On July 26th, Mike Ashley gave a carefully crafted interview to the Daily Mail in which he finally spoke out about the departure of Rafa Benitez among other things. The timing of the interview was suspect as it came just hours after the Sports Direct annual results fiasco.
During that verbose and rambling monologue, Mike Ashley made the following statement:
“Some of the fans don’t even believe the accounts. ‘Where’s the money? You’ve got it somewhere.’
“But you can put any accountant on our books and it’s whiter than white. I’ve felt like challenging the fans on that sometimes.
“I’ll pay and you can have an independent auditor come in and review us. But will you please stop saying these things? I’m guilty of a lot, but not that.”
Well, the Magpie Group has taken Mike Ashley up on that offer with the following release.
— The Magpie Group (@MagpieGroupNUFC) August 13, 2019
While this will most likely be ignored by the the club, this is an example of how Mike Ashley is his own worst enemy. He needlessly has set into motion another controversy. His lack of a response to this will only feed the fires of distrust that are already beyond control.
Mike Ashley should respond to this request. He can either accept that he has set this in motion himself and comply or give a reasoned response as to why he cannot. A “no comment” is just not going to be sufficient on this.
145 comments so far
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:22 PM
Comment #1Zele
You’d be surprised, many are well documented
Mindshaft
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:23 PM
Comment #2First ?
jane
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:23 PM
Comment #3maybe he will take them up and do it.
Mindshaft
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:23 PM
Comment #4FFS – I’ve somehow ended up engaging the blog idiot … I’ll be replying to Bruce next
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:24 PM
Comment #5Go to go, things to do, a evening off.
Off to the pub with the dog to chill the funk out over a beer and a bag of scratchings
hibbit
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:25 PM
Comment #6OP
I agree, but i’m sure that’s the kind of deal he’ll be looking for.
Jib
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:25 PM
Comment #7I think Dubai Micky’s criticism of the pagination
of this missive is ill-thought out.
It clearly is compromised by being affected by
the constraints of twitter.
It’s a put up or shut up by TMG
will the famous gambler MA have
his bluff called ?
Jib
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:26 PM
Comment #8Jane
It’s a no win situation for Ashley
I bet Bishop is tearing his hair out
cockneymafiaout
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:27 PM
Comment #9Looking forward to getting back to this blog again and sorting the accidental trolls to the obvious trolls.
I am hoping so far that Bruce is an obvious troll.
Online Guy
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:27 PM
Comment #10Neil
How many names does Jib post under ..no need to name them just the number .
Also the well know trouble maker Tony Baloony ..who is he otherwise known as ? Is he Jib ?
Also if you can’t divulge then how may names does Tony Baloony post under .
And while I’m on Bills son is Back ..has he any more noms .
Just the numbers will do.
Thank you.
Online Guy
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:28 PM
Comment #11Posada
I apologised for the moron comment
Apologies to those affected.
Genjikai
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:28 PM
Comment #12Jib
You got to know when to old them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away and know when to run.
Its on ashley now. Is he a man of his words?
We are about to find out.
Jib
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:29 PM
Comment #13Pressurise Ashley he’s vulnerable at the moment
Leave the team and coaches alone
No Boycotts
Hit him elsewhere
Online Guy
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:30 PM
Comment #14Posada
If seen posts from you that support Ashley !
Why ?
Zele
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:30 PM
Comment #15cockneymafiaout,
Mike Ashley owns Newcastle United a private company which is not a quoted company.
Sports Direct is a quoted company whose share price (like all share prices) fluctuates based on many factors of which Newcastle United has no bearing.
Ask yourself, would a broker in The City recommend to his clients (which could be your pension provider) to buy or sell shares in millions of pounds because a few hundred people didn’t turn up to a football match ?
Genjikai
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:32 PM
Comment #16Zele there was a few hundred outside
There was a few thousand people not at the match.
Online Guy
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:33 PM
Comment #17Baloony
I was thinking about asking Neil who you post under in your other guises ..Im sure you have a well known nom on here . Perhaps several.
Need to get forensics onto it maybe ..Jail, Tsunki, Lesh, Mister Tuff ? Get that dusting powder out.
toon22
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:35 PM
Comment #18Hahahahaha
Hiya JIB
Don’t protest
Sit on your hands
Roll over for another 13 years
cockneymafiaout
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:36 PM
Comment #19Also on topic to the actual thread, Mike Ashley is using the whole look at the whole financial statements excuse again.
Well Mr Ashley, as your recent dispute with the Belgium tax department shows, these statements don’t always tell the full story of cash flow within an organisation do they?
For anyone not 100% clued up on financial statements and if they are showing all available cash, my advice would just be to look at the other teams in the Premier League who have invested hundreds of millions of pounds into their clubs for the past few seasons. These football clubs with owners less wealthy than Mike Ashley but reinvest their income in order to progress and not be left behind.
I am literally asking Mike Ashley to invest money into the club that he has earned through the football club, as other clubs do. Not a big ask really is it, when you see the likes of Bournemouth, Brighton and Watford doing it.
toon22
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:36 PM
Comment #20The traitor has a prem goal difference of -131
He is Jabbas appointment
Let’s just sit back and grimly accept it ?
Zele
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:37 PM
Comment #21Genjikai,
Thanks for the correction, but would a few hundred outside and a few thousand people not at the match have an impact on Sports Direct share price, absolutely not.
Munster Mag
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:39 PM
Comment #22Toon 22, where do you live?
hibbit
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:39 PM
Comment #23well bobby that’s me done for the night, we’re off out for a meal in Yarm,
if you want to catch me i’ll be back on in the morning,
Zele
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:40 PM
Comment #24Munster Mag,
Under a stone or in a pond ?
Genjikai
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:41 PM
Comment #25Zele
This was made clear this is the start of the magpie groups campaign against ashley.
All that follow know this.
It has done what intended and got us coverage again.
More and more know.
Not only toon fans i talked to arsenal fans and related it to them. They agreed. The feeling is growing. Arsenal fans that were there will definitely be telling there mates. Word spreads we get stronger.
Enough is enough join in the fan can and will make a change.
I said it earlier and ill say it again this is bigger than nufc but it starts with us,
Newcastle united first then the rest of football.
End exploitation of clubs and regions.
The fa should be doing this but no its down to the fans.
DubaiMicky
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:41 PM
Comment #26Jib, Twitter doesn’t re-paginate a pdf or a picture. Surprised you didn’t know that.
cockneymafiaout
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:43 PM
Comment #27@Zele
Because you are not understanding to me I will try and break it down to you as simple I can.
Bad publicity for Mike Ashley at Newcastle United games = Media highlighting that Mike Ashley the owner of Newcastle United is a fraudulent businessman who likes to rip off his customers = Transfer to those customers at Sports Direct who decide to stop shopping at Sport direct because they realise Mike Ashley is selling knock off gear and is a crafty businessman = Drop in business for Sports Direct means a drop in valuation of the business.
Understand now? My point was that the protests have gradually started to affect his business portfolio. Now imagine how much a actual good protest would grab the medias attention and hopefully hit his business even harder?
DubaiMicky
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:44 PM
Comment #28Just to add, the one redeeming feature is that it doesn’t have an actual signature on it – so I’m guessing it’s not the original, but even so, come on TMG, at least get it looking professional, it’ll have been re-tweeted loads of times and it’s YOUR reputation as a group that will be looked at.
Zele
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:46 PM
Comment #29Genjikai,
I wish them well in their campaign even though I doubt their tactics will remove Ashley unless they can rustle up £350 million and buy him out.
Tony Baloney
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:49 PM
Comment #30Online Guy: I post under Tony Baloney only. Ask Neil or whoever you want.
I posted under something different a couple of months ago for a couple of days and Jib knows what it was. I gave out my real name and regretted it and switched to Tony Baloney.
JIB: PLEASE DO NOT GIVE OUT MY REAL NAME.
Just a fan
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:50 PM
Comment #31Is there any football on here or is it just the boycott for or against
Zele
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:53 PM
Comment #32cockneymafiaout,
I don’t think you understand how the FTSE works. Factors influencing Sports Direct share price have nothing to do with Newcastle United.
People who buy from Sports Direct (with the possible exception of the Newcastle shop) from any of their worldwide stores are not influenced by what the press thinks of Mike Ashley or Newcastle United.
Zele
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:54 PM
Comment #33That’s it for me.
posada
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:54 PM
Comment #34Online Guy
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:28 PM
Comment #11
Posada
I apologised for the moron comment
Apologies to those affected.
Not good enough. Mild intelectual disability you said.
Don’t care what you said was wholly inappropriate.
Jib
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:55 PM
Comment #35Micky
The bad pagination occurred when TMG group did a jpeg conversion
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EB2hOQRXsAESsp2.jpg
jane
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:57 PM
Comment #36“Neil
How many names does Jib post under ”
while you’re at it please can you check if Online Guy and Pain in the Blog are the same person?
Just a fan
Aug 13, 2019 at 6:59 PM
Comment #37If someone having a baby in the works toilet doesn’t affect the shares a small boycott at nufc won’t effect them
Ps the ftse 100 is down and so are a lot of shares
Jib
Aug 13, 2019 at 7:01 PM
Comment #38OK
Tony
but he did play for Chelsea, Everton, Charlton Athletic and Norwich City
posada
Aug 13, 2019 at 7:01 PM
Comment #39Ah right.
Online Goon and Pain in the Blog.
Getting interesting.
Tony Baloney
Aug 13, 2019 at 7:03 PM
Comment #40Does anybody really care if someone posts under more than 1 name unless they are talking to each other and trying to create a false narrative. I have been accused of lying about where I live FFS. Why would I?
A conspiracy from the Confederacy of Dunces.
If Jib really is Jane I don’t really think there is anything sinister there. My guess is that he thinks it is funny in his own warped sense of humour way.