Stoke maintain Carroll interest.

Posted on June 14th, 2010 | 179 Comments |

Carroll: Linked with a move away, again.
Carroll: Linked with a move away, again.
Steven Taylor isn’t the only Newcastle player that appears to be constantly linked with a move away from Newcastle.

Now Andy Carroll looks like he is being placed firmly in that bracket by the press as yet more rumours of a move away from Newcastle surface.

Which is understandable as a player with the potential that Andy Carroll displayed last season will sort of always be in demand. We have heard of links of a move to Blackburn, Bolton, Chelsea and Stoke, all of which have been soundly blown out of the water by the player himself who has come out to the press and admitted previously that he has everything he could dream of whilst playing for his boyhood team, whilst also not forgetting our manger who has said he has no intention of letting Carroll leave.

Which is why you have to question any new or refreshed links of a move away that surface regarding Carroll, and in particular this latest link with Stoke, again. Apparently they will be either looking to offload James Beattie somewhere else and use the funds that they receive from that deal to pay towards an offer for Carroll, or they will look to give us Beattie plus cash in some form of cobbled together deal to take our future number nine to the ‘lovely’ place of Stoke-on-Trent.

But still, lets take a look at it anyway. Carroll would probably demand a fee in excess of £7 milllion if he was to move away, which is fair enough being young, talented, with potential, and being English. But does anyone feel that it is an awful lot of money for someone who is yet to be proven in the Premier League? I mean, put it this way, would you be happy if we paid £7 million for Michael Chopra? I know I wouldn’t be as Chopra has proved he can only really score goals at Championship level throughout his career. Don’t get me wrong, I believe Carroll can step up, but it also a lot of money to be placing behind just a belief that the player could do it. Still, if Stoke want to pay it then….

Then there is the second option, of brining a 32-year old James Beattie to Newcastle aswell as some cash to go with it. One word, why? Why would we sell a striker and replace him with a similar one that is much much older and would cost a lot more in wages I assume? It just wouldn’t make any sense, but then again this is Newcastle so you never know I guess.

I’m not averse to James Beattie, and it was his goals that ensured Stoke City survived so comfortably in the Premier League in that season that is best left forgotten. If we got him as an extra striker, then I wouldn’t mind at all really, but to get him as a replacement for a player who is already being monitored by the England setup would be foolish in my opinion.

Anyway, it’s more than likely just another rumour that is being dreamed up by some quarters of the press. The cold hard facts, regardless of what anyone says are that Carroll says he isn’t going anywhere, and Chris Hughton says he isn’t going anywhere. They are two things that have been said, I mean actually been said, so I would imagine that we will still see Carroll in a Newcastle shirt come the start of the new season.

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

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179 Responses

  1. Could it be that an enquiry has been made for Beattie and they have responded by demanding a swap deal?
    Other than that, why would a young player of such promise want to go to a shit hole like Stoke to live and ply his trade?

  2. We’d be mad to sell Carroll especially as we wouldn’t replace him with a better player.As for Beattie I’ve never rated him,Shola’s probably got as good if not better strike rate in the Prem than Beattie…..but it’s too early in the day for me to work it out ;-)

  3. Stoke fan here. I personally think that Andy Carroll is a good striker and has the potential to be top class. I am glad to see my club attempting to bring players of Carroll’s type in.

    However, I would be both surprised and disappointed if Carroll turned his back on his boyhood club. While the arrogance of Newcastle fans does irritate me, I have to agree with the sentiments that what would he get at Stoke that he can’t get at Newcastle? Newcastle, if they consolidate this season, will fall into that bracket of mid-table / top 10 clubs that my club are aspiring to. That means there’ll be little difference in salary, ambition etc. The only difference in my opinion is that he’ll be playing for his boyhood club, and it would be refreshing to see a professional footballer showing some loyality for a change.

    Saying that, Andy if you’re reading this. If Newcastle don’t want you, we’ll make you very welcome at the Brit.

  4. I know he’s mad but he have to be bloody stupid to go to a shithole like Stoke. That sort of arrogance lawto? :)

  5. Lawto…I’m sure you meant to say the arrogance of ‘some’ Newcastle fans ;-) we all have them but don’t believe everything you read in the press about us.We need to keep Carroll as in my opinion he’s our best chance of getting the goals to help us survive next season. HWTL

  7. hate stoke.they aren’t even a good side.their entire game revolves around their brutish ogre-like players who just push shove kick and kill opponents to win.

