There are two issues on Newcastle fans’ minds today.
The big one is Rafa Benitez new contract negotiations and they are certainly dragging on and on.
But that’s par for the course for the Newcastle regime and it’s one are that Rafa needs to see a big improvement in.
How’s that for irony?
We’ll have to wait and see but it’s testing the patience of our fans – and the Newcastle regime are not looking good.
But what’s new?
The other issue is a potential takeover – yes another one.
Rafa Benitez – with young (adoring) Newcastle fans
We wrote about this earlier today that a group based in Mexico – Orlegi Sports – may be interested in acquiring Newcastle United.
This is the second time in two weeks this group has been linked with an interest in Newcastle.
First of all, it’s highly unlikely they have the money to buy the club for £300M and they just bought Liga MX side Santos Laguna, which is a very popular club in Mexico.
But acquiring that Mexican club and buying Premier League club Newcastle United are two completely different things.
We don’t think they will be able to buy Newcastle if they decide they even want to.
And we doubt that Mike Ashley wants to sell the club for at least two years – if he can sign Rafa up to a new deal.
So there – I’ve said it.
Very skeptical now about Rafa signing new contract. @ChronicleNUFC originally said they hoped for an announcement this past weekend- it’s now Thursday. I think The transfer policy could be a huge problem. When Rafa would like some experienced players in #nufc
— Hollie Taylor (@Geordie_Hollie7) May 23, 2019
It’s an update about there being no update until maybe next week and the sticking points have been the same for months. ?????#NUFC https://t.co/1LAIMxj42C
— NUFC 360 (@NUFC360) May 23, 2019
Can the press already stop with the takeover rumours at #NUFC we the fans are sick of the lies that come from the club that you publish just to make news then repeat the garbage because it’s easier than actually doing some investigative journalism.
— Dan (@gingersaiyan9k) May 16, 2019
At Newcastle, Mike Ashley had £33m of his £144m loans repaid after the first season back in the Premier League. He has now committed to Sports Direct actually paying the club for the advertising billboarded all over St James’ Park. #nufc
— David Conn (@david_conn) May 23, 2019
The Fact The #Rafa Contract Talks Have Taken This Long, Is A Good Sign. They Obviously Having A Solid, In-Depth Conversation. #NUFC #KeepTheFaith #UnitedWeStand #IfRafaGoesWeGo
— Ryan Davenport (@RyanDavenport89) May 23, 2019
I’m betting there’ll be a slew of “t
I liked all those transfers that never happened because you “couldn’t get the deal over the line”!
Great work Mike, stadium will be packed to the rafters next season even when Rafa leaves.#nufc#MikeAshleyDay
— Hitchens’s Razor ?? (@WinstonPotski) May 23, 2019
akeover” stories from the Chronicle in 3…2….#NUFC— Shane Saunders (@ShaneSaunders88) May 13, 2019
Re Rafa – Today’s the first day where I’ve started thinking the worst. Mad how such a simple decision in the supporter’s eyes is a game of brinksmanship to the person who holds all the cards.. #nufc
— Cal Nixon (@Nxn10) May 23, 2019
It’s Thursday. Rafa’s yet to sign an extension with #NUFC. It’s 11 days since the season ended. I know it’s been suggested to let them get on with it, but with every day that passes, I become more and more sceptical.
— NUFC 360 (@NUFC360) May 23, 2019
With players like Longstaff being pursued the only way to stop homegrown players leaving for the MANU types is a takeover. If this #Rafa deal is not done the stampede to leave #NUFC will give Ashley what he wants and easy cash.bring in a cheap manager and lose the main asset.
— Andrew Davis (@andrew14ad) May 22, 2019
#nufc just want to throw this out there, is the club still for sale? & What’s happening about a takeover?
— Mark Sothcott ? (@marksothcott) May 22, 2019
See again no interest in any #takeover but the chron keeps pushing it #nufc
— Andrew Davis (@andrew14ad) May 22, 2019
Is it not about time the #NUFC takeover rumours should be starting?
