Newcastle plan for the future, but please don’t forget the present!

Posted on May 9th, 2010 | 185 Comments |

Krul: One of many talents at our disposal.
Krul: One of many talents at our disposal.
It is becoming increasingly apparent that Newcastle United are bulding up quite a collection of young players, some of which have already been monitored by some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Now we have another two youngsters that could potentially end up at the academy in the shape of Frenchman Martin Mimoun and Swedish goalkeeper Sulejmen Sarajlic, the latter spent the last week on trial with us in fact. You need to only look back a short while and see we reached the semi-final of the FA Youth Cup, something that hasn’t done for quite a while on Tyneside, and you have to admit that with the players coming through the academy the future looks bright.

The likes of Tim Krul, Tamas Kadar, Haris Vuckic and Nile Ranger are being touted as the next generation of Toon superstars, which they may well turn out to be. It’s an awfully risky strategy though, and focusing purely on youth is a potential disaster waiting to happen. I’m not rubbishing the strategy as it’s a sound, common sense and long-term plan for the future which should have been sorted out many years ago but wasn’t. What we need is sound investment in players for the future, and sound investment in players for next season.

Let’s not kid ourselves, some of our prospects look potentially very very good with Tim Krul and Haris Vuckic in particular are being tipped to shine. But can we rely on them to be chucked in at the deep end of what will more than likely be a relegation battle? I would say no. Some ex-Liverpool player that I detest once famously said that you don’t win anything with kids. He was of course wrong, but he was only wrong once when Alex Ferguson took a team pretty much full of ‘kids’ to the Premier League title. We don’t need to win the title next season, that isn’t our aim and wont be for some time. Our minimum objective is simply to survive.

Would it be fair to expect the younger players, who will undoubtedly play a part next season, to be lumbered with the pressure of being the ones who can ‘change a game’? No. Would it be fair on Chris Hughton to allow him to struggle on with a threadbare squad knowing that a younger player maybe physically ready but not mentally prepared? No.

Understandably, if these youngsters are good enough then they are old enough to play and they will make an impact, but they still need experienced players to guide them along. I’m not just talking about the players we have in our senior squad, I mean new faces who will also be able to add something to the team and take a bit of what is fast becoming reliance on our youngsters to get through some tough games next season.

By all means, sign these two newest youngsters that are being touted around, but signing them means zip if it’s at the expense of the first team. As I mentioned earlier, we should plan for the future whilst not forgetting what we need now.

NUFCBlog Author: toonsy toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.

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Comment on this post

185 Responses

  2. I don’t see why it would be at the expense of the first team however it’s a waste of time if we are going to play the likes of Best and Hall ahead of Ranger and Kadar.

  3. I think we have an apt squad to stay up.

    The only players I think we need are a Right Back/Centre Half & a striker.

    If it means that young players like Gylfi Sigurdsson play when Gutierrez/Routeledge get injured, then that’s fine.

    Tamas Kadar can play when Jose Enrique is injured; or when a centre half is injured.

    Haris should be used very sparingly in my opinion.

    Nile Ranger can play as our 4th choice striker.

    I think with players like Barton, Nolan, Smith and Guthrie are quite solid. I would love to see a player like Fabrice Muamba from Bolton come in to add a bit of steel. I know O’Hara has been touted as a good foil for Nolan, which would be a great signing.

    I think it’s going to be a tough off season. With the world cup, prices for international players will be sky high.

    I think loan signings and free transfer signings could make or break our season. There are some good players out there that could do a job for us in the second half of the table.

    Hughton knows that for Carroll to score goals, he’s going to need excellent delivery. This is where players like Charlie Adam could prove fruitful. An outside punt at Aiden McGeady would be awesome too.

    I’d rather have these guys in the team, than over rated premiership players like Stephen Hunt or Jimmy Bullard. These players will just retard the development of these youth players.

    The goal is to give them some exposure, develop them, and sell them at around 25 years old to make a killing, and then redevelop. I’m sure that’s how Ashley’s looking at it anyway.

  5. tbh rangerman if ranger struggled to score in the ccc how will he find the net in the epl ? as much as i hoped ranger could be our nxt beardo, the fact is he couldnt score at happy hour at a brothel. so he does need exp players around him, at the min. i still believe he could develop into a good player, nd maybe only needs a couple of goals nd his confidence kicks in. but then again maybe not ;(
    i reckon the youth academy is a good idea, but lets not put all our eggs in 1 basket. of course the juggling exp n youth is were c h nd his staff earn there crust. so i gotta agree with the tone of the article, we need both exp nd youth, nd mustnt become over reliant on iether.

  8. Hughton has made it quite clear in the past two weeks that he will be following the models of Birmingham, Stoke and Wolves next season.

    There’s only one problem with that – They are predomanantly made up of experienced PL footballers and only buy experienced players. We on the other hand aren’t interested in doing it that way.

    If that isn’t proof that we cannot achieve anything with just signing young up and coming players and hope they turn out well, then nothing is.

  10. tbh rangerman if ranger struggled to score in the ccc how will he find the net in the epl ? as much as i hoped ranger could be our nxt beardo, the fact is he couldnt score at happy hour at a brothel.

    ……

    We had all this with Andy Carroll when he went to Preston on loan when he was Ranger’s age, he couldn’t even get a game for them in the end but you need to persevere with young lads that have potential.

    There were plenty of opportunities last season where he could have come on and gained experience, I think he’s already better with the ball at his feet than Best and his link up play is impressive, he just needs to find his feet in front of goal like Carroll did, that will come with experience.

  11. Rangerman says:
    May 9, 2010 at 2:06 pm

    The reason Carroll couldn’t get a game at Preston wasn’t anything to do with football, Rangerman.

  12. I do know he got in trouble while he was down there but he wasn’t impressive at all when playing, he soon found himself getting a few minutes at the end of games rather than starting.

  13. Toonsy
    Look if you write a blog, at least make a definative statement, you cant argue both sides or hedge your bets.
    What`s the worst can happen, people will disagree, thats the whole idea,no ?

  14. Stuart

    “Hughton has made it quite clear in the past two weeks that he will be following the models of Birmingham, Stoke and Wolves next season.”

    Where on earth do you read that CH wants to follow the models of those clubs?
    All he stated was that those clubs have proved it is possible to make the transition from the Championship to the Premiership. He has said nothing about adopting their approach to doing it.
    He is simply saying, if they can stay up, then so can we.

    He’ll have his own method for trying to achieve that.

    We have no need to purchase too many experienced players anyway, as we already have the experienced premier league players in our squad which they didnt have.

  15. Trouble with Ranger by all accounts is his attitude not his ability . Maybe the best thing for that lad is to loan him out to a small lower leauge club were he will get the ego knocked out of him and also get a run of first team games and hopfully goals . maybe then we will realise what a lucky boy he is to be at a big premiership club .

  16. Chuck,

    Their is no reason why you can’t argue both sides of the coin.
    I didn’t realise their was a law about blog content having to be 100% opinionated to the writer.
    And besides, you’ve found a way to disagree with Toonsy even if he has argued both sides anyway.

