Former Newcastle midfielder and friend of Alan Shearer has broken the silence on behalf of his friend by speaking the cold hard truth on Newcastle’s current mess.
Rob Lee and Alan Shearer-Is Rob copying Alan?
Rob Lee arrived on Tyneside early in the 1992 season after a £700,000 transfer from cash strapped Charlton Athletic. He made 303 appearances for the club scoring 44 goals.
Lee was at Newcastle for the Keegan glory days and also the first half of Bobby Robson’s reign before he left for Derby County in 2002. So Rob knows Newcastle United and has remained a close friend of his teammate Alan Shearer.
It is without too much assumption that Rob’s comments about Alan are with his blessing. This could even be seen as Alan’s message to the fans.
Here are Rob’s comments in their entirety:
“I speak to Alan every day and he’s frustrated to say the least. He’s coming to the end of his tether now. He’s waited for ages and been told that things were due to happen, but nothing has and he’s very frustrated.”
“He organised all the pre-season games at the end of last season but he also had targets in mind that he wanted to bring in to the club. Now it looks like he will miss out on them.”
“I’m amazed he hasn’t already told Newcastle that he doesn’t want the job any more, but there will come a point where he says, ‘You’re too late’.”
“He still wants the job desperately but you can’t expect someone like that to wait forever. He’s not daft and they’ve had ample time to sort something out.”
“Only half the stadium has been sold as season tickets and for a club the size of Newcastle that is bad. They’re in danger of being in the same situation as Leeds, who are stuck in League One and can’t get out.”
“It could take a long time to sort themselves out, but nothing can happen unless the club is sold. Some of the players don’t want to play in that division, but they’re being paid £50,000 a week and you can’t sustain that.”
“It is a horrendous situation and the longer it goes on the worse it will get for Newcastle.” “If things don’t change in the next three weeks they could have a very bad season.”
Rob Lee has basically summed up the entire situation at Newcastle. It seems we are going to lose out on Ched Evans also who is being strongly linked with a £3M move to Sheffield United today.
The situation is now past it’s boiling point and if Shearer is not appointed soon this club could be lost never mind the season.
Mike Ashley has decimated Newcastle United and soured the best football fans in the world. He’s driven a legend to the point of having to turn his back on the club he loves. What an utter disgrace this man is.
24 comments so far
DJG
Jul 24, 2009 at 2:21 AM
Comment #1Im starting to think that we are just gonna go the way of Leeds, its trully depressing. If Ashley stays he will pick the squad apart like a roast chicken, leaving the bare bones.
ginkoh
Jul 24, 2009 at 4:35 AM
Comment #2I hate the logic that Newcastle = Fxxxing Ashley. When anyone said Newcastle unfair, why Newcastle still don’t offer Shearer, Why Newcastle…….
It’s not all about Newcastle, It’s just Fxxxing Basxxx AShley only !!! And he will pay for it one day !! I rock on !!!
Lew Davies
Jul 24, 2009 at 5:36 AM
Comment #3There is no way Shearer will get/take the job now. I mean you cant blame him can you. MA and co obviously just want to humiliate him aswell as the club.
I really can only think of one man who will take the job on now, and we all know who that is. This must be the plan. Leave it too late to appoint Shearer, so he ends up turning it down, then bring in kinear again.
God help us.
🙁
liam85
Jul 24, 2009 at 8:12 AM
Comment #4Ive given up on all this! There’s no more hope for Newcastle now. Ashley has messed this club up and now we will be the new Leeds United.
I’m sick to death of checking this site everyday for some good news.
I can’t even wear my Newcastle shirt because I feel pain with it all.
I really don’t want to leave newcastle behind but I don’t think I can sit here and watch it fall apart all because of one person.. thanks Mike Ashley!!!!!!! 🙁
Toon Graeme
Jul 24, 2009 at 8:19 AM
Comment #5Neil – good piece.
Morning lads.
Rob has just said what we were all thinking that shearer was thinking – if that makes sence.
Everyday I sit and hope for something.
Yet another week and 15 days til kick off!!
Ashley is a joke!
hitman
Jul 24, 2009 at 8:30 AM
Comment #6shearer will be back on MOTD ,ashley has destroyed this club,how can anyone defend this man.
Prince Bassong
Jul 24, 2009 at 8:42 AM
Comment #7We won’t be the new Leeds, it’ll be far worse the way things are going. Probably automatic demotions from the FA due to being crippled financially and being dumped straight into League Two without even going into League One.
As things stand we’re still paying for players who don’t want to be here, we’ll get even less for them as there is no real time to barter up what will be pathetic options (many may actually go on loan), most of Al’s targets have now moved onn so another list will need to be drawn up and then the team still have to be merged into something resembling a team in about 5 weeks until the transfer window shuts (assuming a deal went through today).
Done right we could have exploded out of the Championship and back into the Premiership team with a side full of hope and promise but still built on a tight budget (basically on transfer income alone).
We’d have been better off being run by a mackem-supporting gibbon at this rate. At least we’d get more communication.
RyanToon
Jul 24, 2009 at 8:52 AM
Comment #8ashley is a c u n t
Ericles
Jul 24, 2009 at 8:58 AM
Comment #9This is a Daily Express item by Hickman. This paper has an appalling record regarding accurate articles about NUFC. Fine honest words from Rob Lee but the journo’s comments about the sale and what has been bid are mere unsubstantiated opinion, conjecture presented as fact.. We know that Ashley behaves like female genitalia and male appendage combined. I still think he is being malicious though – the man is truly a mafioso!
lesh
Jul 24, 2009 at 9:22 AM
Comment #10Mike Ashley has decimated Newcastle United and soured the best football fans in the world. He’s driven a legend to the point of having to turn his back on the club he loves. What an utter disgrace this man is.