— AB (@_Sha_Mon_) May 20, 2019
Excuse the language of this passionate support.
#nufc You could set your fucking watch by it…
*transfer window
*leaked takeover story
*minimal transfer activity
*fuck all happens
*make ‘n’ mend squad in relegation battle https://t.co/MyttQ3Zbna— Jamie Crawford (@Cut_Thumb) May 16, 2019
I’m just going to say this, no news is good news on the takeover scene, if its happening for real we wont know about it, dont know why I’m being optimistic but fingers crossed ? #nufc
— gav485nufc (@saltylemon_nufc) May 15, 2019
It would seem his jealousy holds no bounds. Everything he has done @NUFC has been sickening. Emasculating Rafa the Fans & the Club seems to be his one true desire. His greed for money is his only drive & he is destroying the club from its core. #NUFC
— Shaun Wade (@4LoveRenovation) May 23, 2019
By the 19/20 season #nufc will either have:
1.) Best club situation in years.
Rafa still the gaffer.
Signed Rondon.
Spent a fair bit of money.
Messi up top.2.) Rafa’s gone to Juventus so Big Sam is back.
Rondon, Perez and Longstaff have gone.
Fat mike still a fat prick.— Paddy Stephens (@PaddyStephens3) May 22, 2019
46 comments so far
ashleysmate
May 23, 2019 at 9:49 AM
Comment #1Phatt Boy must have some good conections in Mexico.
Every time Rafa asks for improvement the takeover jungle drums go into action.
HWTL
Harley
May 23, 2019 at 9:57 AM
Comment #2Can’t blame them for making stuff up as there’s nothing to report yet. They’ve got to write something. All we can do is wait and see. We don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing that it’s going on so long. They could be eagerly putting together a watertight contract which works for both or at loggerheads as the press seem to love portraying.
Shot Bru
May 23, 2019 at 10:00 AM
Comment #3Wow, more takeover stories again!
Rafa contracted for another month plays right into the hands of Ashley.
Negotiations drag on and on. They announce Rafa has left during Champions league finals week so there is little fanfare.
the usual expected shady dealings from the Fat one and his cronies
Tsunki
May 23, 2019 at 10:06 AM
Comment #4Just to blow a hole (or rather a nuclear detonation) in the theory that they are waiting for a good PR opportunity to announce a deal that’s already been done with Rafa, the uncertainty and negative impact that no news is creating would drive the club to be poised to make the big announcement while Benitezs pen is coming down to draw the final sweeping line under his signature. There’s no chance they would sit on this news.
TyneMouth
May 23, 2019 at 10:06 AM
Comment #5Everything’s gonna be alright.
The fact that no ‘real’ news is slipping out of anywhere, is exactly what is expected to be happening in a contractual negotiation.
The current status or progress of the talks is simply journalistic speculation, no more, no less.
There would be real reason to worry if either side, Rafa or Ashley’s gang, where caught briefing the press.
Silence is Golden.
Patience, my friends…
Lovem or Hatem
May 23, 2019 at 10:09 AM
Comment #6Agree with TyneMouth and Tsunki – patience is what’s needed.
But there will be lots of rumors and speculation!
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
May 23, 2019 at 10:15 AM
Comment #7If I were going to make an announcement I would leave it till next week once the vote is done today and play off finals have been completed this weekend!?
Big announcement on Tuesday once the dust is settled hopefully……..
G
May 23, 2019 at 10:36 AM
Comment #8LCBP @ 7. Big announcement on Tuesday that Theresa May is officially in the Klarts?
RobLeenio
May 23, 2019 at 10:42 AM
Comment #9Even I’m fed up of the takeover rumours now and I love a good bit of speculation.
It’s a Hell of a step up from owning a club in the Mexican league to owning one of the biggest clubs in the World. Make no mistake, this is what we are still, despite the years of neglect from Ashley. I’m not sure I want these Mexicans owning the club, what would their intentions be? Would it be a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire? It’s very possible.