  17. Axel,

    Another statement about a players “attitude” with no evidence to back that claim.
    There has been nothing about Rangers attitide apart from rumours.
    Have you not perhaps thought that maybe Houghton feels he isn’t quite ready yet for a regular starting place?
    Footballers don’t have to be made at the age of 18.
    Some may develop early, others shine later in their careers.

  19. JJ,

    Just read his comments. He’s quite clearly states that the club will follow the example of the above mentioned teams.

    They should make their minds up..

  21. Yes Stu

    Follow the example by their fighting and spirited mentality… not their style of play, or activity in the transfer market.
    Although its difficult not to go for similar targets in the transfer market, as we would attract the same callibre of player.
    Surely. He is just stating the obvious?

  22. I was always tought the best way to debate something was to look at both sides?

  23. Don’t worry Toonsy, always best to give both sides at the writer, and let the bloggers, debate over which they feel is right.
    Other wise the only comments you’d get is. “Ye I agree” or “what a load of bullshit”…
    Make for a more interesting debate this way.

  24. Icedog – ;)

    Leicester v Cardiff – What a boring game. I can see why Hughton said no to Nobby in January though. He hasn’t been at his best, that’s for sure.

  25. JJ @ 23 – I though my point was pretty clear anyway. We need kids for the future but experience for now.

    Perhaps it’s too complex for some, or perhaps some people just have an urge to criticise all the time ;)

  26. LEON BEST v NILE RANGER

    LEON BEST
    Leon Best has played 13 games for us.

    Won 9
    Drawn 3
    Lost 1

    2.3 points/game average

    He’s played 621 minutes, which is just shy of 7 full games.

    In truth his stats should be 7 games, 0 goals, 2 assists.

    The team plays well when he plays, and he has only been on the losing side once.

    NILE RANGER
    Nile Ranger has played in 30 games for us this season.

    Won 18
    Drawn 7
    Lost 5

    2.03 points/game average

    He’s played 929 minutes, which is just over 10 games.

    His stats should read 10 games, 2 goals and 3 assists.

    Ranger’s done well when he’s played, and has a lot of substitute appearances, starting only 7 games. We’ve only lost on one occasion when he started (Peterborough in the Carling Cup).

    From these stats, if you rate Ranger, you have to rate Best as well, as the stats don’t lie. Best hasn’t had a chance to integrate into the squad, unlike Ranger, who has been allowed to adapt over 30 games.

    After 13 games, Ranger’s record was similar to Best’s:
    0 goals
    3 assists

    The record was also the same after 626minutes of football.

  27. Just read that we are now supposedly intrested in jesper christiannsen a 32 year old keeper from FC Copenhagen . valued at 1 million , my first reaction was more tabloid crap but could it be Hughton wants a more expirenced 2nd keeper for the premiership and both Krul and Forster will be on season long loans again .

  28. AXEL – Doubt it. 32 is too old and keeper is one position we are pretty much sorted in I reckon.

  29. It`s becoming a drag to hear the same old crap about cutting our cloth accordingly, that we cant afford transfer fees over a certain amount plus a cap on wages.
    That in fact is the best recipe for a another relegation
    disaster or at least a struggle to avoid it.
    Face it what kind of players are you going to attract, knowing their wages are capped.
    Oh! that`s right Mike and Derick are going to change the whole system, knowing more about how to run a football club than those who have been screwing it up for the last umpteen years.
    Look football is a simple game and in general those that invest the most money in playing staff and management, usually come out on top, fact!
    Name a team has been successful by being cheap, yet I constantly hear backing of that knowledgeable duo by people who should know better.
    As I have stated before , the fans, Hughton and the team
    have done their part, bums in seats,won the league convincingly, your turn Mike get us a few decent players
    in order to compete, not a lot to ask !
    C`mon lets not settle for mediocrity, because thats all I hear,” erm I would be satisfied by 15th. place”
    Well not me I want to watch attractive football and have a team that`s competitive.

  30. I won’t be surprised to see us sign a keeper on the cheap. No team needs 3 top class keepers and we are clearly going to cash in on Krul as we could get a couple million for him. Forster will be loaned out again. Probably to a Cahmpionship side like QPR or something.

  31. TOONSY how right you are cannot play on your past,trouble is some think they can

  32. “Well not me I want to watch attractive football and have a team that`s competitive”

    Good luck with that, but i wouldn’t hold my breath. I am yet to see a team promoted, be competitive, and play attractive football in their first season in the Prem. Well, not in the highly competitive, MODERN DAY Premiership football anyway.

  33. Arsenal have spent a lot less than NUFC over the last 10 years and have had a lot more success.

    IMO the structure we have (youth policy) is the correct way to do things.

    Extravagant spending by the likes of Man City, Chelsea, Spurs has ruined the game.

    Teams like Everton and Aston Villa, who have built steadily don’t stand a chance.

  34. Icedog – Think Nobby knows he is near the end mate, which is why he has gone back to playing full back.

    Quality player when with us, and a bargain aswell.

  35. Spyro – Burnley tried, and it was their undoing. It was pleasant to watch though. The only truly attractive teams to watch are Arsenal or Barca. Man Utd and Chelsea can be atrractive but just plod on most of the time.

    Cardiff scored, great goal!

  36. Whittingham just scored a beautiful free kick. How much do you reckon he would cost then? haha

  37. Exactly Toonsy, which is exactly why i can see West Brom finishing bottom next season. They are good when afforded all of the possession, but without it they aren’t fantastic. They generally don’t grind out results and i can see them getting bullied next season if they don’t buy some tenacious battlers

  38. geordie fan! we never lost a game when he started in the league! scored the odd goal best no goals played in a winning team at that moment! ranger came on with 10 minutes to go most games so u are either daft or dont no nothing about football.

  39. Spyro – You only have to look at our own league for examples of that.

    Swansea – Pounded us for 90 minutes and still couldn’t get a result. Now missed out on the play-offs.

    Doncaster – Widely regarded as a footballing side, but it didn’t get them anywhere.

    QPR – Probably the best team at SJP this year. Finished nowhere.

    Nowt wrong with great football like, but a well organised and well drilled team will nearly always stop football being played. Barca v 10 man Inter being a prime example.

  40. El Toro i can think of 1 team that after promotion in their first season played attractive football and was a bit competitive in the modern premiership . i will give you a clue they play in black and white stripes :)although i doubt its going to happen this time round .

  42. chuck says:
    May 9, 2010 at 2:44 pm

    Agreed.

    Although some will point to Arseanl and say they have spent next to nothing – That’s exactly why they have won nothing now for six seasons.

    JJ – If we can only attract the same sort of players as Stoke, Birmingham and Wolves it’s time to go home and turn the light out on NUFC.

    Also if we would only attract them type of players we wouldn’t buy them – I have already stated that they buy experienced PL players – We won’t do that – The club have made their transfer policy more than clear.

    Where does that leave us? Trying an approach that has never worked in the history of the game – Big gamble I think.

    But as we know Ashley likes a gamble – Only problem is he’s not very good at winning.

  43. I think a mix of youth is great but these young lads need games…I can’t see CH playing kids next season as every game will be vital for our premiership survival.

