The Newcastle United Blog

99 responses so far ↓

• 1 jesperfuglsang // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:05 AM

  Repost

  Ibiza…sorry mate had to run earlier so didn’t have time to say good morning to you too mate

  …I honestly don’t know enough about Hooper to make a fair evaluation, although I don’t rate the SPL higher than the Danish Superliga (and I don’t rate Shane Long that high either)…come to think of it there isn’t really that many British forwards within our price range that I rate.

  But as you say if he’s cheap why not

  Santon…Honestly I cannot see our situation defense-wise is any different come Junuary than it was back in August. Can’ see how you have come to that conclusion.

  I think Simmo will be a discussion once again with his contract running out.

  About Fergy, I don’t think I have said he has been out on loan; I was talking about our youngsters and I said some a impressed me (Fergy, Sameobi and Bigi). I still think we should loaned out the majority of you youngsters and signed 2-3 players in August.

  I won’t change my ming one bit about that mate. That was my opinion back in the summer and still is.

  That is where I think the club has gambled (a gamble I wouldn’t had taken); but then again it is not my decision!

  JFA…http://www.victoriastation.it/

• 2 Deadpool // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:11 AM

  Big money but we will never see any of it being spent on players. Just ‘reinvested’ back into the club.

  As I have said before many of you cannot see the problems that the financial fair play rules will bring.

  If clubs can only spend what they make then the top clubs can spend hundreds of millions still where as we can spend 10′s. It doesn’t do anything but monopolise football.

  There needs to be a cap on spending so that our fat owner actually gives us half a chance.

  Until then all the money will be given to the youth programme which will see all the promising youngsters nurtured, given a chance and the best ones being sold on for huge profit whilst we languish in mid table mediocrity until the day Ashley suffers a coronary or a decent offer for the club comes in.

• 3 jawballsaswallwell // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:13 AM

  8 million a season and St James’ back you say Ed,. I’m starting shift a little uneasily on my high horse for some reason.

• 4 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:19 AM

  All the Ashly haters keep goin on about any good player will b sold for huge profit were is your evidence of this?
  We sold Andy Carroll for 35mill tell me which football club/chairman/owner/manager wouldn’t have taken 35mill for Andy Carroll, he’s barely worth 12mill now let alone when we sold him Christ he’s gone out loan, tell me which other 35mil player in the world do u see being sent on loan within a season

  U all see say he never buys well our entire squad was bought by Ashly apart from the a few like harps, krul, staylor n shola

• 5 spitfire_ // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:19 AM

  54.2 mill only for finishing 5th? Is that with the money from live coverage or it’s only the money to take the 5th place in the end of the season? As you put it Ed, it sound like the second one.

• 6 TOONROSE // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:22 AM

  I could be wrong but I don’t believe we received £54.2m for finishing 5th.

  As I understand it, we receive a percentage throughout the year depending on how many of our games are broadcasted on TV, along with a standard percentage for coverage shown on highlight-programs such as MOTD. In addition each team then receives an amount based on their final league standing.

  To the best of my knowledge, these figures range between £6-18m respectively. So whilst we may have generated £54.2m over the course of the year, it wasn’t simply for finishing 5th. Finishing 5th will have simply made the difference as to the final gross annual payout we received between £45m – 60m (approx).

  My point therefore being that the 70% uplift may not be on that total figure. It may simply be on the proportion of that figure that comes from live coverage and may not include the figure that each team receives for their final league standing.

  A bit pedantic, but hey, we could be talking £5-10m difference to what Ed has suggested, which is essentially 2 of Graham Carr’s Super Stars!

• 7 Deadpool // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:22 AM

  Davybtoon

  The proof is in the method of the club we are following, Arsenal.

  The reason we have yet to sell for massive profit is in the fact we have not had the talent to sell at massive profit before.

  Now we have a treasure chest and we will see who ends up where in the summer of 2013.

  Andy Carrol was the start, it’s the Arsenal blue print without the quality of football and the challenging for honours.

• 8 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:24 AM

  Of course top clubs will come in for the likes of ba, cabaye, hba, tiote but that’s bcoz there class players, and the question is will any club pay the top prices we will ask for them tiote been here 2 seasons now and the press n the doubters keep spouting he will b sold but yet 3/4 windows later he’s still a toon player
  Don’t really back up what ppl say about Ashly does it

• 9 Sav // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:25 AM

  Its making the parsimony shown last summer in refusing to buy the defenders we need even worse. By the time the January window opens, we’ll have lost further ground.on that 92 million pot for 5th place.
  And Ed, I thought you were of the opinion that the Wonga deal was NOT particularly lucrative?

