There was anywhere from 250 to 400 Newcastle fans who took the opportunity to attend a fans meeting last night in the Newcastle city center, with two officials from Newcastle United, so that some questions could be answered coming out of the shock appointment of Joe Kinnear as the new Director of Football just over a week ago.
Joe Kinnear – couldn’t make the meeting
The Head of Media Wendy Taylor and the Supporter Liaison Officer Lee Marshall represented Newcastle at the meeting, which was set up by the NUFC Fans United supporters organization.
As half expected Joe Kinnear was not able to attend the meeting, but Joe sent a message to the fans via his representative at the meeting – Eddie McIntyre – that Joe would be willing to attend any future meetings.
In TV interviews before the meeting, representatives of NUFC Fans United made it clear, to their credit, that they wanted a professional meeting, and they were not at the meeting to insult Newcastle officials or anything like that, but wanted to set up a mechanism or means by which the club and the fans can talk through various issues.
Eddie McIntyre spoke in support of the new Director of Football, but he was continuously heckled as he tried to get his message out:
This is some of what McIntyre had to say:
“You are asking why Joe Kinnear didn’t come here. He was going to come. Since Joe was appointed, he has never had a day off. He was going to come up on Sunday night and going to come here.”
“I spoke to Joe Kinnear and he was waiting to be picked up by Graham Carr, who lives in Northampton. He was picking Joe up in Mill Hill and they were having a business lunch, which will go on tomorrow . That’s the reason Joe hasn’t been able to come.”
People at the meeting say there was a lot of heckling going on when Eddie was trying to speak – and it’s an understatement but Joe Kinnear is hardly a popular guy on Tyneside.
Graeme Cansdale of the Mike Ashley Out Campaign had this to say:
“It isn’t just about Joe Kinnear“ “That is just a symptom of the self-inflicted catastrophe that has come upon Newcastle United.” “There are a whole catalog of them and they have all came under Mike Ashley.”
NUFC Fans United Steve Wraith, who was widely quoted yesterday on what the fan organization was trying to do at the meeting and in future meetings, had this to say:
“The NUFC Fans coalition is an umbrella group and we meet once a month.” “We have some pro and some anti fans towards Mike Ashley.”
“We are here to build up a relationship with the club and have already had some success with smaller issues like bringing the gates back to St James’ Park.”
“We are working positively with the club and Wendy Taylor and Lee Marshall are regular attendees of our meetings.”
Our feeling is that this was a very important meeting for fans to talk straight and professionally to Newcastle officials, and get the views from the fans passed on directly to Mike Ashley and Joe Kinnear.
The best thing would be that both Joe Kinnear and Mike Ashley attend one of these meetings with the intent of answering the fans’ questions – but we don’t think Ashley will ever attend a fans’ meeting but Joe will.
An alternative would be to get written questions submitted by the fans and get some answers back.
But by one way or another, communication has to be increased between the fans and the Newcastle officials – and its been non-existent for the last six years since Mike Ashley bought the club.
Comment welcome.
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167 comments so far
q8igeordie
Jun 25, 2013 at 1:51 AM
Comment #81Oh manxpie wants some ruddy 🙂 … get it on video please;)
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jun 25, 2013 at 1:52 AM
Comment #82q8i
You see, there is a perfect example of a comment that could be (and will be) interpreted in the wrong way. You’ve insulted both me and stuart by what you’ve said.
If you’re not a troll, and you genuinely want to discuss football then I seriously suggest you tone down the insults.
SeanNufc87
Jun 25, 2013 at 1:53 AM
Comment #83Also what do people think of jonas in a dmf role? He had one of the highest tackle per game ratios for us last season.
q8igeordie
Jun 25, 2013 at 1:53 AM
Comment #84Ruddy .. I think im allowed to call people pigs if they were racist .. be a man and not a woman please
Bearsize
Jun 25, 2013 at 1:53 AM
Comment #85Ruddy
Yeah it sounds promising, but all the managers at newcastle fell in love with shola, so i am hoping jfk wasnt there long enough to have cupid play with him. Pards is definitely to close to the players, i cant see this ending well
Sav
Jun 25, 2013 at 1:54 AM
Comment #86Yes, for a man who ‘tells it like it is’ and doesn’t shy away from a scrap, Joe made himself scarce tonight. If I were his PR I’d advise him not to utter another word.
manxpie
Jun 25, 2013 at 1:54 AM
Comment #87lol sean after last summer i would agree but after lamarse goin n pardew n everyone an there mums sayin we need new players last summer i think lamearse had a bigger say (influence) on ashley’s decision than i thought and this appointment says alot!
unfortunatley he picks jk as i said 1 day he’ll get it right lol
soundoid
Jun 25, 2013 at 1:55 AM
Comment #88I think Jonas on the bench on for the last 15 mins to shore up a 2 goal lead
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jun 25, 2013 at 1:55 AM
Comment #89Sean
Jonas is a Pardew pet, and it’s getting harder and harder to see why. I am clinging on to the hope that we sign some quality down the wings to make his place on the team untenable.