  8. Lawto <<< you are a knob arnt u ducky stoke is a shit hole we have the metro u have the hanley shopping centre we have wet and wild u have water world we have a 52 thou top notch ground u have a 28 thou shit hole built on a sewerage works we have loads of beautiful beaches u have hanley forest park need i go on wolves leeds derby are all bigger clubs than u

  9. I see the blog police have banned another of the blogs more realistic contributors.

    This place will be an Ashley love in blog by August.

  10. oh and u also have the biggest heart attack rate depression rate in the uk , ware abouts in stoke are u from duck because i lived there for a while and conner stand the place and its w@nk fans

  11. I don’t mind Stoke, and I think what we have to do is consolidate first then kick on, just like they have done.

    As for playing shyte football, who cares? It’s a results business isn’t it? Sure it’s probably ethically how the game shouldn’t be played, as we would love to see perfect football I ma sure, but what Stoke do is effective and there is no real denying that.

    Their fans back the team, to the hilt in fact. Although when I was there last season I did get into a bit of verbal when a girl (about 16-18 years old I reckon), she said we were going down, to which I replied with by screaming “I’ll go down on you” and flapped my tongue in her face. I think she liked it ;)

  12. Stuart79 says:
    June 14, 2010 at 9:15 am
    I see the blog police have banned another of the blogs more realistic contributors.

    This place will be an Ashley love in blog by August.
    <<<<< lol

  13. Stu – Fully deserved in my opinion aswell, but if the ‘blog is to become an Ashley love in, then why was Stardust (an actual Ashley lover) banned?

  15. toonsy says:
    June 14, 2010 at 9:17 am
    I don’t mind Stoke, and I think what we have to do is consolidate first then kick on, just like they have done.

    As for playing shyte football, who cares? It’s a results business isn’t it? Sure it’s probably ethically how the game shouldn’t be played, as we would love to see perfect football I ma sure, but what Stoke do is effective and there is no real denying that.

    Their fans back the team, to the hilt in fact. Although when I was there last season I did get into a bit of verbal when a girl (about 16-18 years old I reckon), said we were going, to which I replied with by screaming “I’ll go down on you” and flapped my tongue in her face. I think she liked it
    <<<< toonsy they were good for the 1st season now they have gone very quiet and 50% of them are calling for pulises head

  16. Batty – Wouldn’t know mate, can only really comment on my encounters with them to be fair.

  17. stoke is that much of a dump craig higgnet wanted too go back too smoggy land because he missed the place :lol:

  18. tonnsy that vid what i put on here was doon stoke i know quite alot of people doon there

  21. toonsy says:
    June 14, 2010 at 9:17 am

    to which I replied with by screaming “I’ll go down on you” and flapped my tongue in her face. I think she liked it

    Oh you little charmer ;)

  23. What did Hitman do wrong like?

    It’s living in North Korea on this blog sometimes.

  25. just been catching up reading last few threads,see TOONYS stirring up trouble ;) big dave and me have failed to keep him in order,pleased BATTYS back on line to keep him in line,battys forcast on w.c. spot on up to now hwtl

  27. Stu – Deliberately abusive, threats to take this place down, some form of agenda for whatever reason.

    Deserved, fully.

    If he doesn’t like what he reads he doesn’t have to comment does he? Or even use the site? If he felt that strongly about it then he could have just chose not to come on here, nobody forced him to come on here, he clicked the mouse buttons to do it.

    That is the last I will say on it. Anymore and you can ask Worky.

  29. Threats to take this place down?

    Who does he think he is, Stone Cold Steven Ausin?

  32. BATTY I m8,on this taylor crack, ive said since season end colo or him will go,(wages),even though the fat t*at is makeing a bomb on gear from w.c. he will spend nowt on us (toon)

  34. Batty – Too many people have told me to toughen up on here, then they moan when they get something back :)

  35. toonsy says:
    June 14, 2010 at 9:37 am
    Stu – Serious question, have you read all of it? Or just the last bit?

    To be perfectly honest, toonsy, I haven’t read any of it.