• 10 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:28 AM

  Deadpool – we ain’t got the talent tiote, cabaye, hba n if its youth krul who is a product of our youth system

  As for challenging for titles or cups why is u lot fail to blame Shepard n hall who failed to seize the moment in the 90s when we could of become the dominant force in English football that was our chance n they blew it big time

• 11 Dannyo // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:31 AM

  We got relegated unde MA, right, that obviously leaves scars.
  But the last 3 years we’ve improved facilities, youth setup, players, finances and results on the pitch.
  Yes, we got relegated and he changed the name of our stadium, both which has been rectified, with interest.

  Why the massive hostility? Why not take a season at a time instead of a window, game, whatever, before one decides to judge?

• 12 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:32 AM

  But let’s face it with kk in charge we were never gonna win the prem the guy is serial bottler, he is master at getting clubs promoted but that’s it
  Shepard should of moved heaven n earth to get sir bobby in earlier n we would of won the league with him

• 13 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:36 AM

  Dannyo can you really expect fans who hate Ashly to take it a season at a time when there way is best after all the have such a great track record of thinking they knowing what is best turning on sir bobby when were top6, turning on kk when he sold cole
  Yes these are the same fans who now call Ashly u know what there major problem is they thought they had voice bcoz if they moaned Shepard responded now no own listens to them they don’t like it

• 14 q8igeordie // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:39 AM

  im with davybtoon on this one…..i dont get all the ashley haters out there …. since i started watching the toon … this is the best team we have had… imagine this team under sir bobby.. although pardew is a decent coach

• 15 q8igeordie // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:40 AM

  @13 agree … the same fans were a major reason for our relegation …

• 16 Wor Shearer // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:41 AM

  So does this mean we can a new CB in January….? or will Lambsass tell us we still don’t have any money?

• 17 q8igeordie // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:42 AM

  lambias has been talking sh*t since he has been here… but we never missed a window without buying atleast one player

• 18 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:44 AM

  And for anyone who can’t understand why Ashly is trying to run the club properly just look at the wonga deal 8mill a season our biggest in the clubs history. Well man utd have training kit sponsor bigger than our shirt seal, they’ve just signed a shirt deal worth £350mill over 7year

  We’re a big club in this country but were small club over the world n ppl wonder why pardew says we can’t compete financially jus look at those figures that’s why, where no even close to likes of man utd n co with terms of finance they can bring in world wide

• 19 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:55 AM

  I mean come on the Ashly haters go on about the kk n shepard era like it was some great era we played good football n that was it we won the championship n had European football well guess what under Ashly we’ve won the championship n got European football he’s achieved exactly the same as that great period everyone goes on about

• 20 q8igeordie // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:57 AM

  they always hide after talking so much sh*t

• 21 jesperfuglsang // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:58 AM

  But Davy…Spurs bring in more than twice as much as us in revenue and Liverpool more than three times the amount. Surely than ain’t right?

  …nobody over here cares about Spurs (globally I cannot see them being a bigger brand than Newcastle)

  I don’t know if the Wonga deal is great or not, but £8M sounds a bit low for both shirt and nameing rights! Don’t you think? And since Big Fat Mike won’t remove the SD logo from SJP, maybe he should pay as anyone else. He is a bit of a hypocrit if you ask me.

• 22 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 11:58 AM

  Oh and yes Shepard n hall sold all our best players so stop acting like its something that only happens under Ashly, yes Shepard bought players but over rated over paid over the hill players which eventually cost, we now spend smartly n young talented hungry players

• 23 q8igeordie // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:03 PM

  @21 .. i heard that they removed the SD signs … they went back to St James

• 24 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:03 PM

  Jesper – some of our fans need to take there head out the sand when comes to how big they think we are.
  Yes we our huge n we have the potential to be one of the biggest I agree with all that but like u say spurs, Chelsea, arsenal, man city n man utd a miles ahead of us in terms of deals for cash were no even close, even Sunderland shirt deal is 12mil more a season than ours how is that right, bcoz when brands look at us they think we’re advertising to 50,000 were as brands look at those other teams n think we’re advertising world wide bcoz they have world wide fan base

• 25 q8igeordie // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:04 PM

  8 mil a season would get us 2 tiotes.. or two cabayes .. or even 8 demba bas

• 26 NEWEXPATMAGPIE // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:10 PM

  Will surprise if any of this Money is re-invested in the Club !

