fatman is fuxking with and he has a bloody cheek. Horrible creature
GeordieCoaster
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:13 PM
Comment #9Anyone want to guess how many posts until a debate over a certain player starts again?
Ibizatoon
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:18 PM
Comment #10Now you’ve said that…one or two GeordiCoaster
Rowan Milsted
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:18 PM
Comment #11GeordieCoaster
Probably 5 minutes… it’s so boring now. Same arguments going round and round… nothing new to say on the matter. Very annoying. I’ve actually stopped using the blog so much recently because it’s so boring.
Rowan Milsted
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:19 PM
Comment #12And that picture of the sign coming off leaves a sick taste in my mouth. Horrible. SJP forever!
Ibizatoon
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:20 PM
Comment #13Isn’t it up to us to start discussing something else then? I get your point…however…we’re as bad discussing when it’s going to start again as they are for continually discussing it
VanToonMan
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:22 PM
Comment #14Anyone think that Arsenal away are genuinely beatable when we play them with our big boys back (apart from Tayls and Marv)…I mean I know milan are a different class but arsenals defence look shocking!
MacToon
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:27 PM
Comment #15Good on you Ed and let’s not forget the land the stadium is built on IS and ALWAYS will be St. James’ Park.
Not 1 penny from his cruddy shop for this advertising, infact I had been told that NUFC paid for the sign on the Gallowgate roof! Not sure how true that is though but wouldn’t surprise me.
Ibizatoon
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:28 PM
Comment #16Of course we “can” beat them. Depends on which teams turn up and that applies to both them and us
Ibizatoon
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:29 PM
Comment #17Mactoon….wouldn’t shock me either…right bloody p*ss take if it is true
Dondatta13
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:32 PM
Comment #18Ahhh Man….
That’s put me off my tea.
spitfire_
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:32 PM
Comment #19I don’t mind to change stadium’s name or remove of that sign but not for free… I want to know what the fat bastard will do it after 2 years failure of finding new sponsor… I guess nothing.
VanToonMan
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:35 PM
Comment #20Coral have us 14/1 to finish top 4…think a cheeky bet is worth it!
jonnymcdonald
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:35 PM
Comment #21Fat Bastard off at it again. I am surprised thats its took this long to take it down to be honest! Doesn’t matter what he does its always SJP!
check the toastie
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:36 PM
Comment #22I like Man Utd’s team, will win the league that, would have defo won it if Vidic was fit, we may winge about taylor but he is a similar miss for them, even though they do have back up. ( he is the best at what he does),
As for taking the signs down, its just ashleys long term plan, he doesnt really care for the present, he sees it as a long term project, thats why he gave no thought to putting Kinnear in charge, its a small part of his business empire, simple as that, doesnt give a fock, but in running the club like he has he maybe has saved it from a Glasgow Rangers position, for me i think we would now be in deep sh1t if FS was still in charge, im hoping in time after a little success Ashley will grow to love the toon and invest a little more to make us genuine title contenders, optimistic but you never know.
People have short memories, best season for a dozen years plus the prospect of better to come, (hate to say it with or without Ben Arfa).
It is not the end of the club if Arfa leaves (we now have some real talent at the club, and if pardew is stuck on 442 then maybe benny only plays if Ba is unavaliable, in a 10 role), cant believe it would be for football reasons hes not picked, for me its pardews only criticism, for the most part he has picked the strongest team, must be something going on behind scenes for me, so people need to cut pardew some slack (Arfa has stated he DOESNT want to play on the wing, tough sh1t, he sits on the bench. Unless he embraces wing play then hes clearly out the door.
jonnymcdonald
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:37 PM
Comment #23@vantoonman
I thought the whopper of a performance against Spurs would have made people a bit more realistic! I honestly don’t think we are good enough for 4th. Would love it but still think 5th or 6th will be a extraordinary season!
Rowan Milsted
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:38 PM
Comment #24Ibizatoon
Good point, there’s a certain irony there…
This was inevitable so there’s no point in getting upset all over again, but it’s still such a sore point. It embarrasses me whenever people bring it up. On the bright side, a win against Wolves and then the Scum will put this, and the 5-0 hammering, firmly at the back of my mind (for a while, at least). If we can win those two games, get maybe a point at Arsenal and then beat Norwich at home and we will be in a very good position.
check the toastie
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:48 PM
Comment #25Would love to finish 4th this year but 14/1 is spot on, our back 4 is liable to get stripped by anyone with pace, i look at simpson and williamson down our right hand side and i am not confident they can cope with either Jarvis/Doyle/Fletcher or Mclean/Sessegnon/campbell.
That is the part of our team any decent manager will be targeting, and sure as sh1t Pardew will not change it, we will have a bit of a rollercoaster over the next few games for me, concede one score, one type of games, fingers crossed.
