The Newcastle Board was put in place last summer after Newcastle only just avoided the drop on the last day of last season and while it’s still possible to do exactly the same thing this season – our luck may have run out.
And the fact that we couldn’t beat Aston Villa yesterday – who have nothing to play for and had lost the last 11 games in a row – means we may even deserve to be relegated.
And somebody should ask the Board how we were relegated after spending £82M on players this season – that’s not easy to do.
No other club has ever done that in Premier League history.
Lee Charnley and Mike Ashley
It will all be very sad for the fans on Tyneside – who are the best in the business – but they have been ignored and marginalized for far too long by guys like Lee Charnley and owner Mike Ashley.
When Lee attends those Fans Forum meetings it’s like he treats the Forum reps as the enemy.
When a question comes in they refute the basis of the question.
And there are high level benign statements made that mean absolutely nothing when your read them – they have been so very carefully worded – it’s like they have been written by a robot.
Here’s an example from the last Fans Forum on 22nd February and how the questions asked are simply refuted:
Question – Paul Loughlin (PL): “With 12 games to go, is the club in a crisis?”
Answer – The club disagreed but understands its current league position and acknowledged it was very disappointing.
The club explained that the squad’s recent training camp in La Manga, Spain, was designed to help find solutions on the pitch in the final 12 games of the season. The camp was wholly focused on training and recovery, as well as a game.The club appreciates the work required to move up the table and remains confident that it will remain in the Premier League at the end of the season.
Question – David Maudlin (DM): “What is that belief based on?”
Answer – The club believes the quality in the squad and some of the team’s performances this season are positive indicators, but acknowledged that performances had not been consistent.
Question – Brian Parkin (BP): “Does the club have any plans in the event of relegation as far as season tickets are concerned?
In the event of relegation, does the club intend to reimburse any fans on the direct debit scheme if they decide to cancel their season ticket?”Answer – The club is confident of remaining in the Premier League and, as a result, has not discussed plans in such detail across the business at this stage.
When the top executive at a football club treats the fans as the enemy and will not face reality, there’s something terribly wrong at the club.
But we know the club is broken from top to bottom and once again those running the club have been so abysmal that we face another disastrous relegation in a short seven years.
They obviously learned absolutely nothing from last season.
We have had only two top 10 finishes in nine years with Mike Ashley – and one of those was 10th and we had one season spent down below – this will be a second one in the Championship next season.
So two top ten finishes in the PL in 10 years with Mike Ashley and we exceeded 50 points once.
[table “32” not found /]# Championship
* After 37 games played
Mike Ashley will not sell the club while it’s in the second tier and lose all that money, so we have to hope he will somehow convince Rafa Benitez to stay on – but that will not be an easy task.
Maybe if Rafa’s name is sung from the first minute to the end of the game next Sunday afternoon, he will get the message and want to stay?
It’s worth a try.
🙂
Newcastle need stability and have a lot of work to do this summer – but who’s capable and experienced enough to do that work – other than somebody like Rafa Benitez?
Do what Freddy Shepherd suggested last week – give him an offer he just cannot refuse.
Comments welcome.
26 comments so far
Jail for Ashley
May 8, 2016 at 1:59 PM
Comment #1The only way Ashley can redeem himself is not by “lending” the club more money but by charging SD Etihad style amounts for its advertising. Ashley said the cupboards were bare and I guess that the new TV deal was going to be any funds for transfers, that’s not there anymore so where’s the money coming from.
SPRINGY
May 8, 2016 at 2:01 PM
Comment #2jail
player sales,thats it
El Sleeve
May 8, 2016 at 2:02 PM
Comment #3so how do we force them out?
I ran into a guy from Oman here in Switzerland, said his father, the Sultan of Oman was in discussions to buy in 2009. Might ask him to reconsider doing it again!
stuart no9
May 8, 2016 at 2:03 PM
Comment #4a lot of negativity on here today and justified after yesterdays performance but who saying everton cant do a villa on wednesday ?? i can see it , i can see the wheels falling off the sunderland lucky merry go round.
If you think about it , we have had some horrendous decisions go against us in lots of games this season , not making excuses but just 1 of those disgusting decisions – notably the greatest off side in the history of the prem would have brought us another 2 points , on the other hand , the pen that never was for the scum against stoke gave them that vital point last week .