  Only last week we had Llambs Arse saying that their would less money spent on Transfers! We will have to make do with the Purple players we already have?

  All this big money coming in will go to making Fat Ashes Profit Margins bigger than they already are !

• 27 q8igeordie // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:13 PM

  @26 they said the same thing last year … we bought cisse for 8-10 mil .. and most of you were saying the same thing last year … you guys are like a broken record that always repeats itself ..

• 28 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:16 PM

  Q8igeordie – exactly they say the same things all the time, then when it doesn’t happen they go missing from the blog until there is a defeat they can moan about or something, they’ve said tiotes gone for the last 4 windows n he’s still here

• 29 q8igeordie // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:19 PM

  ashley and co are doing alot of right things … but they are also getting some decisions wrong …. they will learn from these of field mistakes… aslong as our team are progressing .. wether with 1 mil spent or 50mil spent .. i will back the team … and certainly i will back our chairman and owner

• 30 q8igeordie // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:23 PM

  the last 15 years were great but we werent progressing as a team … but now, with ashley and co., there seems to be a desire to progress and make NUFC a global brand that it should be … now if ashley decides to sell in 5 years time.. no broke man or woman would buy NUFC, unless they were insanley rich … always look at the bright side

• 31 beefman13 // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:29 PM

  MA owns our club he put the money down he makes the choices.

  we were in massive debt no doubt about that he has recovered that debt with an interest free loan that if he had of financed it privatly to some company would be costing us near the sponsorship money we are getting.

  So its ok when we are in massive debt and he pulls us out of it, and stops us going in to admiistration.

  but when things start looking Good at NUFC everyone wants to know which bank account MA is hiding all the money we are bringing in

  All moneys brought in to sjp will show on any audit that is going to take place, you build the business from within itself as Arsenal have done and you keep turning over playing staff maybe every 4/5/6 years but get max value from then first.

  We will do that expect some of our better players now to be gone within 2/3 seasons and we then fill their places with players who will be scouted to replace the ones left but will have that fresh hunger, while making big profits on the players that have left just as Arsenal do.

  Now how ever much MA walks away with eventually at the toon im not bothered as a plan was concieved and followed hopefully that meant we got to watch consistantly a top of the table team entertaining us be it in a sat, sun, mon, thursaday, or even tues and wed meaning champions league.

  Anything is possible with this system. for three seasons it has bared fruit why not continue on the up slope everyone at the club believes that and i do as well.

• 32 jesperfuglsang // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:31 PM

  Davy…that ‘unwashed’ shirt deal does surprise me! We need to be in Europe every year if we want to change how thw world sees our brand don’t you think!

  Q8…SD logo is still visible from within SJP and from bird eye view (and still for free)

• 33 q8igeordie // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:35 PM

  the wonga arena

• 34 Transfer Sage // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:35 PM

  Beefman

  Although I agree it was a good move by Ashley to replace bank loans with a personal interest free loan it isn’t a selfless deed.

  If nufc we paying interest and getting into further debt it would hurt him as well.

  As he owns the club he is paying bills and therefore he has basically just saved himself money, not just he club.

  If nufc goes under or racks up huge bills it comes out of his assets.

  So while I am glad he did this as it saves a reported 10 mil a year it isn’t out of the goodness of his heart, it’s to save himself money.

• 35 Rotonda heights // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:35 PM

  Great to follow the arsenal blueprint. trouble is we need an arsene wenger who’s done it for 15 years+

• 36 NEWEXPATMAGPIE // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:36 PM

  I,m still on the Blog ! And am not going any-where!

  I,m more positive than most on here ! And my Record aint broken? No amount of name calling or insult is going get me to give up the Blog or indeed the Club i,v supported since i was a Nipper !

  Lets just wait and see what happens in January eh!

• 37 ramboreilly // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:37 PM

  I have never heard so much crap in all my life davytoon.We all know what the halls and shepheards failings were,with the mediocre players we brought in,and the debt that was acrued.But to say that that whole period was a massive failure is pathetic.That 10 year period got us promoted,a whisker away from winning the league and in the top six seven times.We were only out of Europe once,and playing the best football we have ever played.
  A football stadium also had to be rebuilt almost from scratch as well as a training ground from scratch,we still have a long way to go to match those acheivments.

