By Magscar: Are We There Yet?

So as we start next season we will be just short of the 5th anniversary of the takeover when all our dreams came true ................. or did they ?

Hold on ! what about this season you say - well for now let's leave that where it currently lies, battered and bruised - similar to us fans 

OK so can we start by recalling Amanda's rallying cry in those early heady days of the takeover with us soon to be chasing for PL and CL honours (5 years?) - rising easily ( as no tethers to reality) above her sound (but boring ) talk of patience and PIF being " in it for the long haul" 

Of course us level headed fans just wanting a team that tried didn't get too carried away.

We laughed at ideas of Mbappe or Haaland pulling on the black and white any time soon. No, Trippier and Burn with a dash of some Brazilian midfielder from France with an Aussie finish was the recipe to curb our appetites - at least for then

That was then, October 2021 and all looked bright and could only get brighter still - now in March 2026 reality is beginning to bite ( at least for me) or should that be dimming 

Is 2030 going to be as fictional as 1984 or 2001 or will it become a year marked in the memorial calendars of Toon fans like more recently 1969 or 2025

2030? Hopkinson's Ambition

CEO David Hopkinson not long after his appointment in an interview with Keith Downie announced ....

"By 2030, I see this club being in the debate about being the top club in the world.

That's where I see us by 2030 - and that kind of progress doesn't take as long as you might think. What it takes is clarity of conviction."

On Talksport a few weeks ago he went on to talk not about clarity but more specifically about his "ambition to become consistent contenders for top prizes in global football" by 2030 and that ambition was 'totally aligned with the owners"

On being confronted with the empty bag of incomings in January he responded enthusiastically instead about the contrast with the "activities" that had gone on throughout January and his daily morning and evening talks with Ross Wilson but that the right player(s) just weren't there then and referenced need to not impinge on our Summer dealings.

Yeah "activities" are up there with "results" - not for the want of trying I suppose  

This man can talk the talk alright and when confronted with obstacles like PSR, FSR and SCR he adroitly countered with .......'Revenue Streams"

Now there is no question that "Increasing Revenue" is our magic bullet , our garlic clove or cross against the vampiric designs of PSR and bast... sons thereof !

But making up the gap on the current top 6 financial clubs whilst being way behind ? 

By 2030 or earlier to start to mount challenges?

Well .....Fact or Fiction?

The Future... 

Just as every journey long or short starts with a small step then you could say the the future starts tomorrow ......but apparently tomorrow never comes  

Hmmm maybe that conundrum sums up our journey to the promised land ( to mix my metaphors but I'm sure Colin will be lenient and not edit or redact too severely)

Anyway encouraged by that thought let's chuck in another metaphor about Rocket ships , Hopkinson told Downie.....

"I had two conversations yesterday with folks that are saying, 'Look, I see where this is going, I want to be part of it, it's a rocket ship, I see that, and I want to get on that rocket ship'. 

Now Rocket ships talk gives me feelings of speed not a slow boat to China sort of thing

But I'm feeling actually that on our new CEOs relaunch we're stuck on the launch pad, mid countdown, as technicians scurry around trying to fix failed parts whilst Mission Control wonder about whether the captain is still the man for the mission 

Yet we have a small window to shoot for Mars - sorry 2030, I'm getting carried away by my metaphors

Ok, as I can almost hear Colin whispering " I'd rather not have to do this as a part one and two job!"

  - the future though really does start this summer as the window opens both metaphorically, as in launch terms but also actually, for trading 

It starts but it won't accelerate until we significantly boost our fuel , I mean Revenue Streams.

Before that we're going to have a tumultuous window I suspect but I'm hoping that Ross Wilson has all the possibilities unwelcome or not gameplanned out.

Unfortunately I'm thinking it will be a forerunner of seasons to come not a one off 

Until we significantly narrow the gap on the biggest earners we will continue to not only fail to compete for the best players we covet but lose one or more of our best to our rivals - double whammy 

This stop start sequence , cup runs , odd seasons in Europe whilst the usual top 4 contenders continue to go from strength to strength is not going to get us to where Hopkinson's ( and allegedly PIF's) ambition requires us 

Its going to be repeats of 2 steps forward one back until.......

NEW STADIUM OR REFURBED SJP?

And so we come (some 4 and half years on ) to a subject perhaps not too far from our thinking back on that momentous day to - we going to need more seats !!

And yet we are seemingly no nearer a conclusion than we were then but have had teasers about a short hop across into Leazes Park.

This Summer has to see an announcement if not spades in the ground, if 2030 is to become any sort of reality.

Sponsorship , advertising of Training ground is on hold never mind what a new or expanded SJP will bring . 

The first step to 2030 surely starts with long awaited and anticipated announcement 

Without that does anyone believe Hopkinsons Ambition is anymore that the old 1980's sort of 5 year plan ( being redrafted each year on a rolling basis as a year passed without sufficient progress).

I'm in it for the long haul ( as a fan of over 60 mostly hard years shows ) just as Amanda said PIF were on that October night long ago and given my years Hopkinsons Ambition of 2030 was and is very welcome, almost desperate  

What do you think then - 2030 Fact or Fiction?

Post by Magscar

Wor Magscar doesn't comment too often on the blog...

His 'modus operandi' is to save up his opinions and then deal them out in a full house flush of words and paragraphs that are always a good read.

He hits the nail on the head with this post posing the question many fans are asking - especially after this setback of a season - are the 2030 ambitions just a pipedream?

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