Newcastle’s gross spend this transfer window is about £16M, and that’s not counting loan or agents’ fees.
That’s the amount of money Newcastle have paid out in transfer fees to bring players into the club this summer.
But the real financial number that is important is what the net spend is – the outlay when you take into consideration the money you get in from players who have been transferred this summer.
Lee Charnley with Mike Ashley
Yes – we know it all gets a little complicated because fees are not paid upfront in one lump sum when the deal is done, but are usually spread across a number of years – that’s true for both outgoing and incoming transfers.
But in order to get a handle on how much has been spent in any one transfer window the net spend is the key figure.
Here’s what we have put together in a transfer table for this summer – and Newcastle are £25M in profit so far – that’s the net spend so far – which is negative.
We’ve taken in £25M more than we have paid out.
The fees are best estimates.
[table “74” not found /]Comments welcome.
21 comments so far
twotonearmy
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:16 PM
Comment #1One thing we never seem to take into account is wages. Net spend in transfer fees is a huge part of our overall spend but so is the wage we sign new players on. If we send out a player on 40k and bring one in on 60k then that all adds up over the length of their contract.
I’m not defending our horrible regime at all, I’m just saying theres more to these numbers than we know.
All that said, we definitely have enough money for a decent striker unless we are paying the tea lady a pretty pop.
We have an incredibly high wage bill but have we ever received info on how that is broken down? We aren’t exactly a team paying out 80-120k a week so where exactly are all these high earners on our books?
hibbit
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:17 PM
Comment #2Bill
is it The Magpie Group letter you agree with or the offering Bobby has offered up ????
Wayayman
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:18 PM
Comment #3All you lot who think this letter should have been more compliant, don’t you think Ashley is the instigator in all of this and has had a succession of shots fired in our direction ever since he sacked KK? That’s TEN YEARS of abuse. Let that sink in. Ten. Years. All this letter is meant to show is that we’ve had enough.
Even if he doesn’t respond to the initial letter then he should at least know that his actions over that last decade have consequences – that’s all. I fail to see how any NUFC fan can be against the intent of this letter, regardless of wether you live in Newcastle or NSW.
jazzyp
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:22 PM
Comment #4And that is why Ashley wind again with fans at each other’s throats. No middle ground to be found,It course of action agreed to be taken.
ASHLEY apologists v Plastic twats now is it.
1-0 to Ashley
Optimistic Panda
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:23 PM
Comment #5Bobby
Plastic man!
Optimistic Panda
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:25 PM
Comment #6Wayaman
No, posters like Bobby think the fans should lube up bend over take ten more years uo the ar5e and send a letter of thanks to Ashley.
Wayayman
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:26 PM
Comment #7Bobby from the last post, that’s just rubbish. Megalomaniacs don’t need flattering, especially billionaire ones. Look at Trump, nothing anyone says will make a blind bit of difference to what he thinks. Same with Ashley. The only thing these people understand or care about is their power and they’ve all got their power from making or having a LOT of money. Standing up to them is just the first step in taking that power away.
And bear in mind this isn’t North Korea we are dealing with here -Ashley’s not going to Nuke the Byker Wall. The worst that can happen with Ashley is that the twat stays, Rafa goes and we spiral down the leagues. Which is probably what will happen if we do nothing in any case.
Wayayman
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:27 PM
Comment #8Jazzy you’re spot on.
The next Mike Williamson
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:28 PM
Comment #9I think the letter is well written and fairly balanced. there is no speculation regarding figures or what may have happened behind the scenes and theres nothing that’s obviously rubbish. i wouldnt say it was overly hostile either. although i doubt Ashley will read it. I think he’s set out his rules and washed his hands of the club. He’s too busy turning billions into more billions to worry about what we think.
The next Mike Williamson
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:31 PM
Comment #10wayayman,
you think that SD’s value increased massively during a recession because of our advertising? if that was true then every big company on earth would be offering us a billion or so for it. i think SD did well because they were selling cheap stuff at a time when people had less money.
jazzyp
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:34 PM
Comment #11Wayayman
Ashley doesn’t give a flying f@ck about the club or anyone associated with it.
NUFC IS just another pay cheque to him,This window has proven that more than any other.I was talking to 2 life long fans this morning from the area who I’ve sat near for over 20 year..Sadly they like many others have called it a day,Enough is enough.
They might still the ground with Daytrippers and casual attendees,But this loses the atmosphere in the ground which was noticeable a lot last season
leonado_keng
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:35 PM
Comment #12When When When we will demonstrate and boycott
The next Mike Williamson
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:35 PM
Comment #13theres never a middle ground jazzy. its either black or white with us. your either the messiah or the devil.
jazzyp
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:35 PM
Comment #14Fill the ground
jazzyp
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:38 PM
Comment #15Tnmw
And that’s why Ashley will unfortunately have the last laugh every time mate.The fans are that passionate and sometimes regrettably accept anything and still attend …As is there right
Essex Geordie Bill
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:47 PM
Comment #16Hibbit
Both, I just think that sticking your face into his and telling him to F off is going to be counterproductive with him.
He’ll probably think stuff it, they’ve never liked me so why should I care, so long as I’m milking it for cash.
As Bobby points out trying to get him into a more reasonable mindset, somehow, to make him see the opportunities he’s really missing could be more productive.
On the other hand Shirebrookes strategy might be the one that really makes him sit up and take notice. The only “but” I see in that though is that people could easily end up being arrested if the police get involved, as they could.
Wayayman
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:47 PM
Comment #17TNMW, obviously the FREE advertising at SJP which feature the SD logo prominently on every photograph and TV clip associated with home games does have a hugely significant impact on the brand. You want proof? If it didn’t, then greedy Mike would have sold the advertising space to anyone for any amount of money. He knows the value of it or the cash would be in his back pocket from someone else’s company being on the 100+ signs that plaster St James’.
Bobbybee
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:48 PM
Comment #18Wayayman, please, listen to what I’m saying. I’m not against the idea. I fully support it, I want Ashley out probably more than those who don’t spend a fortune following the team.
There are ways and means of going about it and downright threatening a multibillionaire who can destroy our club without batting an eyelid is not the way to go about it.
We all want the same thing ffs, but sometimes you have to bite the bullet and approach it in a more subtle manner.
Going to war with 15k soldiers – most who can’t even offer not going to games as an alternative is downright dumb.
Listen again. “if Ashley doesn’t go, I’ll never go again. If Rafa goes, we, go.”
Go where exactly? Not go to games you already don’t go to? Explain how that works please?
We need to ease him out because a decade of threats has got us where exactly?
I can’t stop going to games. I don’t WANT to stop, truth be told. It may be just a game to some, but to others, it’s a way of life. Being in that crowd when the ball hits the net is something I can’t describe. I will not give that up because, beside the love of my family, its, everything to me.
50k agree with me. Let’s, see how – or if – that changes. To me, 50k like minded people beats 15k followers hands down.
We all want Ashley out. We just clearly don’t agree how to do it. Those who don’t go blame those who do, but answer this honestly. Would those who don’t go stop Watching the lads on their dodgy streams that contribute NOTHING to NUFC? Not a chance.
What brought KK to Newcastle as a player and manager? The loyal fans or the armchair fans? Ditto Rafa. Why is he still here? It ain’t rocket science, work it out.
Those armchair fans hate us because we go in numbers, but revel in the ‘best supporters in the land’. You can’t have it both ways. Rafa is here purely and simply for those loyal fans. No other reason. Fact. Ask him.
We need to find a way to oust Ashley without destroying a, wonderful fanbase.