• 38 Ian Magpie // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:37 PM

  Davy…………… Sunderland a world wide brand????????? er I think not and as for Ashly and Co matching what the Shepheard and KK era did??? Again have we finnished prem runners up twice, FA cup runners up twice, Champions league etc etc etc1 Dont be so harsh on what the club achieved in the 90′s era. Yes the spending policy nearly broke us but you forget it also got us where we are today. Just look at the stadium around you. That was a result of the 90′s era! All that achieved from nothing! I went to games when we had 16,000 attendances and the club was on its knees! I was at Derby County away when we got stuffed 4-1 and we were on the brink of oblivion! I realise the financial legacy that was left was awful for the club and Ashley deserves some credit for stabalising us. But dont be so fast on knocking the 90′s era!

• 39 q8igeordie // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:40 PM

  @36 i dont think anyone insulted you … but if i did, then sorry.. it wasnt meant

• 40 jesperfuglsang // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:41 PM

  Rotonda…one important thing we still need to do to be sucessful with the Arsenal model is buying our replacements before we sell (hence the Ba and Simmo situation just to name a few),

  …in my book we are trying to copy Arsenal the Everton way (a bit difficult and very time consuming if you ask me). But we seem to have stability fot now and that’ll make happy for now

• 41 bollance // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:44 PM

  Ian

  Does davey not mean the fact we fell away after being right up there has cost us massive and we are paying for it now?

• 42 q8igeordie // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:47 PM

  @37 38 … no one said the 90′s wasnt a good era … davy was comparing between this era and the 90′s era … he has a point … in the end .. if 5th place in the worlds most competitive league against city, chelsea, spurs, united, liverpool, arsenal, and everton wasnt good for you last year … then 2nd place in a era where swansea could have won the league isnt good enough for me

• 43 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:47 PM

  Ian magpie the 90s was my era loved it but we achieved nothing but failure, that was our chance to dominate not only in the prem but Europe and we failed there is no hiding from it, at the end of the day they we won the championship n that’s it we’ve done that with Ashly

  I suppose my point is Ashly haters all moan saying we won’t achieve anything we won’t win anything well we’ve won exactly the same as what we did in the era they keep referring to

• 44 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:49 PM

  @36 I wasn’t really referring to you in general so apologises if u thought I was

• 45 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:52 PM

  Bollance – we fell away big style n that was down to Shepard mainly bcoz he listened to fans n sacked to many managers meaning no stability n huge turnover of players

  At the end of the day for all the cup Finals n second place finishes we achieved nothing

• 46 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:54 PM

  Q8 glad u see it the way it is, we could of dominated the 90s from the season we went up for about 7/8 year even longer bcoz winning the league then would of brought more money n more success but we failed and its that simple really

• 47 NEWEXPATMAGPIE // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:57 PM

  @39:

  Nah! I have no problem with anyone on here and feel free to bombard with names and insults! Par for the course on this Blog, if people can,t take it they would,nt be on!

  I,m just passionate about the Club and want us to actually win something substancial before i lose my marbles !
  1969 was a frigging long time ago you know, i was 9 then and spent most of my Teens stood in the Leazes end !

  No insult taken, but i still stick to what i said !

  We can have an efficient, profit winning, and successful club! With Top Players and a Top Manager!

  But it,s not going to mean Cock-all to me until we start winning things! ( and i don,t mean The Intertoto Cup!)

• 48 bollance // Oct 15, 2012 at 12:59 PM

  Davy

  You will probably agree with this. To compete with the top 4 on the pitch we need around 13-15 top players. In the two years since relegation we have the following top players,

  Krul
  Colo
  Santon?
  Tiote
  Cabaye
  Hba
  Cisse
  Ba

  Debatably we have 8 top class players in two seasons time only colo will be past his peak. Surely we can add another 6-7 top class players to that list in two seasons time. With the rate we are improving I believe that is possible.

  That would mean we had a whole team and subs of a top class standard presuming we do not cash in on any players. Probably we will but that will take the club to another level like the AC deal.

  Dont believe everything Dl says. His role is to manage the expectations of the fans.