  36. Stuart79 says:
    June 14, 2010 at 9:36 am
    Threats to take this place down?

    Who does he think he is, Stone Cold Steven Ausin
    <<<< even though we all know that he couldnt even take his missus knickers doon

  37. Stu – So in fairness, you can’t really comment about it? It’s a shame like as Hitman was always alright in my opinion, but something changed.

    He flipped the lid, got warned, ignored it, then got banned.

  40. hitman says:
    June 13, 2010 at 9:12 pm
    craig this blog is fked mate lets get back to eds
    <<<< this made me laugh

  41. craig chisholm says:
    June 13, 2010 at 9:15 pm
    na eds is worse. dont worry, sometihng will crop up soon about nufc nad we can get back to the real thing hitman. i dont really care much for the world cup or our national team as such, they infuriate me too much. sounds bad i know, just cant help it
    <<< craigs reply

  43. toonsy says:
    June 14, 2010 at 9:41 am
    Stu – So in fairness, you can’t really comment about it? It’s a shame like as Hitman was always alright in my opinion, but something changed.

    Why can’t I comment? Just because I don’t know anything about it.

    It doesn’t stop some on here talking about football.

  44. hitman says:
    June 13, 2010 at 9:18 pm
    pussy,ive had enough of these ashley bum lickers,we have says from day one this man would bring us down
    <<< hitmans reply lol pussy

  45. toonsy says:
    June 14, 2010 at 9:44 am
    Batty – I heard you want to go back to ed’s, is this true
    <<< toonsy u live in midlands is that true wouldnt be hard too find u :lol:

  46. Batty – Aye I do, shytehole :(

    Stu – That actually made ma laugh about the football comment :lol:

  48. wonder why we hear very little from roy cropper and komfort these days has toonsy banned them or what ;)

  50. BATTY,see if you can get a hair-piece for toonsy hes loseing a canny bit ive heard

  51. Icedog – Funny ou mention that, just had the lot sheared off. I look like Richietoon but slimmer now :D

  52. toonsy says:
    June 14, 2010 at 9:59 am
    Icedog – Funny ou mention that, just had the lot sheared off. I look like Richietoon but slimmer now

    That must have been the shortest hair cut in history!

    I heard you got your hair cut individually nowadays.

  54. sheared off or did ya kust stick ya heed oot the window?……..not much slimmer tho Toonsy ;-)

  63. I thought so. I’m impressed by drawing to be fair. Perhaps I should have becoma CAD engineer when I got the chance :lol:

  68. well you will just have to come up with some news toonsy now you have a clear head like :)

  69. CLiNT – No thanks mate, I’m all scrapped out. It has been an ‘eventful’ weekend :D

  70. Aye mate,
    it got quite ugly back there for a bit.
    Perfect example of the narrow minded, jingoist, misplaced patriotism that has put the likes of me off supporting england.
    Eeeesh!

    Anyhoo,
    hope it hasn’t put off our american, or any other nationality, fans like.

    All welcome in my view.

  71. Stoke are a tuff team and do what they do well and get stuck in…I can see Carroll looking at them and seeing far more vision and ambition than he will ever see at our place.

    They may not have the same gloss and glamour as we have had in the past but they are going places we can only dream of under MA and Owl Heed.

    They will also pay him double what we would offer him so they may as well bid on Taylor as well.

    Fookin Dreading next season.

  72. CLINT morning m8 hope your well,ime ganning off now,thinking of getting a haircut ;)

  73. Ah… your all a bunch of Ashley bum lickers…

    I told you this would happen, I told you! #%# #%^$^ #$#$^ #%#% #%# E%ers!

    I’m off to Ed’s for pint! ha ha ha ha ha ha… ;)

  74. Alreet ice,
    i’m sweet mate, you?
    I’m off to the grind meself, see y’in a bit mate.
    ;)

  75. sirjase… although i wish ashley would just go and die or something i can not say that stoke are a better option than us. even though we have only just came up i still think we can compete with them…. our squad is still better than theirs on face value and perhaps CH is right about this tight bond in the team…. after seeing england play like a bunch of cnuts against yanks worth about three quid for the entire team i would say that attitiude is as important as anything else. Not saying we are good, just saying they are shit too.

  76. Stoke are the new Wimbledon, Bolton (of old).

    They do what they have to do to survive with their limited resources.