Benton Toon Exile
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:50 PM
Comment #26check the toastie – Fella dont believe all the without Ashley we would be broke crap because it isn’t true.
We had debts as any corporate business has, and had the ability to service them.
Mind, he’s better than Ken Bates. Well sorry, he is Ken Bates with more money.
MagPieMan
Feb 16, 2012 at 5:56 PM
Comment #27Only been to a few games since the name change but, have the fans been singing about it?
check the toastie
Feb 16, 2012 at 6:00 PM
Comment #28Benton – personally i think Fat Sam would have got us relegated under FS, and there after we would have crumbled into the dust, just like leeds, however Ashley came around and remember this he sacked Fat Sam and payed him up in full, keegan for me kept us up that year, must have been an eye opener to pay FSA and his cronies off even though they were totally sh1te, slowly but surely he s getting most things right.
catchy in norway
Feb 16, 2012 at 6:01 PM
Comment #29welcome to sports direct arena, now situanted on white hart lane road
while your here why dont you have a drink in klinsmnas our new bar, match days are always popular, you can chose one of our lovley stands, jimmy grieves north stand or the pat jennings west stand most poopular
we used to play in black and white , but nowadays, its all white, such a happy color,
i hope you enjoy your visit and do come back again
soon
micheal ashley
tomtoon7
Feb 16, 2012 at 6:03 PM
Comment #30total disgrace actions by ashley,e is a COCK!! so doya think Ben Arfa will start a game soon? lol…. HWTL.ALWAYS&FOREVER I’LL GO WATCH THE TOON IN ST.JAMES PARK!!
check the toastie
Feb 16, 2012 at 6:04 PM
Comment #31Magpieman- nope, not a murmour, and no ashley chanting all year funny enough, pretty gud atmosphere barring all the groans for obertan, but even the posts on here declaring obertan has been getting loads of flack, he hasnt, just disapointed groans ive heard, and the odd d1ckhead who calls obertan from the first kick of the ball.
Anyway, im going to watch Ajax man utd and scout some players for the toon, scout report at half time.
catchy in norway
Feb 16, 2012 at 6:07 PM
Comment #32can i just say on the positions we could get and the ones pardew is aimning for
right now . 4th is realistic, he just has to be more bold and let the players play football, keep the likes of obertan and perch as far away from the first team as possible
but i think pardew is just heading for the top 10, and if he gets top ten he will class that as a great achievment,
now i dont know about you lot, but last year we were 2 mins away from finishing 9th, and with his new players the club brought in, i would consider 8th 9th just standing still, not moving forward,,
sorry il never be a pardew fan, or an ashley fan
joppadoni
Feb 16, 2012 at 6:09 PM
Comment #33dunno why peeps find this a suprise. ofc they’d take down the sign :S durr. i see the fatman remarks from the immature are out again as well… bah i hate the fact some supporters are utterly useless at invention. bores me reading your posts.
catchy i find you to be the least irritating of the people on here who irritate me. mainly coz i can tell you require special attention at your day care centre.
whole thing is blown out of proportion, after all its just lettering on the side of a wall. go get pissed and fight yourself.
jonnymcdonald
Feb 16, 2012 at 6:12 PM
Comment #34@catchy do we have a new nickname too?
joppadoni
Feb 16, 2012 at 6:13 PM
Comment #35i dont think 4th is not realistic either catchy. by the way your name is catchy… O_o
anyways id be happy to win 5 of our remaining games. id also like to see tiote, cabaye improve generally to the excellance that everyone thinks they play at, and williamson never repeat the performance against spurs.
super magpie
Feb 16, 2012 at 6:13 PM
Comment #36The Ajax defender Vertoghnen is playing tonight, he’s been linked with us, hope he’s as good as people say he is.
geoff777
Feb 16, 2012 at 6:15 PM
Comment #37I would have preferred no name change.
But Mike Ashley owns the stadium so he’s entitled to call it what he likes.
I hope he pays a good amount in advertising revenue to NUFC as he doesn’t own all of Sports Direct and on paper they are two different companies.
catchy in norway
Feb 16, 2012 at 6:17 PM
Comment #38joppadoni // Feb 16, 2012 at 6:09 PM
thanks man, i try 😉
i guess your one of those ppl who dont really care about what you watch, as long as you can say you support newcastle,
i guess you dont mind being lied to time after time
im also sorry that us on here irritate you so much because we only want to see our team progress and not be held back
catchy in norway
Feb 16, 2012 at 6:18 PM
Comment #39jonnymcdonald // Feb 16, 2012 at 6:12 PM
yeh
the cockrels
jonnymcdonald
Feb 16, 2012 at 6:20 PM
Comment #40@catchy
shame because i thought spurs had a good ring to it!