    Only time I can see young players being drafted in is if we have a list of major senior injuries.
    We have plenty of kids already we need more senior players and a good quality prem striker would be a useful addition.

  44. Stu, Ashley is good at looking like he has plopped his pants in nearly every picture as well.
    :)

  45. toonsy says:
    May 9, 2010 at 3:00 pm

    If the likes of Donny, QPR and Swansea can totally boss the game against us don’t you think it’s reasonable that the majority of PL clubs will do the same? Only difference being that PL clubs will create more chances and therefore score more goals against us.

    The teams mentioned, like many in the Championship just didn’t have the quality up front but still created chances against us.

  46. THere was enough times last season that if an opposing team had a decent striker we would have been walloped….good comments Stu.

    Almost as good as “Choppy waters ahead”.

  47. JJ
    I`m sure Toonsy is quite capable of defending his corner,
    It was`nt my intention to attack him, merely stating his argument was all over the place, ok with you ?

    Ice Dog
    See above

    Toonsy
    I was tought the best way to debate something was to look at both sides,

    Certainly look at both sides, but there normally being
    at least two sides to a debate, do you not have to make a choice ?

  48. TOONSY,its the old storey m8 you must have a match winner in your side,how many times have m/u been out-played,ie rooney,ronaldo in past,gunners with henrey,l/pool torros,even toon with AS,thing is getting the balance right with the rest of team imo

  49. May 9, 2010 at 2:55 pm

    geordie fan! we never lost a game when he started in the league! scored the odd goal best no goals played in a winning team at that moment! ranger came on with 10 minutes to go most games so u are either daft or dont no nothing about football.

    Yes you’re right, in the 6 games Ranger has started in the League, we haven’t lost….however I don’t think that’s anything special.

    Leon Best has also started 6 games, and we’ve lost once: Derby away…when the whole team was awful.

    Yes Ranger has scored the odd goal, but after the same amount of football, he HAD NOT! The same as Best.

    And coming on in the last 10 minutes is not always a bad thing. Surely you’ve got a good chance of scoring, as you’re nice and fresh, and you’re running at Championship defenders who have been playing for 80 minutes and are tired.

    This is exactly why I’ve stated the number of minutes they’ve played, and not just the games they’ve started.

    After the exact same playing time, Ranger has one more assist, and that’s all.

    If he deserves a chance, then why doesn’t Best?

    And Nile Ranger was also playing for a winning team, what you think his 2 goals won us those 18 games he played in?

  50. Chuck – That is for everyone else to decide ;)

    There are times when I have a viewpoint, which I will put across. There are times when I put things out there for debates.

    Plus as I said earlier and will repeat, again, I think my point is pretty clear in the title. That being that signing youngsters for the future is great, but we also must not forget about investing in the first team.

  51. rangerman, u make sense m8. nd most of comments on this blog also make sense ;)
    as for best, i say give him till jan, you dont get to play for your country 17-20 times nd be total hsit. reckon his confidence has disappeared, some get it back, others freeze playing in front of 50, 000. im no big fan or owt, but would give him till jan. then iether loan or sell.
    must agree with comments about carroll, he came on leaps n bounds at end of season, yeah his 1st touch and all rnd contribution was greatly improved, nd im fairly confident he will score a dozen goals nxt season.
    i reckon were being a tad disingeneous to automatically think well be in a relegation fight nxt season, if squad stays same nd injury free (ish) i would hope to be midtable.

  55. its the sun icedog, chills u out dunnit lol. that nd the fact ur talking to adults on here, not arrogant dicks ;) grt score n all, howay the bay lol :)

  56. well enjoy ur banter lads, im off for my lunch now then alabama3 tonight at the academy :)

  59. El Toro 32#
    Either you have a short memory or you are a “johnny come lately” then you might be too young to remember KK`s promotion side.

    Geordie Fan
    Arsenal have spent a lot less than NUFC over the last 10 yrs. and have had a lot more success.

    Arsenal do their fair share of spending, whether they have spent more as you claim ?
    And yes they have been more successful, but so have a lot of teams.

    IMO the structure we have (youth policy)is the correct way to do things.

    If you say so !

    Extravagant spending by the likes of Man.U., Chelsea,Spurs, has ruined the game.

    Had`nt really noticed, how exactly ?

    Teams like Everton and Villa, who have built steadily, don`t stand a chance.

    My point, spending = success,

  60. TOONSY just been called a adult is that good or bad,ill ask big dave he will ask JB for me :)

  61. Arsenal’s net spend looks impressively low but it has been massively subsidised by three players in the last ten years.

    Anelka bought for £500,000 sold for £24m
    Toure bought for £150,000 sold for between £12-15m
    Adebayor bought for £7m sold for £27m

    Profit approx £58.5m.

    Take them three out of the equation and it’s a totally different scenario.

  62. watching ssn they said tevez at m/city has bought everyone from tea lady to cleaners a brand new 42″ tv for there help,nice touch i think

  64. icedog says:
    May 9, 2010 at 3:57 pm
    STUART,ay got a canny eye for a player has wenger

    Wenger is exactly the reason why no other club can even hope to achieve what they do at Arsenal – He is the best at it in the world.

    But lets not forget since he’s decided he didn’t want to spend money on experience they have won cock all!

  65. Chuck

    “Had`nt really noticed, how exactly ?

    Teams like Everton and Villa, who have built steadily, don`t stand a chance.

    My point, spending = success.”

    In, Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool, are all in massive debt, which at some point has to be repayed.
    It takes one poor season like Liverpool have had for things to go horribly sour and they arn’t far short of a crisis. If Liverpool don’t make top four next season, they will be in huge trouble as a club.
    The same goes for Man U and Chelsea over the next 20 years.

    Everton and Aston Villa on the other hand, are steadily growing and stand on a firm and solid footing as a club and financially for the next few decades.

    Thats the difference.

  66. Stuart 79

    You left out Henry, Vieira, Overmars, as well as the likes of van Persie Fabregas which if they sold now would both bring in massive transfer fees.

    In other words, you are actually arguing your own case.

    All these Arsenal players came in on the cheap, young, and near the end of their contracts or relatively unknown.

    Newcastles management have never said they won’t look to bring in quality. They have said they won’t spend big!

    Well, if we can bring in more players of the ilk of Bassong, Guthrie, Kadar, Vuckic, Lovenkrans, Routeledge, Williamson… without spending big wads of cash on players who might fail.

    Surely its a good plan.

  67. STUART,But lets not forget since he’s decided he didn’t want to spend money on experience they have won cock all!

    often wondered stuart is it a smoke-screen by wenger did he have any money to spend,there new ground cost a bomb always felt it was a bit of a act like

  68. Also Stuart

    Spending doesn’t insure trophies… if you need proof of this, look at Real Madrid this season… After spending huge money on Kaka and Ronaldo. They will win nothing!

  69. JJ says:
    May 9, 2010 at 4:09 pm

    They didn’t make a massive profit on Henry or Overmars. They both cost more than £10m when Arsenal bought them.