    No one can blame them for that.

    Though I do agree with Batty, their fans arn’t anything like what they were in their first top flight season.

    I think if their team were to try play attractive football, they get outclassed and beat.

    In fact I don’t see Newcastle playing the most attractive football in the world next year. We just don’t have the players to do that. So hopefully we can kick our way to a few wins next year too.

  77. we are gonna play scrappy footy next season.. it was painful most games in the ccc so lets not kid ourtselves in the prem. with no money to spend and the chances of actually being weaker if taylor etc leave… its gonna be a fight!!!

  78. i’ll be an ashley bum licker,if he pays me a weekly wage,and a lifetime supply of antiseptic for me tongue.
    oh no i just used the word antiseptic,will our american friends be offended lol.

  79. How many points will it take? To survive I mean. I know everyone says 40 pointsm but it hasn’t actually taken that for years now, 31 would have done last season, 35 the season before…

  80. I dont get why anyone would go back to Eds blog its on its arse i only started coming on here a week or two back because of headlines like “could Newcastle sign Anelka and Robbie Keane on loan” Totally Ridiculous and pointless.

    I dont think this site is pro Ashley at all, A few people saying that are just aggrieved that not everyone is a sheep and doesnt have to go along with their negative views.

  82. we should always try to look at both sides of the debate,in defence of anti ashley side,you can see why there are genuine concerns when you look at his track record thus far.
    on the so called pro ashley side,you can see why some fans may want to see the club more stable etc.
    it is also still relatively early in the window,so things can still happen.
    lets wait until september the 1st before we sharpen the owld pitch forks.

  83. toonsy have u got any more storys aboot our yanky freinds :lol: could do with liveing the place up abit :lol:

  84. i reckon it could be another lottery with things being tight at the bottom with 8 or nine teams involved until the bitter end could even be as low as 37 points to stop up.

  85. TROJAN 69 says:
    June 14, 2010 at 11:14 am
    we should always try to look at both sides of the debate,in defence of anti ashley side,you can see why there are genuine concerns when you look at his track record thus far.
    on the so called pro ashley side,you can see why some fans may want to see the club more stable etc.
    it is also still relatively early in the window,so things can still happen.
    lets wait until september the 1st before we sharpen the owld pitch forks.<<<< toonsy some 1 else is posting under trojans name :lol:

  86. I just can’t see Carroll being sold, and I think Taylor will come to terms over a new contract as well.

    Having weathered the storm of the transfer fund announcements, etc., I don’t think the management will risk setting off another shitstorm with the fans.

    I hope not, anyway.

  87. CC

    Like I said, most posters here DON’T like Ashley, but see no point in bring up that fact with every single point. Because no matter how much me may dislike him. He is going nowhere. And nobody wants to buy us and we have to rely on him financially whether we like his ideas of ownership or not…

    What do they expect everyone to do? Get their bedsheets out and march down the streets? Who’d want to buy a club like that? Greatest fans in the world my @rse!

    Its best we keep quiet. Support the team. And hope someone out there says, man, I could turn that club into something and eventually puts in an offer.

    All major protesting would do is give us more negative press! More media on our backs! And disturbances for the players!

    How these people can’t see that I don’t know…

  88. Batty – Nah, Trojan is a good lad, and he is only saying the sensible thing, and what I myself actually say. Lets wait and see before getting the crticism out, basically.

  92. Batty – Same feeling mate. The most important thing is not letting anyone go though, in my opinion anyway.

  93. JJ

    Im frustrated with the fat twat too but i dont go along with this theory that we havent go a prayer next season, We may not spend nowt on the team but we have already got a £10m centre back, £7m left back, 2 £6m midfielders, A winger playing for one of the world cup faves, Some of the most sought after young uns around, If we add a few more shrewd signings like Routledge and Williamson then i think we’ll be more than OK.

    Until the deadline passes im holding my judgement on signings.

  95. I dont think its key we dont sell anybody but if we do sell we must replace them with better quality , i think we have the base of a good team here but we need to invest and let it grow n develop. It will take time

  100. Hi everybody. I know i don’t comment that regulary but do you guys not think the ‘spine’ of our team in a few years of Forster, S.Taylor, Vuckic and Carroll will be a force to be reckoned with? and then if we fill up the gaps with Enrique and Jonas then we have a basis of a very good 11?