I mean Pardew wouldn’t play Jonas down the left if he had a top class alternative…would he?
Soundoid
Hahaha Victory is mine! Not too bad lad, except from the drastic switch to the dark side that is.
I guess this season was a real eye opener in terms of tactics and how he handled the pressure, or how he didn’t rather, of injuries and the added games.
Yes, Ashley made a difficult job very very difficult by not signing the players Pards needed in the summer, but even with the Jan investment he still nearly got us relegated.
With the decision to keep AP, coupled with the JFK fiasco I am now turning my attention to MA.
I’m a busy busy bee haha
MacToon
Jun 25, 2013 at 1:56 AM
Comment #90Was at the meeting tonight and after reading through the comments I don’t think anyone has posted first hand yet……..
Imho it was a bit of a sham tonight, I’ve attended most of NUFC FansUTD meets and this one just played to the cameras and to the two club representatives.
The high(low)light of the night being Kinnear’s statement by Eddie McIntyre who did not have a statement but stood up and told us what a great fella JFK was. He was jeered but what did he expect!
A motion was passed that Ashley is not a fit owner of the club but where we go from here, who knows, Ashley still owns us. Bit like a vote of no confidence I suppose 😉
q8igeordie
Jun 25, 2013 at 1:57 AM
Comment #91Unbelievable .. im not insulting anyone because I like it .. you were disrespectful first … anyways .. forget it
lesh
Jun 25, 2013 at 1:57 AM
Comment #92Who or what is this Q8i? Doesn’t half talk a lot of tripe and clearly relishes, nay basks in the attention he/ she’s getting. Pillock!
SeanNufc87
Jun 25, 2013 at 1:57 AM
Comment #93Lol you have lost my vote q8i, I hope your just easily excitable mate. Anyway back to the grind for me! Have a good un lads!
MacToon
Jun 25, 2013 at 1:57 AM
Comment #94If you want any more ask….?
soundoid
Jun 25, 2013 at 1:59 AM
Comment #95or maybe we should just save up and buy Jonas a decent spiderman mask. A lucador mexican wrestling mask instead of that pants latex thing he has quite literary had in his pants for over a year.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jun 25, 2013 at 1:59 AM
Comment #96q8i
You’re implying that there is something weak about women? Little sexist don’t you think? For the last time, no one was racist. You don’t seem to comprehend the difference between racism and sectarianism do you?
Bearsize
I don’t get it any more. I mean yes he does hold the ball up better than any striker at our club, but let’s face it, he’s competing with Campbell who’s still a kid and Cisse who, for all his good qualities, couldn’t hold up a ball to save his life.
There are umpteen better options out there if we are willing to look, and once we find them, then wor Shola should be sent on his merry way, but I’ve a feeling he’ll end his career at the club.
manxpie
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:00 AM
Comment #97well my advice ruddy is rain it in and stop replying and think of the people that see the ammount of posts that are on some of these threads and think something exciting has happened only to scroll through and see its just a silly very long winded petty squabble over the internet 🙂
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:01 AM
Comment #98MacToon
Do you think that there is sufficient unrest among the supporters, from what you’ve gathered from the meeting, to mount a genuine movement of protest to have Ashley removed?
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:03 AM
Comment #99Manx
Hmmm, rain it in…despite the fact I didn’t instigate said discussion?
Sazzer
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:04 AM
Comment #100I never expected him to be there, and I think he have answered most questions in press already. If it’s true we table bids then I prefer him preparing for that. Ashley should have been there to answer why he put his trust in Kinnear. But Kinnear should get time to do his job. He can do these events when window is close or beginning of August.
stuart no9
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:04 AM
Comment #101q8i—-no one over here supports nufc besides me .. sometimes I want to talk to nufc fans .. but none of you are making it easy for me.——-are you in a dark place? can you not escape your demons. – most of us have been there at some point. – most of us will probably want to go back there again when the season starts .
Bearsize
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:07 AM
Comment #102Ruddy
Totally agree mate, ill keep writing shola is poo, hopefully someone at the club see’s it and does something.
You keep making people eat your dust, your quite good at it. Have a good night thats me done on here tonight
soundoid
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:08 AM
Comment #103MacToon,
So I guess the atmosphere was quite hostile. Any glimmer of hope in any of the talking?
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:09 AM
Comment #104Bearsize
Not exactly my intention to make people eat my dust….it’s just a happy by-product haha
I’m kidding, obviously 😉
All the best Bearsize!
manxpie
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:09 AM
Comment #105ruddy yes rain it in! your constant replies to him
if i’d directed it at him what would i have got?
the same shite your gettin!
but quite simply this blog every now and again gets ruined by stupid arguements like this by “trolls” heed your own advice and ignore him ffs it really doesn’t mean you’ve lost man! 🙂
Bearsize
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:13 AM
Comment #106Lol cheers
MacToon
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:14 AM
Comment #107Ruddy, it’s difficult to tell however,
after being to a few meets I’ve met a larger cross section of die hard fans than maybe I’d usually meet and was a little taken back by the reaction of some I spoke with tonight.