Luck plays a big part when you are at the bottom , when you are at the top , you just get it, – thats how it is .
weve had our fair share of the bad , the good mis just around the corner . starting wednesday
SPRINGY
May 8, 2016 at 2:06 PM
Comment #5its sickening really,swansea,southampton,leicester,watford west ham,everton have all came up or have been up and appear to growing and moving forward,we already had the ground,the fans and the basis to do what they are trying to do well before they started and we have became an absolute laughing stock,where they have pushed on and competed….sad days really….hang your heads in shame, nufc board and owner.
israeli_fan
May 8, 2016 at 2:10 PM
Comment #6I agree with stuart, I feel sick in my stomach, but still I don’t think its over, since when sunderland against everton is home banker?
I see sunderland getting 1 or 2 points from their remaining games, the big question is if we can beat a very good tottenham side at home
SPRINGY
May 8, 2016 at 2:11 PM
Comment #7stuart
the fact its out of our hands is why its negative mate,and the fact that the unwashed can put us down is an added kick in the nuts,we all hope everton do us a favour,of course we do but they have been poor of late.
wolfshead@toon
May 8, 2016 at 2:12 PM
Comment #8everton players have been on holiday for the last month are they really going to do better than chelsea on wednesday against s’land who look like the leicester of the bottom four
SPRINGY
May 8, 2016 at 2:14 PM
Comment #9i see young arma has found his scoring boots again
SPRINGY
May 8, 2016 at 2:17 PM
Comment #10wolfshead
same with watford tbh,can only hope the everton players got a bollicking and are so embarrassed that they go to the mackems and demolish them,they have the players to do that they just are not playing well,and if that happens hope watford want to end the season with a bang….a defoe injury would help like!!
Novocastrian66
May 8, 2016 at 2:17 PM
Comment #11Sunderland only need two points. Watford and Everton are spent. They will not do anything against Norwich never mind Sunderland. I love the optimism but howay man lads get real.
Toon-Barmy
May 8, 2016 at 2:17 PM
Comment #12Repost
Whoever takes the reigns at St. James Park next season is going to have a real job on their hands. IF indeed we do get relegated, our squad will be unrecognisable next season.
Seydou Doumbia’s loan will obviously come to an end.
Gabriel Obertan and Sylvain Marveaux are out of contract and have already been shown the door.
Steven Taylor is also out of contract and it’s unlikely he’ll be given a new deal, regardless of the division we’re in!
United also need to decide on new deals for youngsters like Aarons, Mbabu and Woodman.
Another issue is those players who will only have 12 months left on their contracts come the start of next season. Those players are;
Coloccini, Krul, Tiote, Anita, Cisse, Gouffran, Dummett, Rivière, Bigirimana, Ameobi & Vuckic. New deals will probably be offered to Krul and Dummett but most of them will probably leave.
The next issue is the “high earners”. Players like Janmaat, Townsend, Wijnaldum and Sissoko are unlikely to be playing in the Championship next season.
The club may decide to keep a few, possibly Shelvey, Perez and Mitrovic? That remains to be seen.
Remy Cabella is on his way for around £6m, Florian Thauvin will likely follow.
Other players that have made little impact, such as Siem de Jong, Massadio Haidara, Henri Saivet and Curtis Good are also under the spotlight.
So after all that hard work we will be left with the following players;
Krul (If he signs a new deal)
Elliot
Darlow
Lascelles
Mbemba
Dummett
Colback
Shelvey?
Mitrovic?
Perez?
Plus a few Under 21’s; Armstrong, Sterry, Toney etc.
Quite a job to do it seems, with possible departures for more than 25 players! Will Rafa Benitez really want to take that on? Unlikely I would say.
BandB
May 8, 2016 at 2:20 PM
Comment #13Jail
This is how the prize money is distributed at the END of the season.
It is predicted, as the season isn’t finished.
You will note how comparatively small the merit element is.
http://www.totalsportek.com/football/premier-league-prize-money-table-2015/
BandB
May 8, 2016 at 2:23 PM
Comment #14Jail
The prize money is distributed at the end of the season.
We are predicted to get £72m if we finish where we are.
The merit element for final placings is comparatively small.
It’s not the winning but the taking part that counts.
JackButler
May 8, 2016 at 2:23 PM
Comment #15It’s easy to place the blame on players, but the truth is the vast majority of players we have signed over the years are simply no where near good enough technically or mentally. Hundreds of millions have been wasted by the club and it has finally caught up with us. The blame is 100% at Ashley’s door as he has penny pinched and gambled for years and when you add to that the fact that we have Charnley and Carr calling the shots I’m amazed it taken so long for us to be relegated.
