Work started yesterday to take down those odious cheap looking signs of Mike Ashley’s company from the stadium, and put the rightful name of St. James’ Park back on St. James’ Park.
Workman starting the work of cleaning up St. James’ Park
The signs that were presumably put up as a temporary new name of Newcastle’s Stadium are finally being taken down, after just over a year, and the letters of St. James’ Park will be up on the stadium within a few days.
And there will be an official unveiling ceremony – of the name being returned to St. James’ Park – and in truth it was a travesty that it was ever changed.
The good thing is not only will those cheap signs be taken down, but the official name will revert back to St. James’ Park, so everybody will now call it by its real name – but of course many Newcastle fans never called it anything else, and it was always a losing proposition by Mike Ashley from the word go.
We hate to bring this up, but we wonder what happens in four years time when the naming rights that Wonga have bought for the stadium come to an end ?
There’s just no way any company would be so daft as to call it anything other than St. James’ Park from now on, and the company that keeps it that way in four years time, will get an enormous amount of good will and gratitude from the Newcastle fans, that’s for sure.
St. James’ Park forever, and I’m sure my dear deceased father will be able to rest a lot more easily now.
23 comments so far
89Norcal
Oct 16, 2012 at 12:48 AM
Comment #1Only time I heard Sports Direct Arena was by commentators who felt under duress, and it was often in the same breath as SJP.
After 4 years, who knows. I think the only thing that will permanently eliminate the name will be demolition and construction of a new arena. It’s the newer venues that have taken up sponsor names more often than not
Mister Tuff
Oct 16, 2012 at 1:31 AM
Comment #2A re-naming ceremony-What –oh no – another chance to extol the virtues of Wonga. I would accept somebody pulling off a covering sheet and spouting
something like “I re-name this place SJP” and then clearing off without further ado.
I really hope they do not make it into a publicity stunt/event with people from Wonga making speeches and the club wheeling out AP to say some more toe curling remarks (as he did a few days ago) about this issue. I hope they do not also wheel out another player to praise the Wonga deal (Shola did it the last time). I think if they try to milk this situation further it just confirms to me their arrogant ,audacious cynicism.
jawballsaswallwell
Oct 16, 2012 at 2:01 AM
Comment #3You’re forgiven Mike, but it won’t be forgotten and please surprise us all and have the decency to do it without any fuss.
archaeomag
Oct 16, 2012 at 2:10 AM
Comment #4Why not change the name of club to SportsDirect Utd – then they get the fans to pay to get the name back – guaranteed money spinner . . .
Mister Tuff
Oct 16, 2012 at 2:22 AM
Comment #5arch @#4 For Christs sake don’t give them any ideas -they are so unconnected with North East tradition/ culture they might do it.
I now have this horrifying picture of the re-naming event -trestle tables with snacks, bunting strewn all over the place, Whey hey man making an appearance, an appearance by a newly invented Wongawonga man and guest appearances by passing circus clowns. I will hide my head in shame.
Mister Tuff
Oct 16, 2012 at 3:00 AM
Comment #6To complete the fun packed day – I now visualise a dancing bear, performing seals, Gypsy Rose Lee- the palm reader, jugglers and a bouncy castle and the bearded lady. I just know they will do something like this.
Sav
Oct 16, 2012 at 3:38 AM
Comment #7Mashley and Mutley just repeatedly lie to the club’s fans. Nobody believes this story about Wonga paying to restore the stadium name. I don’t even think they give a tuppenny damn whether we believe it or not, such is the mutual contempt. Its a pity, however, its clearly just a financial project now to get out with as much profit or at least as little loss as possible.
chris_g
Oct 16, 2012 at 4:02 AM
Comment #8Before people start getting too excited, it looks like the only signs that are going to be taken down are the ones OUTSIDE the stadium which say “Sports Direct Arena”. According to an article in ‘The Mag”, all the SD branding will continue inside the stadium:
http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-wire/return-of-st-james-park-as-signs-come-down/
which presumably means that all the tacky advertising boards, as well as the signage on the east stand and the roof of the gallowgate will remain?. So yes, the view from the street might be a little less unsightly, but for people inside the ground it’s still going to be an eyesore.
Sawbuck
Oct 16, 2012 at 4:09 AM
Comment #9Why did Ashley and Lambias discombobulate the fans?
So they could give them the name back after the new deal.