    Also i laugh when i read through the comments and Toonsy is just trying to keep everyone happy all the time and looking at everyones view from both side. aha keep it up! :)

  101. Daan4tooN says:
    June 14, 2010 at 12:01 pm

    The question is will they still be around in a few years time?

    I imagine they have ambition – Is it matched by the club?

  103. Daan4tooN

    Toonsy is an evil b@stard with an agenda against everyone!

    I mean, if you can’t take Chuck and Hitman’s word for it then who can you trust?

    Toonsy, just stop hiding in the shadows and reveal yourself for who you really are!

    You have been found out. The Hitler of the blog ;)

  104. Guess it depends what their ambitions are, stu.

    If it’s to play football for their local team then they’ll stay.

    If all they care about is money then no doubt they’ll move on.

  105. Stuart – Thats true but i think if we can tie S.Taylor down this season for say 5 years and we stay up this season then i can see all the other young players Forster, Vuckic, Carroll following suit and staying and signing new deals.

  106. I think at the moment the clubs ambition stretches as far as staying in the Prem as cheaply as possible Stu and thats gonna be the problem when trying to get players to sign new contracts or bring new players in.

  107. DaanToon

    The concern I have is not with our first eleven. I think they will survive comfortable. My concern comes when we have three or four out injured.
    We need to get some depth. And how do you do that without spending? Hopefully the cheap buys are good buys.

  108. was referring to the 3 out of 4 Geordies of the young lads that were mentioned.

    Haris has already had his heed turned by old red nose – can’t see him being around for too much longer. Hope I’m wrong tho. :)

  109. Toonsy – Yeah i see that and i think your doing a sterling job. Although it does annoy me how there is nothing to report on Newcaslte at the minute :(

  110. i honestly do feel for next for our starting eleven we need a rb and a striker to partner Carroll, apart from that i say a lb and midfielder who can play in a few positions will do for us. Saying that though i am a very positive person when it comes to Newcastle :D

  112. toonsy – I know its none of my business and feel free to tell me to keep me beak out, but has hitman been banned for good?

    shame if he has like.

  113. Toonsy – Indeed it is and i can’t see much changing until after the world cup aswell :/

  114. Toon Chicken says:
    June 14, 2010 at 12:14 pm

    Or it might be to actually win something…

    They may feel they’ll have a better chance with other clubs. As of were we are today and the plans ect, who could argue with that logic.

  115. Toonsy

    How about a thread on OGUCHI Onyewu. He always looked decent to me at the back. Looks a threat from corners and I certainly wouldnt mind someone like him as a squad player now.

  117. See Ed is saying that there is a report that apparently Atletico are after Gutierrez. More than likely gash I would have thought, an interesting thought however:
    Gutierrez out for 7mil
    Ledley in for nowt

    discuss

  118. JJ – He wont come mate, AC Milan wont sell him. Remember they have a player who has agreed to play next season for free, why would they get rid of someone like that when he isn’t costing anything?

  119. Toon Chicken says:
    June 14, 2010 at 12:16 pm

    Isn’t that going to be a real problem for us though? Everytime we have a decent young kid a Man Utd or Chelsea will just come along and turn his head.

    Do you think if we looked to have a brighter future it would encourage them to stay?

  120. ILM – The Jonas thing has been around for a few weeks now, and isn’t Ledley going to Stoke?

  121. In a word, no.

    We can’t compete with Chelsea or Man U or Real Madrid. They have so much more to offer money.

    That’s not Ashley’s fault. That’s the way it is right now, and it doesn’t really upset me.

    If we can produce a Ronaldo and sell him for €80m, great!

  124. toonsy
    who knows mate, all reports aren’t they until things get confirmed, big fan of Ledley though, think he could do a good job in the Prem as well as the fact I think he would make an adequate replacement, if it were to happen of course, purely slinging sh*t at the mo. Why would anyone go to Stoke as well? bah!

    And away from anti Ashley agendas, we, as a club, need to start making money, this, I feel, is indisputable, so if the opportunity arose to sell Jonas im sure it would be entertained.

  125. Tchicken…. dont think anyone is hoping for us to compete with the big teams anymore. I will bet now we dont even compete with the second lowest spending team in the prem this window… you wanna take that bet dude??