Ed… you are obviously measuring your language and under the circumstances, have done well to so.
It doesn’t though mask the anger that’s fermenting inside.
Ericles
Jul 24, 2009 at 9:34 AM
Comment #11Ashley is, in my opinion without proof, trying to sabotage NUFC. I believe the gangster is carrying out a scorched earth policy towards the club, retreat, leave and destroy. Leave nothing for those coming in to use. The man is truly a wrecking scumbag who has no morality or sense of how his actions hurt innocent others. Beware you oversized Y-front wearer – you will rue one day the damage you have done. Go back to selling dodgy nylons on the street corner you shite!!!!!!
hitman
Jul 24, 2009 at 9:34 AM
Comment #12this is off another site,
Hello everyone im new to this forum, im not your average die hard fan that is always at the games, unfortunately im an armchair fan as my working commitments dictate my lifestyle at the moment. I am married to a geordie (from Stanley) who loves everything thats Newcastle United. Anyhow i work for City of London Investment Group as a Senior Admin Officer. Today we heard a whisper of your Mr. Ashley having a heated row with Mr Keith Harris of the Seymore Pierce Group over the sale of your club. Allegedly Mr. Harris has advised Mr. Ashley to sell the club to an unamed American company but has since been relieved of his duties to sell the football club by Mr. Ashley. It is rumoured that Ashley will try to sell the club himself for a larger fee than the £100m quoted. It is also rumoured that if he fails to sell the club before August 20th 2009 he will withdraw the club from any proposed sale and sell the majority of the first team squad to recoup his losses and appoint a manager willing
hitman
Jul 24, 2009 at 9:43 AM
Comment #13continued .
to work closely with him with a view to a 4 year timespan and wanting to develop younger players to gain premier league status. He has no intention of giving Alan Shearer a managers job and will want to be heavily involved in the running of the club.I realise this is a difficult time for the club and please dont dismiss my post as in any way disrespectfull to the team and fans. As an adopted toon fan i hope we get back where we belong
lesh
Jul 24, 2009 at 9:54 AM
Comment #14Hitman… that post from whomever chimes as probably true. It wouldn’t surprise me if Ashley had chosen to ignore the advice of the specialist agent he’d appointed to sell the club.
If he intends to sell the club himself, what chance has he got…. again I’ll say it…. that combination of arrogance and ignorance is manifes in him and he’s a very dangerous man.
Nick 69
Jul 24, 2009 at 9:57 AM
Comment #15i really would not be suprised one bit if Ashley has fell out with Keith Harris and chosen not to listen to his advice on the prefered bidder, that scenario has Ashley written allover it. And if he really is now looking to sell it himself then we are in big trouble. Each day that goes by now, administration seems like a more realistic possibilty!
hitman
Jul 24, 2009 at 10:01 AM
Comment #16thats why i posted it,it has ashleys MO all over it.
Johno Toon
Jul 24, 2009 at 10:16 AM
Comment #17this prob been said already but i was wtachin sky sports last night and it said celtic have beaten wba and newcastle to the signing of d.fox
wtf?? i thought there was a transfer embargo?? or was sky just saying we were interested in him. I didnt wait to watch it and just seen it on the headlines as i didnt want to watch harry go on about spurs anyone else see this?
Stardust
Jul 24, 2009 at 10:51 AM
Comment #18Cant believe how hate filled folks are – that “exclusive post” claims to have learned of a titbit then went on to know Ashleys inner thoughts – what a load of rubbish.
We obviously have a blog of clued up Columbo’s today. Just one more thing……….
Macas35
Jul 24, 2009 at 11:03 AM
Comment #19Stardust – While the post is likely to be made up you can understand the fans frustration as the club is a complete shambles at the moment. We have an owner who wants to sell up, no manager, no new players, a crippling wage bill which the owner bizarrely does not want to slash, and a total lack of communication towards the fans. The longer this continues the more worrying it gets.
Stardust
Jul 24, 2009 at 11:12 AM
Comment #20Macas
Re: “a crippling wage bill which the owner bizarrely does not want to slash” – irrespective of what you hear by some on here – Administration is not going to happen, it is not in Ashleys or NUFCs interests. Therefore by not slashing the wage bill (as Ashley is the can carrier) you have to deduct the interest to buy the club is real. Re timing of the many issues that will be a decision made by those with real knowledge of the facts and circumstance – though I do not like to see time drift by like all of us, the fact is that selling something with short term liabilities isnt straight forward – folks seem to forget that player contracts are short term things, any shortfall can easily be compensated for over the long term with the correct structure.
Re”and a total lack of communication towards the fans.” Totally agree – I have said all along their communication is a disaster and they to this day show no understanding of the impact on the fans (or as I suspect they feel aggrievedat the way they have been treated by the fans (part self caused I realise) and simply dont care anymore)
Re: “The longer this continues the more worrying it gets.” -Totally agree too.
THE MAGPIE
Jul 24, 2009 at 11:36 AM
Comment #21It would seem that buyers are not exactly falling over themselves to buy the club for 100m because even if they completed on 31st July they only have 1 month to get rid of 10 or so high earners and then get 10 replacements-its unrealistic and i dont think its going to happen unless the price drops to a more realistic figure.
Ashley has 3 options-sell at 80m-stop the sale and try and offload the high earners in August or be prepared to put in another 20m to subsidise the wages for next season with the present squad.
Brettoon
Jul 24, 2009 at 1:55 PM
Comment #22Stardust – you are a self righteous tw4t…
Doocey
Jul 24, 2009 at 2:02 PM
Comment #23What interests me, is that Shearer organised all the pre-season friendlies 😐
Stardust
Jul 24, 2009 at 2:18 PM
Comment #24Brettoon – so youre not coming to my birthday party – oh the loss.