Also bored of the same old comments on Rafa and his contract.
How many more weeks till the new season?
🙁
geordietom
May 23, 2019 at 10:44 AM
Comment #10this new ” take over talk ” . we wont hear nothing about it till its all done and dusted it wont be splashed all over the papers till its been made official . so in other words nowt going on the journo’s have got nothing its just speculation on their behalf …
on Rafa signing a new contract more or less the same as i put above …
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
May 23, 2019 at 10:46 AM
Comment #11@G
I am sure she will be fine the companies her husband works for will be very pleased !
Tsunki
May 23, 2019 at 10:55 AM
Comment #12Anyone think the takeover rumours are injected occasionally just to feed the frogs? It certainly contributes to divisiveness and anger on the blog, does the club PR machine equate this with unsettling the masses with deflection?
Lindisfarne
May 23, 2019 at 10:56 AM
Comment #13Yabba dabba doo
Longstaffs, meet the Longstaffs
They’re the, modern Geordie family.
From the, town of North Shields
There a page right out of history.
Let’s ride, with the family up the league
Through the, courtesy of Saun’s two feet
When you’re, with the Longstaffs
Have a yabba dabba doo time, a dabba doo time
We’ll have a Geordie time!
ronaldo aarons
May 23, 2019 at 11:20 AM
Comment #14Mike Ashley
@MoneyMikeAshley
·
3h
Today is officially #MikeAshleyDay !
Bought this club 12 years ago on May 23rd. Thanks for always being there for me.
Tweet your favourite Mike Ashley moments using the hashtag #MikeAshleyDay
Best ones will get a RT
#nufc
martoon
May 23, 2019 at 11:20 AM
Comment #15I think that article in The Mag speculating about a takeover was way off the mark. However where I think he was spot on was where he said
“I really feel that if there had been real sticking points on the important issues, budgets and freedom of Rafa Benitez to wheel and deal, then one or both of the sides would have quickly been pushing their PR out in the newspapers, attacking the other side for being unreasonable”
So hopefully they are still negotiating?
geordiemark
May 23, 2019 at 11:38 AM
Comment #16bugger the dandy is a better read then what bullshit comes out of the chronicle once they had a good rep now there licking ashleys arse big time, how about true reporting instead of made up bullshit from ashleys demons, we all will find out 30th of june
Jail for Ashley
May 23, 2019 at 11:50 AM
Comment #17Which Monday newspaper would you say gives the best reports and analysis from the weekends games.
RobLeenio
May 23, 2019 at 11:54 AM
Comment #18Jail I think the guardian is pretty impartial and fair in its reporting and also free to read.
RobLeenio
May 23, 2019 at 11:56 AM
Comment #19It’s a lovely day on Tyneside. Would be even lovelier for some positive news.
GeordieinOhio
May 23, 2019 at 12:09 PM
Comment #20Good Morning ALL!!
Here we go again…..BS takeover rumors, bazillion transfer rumors and still sticking points in Rafa’s contract….same old same old!. I am sure most on here will agree Rafa should of been signed up a long time ago….but NO the fatman wants to buy high street stores instead of investing in NUFC it truly makes no sense.
Honestly it wouldn’t shock me if Rafa walks away…every transfer window its the same old story, and the same people saying the same things over and over….
DubaiMicky
May 23, 2019 at 12:21 PM
Comment #21From Spirit of the Toon on FB (with the naughty words starred). Is Sir John still life president? Anyone know?
On this day…12 years ago. This ****ing cretinous lump bought Newcastle United. His tenure so far has seen 2 relegations….annual no cup runs….a lack of spending yet high selling. Blatant disregard for anything the fans want….renaming the iconic St James Park as the @ShiteDirectArena as well as Shearers to nine bar. Appointment of eejits in managerial or other roles. So yeah…happy ****ing anniversary!! ?.
Here’s a piece written at the time. Some of the quotes make ya laugh now we know what we do….the geordie abramovich ???./gaz
Billionaire retail magnate Mike Ashley today bought a 41.6% holding in Newcastle, launching his £133m takeover bid for the club.