  126. Stuart79

    Man utd dont have a bright future they are a billion in debt, Had to sell the best player in the world to save the club recording a massive loss, Have a manager and spine of the the team coming to the end of the road and a bunch of totally inferior young players coming through and dont believe all this crap about how much Fergies hands arent tied by the debt because Owen, Obertan and Diouf hardly look replacements for Ronaldo and Tevez if he had £80m to spend it would have been spent.

    They should enjoy the next few years because they are on the way down…

  127. Toon Chicken says:
    June 14, 2010 at 12:32 pm

    Do you really think we could sell anyone for £80m? They won’t have played in the CL or have compteted against the best clubs in the wordl, so there won’t be paying a premium.

    But if we showed more ambition we could persuade them that first team football here is better than reserve team football there.

    But at the moment I reckon a fair few would rather play in Chelsea’s reserves than be in a relegation scrap with us.

    I don’t think that should be the case. A club who have as many supporters as we have and as much potential should be able to hold our own. As things stand Vuckic could probably have his head turned by Everton, Villa, Fulham, Birmingham or Sunderland. Now that isn’t where we want to be.

  128. 124……its counter prodcutive selling best players for lesser ones. the club will make money this year. i think alot of money, others like toonsy and chicken think not alot, thing is though… they will defo make something.

  130. I think Jonas finally started to realise some of his potential towards the end of last season.

    Be gutted if he left now. :(

  131. TChicken

    In order to produce a Ronaldo, you need a world class coaching staff and manager. Fitness staff etc.

    You think Ronaldo would be the player he is today if he hadn’t been under Fergie’s wing at Old Trafford.

    He’d just be another talented, temperamental winger like Quaresma.
    Watch how Nani develops now that he is Fergies first priority.

    Do we have the ability to nuture talent like that???

  133. JJ – I don’t know.

    It does appear that we are least trying to though. Something we have never done in all my years as a Toon fan.

  134. They are at much more than that they were £700m last year and the debts have risen again.

  135. in order to advance we need investment.. not this has he/has he not paid debt off balony.. thats none of our business and not what we are fans for. We are football fans. Ashley has not invested in the team, has slashed all the back room staff, 300 other staff, coaching staff, scouting staff etc in his short time. If we are to progress at all on the field we need some investment. I dont cry for much but a 15 million kitty would go a hell of a long way with CH i think. That is not alot of money. You will get out of everything what you put into it, that is a fact… no FOOTBALLING investment means a poor return and at very best a dog fight all season with us scraping in in the last game or two with safety. We go down with this fella owning us…. its all over… for years and years.

  137. “We go down with this fella owning us…. its all over… for years and years.”

    That’s what everyone said the last time we were in the Prem tho, craig.

  138. Craig – Man utd are in about £750 million of debt, but if you take the rest into account it is now over £1 billion 8O

    I’m writing something now but will find the article in a bit.

  139. 31 points & a semi decent GD was enough to stay up this season, can’t see it being that different next. Although the ‘pundits’ will still harp on about 40 points. They never move with the times, have a sheep mentality & say what ever the first to comment says.
    We had Gooch, he wanted to stay, even though most people slagged him off, typical.

  147. If we only get 31 points next season we’ll go down.

    West Ham won’t be that bad again, for Portsmouth see Blackpool, WBA will fair better than Burnley, Bolton won’t be as bad now they have Coyle from the start, Wolves can justify improvement with the money their spending and Wigan may well improve in their second season under this manager.

    Alternatively WH, Wolves, Wigan and Bolton my sell their best players and not re-invest that money – Thus regressing.

  148. lesh says:
    June 14, 2010 at 12:56 pm

    I never doubted we’ll get players in.

    Just the quality and numbers I’m concerned about.

  149. CC says:
    June 14, 2010 at 11:37 am
    Batty where abouts in Stoke did you live?
    <<<<< meir

  150. I see no issues with man utds financial set up… its very secure and getting stronger. As written by BBC senior financial dude below:

    With the interest rate due to jump to 16.25% in August, you would think the Glazer family, Manchester United’s unpopular American owners, would be anxious to start paying off their notorious payment in kind (PIK)loans as soon as possible.