Who would be surprised if the name changes again?
jawballsaswallwell
Oct 16, 2012 at 4:42 AM
Comment #10Isn’t this essentially just Ashley correcting a bad decision, one, because he couldn’t find anyone to buy the ground naming rights probably at any cost and two because of the backlash from the fans and the cit, and three, it wasn’t reflecting well on Sports Direct. The notion of Wonga buying the naming rights and returning the name to St James’ would surely has been concocted between the two as PR and the 8 mill is the price Wonga have to pay for shirt sponsorship because of the stigma attached to their business. Ashley has very cannily or opportunistically depending on how you view him, rectified an initial error of judgement. It seems unlikely he’ll try to sell the naming rights again in the future. Then again we are talking about MA, so theories of any description probably have equal merit.
headtheball
Oct 16, 2012 at 5:50 AM
Comment #11Sawbuck @ 9
I thought my discombobulation was due to heading too many of those wet leather balls in my youth but if you think it had something to do with Del boy I need a rethink. Thanks.
jesperfuglsang
Oct 16, 2012 at 6:37 AM
Comment #12Chris…I sadly postede that same notion a few days ago 🙁
…SD logo will still visible from within SJP and on the roof (MA is still getting his free advertising)
He is a hypocrit if you ask me!
jesperfuglsang
Oct 16, 2012 at 6:56 AM
Comment #13Jaw…I just read your last post; that has been my thought all along. DL claimed when the changed the name from SJPc that the naming rights alone was worth £10M a year and our sponsor deal with Wongo for both shirt and naming rights bring in only £8M.
It is a sad realization, but one we might have to live with. At least we got SJP back (that’ll be enough for now)!
jesperfuglsang
Oct 16, 2012 at 7:00 AM
Comment #14Apparantly we have been scouting the Dutch U21 goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet, whom we might be interested in!
…does anybody know him?
one Tony Green
Oct 16, 2012 at 7:06 AM
Comment #15Let it go FFS. Mike Ashley owns NUFC not us he has pumped over 200 million into his club he can do what he wants. He does not own Sports Direct it is a PLC he has the major holding but is not he owner.
The Geordie Nation( AKA NUFC TRust) failed miserably in raising the money.
People talk as if this is strange our last glorious owner plastered Shepherd Offshore all over the ground and even named a stand after themselves.
The truth of the matter is it does not matter what ridiculous name our spiritual home is given IT WILL ALWAYS BE SJP to the fans.
jesperfuglsang
Oct 16, 2012 at 7:30 AM
Comment #16Tony…I guess that is an opinion like everything else you read here…an opinion (that’s is how you choose to see it and fair enough)
…some of you choose to see it a bit differently (and as long as MA owns Newcastle and need the money and support from from both the city of Newcastle and those who attend the games I couldn’t disagree more with you)
jesperfuglsang
Oct 16, 2012 at 7:31 AM
Comment #17*you = us
numba9
Oct 16, 2012 at 8:04 AM
Comment #18Are they going to remove the monstrosity on the gallowgate roof?
jesperfuglsang
Oct 16, 2012 at 8:07 AM
Comment #19I was just having a look at Ameobi’s Sunderland statistics since a lot of you like to call him the ‘Mackem Slayer’ 🙂
…he has scored 7 league goals against them and the period between season 2008-2010 being his most prolific! He didn’t score against Sunderland in the league in 2011, but he did score against them back in Marts.
What I cannot find is whether these goals comes late or early in the games (should he start or should he come on as an impact sub).
For me though it is of greater importance that we win the midfield and play with three in the middle of the park. For me the question is who should start on top and not which ones should start together 🙂
What do you guys think?
jesperfuglsang
Oct 16, 2012 at 8:08 AM
Comment #20numba9…apparently not!
numba9
Oct 16, 2012 at 8:11 AM
Comment #21Pointless I think that looks disgusting
Rotonda heights
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:08 AM
Comment #22It’s so sad we ditched the 433 to accommodate Ba back in the centre. I don’t really blame Ba as he is essentially a fantastic central striker who comes up with the goods time and again in that position.
However, Ba was capable of playing out wide left in a 433 and even if not scoring he still had something to offer in that position which Cisse simply does not.
Pardew just has to see sooner rather than later that Ba and Cisse in a 442 just will never work and we will always struggle in that formation.
In a 433 / 4231 we counter at speed and go through Cabaye and Benny. In a 442 Cabaye sits way too deep.
Jonas could drop to left back and Fergie could play ahead of him.
Krul
Santon Colo Saylor Jonas
Tiote Anita
Cabaye
Benny Ba Fergie
numba9
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:25 AM
Comment #234 2 3 1 cisse as main man