MP raises St James’ Park renaming in the House of Commons.

Posted on November 3rd, 2009 | 49 Comments |

Commons Motion
Commons Motion
Dave Clelland MP tabled a Commons motion asking Ashley to reconsider his plans to sell the naming rights to Newcastle United’s stadium.

He claimed the stadium was symbolic of the game, its supporters’ loyalty and that it has been “an integral part of the city since 1892“.

The club, predictably, has declined to comment.

I really can’t imagine Ashley will take too much notice.

The report comes from the BBC. Not much else to report on this just now.

NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10). Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.

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49 Responses

  2. This is Kevin Keegan hello

    Look if the changing of the name brings in money for the club .. then it has to be a good idea

    and if worse comes to worse and we dont get promoted at least there is extra moeny coming in with the name change

    it would help with transfers ( that chris can use instead of the so called wise man i had when i was there)

    dont write of the name change … long run it will help

    kk.

  3. Changing the name of the stadium to bring in some pocket change is a desperate act by a desperate man.

  5. Pointless but heartening at the same time. Ashley’s quest for pocket money will charge on regardless!!

  6. What I didn’t know was that Ashley has had a cartoon  framed and hung in the St James’ Park boardroom.

    The particicular cartoon was done by the Times and taks the p1ss out of him and his disastrous regime.

    What hope do we have if he even takes the p1ss out of himself for the way he’s done things?

  9. Mags09 says:

    November 3, 2009 at 3:11 pm

    “Being mischievous again  Worky?”

    No, just cynical Mags. It isn’t the first time Tyneside MPs have attempted to politicise the club in populist gestures. I actually disagree strongly with the naming rights idea, but I think it’s wrong that local politicians should use it as a political bandwagon to drum up more votes.

  11. Stuart79, do you really think that Ashley will take any notice of anyone but the voices in his head?

  12. workyticket says:
    November 3, 2009 at 3:30 pm

    “It could also be that they are the only people with such a high platform as to actually make the club listen. ”

    Fair point Stuart, but it could also make him more stubborn in what he will see as innappropriate political interference in his business, which, whatever the rights and wrongs of the issue, it is.

    In one way though, I actually find it reassuring about Ashley when local politicians rail about him. At least it shows that he hasn’t done anything ‘innappropriate’ in order to keep their traps shut.

  13. workyticket says:
    November 3, 2009 at 4:07 pm

    Fair point Stuart, but it could also make him more stubborn in what he will see as innappropriate political interference in his business, which, whatever the rights and wrongs of the issue, it is.
    I’d totally agree with that if it was at all possible for him to be more stubborn.

  14. Did anyone see Llambias on SSN saying that until the end of the season the stadium will be known as sportsdirect @ St James park
    Then at the end of the season the package will be up for grabs…

    I  just caught the end  did i hear it wrong.

  15. Yes Hitman I saw it too, perhaps our illustrious local councillor speaking out has finally made someone at Barrack Road communicate with its fans – now there’s a novelty.

  18. worky – if we assume that by ‘renaming’ we mean it will be [fill in the gap] at St James’ Park, then he quite categorically states that they want to showcase that this season.

    So as far as they are concerned, they’ve already changed it and for the remainder of this season it will be known as SportsDirect at St James’ Park.

    I hate to be critical once again, but he’s not the greatest public speaker in the world. About as much charm as a mackem. Probably doing himself a favour not speaking too much, I’ll let him off 8O

  19. bowburnmag says:

    November 3, 2009 at 7:36 pm

    “So as far as they are concerned, they’ve already changed it and for the remainder of this season it will be known as SportsDirect at St James’ Park.”

    Hmm, you have a point, hitman too, but he does put things in such a confusing way sometimes. It looks like a classic case of give ’em the worst sounding news first, then soften it up later to make it seem not so bad after all. Straight out of the Spin Doctor / PR company handbook.

  20. worky – I’m not being funny like but if anything I despair even more that he’s running our football club after listening to him. It was as unconvincing and uninspiring a clip as you’re going to see.

    It was cliched and yet he didn’t even use any decent cliches.

  22. Now everyone knows I;m not too keen on this regime but I honestly don’t think Llambias came across that bad.

    So the naming rights issue has been just one big mis-understanding?

    If our fans make a big issue out of what their actually going to do with the naming rights I think it will be a bit of a shame.

    I see absolutely no problem with a company being associated with St James’ Park ie Nike @ St James’ Park.

    However,  at least give this guy some credit for doing an interview, I know we’ve waited 18 months for it but it’s happened.  Is this the start of a new informative board?  Doubt it but you never know.

    Would like to see him and especially Ashley doing a few meetings with supporters clubs though.

  23. I agree Stuart.
    Although i can’t see ashley doing the rounds, don’t think it’s his style, the guy’s a virtual recluse.
    Nice to see qpr couldn’t get passed CP tonight. That D Ambrose guy seems a bit of a goal scorer, doesn’t he? :)

  24. Stu – I wasn’t convinced at all mate. If anything it’s made me distrust him more. Just something about his delivery and body language which wasn’t right. Perhaps that was just nerves? I don’t know.

    I respect the decision to actually come out and say something, it’s been a long time coming. But as with everything else this regime throws at us, it left me a little underwhelmed.

    As for the ‘renaming issue’ itself, I think it’s a little bit of damage-limitation that it’s suddenly become ‘at St James’ Park’. Perhaps the delay in responding has allowed them to read some of the boards and seen that was just about the only option that fans could comprehend accepting? Call me cynical……

  25. “Stuart79 says:
    November 3, 2009 at 10:02 pm”

    Who are you and what have you done with Stuart79?