    But it is understood there are no immediate plans to start using United’s bulging cash reserves to pay off the £225m chunk of debt – even though their £500m bond refinancing earlier this year has given them the freedom to do so.

    Team building is more important than debt repayment, says a source close to the Glazers.

    Now, if this were you or I and we had a mortgage on our house which was costing us more than 16% in interest a year, I reckon we wouldn’t waste too much time in paying it off.
    The Glazers originally borrowed the money from three hedge funds – Och Ziff, Citadel and Perry Capital – at the time of their £800m takeover in 2005. It was one of three tranches of money, worth about £275m, to complete the buyout.

    Unlike other forms of borrowing, these loans came with extremely expensive strings attached. Rather than pay off the loan and the interest each year, the interest simply rolls up and is added to the final bill.

    Even allowing for the £175m which was paid off at the time of the Glazers’ first refinancing in 2006, it is estimated that by the time the loans mature they will be worth £600m.

    One of the reasons why the Glazers took out a £500m bond to refinance what they call their “senior debt” (a term which basically tells you it has priority over the PIKs) earlier this year was to free them from the restrictions which prevented them from taking cash out of the club to pay off the PIKs.

    The bond has now liberated them and, with the club predicting cash reserves of £150m by June, the money is there to start paying them off.

    And yet, they don’t expect to start removing cash from United’s hugely successful commercial operation in the near future – certainly not before the end of the current financial year which closes on 30 June.

    Why? Implausible as it may seem the Glazers are apparently comfortable with the loan. They view it as a tax deductible, benign security.
    The Glazers believe their 2007 commercial shake-up is starting to pay off with that part of the business forecast to overtake matchday and media revenue in the next few years.

    In 2008/09 matchday revenue – ticketing, hospitality, programmes etc – was the biggest earner for United with £109m, or 39% of their income; second was media with £99.7m, or 36%; with commercial third with £69.9m, or 25%.

    United’s decision to divide up their sponsorship rights globally has turned out to be a masterstroke. For example, they have sold mobile marketing rights to six territories – South Africa, Indonesia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, India and Malyasia.

    Each company pay United for the right to use the club’s badge and players to promote their products and services and give them a share of sales.

    But then United can use the new mobile users to raise even more money by charging customers for a subscription to the club’s mobile content services including clips, news alerts and ringtones.

    Make no mistake – with United’s global reach this is a licence to print money and must be extremely alarming for the rest of the Premier League teams.

    United’s ability to make money – witness the new four year £88m shirt sponsorship deal with Aon which starts next season – remains unrivalled. Last year (08/09) they brought in £288m in revenue.

  153. lets hope we keep what we have (minus best)and add two of the young guns from within and get in a proven striker and wide man… i would take that!

  155. richie,
    there have been no good matches yet, never is in the first round of games.
    Although the aussies tricked everyone into thinking germany are good last night. Easy win against 10 men & a terrible ref.
    Typical fair.

  156. nope, i see no problem at all, its all managed and it seems that the glaziers are in it for the long haul and will not stop until they have reached global football domination. It takes balls i know but their asian expansion is very very fast and they are growing every year in fan base.

  159. aye your right ther Clint Flick………Toonsy’s bets still on at least….for now!!

  161. CC says:
    June 14, 2010 at 1:24 pm
    batty

    Ouch, I dont need to ask why you left…
    <<< lol why do ya know stoke how come

  165. Commentator just said “Sort of thing that stays with you throughout your career..”

    Bound to if you then laugh your c*ck off about it :)

    He has a point, though. Quite funny :)

  167. Congleton? I’m in Holmes Chapel for 3 nights in a couple of weeks. All expenses paid meetings in nice hotels, love em :D

  173. It’s more the logistics of the transport side of things, like deleveries and such, and finding better ways of working etc. But I can put a word in if you want.

    My latest project is nearly complete and if it comes off it could save a fortune :D

  174. Aye i know mate.
    I was being cheeky, shy bairns get nowt, hey?
    Good luck with that mate, i reckon you’re worth a raise mate.
    ;)

  177. CC says:
    June 14, 2010 at 1:52 pm
    No never seen it, looks nice.

    What do you do ?
    <<<< he works part time as a rent boy :lol:

  178. All I saw was “he works” in the recent comments bit but I knew it was going to be somthing along them lines :lol: