This is turning out to be one of the best summer transfer windows under owner Mike Ashley since we spent over £50M net, back in 2015.
We had only just avoided relegation then under caretaker manager John Carver, after Alan Pardew had had enough, and left the club to join Crystal Palace in late 2014.
And Ashley seemed willing to put decent money out that summer for the likes of Georginio Wijnaldum, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Chancel Mbemba, Florian Thauvin, and Ivan Toney – and all five players have since left the club.
Steve Bruce with Fabian Schar and Jack Colback
As a reminder here’s what we did in the summer transfer window four years ago – the summer before we were relegated again under Steve McClaren.
[table “39” not found /]With the capture of Joelinton, Kyle Scott, Jake Turner, Jetro Willems, and Allan Saint-Maximin, it’s been a good window so far for us.
Here’s how we are doing at the moment.
[table “80” not found /]Newcastle have spent a net of £20M so far this summer and could end up actually spending money this summer as we did four years ago.
In the last three summers when Newcastle had world-class manager Rafa Benitez at the club – we made a profit of £31M in 2016, spent £12M net in 2017 and made a profit of £20M net last summer.
So at least for the three summer windows under Rafa, we made a profit of £39M.
You would have thought the time to spend money was when you have a world-class manager in place – who knows what he’s doing.
But it seemed like owner Mike Ashley wanted to retain control of the club and do it his way, as we found out six weeks ago when Rafa left.
So the club have reverted back to paying out the full fees for players and signing young players on long contracts.
We’ll just have to wait and see what happens, but that’s sound financial management.
The hard part starts now for Steve Bruce, but he’s done very well so far – given the toxic state of the club.
We hope Steve’s successful at Newcastle, but the main thing is for us to remain in the Premier League this season.
If Rafa had stayed, we had hoped to be looking higher than that – perhaps for a top-eight position.
We’ve had a top-eight position only once under Ashley when we somehow finished 5th back in 2012.
But maybe Steve Bruce and the lads can do that (top eight) this season – we certainly have the best squad we have had for several years.
So we have some hope for this season, and we’ll support Steve Bruce and the players as much as we can.
We also somehow have to force Mike Ashley to sell the club – hopefully before the end of the year.
Comments welcome.
260 comments so far
Tony Baloney
Aug 4, 2019 at 5:34 PM
Comment #241Hiya frog. Can you even name a player in the NUFC team?
geordietom
Aug 4, 2019 at 5:35 PM
Comment #242French Claims of Emil Krafth Deal Done Denied, Newcastle United Asked For More Money
Jib
Aug 4, 2019 at 5:37 PM
Comment #243toon22
What’s the toon ?
Ha ha ha
Got to admire your neck after last night
The fans at NUFC never refer to themselves as “The Mags”
comedy gold
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Aug 4, 2019 at 5:39 PM
Comment #244It’s TRUE Ashley will leave when he’s ready.
I’d just like to help persuade him to leave sooner than he wants, if that means making him and SD look the shadie tw@ts they are so be it.
His one true love SD is taking hits left right and centre drawing attention to his neglect not only of the squad but all of the facilities can only tarnish his image more with his share holders and the world.
Theres not been or will there be a better time to be a pain in the arse for Ashley.
#BoycottAshley
#boycottarsenal
Tony Baloney
Aug 4, 2019 at 5:39 PM
Comment #245#everybodyisashill
even those who call Mike Ashley a tw@t.
ronaldo aarons
Aug 4, 2019 at 5:41 PM
Comment #246Ashley said Bruce was on a shortlist of 3. Allardyce said his agent was approached. I’m not exactly a fan of arteta or rate him as worth going for but it would be an odd list to have Allardyce, Bruce and arteta on the same list as managerial replacements.
Then local reports had it the likes of viera, Gerrard etc amongst others were approached.
Like pretty much the past decade, lots of mixed messages and disinformation.
Don’t know what to believe. Feel like we’ve been mugged though seeing Bruce here!
the white tino
Aug 4, 2019 at 5:41 PM
Comment #247Jib got no answer from you, is that the same man City who’s owner wanted to buy us first???? But your pal ashlie pissed off????
Jib
Aug 4, 2019 at 5:42 PM
Comment #248https://news.sky.com/story/mike-ashley-risks-inflaming-city-tensions-with-swoop-for-jack-wills-11777515
Jack Wills is a fashion retailer not a RB !!!!!
dougie
Aug 4, 2019 at 5:45 PM
Comment #249No way would any any self respecting and ambitious premier league club have Steve Bruce high up on a manager wish list,just another yes man at the last chance saloon.I can’t wait to see who they buy with the bulk of the transfer kitty that hasn’t been spent yet.
the white tino
Aug 4, 2019 at 5:49 PM
Comment #250Jib why the racist remark you dick???
Jib
Aug 4, 2019 at 5:51 PM
Comment #251Looking like Ashley has replaced Grant Thornton with KPMG
Jib
Aug 4, 2019 at 5:52 PM
Comment #252‘Cos I’m a dick – maybe ?
the white tino
Aug 4, 2019 at 5:54 PM
Comment #253You got that bit right jib, something you know first hand
toon22
Aug 4, 2019 at 5:56 PM
Comment #254JIB
He had to as GT quit
KPMG sound a good fit for him
KPMG faces Patisserie Valerie shareholder suit
https://economia.icaew.com/news/march-2019/kpmg-faces-patisserie-valerie-shareholder-suit
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Aug 4, 2019 at 5:59 PM
Comment #255KPMG never out of Private Eye
#boycott Arsenal
Aug 4, 2019 at 5:59 PM
Comment #256Bill’s son is back,
Busy at the minute but more later. Have you forgotten that this is the exact same policy we have returned to that got us relegated. We turned down 18M for Tiote, not because we’d convinced the lad he was a major part of our plans, we’d already bought his replacement in Anita, we turned down 18M because our greed thought we’d get 20M out of them.
Moonraker15
Aug 4, 2019 at 6:03 PM
Comment #257#143
We missed a great opportunity to sign Rondon for 16 million. Joelinton is in for a shock when he comes up against PL defenders.
We need a proven goal scorer otherwise we will struggle big time! We lost 25 goals with Rondon and Ayoze bearing in mind we only scored 40 odd total! Next season the premier league will be stronger than ever! We will struggle!
Lindisfarne
Aug 4, 2019 at 6:03 PM
Comment #258“”Newcastle fans are far from a homogenous group. Not all the diverse sub-groups housed in a broad church are anything like as polite as Saturday’s congregation.””
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/aug/03/steve-bruce-newcastle-united-joelinton-rafa-benitez-mike-ashley
Munster Mag
Aug 4, 2019 at 6:04 PM
Comment #259Toon 22 cant prove any of his managerial and other, assertions. What so do know is that he hasnt been to st james, probably hasnt been to an away game, knew nothing about us calling ourselves the mags (now that was deeply funny) and knows no newcastle football songs. So he cant be classified as an nufc fan by most normal definitions. Yet…. Because of ashley being a pig (yes we know he is frog)… He is slagging off long time fans on here and saying they have links to this horrible businessman. Meanwhile Tarquin and others support him? Some of you need to take a good look at yourselves.
Moonraker15
Aug 4, 2019 at 6:16 PM
Comment #260Ashley trying to acquire Jack Wills! Bang goes the rest of the transfer budget!