Former Newcastle goalkeeper Tommy Wright has talked to Lee Ryder of the Evening Chronicle today and has talked about the lack of communication from the club to the Newcastle fans.
Manager Hughton surrounded by Newcastle fans
Tommy has paid tribute to the Newcastle fans today, for following the lads last season so well, but he thinks better communication is necessary from Mike Ashley and company.
This is what Tommy said today:
“The fans, well what can I say?” “They stuck with the team despite all the problems, which didn’t surprise me one iota.”
“When I played the crowds did drop at the bottom of the old Second Division, but we were still capable of pulling 25,000 people.”
“Then when Kevin came in they went up to as many as you could get in the ground, first 32,000 and then up to 36,000 and when I came back the second time up to beyond 50,000.”
“I think any club that has the crowds like that will have the fans thriving to know what’s going on. You can’t ignore them.”
“They are entitled to know what the plans are and you’ve got to be open to them.” “There are plenty of media outlets available these days to do it, so it’s not hard to spread the word.”
“If you keep the fans informed they will respect that and they like to know what direction the club is heading.”
“We had Sir John Hall arrive when I played there and he was a delight in terms of PR.” “He told everybody what he wanted to do and how he was going to do it and I think the public in Newcastle loved him for that.”
“From what I can see there is a lack of communication there and to be honest I’m not even sure if he (Mike Ashley) wants to sell up because he won’t come out and talk.”
Mike Ashley has never been good at communicating with the fans, and we don’t know if he wants to remain fairly quiet and not tell us what’s going on – or whether it’s because he’s just a hopeless communicator.
For instance, why on earth will he not come out and say if transfer money is being made available to Chris Hughton this summer?
He doesn’t have to say much, and he could say it’s a small amount if indeed he is trying to keep the prices of some of our targets down.
But poor communications always has consequences, and anybody in business will tell you when the communication is poor so goes the affinity and reality.
So it’s not surprising how lots of Newcastle fans still dislike Ashley – and are not sure what he’s even thinking.
But Mike can vastly improve that by communicating better and a lot more often with the faithful Newcastle fans – if he wants to.
We have to hope this does not fall on deaf ears.
Comments welcome.
21 comments so far
rwpoynter
May 31, 2010 at 3:42 PM
Comment #1Mike, I have been a NUFC fan for nearly 60 years. I have certainly not made you or your predecessors much money but talk to your fans. THEY ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS and bloody good ones. Tell them what is going on DIRECT not through the Sun or the Daily Mail, two rags whose print everyone takes with a pinch of salt. As far as I can judge you may well be doing a good job. I think stupid money for over inflated players should be stopped. You have taken the lead in this and I expect , secretly, a lot of other footbal club directors will thank you for that,but dont kill the goose that lays the golden egg (the fans?).
Thump
May 31, 2010 at 3:46 PM
Comment #2I think Ashley wants to stay quiet BECAUSE he’s a bad communicator, Ed. You of all people know how difficult communication can be in business, especially when you’re trying to be as clear cut and precise as possible (a difficult skill in the best of circumstances) and then when you try to dumb that down to a level in which laymen’s like ourselves can understand, wires are easily crossed.
A lot of the time it appears to me as if Mike would have done best to keep his mouth shut but such is life!
Good words from Tommy, though.
Chris F
May 31, 2010 at 4:00 PM
Comment #3frankly i’d rather they kept their traps shut, at least that way they won’t embarass us or the club.
Robby Bobson
May 31, 2010 at 4:44 PM
Comment #4Well to be honest he never has anything positive to say so doesn’t really say anything….and when he did break bad news about no transfer money noone believed him. So I think the lack of communication is due to no good news and the fact they are so dam awful at it.
I’m not too bothered about the lack of communication at te moment…but this time last season and the year before it was killing me due to the uncertainty. But we have a manager club not up for sale and no transfer money so no uncertainty.
bill
May 31, 2010 at 4:50 PM
Comment #5Every time they open their mouths lies pour out, so what is the point in them saying anything.
Solaidback
May 31, 2010 at 5:07 PM
Comment #6To be honest I can’t understand why we’re wanting to hear from Ashley himself, as you don’t see many other Owners making weekly speaches or official statements so why are we expect Ashley to do the same 🙁
Other teams have a Football Chairman who comes out & tells the fans what they are doing, the Muckems have Quinny to do Ellis bidding, so the person who should be communicating with the fans is Llambias, not Ashley as he’s supposed to be our chairman isn’t he???
It’s posts like these that get the anti-Ashley bridgade out from under their rocks, spouting rubbish & winding up the rest of us fans, it’s not helping the team & it certainly doens’t get the message over to Ashley that we’re trying to give him a chance to make amends, instead, if he reads these bloggs at all, it make him more & more likely to not spend any sort of money just to get back at us for everything bad that said against him!!
In the end, he owns the stadium, the players, the fixture & fitting, so its entirely up to him what he does with them, we just love our club because we’re loyal fans & want whats best for it, so imo I think we should just let him do what he wants to do as long as it’s not harming our club!!
MacToon
May 31, 2010 at 6:32 PM
Comment #7Not exactly Solaidback, he must keep the customers happy even though he owns the club…. but unfortunately(or fortunately for the team) the fans are still happy to turn up week in week out.
Just a basic statement like:
we are doing the best we can but under the current climate it is difficult to make the club cost effective. We refuse to pay inflated prices and may well have to rely on our youth and players out of contract at other clubs.
However what we get is generally lies and rubbish coming from the boardroom (ok people in charge) but thankfully CH has done wonders to the team and we’re back in the prem with a little optimism but Ashley and llambias do their best to pour cold water on the situation!
We’ll know by the time the season starts what is true, if little changes we will struggle again but hey it’s not MY club, it’s Ashleys, he own’s it lock, stock and barrell…..
chuck
May 31, 2010 at 6:40 PM
Comment #8He does`nt communicate because he has a total disregard for the fans.
Why ? cause he knows they will show up week after week , so why should he schmoose them ?
Plus he does`nt want to put his business in the street, does`nt want people to know what his goals are.
And believe it they have more to do with dosh than building a solid football club.
We are dealing with a guy who has been publicly demeaned in his own ground by home fans.
A rift that will never heal, that goes for both sides.
He has attempted to sell on a couple of occasions, but wants ALL his money back.
Therefore the so called five year plan, where he skims any profit spending the bare amount in order to avoid relegation.
If a suitable buyer comes along , it`s “I`m outta here”!
Mag 48
May 31, 2010 at 7:03 PM
Comment #9If you can’t communicate employ someone who can.Top People have spokesmen pr men spin doctors .It would cut out rumours lies and a lot of bad feeling.
chuck
May 31, 2010 at 7:40 PM
Comment #10Mag 48#
Exactly, in which case he clearly has no interest !
Mac
May 31, 2010 at 7:50 PM
Comment #11WHY? Why should Mike Ashley come out and speak to us. Name another club apart from West Ham that is run by 2 of football biggest clowns.
If there is nothing to say then don’t speak, don’t just come out with statements for the sake of it. Man utd haven’t Arsenal haven’t Chelsea haven’t Everton ,Spurs,Wigan,Blackburn …. the list could go on and on. If there is something to say then no doubt we’ll hear about it, but until then why are people say Ashley should speak???
Would people be happy if on the NUFC website he told you what he was having for luch or perhaps when he’s just about to go to the toilet?
Mac
May 31, 2010 at 7:51 PM
Comment #12P.s Sorry typed that in a hurry.
ashleys wallets cobwebs
May 31, 2010 at 8:15 PM
Comment #13he only tells lies anyway ,so why does anyone want to listen to a liar ?
Thump
May 31, 2010 at 8:23 PM
Comment #14Because that liar owns the club we support. Why else would we want to listen to him?
MacToon
May 31, 2010 at 8:25 PM
Comment #15Cba, he’s a cancer at this club and he must have laughed at the loyal support all last season with average of 43k gates even after all that he’s done!
Where’s the money for Shay gone? Milner? Zog? Bassong?….etc…..ahh like i say, cba!
jimiley
May 31, 2010 at 9:01 PM
Comment #16Ashley is speaking all the time. By saying nothing or occasionally sending out vague statements, he is putting up two fingers to the fans. He is trying to sow discord amongst the fans and is succeeding. He hates this club and it is so obvious. We love you too fat man.
jimiley
May 31, 2010 at 9:02 PM
Comment #17Oh Ed, do you fancy running another poll about Ashley. Everyone I know hates the guy. Everyone apart from you and a few juveniles on this blog.
LambethMag
May 31, 2010 at 9:33 PM
Comment #18I’d rather neither Ashley or Lame**se both kept their mouths shut. Hearing the garbage the bingo caller spouts just winds me up anyway.
Lets face it, we all know their plan. Claw back his “loan”, male the club debt free, and then sell on to the highest bidder and F*ck off. As far as I’m concerned it can’t come soon enough.
Don’t blame him for the situation the club was in financially, but he knows he’s f*cked up in a lot of other areas. Its the lies and deceit that has got the fans backs up. Now he ‘s aware that the fans aren’t stupid, and believe nothing that comes out of the club. That’s what we are getting, NOWT.
This one’s for you Mike.
Newcastle United have been an integral of the city and of the North East of England since 1892. Its much, much bigger than you ever imagined, and its hugely bigger than you and your money.
Your bullsh*t, and bully boy tactics you adopt in business will bring you nothing but grief here mate. Your tenure at the club will only be viewed as a minor blip in the wonderful history of our club. Do us all a favour. Take your loan back and interest too. Then just head back to Buckinghamshire and leave us in the hands of ownership of which we can be proud, not embarrassed.
G
May 31, 2010 at 9:47 PM
Comment #19I hate MA, but he is here, there is very little I can do about it. I can snub the games, but thats cutting my nose off to spite my face. If we turn up in numbers then we at least look like a profitable venture to interested parties. If we stay at home to register our contempt of MA, it makes the club look like a bad investment. Forget the owner, cheer the team.
Solaidback
May 31, 2010 at 10:15 PM
Comment #20jimiley // May 31, 2010 at 9:02 PM
Oh Ed, do you fancy running another poll about Ashley. Everyone I know hates the guy. Everyone apart from you and a few juveniles on this blog.
————————————————————
Only a juvenile would come out with a stupid comment like that moron!!!
Just because Ashley not coming out & telling you what you want to hear, you’re throwing your teaddies out the cot & saying you hate him, how pathetic & grown up you sound & you wonder why other fans make us the lauging stock of the english league… how about you grow a set & stop crying in your milk because the owner doesn’t do what you want him to do!!!
Ed as every right to post what he likes & his opinion on HIS blogg, you don’t like it, wind yer neck in & post else where, its that simple!
It’s idiotic moron like you who give us a bad name & here’s me thinking after a season out of the PL, we’d actually realised what we were like & changed, obviously not by some of the comment on here!!
stuart no9
May 31, 2010 at 10:34 PM
Comment #21G we heard all this last season mate ( support the team dont boycott) if you feel so strongly about something you should try to put your point across. Burying your head in the sand and hope it goes away, like you are doing, wont get results. I want to see a great team here but it wont come as long as he is in charge.You say you dont want to cut your nose off to spite your face ( witch i think is a selfishcomment) but think more long term, rather than worrying about the fact that your next few saturdays may be spoilt by not going to the match, as boycotting is the only way to get this parasite to sell up, if you dont mind paying a fortune to watch crap, thats up to you, i would ratherpay a fortune to watch a great team and support a owner, with ambition, who has the club and the fans at heart. AL FAYED OR FAT ASH NO COMPARRISON