Ashley did NOT say “no new players”.

Posted on May 10th, 2010 | 107 Comments |

What are they up to?
What are they up to?
There is one piece of Newcastle United’s latest statement which has caused much consternation with some fans, it reads:

“The first team squad that won the Championship this year will form the basis of the team for next year in the Premiership, there is no plan for new capital outlay on players”.

This led to a rash of disingenous and sensational stories from the usual mischief makers in the media, led of course by the Guardian’s Louise Taylor declaring that Newcastle United will definitely not be buying any new players for the coming season. Now, this may indeed be the case, or it may not, only time can tell for certain on that one. However, to clear up a misunderstanding, saying that there will be no “capital outlay” on players in the 2010/11 season does NOT necessarily mean that players will not be purchased under any circumstances, or that existing players would have to be sold before any new transfers could be even contemplated.

What it does mean is that signings would be funded from the revenue generated by the club in that financial year, not by more cash injections from Ashley, not by borrowings on future projected income or, for that matter, leveraged debt on future sponsorship deals etc, as was the case with that doyen of business competence and probity, Freddy Shepherd, when he bought Michael Owen.

Unfortunately however, as already mentioned, this has not stopped old friends of Newcastle United in the media, such as Louise Taylor from the Guardian embroidering their own narrative. She cries: “Newcastle United cannot afford to buy players for the Premier League”. That other great friend of Newcastle United, The Daily Mail, chimed in with: “Newcastle United face perilous return to Premier League as Chris Hughton is warned there is no money to spend”. Several other organs of “the Fourth Estate” have followed suit in typical, predictable fashion, including Sky Sports and Luke Edwards from one of the Mirror group’s Newcastle ‘papers, The Journal. Edwards even fantasised:

“The Journal understands the news came as a shock to Hughton who has previously spoken publicly about the need to add three or four new players before the start of next season.”

However there is one question begged by this incident. Why, when the relationship between the fans and the Managing Director and Owner of the club are still somewhat ‘fragile’, and with all the money that the club pay in PR and media officers who should advise them on such matters did they release a statement that is so open to misinterpretation? Surely they must have known that the press would jump on it like a dog chasing a sausage?

What are they up to?

NUFCBlog Author: workyticket workyticket has written 1095 articles on this blog.

Related Posts:

Posted on by workyticket in category: Derek Llambias and Mike Ashley and NUFC Finances and NUFC gossip and speculation and Workyticket , with tags: , ,
Comment on this post

107 Responses

  1. Thank you were Worky. You have done a service to NUFC supporters everywhere by posting some sense.

    The fact is, you have properly defined “capital outlay” as I understand the term. If they really didn’t plan on making any signings, they would have said “there is no money being made availabel for any purchases.” but that is not what they did- they chose to use the term “capital outlay.”

    All I take from the statement (other than the well-deserved middle finger to the media)is that we basically have our squad for next year, augmented by minimal incoming players (loans or signings). Didn’t we all realize that before hand?

  2. I cant believe that MA has not learned from all the mistake’s that he has allready made, he seems to lurch from one to another. There is no way in this world that MA and Co wouldnt have known that this latest balls up would have caused more aggro just when it seemed that things were starting to look better.

  4. Wasted energy hating the Board….fk em’ what ever will be will be.
    If they speculate great-if they don’t they are more stupid than I already think.

    Those little bridges Mike built with the fans in the last window look built on sand to me…AMBANI please rescue this Club with real investment.

    I was looking forward to getting the little un the new puma kit when it came out Fk that I WOULD SOONER SEE HIM IN A 2ND HAND SMOGGIES KIT.Not gonna bankroll that fat shit’s gambling and kebab habit.

    ASHLEY OOOOOOOOOOOOT.

  5. That’s what I said Dave-similar sentiment-these guys are either evil or just completely out of touch with NUFC.

  6. Batty have you still got them knocked off primark bedsheets in your ebay shop?

  8. thing is wouldnt it make sense after releasing this statement to do a press conference if there was nothing to hide and a genuine reason to get the club straight with money and buy a few players with revenue etc rather than give off a statement that isnt giving us clear indications as to whats happening? but then thats why they are saying the board members wont answer questions about matters in the club surely if this was a good thing they wouldnt be bolting the doors shut and hiding behind them we have just won the championship for gods sake any other board would be loving it and want better things to come were only asking for 15 million thats all we need and i reckon we could finish 12 comfortably

  9. So why haven’t the club come out and clarified the statement or at least that particular sentance? Oh yeah, it’s because the board WILL NOT COMMENT on anything at all!

    Balloons!

  10. that louise taylor wants to go and boil her heed s hite she comes out with women should not be writing about football sexist i know but fact

  12. nailed it! thank you!

    if the press wants to twist the boards words, honestly, who cares. do we want teams/targets knowing we’ve earmarked a certain amount of money to spend on new recruits? nope. better to keep the cards close to your chest.

  13. Yes i agree the statement was worded very poorly, but as it says above it says no new capital outlay it dosent says theres no money to spend there will b signings, i dont like the way ashly handled the keegan affair but his idea the run the club within its means n develop youth is the way forward, lets not forget the reason why we owe ashly 100mill in the first place its bcoz freddy shepard had run us so poorly, id rather have ashly gradeully cliam it back n hav a new owner spends hundreds of millions n put it back on the club like the glazers at man u, jus fink wit ya heads not ya hearts ppl boycotts arnt the answer your only hurtin the club not ashly support the club 100% through the bad n good times no matter what

  14. Workey
    It`s the nature of the beast, Newspapers and tabloids especially.
    Not to preclude the screwed up guardian size, which is neither Broadsheet or tabliod.
    They tend to the negative, better a good tradgedy than something uplifting, eartquakes are good, so is famine and trainwrecks, aint gonna change and if the facts are unclear invent your own spin.
    What the F**k no one will remember a week from now.
    Exactly which highly paid PR organization you talking about, you mean they actuall have one a St. James, coulda fooled me.
    And to be honest, dont really know what was put out as far as buying players goes, i`m baffled by what i have read.
    But what`s more annoying is the, “and thats it so dont ask” attitude, makes for a real PR success,
    You wonder what goes on with these guys and who is advising them.

  15. Chuck, the club advisors are thought to be Cannon & Ball.

    I haven’t seen a better comedy script since their hey day in the 80’s.

  16. On the subject of PR, surely there has to be ONE photo out there where these two don’t look like a pair of evil, fat, smug, chiselling w*nkers.

    Maybe they should pose for one especially for PR purposes.

  17. i agree let the press write what they want it will really get under the southern scums noses the club wont comment, i fink the reason us as fans find the no comment attitude so hard to take is bcoz we were used to fs shoutin from the roof tops who we were after n how much there was to spend, why shud they b public wit what there is to spend as long as they do spend dont know why but i hav faith there will b signings

  18. east coast mag there aint no cards to hold no money we will get a couple of freebies and loan players which will be shite

  19. Statler,

    The Guardian is ‘Berliner’ sized. You have a good point about the media, of course.

    That’s what I don’t understand. Ashley retains lawyers and PR agents who are supposed to be amongst the best in their respective businesses, but they always seem to make a right pigs ear of things. If I were Ashley, I would ask for my money back. Unless…

  20. the statement showed them for what they are, clueless on how to run a football club, and utterly out of touch with their customers.

    while yeah, i think you’ve interpeted it correctly, the statement on a whole has an extremely negative tone.

    is that the right message to be sending people, 2 weeks after winning promotion back to the big league?

    yet again with Ashley, it’s one step forward, two steps back.

  21. your kidding yourself no there will be no signigns fans will revolt ashley will put up 4 sale or be a tw at bleed the club game ower thats what happens when you sell your club to a fat cockney trainer sellar spurs fan well done sir john hall

  22. as the saying goes people can build you then they can break you sir john hall did just that harsh but reality

  23. The less we spend the better, we’d slate him if he had a shepard style agenda. We are good enough to stay up anyway. I’m not pissed off by this statement at all.

  24. i still think we need 3 or 4 1st team players jay jay then i reckon we could stay up but if your looking at loan players or freebies who we gonna get who will help us stay up?

  25. My sentiments exactly worky!

    A few of us said the EXACT same thing over the last few blogs, is rationality a contagious disease? Hopefully!

    You’re next Stu :) x

  26. You have to wonder whether Ashley is just taking a two fingered salute to the vocal minority who were still slagging him off even when the club was about to win the CCC ?

    “Get out of our club” is all very well providing you know there’s plenty of potential buyers out there to rush in and take over from him.

    However what the mindless morons havent worked out yet is why Ashley is the only person in the past four years to have made a serious, credible bid for this club.

    So if you work that one out it will lead you to the next question which is “What sort of finanacial mess did those money grabbing bastads (Shepherds/Halls) leave this club in ? I feckin lived through ten years of Shepherd mismanagement so what difference will another ten years make ?

  27. We’ll see – I’ve been stung once too often by this bumble bee.

    You shouldn’t try and pre judge Ashley – He will make a fool out of you.

  28. the shepherds/halls were spending all our money in spain on coke and slagging us off if i remember

  29. danny says:
    May 10, 2010 at 9:22 pm

    “thats what happens when you sell your club to a fat cockney trainer sellar spurs fan well done sir john hall”

    Er, Danny, Ashley wasn’t born in London, wasn’t raised in London, doesn’t live in London, and used to be a Spurs hating Chelsea supporter. Should we believe your prophecy with a record like that? ;-)

  30. Why don’t you all chill out. Let’s just get Robbie Keane on board for £7 million, and, Bob’s your uncle, we’re in the UEFA. Thanks for coming.

  31. Worley – Sorry but I know forca fact that Ashleywas a Spurs supporter before he bought NUFC. So I do wish you would stop peddling them lies.

    Even his good friend Nob Beasley has admitted it. Although I’m not really bothered about what he says as like I said I know for fact.

  32. worky hes from berkshire its as good as london to us and im no prophet mate but all this mess was long beore ashley came in he is just turning the final dagger chelsea or spurs make no odds us northerners hardly have great relationships with our southern freinds unless you go round kissing chelsea fans after we play them

  33. You’re all missong the most important part af that statement guys, the part where it says ‘there is no PLAN to make a capital outlay’… a plan is a living thing, it changes every day, so at present theres no plan but tomorrow, the next day, next week, next month the plan could change, we won’t know until it does but plans always change….

    Plus if we weren’t going to buy any players, Ashley would have said, the TOON will NOT be buying any players :)

  34. does anyone have any realistic ideas on who we should get if we are able to buy ?

  35. danny says:
    May 10, 2010 at 9:54 pm

    “worky hes from berkshire its as good as london to us and im no prophet mate but all this mess was long beore ashley came in he is just turning the final dagger chelsea or spurs make no odds us northerners hardly have great relationships with our southern freinds unless you go round kissing chelsea fans after we play them”

    He was born in Walsall, is that London to “us” too? Just because we’re Geordies, that doesn’t mean that we have to be geographically ignorant bigots with sh*te for brains. ;-)

  36. Nice one worky,
    good to see this up against the usual caustic, jaundiced, tawdry Bullsh from the usual lazy-assed ‘so-called’ journo’s, making their collective hive-like, knee-jerk, assumptions, without ever bothering to read what has been written.
    press-mongs.

  37. Geordie gay boy, just the sort of player we don’t need. Robbie keane would be a shite addition.

  38. Really cant c what the problem is r academy has some of best talent weve had for years when was the last tym we 8or9 really talented lads ready to come through, he wants to run the club within its means that is gonna b standard practice when platini gets is way, then the likes of man city r feked, n i dont blame him if he wants is 100mill bck if hd a 100mill to loan someone y damm ryt id want it bk, lets remember he had to loan us it coz shepard had been pissin money up the wall

  39. See Adam Boulton is up to his tricks again. This time his temper tantrum is aimed at the culture minister. Something tells me Boulton is a Tory voter.

  40. I have taken a step back from the situation over the last 24hours and i must say that perception of the whole thing has completely changed.

    The whole statement is filled with “no comment” etc. So why would MA deliberately shoot himself in the foot by being open about prospective signings, the one thing fans are crying out for? For me, this is all starting to feel just a little bit deliberate, and by this i mean everything from the timing of the statement, down to how the statement is carefully worded. MA and co. know us by now, he knows how the fans and media would react to such a statement, and i feel this is his way of killing three birds with one stone. 1. Lowering fan expectations. 2. putting a halt to the media linking us to every player under the sun. 3. and finally, sending out a clear msg to other clubs “We will not pay over the odds for your players!”.

    People may say I am clutching at straws here, but think about it. Since when did MA change his from misleading the fans in regards to the transfer window, to “being blunt and brutally honest”? Let’s face it. If you didn’t intend on spending any money you would just keep quiet, or put together some 2 bid story about us being “pipped at the post” by another club. We always hear that the transfer window is like a high stakes poker game, I believe this statement to be our poker face.

    Anyway, regardless of what you believe I think the best thing for us to do as fans is just wait. If by August we have not bought anybody, THEN the outrage can begin.

  42. Stuart79 says:
    May 10, 2010 at 9:51 pm

    “Worley – Sorry but I know forca fact that Ashleywas a Spurs supporter before he bought NUFC.”

    Your lying again, Stuart. He never has been a ‘Spurs supporter. He used to go to Stamford Bridge and support Chelsea, not to White Hart Lane. That comes from Ashley himself.

    The Spurs lie was started merely because he was good friends with Paul Kemsley, a ‘Spurs director, and ‘Spurs fans thought they would have a bit of a wind up. If you want to disagree and constantly attempt to discredit me, fine, but don’t lie.

  43. “Since when did MA change his APPROACH TO THE TRANSFER WINDOW from misleading the fans, to….”

  44. Pretty much el toro.
    I generally agree mate.

    It is ‘specifically’ worded, isn’t it?

  45. Dear oh dear Worky.

    Only you could still not admit when you’re wrong – I know for a FACT he supported Spurs. Forget Kemsley he’s a non entity in the whole thing.

    I’m not accusing you of lying, you’re just either being mislead or badly informed.

    Have some dignity mate.

  46. Not that it matters much but why would wiki have this > Michael James Wallace “Mike” Ashley (born 1963, Burnham, Buckinghamshire)

  47. Stuart79 says:
    May 10, 2010 at 10:25 pm

    “Have some dignity mate.”

    It’s liars like yourself who have no dignity, Stuart. Grow up you pathetic little child.

  48. Players we shud look to sign, nicky maynard, juan albin free, tom cleverly loan or buy, charlie adam , joe ledley n peter whittinghm both on frees i fink perch or gunther

  50. Big Dave says:
    May 10, 2010 at 10:27 pm

    “Not that it matters much but why would wiki have this > Michael James Wallace “Mike” Ashley (born 1963, Burnham, Buckinghamshire)”

    That’s from the Wiki and it’s wrong, Dave. He was raised in Burnham, but he was actually born in Walsall.

  51. Fact is he now ‘supports’ Newcastle United, by hook or by crook.
    Both financially & in the stadium.
    Whether we like it or not.

  54. Although Ashley did famously give an interview to the NOTW claiming to hate Spurs – Youll find that was another one if his public relations exercises. I believe he’d only just bought the club then.

  55. Why are people assuming MA even supported a club as a child?…Not everyone has a boyhood club.

  57. “Born in Walsall, and brought up in Buckinghamshire, Ashley, 44, left school with just one ‘O’ level”

    http://www.moneyweek.com/news-and-charts/profile-mike-ashley-secretive-retail-kingpin-44535.aspx

    Stuart79 says:
    May 10, 2010 at 10:35 pm

    “Although Ashley did famously give an interview to the NOTW claiming to hate Spurs – Youll find that was another one if his public relations exercises. I believe he’d only just bought the club then.”

    Waldorf,

    Oh what a tangled web we weave, when we practice to deceive. ;-)

    He used to go to Stamford Bridge.

  58. Got to think there’s a lot of people out there who could never be pleased.

    You want MA & DL to stop putting their foot in it, you want to know what his long term plan is, you wnat to know if they are going to invest millions of quid on players; yet when they release a statement saying “board will keep shtum, we’re investing in the future, we ain’t got squillions to burn” you whinge and moan!

    We’ve been taken to tthe cleaners by clubs for years when buying players at inflated prices because they knew we were desperate and FFS would waft the cash as an ego boost.

    Lay off, support the team, and thank what ever god you believe in FFS is gone, MA is in, and we ain’t Portsmouth, Hull, Cardiff, Manure, L’pool or the dozens of other clubs 1 bad season away from going under!

    Howay the lads!

  59. the guy cant do right for doing wrong, simple as.

    worky, your article is how it should be peceived.

    i want the board to play their cards close to their chest… unlike past years where we’ve gone out and told the world we’re spending 20mil and everyone hikes up their prices. the board should keep their mouths shut… leave the talking to the team and the management

    we all thought we were going to spend nothing in january, but we did spend and brought in three promising players in the form of williamson routledge and simpson with hall being ok too, was that expected? no. and we were quite happy with it.

    but us toon fans have short (read “no”) memories

  60. lets not forget how we got into this financial nightmare… and for all you morons, it started long before MA took over

  61. Right on seggy & eastend.

    On a lighter note: Roy Hodgson lma manager of the year.
    & deservedly so. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer, more balanced & realistic individual.
    Here here.

    A man in the SBR mould & i don’t say that lightly.
    Well done Roy!

  63. worky whether he is from wallsall or timbuctoo supports spurs chelsea are the gooners makes nee odds he hasnt got the passion or desire for this club simple as knows nowt about running football clubs he should sticckto selling sports gear or are you going to argue that he doesnt sell sports gear aswell

  64. Rightly said eastend toon at last some common sense, n not jus ashly haters jumpin on anything he does jus bcoz of keegan fiasco

  65. CLiNT- Would it be fair to say that Hodgson has the experience and knowledge of the world game to succeed. On a shoe string?

    Is that needed to be able to achieve that?

    I believe it is.

    Would that make it incredibly harsh on Hughton to ask him to do similar when he had only one year manageral experience?

  66. Stuart,
    to a point, yes.
    But he’s been successful all over europe & at international level, so it’s no overnight sensation is it.
    Some people are born great, & some have greatness thrust upon them.

    CH has been a manager for one year, but he’s spent his life in football & worked under some top people.
    He has all the solidity & realism required.
    He’s took a derided, joked about, club in absolute turmoil from top to bottom, when no one else, bar JFK, had the balls to & turned them into a championship winning team. Against all odds & expectations.
    Whilst maintaining his cool, calm demeanor & dignity.
    He works on the same steady principles of strong work ethic & team is everything, whilst delegating some control & responsibility to said team.
    Not a bad start.
    Very auspicious beginnings.
    Can he push onwards & upwards?
    Only time will tell.

  67. BTW,
    Chris Hughton has been awarded ‘championship manager of the year’ by the lma too.
    Another well deserved accolade to a proper football person.
    Well done Chris!

  68. I think he is just saying we are not going to sit here and say there is 15 mill to spend as thats when the agents start getting greedy and going to see how much of that pot they can get their hands on.

  69. i’m trying my best not to panic. we know ashley inside out by now…
    we all care and worry about this football club, but whatever will be will be and either way my focus is supporting the team as always- we cant control it, so i’ll let the press get the doomand gloom out their system.
    as the article correctly states we havent been told that there defo wont be any players coming in…i think we should certainly look at the free agents there are a couple id consider bringing in…. as much as i’ll get criticised probably for saying right now on paper our squad is better than some up there and the team appears to have adopted the right attitude aswell. id take 17th now like im sure most of you would. but after time of thinking bout the statement i have calmed down, i love my club, i hate the owner…bring on next season!

  71. aye charlie.. called been shrewd.. which we’ve never had the pleasure of being!

    lets not denounce the guy when for the last term he’s supported CH, kept his nose out of it and let the team do the talking
    this term has been great… the teams performed well we have the basis of a strong team that i believe wont do too badly in the prem… if you’ve watched any of the mid to lower teams in the prem this term, i feel confident we can hold our own against them and that will assure our survival

  72. am i correct in finking that ma has funded the arrivals of jonas,colo,enrique,barton,smith,nolan,best,taylor,simpson,routledge,williamson,ranger,kadar,vukic,xisco along a number of other youngsters to say he is tight with the cash is a bit harsh yes the big signings are long gone but them ive jus stated is the majority of are squad and thats not including the likes of beye n bassong who he also brought in along with numerous loan deal which cost money aswell and lovenkrands on a free lets not get carried away n say he has never invested

  73. just read daily mail article bout bolton n stoke testing cash strapped newcastle with bids for carroll and steven taylor, when are the southern press gonna realise the are local players woudlnt want to leave for the likes of bolton n stoke that is a step backward, starters weve bigger crowds can pay bigger wages even with a wage cap, and for christ its so obvouis to pick them after the so called bust up,

  74. yeah davy thats about right.. but the hate mongers will argue that we’ve let some great players leave and where’s that money gone that we got for given bassong milner and the like? but the books are there for all to see.. the man cant take money out of the club at will.. its all accountable.. or am i wrong?

  75. yea eastend toon i fink your ryt if weve been losin 30mill a year thats were the moneys been goin, remember we had a wage bill of 70mill plus to fund, yea we lost given and milner who are great players, but really do we want players who hav no heart to be here which the ones who left clearly didnt or we wouldnt hav been relegated in the first place, like u say the hate mungers are gonna jump on this

  76. bar of course given davy… he loved this club with his heart and soul… but he saw it in complete turmoil… was disillusioned… and who can blame him… we were all disillusioned

  77. i dare say he’d come home in a heart beat seeing how things are now, mentality wise etc… thats all the lad wanted… a team that played for each other

  78. don’t be mad, Given wouldn’t come back to the toon now.

    if he loved the club so much he wouldn’t have jumped ship halfway through a relegation season.

    I’d have had more respect for him if he’d stuck it out and tried to keep us up, then gone, rather than spitting his dummy out and forcing a transfer away in january.

    no doubting he was a fantastic player for the toon while we had him, and i’ll give him a warm welcome back to SJP next season, but part of me will never forgive him for the way he left.

  80. “The first team squad that won the Championship this year will form the basis of the team for next year in the Premiership, there is no plan for new capital outlay on players”.

    This part of the statement is ambiguous as fuck. And it is no suprise to me which part of the ambiguoity Louise Taylor the sensationalist went for to get herself wet for her kitkat shuffle but thats another matter.

    First off, every season for 99% of every club in Europe the team last season forms the basis of every squad, the weak links are usually marginalised. Then you look at a few fresh faces etc. Nothing different in the first part of the sentence.

    The next part of the sentence is the ambiguous part IMO. It reads “there is no plan for new capital outlay on players”

    What does capital outlay mean?

    Does it mean getting a loan off the bank for a new kitchen with money you dont have to excite the wife?

    Does it mean a spending splurge? does it mean a massive spending splurge of 190million within your means, or is 10million within your means? If so what is the means of Newcastle, looking at how our debt is one of the best of a bad bunch, in the second flight we averaged 45000, we have reduced our wage bill, I’d say our means is bigger than most.

    Or is no capital outlay on players a way of saying we will only buy players when needed on a case by case position like we did in January? If so then 15 of the 20 clubs in the premiership are the same, they wont have a major outlay on players which will impact their future player budget for the next three years. In that they will only replace their weak links by what their footballing team percieve as improvements to weak links “when they see appropriate value”.

    Or does it mean we are spending bugger all? Yet we spent in January to strengthen, so that to me kind of rules that one out.

    Someone should remove the ambiguoity.

  82. Not only that, it was later revealed that Given instructed his agent to find a new club way back in the October.

    Think this Southern press bollox needs to stop aswell. Let them get on with peddling shite by all means, but there is no need to get all radged by up it. Just ignore it :)

  83. Capital Outlay •A disbursement of money which results in the improvement or acquisition of addition assets for use over long periods of time. i.e players

    Ask any accountant what this term really means, instead of making up your own definitions and interpretations.

    We are not buying anyone.

  84. The wording is: There is no plan for new capital outlay on players.

    There is no *plan* for new capital outlay… Surely this is different to the unequivocal “there will be no new capital outlay …

    To me this says that if a good deal came up then there would be some new capital outlay. It’s just that there’s nothing definite at the moment.

  85. A plan signals intention.

    Therefore, its fair to say that they do not intend to buy new players unless something significant changes, such as a replacement needing to be purchased for a sold player or an injury crisis. They can’t say with certainty that there will be NO capital outlay because of these reasons.

    Throw into the mix, the comments about ‘promoting within’ and the focus on the academy.. I’m afraid I dont share your optimism.

  86. Yor wrong there like. A capital outlay is paying for acquiring an asset over time.

    No plans for capital outlay means that if we buy anybody the the payment will not be spread over x years and will be contained within the current years balance sheet.

    So if you theoretically bought someone for say £10 million over 5 years, only £2 million would have to be capitalised on the current balance sheet.

  87. A plan can also be a series of steps.

    In this (optimistic) reading having no plan means you have no set series of steps, or, in other words, things are fluid depending on where it fits in the hierarchy of the action plan.

    “One of the greater elements …” of the NUFC 5-year plan is “… to promote stability throughout the organisation.” And maintaining PL status is the first challenge. Being relegated again would hardly constitute “creating stability”.

    So, if CH says we need X player because we have no comparable junior to step in to the role, then he gets the money (if the price etc is right). This looks to be exactly what happened in the season just gone.

    What I find interesting is that NUFC will only deal with agents under privacy clauses. So we can now rule out any rumours in the media about transfers in and out. This policy also seems to be exactly what was followed last season.

    Seems to me all they’ve done is formalise what the policy has been all last season (perhaps clumsily so).

  88. Aye, we can rule press rumours out, but haven’t they always had to be taken with a pinch of salt anyway?

    Nowt wrong with a bit of speculation though ;)

    Interestingly, Leeds for Shola Ameobi anyone? ;)

  89. CLiNT,

    That’s fair enough I guess. Hodgson has the experience and contacts to do what he has done. Only time will tell for Hughton.

    I’ve been doin some asking around with regards to this ‘cap ex’. I’ve been told told it’s irelevant over how long it’s paid over. Cap ex is, just that – it’s an expenditure to for the business, whether bought through finance or cash.

    Tinosdog seems to have the nearest definition from what I’ve been told.

    Either way it shows this statement is poor and not conclusive.

  90. ‘Capital outlay’ has absolutly nothing to do with length of payment, whether its 1 day, 1 week, 1 month or 10 years. Look up the term online. It refers solely to paying for new assets. It fits in nicely with the common theme in the rest of the statement about debt, promoting from within and the academy.

  92. Tinosdog is correct….when purchasing an asset, capital is used…it has nothing to do with the period of payment…trust me…I’ve bought several assets for my company….I know.

    I can’t wait to see how many people are furoiusly trying to cover up their ridiculous statements come 1st September. However, I will take no comfort from that, as basically we will all be suffering.

  93. Nobby, Tinosdog, you’re both right but there’s no rule that says an item has to be capitalised (ie a capital expense on an item). What could be construed as capital items, can be bought from a business’s revenue and thus appear as a revenue spend in the P&L.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_expenditure

    Hope that helps?

  94. So does that make my ‘no hard and fast’ rule about interpreting what ‘Capital Outlay’ means, applicable all of a sudden?

  95. BBM…..if they wanted to say that there was to be modest spending, why didn’t they just say so??

    Deep down we all know what it means, its just that some people don’t want to accept it & would rather cling to the forlorn hope that something positive will still happen.

    Well to be honest, I sincerely hope they are right……

  96. I`m was at first concerned about the statement but soon realised that nothing has changed-ashley is a swine but he`s not stupid-i don`t want to `p`on the parade but last years team is NOT a good team,simply the best(yes by far)of a bad bunch,we need players-that is obvious,i`m not asking for world beaters-simply premiership standard players,our saving grace may be the fact that we are better than the teams who came up with us-AS LONG AS THEY DON`T STRENGTHEN THEIR TEAMS!!!
    I am however shocked/flabbergasted to find that our crop of `world beaters`from the youth team are going to sustain our premiership status-hmm!!!!that will be the same youth`s who could not get into our championship team???? I hope i`m proved to be wrong but i don`t think so,,i`d love to see a set up like the Arsenal but it took them years to gradually rebuild and they had a decent team to start with,as for the southern media-they can all go to hell-some of the comments and the aggressive nature with which we the Geordie public are treated to is border line racist..
    I hope we all have a good and rewarding season but talk of a top end finish and Europe is mad,,gonna be a long drawn out season with dross football and no attack minded midfield with the old boot it up front and see what happens mentality..see you all next season in my 3 year old top and carrying a flask as i wont give that man a penny more than i have to.
    Last rant!!! contrary to a couple of comments,the s*+t ashley finds himself in is his own fault-not shepherd or halls-his own because he acted like an arrogant dick and did not follow basic business protocol…
    Take care out there-let the speculation commence..
    Al..

  97. N_L – I’d ask our Finance Director because he’s up in the Newcastle office today, just to make absolutely certain. The accounts girls are good but I’d be better asking the top guy just to be on the safe side. But I think I’m losing the will to live on the subject.

    I hear you on the ‘clarity’ issue, I think that’s what has got under our skin most. Lines and lines detailing specifically what they refuse to comment on and they couldn’t spend a bit of time outlining the transfer policy in layman’s terms.

    I also hope for the best.

  98. well if all goes well and to MA plan we will be visiting some of the grounds we were at this year,when will this man think how lucky am i to have 45000 fans who keep this club afloat and turn up every other week CCC thank god i didnt buy a club like portsmouth

  99. Ive said this before n ill say it again The squad we have is good enough to stay in the premiership ,

    N from what i read in the report we will only spend the money we have and build from the bottom up , nothing wrong with that, its giving us a solid base to build on

  100. They will spend on players eventually, that is inevitable, however the statement just reads so negatively there was no point putting it out. its just poor PR form the top again…as usual!!

  101. I said it before this squad is to good to go down(about 12months ago) BUT the squad we have got us relegated from the premiership,yes we have team spirit now but even the teams relegated had the odd player able to play football,there`s a good article in the mail-`northern exposure`pretty well written-very topical.I agree it`s very bad PR(the statement)a kick in the backside for fans but reality-the truth is there to be seen-don`t expect miracles-we don`t need to spend huge amounts of money but we need some players-Nicky Butt has gone now so the squad is even smaller.I`m over the moon that the finances have been gotten hold of and are being addressed but it`s not just caution that is needed but a bit of common sense with regards to the playing staff.Time will tell but i wish the Team all the best-give it large lads-hope you do well.
    Al.

  103. bowburnmag says:
    May 11, 2010 at 10:22 am

    “N_L – I’d ask our Finance Director because he’s up in the Newcastle office today, just to make absolutely certain. The accounts girls are good but I’d be better asking the top guy just to be on the safe side. But I think I’m losing the will to live on the subject.”

    He’ll just say more or less what I did, Bowburn. It isn’t rocket science.

  104. I’m new here, so first off, thanks for a cracking blog – always makes an interesting read.

    Capital outlay (aka capital expenditures) are costs that cannot be deducted in the year in which they are paid or incurred, and must be capitalized. The general rule is that if the asset acquired has a useful life longer than the taxable year, the cost must be capitalized. The capital expenditure costs are then amortized or depreciated over the life of the asset in question.

    So I believe that we should be able to make cash purchases so long as we live within our means, but no staggered payments – makes sense as we do want to be a self-sufficient club, but the terrible twins really need someone to proof read their statements before they go out.

  105. Hmmm! so it`s the beginning of a new 5 year plan (sounds like a blast from the past)I remember when the former USSR had them, as did China.
    So is it austerity for the next 5 yrs. Eh!
    Is it a case of Ashley milking the club to the tune of 20m. a year untill he recoups his loan, then the “for sale” sign goes up again ?
    Question is how does a club survive in the PL without expenditure on players over a five year period ?
    Do we have to watch shit football and constantly struggle against relegation ?
    Is this what Mr. Ashley has in store for us?
    And as far as bringing in kids for the future, a pipe dream.
    Look got no problem with having a youth system, but to rely on it as a business plan, never work, as things stand we have one player from the youth squad playing and two getting rare games, it does`nt get better than that.
    Just look at the number of talented kids we have recently let go.
    You know what, rather than Ashley changing the way business is conducted in the PL, it`s just a matter of time before he realises, in order to survive/compete you cant do it without spending.

  106. Chuck,

    George Renyolds tried doing it at Darlington – Look what happened to them!

    Our brilliantly talented kids the club go on about can’t even finish higher than Rotherham or Hartlepool in the reserve league.

    What do they think happens to young footballers?

    Do they automatically improve beyond all recognition once they get in the first team in the PL?