    If you would read what I’m saying, I am saying that everyone goes on about how little Arsenal have spent but if you take them three players out of the equation they have been pretty big spenders.

    You cannot even mention Van Persie or Fabragas – They are still Arsenal players.

    But lets look at them if you want – What have they won with them two?

    You mention Williamson, Kadar, Vuckic, Routledge, Bassong, Guthrie and Lovenkrands – Out of all them only one has proved good enough for the PL so far.

    Don’t start making out that these are the ‘quality’ that we need, as nobody knows if their good enough or not. Although some have played in the PL and haven’t done anything.

  70. Source: http://www.transferleague.co.uk/

    1) Chelsea £366,315,000
    2) Manchester City £300,557,000
    3) Liverpool £200,735,000
    4) Tottenham £176,132,500

    6) Manchester United £139,285,000

    Newcastle £107,470,000
    Arsenal £32,366,000

    This shows the net expenditure of clubs. Newcastle are ridiculously high on the list, considering what we have achieved compared to the model club Arsenal, as I pointed out earlier.

    As you claim, a lot of teams have been more successful than us by spending less money, so throwing money at the problem is not always the best answer.

    Silly spending by the likes of Chelsea and Man City (Not Man Utd as you misquoted) has ruined if for other teams, as not everyone has money coming out of their arse, like them.

    How can you expect to outspend them? Why would you even try if you’ve only just been promoted?

    Clubs like Aston Villa and Everton have developed players. Brought through youth, and developed players into even better ones. That’s how I think football should progress?

    Not throwing money around, and bringing in big statement signings all the time.

    Mike Ashely has said he’s not going to throw money at the club, and wants to run it as a sustainable business. If you think he’s going to melt down his businesses to fund a spending spree at Newcastle, then you’re dilusional.

  71. JJ says:
    May 9, 2010 at 4:12 pm

    Don’t keep your head in the sand mate.

    Look what money has done at Spurs, Villa, Man City and Chelsea.

    They have all spent alot of money and they are all finishing higher up the league than in previous seasons and in Chelsea’s case actually winning it!

  72. icedog says:
    May 9, 2010 at 3:51 pm

    “TOONSY just been called a adult is that good or bad,ill ask big dave he will ask JB for me”

    Lol, It’s a strange feeling, getting called an adult like. Usually I get called much worse than that :)

  73. Geordie Fan says:
    May 9, 2010 at 4:17 pm

    So Villa didn’t spend £13m on Ashley Young? Or £12m on Milner? £14m on Downing? £8m on Curtis Davies? £7m on Delph?

    Explain how they are developing players?

  74. There’s nothing wrong with buying players at 1m or 2m, developing them, and selling them for 6m or 7m. That will then allow us to go out and buy better youth players, who we can develop even further.

    Whatever we recoup, we should be allowed to re invest into players.

    That’s exactly what Wenger’s done with players like Vieira, Overmars, Anelka, Adebayor. Brought them cheap, developed them, and sold them for a killing.

    We won’t make the same margin off players like Kadar or Guthrie, but after a second cycle of rebuilding maybe we will.

    You’re looking at 5 years before we’re in Europe again.

  75. Milner’s linked with a 24million move to Man City. Young wouldn’t go for less that 25million now. Gabriel Agbonlahor was developed through the youth system, and again is a 20m plus player.

    Do you not see how this works yet?

    It’s all about money.

  76. For God’s sake Stuart,

    Look at the amount of money that they have had to spend…

    Chelsea and Man City would be nowwhere if it weren’t for Mega Billionaire owners. Paying ridiculous tranfer fees and wages which have completely ruined the game of football. And many of those mega expensive signings have been flops.
    Tottenham can afford to spend big, they don’t have debts, and they too started some years back by buying top youngsters. There big spending still got them nowwhere until they got a decent manager.
    Exactly the same can be said of Villa.

    So, Stuart, it is clearly you who has your blind head in the sand…
    We are 110 million pounds in debt… we have just come up from being a championship club… we have no European football to attract big name players, nor do we have the finances for it to make sense.

    If we were to follow you (Freddy Sheperd style policy) we’d end up like Sunderland who spend big and got nowwhere, or like ourselves, who spent big, bought badly and ended up relegated.

    Stop kidding yourself…

    Until we are on a sound financial footing, or get an rich Arab owner, we need to do things the proper way.

  78. Geordie Fan says:
    May 9, 2010 at 4:26 pm

    How do you ever build a succesfull team if you keep selling your best players once they get to a certain value?

    Don’t forget that when Arsenal were winning the league and doing doubles they weren’t selling their best players. They had the likes of Henry, Vieira, Overmars, Petit and Cole.

    It’s only when they started selling their best players that they stopped winning things.

    But don’t forget that Wenger is a complete master of that art – We don’t have a Wenger to do that, so for you to say we can buy players for £1m and sell them for £8m is just fantasy.

    Why doesn’t every single PL club do it if it’s that easy?

    But back to my main point – How do you build a team if you keep selling your best players? You will never progress – At best you’ll stagnate.
    More holes in that plan than a colinder.

  79. Well if you look at teams that dont spend big and do well then how about Fulham . Spent peanuts and are playing in the europa leauge final next week .

  81. Geordie Fan says:
    May 9, 2010 at 4:28 pm

    If were talking them figures I have no problem.

    The problem is we won’t spent over £10m on players like Milner, Young and Downing – Even if they could be worth double in 3 years time.

    But come back to me on this plan when Villa have sold these players – I don’t see a profit on them yet – Their paper gains – Means fck all!

    JJ says:
    May 9, 2010 at 4:30 pm

    What’s the point in having a very wealthy owner?

    Why is it only our owner who ‘loans’ the club money and doesn’t turn it allinto equity – Making the club debt free?

    Hello?? Open your eyes!

  83. AXEL says:
    May 9, 2010 at 4:34 pm

    They have a brilliant experienced manager.

    But also don’t forget Boro got there too a few years back and got a good spanking – Pretty much like Fulham might get.

  84. The only reason we have sold our better players recently is because we got relegated or we have needed the money because of our poor financial situation.
    Now you want us to spend more money we don’t have.
    It doesn’t make sense.

    The time for Ashley to invest big was when he first took over the club. Its too late for that now…

  86. Stuart79 says:
    May 9, 2010 at 4:37 pm

    “What’s the point in having a very wealthy owner?”

    Well from us owing him and not the banks it saves around £10 million in interest payments alone. What would have happened if we had gone down and still owed the banks?

    I doubt we would have been coming back up as we would have had to sell more, the results would have been worse, crowds would have dropped which means less money coming in etc and it could have spiralled from there.

  87. Can anyone answer me this killer question:

    Why does a billionaire buy a football club and then intend to run it so it lives within it’s own means?

    Has it happened at any other clubs? Apart from QPR and look at them…

  88. toonsy says:
    May 9, 2010 at 4:42 pm

    That still doesn’t answer why he hasn’t done what every other owner has done and turned the debt into equity.

  89. Quite right Toonsy.

    But, its also good to know Mike Ashley is treating the club like a business rather than a play thing.
    Chelsea and Man City are really just illution clubs who will become nothing when their owners get bored.

    Nothing in life comes for free. There is always a cost, which they will find out at some time in the future.

    Also, Ashley has no where near the amount of cash that the Man City and Chelsea owners have.

  90. JJ says:
    May 9, 2010 at 4:40 pm

    Well if were going to live within our means (Which I have absolutely no problem with) then we don’t need a wealthy owner.

    I’m baffled that we have one individual owner who is extremely wealthy and we still live within our means. Doesn’t happen anywhere else in the PL.

    We might has well own the club our selves.

  91. Depends how much of his billion pound fortune (which isn’t sctually a billion anymore although it is improving)is actually real money and not assets?

    “I’ll buy Berbatov for 3 warehouses”

    Asset rich and cash rich are 2 completely different things.

  92. Why should he turn the debt into equity?

    Most of it was accrued before him so why should he pay write it off?

    If you went in a restaurant and the people before you skipped the bill and you got hit with it on top of your own bill, would you pay it?

  93. JJ says:
    May 9, 2010 at 4:46 pm

    These billionaires don’t do it for nothing – The guy from Abu Dabi has had more publicity for his family and his country than he could have hoped for.

    They know that in ten years time they will sell the club that will be in a brilliant position, having won quite alot and have brilliant players – They will at least get their money back, and they will have had a whole lot of fun doing it.

    It’s an investment! Why do you think these people would invest nearly £1b and then just walk away when their bored, just throwing all that money away?

    Do you understand why these people buy clubs?

  94. afternoon Lads I have had a quick wiz through what has been wrote, I see alot of folks saying the way to do it is through good younguns. The only problem I see is if the likes of Lua Lua, Ranger, Kadar and a few other good young prospects can’t get a decent run in the CCC, what makes you think they will get a chance in the Prem. Wenger is without doubt the best manager for progressing young Talent but he is not our manager. When we got relegated I thought one of the good points was that atlest the younguns will get a go in the CCC but sadly they never got a real go.

  95. Like I said Stuart…

    For Ashley, Newcastle is not a play thing, its a business adventure.

    And being a shrewd businessman, he knows slow steady investment is what makes for a solid fountain for long term growth.

  96. toonsy says:
    May 9, 2010 at 4:51 pm

    Totally and utterly wrong analogy.

    In any business that is bought and sold, debts are taken into account with the asking price and purchase price.

    If I bought Vauxhall tomorrow I would then acrue the debt that the business has – The price would have the debt factored in – That’s normal practice, toonsy.

    If the debt was in FFS name then it would be a different story, but it was in NUFC’s name.

  97. JJ says:
    May 9, 2010 at 4:57 pm

    But football isn’t like any other business – Slow, steady investment not only guarentees you absolutely nothing in terms of success but it’s more likely to cost you money.

    The more you stagnate or go backwards the more the sponsorship revenues go down as too the merchandise and matchday revenues.

    It doesn’t work like it does when he’s flogging cheap socks.

  98. Oh and Ashley always stated he bought NUFC to have some fun.

    Glad he’s had some fun!

  99. And Ashley didn’t check the books, Stuart. So the analogy still stands as the purchase price reflected that of the shares whilst the debt remained hidden.

    Bloody good job he didn’t check the books aswell otherwise Pompey wouldn’t have been the ground breaking scenario it was, it would have been us instead.

    How Shepherd is still loved is beyond me. He turned a £100 million surplus into a £70 million debt in 10 years. Wasting £170 million in 10 years is not sustainable.

    But it’s ok, money buys you success doesn’t it? I mean it worked for Shepherd ;)

  100. Anyway, what was the original point about before it turned into another argument about something that has happened yet? ;)

  101. The debt was bought with the club if MA didnt know about it its still his problem. Its funny how FFS gets the blame for the state we were in before, did he run the club and take all the decisions himself or was there others envolved, which leads me to think what is the difference between NUFC then a prem team with 140-150 mill debt, to now a team that has just been promoted after relegation with 135 mill bebts ?

  102. Why have a wealthy owner when were going to live within our means?

    What’s the point in him? We don’t need him.

    His mistake, not doing DD – Why should we pay the penalty?

    I actually sometimes wish we had gone into admin under FFS – We would have been bought by a man who really wants to own a football club and have real fun with the supporters ie Chelsea and City.

    Oh and they’d have got it at 10p in every pound too.

  104. Big Dave says:
    May 9, 2010 at 5:10 pm

    Exactly man!

    Why should we have to pay for him not doing DD? Not financially but mentally – It’s been a complete joke since he took over – No positive transfer policy and a roundabout of managers.

    All because he wanted to penny pinch to cover up his horrendous mistake!

  106. Stuart79 says:
    May 9, 2010 at 5:12 pm

    “Why have a wealthy owner when were going to live within our means?”

    Why feel that just because we have a wealthy owner there is a divine right to spend his cash, which is more likely to be tied up in assets anyway

    Jesus christ Stuart, your beginning to sound like a kid who wants an extra penny sweet and stomps his feet when he doesn’t get it.

    “I actually sometimes wish we had gone into admin under FFS”

    Fecking ludicrous!

  107. Dave – That has been put into the club to cover costs. That will be his cash that he puts in to keep the club afloat apparently, but we’ll find out for defintae next season.

  108. toonsy says:
    May 9, 2010 at 5:16 pm

    If he’s not going to spend serious money improving the playing staff he should fck off! That’s what defines a football club – On the pitch!

    It seems more and more likely that he only bought the club to promote his own business world wide – What better platform that the international PL?

    If you buy a football club this size I don’t think it’s out of the question to ask him to spend his money – Otherwise, why buy?

    Don’t bolloxs on about the debt – His mistake – Were paying for it!

  109. According to the Times we owe 110 mill which was to be payed on completion of a sale but is now payable on demand and a further 25 mill invested this season to keep the club going to be payed when the club is sold

  110. toonsy says:
    May 9, 2010 at 5:18 pm

    I do hope that the money he put in this season was his ‘gift’ that he promised every season, that way this season we can look forward to at least £20m to spend on new players.

    I hope now the club don’t technically need it to keep us afloat he still puts it in to improve the club – On the pitch!

  111. Stuart79 says:
    May 9, 2010 at 5:21 pm

    “Don’t bolloxs on about the debt – His mistake – Were paying for it!”

    Maybe, but can you pay it off? Can you buy the club? Can you reccommend an Arab? Was there a buyer the previous 2 times we were up for sale?

    The answer is no to all of them. So we have to get used to it, like it or not.

    What would happen if he spent £20 million on players?

  112. Big Dave says:
    May 9, 2010 at 5:23 pm

    Well if that’s true Dave, it makes a mockery of his £20m a season ‘gift’ doesn’t it?

  113. Stuart – I hope so about the £25 million aswell. Although in fairness it has been put in every season since he has been here.

    Hopefully now we haven’t got outgoings that match or exceed our income then maybe we can spend it.

    We just have to wait and see I guess.

  115. If he spent £20m on players every season, plus a little of what the club earns that would allow the club to grow organically.

    We could then invest in youth without being under pressure to do so.

  118. I suppose it wont be long before we do know his intentions or ambitions for our club, I just hope he doesn’t let us down again. Lately I just see us paying for his mistakes which IMO isn’t right. Folks say if he didn’t buy the club we would be finished by now, But I say if he backed KK when he should have we would have possible be in Europe now which would have been a better way of paying of the debt.

  119. Dave,

    It’s all bullsh1t about us going bust if he hadn’t bought us. No PL club has ever gone bust and I can’t think of any league clubs in the last 30 years who have gone bust either.

  120. Stuart79 says:
    May 9, 2010 at 5:31 pm

    “Can’t wait to go to Chelsea next year!”

    Aye, we will probably fare better than the 5-0 and 6-0 we got done by when we had our ‘mega-money superstars’

  122. It doesn’t matter if he’s a billionaire or not, it’s his money.

    If i became a billionaire, and I was ready to invest what the fans put into the club every year, and use the revenue to run the club…then that’s fine. That’s what he’s doing with regards to running it as a business.

    But why should he throw away money from his own pocket, knowing that he probably won’t see a return on it?

    Unless I was a Geordie, who lived and died for Newcastle United, would i start throwing away my children’s inheritance to the faithful united fans.

    If Mike Ashely can get us to a state where our income exceeds our expenditure, and there’s a steady profit made on the club…then I think that’s fantastic. Who are we to ask him to spend his own money on NUFC?

    Once we’re at that stage, then Stuart can be chairman on the NUFC trust, and the fans can run the club.

  123. JJ- Geordie fan

    Regardless what questionable arguments you produce, you cannot deny the fact that money is what makes a team.
    The silly argument that Real Madrid has spent a fortune with no success is nonsense, it has never been lower than second place and has won the cup, only the present European Champions Barca. who are also known to spend heavily have a better record.

    As to the list of EPL big spenders, I think your examples of Villa & Fulham are right up there in 5th.(Villa) & 8th.(Fulham) place among spenders, so that shoots that theory in the ass, with surprisingly Sunderland a 7th. place (you know that little club doon the road)

    Anyhow looking at success vs spending, there`s a definite correlation between the two, with almost all of the high spending clubs having successful teams, yes there`s the odd exception to the rule NUFC (mid level)as a negative and both Arsenal and Everton as positives.

    But as the top spender Chelsea just proved by winning the league,
    Money talks and bullshit walks seven day a week, believe it!

  124. Krul, Forster, Dummet, Nzuzi, McLaughlin, Ferguson, Vuckic, Newton & Airey, all have potential to be first team.

  125. Chelsea are just absolutely tearing clubs to pieces atm. 8-0 is just emmbarassing. I feel sorry for Dave Whelan. Oh no wait a min, no I don’t. ;)

  126. These wealthy people buy clubs, invest and WILL get a return!

    You obviously don’t know why these people buy clubs do you?

  128. I don’t think it’s as black and white as you’re making out.

    Manchester United are the most successful team in Premiership History, far more successful than Chelsea. Yet their net expenditure is less.

    You laugh at Sunderland, but we’ll do well to finish above them next season.

    Saying Fulham and Villa are up there with the biggest spenders, well Newcastle have spent bucket loads more than them.

    So spending money doesn’t always equal success.

    About Real Madrid being second and all the rest of it, well they were in the same position last year…so that money hasn’t improved them a huge deal.

    There are exceptions to the rule everywhere you look….Porto winning the champions league, Bayern Munich, Inter in the final…..they’ve all spend less than Europe’s elite.

    Newcastle need steady progression…and if we do finish 15th next season, it’ll meet my expectations. Not exceed them, and not disappoint…15th is around about what I expect. For a newly promoted team, it’s a good achievement.

    How much money do you think we need to spend to achieve that. THe more we’re consolidated in the prem, the closer we are to europe, the better players we’ll attract.

    Spending 40million now, would be a complete waste of money. We’d have a bunch of experienced, mediocre prem players.

  129. STUART

    Yeah you got that right, the cheap f**k is making a fortune marketing cheap sports gear manufactured by cheap foreign labor, everything about this guy is cheap.
    Well i want him to either put his hand in his pocket and get us some decent talent or f**k off.
    There are obviously plenty of those on this blog who are willing to settle for 15th. place, well screw that, i want to see a competitive side and be entertained.
    If thats not the clubs ambition, if it`s a moneymaking boring lower position side fighting relegation you are all welcome to that and Ashley, cause you deserve each other.
    But it seems there are more people contributing to this blog who espouse the party line, oh! we cant afford to spend that amount, how easy it is to con most people.

  131. Fair play Whitley Bay. 6-1 winners at Wembley this afternoon to win the FA Vase :)

  132. * LOOKING FOR 3RD KIT

    If anyone knows of an online shop where the Newcastle third strip (blue/black) stripe is available please let me know…

  133. Geordiefan 128#

    Yes in the past Man. U. have been the most successful side, they now have competition and have won f**k all this year.

    Who`s laughing at Sunderland, decent side !

    No! Villa has outspent us, but not Fulham, but at least Mr Fayed is not a cheap f**k and is willing to finance the club each year.

    Both Porto and Bayern Munchen are the wealthiest clubs in their leagues (money money)

    Newcastle need steady progression, why ?
    Seems you are easily pleased, willing to accept 15th. place, thinking that a good achievement

    Spending 40 million would be a complete waste of money, we would have a bunch of experienced, mediocre prem players.

    How did you reach that conclusion ?
    Go tell that to Abrahmovich !

  134. Chuck,

    Incase you havn’t noticed, its taken Chelsea 350Mil pounds investment to get above Man U (only just) – after four years of winning nothing much.
    And they were already a Champions League team.

    Man City spent 300Mil in the last few seasons and they still have no trophies, and no Champions League.

    It would take us about 500Mil to challenge the top teams and the is no way on earth that that kind of investment is going to happen. Even Ashley cannot afford even 1/5 that amount.

    No where have they stated nothing will be spent this season. So what exactly are you hoping for? A 100Mil splash out on the worlds best players to play for a newly promoted club??? Get real…

  135. “Newcastle need steady progression, why ?
    Seems you are easily pleased, willing to accept 15th. place, thinking that a good achievement”

    For a recently promoted team it is that only fills 80% of it’s ground it is. No wonder we get a bad rep as fans. Sure I want to see us at the top of table next year, and in the future. Realistically it just isn’t going to happen though as all we are at the minute is a newly promoted team with a big ground.

    15th is a perfectly reasonable expectation in my opinion, especially judging by what the everyone seems to already think we have to work with in transfer market.

  138. Djg
    I would trade Ashley for Dave Whelan any day, building a decent young side there,
    N`Zogbia,
    McCarthy,
    Rodalega,
    Figueroa,
    Moreno,
    Moses,
    Diame.
    and vets like Scharner an Bramble.
    See how we match up this coming season.

  139. To be fair, we never matched up to Wigan anyway. Even with our talented £100 million squad.

  140. Ye, chuck they were fantastic this afternoon…

    Carroll,
    Routeledge,
    Guthrie,
    Enrique,
    Steven Taylor,
    Kadar,
    Jonas,
    Coloccini,
    Vuckic,
    and vets like Nolan and Barton

    And thats as a Championship side.

  141. JJ

    You are going from the sublime to the ridiculous,no one mentioned sums of three to five hundred million and to mention us spending 100m. this window is just nonsense.
    And you tell me to get real!

    Woiky
    Medication you say, least I hav`nt yet called those
    who comment, inbred whatevers, remember that one ?

    But as you can see by my rants it`s not yet Amstel time, soon !

  142. Also, that talented young Wigan side will be one of the favourites for relegation next year. They have the worst goal difference in the league.

    They scored less than a goal a game and conceded more than two goals a game this season…

  143. think wigan have the worst defensive record in epl,done well that bramble lad :)

  144. toonsy says:
    May 9, 2010 at 7:15 pm

    “Worky – Don’t poke the big angry bear.”

    Nurse Ratched is looking for him, Toonsy. :-)

  145. “JJ

    You are going from the sublime to the ridiculous,no one mentioned sums of three to five hundred million and to mention us spending 100m. this window is just nonsense.
    And you tell me to get real!

    Woiky
    Medication you say, least I hav`nt yet called those
    who comment, inbred whatevers, remember that one ?

    But as you can see by my rants it`s not yet Amstel time, soon !”

    Haha, Chuck – you arn’t the sharpest tool in the shed are you?

    I was merely telling you the kind of investment it WOULD take to satisfy YOUR wants for the upcoming season.

    Toonsy and I are saying that we are happy to finish 15th next year… its a realistic goal.

    You are saying we have a rich owner so we should be aiming to challenge the big boys with big investment.

    I simply illustrated the kind of investment that would take to get the “Quick Fix” you are after.
    I know its unrealistic… which was my point to you…

    We can’t realistically spend big money like that. And so we must build the club slowly within our budget.

    Then you go on to say… Wigan are are decent young side with a good owner because he buys good players… and you’d take him over Ashley…

    Well, nothing you say makes sense Chuck…Wigan are a poor side. Even with Whelan buying these “decent youngster” they got their lowest ever points total this season…

    Please post comments and arguements that make sense…

  147. In my opinion, our current squad are better than the likes of Wigan, West Ham, Wolves, and should be better than the two upcoming Championship promotion teams.

    Ashley might have been an arse his first season, but nobody can be critical of this past season.

    He has kept a Premiership side together…

  148. In fact, with the purchase decent right back and striker this season…
    There would not be a single Wigan player I would have in our first eleven ahead of what we already have…
    I doubt you could name one either.

  149. JJ we found it hard to come to terms with wba in the ccc,but think we can handle a few epl teams like

  151. chuck says:
    May 9, 2010 at 7:01 pm

    “Geordiefan 128#

    Who`s laughing at Sunderland, decent side !”

    Er, I always laugh at Sunderland, Statler. We’ll knack ’em next season and the Stadium of Blight will continue to shame the Premier League with all those cheesy chip cartons and carrier bags blowing around the pitch during a game. Slovenly gets!

  154. No money for transfers! Hughton manager. Board not ever going to speak to the media.
    That’s about the jist of it.
    Mixed feelings for me! At least no FOR SALE signs.

  155. toonsy will be typing furiously regards that statement but I’m away out, so I’ll say my bit now. Quite ironic that we talk of us laughing at the mackems because they’ll enjoy that latest statement and have a chortle at our expense.

    Surely a more concise sentence would have been more apt at the end? –

    “Hear us now, there will ‘No Comment’. Starting from. From now. Starting from now…”

    Well it’s not beautiful but at least there’s no more pretense and speculation.

    It’s a long and winding road ahead for the black and whites is more less what has been said.

    And worky is sure to be irritated by the reference to our ‘Geordie Nation’. Even if it’s currently been infiltrated and run by suv’nors!

  156. JJ
    Agree we need a little bit of strengthening next season – but the official statement says no capital outlay on new players.
    So who are we going to sell to get new players? Steven Taylor? Tim Krul? Andy Carroll? I really don’t understand what the implications of that statement are? What are we using the Premier League, Ticketing and Merchandising moneys for?
    How can we make progress if we are not going to improve our squad?
    I’m just booking myself into a home for the chronically bewildered…..

  157. Dear Chuck #133

    Villa have outspent us??

    Villa
    Purchased: £253,240,000

    Newcastle
    Purchased: £305,695,000

    So NO, they haven’t outspent us. And yes, you’re right, we’ve made more money by selling players than them…but that’s obvious because we sold half our squad as we got RELEGATED.

    Yes, Porto may be rich in their league, but were they the richest club in Europe when they won the Champions League? ofcourse not.

    The same can be said with Inter and Bayern. The point I’m trying to make was, that the clubs that spend the most money aren’t always the most successful. So if clubs like Arsenal and others can limit their spending, yet produce a good side…then why can’t we?

    Why are you comparing us to clubs like Man City and Chelsea. They have money coming out of their arses, we don’t. Take hope from clubs like Arsenal, Everton, Fulham etc…to show us that we can be successful without spending a huge deal.

    Arsene Wenger might not have won much in the last few years, but he’s got Arsenal a state of the art 60000 seater stadium. That’s going to help them be a top club for years to come.

    If you look at our first team, it’s not bad.

    Harper
    RB Colo Taylor Enrique
    Routeledge Barton Nolan Gutierrez
    Carroll CF

    How much will a RB and a CF cost us?
    With the likes of Guthrie and Smith on the bench, we’ll be okay.

    The players we need, (other then RB and CF IMO), are going to be squad players.

    I would rather that they were hot young guns like Connor Whittingham, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Haris Vukic, Tamas Kadar etc.

    So, if in 2 years time players like Guthrie and Gutierrez get sold for 12million or so; atleast we’ll have young, talented players to replace them…who have been developing at the club for a couple of years.

    It’s like when Wenger sold Henry…he said that one of the main reasons was because he couldn’t afford to keep Adebayor out of the first team anymore.

    Hopefully in a few years, we can afford to sell some of our players, because our kids will be knocking on the door.

  158. roscoe – funny you should say that because in the back of my mind, I was reading between the lines thinking that’s exactly what they’re not saying and potentially what could very well happen.

    By the way, a statement today?

    It’s not Friday and I’m all muddled up thinking it’s Sunday?

  159. it just means we wont be gettin 6 or 7 new players in just 3 or 4 to change it abit, like hughton already said.

  160. No CAPITAL outlay doesn’t mean we can’t use baloon payments and TV revenue on new purchases, it just means Ash won’t be putting any extra cash in.

    I just think they could’ve shortened the no comment part by a few para’s!! At least they made their point!
    Bring on the EPL!!
    Toon toon black and white army!!

  161. Daan – ‘swapsies’, loanees or ‘yoofs’?

    There could be two alternatives to those I’ve mentioned –

    We sell players. But then that would contradict the ‘not a selling club’ mantra. Assuming we do, we either weaken the squad by selling our better players – (Enrique, Colo, Carroll (did I just say that?) et al). Or we get pennies for the poorer players. Either way we will fail to improve the squad.