• 49 Ian Magpie // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:00 PM

  Davy……..to say the 90′s was nothing but failure is a bit much though don’t you think! Ok we didn’t win anything but were you complaining at the time???? I wasn’t! Just look at where we were in the late 80′s and early 90′s. I well remember the watching dross like Rob McDonald, Mark Stimson and the like, ankle deep in pish from a delapidated Gallowgate end and then suddenly having one of the best grounds in Europe with fantastic football! The 90′s was a failure in terms of trophys won but was a huge success in my oppinion as far as how far that decade brought us back!!! Yes we fell away with wasted opportunities and a huge dept to boot but I was pleased with the 90′s era! Today has some way to go before the 90′s can be deemed a failure!!! As for today we have great potential, we just need patience to realise it! Good craic marra!

• 50 bollance // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:02 PM

  Davy

  Don’t worry, I witnessed shephard. When we signed up with northern rock and got the £25mil upfront for 5 seasons I think?? The first thing we did was go out and sign owen!

• 51 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:03 PM

  NewExPat…We’ve had some differences on here, but I must say your post @47 was spot on. Respect.

  Jesper….You still about?

  I still think for the money, Shane Long wouldn’t have been a bad option for us at the time. I don’t know much about Hooper, so any assessment on my part would be guess work. Tbh, with the difference between the leagues anybodies assessment on him would be guess work.

• 52 q8igeordie // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:04 PM

  @newexpat … i know what you mean … my twin brother is a man united fan … the only thing that would make happy right now .. is if we beat the mackems… it will really get our season going

• 53 MacToon // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:06 PM

  We have a new shirt deal with Wonga reportedly £24 mil over 4 years?

  Is this what is being widely reported?

• 54 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:06 PM

  Hi Ian…Back from your holiday? Hope you had a good one.

  I think the 90′s point that is trying to be made is that people seem to judge Ashley perhaps harsher than the management structure of the 90′s. Is ground work to take the club further being done? It would seem so (and I think you agree).

  Patience is needed and we certainly should question along the way. Some are a bit extreme however, but that can be said of pro and anti Ashley camps.

• 55 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:10 PM

  Ian magpie – agree the 90s wasn’t a failure in terms of enjoyment n building the stadium etc, but lets face it we should of dominated England n Europe we were that good yet we didn’t so has to b deemed a failure

  Bollance – agree we’re about 6 top players from a great team, but I think what fans have to remember is the likes of tiote were relatively unknown when bought so we could jus easily buy 6 more tiote type signing to get them top players, doesn’t mean we to go n buy players that are already established

• 56 q8igeordie // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:10 PM

  Mactoon .. its 8 mil a season so its 32 mil

• 57 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:12 PM

  Mactoon – reports range from 24mill to 38mill over 4 year, we also have the option of a further 2 year with them

• 58 beefman13 // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:13 PM

  Sage of course it benefits MA do do the loan on his terms but who wouldnt if they could do it again it makes sense.

  Off course not everyone could do that and maybe a big part of the reason pompey, and rangers, and leeds, boro, etc got the chop.

  WE should feel fortunate that our owner could do that for himself and for NUFC fans and all . i do without question i have always thought that, we has that facility they did not.

  SO love him or loathe the fella in charge without him we were one of the afore mentioned teams, meaning coca cola or below by now still after three seasons.

  We have things to be grateful for and playing in europe with world class player are some of them. im thankful for that i can tell you.

• 59 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:14 PM

  Ibiza we should of got Shane long for 6mil seen Iv with pards saying he wanted him n regrets no pursuing it

  As for hooper I’d sign him in an instant he’s poacher n Will score at any level

• 60 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:17 PM

  davy….It would seem we agree then. Wanna high five?

• 61 MacToon // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:18 PM

  ha ha, so nobody knows for sure then

  let’s just grab figures out of the sky…………

• 62 Deadpool // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:20 PM

  Sorry Davy bit you deluded.

  We can’t just as easily go out and sign 6 Tiote type players.

  For one Tiote was a hidden gem to fans of the PL but had quite a reputation in Holland.

  Secondly signing him so cheap was due alto a contract clause.

  Thirdly signings like that happen once in every blue moon.

  Also with Mike and Del Boy not signing anymore purples I doubt we are even looking at players like Tiote unless it’s replacements.

• 63 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:20 PM

  Bollance – I already think we signed 2 class players over the summer in bigi n Anita, Anita is taking time to settle into the style of the prem but u can see he’s a class act, and bigi well I can’t get over how good this kid is at only 18 yes he makes some mistakes but that’s bcoz he’s young still learning his way

  I’ve no doubt amalfitano will end a player were ppl gonna be like woah were has this kid Come from, he shown some class little touches n moves so far

• 64 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:20 PM

  MacToon…why change now?