St James’ Holdings Limited, a company set up specifically to buy shares in Newcastle, paid Sir John Hall and his family £55m for the stake. Stock exchange rules oblige the company to now make a cash offer for all remaining shares, and Ashley said his offer valued all shares at the same price he had paid Hall (100p per share). Sir John will remain as the club’s life president.
“I am delighted to have this opportunity to invest in Newcastle United,” said Ashley who made over £900m from the flotation of his Sports Direct retail chain earlier this year. “The club has a fantastic infrastructure, for which Sir John and the board must take much of the credit. I am pleased that Sir John has agreed to remain as life president of the club.
The future of Freddy Shepherd, who succeeded Sir John as chairman and owns approximately 29.8% of the remaining shares, is less clear, though he has previously stated he would not stand in the way of a “Geordie Abramovich” who wanted to pour millions into the club. Ashley did suggest, however, that whatever happened, he would support new manager Sam Allardyce.
“Newcastle United has a wonderful heritage and the passion of its fans is legendary,” he continued. “I am sure that, like me, they are already excited about the prospects for next season under the new manager’s stewardship.”
Sir John, who formed the Magpie Group to take over the club back in the early 1990s, stood down as chairman in 1997 and believes the time is now right for new blood at St James’ Park.
“I have been associated with the direction of Newcastle United for nearly 20 years,” he said. “In that time, I have led the club and, before I retired, led the team responsible for the modernisation of the club we all see today. It is now time for me to move on and let others take up the challenge of competing in the global marketplace.
“Mike Ashley is a major player in the sporting world and I am convinced that he is the right person to take my place and take the club forward. I am sure he will be good for the club and its loyal fans and indeed for the region. I wish him the very best and hope he enjoys it as much as I have. He has my full backing.”
Interest in Newcastle has been rife for some time and Shepherd has fought off two approaches in recent months, one by the Jersey-based Belgravia Group and the other by the Polygon-backed St James’ Park Group.
ashleysmate
May 23, 2019 at 12:29 PM
Comment #22Rob@9
The Mexicans own a club in Mexico and I think, Colombia…. Oh dear… We might be owned by a cartel soon… gulp.
Posh_Geordie
May 23, 2019 at 12:30 PM
Comment #23I unfollowed The Mag on Newsnow. Too many TL/DR articles that drivel on and say either nothing or just utter trash.
Not that the Newspapers ate much better just now. But at least with newspapers thy mostly have the whole content of the article summed up in the headline haha 😀
ashleysmate
May 23, 2019 at 12:35 PM
Comment #24To any Mexican senor’s out there… just joking… No, I don’t want to try one of your neckties thank yo very much.
Optimistic Panda
May 23, 2019 at 12:58 PM
Comment #25We the fans are mushrooms, kept in the dark and drip fed shite.
Optimistic Panda
May 23, 2019 at 1:03 PM
Comment #26I used to get really excited reading all the rumours about transfers and other nufc related articles as there was a slim chance one of them could happen.
Under Ashley you know nearly ever transfer story is rubbish unless it’s a free transfer and nearly all nufc articles have a negative spin.
It’s more of a nightmare to support the toon now, it used to be a dream before Ashley tipped up.
Tsunki
May 23, 2019 at 1:03 PM
Comment #27I wonder what the boardroom style of the prospective Mexican owners would be? Everyone tied to plastic lawn chairs and beheaded? Hung by their legs from the Gallowgate stand? “Bring me the head of Lee Charnley” and all that? Might get things done I suppose. 🙂
RobLeenio
May 23, 2019 at 1:09 PM
Comment #28ashleysmate, I’m sure that the guy is a good businessman, but I know on a message board I read he’d sold a lot of the club’s best players and not replaced them.