My option may be packed with lies and flannel, but does it matter? If it works? Too late to try it though, war has, been declared by 15k armchair fans who now demand we back them up after slagging us, off for years. Yeah, great idea.
magscar
Aug 1, 2018 at 4:50 PM
Comment #19Bobby
Usually agree with much you post but I think you are being a little hard on Magpie Group for 2 reasons
Firstly we have a combining of various groups (maybe with similar objectives but mostly with different strategies) under one banner and that in itself if it can stay the course for more than few months has to be good. Haven’t had such a grouping any time under Ashley and as long as they stay clear of rashly calling for walkouts in games etc I will see where they go.
Secondly it is the start of propaganda war not an all out one ( at least at pesent) and calls for him to honour public promises he made in media. Too often people complain at likes of Sky Sports etc giving him control of agenda which it seems he uses to seem reasonable and misunderstood so we need to go on front foot and try to start an opposite case in press etc.
The dialogue on why and how Rafa needs to be retained has to be started soonest not after he has gone and we should try to determine the agenda and tone. Whilst i have doubts about the efficacy of IRGWG beyond it’s initial impact and publicity it deservedly got, this combined group should hopefully make for further positive publicity for our sensible and considered approach not as some noisy rabble in front of Sky camers looking for rentagobs which media ridicule as deluded.
I understand and agree that Ashley could lash out at us and as Llambias once notoriously said (paraphrase) – you haven’t seen nasty yet. I thought of that whilst thinking of growing calls for action against SD even though I can see that is the way forward. It would be much more likely that his reaction would much more harsh that way in my view.
If press can pick up on direction the group is after then maybe questions will be asked of Rafa and in sport editorals giving credence to our case.
He has a thick skin and is used to being portrayed as an evil baron in press but doesn’t necessarily like it. Someone posted earlier (hibbit?) that may be it would accelerate transfer action – well it wouldn’t be enough to halt further action but would be a good start .
It might fail of course but it has some good people like Wor Flags involved who are match goers and I can’t see how the line taken cannot cause us harm as yet but I do see it remains to be seen what….
“We are all united in that we will do anything we can, both as groups and together as a fan base, to drive through a change in ownership.
Over to you, Mike. You have already admitted you are not the man to take the club forward. It is time to sell up and go.
You are only one man. We are a city.”
means and hopefully some thought has been given to the public shambles previous combined attempts brought and we need to avoid splits.
I have always said that Ashley will go when he is good and ready and that fans can do little to force that – maybe a propaganda war which fans can be seen to be winning might start to turn the tide. I honestly don’t know but feel giving my tacit support now is the right thing to do but will watch where it goes next 🙂
toonluvva
Aug 1, 2018 at 5:29 PM
Comment #20Re WAYAMAN @17
Remember that awfully nice Mr Ashley not only bebnfits from the FREE advertising at St James’ Park. he actually gets PAID by Sky for the priviledge.
That’s why he will be going nowhere soon.
I just wonder how the HMRC investigation is going. That might be the lever that winkles him out of the club.
Nicky the ball tosser
Aug 1, 2018 at 9:39 PM
Comment #21I like the open letter and If Rafa goes we go. I think he can be convinced to go if the protest gets serious and maintains it’s momentum. I wonder though if protest really can hurt SD, which simply makes money because everyone knows the brand and Ashley, but mainly because it’s cheap. A bit like buying cheap pork and chicken in the supermarket, even though you know the farming methods are horrendous, doesn’t stop many people. Ashley has, of course, diversified too, so he’s pretty well insured against a bit of hardship in one area of his business.
Still, even if protest might not hurt him financially, it could perhaps shame him into it, or wear him down. At some point, he may decide he just doesn’t need the grief.
Don’t go, or go and sing against him, picket his shops, build a relationship with the media and a clear narrative, but do it only if Rafa goes, he’s our man on the inside, and far and away the best thing we have going for us. I’d say though if Ashley won’t do what’s needed to keep Rafa at the club, then a ramped up protest would be the only proper alternative left.