• 65 Deadpool // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:23 PM

  Davy

  You can spin your positivity all over the blog but all I can see is 3 central midfield players mentioned when the horses mouth even said we were looking to strengthen our defence.

  Will any of the players you’ve mentioned above fix the weaknesses at the heart of our team.

  Will any of them stop Fletcher leaping in the box?

  Will they ensure we keep shots on target down?

  Will the bollox like.

• 66 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:25 PM

  Deadpool – that is the point though tiote when signed would not have been considered as a purple player as dl says, but he made himself that, and your wrong tiote ain’t the only one cabaye 4.5, hba 5, santon 6, ba free, Anita 6 these are yet more examples that you can get the purple players you need on the cheap

  But they won’t b considered as purple players but will prove to b exactly that

• 67 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:28 PM

  Deadpool – sorry like but how weak is a defence that finishes 5th with 15 clean sheets I think we got not that weak if you ask me

• 68 beefman13 // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:29 PM

  daveyb, every one of our players brought in in the last three seasons have improved their value dramastically as you know, maybe obertan is about the same but its fantastic that we have a scouting network continually finding and identifying these players who improve every time the come to sjp, in the past it very rarely happened in fact it was probably the reverse concerning players were we had not finished paying for them and they were already off.

  WE have a system were i am confident we can keep finding and producing the goods were players are concerned.

• 69 Deadpool // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:29 PM

  Also anyone who likes to slag off the Pre ashley regime can jump off the Tyne bridge for me.

  That was a time when we were considered a small club and with a lot of ambition and investment became a dominant force in English football. Yes there was many a low but we challenged at the very top and were a whisper away from winning the league.

  I’d rather have that feeling again than watch us play the awful football we have for 2 years under Pardew.

  Not many can see this but it’s true, we have some of the most talented footballers in Europe but play like Cheltenham Town!

• 70 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:30 PM

  Beefman – I totally agree with you

• 71 WWYCD // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:31 PM

  Escaped the box lads! And I can feel the love on the blog! I am reborn! Long live Mike…Mike…Mi-Fat man! Nar I can’t even fake it

  Seems that NUFC will be rolling in money next season then? Some how doubt that’ll be the case income might increase but am pretty sure costs will take a big upward bump as well

• 72 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:34 PM

  Deadpool – don’t make laugh dominant force in English football how many tiles did we rack up while we were this dominant force I can tell you if u want none well that’s a lie 1 the championship which guess what we’ve won under Ashly

• 73 NEWEXPATMAGPIE // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:35 PM

  A Win at the Stadium of Shite next Sunday could kick-start our season ! But the unwashed are,nt the same Push-over as they were last year !

  Here,s hoping Cabaye does,nt get crocked playing the Spanish tomorrow evening. Anyone know the position on Collo or Krul ! Could do with them coming back!
  Not that Harper can,t do the bizz like, but Krul is still the no 1 keeper !

• 74 davybtoon // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:39 PM

  Newexpatmag – krul, colo n staylor all gonna b fit, we will win am telling you I’ve seen Sunderland 5times this season on tv they were dominated by every single team they played there lucky to have the points they’ve got, seriously they let the other teams have the ball n jus sit n defend for there lives

• 75 Pushy Pardew // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:39 PM

  BandB
  Just recently seen your post to me. But firstly let me say that you singled out the wrong bloke in Ibiza to have a go at. He is highly respected on here and one purple poster describes him as the conductor of the orchestra.
  He’s a highly likeable bloke who unfortunately as with celebratory attracts hangers on. Long after all differences were forgotten i noticed they were the ones
  putting in the verbal boot. Others have described them as the turf warriors. Ibiza is one of the nice guys in my and the respected posters humble opinion(s).
  Anyway, to answer your questions:
  -Posters overate Cabaye and Tiote
  Cabaye we have agreed is top draw, would raise between £20-25 million in the market. Fans continually confuse temporary out of form players with class. Cabaye is an established French International highly respected in Europe and by Ferguson, Wenger and Di Matteo. I would not be surprised if the vultures started circling in January. Tiote is a little worrying at present because his vibrancy and general energy levels are not being channelled in the right areas. However he missed games following injury in the Spurs game and doubtless will return to his best soon. His value has fallen because of his booking and injury absences. Answering your question directly he seems most likely to be sold if a sale of any value takes place. At around £12-15 million. Arguably the club has prepared for Tiote leaving with Anita and Bigi being on board. This is something Pardew has denied but he is reluctant to talk about individual players.
  Let me leave you with a question. Given his propensity to bookings would you start with Tiote against the mackems?

• 76 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:40 PM

  Yo…..Right. It’s a metal reinforced box for you then. Come on, in you get, let’s not cause a scene.

  As for next years increased money, I’ve heard Ashley is having all of his trousers sent to a tailor to deepen his pockets, otherwise the bulging pockets would be clear for everyone to see.

• 77 Ketsbaia9 // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:43 PM

  We need to sign Debuchy, Alderewerield, Denswill, Boudebouz, Remy and Sulejmani and expand the stadium to 75,000 and get the houses knocked down and the road restructured.

  Get rid of Gosling, Simpson, Tavernier and Williamson in January.

  Start Abeid ahead of Cabaye as Cabaye has been underperforming. Give Amalfitano and Xisco a chance.

  Sign some more youthful players like Anthony Koura and maybe Darnel Situ from Swansea.

  Have a good season next year and reach the Champions League and then focus on recruiting players like Falcao, Marvin Martin, Ganso and Paul Scharner.

• 78 Ketsbaia9 // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:44 PM

  Denswil can also play at left back as well as centre back. We need left back cover as Shane Ferguson is a winger.

• 79 robson1 // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:46 PM

  davybtoon…. bigi is class, get a grip, hes rubbish, abied is a much better player but bigi gets first team action due to favouritism from pards, not questioning his management but not exactly professional choosing 1 player over another because you like them better, all i have seen from bigi is ability that prob got coventry relegated, hes nothing like tiote, they look similar in apearance nothing more, amalfitano should turn out to be a class act as should fergie and tavs but bigi would be last on my list for a starting place, kids crap and prob already hit his top form

• 80 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:49 PM

  Kets…..I agree 100%. The thing I agree with most of all is including Scharner in a list of talent that includes Falcao, Martin and Ganso.

  Top draw.

• 81 Deadpool // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:50 PM

  Davyb

  Of course Tiote was considered a purple. He was in the starting 11 from day 1.

  Also we were a dominant force. Arsenal haven’t won anything for years so by your math they are not a dominant force??

• 82 darrenfletcher88 // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:52 PM

  Kets f@uk off u awful twat

• 83 robson1 // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:53 PM

  davybtoon…. bigi is class, get a grip, hes rubbish, abied is a much better player but bigi gets first team action due to favouritism from pards, not questioning his management but not exactly professional choosing 1 player over another because you like them better, all i have seen from bigi is ability that prob got coventry relegated, hes nothing like tiote, they look similar in apearance nothing more, amalfitano should turn out to be a class act as should fergie and tavs but bigi would be last on my list for a starting place, kids crap and prob already hit his top form already

• 84 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:54 PM

  Wow.

  I’m off.

• 85 Ketsbaia9 // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:57 PM

  I think Abeid is a much better prospect than Bigirimana. Abeid is more versatile and seems a better and more composed footballer. However, I do think that Bigirimana was a good signing. He reminds me of the time when we signed Jenas. He was rushed into the scene too quickly when other players should’ve been ahead of him in the pecking order.

  I have the feeling that Abeid was a Carr signing and Bigirimana was a Pardew signing, so there could be a bit of favouritism there. I hope Abeid will be given a chance because he is a real talent and outshone players like Gosling and Vuckic in the previous games that I’ve seen.

• 86 Toonboy_84 // Oct 15, 2012 at 1:59 PM

  Aaaaahhhh kets on top form again. Only poster on here who talks sense. Isn’t that what you said kets?

  You are bonkers my freind!

• 87 Quasi.modo // Oct 15, 2012 at 2:04 PM

  Robson

  Have you watched Bigi play? He has a terrific engine, tracks back, puts in tackles, looks like he can pass a ball and is only 18 years old.

  Abeid is a technically gifted player who should be given a chance at the club but Pardew definitely has a better idea of the players that are giving their all at training and those who aren’t, not saying that Abeid isn’t giving his all but he must not be doing what Bigi is on the training ground. From what I have seen from him I think he will be an excellent player, you can’t insult a player who plays simply because you like another player who doesn’t better.

• 88 Ketsbaia9 // Oct 15, 2012 at 2:11 PM

  You’re bonkers because you can’t spell ‘friend’.