I think he’s another of Ashley’s ilk (though he probably doesn’t routinely vomit in fireplaces)
GeordieinOhio
May 23, 2019 at 1:12 PM
Comment #29Hey lads!!!
so a few days ago I read a piece about antisemitism on Sh@t Sports….Manchester Sports….whoops Sky Sports ..Sorry…was interested in the thoughts of you lads? …I know its not NUFC but its footy.
martoon
May 23, 2019 at 1:17 PM
Comment #30GeordieinOhio @29 – Have you got a link to the article?
GeordieinOhio
May 23, 2019 at 1:20 PM
Comment #31Martoon SORRY!…life without hobnobs has fried my brain!!!
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11725058/fans-confused-over-antisemitism-ivor-baddiel-tells-sky-sports-tackling-racism-panel
lochinvar
May 23, 2019 at 1:26 PM
Comment #32Ashley’s idea of selling to a Mexican owner is so that he can act out his own fantasy with his pals Bishop and Charnley riding into toon.
You can decide yourself who is who from this clip taken apparently in the Sheriff Hill area of Gateshead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXSwJCVgJO0
posada
May 23, 2019 at 1:28 PM
Comment #33Lesh
Yeah, many examples of Ashley’s bad will.
But, can you replace good will with clauses in a contract. Not sure you can.
Not sure I would want to.
I’ve stayed in jobs I did not like. I had little option at the time.
Rafa does have options.
Logic. Is it possible to apply it to MA.
The only logical explanation is that all is in limbo pending a sale.
posada
May 23, 2019 at 1:31 PM
Comment #34If I were MA I would invest ELP+ 20M a year.
He could then sell for 600M.
More chance of NUFC going up in value than H of F.
RobLeenio
May 23, 2019 at 1:32 PM
Comment #35Ohio, I think if you’re looking for something, you’ll find it. I think things are a great deal better than in previous decades but obviously there is always room for improvement.
Is anti-semitism endemic in football, however? No chance, in the same way racism, homophobia and any other form of bigotry is not, but put 50k people in a stadium and you’d find some that are anti-semitic.
It’s weird that there are not many footballers from the British Jewish community and haven’t been many in the past either (David Pleat is one). If there were I think anti semitism would disappear from the terraces forever.
Or maybe it’s a symptom of anti-semitism that there are no British Jewish footballers, though I suspect that it’s more of a cultural thing.
posada
May 23, 2019 at 1:36 PM
Comment #36Just a thought.
It’s easier to scale up than to scale down.
Man U will find that out when they try to shift unwanted players on 250K a week.
Some of our players think they deserve more.
Great. I’d give them a little extra on their basic. I’d then give them massive bonuses related to each point we get next year. To the extent that they could double their money.
They could not be too successful. It would be self financing.
You’d think MA would like that idea.
My impression with football is it is entirely money driven.
If they think they are worth more I’d say go on then, 50K a point.
Prove it.
RobLeenio
May 23, 2019 at 1:44 PM
Comment #37Fulham asking £30M for Mitro? Really????
martoon
May 23, 2019 at 1:44 PM
Comment #38GeordieinOhio – I’ve read the article now. Speaking as someone from a Jewish origin I thought some of it was being over-sensitive. I’ve never seen anything wrong with the Spurs ‘Yid Army’ chant and the rival fans chants such as ‘Spurs on their way to Auschwitz’ is a bit sick but I personally don’t consider it antisemitic more like racial stereotyping – saying that I can see why some people would be offended by it.
I thought the Chelsea initiative an excellent scheme especially the bit about not immediately banning offenders but giving them the chance to attend education classes on the full horror of the holocaust – a very good idea.
geordietom
May 23, 2019 at 1:49 PM
Comment #39geordieinohio….
just to catch up off yesterday my cousin lives at a place called Midland 2 hour drive from Detroit the motor city and the birth place of Motown …
just to let you know mate i’am eating Blue Riband’s at the moment ( sorry mate dont get upset with me )
geordietom
May 23, 2019 at 1:51 PM
Comment #40Rob … #37 …
if they sell for that amount will they pay us back in full what they owe us for mitrovic