Newcastle are the 19th richest club in the world based on revenues compiled by Deloitte in their Money League, and we are the 18th most valuable football club in the world based on Forbes valuation of football clubs around the world that was published a few days ago.
Yet on May 24th – exactly the same day (Sunday) and the same date we were relegated back in 2009 – we could be taking the drop again.
Kenny Dalglish – former Newcastle manager
It seems unbelievable when you consider we had 35 points after 27 games played, when we got our last win against Aston Villa on 28th February – and needed only 5 point sin the last 11 games to be safe.
But that game also turned out to be last points we picked up, and have lost the last eight games for the first time in our Premier League history.
Former manager Kenny Dalglish in his Mirror column, says everybody should be pulling together at the club to ensure Newcastle United stay in the Premier League:
“Now is the time for everybody at Newcastle to put aside any differences they have and focus 100% on staying in the Premier League.” “They simply cannot afford to fall out of the Premier League.””
“For the fans – never mind if you don’t like Mike Ashley. For the players – it doesn’t matter if you are looking at the guy next to them and don’t like him.
“And the same with the manager, John Carver.” “If you don’t like him, or think he was out-of-order with what he said last week about Mike Williamson looking like he deliberately got himself sent off against Leicester.”
“Whatever your issue, everything has to get thrown aside. Forget the grievances, getting that win is of paramount importance.” “Surely everybody at Newcastle, from the supporters to the owner, wants to stay in the Premier League?”
“t would be disappointing for the Premier League for Newcastle not to be in there. But there is a serious threat that it could happen.” Only they can help themselves and get out of it. Nobody else will help them.”
“Exactly what happens in the summer will be dependent on what division they are in. If they stay up, whoever is manager next season, whether it is somebody new or John Carver gets the job, they will not want to come in and just see the club making money.”
“Next season is a huge one for everybody. You stay up and you get £100M”
It doesn’t look like everybody is pulling together at Newcastle and putting differences aside – as unbelievable as that seems.
The feelings against Mike Ashley are so great there are some fans who say they would rather be in the second division without Mike Ashley than in the Premier League with Mike Ashley as owner.
The only problem with that is if we are relegated the chances that Mike Ashley will sell up and lose around £150M on his investment in Newcastle are very low – very low indeed.
Money is everything to Mike Ashley – remember that.
But we do understand the AshleyOut crew are not calling for any organized demonstrations at tomorrow’s game, although seven fans out of ten believe the protests should continue.
We’ve never seen the club so divided as we seem to be right now with just three games to play, and that’s one reason the chances of our going down are now greater than the chances of our staying up.
If we do go down it will be a crushing blow to the football club – there’s nothing good about being in England’s second division.
Playing poorer teams at poorer grounds for hardly any money and with little TV coverage – certainly none regularly around the world – that’s for sure.
But that’s where we are right now.
We hope we can win tomorrow.
Comments welcome.
66 comments so far
jane
May 8, 2015 at 11:14 PM
Comment #41I am not defending MA just trying to be realistic.
chasing_rabbits
May 8, 2015 at 11:14 PM
Comment #42Beer, all good points I agree, but as somebody said Ashley’s motivated by the money & if he wants to keep the big cheques rolling in then he must know he’s got to invest heavily just to keep pace with West Ham, Swansea etc. Their owners are probably thinking of the money too, they’re just not afraid to put the money in to have a decent squad knowing there is a much better return at the end of the season, especially when the new TV deals kicks in. Ashley ain’t gunna wanna miss out on that payday!
Our Toon
May 8, 2015 at 11:14 PM
Comment #43G2
Ahaha that’s hilarious mate….sums Welsh up to a tee though
Our Toon
May 8, 2015 at 11:16 PM
Comment #44Jane
Were you around in 2009? We got relegated because of similar poor decision making errors as this season!! Go back check the facts…..you couldn’t make it up
Our Toon
May 8, 2015 at 11:16 PM
Comment #45OP
Imagine if they did have alter egos buddy….jeez it would be scary
chasing_rabbits
May 8, 2015 at 11:20 PM
Comment #46If he wants the £130m he put in back, he ain’t gunna get it if we’re a championship club. We all go on about how he’s only in it for the money, why would he want to drop to the championship and risk losing all the revenue, tv & advertising money. And if he wasn’t bothered about us being relegated he wouldn’t have left the debt there (doesn’t it still stand at £130m) for so long knowing he wouldn’t get it back if we went down.
optimistic prime
May 8, 2015 at 11:21 PM
Comment #47Someone find that glass eye, he can’t read his ticket to see where he sits.
jane
May 8, 2015 at 11:24 PM
Comment #48hopefully he will learn from his mistakes..