    Or we sign out of contract players. Given that most of them are ageing, that would dispel the myth that we want players of a certain age. I find it highly unlikely that we’ll attract the younger ones looking to better themselves.

    I’m not worried yet but it’s fair to say, it’s a concerning statement.

  163. roscoe – they’ve estimated that we’re going run at a £35m loss. Unless they’ve miraculously put a pot of money away from estimated revenue then I’d say we’ll be selling-to-buy or we won’t buy at all.

  164. Toonsys wee finger will be red hot typing
    So I take it the last 5 yr plan has been scrapped 2 yrs in to be replaced by a new 5 yr plan that takes out the bit that MA will invest every yr. The No Comment part reminded me of the Fact statment

  165. The statement on new players could be read in two ways.

    It doesn’t say “no outlay of capital”, it says “no new outlay of capital”. Still not sure what that means though…
    Also, if there was an estimated operating loss of 32Mil last season. Then without changes to the squad and with the income of television revenue, new sponsorship and higher gate receipts this year. We should be breaking even already by next year! Not in five years time! So thats a bit ridiculous really. And a blatant lie on the clubs part… because surely our incoming capital in the premiership would be at least 30Mil more than this season anyway???

  166. JJ
    Never claimed to be the sharpest tool in the shed, but thanks for mentioning it.
    I can only say i would be satisfied with say three decent signings, a Sissoko or O`Hara type engine room midfielder, plus a Steve Ireland or equivilent type playmaker plus perhaps a decent striker, not a lot to ask.
    I`m more interested in quality as opposed to quantity, and for a EPL side thats not really a over the top.
    Would also like to see beye back, good player, would come cheap.
    So enough with the cheap insults, valid arguments i can accept, ok !

  167. Icedog
    You are right but contrary to our team colours, nothing at the toon is EVER black and white!!! :)
    Just hope for the best! (Not another leon tho) :)

  169. What would have been better was if they ended by saying –

    “The board is no longer here to have fun anymore”.

    Just so we know for sure.

    Reckon we can borrow ‘Boing, boing’ from the Baggies?

  170. Well, don’t really know what to think of the statement. At the end of the day, the comments made regarding the buying of players, is worrying. It seems to me that they’re saying “we sell to buy, or we dont buy at all”. Given the fact that the only players we’d get decent money for/other clubs have taken an interest in are our best, it would be a case of one step forward, two steps back, for me. (I’m aware i’m pretty much stating the obvious there but you get what I mean,lol).

    I’m also nervous for the likes of Vuckic. If bigger clubs are interested his head could be turned and we’ll obviously make a profit on him. In saying that it wouldn’t be anything to write home about and someone will get a player with huge potential that in 3/4 years time (maybe less), would turn out to be a huge bargain. If we’re selling to buy/not buying at all, its vital we keep hold of lads like him, Krul, Kadar, Carroll etc.

  171. We can’t really afford to sell anyone. Smith maybe to get rid of his wages because he hardly plays anyway but no body would take him on those wages…
    Plus, I’m all for promoting from within, but we still need to address the glaring weakness at right back and upfront… There isn’t anyone from within ready to fill in there so we have to purchase or at the very least loan at Hutton or Macheda from the bigger clubs…
    Either way, we’d have to pay some sort of fee.

  173. CH said ime sure the board will back me,i your right chris,up against the wall

  174. Where can we view people comments on the Your Shout section of the official Newcastle Website?

  175. Woiky
    Going to be on Tyneside this summer, plus London, if Sunderland are at home and Utd. away i will go to the new Roker, just as i intend to go to the Emirates or whatever London sides are at home, preferably Craven Cottage.
    Although a NUFC fan for more years than most who comment here, i have no malice to-wards other clubs or their fans, i consider it all a bit childish.
    Looking forward to the derby games too bad Boro. did`nt make it back.
    How bout Burnley, loved it!

  177. How to not sell season tickets and merchandise!

    How exactly is it going to take us five years to break even? If were in the pl we could have a turnover of 100m and a wage bill of 50m. What’s the rest goin on? My bet is were starting to pay Ashley off – and quickly!

    So if were running at a loss and will do for the next 5 years, where’s the money for new players come from?

    So they have learnt nothing? They are now going to retreat into their bunker and say nothing ever again?

    Sorry but this club had been embarrassed once too often by this mob.

    Do we really have a PL future without adding any quality?

    Those saying that this no plans for capital expenditure doesn’t mean we won’t be buying anyone read another paragraph were they talk about our outstanding young players – Blatantly suggesting were going with them instead of buying in ANY players.

    RIP NUFC

  178. Chuck – When you coming over? Dates I mean? Get yourself to Norwich. We should organise an NUFCBLOG session. It may take our minds off the ineptness of our club :(

    Anyone else up for that? Drink away the troubles? I’ve already started on the Corona. Wake me up in May, next May I mean :(

  179. Icedog – Batty is outside Poundland waitin for it to open so he can have fresh pick of some new bedsheets :lol:

  180. Can’t believe that statement, my intake of it was that we won’t be seeing any special signings, we’ll be looking for freebies and loan deals, maybe the odd cheap player here and there, but as someone mentioned, that doesn’t have to be bad news, it gives us a chance to blood our youngsters, which is fine, they need a chance and I believe in them. Our team for next season should look a little like this I think:

    Harps

    Simpson Tayls Colo Enrique

    Barton Guthrie

    Routledge Nolan Jonas

    Carroll

  181. You are right Stuart. The rest of the money can only be to pay off Ashley over the next five years! Which would amount to 110 Mill over 5 which is 22 Mil a year.
    Once that loan is payed off he will look to sell or even before because the loan would get less and less.

    The mistake he is making AGAIN!!!! Is that without bringing in 3 or four players there is a real chance we will not stay in the league. And if we get relegated again. He will just put us into administration and sell of the assets.

    Really really a pathetic statement! And we won’t get any unanswered questioned answered because they’ve made it clear they have NO COMMENT!

    It really is pathetic… the board to script a “How to NOT…” guide.

  182. AY along with a lot of others,big dave will give them a few quid,got to laugh or you would cry your bloody eyes out,seen some bad times over the years at toon,getting real worried now like

  183. And JJ

    Still love Ashley and his policies, following the recent statement on spending ?

  184. Chuck, I never ever said I love him… In fact I’ve said repeatedly I don’t…
    But he did alright last season. And all I said was we can only hope, he’s learned from his mistakes…

    Quite clearly he hasn’t. Its really sad.

    But what I won’t be supporting any protests at the stadium in things like that. It would only make the situation worse.

    All we can do as helpless supporters is support the team and hope they play above themselves. If we struggle it won’t be their fault.

  185. two to three player would make me happy. A versatile defender. A winger and a support striker. Who ever quoted the outspend of man utd want shot. The reason its low… Er ronaldo. The best manager for junior talent wenger… Close one to call fergie… His boys of the 90’s. his ronaldo of the naughties. Not bad. Yes he spent lots as well but the squad is worth how much. He even made some mistakes. Kleberson. djemba djemba. Letting tevez go. After losing 120 million worth of talent still manages second. Ps not a man u fan just sick of people quoting arsenal.