• 89 tequilamag // Oct 15, 2012 at 2:14 PM

  There is no empirical data to suggest spelling mistakes are evidence of being “bonkers”.
  However to suggest that is the case could be evidence of delusional beliefs.

• 90 NEWEXPATMAGPIE // Oct 15, 2012 at 2:26 PM

  Are all these master-strokes going to win us us anything Kets?

  P.S. – i,ve been Bonkers for years ! Welcome to the club!

• 91 jesperfuglsang // Oct 15, 2012 at 2:31 PM

  Ibiza…I’ll be back on later!

• 92 Ketsbaia9 // Oct 15, 2012 at 3:11 PM

  All I am doing is stating valid opinions and people are giving me abuse. Hopefully Ed will start issuing bans to people who are being personally offensive. There’s no need for this.

• 93 chuck // Oct 15, 2012 at 3:12 PM

  Yeah Ed. !
  But where is this money coming from, yes mostly from pay tv, in the UK. & other countries.
  So we can all expect to be paying more for TV coverage some time soon.
  This windfall didn’t fall out of the sky (no pun intended)

• 94 Ian Magpie // Oct 15, 2012 at 4:08 PM

  Just throwing it out there lads but as there has been a bit of debate about the success or failure of the 90′s era I would like to ask you all your views on this: Put our strongest and best team we have at the moment up against the strongest and best team of say 1996/97……….What would the score be?????

  Forwards
  Beardsley, Ferdinand and Shearer (Tino bench)
  vs
  Ba, Cisse and Shola

  For me the 90′s forward line would win this. Not as straight forward as many would think but a win for the 90′s forwards.

  Midfielders
  Batty Lee, Ginola
  vs
  HBA, Tiote and Cabaye
  Pretty close this one and would be a fantastic battle. Both have bucket loads of skill and both also have superb strength and vision. I think its a dead heat but the battle between Tiote and Batty would be won by Tiote as for me Batty could only pass the ball sideways!

  Defenders
  Beresford, Albert, Peacock, Barton
  vs
  Santon, Colo, Taylor, Simpson
  Again not so straight forward but for me the weak link would be Simpson and probably the inexperience of Santon. Albert and Peacock were pretty strong but were they as good as Colo???

  Keepers
  Pav
  v
  Krul
  For me Krul by a country mile!

  What a match it would be and i reckon the 90′s team would just come out winners. What do you lads think!

• 95 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // Oct 15, 2012 at 4:12 PM

  Ian…..Good question, but do I have to climb off my fence to answer?

  You are right though, would be one hell of a game.

  It’s tough, midfield would be a tight battle and both sets of attackers could make hard work for each set of defenders (both of which were known to leak goals in spectacular fashion from time to time).

  I doubt it would be a 0-0 draw.

• 96 check the toastie // Oct 15, 2012 at 4:13 PM

  David Batty was far and away a better player than Tiote, no competition for me, however the one big difference between the sides is the manager, keegan is different gravy to Pardewasuarus.

• 97 Ian Magpie // Oct 15, 2012 at 4:22 PM

  Ibiza…………..Howay bonny lad no need to sit on the fence lol It would probably end up about 8-6 to the 90′s team. I missed off probably the one thing that would make the difference between the two Keegan v Pardew! Check………….. You are spot on with that mate. Although Keegan was no strategic genious, i really do think that the total attacking style of Keegan would have pushed todays team back so much that they would have bombarded the goal and kept possession for large parts of the game. Ferdinand for me is the best header of a ball i have ever seen! Beardsley is my favourite all time Toon player and as for big Al…….!!!!
  HBA v Ginola would have been some contest too! As would Lee v Cabaye!

• 98 BigKirky // Oct 15, 2012 at 9:38 PM

  Interesting putting that 90′s team up against today’s team. For me, and i only said it the other week, that Robert Lee is better than Cabaye. Not only did u get a good all round game with Lee, you got his goals, which as yet we haven’t really seen with Yohan yet altho great potential when he tried to get shots in. All of the 90′s forward line for me however it’s not really a fair test/comparison as Keegan would def have got these guys now more goals albeit at the expense of a few more goals conceded. Attack is best form of defense though

• 99 geordiejamie89 // Oct 16, 2012 at 8:31 AM

  It might be good money, but it’s only as good as the rest of the league will be getting. So I won’t get too excited. Sponsorship deals and TV rights are one thing, but it’s the owner who decides on funding or not funding a club. For example signing Debuchy or not signing Debuchy!