beermonkey
May 8, 2015 at 11:26 PM
Comment #49chasing rabbits
I don’t think money is his motivation,
our profits are chicken feed to what he gets from mash holdings and sd
when pards left wen we were 9th its about 2 mill a place so far were down about 12mill
a new manager would have paid for himself there
outside of making us an advertising board I don’t know what is motivation is its an odd one
wolfshead@toon
May 8, 2015 at 11:27 PM
Comment #50after being relegated once and almost twice – im being positive and including this season clearly fatty is a heavy sleeper
jane
May 8, 2015 at 11:31 PM
Comment #51maybe he is happy to leave the money to pay off the loan in NUFC’s bank account for now but has to balance building up that pot against spending it on the team.
optimistic prime
May 8, 2015 at 11:34 PM
Comment #52Maybe he’s buying Euromillions tickets hoping for a big win to pay the loan off.
Belfast
May 8, 2015 at 11:36 PM
Comment #53When you actually add up the likely player sales after relegation and parachute payment, plus the cash already in the bank. I don’t think the financial hit will be that substantial to a bloke who’s worth over 3 billion.
Blackley and Brownlie
May 8, 2015 at 11:38 PM
Comment #54OP
Are you going to say hello to old Blackley tomorrow? He’d love to put a face to a name. Woo hoo.
Belfast
May 8, 2015 at 11:40 PM
Comment #5515 million parachute payment
34 million already in bank? (not sure)
Then whatever you can get in with player sales, not really financial meltdown is it.
weg
May 8, 2015 at 11:40 PM
Comment #56Under Pardew we were subjected to some of the worst football I can remember in my lifetime. No one needs reminding of the reason sackpardew.com were formed after the terrible run of form last year. A short run of wins last autumn can’t erase the shambolic play from our team in recent years. Pardew’s form at Crystal Palace can’t yet be judged until at least next year – until he keeps up the good times for them.
As for Carver, we all thought his appointment was a mistake, and now we all know it! Charnley is a glorified bean counter with know understanding of running a football club, and Ashley is a malignant cancer rotting our club from the inside.
All that being said, the recent boycotts were appropriate and fully justified, but dropping into the Championship would be a disaster. The team is falling apart under clueless Carver but they obviously need inspiration from somewhere and they are not getting it from anyone at the club. I think we need to show our players why we are the best fans around and temporarily get behind them to save our premier league status. That doesn’t mean not protesting against Ashley because the protests are vital, and we need to continue them into next season no matter what happens this summer – whoever they bring in.(if anyone)
Basically, we should relent on the boycotts until next season, try to inspire the team for three games, but keep up strong protests and make them vocal and visible. IMO
John Tudor
May 8, 2015 at 11:43 PM
Comment #57you cant inspire crap
wolfshead@toon
May 8, 2015 at 11:44 PM
Comment #58haha
Belfast
May 8, 2015 at 11:45 PM
Comment #59I think if Pardew loses tomorrow that’s four defeats on the spin
jimmysmith
May 8, 2015 at 11:45 PM
Comment #60I suppose you now should be looking at the books very closely, along with the quality of product, and the roster to see the level of investment and how much Ashley is using the club. Money in the bank is Ashleys, if it stays in the bank beyond two windows alarm bells should be ringing, and at this stages sirens going off. Mid table EPL clubs with a large fan base are uniquely vulnerable to owners who are in it for personal profit. Everton and West Ham are fortunate to have fans as owners, otherwise they’d be susceptible too, sides beneath them have to spend and compete to survive, those at the top must do the same to stay there, but there are three or four sides that could pull there punches and still do well, and we are one of them coupled with an opportunistic, self serving owner who at heart is no fan. Those who go to matches need to be vocal to force him to put the money back in, or sell. Those who don’t can agitate in other ways. I’m starting to think more and more, there should be no truce, to ensure he knows he can’t have his cake and eat it and that the crowd in these last few games will back the side and rubbish the owner in full voice.
optimistic prime
May 8, 2015 at 11:45 PM
Comment #61No, my mother warned me avout talking to strange old men. Especially ones who look like Jimmy Savilles side kick and talk to themselves.
optimistic prime
May 8, 2015 at 11:47 PM
Comment #62Belfast
That’s not even counting the wonga (sorry) from this season.
Blackley and Brownlie
May 8, 2015 at 11:50 PM
Comment #63Weg
I bet you’re pleased you took the time to share your thoughts with John Tudor. 100 words satisfactorily dealt by four.
weg
May 8, 2015 at 11:56 PM
Comment #64Blackley and Brownlie,
It was short, and to the point, I guess. An opposite point of view from John Tudor, but thats fair enough!
scout
May 9, 2015 at 7:08 AM
Comment #65Had a dream i was being chased through the streets of the toon by a celebrating Chris Brunt.
MidlandsMag
May 9, 2015 at 1:09 PM
Comment #66chasing_rabbits@46
He has already got that back otherwise he would not be gambling with the championship the way he is.