Now these people could be classed in the fanatical bracket 🙂 but in the nicest possible way, they live and breathe NUFC, FB, twitter, foums, you name it they contribute and the overwhelming reaction is that… They are now making the minimum investment in NUFC.
This to me now speaks volumes. The quiet content are now disillusioned.
I think you’ll enjoy the meets when you are back in the Toon, look forward to meeting you.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:15 AM
Comment #108Manx
In my defence I’ve not even engaged him directly that often. And if I could heed my own advice then I’d never get into a blog dispute, but the internet is a buffer from real world me and internet me, believe me, I am nowhere near as confrontational in real life, the internet has a somewhat dehumanising impact towards discussion.
Not that I cannot debate in real life, because I can and I do, just not as ermmm forcefully haha
But with a clean record of 3,967,584 blog victories against 0 defeats, I simply cannot take that chance 😉
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:19 AM
Comment #109MacToon
Look forward to getting my ear to the ground and my feet on the street to meet the Geordie faithful upon whose the club stands.
It’s easy to think that opinions on blogs/forums and the likes reflect towards real life but sometimes it doesn’t, so I was keen to see if the disillusion on the blog had spilled over and became the general feeling among the masses who attend SJP on a weekly basis.
I know you have no way of possibly knowing, but do you genuinely think attendances will suffer at the start of the season?
I think boycotting, either officially through protests, or unofficially by simply staying away is the only way to make our voices heard.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:19 AM
Comment #110*upon whose backs
MacToon
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:20 AM
Comment #111soundoid, early stages. The two club reps, Wendy and Lee didn’t say anything but I was told they were a little shocked by the comments….. I couldn’t see their faces.
Kinnear has promised to grace us with his presence at a meeting but I ask why bother… I don’t want to hear you rambling!
I believe the idea is for the club tis o reply in the near future to the questions asked but the message was, as I said, a vote of no confidence for Ashley. What answers can there be? lol
MacToon
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:25 AM
Comment #112I do believe there is now a financial shift but it’s being done by the silent majority… if that makes sense.
The people who have chugged along for the last few years are now thinking of jacking their season tickets in or if they go to the match they will not buy from the club, from Ashley. They are not being vocal but doing what they believe to be right or at the point that they are fed up with all the lies and mismanagement from the club.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:30 AM
Comment #113MacToon
It will remain to be seen whether this disaffection is so widespread that the attendances and matchday income will fall drastically but it is an early indicator of how fed up the fans are with the situation.
It will also be interesting to see whether these disaffected fans will be appeased with a few good signings. I for one think it doesn’t overly matter what signings are made because Ashley only really wants mid table and with Pardew at the helm we will achieve it, albeit in the least fashionable way possible.
MacToon
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:32 AM
Comment #114Sorry i didn’t answer your question fully Ruddy,
I agree with you but it’s still in the blood to attend games for most people, it’s a difficult decision to be made.
There’s a real feeling of apathy over NUFC at the moment (imo) and the word was mentioned alot tonight. I’d love to know how the season ticket sales are doing atm.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:34 AM
Comment #115Well all info is very much appreciated MacToon. No doubt there will have been a few others at the meeting tonight that will share their thoughts with us tomorrow but that will do it for me tonight.
Thanks lad. Speak again soon. If you guys are still up, good night! 😀
MacToon
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:35 AM
Comment #116Unfortunately for us or imo the future of NUFC, Ashley always seems to do just enough to keep enough people on-side. I think we’ll hear the same positive spin from the same suspects at the start of the season.
For me another year wasted? Probably!
Zero
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:37 AM
Comment #117Any questions answered then?
Also ChicagoToon… sweet another IL toon fan, dont see many up in Evanston.
MacToon
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:41 AM
Comment #118I have been told a full recording of the meeting will be available to listen to within 24 hours, I’m sure a link will be put up for anyone interested.
Zero
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:46 AM
Comment #119Cheers MacToon, ill keep an eye/ear out for it.
soundoid
Jun 25, 2013 at 2:51 AM
Comment #120Thanks MacToon.
Europe derailed our campaign last year due to managerial inexperience. I hope pards has learned. Next year is a mile stone. No matter how much good business sense you put in to a football club you need passion thats what gets bumbs on seats. Chris Hughton served up a memerable season from a league we should never have been in in the first place and some great results back in the PL. When do we ever thump someone 6-0 now? Mid table.. I can take that… what I want is a great day out once in a while. For a club like ours that Isn’t too much to ask.