As long as 50,000 rock up to SJP wearing their Wonga branded shirts nothing will change, you can try to kid yourself that you are supporting the team, but that team for the most part doesn’t have a single damn about the fans, they only care about the pay cheque as the majority will try everything to leave as soon as relegation is confirmed
israeli_fan
May 8, 2016 at 2:23 PM
Comment #16Half of the leauge are on holidays, if you are so smart so bet and be a millionaire.. You are talking about professional footballers who have pride and earn insane amount of money.. Lukaku, barkley, baines, stones.. They have the players to do it!
HTL
SPRINGY
May 8, 2016 at 2:24 PM
Comment #17toon barmy
if rafa were to stay,i would assume there would be money available,and if he stayed there would be players who would be willing to think about staying because he has….loosing a lot of players might not be a bad place to start a revamp if there is a structure,funds and plan in place….lets face it we have papered over the cracks for so long its a major surprise this has’nt went tits up sooner
Charlie in the Gallowgate
May 8, 2016 at 2:24 PM
Comment #18Stuart
LUCK!!!!!!
Interesting read
http://www.teamtalk.com/news/ref-review-the-controversial-decisions-from-week-35
Last two weekends games not included.
Refereeing decisions are regularly the source of debate among fans, pundits, players and managers so this season a five-strong TEAMtalk panel will be passing judgement on every red card (or avoidance of one), every penalty and any other major incident every matchday.
We’ll also keep a tally of the major decisions to go for and against each team in an attempt to settle the never-ending debate about whether certain clubs are favoured more than others by Premier League referees.
Seasonal for and against
Team For Against Total For/Against
1. Liverpool Fourteen Six +8
2.Leicester Seventeen Ten +7
= Man United Nine Two +7
= Man City Thirteen Six +7
5. Aston Villa Seven Two +5
6. Sunderland Nine Five +4
7. Tottenham Eight Five +3
8. Crystal Palace Seven Five +2
9. Everton Four Four 0
= Stoke Seven Seven 0
11. Watford Six Seven -1
12. Chelsea Nine Eleven -2
13. Norwich Four Seven -3
=West Brom Seven Ten -3
15. Arsenal Ten Fourteen -4
16. Southampton Seven Eleven -4
18. Newcastle Five Ten -5
18. Swansea Five Eleven -6
19. Bournemouth Five Twelve -7
20. West Ham Seven Eighteen -11
Here’s the six incorrect decisions which could yet cost United their top-flight status:
1. What should have been as 2-0 up rapidly becomes 6-1 down
Manchester City 6-1 Newcastle United (October 3, 2015)
In some ways, this offside call was as bad – if not worse – than the Aguero one at St James’ Park, yet it quickly got forgotten about as United collapsed to a 6-1 defeat having controlled the game until just before half-time.
Aleksandar Mitrovic had put Newcastle ahead, and he slotted in a second after 25 minutes.
Daryl Janmaat had advanced down the right, and played it across the face of goal to Mitrovic – who was stood at five yards behind the Dutchman when the ball was centred – and the Serbian had it in the back of Man City’s net once again.
Incredibly, the offside flag was raised – and eventually Aguero netted five, and United capitulated.
But if they had gone 2-0 up, things might have been very different.
2. Handball or a clothesline – take your pick?
Sunderland 3-0 Newcastle United (October 25, 2015)
The first of two controversial incidents within the space of 30 seconds at the Stadium of Light back in October.
With the scoreline at 0-0 after 44 minutes, Georginio Wijnaldum advanced into the box and flicked the ball around Lee Cattermole.
Not only did the ball hit Cattermole’s arm – a handball could have been given, but would likely have been harsh – the Sunderland defender then almost clotheslined Wijnaldum as he prevented the Newcastle midfielder getting past him.
The latter, certainly, should have been a penalty for Newcastle.
3. The snowball effect
Sunderland 3-0 Newcastle United (October 25, 2015)
Referee Bobby Madley only compounded his mistake with another on Wearside.
Immediately after Cattermole’s indiscretions went unpunished, Sunderland counter attacked, Steven Fletcher got in behind Fabricio Coloccini, and the Argentine knocked the Black Cats attacker down.
It probably was a penalty by the letter of the law, and it was a stupid challenge, but it should not have been a red card.