    In the dictionary, under the word “Unconvincing”, it has a picture of Derek Llambias’ SSN interview.

    Every single syllable that drops from this moron’s slavering maw, is a dagger in the back of truth. The claims he’s made over the last 18 months have been nothing short of staggering! NOTHING he says can be believed, absolutely nothing.

    What company in there right mind is going to pay £6m per annum for their name on the shirt, and a suffix of “@St. James’ Park”? Anyone care to venture a suggestion?

    Worky is fond of quoting the Arsenal deal: £6.6m per year (for 15 years) for kit and ground naming…..that’s for a stable, successful, Premiership club with a talented squad and a brilliant manager. Being that NONE of those adjectives can be applied to us, what makes “Dumb and Dumber” think we can net £0.6m less than Aresenal did…pre-credit crunch!?!

    This is just another…well I’ll use their term so I don’t get into hot water…..“Public Relations Exercise” (we all know what that’s code for) with Llambias being offered up again as a talking head: “Go on Del, they’re only thick Geordies! Spin ’em any old line, they’ll buy it!”.

    Stuart, this is NOT the beginning of a new board initiative just the continuation of a very old one.  There is no mountain in the world, high enough, from which I can adequately express my contempt of the odious cretins!

  26. Just seen the interview with llambias.
    Didn’t think he looked particularly skanky, nervous or anything other than relaxed like.
    So, maybe you are being a tad cynical there bowburn.
    I know it’s hard to give someone a even break when you feel they’ve let you down before. But sometimes you have to, despite everything.

  29. Having just read back this thread I’m left scratching my head. The majority view (BBM excepted) would appear to be “Del did alright, seems the naming issue was all a big misunderstanding. All they’re doing is maximising the club’s revenue stream and selling off a…showcase…or something?”.

    He was as shifty as a navvy offering to tarmac your drive for a fiver; and as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. The meaningless PR platitudes fell from his gob like lemmings falling off a cliff…and they hit the ground with just as big a thunk!!

    ANYTHING that comes out of this man’s mouth is deeply suspect; as anyone who bought into his “the club has had more than two bids of £100m” B@ll@x will tell you.

  31. You forgot to type : ‘in my view’.
    yea, yea, yea, whatever.
    No cliches in your spin then, hey?

  32. SPIN, Clint! Spin….I don’t know how you dare sit there accusing me of spin, when we’ve just seen the least convincing attempt at spin in the history of sports broadcasting!

    And chill I most certainly will not.

    You might be content to let these b****ds off the hook, but not me. Everywhere they go. and everything they do, I’ll be watching.

    If you believe him then you, sir, are an idiot!

  33. I’d have to say: ‘it takes one to know one mate’.
    With regard to everything said, don’t you think?
    I don’t believe anything ’til i see hard copy man.
    All i am saying is: it’s so very easy to get caught up in the emotion of it all,
    & then end up being very reluctant to back-track, even if one has made an honest mistake. Therefore cementing ones position, becoming intransient & potentially ending up looking like an ass.

  35. Whatever comes out of ones gob to, even loosely form an opinion, can be construed as ‘spin’. No-one has a ‘monopoly’ on spin. Unless you actually believe the media, press, papers etc (the spin machine) & are incapable of having an independent thought?

  36. Every mofo’ing week/game we’ve got to listen to/read: oh, this or that player is crap, not fit to wear the shirt etc. then eventually players settle, do something good & people start to change their tune. Well the same goes for everything/one.
    Just cos we don’t like something/one doesn’t mean it can’t change, or even just be perceived differently. Look at Nolan, Enrique, Smith, shit even Ameobi.
    Basically, you will have to chill or walk away, or you’re heading for an ulcer brother, & fellow Geordie Toon fan.

  37. CLiNT FLiCK – I do like your style fella.

    Somewhat abrasive occasionally and yet definitely sitting reet on the fence, without question, but you’re good craic.

    Even though, I essentially agree with Excelsior on this one. I do see what you’re saying. I just think the evidence is stacked up against them. That’s some redeeming they’ve got to do, to win fans back.

    You should change your name though………

  38. Cheers bowburn, i think? :)
    Just trying to be a bit devils egg-nog (advocaat).
    Or possibly, at least, (independent)thought  provoking.
    Hey, i know i can be a bit, sharp(?), let’s say, but i’m not trying
    to piss anyone off.
    No=one thought Smith would redeem himself did they, so i’ve come to learn, owt can happen, given  chance.
    On the name thing, i thought it was a bit cheeky, yet no-one can touch y’for it.
    :)
    What do you suggest? ;)

  40. Smudger is a fine example of someone who was honest and turned good. That’s my only issue with it.

    Maybe just keep it I guess?

    What about Devil’s Advocaat?

  44. What about Devil’s Advocaat?

    Well, it all gets a bit partizan sometimes & i feel it’s only right that
    it’s not fully one-way traffic.
    I support the team, not the owners, fans, sponsors etc

  47. Anyway bowburn, you’re doing a great blog here.
    Thanx
    & i think you have a good attitude, even when you don’t agree, nice one.
    Reet, i’m off to catch some zzzzzzzzzzzzzz’s & i’ll check y’the morra.

  48. Aye didn’t need my irony specs for that. Just a bit of squinting required.

    Devil’s Advocaat is growing on me.

    Aye, hadn’t realised the time. Gonna be knackered for work again! Laters