Madley allowed his poor decisions to snowball, and he dismissed Coloccini.
The resultant penalty was scored, and eventually Newcastle lost 3-0 having thoroughly outplayed Sunderland when they had 11 men.
Have NUFC been hard done by this season?
500+ VOTES SO FAR
Yes – referees have had some shockers
No – it all evens itself out
4. A small call, but it made a huge impact
Newcastle United 0-1 Everton (December 26, 2015)
As decisions go, whether a side should have been awarded a goal-kick or a corner would usually appear marginal.
When that incorrectly-awarded corner then results in a 93rd-minute winner though, then controversy abounds.
Against Everton on Boxing Day, Romelu Lukaku clearly got the final touch on the ball and Newcastle should have been given a goal-kick.
Instead the Toffees won a corner, and Tom Cleverley eventually looped a winning header over Rob Elliot.
You could argue Newcastle should still have defended the set-piece better, but there should never have been a corner in the first place.
5. Penalty woes continue
West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Newcastle United (December 28, 2015)
When Mitrovic was not awarded a clear-cut penalty at The Hawthorns in December, Newcastle’s spot-kick drought at the time – which has now thankfully ended – stretched to 367 days.
Right on the hour Mark, Mitrovic cut inside Jonny Evans in the box and went to hit a shot, before the Baggies defender clearly pulled the Serbian back.
Mitrovic got an effort away while falling backwards, which was deflected behind for a corner, yet United were not given a spot-kick despite Evans’ obvious infringement.
Eventually Darren Fletcher headed in a winning goal for the Baggies, but if Newcastle have been awarded their penalty, things could have turned out rather differently.
6. One of the worst offside decisions in Premier League history?
Newcastle United 1-1 Manchester City (April 19, 2016)
When Aleksandar Kolarov whipped in his free-kick from the left-hand side, Aguero had been stood in an offside position for 30 seconds.
Somehow though, assistant referee Dave Bryan did not raise his flag before or after the Argentine nodded Man City in front.
The entirety of St James’ Park, Bryan aside, knew Aguero was offside.
SPRINGY
May 8, 2016 at 2:29 PM
Comment #19israeli
its evertons form thats the worry,the talent is there but there form is poor last 6 games,won 1 out of 6,watford have won 2 out of there last 6
stuart no9
May 8, 2016 at 2:32 PM
Comment #20springy —-villa have been poor of late but they put on a better defensive performance than normal.
I know why its negative and yes it is out of our hands but it was out of sunderlands hands at 3pm yesterday afternoon -most were confident that if we could get a win we would be safe — fast forward 90 mins we are going down again and everyone on a downer thats how fast the mood and the situation can change .let me ask you a question , if scum get beat on wednesday , who do you fancy to stay up — us or the scum??
Jib
May 8, 2016 at 2:37 PM
Comment #21El Sleeve @3
Sultan of Oman
Qaboos bin Said
Ascended throne in 1970 after overthrowing his father in a coup. He has an estimated net worth of $700 million.
Avid classical music fan; personally financed restoration of mosques across the country.
Graduate of Britain’s Sandhurst Military Academy, served in British Infantry.
Divorced with NO CHILDREN, succession plan is matter of much speculation.
Whoops must have been an impostor !
😎
Jail for Ashley
May 8, 2016 at 2:38 PM
Comment #22Not only that but they actually came from behind twice to beat them as well,
stuart no9
May 8, 2016 at 2:38 PM
Comment #23novo— say sunderland only need 2 poinrs !! fair point ,
we only needed 1 goal yesterday . see my point.
SPRINGY
May 8, 2016 at 2:42 PM
Comment #24stuart
i expect the mackems to win unfortunately,hope they dont but when they have needed the results of late they got them, we have’nt by and large,my worry is if, like u say, the mackems get beat…1)watford are not good enough, like there form has showed and 2) can we do what is required against spurs,which we have’nt shown all season….it would be an utter disgrace if the unwashed were to lose there next two games and we didnt do enough to stay but can you honestly see us showing up and getting what we need when they could’nt do it against villa twice this season….im still hoping mate,i am but we are very reliant on the fortunes of others now when it should of been in our hands.
davis_toons
May 8, 2016 at 4:32 PM
Comment #25@5, this is why it gets us so angry and sad at the same time.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
May 8, 2016 at 8:23 PM
Comment #26And the “lifeblood” have betrayed the club by sitting by for nearly a decade while all of this was happening.